Governor Hochul Announces Impaired Driving Enforcement Campaign During Super Bowl Weekend

Stepped Up Enforcement Campaign Period to Run February 10 Through February 13

More than 900 Arrests for DWI and 26,000 Tickets Issued During 2022 Campaign

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that State and local law enforcement agencies throughout New York will be stepping up patrols and targeting impaired driving over the Super Bowl weekend. The enforcement campaign will run from Friday, February 10, 2023, through Monday, February 13, 2023. This safety initiative is designed to reduce alcohol and drug-related traffic crashes. It is sponsored by STOP-DWI with funding from the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.

"We want everyone on New York's roads to be safe as you get together with friends and family to watch the Super Bowl, and that's why law enforcement will be out looking for impaired and dangerous drivers," Governor Hochul said. "Make a plan - hire a taxi, have a designated driver to avoid the deadly consequences of impaired drivers and keep your fellow New Yorkers safe."

During the 2022 campaign, law enforcement throughout the state issued 27,398 tickets for vehicle and traffic law violations, including 919 arrests for DWI. Full breakdown here:

Violation	Number of Tickets
Impaired Driving	919
Distracted Driving	859
Move Over Law	102
Other Violations	18,898
Seatbelt	694
Speeding	5,926
Grand Total	27,398

A major component of New York's efforts to combat impaired driving is the STOP-DWI program. STOP-DWI stands for "Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated." The state's STOP-DWI program is the nation's first self-sustaining impaired driving program. The program's efforts are funded from fines paid by convicted impaired drivers. Importantly, the program's coordinators are comprised of diverse professional backgrounds, including law enforcement and non-law enforcement.

The STOP-DWI program was created to empower counties to coordinate local efforts to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. All 62 counties have opted to participate. Some examples of programs funded by STOP-DWI are specially trained police units dedicated to DWI enforcement; hiring of special prosecutors and probation officers to handle the caseload; monitoring ignition interlock devices; supporting rehabilitation services; and developing public information and education campaigns tailored to communities within their respective regions. To learn more, visit www.stopdwi.org.

In addition to STOP-DWI, the GTSC supports training for Drug Recognition Experts (DRE). DREs are specially trained officers utilized by law enforcement when a driver appears to be impaired, but police have ruled out alcohol as the cause or sole cause of impairment. A DRE receives extensive training that has been approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The training allows officers to observe and document signs and indicators of impairment within each of seven drug categories including illicit and prescription drugs.

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.

For more information about GTSC, visit trafficsafety.ny.gov, or follow the GTSC conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Statement from Speaker Adams on NYC’s Record-High Rents in January 2023

 

“With rents now reaching record highs, the time to act with urgency to address this housing crisis through comprehensive solutions is now. We must prioritize the production and preservation of affordable housing, while addressing the backlogs in housing development caused by agency understaffing and underinvestment. These were all priorities outlined in my housing agenda released last December. The Council will continue to contribute to solving this crisis through the Land Use process, legislative oversight, and my Fair Housing Framework that will establish local housing production targets for every district. There must be a focus on developing more housing in a responsible and equitable way, while deepening affordability, preserving and expanding homeownership, and protecting tenants. New Yorkers cannot afford inaction on these critical solutions, as the recent report that nearly 200,000 Black New Yorkers departed our city over the past two decades illustrated.

Attorney General James Leads Multistate Coalition to Defend and Protect Access to Medication Abortion

 

Coalition Argues that Revoking FDA Approval of Medication Abortion Would Endanger Lives Nationwide

New York Attorney General Letitia James led a multistate coalition to defend and protect safe access to medication abortion nationwide. In an amicus brief filed in Alliance of Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a case pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Attorney General James and the coalition of 22 attorneys general ask the court to reject a challenge brought by anti-abortion groups seeking to revoke the FDA’s approval of the medication abortion drug, mifepristone. The brief warns that withdrawing federal approval for mifepristone would drastically reduce access to safe abortion care and miscarriage management for millions of people across the country, including in New York. A ban on mifepristone would affect states where abortion is legal, like New York. Attorney General James and the coalition are urging the court to reject this baseless attempt to undermine the FDA’s authority, upend decades of medical practice, and disrupt the rule of law. 

