The law creates a cause of action and authorizes a lawsuit for damages for discrimination based upon actual or perceived sexual or affectional preference or sexual orientation in employment, places of public accommodation, resort or amusement, educational institutions, public services, housing accommodations, or commercial space.

Full text of Onondaga County Fair Practices Law

How one paper saw the Onondaga County debate

About the Syracuse Fair Practices Law, passed 1990

"This is not about morality. This is about civil rights, equal rights and equal protection under the law. . . . No earthquake will occur because of the law. It will quietly protect people."

-- Sid Oglesby, prime sponsor of the Onondaga County Fair Practices law.

Passed on August 3, 1998 by a vote of 13 - 11

No - Donald F. Colon (R-1st Dist.)
No - Bernard F. Kraft (R-2nd Dist.)
No - William H. Meyer (R-3rd Dist.)
No - William E. Sanford (R-4th Dist.)
No - Carol Boehlert (R-5th Dist.)
Yes - Martha Walsh Hood (R-6th Dist.)
Yes - E. Clyde Ohl (D-7th Dist.)
No - James A. Corbett (R-8th Dist.)
Yes - Vicki Baker (D-9th Dist.)
No - Terry R. Pickard (R-10th Dist.)
Yes - Martha E. Mulroy (R-11th Dist.)
Yes - Dale A. Sweetland (R-12th Dist.)
No - Robert D. Warner (R-13th Dist.)
Yes - Stephen G. Delaney (D-14th Dist.)
No - Thomas E. Smith (R-15th Dist.)
Yes - Sam Laguzza (D-16th Dist.)
No - Edward F. Ryan (D-17th Dist.)
Yes - Sid Oglesby (D-18th Dist.)
Yes - Sam Roberts (D-19th Dist.)
Yes - Kathleen O'Hara (D-20th Dist.)
No - Mark A. Stanczyk (D-21st Dist.)
Yes - William T. Kinne (D-22nd Dist.)
Yes - Amatullah Yamini (D-23rd Dist.)
Yes - Beth Brownson (D-24th Dist.)

Legislators representing the areas shading in pink voted for the Fair Practices Law.
It could not have passed without support from a coalition of city, suburban and rural, Democratic and Republican legislators.

REPORT OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ON LOCAL LAW ___ OF 1998 TO THE CLERK OF THE ONONDAGA COUNTY LEGISLATURE:

Pursuant to article 3 of the Municipal Home Rule Law, the undersigned has held a Public Hearing on August 17, 1998 in the Legislative Chambers of the Onondaga County Legislature, Court House, Syracuse, New York, to consider Local Law No. ___ of 1998, entitled, "A Local Law Preventing Discrimination Based Upon Sexual or Affectional Preference or Sexual Orientation in Onondaga County and Establishing a Fair Practices Law". The law creates a cause of action and authorizes a lawsuit for damages for discrimination based upon actual or perceived sexual or affectional preference or sexual orientation in employment, places of public accommodation, resort or amusement, educational institutions, public services, housing accommodations, or commercial space.

The underlying concept of this Local Law is to protect our citizens from discrimination and thus a good one. As we prepare ourselves and our community for the challenges of the new millennium, ensuring the rights of our citizens to fully participate in community life is an appropriate action of government. On balance, only those who would choose to discriminate need to be concerned with this law. Therefore, I find that the law is beneficial and hereby approve the aforesaid Local Law.

- Nicholas J. Pirro