[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Audio test for Council Member Santos Woso. All quiet on the floor, please. All quiet on the floor, please. Can I have your attention, please? Can I please have your attention? Council members, quiet down, please. Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, place Please place all electronic devices All electronic devices to vibrate. Mr. Majority Leader, it's all yours. Good afternoon and welcome to the stated meeting of April 16th, 2026. I am Majority Leader Shawn Abreu, and I'd like to thank you for joining us. As a reminder, decorum must be respected at all times. If you'd like to follow along, the agenda for today's meeting is posted on our website. Please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call. Aldabald. Here. Ariola. Here. Aviles. Banks. Here. Brewer. Here. Brooks-Powers. Present. Cabán. Present. De la Rosa. Here. Dinnawitz. Here. Encarnación. Presente. Epstein. Present. Farias. >> Present. Felder. Feliz. Gennaro. Here. Gutierrez. Here. Hanif. Hankerson. Here. Hanks. Present. Hudson. Present. Joseph. Present. Krishnan. Here. Lee. Here. Louis. Present. Maloney. Present. Marta. Present. Mealy. Feliz. Here. Here. Moreno. Narcisse. Present. Aviles. Presente. Nurse. Ousmane. Paladino. Here. Restler. Here. Riley. Salam. Present. Justin Sanchez. In attendance. >> [clears throat] >> Pierina Sanchez. Here. Santos Woso. Here. Schulman. Here. Stevens. Thomas Henry. Present. Ung. Present. Hanif. Here. Riley. Present. Stevens. Here. Vernikov. Here. Williams. Won. Wong. Here. Zhuang. Here. Carr. Present. Abreu. Present. Speaker Adams. Present. Thank you. We will now have today's invocation, which will be delivered by Reverend Dr. C. Vernon Mason, the Minister in Residence at Friendship Baptist Church, which is located at 144 West 131st Street in Manhattan. Speaker Adams. Council Member Salam. Council members and staff, I bring you greetings this afternoon from Friendship Baptist Church in the Village of Harlem, and my pastor, Reverend Dr. James Arthur Killgore. Speaker Adams, as you preside over these legislative sessions, working with 50 other Council members, 35 standing committees, and four subcommittees, we're praying that God will give you a double portion of strength and wisdom to do your job. Let us pray. Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on Speaker Adams, Deputy Speaker Williams, Majority Leader Abreu, Minority Leader Carr, Majority Whip Hanks, Minority Whip Vernikov, City Clerk McSweeney, Deputy City Clerks Fuentes and Acosta. Lord God, fall fresh on each of them and every Council member in this chamber. Lord God, as we invoke your spirit, I pray that the faith community in this region, over 26,000 religious organizations, will support and pray for our beloved New York City Council. Lord God, we pray a prayer of thanksgiving and thank you for creating us in the imago Dei, I M A G O D E I, in the image of God. Today, we are thankful and grateful that 51 special people on the City Council decided to serve their communities and to make a difference in the lives of over 8 million people in New York City. I pray that the work that the members of this City Council are doing will speak for them and become a model for the metropolitan region, the state, and the nation. From the balconies of heaven, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has a wonderful message to public servants. Dr. King emphasized that serving the public is a noble struggle that is centered on equality, humanity, and justice rather than simply administration. Dr. King's charge, therefore, is for you to act with compassion, uphold integrity, fight for economic and racial justice, and to recognize that we're all bound in a single garment of destiny. Dr. King's urgent question today is, "What are you doing for others?" Finally, we pray special prayers of sorrow, condolences, and comfort for our 7-month-old baby girl, Ka'ara Patterson Moore, and continue to grieve with her family. Lord God, over 50 years ago, Marvin Gaye sang a song that charged us to save the children, save the babies. Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on the New York City Council, and let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Amen. Thank you. Council Member Yusef Salaam, to spread the invocation on the record. My colleagues, today I rise before you at this stated hearing to enter into the official record the powerful invocation just delivered by Reverend Dr. C. Vernon Mason, a man whose life's work reflects an unwavering commitment to justice, to faith, and to service. Reverend Mason's journey is both distinguished and and deeply rooted in advocacy. Born in Tucker, Arkansas, he rose to national prominence as a civil rights attorney taking on some of the most consequential and complex cases in New York City during the 1980s. Though his legal career ended in 1995, his dedication to uplifting communities did not. He continued his work as a leader in the nonprofit sector and answered a call, a higher call, in ministry. A proud graduate of Morehouse College, Reverend Mason earned an his MBA from Indiana University, Bloomington, and his Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School. He later pursued theological study in New York Theological Seminary, where he obtained his Master's of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees, further deepening his lifelong commitment to faith and to service. In 1999, Reverend Mason was ordained as a Baptist minister at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, an institution that has long stood as the cornerstone of spiritual leadership and social justice in our city. For over three decades, he served faithfully on the Deacon Board as well as on the Trustee Board, while also teaching new members and supporting the church's administrative life. Abyssinian itself carries a profound legacy, having been led by towering figures as the former Congressman Reverend Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Reverend Dr. Calvin Butts, leaders who shaped both the church and the broader struggle for social justice. Today, Reverend Mason continues his ministry at Friendship Baptist Church in Harlem under the leadership of Reverend Dr. James A. Kilgore, where he serves as a minister in residence. This church, with a history spanning spanning nearly 90 years, that's nine decades, has long been a pillar in the Harlem community. Its legacy continues its role in the civil rights movement, most notably as a gathering place where Bayard Rustin helped organize the historic March on Washington. Reverend Mason's life stands as a testament to resilience, to transformation, and to purpose. Whether in the courtroom or in the classroom or in the pulpit, he has remained steadfast in the mission to fight injustice, uplift the marginalized, and inspire faith in action. It is both fitting and necessary that his words and his witness be preserved in the very record of this Council. Thank you. We will now ask Council Member Carmen De La Rosa for the adoption of minutes. Uh I move that the minutes for the stated meeting be adopted. One second. Oh, for Sorry, I don't have the paper. Huh? Okay. I make a motion that the minutes of the stated meeting of March 26, 2026 be adopted as printed. Thank you, and sorry. All good. Messages and papers from the mayor? None. Communication from city, county, and borough offices? None. Petitions and communications? None. Land use call-ups? M-59. Thank you. I would now ask that the clerk take a roll call vote on today's land use call-up. Aldebol. I vote aye. Ariola. I vote aye. Avilés. Aye. Banks. Aye. Brewer. Yes. Brooks-Powers. Present. Council Member, land use call-ups? Aye. Thank you. Cabán. Aye. De La Rosa. Aye. Dinowitz. Aye. Encarnación. Aye. Epstein. Yes. Thank you. Farías. I vote aye. Felder. Yes. Feliz. Aye. Gennaro. Aye. Gutiérrez. Aye. Hanif. Aye. Harrisson. Aye. Henkes. Aye. Hudson. Aye. Joseph. Aye. Krishnan. Aye. Lee. Aye. Louis. Aye. Maloney. Aye. Marrero. Aye. Mealy. Morano. Aye. Narcisse. Aye. Nurse. I vote aye. Ossé. Paladino. Aye. Ressler. Aye. Riley. Aye. Salaam. I vote aye. Justin Sanchez. Aye. Perina Sanchez. Aye. Santos Rosso. Aye. Thank you. Schulman. Aye. Stevens. Aye. Thomas Henry. Aye. Ung. Aye. Vernikov. Aye. Aye. Williams. I vote aye. Won. Aye. Wong. Aye. >> [clears throat] >> Aye. Zhuang. Aye. Thank you. Greetings, Council Member Mealy, land use call-ups. I vote aye on all. Thank you. Carr. Aye. Abreu. Aye. Speaker Menin. Aye. Today's land use call-ups are adopted by a vote of 49 in the affirmative and zero in the negative. Thank you. We will now have communication from Speaker Julie Menin. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for Yeah, woohoo. Yeah, great. I love that energy. Good afternoon. >> [laughter] >> Thank you for joining us today on what marks the 100th day of our new City Council. So, happy 100th day. >> [applause] >> I First of all, I want to say what an honor it's been to serve alongside all of you, and I'm so proud of the work collectively that we have been able to accomplish in these past 100 days, and the work that I know that we'll be able to accomplish in the years ahead. Since January 7th, the Council has laid a firm foundation for a productive next 4 years and the numbers paint a clear picture of that productivity. We've introduced over 1,200 pieces of legislation. That's 1,200, more than any council has done in its first 100 days. We Yeah, I love it. Yes, okay. Council member Amiel bringing the energy today. Thank you. We've passed 102 bills including 17 overrides of vetoes from the previous mayoral administration, which is more than in the past decade combined. We also expect to pass nine additional pieces of legislation this afternoon. To recap, the council has passed our safe access bills as a signature part of our five-point plan to combat anti-Semitism that we announced in early January and today we are passing our final bill in that package. We established a committee to combat hate as well as a new caucus on animal welfare. I knew I knew you'd want that. Yes, I knew. Okay, can't miss that. And we also successfully passed a package of legislation that puts guardrails around the city's extended use of no-bid emergency contracts. Under prior administration, these contracts accounted for billions of dollars in spending that was largely unchecked and that in some cases opened the door to potential fraud and abuse. We also passed a number of bills to um allow more child care facilities to be built around New York City and to really cut down on the red tape and the bureaucracy and rules that were preventing the construction of new child care facilities. >> [applause] >> Great. The cheering squad over there. I love it. On April 1st, we released our response to the mayor's preliminary budget showing how we could close the budget shortfall without raising property taxes, raiding the rainy day fund or cutting critical services or any services for that matter. Not only did we present a fiscally responsible path to closing the budget shortfall, but we moved to restore 1.1 billion dollars in funding for libraries, cultural institutions and other essential programs. Our response highlighted the council's support for a number of initiatives that are vital to