N.Y. EXC Law § 290

§ 290. Purposes of article. 1. This article shall be known as the\n"Human Rights Law".\n 2. It shall be deemed an exercise of the police power of the state for\nthe protection of the public welfare, health and peace of the people of\nthis state, and in fulfillment of the provisions of the constitution of\nthis state concerning civil rights.\n 3. The legislature hereby finds and declares that the state has the\nresponsibility to act to assure that every individual within this state\nis afforded an equal opportunity to enjoy a full and productive life and\nthat the failure to provide such equal opportunity, whether because of\ndiscrimination, prejudice, intolerance or inadequate education,\ntraining, housing or health care not only threatens the rights and\nproper privileges of its inhabitants but menaces the institutions and\nfoundation of a free democratic state and threatens the peace, order,\nhealth, safety and general welfare of the state and its inhabitants. A\ndivision in the executive department is hereby created to encourage\nprograms designed to insure that every individual shall have an equal\nopportunity to participate fully in the economic, cultural and\nintellectual life of the state; to encourage and promote the development\nand execution by all persons within the state of such state programs; to\neliminate and prevent discrimination in employment, in places of public\naccommodation, resort or amusement, in educational institutions, in\npublic services, in housing accommodations, in commercial space and in\ncredit transactions and to take other actions against discrimination as\nherein provided; and the division established hereunder is hereby given\ngeneral jurisdiction and power for such purposes.\n