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For years now, the New York State Assembly has passed in strongly bipartisan votes important measures that will protect LGBT families and youth, only to have those measures stall in the State Senate.  Two of these measures passed the Assembly yet again just yesterday:

• A.6060 / S.6783: A bill to open Family Court and give access to civil orders of protection for all victims of domestic violence, including unmarried committed couples and those in dating relationships.  Currently, only couples who are or have been legally married or legally share a child are allowed into Family Court.  As a result, same-sex couples are usually left out in the cold to fend for themselves when dealing with domestic violence.  Shockingly, this restriction makes New York dead last in the nation in terms of protecting its citizens from domestic violence.

• A.2856 / S.1342: The Healthy Teens Act, a bill to create state funding for comprehensive, medically accurate sex education programs in schools.  This would help fill the gap that often exists in current sex education, namely a complete invisibility or even a demonization of LGBT youth.

It’s time for the Senate to follow the Assembly’s lead and pass these common sense measures to strengthen all of New York’s families and young people.  Send the following letter to your Senator and ask him or her to: (1) support these measures; and (2) to advocate with his or her legislative leader to get these measures voted on in the Senate during this legislative session.