“Blocking access to this safe and effective medication is a dangerous attack on reproductive freedom and public health,” said Attorney General James. “Decades of medical and clinical research have proven that medication abortion is safe. Despite these facts and its widespread use, we know this is not a debate about science. Access to safe reproductive healthcare could be in jeopardy for millions of Americans because of a baseless lawsuit. We are taking action to protect the reproductive freedoms of people in every corner of the country, especially in vulnerable communities. Every time they try to chip away at our rights, we will rise up and fight back to protect access to safe abortion care.”

In 2000, the FDA approved mifepristone as a single-dose oral medication used for early-term abortions. Since its approval, mifepristone has been safely used by approximately five million persons to terminate a pregnancy and is used in more than half of all abortions today. Decades of clinical research and studies have confirmed mifepristone’s safety and efficacy.

If the district court orders the FDA to withdraw its approval for mifepristone, the medication would be removed from the market nationwide. In their brief, the coalition argues that requiring the FDA to withdraw its approval of mifepristone, despite the overwhelming clinical data demonstrating its safety and efficacy, risks undermining the integrity of the FDA’s approval process for other drugs.

The availability of the abortion pill has been particularly critical in providing access to abortion in low-income, underserved, and rural communities. The coalition also asserts that revoking the FDA approval of mifepristone would force millions to seek more invasive and expensive procedural abortions, which would disproportionately harm vulnerable, low-income, and underserved communities. Without access to mifepristone, demand for procedural abortions would significantly increase, leading to overburdened clinics, longer wait times, later and more risky procedures, and more complicated and costly logistics for many patients, especially those in low-income and rural communities. According to 2020 data, 89 percent of U.S. counties have no abortion clinic, and 38 percent of women of reproductive age reside in counties with no clinics. Moreover, lack of access to safe abortion care leads to worsened health outcomes and higher mortality, especially for Black women.

“At Planned Parenthood, we believe health care providers must be allowed to administer the most effective evidence-based and patient-centered health care available, and that includes providing the method of abortion care that works best for a patient’s circumstances,” said Georgana Hanson, Interim President and CEO, Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts. “Using mifepristone for medication abortion is extremely safe and effective, and has been used by more than five million people since the FDA approved it more than 20 years ago. We are extremely grateful for the leadership of New York Attorney General Letitia James and her coalition partners in working to address the nationwide threat of this case, and the potential impact it could have on the ability of people across the country to access abortion care. Attorney General James continues to show her strong commitment to combating politically motivated attacks designed to ban abortion, birth control, and other sexual and reproductive health care. Her voice is critical in the fight to ensure patients can access medication abortion with as few barriers as possible, both in New York and across the country.”

“On behalf of our members and the patients they serve, the National Abortion Federation applauds Attorney General James’ leadership in countering yet another attack on basic health care,” said Talcott Camp, Chief Legal and Strategy Officer, National Abortion Federation. “What the plaintiffs seek in this case would strike a blow to the evidence-based, patient-centered care our members provide and intensify the public health emergency SCOTUS precipitated in overturning Roe. We stand with all the attorneys general who stood up today for reproductive health, rights, and justice.” 

“Access to mifepristone is and has been an essential part of women's healthcare for decades,” said Sonia Ossorio, Executive Director, Women’s Justice NOW and NOW-NYC. “Attempts to ban FDA’s approval of this drug is an attempt to deny women the right to medication abortion across the entire country. The ruling in this case could have severe implications for women's ability to access safe and timely abortions and that's why attorney generals are joining Attorney General Letitia James in this critical legal fight.” 

“At the miscarriage and abortion hotline we talk with New Yorkers and people from around the country who are exercising their human rights by safely managing their miscarriages and abortions with mifepristone and misoprostol,” said April Lockley, DO, Medical Director, Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline. “It’s imperative that all people have access to these safe medications in order to practice their right to bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom.” 

Joining Attorney General James in filing today’s amicus brief are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, and Washington D.C.

NYC BANKING COMMISSION ANNOUNCESMEASURES TO ENSURE CITY’S DESIGNATED BANKS MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO PUBLIC

Required Certifications Will Reinforce Banks’ Obligation to Provide Details on Commitment to Combating Lending and Employment Discrimination 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, and New York City Department of Finance (DOF) Commissioner Preston Niblack today announced two important transparency measures that will help gauge the consumer and community service experience of the city’s designated banks and provide a tool for better assessing the commitment of banks looking to hold city deposits to non-discrimination in lending and employment.