making the city more affordable for working New Yorkers. They include a proposed expansion of the Fair Fares program. Anyone going to cheer for that? Yes, Fair Fares. Let's Okay. And a college savings program known as Kids Rise because studies show that those students that go to vocational school, a two-year community college, a four-year college over the course of their lifetime earn double the wages as someone who does not. So it is a very important way to address income inequality. This budget season, we also launched a council's first ever public finance dashboard. Thank you to our deputy speaker for her hard work on that. And that is a major step towards transparency and equity in the budget process. This project allows everyday New Yorkers to have greater access to the numbers that show the different sources of revenue and how resources are allocated by city agencies. We look forward to holding hearings on the mayor's proposed executive budget next month and to working with the mayor and the administration to adopt a budget that lifts up every New Yorker. Moving briefly towards more recent events. On Monday, Jews across the world marked Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Remembrance Day. As a proud daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, I certainly grew up listening to my mom and my grandmother's story and to the miracle of their escape. At a time when anti-Semitism is rising alongside Holocaust denial, to never forget has become a new responsibility to actively remember and it's a vow that we as a society must continue to uphold year after year. One of my first actions as speaker was to commit to that responsibility allocating 1.25 million in funding to the Museum of Jewish Heritage to expand access to Holocaust education and to build on a program that we launched in 2024 to bring every eighth grader in our city's public school to the museum for free. Separately, Monday was also a cause for celebration when the federal government finally caved to pressure and allowed the pride flag to rightfully fly at the Stonewall monument in Greenwich Village. When it was first taken down in February, I was so proud to stand alongside of so many members of our LGBTQIA+ caucus and many other council members at the monument to strongly denounce that move and we wrote a letter to the National Park Service demanding that they return the flag. While this reversal was obviously long overdue, it was a victory not just for the LGBTQIA+ community, but for every community in the five boroughs. And we in the City Council will continue to fight for the safety and dignity of the LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers and to build a more equitable and affordable city. Now, part of our affordability agenda places emphasis on growing our city's economy. We know we've lost about 20,000 jobs last year and that contrasts with the 190,000 jobs that were created on average each of the prior 4 years. We also know we lost 5,000 um small businesses last year that went out of business. So we really have to have a laser-like focus on job creation and supporting our small businesses. So this summer will be a prime opportunity to do so when our region hosts eight FIFA World Cup matches, which the New York New Jersey Host Committee has estimated would generate 3.3 billion dollars in economic impact. As a city, we have to be ready to meet this moment and that's why today the council is introducing a package of legislation that will advance the strategy to open up the five boroughs and its businesses for the millions of visitors who are coming here and at the same time better enable those visitors to enjoy all the opportunities that our great city has to offer. That includes publishing a calendar of 2026 World Cup activities from viewing parties to recreational events to street festivals as well as other cultural programming. As well as conducting outreach to small businesses so that small businesses can truly be a part of this economic development as well. And expanding access to public bathrooms during the tournament so that when you need to go, you have a place to go. We are also seeking to create an outreach and education program to spread awareness of common scams that are targeting tourists as well. So with this global tournament coming to our backyard, we are beyond excited to showcase New York as a city that can do it all for all who come here and for all who live and work here, too. Moving along, April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time where we raise awareness and advance public education about the prevalence of sexual assault across the country. As a city, we must continue to empower survivors and support them with necessary resources and pathways to recover while of course working to prevent sexual assault. It's also Autism Acceptance Month, which celebrates and uplifts the voices of people with autism. New York will always be a city that supports the well-being of people of all abilities and spectrums of neurodiversity. We are also celebrating Arab American Heritage Month. And as a city, let us Let us recognize the achievements and honor the many contributions of our Arab American communities throughout this month and beyond. Last week was also National Library Week, a time to celebrate these incredible pillars in our neighborhoods that New Yorkers of all ages rely on for knowledge, for resources and connection. For all that our libraries provide us, they deserve full funding in our city budget and that is why we put that funding back into our response. This week is Black Maternal Health Week, a time when we recognize the stark inequities in maternal health outcomes that disproportionately affect Black women. There is much more work that needs to be done to secure the health and stability of mothers and their children. And as a woman-majority council, we are deeply committed to championing accessible maternal health care. On Monday, we also celebrated Vaisakhi Day, uh which many Sikhs choose to be baptized. I hope that all who observe had a wonderful day of reflection and celebration. Uh talking about celebration, I want to wish a happy belated birthday to Council member Crystal Hudson who celebrated her birthday on the 14th and Council member Julie Won whose birthday is on the 17th. I also just want to give a quick reminder to everyone that we are in the midst of participatory budgeting vote week. Until Sunday, April 19th, New Yorkers in 22 districts across the city can make their voices heard by voting for projects to improve their communities from schools to parks to local libraries. I encourage everyone to vote online or in person. I've been proud to do participatory budgeting since I've been in the council. It's such a great initiative to involve our communities. So I really want to thank our incredible council staff and volunteers who've worked so hard on participatory budgeting this year. Now, let's move on to our stated agenda. First, we'll vote on the following land use items: 37-59 Hamilton Avenue rezoning, which will facilitate the development of an 18-story mixed-use building with 369 units, 111 of which will be permanently affordable under MIH option two, as well as 146 parking spaces and outdoor public open space in Council Member Hanks' district. Two applications for revocable consent to operate a sidewalk cafe Sabrosa in Council Member Ferreras' district and Cachet BK in Council Member Mealy's district. We will also be voting on the following finance item: a pre-considered resolutions sponsored by a finance chair, Council Member Lee, approving new designations and changes of certain organizations receiving funding in the expense budget. Next, we will move on to the mayor's appointment of Nadia Shahata to serve as commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation. Today, we are going to vote on the following legislation: Introduction 327B, sponsored by Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, would expand the city's program providing reimbursement to qualifying non-public schools for costs related to um employing uh security guards to also include the purchase and installation of security cameras. Thank you to Jessica Bullett, Weam Douri, and Rachel Cadrera. Next, Introduction 722A, sponsored by Council Member Linda Schulman, would require the New York City Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health to submit twice a year and post online a report on mental health emergency calls from the previous 6 months. The report would include the number of calls that were made to 911, how many calls were eligible for and actually received a Be Heard response versus police or EMS, response times, outcomes such as treatment, hospitalization, or involuntary removal, arrest, use of force incidents, and demographic and location information. The bill would also require FDNY to update its public 911 data set to include Be Heard. Thank you to Sarah Sueder. Today, we will vote on a package of bills ahead of Earth Day. Resolution 351, sponsored by Council Member Harvey Epstein, would recognize the contributions of the federal Endangered Species Act to the natural environment of New York City. Thank you to Ricky Chawla, Andrew Born, Natasha Bynum, and Sierra Townsen. Next, Introduction 730-B, sponsored by Council Member Jim Gennaro, would require DEP to conduct a water quality testing at a minimum of 15 testing sites within New York City's water bodies. The bill would require DEP to choose testing sites in areas that are used for secondary contact recreation, such as boating and fishing, within 1,000 ft of a combined sewer outfall and within 5 to 20 ft of a water body's shore or other access point, or as close as possible to a shore or other access point while remaining 5 ft of water depth. Okay, that was a mouthful. Under this bill, such testing would be required monthly from November to April and weekly from May to October. Finally, the bill would require DEP to post their water quality testing results online with bacteria results posted every week and other water quality indicators posted quarterly. Thank you to Natasha Bynum for her work on that. Introduction 355A, uh sponsored by Council Member Sandy Nurse, would designate organic waste as a recyclable material for city agencies and require the Department of Sanitation to establish rules governing the source separation of organic waste that is generated by city agencies in the preparation and service of meals. Thank you to Morgan Barrett, Ricky Chawla, and Dirk Spencer. Introduction 805A, sponsored by Council Member Phil Wong, would require the Department of Parks, along with the Departments of Health and Mental Hygiene, Environmental Protection, Transportation, and the Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability to conduct a study and pilot program concerning the use and installation of cool pavement materials on DPR property within, abutting, or directly adjacent to a playground. The study and pilot program would be conducted in at least one heat-vulnerable community in each borough. Parks Department would be required to post the results of this pilot on its website and submit it to the mayor and to the council no later than February 1st, 2031. Introduction 806A, also sponsored by Council Member Wong, would