A 3983: Establishes the freedom to rally and engage equitably (FREE) act protecting employees from discrimination as a result of participating in certain political activities.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3983 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 30, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. FORREST -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Labor AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to the right of employees to participate in certain political activities The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "freedom to 2 rally and engage equitably (FREE) act". 3 § 2. Paragraph a of subdivision 1 of section 201-d of the labor law, 4 as added by chapter 776 of the laws of 1992, is amended and a new para- 5 graph f is added to read as follows: 6 a. "Political activities" shall mean (i) running for public office, 7 (ii) campaigning for a candidate for public office, [or] (iii) partic- 8 ipating in fund-raising activities for the benefit of a candidate, poli- 9 tical party or political advocacy group, or (iv) actions involving 10 public petition and participation; 11 f. "Action involving public petition and participation" shall mean (i) 12 any communication in a place open to the public or a public forum in 13 connection with an issue of public interest; or (ii) any other lawful 14 conduct in furtherance of the exercise of the constitutional right of 15 free speech in connection with an issue of public interest, or in furth- 16 erance of the exercise of the constitutional right of petition. 17 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07338-01-5