Weekly News from State Senator Gustavo Rivera!

 

SENATOR RIVERA JOINS ST. ANN'S CORNER OF HARM REDUCTION AT THEIR WEEKLY SYRINGE CLEAN-UP

This week, Senator Rivera joined staff from St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction at their weekly syringe clean-up. The cleaning route started at Poe Park, moved on to the Kingsbridge Underpass, then St. James Park, and finally Aqueduct Walk. Thank you to Karla, Steven, and Edgar from Community Board 7 and Council Member Pierina Sanchez for your partnership on this important effort! 

SENATOR RIVERA'S TEAM & THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS HOSTS IDNYC ENROLLMENT POP-UP

This week, Senator Rivera's team and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs hosted an IDNYC Enrollment Pop-Up event.

An IDNYC mobile van was stationed outside our district office, helping eligible New Yorkers apply for a new ID or renew an existing one.

IDNYC is a free, city-issued photo ID card for residents aged 10 and older. It can help you access City services, museum memberships, and more.

Thank you to the NYC Department of Social Services for making this possible. Click here to apply for a new IDNYC!

SENATOR RIVERA HOSTS MEET AND GREET AT BRONX HOUSE!

Senator Rivera had a great time meeting with seniors at Bronx House. The Senator answered questions about Medicaid, home care (CDPAP), food insecurity, and his legislative priorities for this session.

Thank you to Howie Martin, Chief Executive Officer at Bronx House, for making this possible and to the seniors for the warm welcome!

Senator Rivera recently sat with Elise Klein of New York NOW to discuss at length the continuous failures in the transition of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) to PPL's management.

"The transition with PPL was a complete mess. The website didn't work. People couldn't get anyone on the phone. The offices were physically empty, there was no staff. And this happened while the Commissioner of Health lied. I want to be very clear about that: the Commissioner of Health lied about the resources available to people trying to make the transition. He said, 'go to the offices,' but there was no staff there..." said Senator Rivera.

Watch the full interview here.

UPDATE FROM HRA: FIND YOUR MEDICAID RENEWAL STATUS ONLINE OR BY PHONE

During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) instructed the State Department of Health, which oversees HRA, to temporarily suspend the closure of Medicaid cases for clients who failed to respond to renewal forms sent to their address of record.

This suspension will end in April 2025, marking the conclusion of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency unwind. Going forward, only clients who receive and respond to their renewal forms and are deemed eligible will continue to receive Medicaid benefits.

Clients who do not respond to their renewal will have their cases closed, starting with those whose authorization ends in April 2025. No further extensions will be granted, and these clients will begin receiving their renewal forms by mail as early as January.

A cover letter titled “Act Now! Medicaid Renewal Rules Have Changed” (MAP3185a) will be included with all Medicaid renewal notices. This letter will inform clients that they or someone in their household must complete a Medicaid renewal to maintain eligibility for services and will outline the necessary steps to successfully renew their Medicaid coverage. 

The City has also created a dedicated Palm Card with instructions to help clients find their current Medicaid renewal status online via ACCESS HRA or by phone at 888-692- 6116.

THIS WEEKEND 04/26 - 04/27: MTA SERVICE CHANGES

SATURDAY 04/26: NYC DOT ANNOUNCES INITIAL 2025 OPEN STREETS AND PROGRAMMING FOR CAR-FREE EARTH DAY

New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) announced the launch of the Open Streets season with 127 Open Streets to come online this spring, as well as programming details for this year's annual Open Streets: Car Free Earth Day (CFED) on Saturday, April 26, which will feature 54 car-free streets and plazas throughout the five boroughs.

This year's Car-Free Earth Day connects Open Streets and plazas while providing access to over 1,000 miles of NYC's bike network, with each location showcasing public art or community programming. Car-free operations will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Click here for more info.

Free Citi Bike Rides

Through the support of Lyft, Citi Bike will offer free unlimited 30-minute rides on a classic Citi Bike on Car-Free Earth Day for 24 hours. All riders may take advantage of the offer. To redeem your free pass, enter promo code CARFREENYC25 on the "Day Pass" tab of the Citi Bike app.