create a wildlife management advisory board to develop a citywide wildlife management plan, analyze wildlife management issues, and recommend policies to preserve and promote biological diversity and the humane treatment of wildlife. All agencies Yeah, all agencies would be required to consider the effect of their actions on wildlife. An annual report would be released by the Mayor's Office of Animal Welfare in consultation with the Parks Department updating the status of ongoing wildlife management problems. Introduction 577A, sponsored by Council Member Jim Gennaro, would require the Department of Parks to post a map of trails located in each park or property under DPR jurisdiction on its website. DPR would be required to update the map after it completes any project that improves an existing trail or creates a new one and would have to consider how any project that improves or creates a trail would improve public access. Finally, last one. Introduction 740A, sponsored by Council Member Tai Hankerson, would require the Department of Parks and Recreation and other relevant city agencies to conduct a study to identify at least the top 10 community districts that lack the most green space and to make recommendations to the mayor and the council on how to increase green space, including parkland, in those areas. Thank you to Chris Sartori and Patrick Mullvahill. And so, thank you for your attention to this, and now I'm going to turn it back to our majority leader. Thank you, Speaker Adams. Uh we will now move into discussion of general orders. Just want to remind folks to make your disclosures before you vote. Council Member Hanks, followed by Narcisse. Thank you, Mr. Majority Leader. Uh today we will vote on um 37-59 Hamilton Avenue development in my district. This is an important project because it speaks directly to the future of the North Shore of Staten Island. This is about creating the kind of housing that gives Staten Island families, and especially our young people, a real chance to stay in our community that they were raised in. For too long, we have watched working families get priced out of places that continue and places to continue to grow and create opportunity. This project puts us in a better direction. It's uniquely suited for District 49 because it includes an opportunity for affordable homeownership, something my community has pushed for because Staten Island families deserve the chance not only to rent, but to own, build equity, and remain in the community that they they love. As it also includes permanent affordable housing, 700 sq ft of community facility space, public accessible open space, and an investment in the surrounding neighborhood. This is how we move the North Shore of Staten Island forward, building towards the future by making development that delivers real value to families who call this community home. I am in support of this project and I ask that my colleagues vote yes on LU 45 and 46. Thank you to our land use team, Speaker Adams, in helping us shaping this this important project. Thank you so much. Council Member Narcisse, followed by Council Member Hankerson. Thank you, Speaker Adams. I rise today in support of Intro 327B. It's a great legislation, and I want to thank my co-sponsors and of course the Committee on Public Safety for moving this bill forward. Every morning in this city, parents send their children to school and trust that they would be safe. That trust shouldn't depend on whether you or your child attends a public school or non-public school. It shouldn't depend on whether your school has the budget to buy security cameras or not. Every child in New York City deserves to be protected. We already recognize this as a city. We reimburse non-public schools for security guards. We provide buzzing. We provide textbooks. We provide school lunches. We do this because we understand that these schools are part of the fabric of our city. They deserve I mean, they we serve hundreds of thousands of our children, and those children are New York City children, no matter what building they walk into each morning. But when it comes to something as basic as surveillance camera at the front door, where where left these schools on their own. Intro 327B closes that gap. Let's do it. Only schools that demonstrate a financial needs are eligible. The funding is capped. The reporting requirement are built in, and schools can apply once every 6 years. It's responsible. It's accountable. It is overdue. We should not wait for something to happen, which many of us like to wait. Don't wait at a school before we act. We have to act today. We know what these cameras do. They deter. They document. they give families and educators peace of mind and of course the parents. And at the time when hate crimes and threats against schools are rising, we cannot afford to leave any school unprotected because of the type of school it is. At the end of the day, this is about one thing. Keeping our children safe. I urge all my colleagues to vote for this. Thank you, New York City. Let's be responsible for all our children. Thank Council member Hankerson followed by Gennaro. Thank you, majority leader. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am proud to bring forward intro 748 which requires New York City to study green space in community districts identifying the 10 districts with the least green space per person. The Parks Department will issue a report describing the green spaces already in those districts and recommend ways to increase green space therein. Too many neighbors Too many neighborhoods still have less shade, less relief, and fewer nearby places for families to gather. Too many children still have fewer places to play close to home and too many young people still rely on limited or worn-down public spaces after school and on weekends. For many families, green space is one of the few free places left to sit, walk, cool off, or breathe. In many neighborhoods, it is also a recreation space and a third space at the same time. These spaces are never missing in affluent neighborhoods and I for one am tired of the tale of two cities when it comes to the city infrastructure. As vital as our green spaces are, equity needs to be at the forefront. We need to analyze these data points holistically in conjunction with with what people are actually experiencing. Just because a park looks close on paper, it may still sit across a highway or behind a difficult crossing. New Yorkers deserve a clearer picture of where the gaps are and where resources to create this new infrastructure have to go. That is exactly what this bill accomplishes requiring the Parks Department to name the districts with the least green space and describe what is already there and then come back with recommendations on how to bring more green space into those neighborhoods. I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill and again, thank you, Madam Speaker. Council member Gennaro followed by Schulman. Thank you, Mr. Majority Leader. Next week we celebrate the 57th Earth Day. I remember the first Earth Day in 1970. 10% of the US population, 20 million people, came out on Earth Day. They came out in Earth Day events all over the country and made a big difference. Um Congress passed the nation's first environmental law, the National Environmental Policy Act. President Nixon created the EPA and over the next few years the Congress passed a host of landmark environmental legislation. Laws that still serve as the cornerstone of the nation's environmental protection. The Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, just to name a few. And in this era of an administration that is hostile to environmental protection, it is up to state and local governments to hold the line on protecting the Earth that sustains us and the health and well-being of this and future generations. Our speaker and this council do not shrink from this challenge. I'm very impressed by the Earth Day package that Speaker Adams and the Speaker Adams has put forward. There is much more work to be done with regard to climate change adaptation, real and lasting environmental justice, and a host of other topics too numerous to mention. I am grateful for Speaker Adams' environmental leadership and the environmental commitment of all my colleagues. I urge all my colleagues to support every bill in the environmental legislative package being advanced today. Happy Earth Day. Council member Schulman followed by Wong. Thank you, majority leader. Good policy depends on good data. I'm asking my colleagues to please vote on intro 722A. People experiencing mental health crises are too often met with force when they need care and without clear, consistent reporting, it's difficult to measure progress or identify where improvements are needed. Currently, the city doesn't really collect response data for 911 mental health calls. So, this is something that's really important and needed. This legislation comes at an important moment. Just last month, Mayor Adams signed an executive order creating the Office of Community Safety signaling a commitment to strengthening the city's mental health crisis response. To support that effort, the council needs the tools to evaluate whether programs like Be Heard and others are working effectively and equitably and this bill is a step in that direction. So, I'm asking my my colleagues to please support this. I want to also thank um count the Speaker Adams for her leadership on healthcare issues and helping us get to a point where we've had 1,200 bills introduced and over 100 passed and she has provided the atmosphere for us for us members to have the resources and support that we need to pass significant significant bills like this. I also want to thank my staff, uh my uh chief of staff Jonathan Boucher, Kevin Macaluso, my legislative director, and Sammy New, my communications director. And I want to thank my co-prime sponsor Tiffany Cabán, uh whose committee this was in and this is a really important bill to make sure that New Yorkers in need get the resources and the services they need from our from our system from our mental mental health system. Thank you. Thank you, Council member Wong followed by Cabán. Thank you, majority leader. I speak today to urge uh Council members to support intro 804 and intro 806. Uh for years our wildlife has suffered great neglect and our children have continued to play on dangerously hot blacktop in city parks. Both of these bills will begin to write these wrongs. One unified city wildlife management plan will put the city on the right track to protecting and reducing harm to our permanent and temporary wildlife. An expansion of to the cool pavement pilot program that will cover parks and playgrounds will get us closer to the city where everyone will be comfortable enough to walk and play every day of the year. A city that continues to protect our animals and children is certainly a city worth living in. Thank you to my staff and the committee staff's hard work in getting the perfect version of these bills and to the speaker for her support of these bills. I urge everyone to vote yes on both of these bills to make the city a better place to call home. Thank you. Council member Cabán. Thank you. I share my colleagues' desire to increase