Council Working Group Will Help Set Legislative Priorities And Build Consensus

CITY HALL – As part of the effort to open up the New York City Council legislative process to more collaboration and participation among members, Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito announced today the creation of the Policy Working Group which will help build consensus around priority legislation and policy initiatives for the Council. With hundreds of bill introduced each year, the Policy Working Group will provide a vehicle for reviewing legislation, building consensus, and making recommendations based on Council priorities.

Council Members who will be part of the working group include: Lander, Gentile, Torres, Cumbo, Koo, Levine, Barron, Treyger, Miller, Mendez, Mealy.

Ex-Officio members are Van Bramer, Ignizio.

The Policy Working Group will be a group of Council Members, working with guidance from the Speaker and Council Leadership. Members will work with the Speaker to solicit input from the full Council. The Members will work with Committee Chairs; identify policy priorities and help focus on legislation, policy initiatives and other policy tools to achieve shared goals. Going to this group is not a ‘required step’ for legislation to be considered in committee or come to the floor. This group is a space for building consensus, focus and momentum on shared priorities.

“Our goal from Day 1 has been to open up the Council and to make it more accessible to everyone and that’s just what this Policy Working Group will do. I look forward to helping build consensus on our shared priorities for New York City,” said Speaker Mark-Viverito.

“Through this transformative Policy Working Group, the New York City Council will help usher in a more transparent legislative process which promises to advocate for public policy initiatives that will improve the lives of all New Yorkers,” said New York City Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer. “I applaud Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito for taking the initiative to create this working group. I look forward to helping build genuine consensus around the important issues our City’s residents care about in an effort to pass meaningful legislation that will make a difference.”

“As a member of the newly formed policy working group, I look forward to participating in the process designed to build consensus around legislation and initiatives coming before the Council,” said Council Member Inez Barron. “I hope to be able to serve as liaison between the various groups and committees of the City Council to make recommendations based on Council priorities to provide effective legislation that will improve the social and economic conditions for the people of NYC”.

“I look forward to actively engaging in the Policy Working Group as a forum for interactive, substantive discussion on priority issues,” said Council Member Vincent J. Gentile. “We’ve set ourselves an ambitious task and a unique opportunity for a more collaborative, democratic, transparent and inclusive legislative body.”

“The Policy Working Group will ensure the priorities of the City Council reflect the needs of all of our communities,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “I look forward to working with my colleagues as we shape the legislative agenda for the year ahead and continue to make our City Council the most inclusive body it can be.”

“I’m excited to be part of this catalyst group that’s going to move a collaborative legislative agenda forward in true democratic fashion,” said Council Member Mark Levine. “This is a collective brainstorm, where all voices and parts of the city will be considered to ensure that inclusive policies are brought to the table.”

“It’s my honor to serve on the Policy Working Group,” said Council Member I. Daneek Miller. “This group will allow for a new, more inclusive process for members representing diverse constituencies to help steer the direction of policy in the City Council. I appreciate the Speaker’s initiative in creating this group and look forward to working with my colleagues.”

“Speaker Melissa Mark Viverito has once again shown herself to be the most inclusive leader the City Council has ever known,” said Council Member Ritchie Torres. “I am honored to be part of the Policy Working Group, whose mission is to align the policy priorities of the Council with the widely varied needs of the City at large.”

“I am honored to have been selected to be a part the Council’s new policy working group,” said Council Member Mark Treyger. “I take this role very seriously and look forward to the opportunity to engage with policy in a substantive manner. As chair of Recovery and Resiliency committee and as a former educator, I plan to use my experiences to rethink and reshape our city’s policies moving forward, to foster a more just and resilient New York City. I would like to thank the Speaker for empowering this group and for realizing the impact that our policies can have our city’s families.”

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