New York Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt told Newsweek on Friday that a Democratic-sponsored bill that would require Chick-fil-A to remain open on Sundays at rest stops is a "complete joke."
New York Assemblyman Tony Simone recently introduced a bill that would require fast food restaurants at rest stops in the state to remain open every day of the week. The proposed legislation does not target Chick-fil-A specifically, but would force the eatery to either open on Sundays or close down their nine restaurants in these rest stops.
Every Chick-fil-A across the country is closed on Sundays, according to company policy. On its website, the company says that its founder S. Truett Cathy "saw the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest or worship if they choose, a practice we uphold today."
Ortt, a Republican representing Niagara and Orleans counties, told Newsweek via email he opposes the legislation. He criticized Democrats for proposing the bill when the state is dealing with a number of other issues, including crime and an influx of migrants.
"With New York facing a $9.5 billion budget deficit, rising crime, a migrant crisis, and record outmigration, legislating the hours of operation for a fast-food chain is a complete joke," Ortt said. I personally applaud a business that recognizes Sunday as a day of rest and gives their employees a day off to spend time with their loved ones however they choose."
He said lawmakers should respect Chick-fil-A for promoting their values, even if they are "not in vogue with the Democratic Socialists currently running our state." Ortt added that there are other restaurants open on Sundays that drivers can eat at instead.
"There are plenty of other restaurants along the Thruway to patronize on Sundays," Ortt said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Simone told Newsweek via email the goal of the bill is to "protect consumers by ensuring that they have access to the services they need on one of the busiest travel days of the week."
"As stated in the bill memo, the legislation is unrelated to a certain company's religious affiliation," the spokesperson said, adding that the bill has several co-sponsors and they are "optimistic that it will gain support as the year goes on."
New York State Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay told Newsweek via email that the legislation is "ridiculous" since there are other dining options for travelers.
"This is simply another liberal attack on a wildly popular business. A Democratic administration entered into the agreement with Chick-Fill-A for seven of the state's 27 Thruway service areas. Now liberals want to undo a contract because their own political agenda. Government has no place telling a private corporation how to run its operation," Barclay said.
The issue is "nowhere near the list of priority issues that require our attention," he said.
Assemblymember MaryJane Shimsky, who co-sponsored the bill, said New Yorkers "have every right to expect that a public accommodation that is intended to serve the public 24/7 is, in fact, open 24/7."
"And we have a right to legislate that, so that the people traveling on our Thruway system can have access to fully operational service areas every day of the week. This is especially true for Sunday, which is one of the biggest family travel days of the week," Shimsky told Newsweek in an emailed statement.
Newsweek also reached out to Chick-fil-A for comment via email.
Meanwhile, Simone wrote in a statement to X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, "It makes no sense for restaurants at rest stops to be closed on one of the busiest travel days of the week, but Chick-Fil-A has been allowed to limit their service to travelers in their contract with the NYS Thruway Authority."
Gregory Germain, a professor at Syracuse University's College of Law, previously told Newsweek that Chick-fil-A could sue and argue that the proposed legislation violates its religious principles.
Update 12/22/23, 3:02 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Shimsky.
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