safety in this city. Uh however, I have serious concerns about intro 327B. We should not be funneling millions of public dollars towards private institutions that serve only a select few in this city. Not to mention that there is no data-driven evidence that surveillance technology in schools is an effective public safety intervention in schools. Most recently, a national longitudinal study bore that conclusion out. It's like lighting money on fire, money that could be invested in our public schools. And I also share and honor the concerns of students who continue to call for what does work, fully investing in our public schools including investments in restorative justice and mental health resources and school climate, additional resources, not more cops, and not more surveillance. And we're living in a reality where the federal government is ramping up its surveillance of immigrants, activists, and other marginalized people in this country. And I have concerns about passing a bill that provides no guardrails to ensure that the videos and data from the city-funded cameras do not go to ICE, to private companies, or other bad actors. So, for those reasons, I'm going to be voting no on intro 327B and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Thank you. Seeing no one else signed up for general orders. Report of special committees. None. Reports [clears throat] of standing committees. Report of the Committee to Combat Hate. Intro 327B, surveillance cameras. Madam Speaker. Yes sir. Intro 327B, surveillance cameras. General orders. Report of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Waterfronts, intro 730B, water quality testing. Amended and coupled. Report of the Committee on Finance, pre-considered reso 420, transparency resolution. Coupled on general orders. Report of the Committee on Land Use, LU 45 and reso 432 and LU 40 46 and reso 433, 3759 Hamilton Avenue. Coupled on general orders. LU 49, reso 434 and LU 50 and reso 435, sidewalk cafes. Coupled. Report of the Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse, intro 722A, mental health emergency response data. Amended and coupled on general orders. Report of the Committee on Parks and Recreation intro 577A, trail maps and intro 740A, green spaces. Amended and coupled. Intro 805A, cool pavement pilot and intro 806A, wild life management plan. Amended and coupled. Report of the Committee on Rules Privileges Elections Standards and Ethics, M 53 and reso 436 approving the appointment of Nadia Shihada as DOI Commissioner. Coupled on general orders. Report of the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management, intro 355A, organic waste recycling. Amended and coupled on general orders. I now ask the clerk to take a roll call vote on all the items coupled on today's general orders calendar. Ariola. Um I vote I on all except intro 327B and I disclose that my brother-in-law works for the Department for the Aging. Just also want to remind to make your disclosures before you vote. Thank you very much. Thank you. Arriola. I'd like to disclose that my son works for the DSNY and I will vote I on all with the exception of reso 420 and M53 with accompanying reso 436. Thank you. Aviles. I'd like to disclose my daughter goes to the New York City public school system. I vote I on all except 327B. Permission to explain my vote. Permission granted. It's important to note that this bill 327B claims public subsidy will enhance safety. We must stop peddling safety theater, safety snake oil. Peer-reviewed studies examining the efficacy of surveillance cameras found little to no evidence that they actually reduce violence or serve as a deterrent. It appears we need a reminder of that fact. As a body who is asking for data constantly and how important it is to prove the efficacy of services, we seem to be okay with passing policies that are based in no data at all. And now we are allocating public dollars to be used in private religious institutions for expanded surveillance with absolutely nothing in the bill that would resemble guardrails. What are we doing? I would be also remiss not to mention the abhorrent violence that we saw two NYPD detectives who these these two individuals must be fired. They betrayed the public trust when they stomped on a man's head who was lying on the floor. They betrayed New York City when they stomped on his kneecaps while he laid on the floor. Anything less than firing these officers is an affront to accountability, to New York City, and to New Yorkers. Thank you. Banks. I on all, especially 327B. Brewer. I on all except I'm abstaining on 805A only because I think it's already the law. Thank you very much. Brooks-Powers. I vote I on all. Caban. I vote no on 327B and I on the rest. Delarosa. I on all. Dinowitz. I on all. Encarnacion. I vote I on all. Epstein. I on all. Farias. >> I vote I on all with the exception of introduction 327B. Thank you. Felder. I vote I on all except M53 and the underlying resolution 436. Thank you. Feliz. I on all. Gennaro. I. Gutierrez. I on all except for intro 327B of which I'm a no. Hanif. Permission to explain my vote. Permission granted. Students deserve safe spaces where they can learn and engage in open debate, especially as we're seeing a real rise in hate violence. I've supported measures like ensuring smaller schools have access to trained security guards for de-escalation and incident response. However, I have serious concerns by intro 327B which would expand this program to include video surveillance cameras. The bill lacks basic guardrails on data ownership, retention, and use, opening the door to unchecked surveillance and public funding flowing to private vendors without oversight. I'm particularly concerned about the use of error-prone AI technologies that can lead to discriminatory and harmful outcomes in our schools. Research from the American Civil Liberties Union shows little evidence that surveillance cameras reduce school violence. Instead, they are often used to monitor and punish students for minor infractions. I'm not convinced this bill meaningfully improves safety. It reads more as a giveaway to the surveillance industry than a solution for our schools. For these reasons, I join civil rights and pro-democracy advocates in opposing this bill. I vote I on all except intro 327B for which I vote no. Hankerson. I vote I on all. Hanks. I on all. Hudson. I on all with the exception of 37 327B for which I vote no. Joseph. I'd like to disclose on the record that my son is a student in New York City public schools. I vote I on all and no on 327B. Krishnan. Permission to explain my vote. >> Permission granted. I'm proud to support the nomination of Nadia Shahada, a leader who has shown she's ready to take on the hard fights as commissioner of Department of Investigation. As a prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York, she led many critical cases and took on the hard fights to defend New Yorkers against powerful interests. She's always carried that same integrity throughout her career as a lawyer. We all know that this department needs to do the hard work to move us beyond the years of the Adams administration, the stain of corruption, and to rebuild from a culture that encouraged that corruption without accountability. We need a DOI that is unafraid to take on public corruption, to call out bad landlords and billionaire corporations taking advantage of New Yorkers, and to take on any injustice happening in our city. The independence of the Department of Investigation is sacred. It is a commitment to not be tied to any politician, corporate interest, or ideology. That is what it means to be our city's watchdog, and that will be key as we rebuild from the prior administration that did everything to evade accountability. Nadia has made it clear through her hearings that the DOI under her leadership will be the department that is not afraid to take risks and take on the hard fights that will safeguard the integrity of city government and its trust with the New Yorkers, and solidify and fight for the department's independence. With Nadia Shahada at its helm, the Department of Investigation will root out corruption and hold bad actors accountable so that City Hall can deliver for New Yorkers. I'm proud to support her nomination and confirmation today. And with the disclosure that my children are students within the Department of Education, I vote I on all. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> Thank you. Lee. I on all. Louis. I'd like to disclose for the record that my brother works for the MTA and I on all. Maloney. I vote I on all. Marte. I vote I. Mealy. May I explain my vote? Permission granted. Thank you. Um on my resolution, let you know that I have family members work for Board of Election and I vote I on all and no on M53 and reso 436 DOI, and I'm proudly supporting the 37B um legislation. No matter if you have money or you do not have money, we do need security such as the times that we live in right now. And I vote I on all the rest. And thank you, Madam Speaker, for doing the best that you possibly can for this great city. Thank you. Morano. Permission to explain my vote. >> Permission granted. Thank you. First, I want to congratulate the sponsors of all today's bills. I know comes with a lot of hard work to get here, but I want to give a special shout-out to my co-chair of the Common Sense Caucus, Phil Wong, on passing his first bills today. And great bills they are. But I also wanted to explain my vote on the nomination for Commissioner of the Department of Investigation. I want to start by saying that this is not about the nominee's qualifications. By all accounts, she's accomplished and has had a strong career in public service as my colleague alluded to. But this vote isn't about credentials, it's about the role. The Department of Investigation is the city's watchdog. It's responsible for investigating corruption, fraud, abuse, including within the very administration that appoints its commissioner. Because of that, the standard here has to be higher. Not just actual independence, but the appearance of independence, like Caesar's wife. We've heard concerns about prior political activity and relationships that fairly or unfairly raise questions about how this will be perceived by the public, and it's going to bring a cloud over everything she does in this role as long as she has it. And perception matters because DOI only works if people trust it, as we've seen with prior DOI commissioners and prior mayors. This is also one of the few positions where the council has a true advice and consent role. That responsibility means something. It means we're supposed to exercise independent judgment, not simply rubber-stamp and ratify appointments. If we don't take that role seriously here, when will we? It's not a personal vote, it's an institutional one. And out of respect for the integrity of the Department of Investigation and the need for public confidence in its independence, I'll be voting no. So, with that, uh I vote I on all with the exception of reso 420, uh M 53 and accompanying resolution 436. Narcisse. Permission to explain my vote. Permission granted. Um [clears throat] I want to say thank you to all my colleagues I've been pushing and all this legislative team that