The New York State Assembly has voted unanimously to close loopholes in the law guaranteeing equal pay for women. The measure already passed in the Senate.
It's among several women's rights bills backed by Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo in a package that stalled previously amid Republican opposition to a bill codifying abortion rights.
New York law prohibits gender-based pay differentials, with exceptions for seniority and merit systems, productivity and "any other factor other than sex."
The bill would revise the last exception to "a bona fide factor other than sex, such as education, training or experience," also requiring that it be job-related and consistent with business need.
It would prohibit exceptions based on different locations within a region and triple damages to 300 percent.
Advocates say the wage gap averages 14 percent.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.