A MORE JUST NYC: FELLOWSHIP PAID SUMMER OPPORTUNITY

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association Hosts May Event

 

THE PELHAM PARKWAY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION HAS BOOKED A SPECIAL GUEST FOR THE TUESDAY MAY 13TH GENERAL MEETING AT BX HOUSE LOCATED AT 990 PELHAM PARKWAY SOUTH. THE BRONX BOROUGH COMMISSIONER FOR THE DOT ANTHONY PEREZ. PLEASE GATHER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS, PROBLEMS AND ISSUES FOR THIS IMPORTANT MEETING. WE START AT 7 PM. WE LOOK FOWARD TO SEEING YOU. GET INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY. 

As Spring Blooms, Comptroller Lander Aims to Expand Open Streets

 

In a new report, Streets for People, unveiled on a popular Open Street in Jackson Heights, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander advocates to strengthen and expand the Open Streets program with concrete steps that the City should take to ensure open streets are a vibrant fixture of New York City’s urban landscape, and that all communities can have access to them.

“Open Streets breathe life into our neighborhoods,” said Comptroller Brad Lander. “Across the five boroughs, every kid knows the joy of being able to play safely in the street when it’s closed for a block party. Open Streets turn that fleeting summer joy into safer spaces for kids to play, neighbors to gather, outdoor dining to thrive, even students to learn. But small volunteer groups cannot sustain the work to successfully operate open streets without more resources, support, and clear guidelines from the City. At a time when City Hall’s lukewarm support could close the Open Streets program, let’s expand it, let’s support it, let’s help resolve conflict when it arises – and let’s make public space available to all.”

During the early pandemic years, the City created hundreds of car-free open streets throughout the five boroughs – an unprecedented expansion of pedestrian and open space in New York City, for recreation, for outdoor dining, for culture, and for schools. However, the Comptroller’s analysis finds that the number of Open Streets dropped from its peak of 326 locations in 2021 to 202 locations in 2023. New investments from the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Public Space Equity Program modestly reversed this decline in 2024, but open streets remain unevenly distributed across the city: there are more open streets in Manhattan alone than in the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island combined.

Comptroller Lander proposes increasing funding, providing robust technical assistance and support for open streets partners in engaging communities, and cutting the red tape to ensure that the program can thrive.

Open streets have been proven to provide a host of benefits for local communities. The Comptroller’s Office conducted interviews with 36 community groups, business improvement districts (BIDs), schools, and public realm experts to assess these benefits:

• Improving street safety: Open streets improve traffic safety by significantly reducing crashes and injuries and building public support for redesigning streets with permanent safety improvements. Local enthusiasm for the Berry Street open street led to the transformation of Banker’s Anchor into a protected plaza and the creation of a two-way bike lane.

• Boosting local economies: The foot traffic from open streets also supports local businesses: a DOT report found that restaurant and bar sales on open streets were 19% higher than pre-pandemic levels, while nearby areas saw a 29% decrease in sales.

• Creating new outdoor learning and play spaces with School Streets: One Brooklyn public school started a bike education program on its open street, which resulted in the percentage of second graders who can ride a bike jumping from 35% to over 90%.

• Enhancing public safety, increasing access to free public services, and strengthening community relationships: By activating public space with programming, open streets have allowed partners to host events that create welcoming public spaces and cultivate community connections. Open streets have offered opportunities for nonprofits and City agencies to provide childcare services, nutrition education, farmer’s markets, clothing distributions, and workshops to assist people with school enrollment, housing, and language learning.

Key Challenges

While open streets have transformed public spaces across the city, partners still face significant challenges establishing, maintaining, and programming open streets.

• The Open Streets program does not have a dedicated budget or funding source. The City, instead, funds and executes the program through a patchwork of ad hoc procurement mechanisms, making it vulnerable to budget cuts and scope reductions.

• Community engagement is left solely to Open Streets operators with very little support from the City. When the City does not provide organizations with the resources and support to navigate and address community concerns, even minor opposition led to sites shutting down.

• The Open Streets program does not adequately invest in early-stage capacity building to identify potential program partners nor offer help to apply to create new open streets, hampering the program’s expansion.

• The Open Streets program provides insufficient support to even the most well-resourced partners, resulting in burnout and unsustainable operations. Inconsistent and declining amounts of City funding from year-to-year create instability for partners, some of whom opted to leave the program altogether.