have been pushing that bill forward for us 327B and work on it very hard. Um this we we reimburse non-public school for security guards. We provide buzzing, we provide textbook, we provide school lunches. We do this because they're understanding that the school a part of a fabric of our city. And it's about our children. We cannot imagine it's just entrance and exit. Right now, we we can't go back and forth, but if we remember Connecticut what took place, Sandy Hook. We lost so many kids, but with camera we able to see what happened. We talking about Florida, so many places the schools. And we in a challenging time. It's not that I'm advocating for to give money to uh um private school. And it's a financial, it's not going to be giving to everyone. It's those that needs the little, you know, break to make sure our children, >> [clears throat] >> the parents can actually safely send the kids or the teachers can be safe. We talking about exit and entrance. We don't have You not talking about the overall camera to uh the building. So, my colleagues, as a nurse I do believe in prevention. And I don't want to see something happen and for me to wonder how I'm going to fix it. And for those that have children, I wonder because if my kids going to a school and that it have challenges and then for us to help the parents to have their independent choices for to educate their children. I have four kids and I wanted to see that. Now, we have everything else for security. So, I'm asking my colleagues, look into what you're doing, what you're saying, and and think and process it. And all I would say I on all and thank you uh um majority. Nurse. No on 327B, abstain on 805A, I on all the rest. Nurse. Thank you. Osse. Paladino. >> [clears throat] >> I vote uh I on all except for reso 420 and transparency reso M 53 and reso 436. Thank you. Ressler. Permission to explain my vote. Permission granted. I vote I on all and I am proud to vote in support of my constituent uh the future DOI Commissioner Shahada, who has a remarkably distinguished record in public service. Uh her 12 years in the Eastern District, including leading the Organized Crime Division, uh have been highly impressive. Uh folks like former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former US Attorneys from the Eastern District have enthusiastically endorsed her candidacy. Her integrity is unimpeachable. Uh I am surprised that uh I've heard from colleagues that uh the question her independence. Uh Having had three conversations with the counsel to the mayor over a 15-year period, I don't think makes somebody too close to an administration. Uh having been inspired by a political campaign to donate one of 100 odd donations that this person has made in their career, I don't think is grounds to question someone's independence. I met with the candidate like I believe many of my colleagues have, and she said she's going to emulate Commissioner Strauber, who demonstrated time and again her independence and rigor in this role. Uh she investigated City Hall, and Commissioner Shahada said to me that if there is wrongdoing at City Hall, if there's wrongdoing at an agency, she will investigate to the full extent of the law. And I'm confident that she will bring the independence and oversight that is required of the role, and I look forward to working with her as our next DOI Commissioner. Thank you. Riley. I. Thank you. Salam. I vote I on all. Justin Sanchez. I on all with the exception of 327B for which I am a no. Berenice Sanchez. I vote I on all with the exception of 367B on which I am no and I abstain on 805. I think you said You meant to say 327? 327, thank you. You said 367. Thank you. 327, thank you. Thank you. Santos Rosso. I vote I on all with the exception of 327B on which I vote no. Thank you, Councilman. Schulman. I on all. Stevens. I on all except intro 327B which I am a no. Thomas Henry. I on all. Ung. I on all. Verna kov. I on all with the exception of resos 420, M 53 and 436 on which I am a no. Williams. I vote I. Won. I vote I on all except intro 327B which I vote no. Wong. I vote I on all except for M 53 and reso 436. Thank you. Zhuang. I vote I on all except M 53, reso 436, and I want to spread on the record my kids go to public school. Thank you. Carr. Permission to explain my vote. Permission granted. Thank you, Majority Party Leader. I just want to begin by congratulating our Majority Whip for successfully championing affordable homeownership in the Hamilton Avenue rezoning project. It's a great win for the North Shore of Staten Island and Staten Island generally uh that that got included, so kudos to her for her efforts in that matter. Um I wanted to speak briefly about the appointment of Nadia Shahada to the Department of Investigation. I said this earlier today at the committee hearing, uh but chiefly my no vote there and here today is centered on the notion that we never given access uh to her social media accounts. Miss Shahada testified at the committee that she had several, um and I think it's uh absolutely reasonable to want to go through and vet public utterances on potentially public and other matters, um at least from the committee's perspective, so that we can come to a full and complete complete judgment as to our, you know, what her views are on particular matters and what she may have said. I think that is something that we can should expect of all the appointees that get sent to us for advice and consent, and because that was never given to us by the candidate or by the mayor's office, um I'll be voting in opposition here against her appointment. And with respect to the support for the uh bless you. So, with the support of the camera program at non-public schools, I would just remind colleagues that at the end of the day, we're supporting the safety of children. Children who whether they go to public or non-public schools did not get to choose, generally speaking, which school they attend. And so, I think if it we can do something that is going to enhance the safety of school children anywhere in the City of New York, whether they are in our care in our public schools or they've been sent elsewhere by their parents and families, I think we should strive to do that and that's why I am supporting today's legislation. So, with that said, I'll be voting I on all with the exception of M 53 and resolution 436 as well as pre-considered resolution 420 on which I vote no. Thank you. Abreu. I vote I. Speaker Adams. I vote I on all and congratulations to my colleagues on their bills today. All items on today's general order calendar are adopted by a vote of 49 in the affirmative, zero in the negative, and zero abstentions with the exception of intro 327B which was adopted by a vote of 35 in the affirmative, 14 in the negative, and zero abstentions. And M53 and Reso 436, which was adopted by a vote of 40 in the affirmative, nine in the negative, and zero abstentions. And Reso 420, which was adopted by a vote of 44 in the affirmative, five in the negative, and zero abstentions. And intro 805A, which was adopted by a vote of 46 in the affirmative, zero in the negative, and three abstentions. Introduction and reading of bills. All bills have been referred to committee as indicated on today's agenda. Thank you, and I'll move into the discussion of resolutions. Seeing no one signed up for resolutions. We will now have a voice vote on today's resolutions. If you wish to vote against or abstain from today's resolution, please notify the legislative documents unit by email or by approaching the dais. I will now read today's resolution into the record. Resolution 351 recognizes the contributions of the federal endangered species act to the natural environment of New York City. All those in favor say I. I. All opposed say nay. Any abstentions? The eyes have it. We will now move into general discussion. There are more than 10 of your 10 of our colleagues on on sign up to speak, and we're going to add some more, so if you can just keep it to the two minutes. If not, I will have to cut you off. I will start off with Council Member Rita Joseph, followed by Yusef Salaam. Thank you, Majority Leader. Today I rise to honor the life and legacy of Vice Mayor Nancy Metayer, a fellow Haitian American in government, the Vice Mayor of Coral Springs, Florida, a trailblazer, a public servant, and a woman whose leadership left a lasting imprint on every community she touched. I had the privilege of working alongside Nancy through NEON, where her passion for service and her deep commitment to uplifting our communities were evident in every conversation and every initiative. She led with purpose, with grace, and with an unwavering belief that government must work >> in the chambers, please. Point of order, please. Keep it down, please. Can you Can we please put her add some more time for her? Thanks. Thank you, Majority Leader. She led with purpose, she led with grace, and with an unwavering belief that government must work for the people, especially those too often left unheard. Nancy represented the very best of us. As a proud Haitian American leader, she carried her heritage with strength and dignity, inspiring so many young people, especially young women, to see themselves in positions of leadership. Nancy Metayer's life was one of impact, courage, and service. Let us honor her with not only in words, but in the work we do every day to protect, uplift, and empower our communities. May her memory be a blessing, and may her legacy continue to guide us forward. I'd also like to shout out Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley for her incredible work around TPS and Congressman Maxwell Frost. Thank you. Council Member Yusef Salaam, followed by Thomas Henry. Thank you, Majority Leader. I want to take a moment to speak about two bills I am asking my colleagues to sign on to today, and to thank Speaker Adrienne Speaker Adams for her continued leadership in ensuring this council reflects the full diversity of the people we serve. It gives me great pride to introduce intro 837 alongside my colleagues Council Member Epstein, Council Member Hanif, and Council Member Hanif. Um this would direct the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection in in consultation with the consume with the Commission on Human Rights, the Office of Immigrant Affairs, and the Department for the Aging to establish an ongoing public education program on Hajj related scams. Every year New York City Muslims preparing for one of the most sacred obligations of their faith are targeted by fraudulent travel agents, fake visa brokers, and predatory booking services. This is not small dollar scams. Families save for years, sometimes decades, to make this pilgrimage, and they are bad actors There are bad actors ready to steal all of that from them. This bill ensures that city agencies are proactively getting information into the hands of its residents before they become victims. Second, intro 836 requires the Department of Education to distribute information for every student and parent at the start of each school year on the availability of halal meals and kosher meals in our public schools, how to request them, and how the schools will ensure their religious integrity. That information would be provided in English and in the nine