S 4221 New York Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Provides attorney fees to prevailing parties in human rights law cases

This bill requires courts to award attorney fees - including expert witness costs - to winning parties in discrimination lawsuits under New York's human rights laws (specifically violations of Executive Law Sections 296 and 296-a). It mandates that losing defendants cover these fees and all court costs, but explicitly prohibits the state or its agencies from collecting such fees. The law directly affects plaintiffs who win discrimination cases and defendants who lose them in court. It creates a standard mechanism for fee awards in these cases without altering existing anti-discrimination protections.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Last action Jan 7, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Jan 7, 2026
Committee
REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Committee
REFERRED TO INVESTIGATIONS AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Kevin Parker
Kevin Parker
DDemocratic/Working Families
NY
21