• The process for securing permits from the NYC Street Activity Permit Office (SAPO) is expensive, slow, opaque, and inflexible, posing a major bureaucratic barrier for partners seeking to activate their open street with programming.

• The process of reimbursing open streets operators is extremely slow and difficult to navigate. Operators reported waiting two years after they submitted their invoices to get reimbursed, making it difficult to financially sustain their operations. Other operators struggled with the paperwork required to access funding and only received partial reimbursement for Open Streets-related purchases.

Global Examples 

Many of New York City’s international peer cities—from Barcelona, Bogota, to Montreal—have their own versions of open streets by temporarily or permanently restricting vehicle traffic on streets. Cities across the globe have successful public space management programs with resources for early-stage capacity; financial and political support from City leaders; regular data collection and impact evaluations to build support for the program; transparent processes for community engagement; and the design and implementation of high-quality infrastructure upgrades. These global best practices inform the Comptroller’s recommendations to reform the Open Streets program.

Recommendations 

Comptroller Lander proposes 12 recommendations across three key priority areas to expand the Open Streets program and better support partners, rooted in global best practices and the guidance of New York City’s public realm experts.

The City should expand and reform the Open Streets program by: 

1. Setting a goal to create at least one open street in every neighborhood.

2. Establishing a clear, transparent process for community engagement with robust support for Open Streets operators in order to address community concerns and improve design and implementation.

3. Partnering with community organizations and neighborhood groups to scale up block parties and other temporary events.

4. Providing technical support for the envisioning, planning, and designing of capital projects.

DOT should offer partner organizations robust financial support and technical assistance by: 

5. Increasing citywide funding and support for Open Street operators through new requests for proposals (RFPs) to secure and expand technical, operating, and programmatic assistance.

6. Making it easier for Open Streets partners to access funding.

7. Baselining operational funds for Open Streets to ensure the continued longevity of the program.

The City should cut red tape to strengthen management by: 

8. Reforming the burdensome reimbursement process to ensure Open Streets partners can more easily receive public funds.

9. Reforming the onerous Street Activity permitting process.

10. Developing an Open Streets Handbook.

11. Empower the Chief Public Realm Officer to oversee interagency coordination.

12. Conduct regular evaluations and publicly track data on open streets usage, economic impacts, and progress toward expanding and pedestrianizing open streets.

Justice Department Corrects Past Administration’s Manipulation of Legal System that Sought to Force States to Provide Surgery to Transgender Inmates

 

In a pair of filings in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the Justice Department undid the past administration’s abuse of the legal system that pushed an agenda driven by politics, not law. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division withdrew an incorrect statement of interest in one case and submitted a new statement of interest in a separate case brought by inmates seeking to force the state to provide — and taxpayers to fund — dangerous, elective surgery as treatment for inmates’ gender dysphoria claims. The Justice Department’s new filings lay bare the past administration’s manipulation of supposed medical guidelines to try to create an inmate’s right to optional surgeries where no such entitlement exists.

“The prior administration’s arguments in transgender inmate cases were based on junk science. There has never been an Eighth Amendment right for inmates to demand elective and experimental surgeries. States’ limited resources need not be wasted to provide these dubious surgeries to inmates,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The prior administration’s nonsensical reading of the Americans with Disabilities Act was an affront to the very people the statute intended to protect”

In both Fuller v. Georgia Dep’t. of Corrections and Doe v. Fuller v. Georgia Dep’t. of Corrections, the plaintiffs sought sexual reassignment surgeries at state expense. The prior administration portrayed such claims as necessary medical care for gender dysphoria under the ADA. That portrayal was based on guidelines that were political motivated and based on junk science. The administration has now corrected the record by removing the statement that was filed in Doe and filing a new statement in Fuller that correctly explains the extent of the ADA and the Eighth Amendment.

For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit www.justice.gov/crt. Complaints about discriminatory practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division through its internet reporting portal at civilrights.justice.gov.