 

Starting with this year’s biennial designation cycle, the New York City Banking Commission (consisting of Mayor Adams, Comptroller Lander, and DOF Commissioner Niblack) will include a public comment process for the Banking Commission’s public hearing to designate banks that will be eligible to hold deposits of city funds. The public will be able to submit written comments ahead of the meeting and in-person comments during the public comment session of the hearing.

 

Additionally, the certificates banks must submit ahead of designation have been revised to reinforce the obligation for depository banks to provide detailed plans and specific steps to combat different forms of discrimination in their operations.

 

“Financial institutions are critical pillars of our communities, and we must demand the highest standards from any bank that is entrusted with public funds,” said Mayor Adams. “These new steps will ensure the Banking Commission is designating only those banks that have shown that they can protect taxpayer money and that are committed to promoting equity in all aspects of their operations.”

 

“Consumer banks play a vital role in New York City’s communities, and their practices in lending, employment, and banking products and services reverberate through all five boroughs,” Comptroller Lander. “In pursuit of a shared and prosperous economy for all, the city must be vigilant in evaluating the banks that hold its money and hear from New Yorkers about their experiences with these institutions. I am grateful to Mayor Adams and Commissioner Niblack for their partnership in this work, as we continue to take a hard look at who the city is choosing as banking partners.”

 

“Providing an opportunity for public comment will add a new dimension to the Banking Commission’s designation review,” said New York City Treasurer Mary Christine Jackman, DOF designee, New York City Banking Commission. “We look forward to hearing from the public and banking community as we review applications for designation for the important role of depository of the public’s funds.”

 

Designated banks will be eligible to hold New York City deposits. The banks are expected to provide approved banking products and services for city entities. By law, the banks must provide total collateralization for any money held.

 

“The ability to hold and profit from New Yorker’s hard-earned city deposits is a privilege, not a right,” said Barika X. Williams, executive director, Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development. “We applaud the Banking Commission on taking this step to accept public comments and call on the city to incorporate the findings into their final determinations. We hope this is just a first step in deepening community engagement, scrutiny, and transparency in this public process. The city must demand more of banks seeking the privilege of holding New York City’s deposits and should not do business with banks that ignore, divest, exploit, or discriminate against communities of color.”

 

“We are pleased that the New York City Banking Commission will seek the public’s input on how best to ensure that banks holding city deposits meet the highest standards,” said Andy Morrison, associate director, New Economy Project. “Where the city deposits its billions of dollars is a fundamental matter of public policy, and we must demand that our public money is not held by banks that redline and otherwise harm New Yorkers and New York City neighborhoods.”

 

Upcoming meetings of the New York City Banking Commission will be held on the following dates: May 11, 2023, for the discount/late payment rate recommendation meeting and May 25, 2023, for the bank designation meeting, including public comments. Bank designations will be voted on by the commission at the latter meeting. More information can be found online.

Governor Hochul Announces $234 Million in Additional Food Assistance for February

All SNAP Households to Receive at Least the Maximum Level of Food Benefits

Federal Action Discontinues Monthly Supplemental Food Benefits After February 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive a supplemental allotment of food benefits for February, including those already receiving the maximum allowable level. Issued monthly to help New Yorkers weather the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, the supplemental benefits will conclude after this month due to the changes prescribed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, which was adopted by Congress late last year.

“In addition to SNAP, these monthly benefits have proven to be invaluable to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers dealing with food insecurity throughout the pandemic,” Governor Hochul said. “With these emergency supplemental benefits ending, we will continue to focus our efforts protecting New Yorkers who are struggling to feed themselves and their families by expanding eligibility and maximizing assistance through SNAP.”

The emergency assistance supplement will be provided to all households receiving SNAP – a federally funded program overseen by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) –and result in an infusion of $234 million in federal funding into New York’s economy this month. All households, including those already receiving the maximum benefit for the household's size and households that formerly would have received a monthly supplement of less than $95, will receive a supplement of at least $95.

SNAP households in all counties outside of New York City should see these extra benefits issued by Friday, February 24. SNAP households in New York City should see their benefits issued by Tuesday, February 28.

OTDA began issuing the emergency supplemental benefits in April 2020 to those SNAP households receiving less than the maximum monthly benefit amount. When New York State's emergency declaration expired in June 2021, the agency successfully worked with the federal government to secure the authority to continue issuing the maximum allotment for all SNAP households.

