The Commission's Newsletter 
2005 Edition
Page 3

On October 3, 2005, Mayor Bloomberg signed Local Law 85 into law, the Local Civil Rights Restoration Act of 2005. The amendment added “partnership status” as a protected class under the law, protecting parties in a domestic partnership, and increased the penalties that the Commission can impose. The changes also include a statement that state and federal law are the minimum standards to be applied when analyzing cases under the City’s Human Rights Law, clarifying that an adverse impact is not required in retaliation cases and that a plaintiff whose action was a catalyst for a change in policy may be considered a prevailing party for the purposes of awarding attorney fees in state or federal court..