The Office is operating on a hybrid schedule and is only receiving constituents with an appointment. For assistance, please call 212.669.7250 OR email gethelp@advocate.nyc.gov. Text 833.933.1692 with questions.

Legislation

The Office of the Public Advocate tackles a number of the most pressing issues for New Yorkers through legislation. Public Advocate Williams passed more legislation than all previous Public Advocates in their first hundred days combined. The Office will continue working to make the office the strongest voice possible for New Yorkers.

In Progress

Int. 2123-2020
In Progress
Housing & Health Equity

Prohibiting the sale and use of food packaging that contains harmful chemicals

This bill would prohibit the distribution or sale of food packaging that contains chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances from being labeled as “compostable.” Anyone found to have violated this prohibition may be subject to a civil penalty administered by the Department of Sanitation.

Int. 2122-2020
In Progress
Housing & Health Equity

Shortening the response times the Department of Housing Preservation must respond to hazardous conditions

This bill would require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), to respond to complaints received about an immediately hazardous condition within 5 hours or about a hazardous condition within 48 hours of the complaint being received for a multiple dwelling unit.

Int. 2121-2020
In Progress
Housing & Health Equity

Increasing penalties for certain violations

This legislation would increase the penalties for many violations issued by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). In addition, HPD would be required to annually create a certification of correction watch list. Any owner on the certification of correction watch list would be prohibited from certifying correction of any violation in a multiple dwelling unless HPD has verified by inspection that the violation has actually been corrected.

Int. 0810-2018
In Progress
Housing & Health Equity

Notice of changes in access to amenities in multiple dwellings

This legislation would require owners of multiple dwellings to post a notice when making a building amenity unavailable to one or more lawful occupants.

Int. 2120-2020
In Progress
Justice & Safety

Requiring the distribution of signage which reflects the specific rights and services available to transgender and gender non-conforming persons in hospitals

This legislation would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to distribute signs on an individual’s right to be referred to by a preferred name, title, gender, and pronoun to every hospital in the city. This bill would also require DOHMH to establish guidance to encourage hospitals to list and conspicuously post the transgender-specific services offered by each hospital, and would require DOHMH to post such guidance on its website.

Int. 2119-2020
In Progress
Justice & Safety

Requiring reports on the training medical providers receive in relation to caring for transgender and non-gender conforming patients

Int. 2119-2020 would require the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene to report on training provided by hospitals to medical staff on medical care for transgender and gender non-conforming persons, including training on medical needs common to transgender and gender non-conforming-specific patients, medical and surgical treatment, and treatment and care related to social and medical transitions.

Int. 1989-2020
In Progress
Justice & Safety

Extending direct access to body-worn camera footage to OIG-NYPD and DORIS

This legislation would require the New York Police Department to share all body-worn camera footage to both the Department of Investigation’s Inspector General for the NYPD (OIG-NYPD) and the Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS), within 5 days of the recording.

Int. 2013-2020
In Progress
Justice & Safety

Strengthening guidelines and transparency of the use of tazers by police officers

Int. 2013-2020 would require police officers to download data from conducted electrical weapons at the end of their tour when such weapons are discharged. This bill would also require police officers to note the amount of times a conducted electrical weapon was discharged on the Threat, Resistance, or Injury worksheet. This bill would also require that any future purchases of body worn cameras by the New York City Police Department be cameras that are capable of automatically activating when a conducted electrical weapon is armed or its trigger is being pulled. This bill would also require that such feature be enabled for body worn cameras whenever it is available.

Int. 1572-A-2019
In Progress
Housing & Health Equity

Requiring racial disparity reports for certain land use applications

Int. 1572-A aims to preserve the affordabiity and character of neighborhoods being considered for rezoning, by requiring an anaysis of the potential impacts the project may have on the existing racial and ethnic makeup of the community.

Int. 1670-2019
In Progress
Education & Opportunity

Expanding access to the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) to all youth residents, regardless of citizenship status

This legislation would require the Department of Youth and Community Development to provide an educational summer program to teach students essential employment skills and allow for shadowing of various city employees. The law would also require a grant of no less than $1,500 be provided to program participants.

Int. 1990-2020
In Progress
Education & Opportunity

Providing no-interest loans to small businesses, non-profits, and freelancers affected by COVID-19

Int. 1990-2020 would require the Department of Small Businesses Services (SBS) to create a interest-free loan program for small businesses, non-profit organizations, and freelance workers forced to close or operate at reduced capacity due to the impacts of a natural disaster, state of emergency or other emergency circumstances, such as COVID-19.

Passed

Local Law 96 of 2020
Passed
Infrastructure & Environmental Justice

Extending the deadline for Site Safety Training on Construction Projects due to COVID-19

Local Law 96 of 2020 extended the full compliance date for Local Law 196 for the year 2017, which establishes construction worker site safety training requirements, to March 1, 2021 to allow for training sites to make accomodations in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.