most common home languages of enrolled students. No family in this city should miss out on a religious accommodation that already exists simply because no one told them that they could ask for it. This is basic This is a basic equity issue that this bill fixes. I urge my colleagues to sign on. Thank you. Council Member Thomas Henry, followed by Brooks Powers. Thank you, Majority Leader. Today I'm introducing my first Sergeants, please remove him from the chambers. Please Please remove him from the chambers. We We saw that one coming. Can you guys keep it down, please? Um and let's Uh Council Member Brooks Powers, you you may begin. Uh I didn't Oh, my apologies, G. Um Council Member Thomas Henry, you may begin from from the beginning. Today I'm introducing my first pieces of legislation before this body, bills that speak to safety, access, and quality of life in our communities. First, I'm introducing intro 844, a bill that will require massage businesses operating in fixed locations to publicly post their licenses and prohibit the hiring of individuals who are not state licensed. Second, I'm introducing legislation 845 that will require the Department of Transportation to assess streets and sidewalks underneath elevated train infrastructure and install lighting where it is needed within a set time frame. For too long along Roosevelt Avenue in and in corridors like it, our communities have raised concerns about safety and visibility, and have not seen the level of response they deserve. This legislation is about finally addressing those long standing standing challenges with real lasting solutions. Finally, I'm introducing a bill that will require the Department of Transportation to provide regular ferry service from Willets Point in Queens to Manhattan, intro 846. This will expand access, improve connectivity, and ensure communities are not left out of critical transit investments. Together, these bills are about setting a standard that every community deserves safe to feel safe, connected, and seen. Because at the core of our work is simple principle, how we design our city and policies reflects our how we value people. That's why as we mark Black Maternal Health Week, this conversation is front and center. When I think about Black Maternal Health, I don't just think about data, I think about lived experience. As a mother, I know the vulnerability that comes with bringing life into this world. I know the stories shared between women, often rooted in love, but shaped by fear. The moment that is supposed to be one of the most powerful, joyful experiences of your life, but for too many Black women, that tension between what birth should be and what it often is is driven by generations of underinvestment and inequality in our health care system. >> Please wrap up, Council Member. To ensure that Black mothers are not just heard, but valued, not just cared for, but protected, the same commitment we bring to building safer safer streets and stronger infrastructure must extend to building systems that deliver safe and equitable care. As a mother, this is personal. As a governing body, it is our responsibility. Thank you. You got it. Council Member Brooks Powers, followed by Banks. Thank you, and good afternoon. Today I am proud to introduce several pieces of legislation focused on improving quality of life in our communities and strengthening conditions within our correctional system. First, I'm introducing intro 811 to address a persistent issue across our neighborhoods, neglected city-owned lots. Too many of these properties are left in disrepair, overgrown, filled with trash, and creating unsafe and unsightly conditions for surrounding residents. Constituents are often bounced between agencies with no clear accountability for maintenance. This bill would designate the Department of Sanitation as the sole agency responsible for cleaning and maintaining all city-owned vacant lots. By centralizing responsibility with the agency best equipped to do the job, we can ensure consistent upkeep, improve neighborhood conditions, and finally bring clarity and accountability where it has so long been lacking lacking. In addition, I am introducing two bills related to the Department of Corrections. First, intro 809 would require the Department of Correction to establish clear policies to address medical needs during and after lock-ins, ensuring that individuals in custody have access to necessary care even during periods of restricted movement. Second, [snorts] Intro 810 would prohibit excessive triple tours for correctional officers, an important step towards improving working conditions, reducing fatigue, and promoting safety for both staff and those in custody. Finally, I'm introducing Intro uh excuse me, Reso 417 in support of state legislation expanding parole eligibility for older incarcerated individuals. We must prioritize fairness and rehabilitation when continued incarceration no longer serves public safety. I urge my colleagues to support these important measures. Thank you. Council Member Banks, followed by Santos Suozzi. Thank you, Majority Leader. I want to take a moment to acknowledge the recent passing of a great man with great character and enormous integrity, the late chair of Community Board 17, Mr. Roderick Deeley, also known as Roddy, who passed away Monday night. Roderick was deeply committed to his community. That commitment led him to step forward to serve as the chair of Community Board 17 and multiple positions he held throughout my time in office. It was always a pleasure to work alongside him. He was someone who cared profoundly about the people he served and took seriously his responsibility to hold the community, community leaders, and local elected officials accountable. For that dedication and leadership, we will miss him and we appreciate his service. To Roderick's family, his friends, and the entire community, on behalf of the 42nd Council District, we extend our deepest condolences. And to the many students he taught as an educator, I hope you carry forward the lessons of a man who worked tirelessly to improve his community and his city. Honor his legacy and go out into the world committed to continuing the work he began. Thank you. Council Member Santos Suozzi, followed by Encarnación. Thank you, Majority Leader. Next week begins National Infertility Awareness Week, and in honor of that, today I am introducing Intro 840, which would require the city to provide insurance coverage for preimplantation genetic testing and analysis, otherwise known as PGTA, which is a crucial part of IVF treatment for those struggling with infertility. Many of you know, I welcomed my daughter into the world this month, but for many years I struggled with infertility. Those who have also experienced this know that it is an incredibly difficult journey physically emotionally and especially financially. While city employees enjoy enjoy coverage for IVF treatment, that treatment does not cover crucial and deeply expensive portions of IVF procedures. One of these is PGTA testing, which helps test embryos created through the IVF process to determine if they are genetically normal and therefore viable for an embryo transfer. PGTA testing is shown to overall decrease the number of IVF rounds required to reach a healthy live birth. Fewer IVF rounds means less stress on women's bodies and fewer dollars spent by both patients and insurance companies. The problem is, this test can run on average $5,000 per test and is usually not covered by insurance. This means that IVF patients often forgo the test, resulting in a higher number of IVF rounds required to reach their goal of parenthood. This legislation would see to it that PGA testing is covered for non-union city employees, would not impact collective bargaining, and would immediately increase access to IVF for many city workers. This is a cost-savings measure and also a measure that will help hopeful would-be parents reach their goal of parenthood faster. I look forward to discussing this legislation further with my colleagues and hope to see its swift passage. Thank you so much. Thank you, Council Member. Council Member Encarnación, followed by Riley. Thank you, Majority Leader. Extreme weather is no longer a distant threat. It is here. It is hitting our most vulnerable neighbors the hardest. From dangerous heat waves to bitter winter cold, these conditions are not just uncomfortable for older adults, they are life-threatening. Intro 812 is a straightforward, compassionate response, ensuring that older adults are not left behind when extreme weather strikes. This legislation establishes proactive wellness checks for seniors living alone or only with other seniors. It helps maintain independence while creating a critical safety net, ensuring that someone is checking in before the situation turns into a tragedy. At the same time, it strengthens our city's ability to identify and support those most at risk. By improving coordination and data sharing, the Department of Aging can deliver smarter, faster, and more targeted services, reaching people who might otherwise fall through the cracks. I want to thank the speaker for entrusting me with getting this bill to the finish line. And to my fellow freshman Council Members, um along with Council Member Thomas Henry, this one puts me on the board. Thank you. Council Member Riley, followed by Marano. Thank you, Majority Leader. Today, I'm proud to introduce Resolution 424, declaring January 5th as Kappa Alpha Psi Day in the City of New York. As a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity incorporated for the last 18 years, I've experienced firsthand what this brotherhood represents. It is a lifelong commitment to discipline, service, leadership, and uplifting our communities. Founded in 1911 at Indiana University, Bloomington, by 10 powerful black men who were denied opportunity, Kappa Alpha Psi was built on a vision of excellence and purpose. Guided by our motto, "Achievement in every field of human endeavor," that legacy continues today. With more than 250,000 members across and 700 chapters worldwide, Kappa men show up every day mentoring young people, supporting families, and creating pathways forward through programs like Kappa League and Learn to Live. The resolution affirms Kappa's long-standing commitment to brotherhood, academic achievement, leadership, and community service. And while we recognize the broader impact of the Divine Nine, today we center Kappa Alpha Psi and the standard it continues to set. Designating January 5th as Kappa Alpha Psi Day ensures that legacy is not only recognized, but carried forward across our city. I would like to thank my colleagues for their support and looking forward to advance this resolution. And just want to state for the record, I've been joined by some of my fraternity brothers here, alongside our new brother, Senator Kevin Parker, the new brother that's part of Kappa Alpha Psi. Thank you, Majority Leader. Thank you, Council Member, and thank you for joining us. Council Member Marano, followed by Shu Yang. Thank you, Majority Leader. Today, I'm proud to introduce Intro 830, legislation that deals with something uniquely New York, the bodega cat. Now, anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes in the city knows the reality, which is that bodega cats are everywhere. They're part of the fabric of our neighborhoods, they greet customers, they bring a little personality to our corner stores, and yes, they play a very real role in deterring rodents. But here's the problem, under our current rules, they're technically illegal. So, we have this strange situation where something that's widely accepted, widely loved, and frankly, widely relied upon is still against the rules on paper. And that leaves small business owners in a tough spot, subject to fines and inconsistent enforcement. This bill takes a simple, common-sense approach. It removes the city-level prohibition on cats in retail food stores, and at the same time, it does something important. It supports the health and well-being of these animals. It creates voluntary programs for vaccinations, spay and neuter services, and outreach so store owners know how to properly care for them. Now, to be clear, this doesn't fully resolve the issue overnight. The state still has a role to play, but this is the city doing its part to bring our laws in line with reality. And one of our predecessors, Keith Powers, who's now in Albany, has assured me he's going to be working on this at a state level. I think this is about supporting small business, it's about promoting responsible animal care, and it's about having rules that actually make sense. Sometimes the best legislation isn't complicated, it just recognizes what's already happening and makes it better. I urge my colleagues to consider supporting this bill, along with two other very interesting pieces of legislation that I hope you'll look at. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member. Council Member Shu Yang, followed by Gutierrez. Thank you. Next time, I don't want to speak after Council Member Marano. He's too good. I'm proud to to introduce a package of legislation today that fights for children, older adults, people with disability and anyone dealing with food insecurity. First, Intro 8 853 asks the city to do a study on how language access need needs, income, and geographic location affect the access to special education. This bill is a sister bill to Intro 684, which could conduct a similar study for gifted and talented program. These bills would establish the city to close the gap in education access that often especially harm black, brown, Asian, and immigrant children. Second, Intro 856 require DOT to paint and install overhead school safety sign on each schools, which I still have school don't have those signs, where a school entrance is located. Intro 854 could increase a snap anti create a snap anti-fraud officer and a fraud awareness campaign. This bill uh will pair with intro 512 creating a 311 category for snap thief. Could it take um we should that bill will help a lot of people with snap fraud. Uh the fourth one support older adults Razo 431 calls upon the state to pass legislation authorizing property tax in incentives for property owner who dedicate 20% of existing housing stock to senior citizens and individuals experiencing homelessness. And the final one intro 855 would have required DSNY to establish a program to assistant assist the seniors and people with disabilities with snow removal and reduce their fines for not removing snow on time. Thank you. Council Member Gutierrez, followed by Hanif. Thank you, Majority Leader. Um I just want to take a moment to extend my condolences to the family of Kiori Patterson Moore, who passed away 2 weeks ago now. Um she was murdered a 7-month-old baby in her stroller and as you can imagine it is a community's worst nightmare, but a parent's um just unfathomable experience. I was picking up my own daughter from school when I heard the helicopters and I was informed of it. Um and while the community has held multiple vigils, um there's an ongoing vigil right now on the corner of Humble and Moore, if anyone wants to stop by, I just want to take a second to just shed a little bit give a little bit of flowers to the way that the city has really come together to support this family. Um I think obviously there's a lot more work to be done. There's a lot of unanswered questions, but I want to just recognize DEA Gonzalez. I want to recognize The Wick, which is a wonderful wonderful collaboration um between Los Sures in my district that really targets um uplifting youth, providing jobs, providing um access to resources that does this work day in and day out right across the street at Bushwick Houses. Actually, a week before the murder I was here uplifting the work of Los Sures and commending the fact that Bushwick Houses had seen extensive progress since this organization had been there and this partnership had been there. And so while we are very much still in mourning, while we may never ever forget this gruesome gruesome murder that happened in District 34, I hope that we can come together as a council to continue to support groups like The Wick that are there for the hat family helping with funeral services. When you lose someone, there is some when the lights go out, when the cameras turn off, that is the toughest part, y'all. And to have an organization like The Wick there is is paramount for me. I want to continue to support them. I hope that if you never experience this in your district, but if you have organizations that do this work, that we as a council can come together to fund, to invest the work that they do. Thank you so much. Council Member Hanif, followed by Restler. Thank you, Majority Leader. I rise today to speak about a deeply disturbing incident that took place in my district in Gowanus, an incident that many of you have now seen. A video circulating this week shows two officers arresting Timothy L. Brown, a black man, a Gowanus Houses resident and my constituent with force that was excessive, aggressive, and violent. They punched him, kicked him, threw him against a wall of glass bottles, and caused him severe injuries. The footage is deeply disturbing. No one can watch it and conclude that this level of force was justified. No New Yorker deserves to be kicked, beaten, and bloodied during an arrest. This is not public safety, that is injustice. What happened to Timothy is not abstract. It is personal to our community and I stand today in the people's house to speak out for our community to demand accountability. The officers have been stripped of their shields and guns and are off our streets for now. While I'm heartened that the Brooklyn DA has dropped all charges of resisting arrest against Timothy and that Police Commissioner Tisch is calling for a thorough investigation into this incident, this is not enough. These officers must be fired, arrested, and prosecuted for their violent actions outside the law. We cannot allow officers who have demonstrated such violence to return to our streets and we cannot allow such harmful acts to go without consequence. I also want to thank Able Lee Moran, who recorded this incident, for her courage. Because of her bravery, the truth is visible. She not only stood up for Timothy, but for all of us when she bore witness in the face of violent authority. I'm relieved that my constituent is home and recovering. I'm grateful that he is alive. But we should not have to feel relieved that a violent encounter with police did not end in death. Colleagues, I share this with you because we cannot normalize this kind of brutality. We cannot allow another case like this to go unaddressed. I stand with my constituents, advocates, and with all New Yorkers calling for justice. We are demanding the immediate arrest and permanent removal of these officers. If we are serious about public safety, then we must be equally serious about accountability. Thank you. Council Member Restler, followed by Mealy. I want to thank Council Member Hanif for her leadership in speaking out about the terrible police brutality that we saw in our community earlier this week and and thank Council Member Gutierrez for her moving words around the horrible murder of a 7-month-old in Williamsburg. Um I'd like to speak today about two pieces of legislation that I'm introducing. Uh the first uh with Chair Dromm and Council Members Cabán and Marte and and Pierina Sanchez and Council Member Hudson will bring some much-needed transparency to school bus performance. Uh I think every single one of us hears from constituents every single week about school bus routes that are late. Uh we need comprehensive data on every single school bus route, what time it arrived at school, at home, when it was late. We need to look holistically at how every single school bus vendor is performing. We've seen far too much corruption in the school bus industry for far too long uh and we deserve better. Our families deserve better. Our kids deserve better. And with this data that the school bus that the DOE would be required to report in real time, we will have the comprehensive understanding we need to ensure that the same crappy and frankly corrupt school bus operators no longer can can uh uh run school bus routes in our system. And then secondly, we're introducing a piece of legislation with uh Deputy Speaker Williams and Council Member Stevens uh that would require non-profit organizations to report on when they subcontract to MWBEs. You know, we contract about 15 plus billion dollars a year with non-profits and many billions of dollars of that is subcontracted out. Think about a homeless shelter that engages uh a company that provides food or security and the like. We want those subcontracts to go to MWBEs, but if we don't have the data and nobody's ever reporting on it, then there's no accountability. Uh so when non-profits are reporting already to city agencies on who they're subcontracting with, they should inform us. Is it an MWBE? Because then we can incentivize those non-profits to prioritize engaging MWBEs and and and directing more city funds uh to support women and minority-owned businesses. Thank you, Majority Leader, for the opportunity. Council Member Mealy, followed by Pierina Sanchez. Yes, I want to give my condolences and whole 41st Council Matic District to our beloved Roderick D. F. Daley for Community Board 16. He has been a warrior for years to come that I know of, always fighting for the community. And I just want to also um yesterday we recognized Purple Up Day, a time to honor and support the incredible resilience of military children, like my niece Nicole Stubbs just graduated from the Air Force, my Uncle Ted McQueen, Marines, and so on and so many other friends. Purple symbolize unity and the sacrifices these young individuals make every day, from frequent moves to long separations from loved ones, military kids show strength, adaptability, and courage beyond their years. And I also would like to um proudly recognize Principal Lena Gates, Dr. Ronald E. McNair PS5 School in my district, who just won the honor of National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence National Assessment Process. This school met all nine categories, an achievement that it reflects excellence in education and a strong school community. Congratulations to Dr. Lena Gates and the PS5 scholars. Thank you, Principal Gates, for creating a positive learning environment for all students. And in that school I put in a grocery store, our young people know how to handle money, and a Mealy computer room, and um Dr. McCurtin um music room. So I just want to thank her so much what she doing for our community. And please sign on to intro 828 training support for staff at food pantries and Happy Earth Day. