“We want to thank the Department of Health (DOH) and the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) for participating in the joint hearing of the Council’s Health and General Welfare Committees in November to examine the inspection and monitoring of child care centers. We appreciate DOH’s formal acknowledgment that more must be done to enhance safety in day care centers and that parents have better access to information related to the quality of child care centers.
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“Today’s Court ruling declaring the Department of Homeless Services’ eligibility requirements for single homeless adults unlawful is a tremendous victory and I commend the Court for its action. The Council has long argued that DHS’ proposed policy would have needlessly put thousands of homeless New Yorkers on the streets by requiring them to provide proof they have nowhere else to stay.
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“I want to thank the MSG-Network and Time Warner Cable for coming to a deal that will put the Knicks and the Rangers back on TV. Now, a million more New Yorkers will be able to go Linsane in the privacy of their own living room. I’m looking forward to watching the return of Carmelo Anthony for the Knicks and Henrik Lundqvist in goal for the Rangers.”
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“We applaud Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bloomberg, the New York State United Teachers, and the United Federation of Teachers for making our students the priority and continuing to work together to ensure that the City qualifies for the 4 percent increase in state education aid. We can’t have great schools without high quality teachers. Working together, we can make sure our teachers have the support they need to do what they do best –
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“The New Jersey legislature today sent the clear message that bigotry has no place in the laws that govern us. I applaud the State Assembly’s courage for supporting marriage equality, even in the face of opposition from Governor Chris Christie. I want to thank Garden State Equality and everyone who fought for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in New Jersey.
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“The members of the City’s uniformed services who answered the call on 9/11 are true heroes. Unfortunately, an ever increasing number are becoming ill. Many are dying. We need to better understand the role their presence at the World Trade Center played in their illnesses—particularly the incidence of cancer. Thanks to the enactment of the 9/11 James Zadroga Health and Compensation Act in 2010, which I and my colleagues strongly supported, there is a mechanism to list cancer as a covered condition for treatment and compensation under the Zadroga Act.
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IN STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, SPEAKER QUINN OUTLINES PLAN TO STRENGTHEN NEW YORK CITY’S COMMUNITY
In her 6th annual State of the City address, City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn outlined plans to make New York City an even stronger place to work and to live. Quinn’s proposals effectively seek ways to help New Yorkers across the board – from securing homes for families to providing a quality education for children to providing job opportunities for the unemployed to bolstering the five boroughs’ economic potential.
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“Make no mistake, there is growing national momentum for marriage equality in this country, and Washington State today sent the clear message that hate and bigotry have no place in the laws that govern us. And it’s not enough that I can get married here in New York, we must work until everyone can marry in their own hometowns.
Following yesterday’s 9th Circuit decision affirming marriage equality, today, the Washington State House of Representatives voted 55-43 to back a bill to legalize same-sex marriage, which passed in the State Senate.
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“I’m thrilled with today’s 9th Circuit ruling affirming what we know in our hearts to be true: that keeping loving couples from reaping the benefits of marriage is discriminatory and wrong. The court’s decision overruling Proposition 8 is another step toward bringing marriage equality not just to California, but to each and every state in our great nation. Today’s victory is a reminder of how far we’ve come as a country, and of the work we still must do to achieve equality for all people.
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“I’m relieved that the leadership of Susan G. Komen for the Cure has reconsidered their ill-conceived decision to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screenings. This is the right decision for an organization committed to women’s health. I’m proud to stand with so many leaders and private citizens, including Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who generously supported Planned Parenthood and reaffirmed his commitment to comprehensive women’s healthcare.
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