Local Law 10 of 2021
Passed
Education & Opportunity

Reporting on Remote Learning Attendance During COVID-19

Local Law 10 of 2021 requires the Deparment of Education to issue monthly public reports on attendance during the use of remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local Law 96 of 2020
Passed
Infrastructure & Environmental Justice

Extending the deadline for Site Safety Training on Construction Projects due to COVID-19

Local Law 96 of 2020 extended the full compliance date for Local Law 196 for the year 2017, which establishes construction worker site safety training requirements, to March 1, 2021 to allow for training sites to make accomodations in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines.

Local Law 219 of 2019
Passed
Housing & Health Equity

Expanding Qualifications for Site Safety Training Providers

Local Law 219 of 2019 expanded the qualifications for site safety training providers and provided an updated definition of “competent person”. It also amended existing reporting requirements on the number of site safety training providers.

Local Law 119 of 2019
Passed
Infrastructure & Environmental Justice

Extending Compliance Dates of OSHA Training for Construction Workers

Local Law 119 of 2019 extended the existing compliance dates for Local Law 196, which requires that construction workers complete an Occupational Safety and Health Thirty Hour Course (OSHA-30) or an additional 20 hours of safety training or an approved 100-hour training program.

Local Law 4 of 2021
Passed
Justice & Safety

Fair Chance Act 2.0: Prohibiting Discrimination Based on One's Arrest Record, Pending Charges, or Violations

Local Law 4 of 2021 extends employment protections for individuals with pending ACDs and convictions for violations by adding them to the category of cases that may never be considered for the purpose of making employment-related decisions. The law also prohibits discrimination in licensing against applicants with convictions for violations. Additionally, this law further protects applicants and employees who may have a pending criminal case, by explicitly requiring an employer to make an individualized assessment of the relationship between the charged conduct and the job, much like what is required for consideration of an individual’s conviction history.

Local Law 67 of 2020
Passed
Justice & Safety

Right to Record the Police

Local Law 67 of 2020 codified a person’s right to record New York City police officers or peace officers acting in their official capacity, with limited exceptions. The law also allows any individual whose rights are violated to sue the City in state court, and requires reporting related to filming police activities.

Local Law 2 of 2020
Passed
Justice & Safety

Increasing Fines for Unauthorized or Fraudulent Parking Permits

Local Law 2 of 2020 increased fines for unauthorized or fraudulent city-issued parking permits from $250 to $500.

Local Law 170 of 2019
Passed
Justice & Safety

Reporting on the Termination or the Denial of Public Assistance

Local Law 170 of 2019 requires city agencies to issue quarterly reports on instances in which public assistance cases were terminated or denied .

Local Law 129 of 2019
Passed
Justice & Safety

Prohibiting Retaliation Against Persons who Request Resonable Accommodations

Local Law 129 of 2019 prohibits retaliation against individuals who make a request for a reasonable accommodation under the New York City Human Rights Law. For example, it prohibits any retaliatory action by an employer if an employee requested a reasonable accommodation on the basis of a religious observance, disability, pregnancy, childbirth, medical condition, or their status as a victim of domestic violence, a sex offense or stalking, among other possible reasons.

Local Law 91 of 2019
Passed
Justice & Safety

Prohibiting Drug Testing for Pre-Employment Hiring Procedures

Local Law 91 of 2019 prohibits New York City employers from requiring a prospective employee to submit to testing for the presence of marijuana. Exceptions are provided for safety and security sensitive jobs, and those tied to a federal or state contract or grant.

Local Law 63 of 2020
Passed
Housing & Health Equity

Deferring Property Tax Payments for Certain Property Owners Effected by COVID-19

Local Law 63 0f 2020 permitted the NYC Council to establish a zero percent interest rate for property tax payments due on July 1, 2020 for certain class 1 and condominium property owners whose property is their primary residence. Property owners were required to demonstrate that they were adversely effected by COVID-19 and be either enrolled in a Property Tax and Interest Deferral Program installment agreement or have an property with an assessed value of $250,000 or less and an income of less than $150,000.

Local Law 218 of 2019
Passed
Housing & Health Equity

Reporting on Waiting Lists of Mitchell-Lama Housing Developments

Local Law 218 of 2019 requires the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to annually report on waiting lists for Mitchell-Lama developments in order to prevent corruption.

Local Law 10 of 2021
Passed
Education & Opportunity

Reporting on Remote Learning Attendance During COVID-19

Local Law 10 of 2021 requires the Deparment of Education to issue monthly public reports on attendance during the use of remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local Law 224 of 2019
Passed
Education & Opportunity

Creation of Diversity School Advisory Group

Local Law 24 of 2019 codified the mayoral school diversity advisory group, in order to “reshape citywide policies and practices such as admissions and program planning.” The advisory group would be made up of Council appointments, a public advocate appointment, and mayoral appointments. The advisory group would examine factors as they relate to school diversity and would be required to provide an annual public report to the Mayor, the Speaker and The Public Advocate on increasing diversity in all schools. The report will also require a multi-year plan to be developed that can be adopted by DOE to address integration in schools.

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New York, NY 10007

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