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member. Council Member Pierina Sanchez, followed by Schulman. Thank you, Majority Leader. Every New Yorker deserves to live in a safe, dignified home, and that includes living free of tenant harassment. Today I'm excited to be introducing intro 839, which would permanently codify the certification of no harassment pilot program. C O N H directly links tenant treatment to an owner's ability to get permits for major construction work. The process is intended to ensure an owner did not advance a demolition or an alteration project by harassing tenants into leaving or giving up their rights. It is an anti-displacement tool. Before certain covered work can move forward, the owner has to clear a harassment review. There have been two successful pilots, the first in 2018, the next in 2021, and now it is time to make this program a fixture of HPD and DOB's enforcement toolbox. On Monday, which is the 20th at 10:00 a.m., intro 839 will be heard as a part of a joint hearing with Chair Ignazio and the Committee on Immigration, where we will investigate tenant harassment against immigrant New Yorkers and how the C O N H program can be adapted to meet new housing challenges in our city. I invite all New Yorkers and everyone who cares about these issues to join us at this hearing on Monday. Thank you. Council member Schulman, followed by Louis. Thank you, Majority Leader. Today, I'm introducing intro 841, which provides another tool to help with the city's affordability crisis. With the rising cost of living, it's getting harder for New Yorkers to care for their pets. For many families, the difference between keeping a beloved animal and surrendering them can come down to something as basic as access to food. This legislation would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to establish a pilot pet food pantry, providing free pet food to New Yorkers in need and helping keep animals in the homes where they belong. Owning a pet should be about bringing love into our lives and not worrying about their affordability. Thank you. Council member Louis, followed by Dinowitz. Thank you, Majority Leader. I rise today to acknowledge the passing of Roderick, also known as Rudy Daley, the chairperson of Brooklyn's Community Board 17, a proud resident of my district, and a tireless advocate for the people of Central Brooklyn. Chairman Daley was a steady and respected voice in our community, someone who understood deeply the responsibility of leadership and carried it with humility, strength, and unwavering commitment to public service. His advocacy touched every corner of CB 17, and he remained grounded in his love for our community that he served well. This loss is not felt in isolation. It's shared across districts and across this council, particularly amongst my colleagues, Councilmembers Banks, Mealy, and Joseph, whose communities were equally impacted by his leadership and partnership. Chairman Daley brought people together, and his presence will be deeply missed by all of us who had the honor of working alongside him. We also want to mourn the tragic passing of Nancy Matello Bowen, a rising leader whose life and service reflected extraordinary purpose and impact, and I had the distinct honor to serve with her in NEON. She led with distinction as vice mayor, championing environmental justice, public health, and immigrant advocacy. Her loss is profound to us, and while her time with us was far too short, her legacy of service, advocacy, and unwavering belief in equity will continue to inspire future generations to lead with courage and conviction. We carry their legacy of service and dedication with us each and every day. May they rest in peace. Thank you. Council member Dinowitz, followed by Maloney. Thank you. Um this past Friday, surrounded by his family, our beloved Congressman Engel passed away. Elliot was a Bronx boy, grandson of immigrants, the son of an ironworker, and was raised in Nitra, educated in our public schools. As a teacher, guidance counselor, assemblyman, and congressman, Elliot never stopped giving of himself to make our community and our world a better place. Our families were close, so much so that I called him Daddy Elliot. So, I almost felt like a proud son when that the man who took me to to dinner, to baseball games, to the fair, was also the the member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and helped negotiate the Affordable Care Act and brought billions of dollars to our city and our state during COVID. Elliot rose up the ranks of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to become its chairman, a role that he used to fight for people around the world. And whether it was the Syrian Accountability Act that he authored and passed by a Republican House, Senate, and presidency to hold the Assad regime accountable, or the Harkin-Engel Protocol that stopped chocolate manufacturers from using slave labor in Western Africa, Elliot Engel was not afraid to speak out. And he stood up against the ethnic cleansing of Albanians in Kosova. Elliot's work to bring the case of Kosova to the world led eventually to the birth of a new nation. He was the first foreign dignitary to address the Kosova Parliament, and they put even put him on a postage stamp. And with all that, Elliot always cared for his district. He helped thousands upon thousands of individuals with personal and local problems, delivered millions of dollars to the district, and as as anyone who met him knows, always listened. He was grounded in his family, in community, and his values, and was able to work with others for the safety and dignity of people here and around the world. In that respect, we should all be a little more like Elliot Engel. The world mourns an American hero and a champion for justice. I mourn my Daddy Elliot. May his memory be a blessing. Council member Maloney, followed by Farias. Thank you. As chair of the Economic Development Committee, we have spent months preparing for a major moment for our city, the World Cup this June. Millions of visitors from around the globe will come to New York City for this global moment, giving us an opportunity to showcase our city on the global stage. From planning for increased foot traffic, supporting local storefronts, and ensuring our public spaces are welcoming and accessible, our goal is to make sure the experience is seamless, but also that every neighborhood benefits. Today's legislation helps our city prepare by requiring a plan to expand access to public restrooms, establishing an events calendar and a citywide map so that visitors can easily navigate our neighborhoods and connect with local small businesses, and creating a cultural passport program to encourage visitors to get to all five boroughs. And where will fans gather to watch the games? They'll be in official fan zones in Queens, at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, and in my district district at Rockefeller Center. So, that's why Council member Thomas Henry and I are introducing legislation to co-name streets at these locations in honor of two soccer legends, Thierry and Thierry Henry and Pelé, in recognition of their contributions to the sports and the global reach of the game. These and other initiatives will help ensure that the benefits of the World Cup are felt across our city, reaching all New Yorkers, and that residents and visitors alike are able to fully experience and enjoy this historic moment. Thank you. Council member Farias, followed by Epstein, who is our last person signed up. Thank you. Today, I'm introducing intro 816, a bill drafted to address a critical gap in our shelter systems. Shelters in New York City are supposed to be a safeguard for individuals and families at their most vulnerable. But the current intake practices at PATH and AFIC impose documentation requirements that do not reflect the lived experiences many applicants are navigating today. Families are required to reconstruct and verify housing histories going back 1 to 2 years, and when they're unable to do so, they're being denied a resource-backed pathway out of homelessness. This only furthers further aggravates the precarious conditions people are already struggling through, including those fleeing domestic violence or relying on temporary living arrangements, like staying with family or friends, which in most cases leave no formal record at all. Applicants are repeatedly placed in this position, having to verify circumstances that were never documented, including securing confirmation from third parties who may be unreachable or unwilling to respond. When that verification cannot be obtained, families are then placed into a conditional status, and while they are physically sheltered, they are excluded from critical resources like CityFeps and other housing assistance programs. They are then trapped in a loop, required to reapply only to face another inevitable denial for the same unattainable documentation. Our partner in this work, Women in Need, reported one individual was denied shelter 25 times under these conditions. This is not a failure on the part of the applicant. It is a short-sided cost-cutting scheme that effectively penalizes the vulnerable to protect the bottom line. And I'm proud to intro 816 as a means of reform. By accepting self attestation, sorry, for folks to self-attest rather than demanding non-existent paperwork, we are realigning our system with the actual lived experiences of New Yorkers seeking housing. And today, I urge all of my colleagues to join us in supporting this practical, common-sense legislation. Council member Epstein. Thank you, Majority Leader. As you know, Earth Day approaches next week, I want to thank the speaker to be able to introduce some green legislation today, and a package of bills that we passed today. We're doing dimmable streetlights, a bill that will require dimmable streetlights across our city and to maintain energy. Legislation around making sure that when there's illegal dumping, there's an ability to enforce those illegal dump dumping activities, to create a cleaner, safer New York City. And third bill just around we're seeing a proliferation of illegal cannabis stores across our city. We want to make sure that DCWP has the enforcement power to be able to enforce and close those illegal shops. These legislation really help move forward in a in a practical way. I want to thank all my colleagues for being here and I thank the speaker for her leadership to get this done today. Seeing no one else signed up, I'll now call on Speaker Adrienne Adams to to close today's stated meeting. Thank you so much and before we close, I just also want to wish Council Member Sandy Nurse who had her birthday recently happy birthday. I think she's left but happy birthday to her. Kayla, it's Kayla Oh, Council Member Kayla Santos birthday too. Okay, lot of birthdays. So happy birthday and the stated meeting of April 16th, 2026 is hereby adjourned. >> Yeah.