“Today marks 51 years since the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed the federally protected right to safe and legal abortion. The decades-long ability to make our own reproductive health choices is an essential human right of self-determination. Since that right was stripped from Americans in 2022, we have seen the harm it has caused for women and birthing people.
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In response to misleading comments made by Mayor Adams and officials from his administration about Introduction 586-A to increase transparency on police investigative stops and Introduction 549-A to ban solitary confinement, the Council released the following statement attributable to spokesperson Rendy Desamours:
“Yesterday, another New Yorker died on Rikers, marking the second death in the city’s jails in the last three weeks.
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“Solitary confinement, by any name, has been proven to cause physical, psychological, and emotional harm, and its use has contributed to continued violence and deaths on Rikers Island. The Council passed Intro. 549-A to ban solitary confinement with more than a veto-proof majority because it is imperative to make the city’s jails safer for those who are detained and staff alike.
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In response to Mayor Adams vetoing Int. 586 of the How Many Stops Act that would require public reporting of basic data on investigative police stops, Speaker Adrienne Adams and Public Safety Chair Yusef Salaam released the following joint statement.
“It is deeply disappointing that the Mayor is sending the message that Black and Latino communities do not deserve transparency regarding interruptions to their daily lives from investigative police stops.
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City Hall, NY – Today, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and members of the Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC) held a press conference to celebrate legislation passed during the 2022-2023 session that support Black New Yorkers and other communities of color. The bills, which focus on housing, public health, equitable opportunity, and public safety, have helped expand community-based mental health programs, remove barriers to city housing vouchers, require greater police transparency to increase trust towards improving public safety, banned the use of solitary confinement, established a program to provide doula services and other efforts that confront maternal health disparities, and more.
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City Hall, NY – Today, the New York City Council voted for its leadership and committee assignments.
“I am proud of the City Council’s Leadership and committee assignments. We continue our legacy as the most diverse Council in New York City history, and each member’s diverse experiences and expertise will shape the priorities that are truly reflective of what our communities need,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams.
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“While we are pleased about relief for some programs and will continue to review the Mayor’s Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), it is critical to underscore the need for a better approach to budgeting that is based on a more accurate and shared set of facts. Budgets and the numbers that determine them have significant implications on the lives of all New Yorkers, including the hardworking public servants in our city agencies.
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“At a time when New Yorkers are confronting serious challenges and our economic recovery has lacked equity, it is vital that our budgetary investments match the urgency of the moment. While Governor Hochul’s FY25 Executive Budget includes proposals on mental health, transportation, and sustainability that we look forward to further examining, our children need more support to recover from pandemic-era learning losses, and our schools will require more resources from all levels of government, including the state.
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In response to Mayor Adams announcing the restoration of budget cuts to Community Schools and increased investments into Summer Rising, Speaker Adrienne Adams, Finance Chair Justin Brannan, and Education Chair Rita Joseph released the following joint statement.
“Ensuring Community Schools and Summer Rising are protected from Mayor Adams’ budget cuts has been a priority for the Council.
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In response to Mayor Adams announcing the restoration of certain budget cuts on sanitation services and city parks that were part of his November Financial Plan, Speaker Adrienne Adams and Finance Chair Justin Brannan released the following statement.
“Keeping our city’s streets and parks clean in every community is vital to the health and safety of all New Yorkers.
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