Mineola, NY- Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, joined by Legislator David Denenberg (D-Merrick), Legislator David Mejias (D-North Massapequa), Legislator Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside), Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead), Legislator Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove), Director of Minority Affairs John Moye, Chairman of the Minority Affairs Counsel Rev. William Watson, Renaire Frierson of the Human Rights Commission, and members of ACORN and other human rights organizations, announced his plans today to introduce to the Nassau County Legislature a bill that would increase penalties and provide stricter enforcement of current Nassau County Human Rights Laws.

"It is imperative that we increase the County's enforcement power to protect our residents against human rights violations," County Executive Suozzi said. "Everyone should have the same opportunity to buy or rent a home, and absolutely no one should be prevented from this because of his or her race. And, stricter penalties for other kinds of discrimination are also necessary to greater protect people in more areas of their lives."

Presently, Nassau County Human Rights laws provide only minimal enforcement powers. County Executive Suozzi's proposed legislation would provide the Human Rights Commission with meaningful enforcement powers, particularly in the area of housing discrimination. For example, the proposed law could prevent an owner or landlord suspected of discrimination from renting to another party during an investigation.

The proposed law would also allow individuals more power to protect themselves against discrimination on the basis of "source of income," and the use of "Section 8" vouchers for housing costs.

The proposed law also dramatically increases the penalties for other kinds of discrimination prohibited under the existing law. Presently, penalties are limited to between $100 and $500 or imprisonment for between 5 and 20 days. The law would increase these penalties to $5000 and $10,000 for a first offense and between $10,000 and $20,000 for subsequent offenses.

"In the year 2004, it's a disgrace that Long Island is so segregated," said Karim Rasheed, chairperson of Hempstead Heights ACORN. "We are glad that the Nassau County Executive has the courage and vision to propose this desperately needed legislation. It is a crucial first step in stopping housing discrimination and any other discrimination in this county."