Cuomo Bans Companies With Moral Values From State Agencies

Companies and schools that maintain traditional values are no longer welcome in New York state — effective immediately.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday signed an executive order banning all state agencies and authorities from doing business with companies that refuse to hire or do business with individuals based on the company’s religious or moral value system.

More ominously, the executive order bars any school that refuses to accept certain students that go against the school’s values from receiving state funding. While yeshivos and other religious schools do not get direct tuition aid, they are reimbursed for services mandated by the state, such as taking attendance and ensuring that students get vaccinated.

Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat widely seen as seeking to run for president in 2020, framed the decision as a counter to President Donald Trump’s recent orders protecting religious values.

“New York will fight every action this federal administration takes that attempts to undo progress we have made,” Gov. Cuomo said.

The governor claimed that the order effectively barring a class of people based on their religious beliefs would promote “diversity” in the state.

The governor has made few public appearances in recent days as the corruption trial of his former top aide, Joe Percoco, heats up. His appearance at an event Sunday promoting the new order was not announced on his public schedule and reporters were not allowed to ask questions.

Mr. Cuomo declared that the “anti-discrimination protections” should be “interpreted broadly and shall not be affected by unduly narrow federal executive branch interpretations.”