Former Taliban Commander Haji Najibullah Pleads Guilty To Hostage Taking And Providing Material Support For Acts Of Terrorism Resulting In Death

 

Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that HAJI NAJIBULLAH, a/k/a “Najibullah Naim,” a/k/a “Abu Tayeb,” a/k/a “Atiqullah,” a/k/a “Nesar Ahmad Mohammad,” pled guilty to hostage taking and providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death in connection with NAJIBULLAH’s role in the hostage taking of an American journalist and two Afghan nationals in Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2008 and 2009, and his leadership of Taliban fighters who carried out attacks on U.S. servicemembers in Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009, resulting in the deaths of American soldiers.  NAJIBULLAH pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla. 

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “Haji Najibullah was a Taliban commander who committed acts of terrorism against U.S. servicemembers and civilians in Afghanistan. His vicious acts of terrorism included taking hostage multiple civilians and providing material support for attacks that resulted in the deaths of brave Americans.  Najibullah committed his crimes in Afghanistan over 15 years ago and now faces justice in an American courtroom.  Today’s guilty plea serves as an emphatic reminder that this Office, and our law enforcement partners, will aggressively pursue those who harm Americans through acts of terror, no matter where in the world they may be, and no matter how long it may take to achieve justice for their victims.  I thank the career prosecutors of this Office, and our dedicated partners, for their work in holding Najibullah accountable for his heinous crimes.” 

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “For years, the FBI New York JTTF and our law enforcement partners tirelessly sought justice for the hostage taking of civilians, and also for the deaths of United States service members at the hands of Taliban fighters under Najibullah’s command.  These terrorist attacks demonstrated utter disregard for humanity, and Najibullah finally admitted to his role in these premature deaths of our citizens.  This plea emphasizes the FBI New York JTTF’s unwavering resolve to disrupting all acts of terrorism and ensuring any individual who targets our country will be held accountable.”

As alleged in the charging instruments, court filings, and statements in the public record:

Between approximately 1996 and 2001, the Taliban controlled Afghanistan and harbored and supported terrorists, including terrorists involved in perpetrating the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S.  After losing power in approximately October 2001 as a result of the U.S. and NATO-led invasion of Afghanistan, the Taliban engaged in a deadly insurgency campaign to regain control of the country.  Beginning in the early 2000s, as part of that campaign of violence, the Taliban conducted numerous suicide bombings, targeted killings, assassinations, improvised explosive device (“IED”) attacks, paramilitary ambushes, and hostage takings against the then-government of Afghanistan, U.S. military forces and their NATO and Afghan partners, and American civilians in Afghanistan.

Between in or around 2007 and 2009, NAJIBULLAH served as a Taliban commander in Afghanistan’s Wardak Province, which borders Kabul.  During that time, Taliban fighters under NAJIBULLAH’s command carried out deadly attacks against American and NATO troops and their Afghan allies, using, among other things, suicide bombers, automatic weapons, IEDs, and rocket-propelled grenades (“RPGs”) and other anti-tank weapons and explosives, including against U.S. military helicopters. 

For example, on or about June 26, 2008, Taliban fighters under NAJIBULLAH’s command ambushed and attacked a U.S. military convoy in the vicinity of Wardak Province, Afghanistan, with IEDs, RPGs, and automatic weapons, killing three U.S. Army servicemembers: Sergeants First Class Matthew L. Hilton and Joseph A. McKay, and Sergeant Mark Palmateer, and their Afghan interpreter. Several other servicemembers were also injured in the attack.  

In or about November 2007 and September 2008, NAJIBULLAH participated in two videorecorded interviews with a French reporter in Afghanistan.  NAJIBULLAH and fighters under his command discussed how they targeted American and French troops—including a specific attack they conducted against French troops in or around August 2008.  They also identified a particular location where they had used IEDs and anti-tank weaponry to destroy American military vehicles.  During the interview, NAJIBULLAH further demonstrated how to operate a rocket-propelled grenade launcher to shoot troops guarding checkpoints and boasted that fighters under his command were ready to fight the “holy war,” including that they were “ready to be suicide bombers” and “put on a belt and blow themselves up if we ask them.”  In September 2008, in the French reporter’s presence, NAJIBULLAH and fighters under his command attacked and destroyed an Afghan National Police outpost using automatic weapons and rockets.

On or about November 10, 2008, NAJIBULLAH and other Taliban fighters took hostage an American journalist (“U.S. Hostage-1”) and two Afghan nationals who were assisting U.S. Hostage-1 (together with U.S. Hostage-1, the “Hostages”) at gunpoint in Afghanistan.  Shortly thereafter, NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators forced the Hostages to hike across the border from Afghanistan to Pakistan, where NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators detained the Hostages.  For the next approximately seven months, NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators held the Hostages captive in Pakistan.  NAJIBULLAH and his co-conspirators forced the Hostages to make numerous calls and videos seeking help, in an attempt to compel ransom payments and the release of Taliban prisoners by the U.S. Government.

NAJIBULLAH, 49, pled guilty to providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and to hostage taking, which also carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.  

The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department.  He also thanked the New York and New Jersey Port Authority Police, the Department of Defense, and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division for their assistance with this investigation, as well as the Ukrainian authorities and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their assistance in the arrest and extradition of the defendant.

Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration Over Moves to Cut Billions in State Education Funding

 

AG James Leads Lawsuit to Stop Trump Administration’s Targeting of States for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts in K-12 Schools

New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 18 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration over its unprecedented and unlawful requirement for states to end diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in schools, putting billions of dollars in education funding at risk. On April 3, the United States Department of Education (ED) alerted state education agencies that in order to continue receiving essential funding, they must sign a new certification affirming they will not engage in undefined “illegal” diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. New York, like many other states, did not sign the April 3 certification, pointing to its longstanding commitment to complying with civil rights laws. Billions of dollars that support low-income students, provide special education services, and help vulnerable children in foster care are imperiled due to the administration’s new policies. Attorney General James and the coalition assert that ED’s new directive is illegal and unconstitutional. The coalition is seeking a court order declaring the April 3 certification demand unlawful and stopping it from being implemented.

“Every student has the fundamental right to learn in an environment that is welcoming and open to everyone,” said Attorney General James. “The Trump administration is illegally trying to stop efforts that prevent discrimination in our schools, support students with disabilities, and provide resources for students in need while jeopardizing billions of dollars in essential federal education funding. As a proud graduate of New York public schools, I will always step up to protect our schools and stop illegal attacks on our most vulnerable students.” 

Since January 20, President Trump has issued a series of Executive Orders that seek to ban unspecified practices that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion and punish institutions, including K-12 schools, that engage in programs it believes are illegal. On April 3, ED implemented the Trump administration’s policies by demanding that state education agencies have ten days to certify they will not engage in “illegal” diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. State agencies were also compelled to get certifications from all of their local education agencies or propose enforcement plans for those local school systems. ED later extended the deadline to April 24.

In New York, ED provides more than $3 billion in funding to the New York State Education Department (NYSED), which oversees K-12 education programs that serve more than 2.4 million students. This funding is crucial for providing access to educational opportunities for all New York students.

For example, NYSED will distribute nearly $1.4 billion in federal Title I funds this fiscal year to school districts to help ensure low-income students have the resources needed to overcome barriers to learning and success. New York also receives nearly $1 billion in funding appropriated by Congress under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. These funds help the over 450,000 students with disabilities in New York obtain the services that they are entitled to under federal law.

Loss of federal funding would be catastrophic for students throughout New York state. Two of the largest school districts in New York, the Rochester and Buffalo city school districts, receive over 17 percent of their revenue from federal funds, while the Syracuse and Binghamton city school districts receive over 14 percent.

As Attorney General James and the coalition assert in the lawsuit, the Trump administration has failed to define what constitutes an “illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion practice.” For example, the lawsuit notes that when Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was asked at her confirmation hearing how a school would discern whether it was running an illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion program, she failed to provide a definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion, let alone give any substansive answer. 

In addition, ED’s directive ignores the fact that countless programs that support diversity, equity, and inclusion are in fact required by federal civil rights and funding laws and that federal laws prohibit the federal government from interfering with state and local education curricula or programs.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the Trump administration’s April 3 certification demand violates the Administrative Procedure Act and is contrary to numerous laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and federal laws that prohibit federal interference with state and local education policies. It also violates the Constitution by withholding funding that Congress appropriated and places unlawful conditions on federal funds.

With this lawsuit, Attorney General James and the coalition are seeking a court order stopping ED from implementing the April 3 certification demand or imposing any other similar demand on the states.

This lawsuit is led by Attorney General James and the attorneys general of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. Joining this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.