The recently approved federal spending bill ends these temporary emergency allotments this month, meaning SNAP recipients will receive their regular monthly benefit beginning in March and moving forward. New York State received roughly $6.5 billion in additional federal food assistance between April 2020 and December 2022.

OTDA is mailing letters and sending text messages to all SNAP households to let recipients know that these additional monthly benefits are ending. The agency also has additional information at its website.

Other programs and services that SNAP recipients may be eligible for include:

• The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, which is available for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and children under age 5 receiving SNAP may automatically qualify for.
• FreshConnect, Double Up Food Bucks and NYC Health Bucks, which provide coupons to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets or participating food retailers.
• The Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides discounts toward residential internet costs.
• The Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides home heating assistance.
• Food assistance from area food pantries.

As with the prior months, the February payments will be delivered directly to recipients' existing Electronic Benefit Transfer accounts and can be accessed with their existing EBT cards. Like regular SNAP benefits, the supplemental benefits can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores.

Any unused SNAP benefits will automatically carry over to the following month. SNAP benefits will not be removed from a recipient’s card if they use their benefits any time within 274 days.

Find more information on the emergency supplemental SNAP benefits, including answers to frequently asked questions, here. New Yorkers interested in enrolling can check their SNAP eligibility, as well as apply online, by visiting mybenefits.ny.gov.

California Man Pleads Guilty To Submitting False Declarations To Court In $50 Million Lawsuit

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ROVIER CARRINGTON pled guilty in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni to submitting false declarations to the court in connection with a $50 million civil lawsuit. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Rovier Carrington submitted fake evidence in court, knowingly swore that the fake evidence was true, and doubled down on his lies when confronted.  This conviction sends a message: when a party in civil litigation swears to tell the truth, breaking that oath has consequences.”

According to the Indictment and statements made in court proceedings and filings:

In a civil lawsuit that CARRINGTON filed in Manhattan federal court (the “Civil Case”), CARRINGTON sued Hollywood executives alleging that the executives had sexually assaulted him and that they had defrauded him in connection with a decision to refuse to produce CARRINGTON’s reality television program.  CARRINGTON sought damages of $50 million in the Civil Case. 

CARRINGTON submitted to the court several falsified emails (the “Faked Emails”) as exhibits to his amended complaint in the Civil Case, which included the following fabricated exchanges:

• CARRINGTON: My mind is scrambled after last night. I can't remove “Our Jewish bodies” and “Call me Mr. [Executive-1]” from repeating in my head. I can’t properly sit down after being viciously assaulted yet again by that two-sided shit [Executive-1]. This was too far. Too damn far. I have cuts on my face and thighs from him forcing himself into me. That bastard can’t take NO for an answer and he remains using his title to force himself onto me.
• CARRINGTON: Also, If [third party] thinks he can mute me like the others with an envelope filled with cash driving by his personal driver, he’s sadly mistaken. I get assaulted two days ago at the “Super 8” premiere by [Executive-1] who's been stalking me prior to this. Did [Executive-1] tell you he shows up at my place begging for me to be his private Boyfriend ? and say’s, “If I cared about my career I’d obey” ? He threaten my career becuase [sic] I want to work and not fly private with him or attend art museums when his trophy isn't there. This dude is newly married and doesn't comprehend he forces himself onto me. [Executive-1] clearly knows he's crossed the line after spitting in my face and grabbing my genitals while relaying “I'll never work again”.
• CARRINGTON: Here’s the dramatic series I was discussing with you. I appreciate you finally moving forward with both shows. Especially with our contract in place.
  Executive-2: I’ll present the material to my business associates and we’ll figure out how to combine the reality show with the series. You keep me happy and we’ll do well together. :)

When confronted about the Faked Emails, CARRINGTON submitted a false affidavit to the court in the Civil Case, in which he swore under penalty of perjury that “Each and every email annexed to my Amended Complaint, and hereto, are forwarded copies of the original email I received, or exchanged, in the exact same condition, upon which the email was received, or exchanged . . . I have not doctored, fabricated, or altered, any of the emails annexed to my Amended Complaint, and hereto.”

The court in the Civil Case conducted a detailed investigation into whether the Faked Emails were real, which CARRINGTON tried to obstruct.  Among other things, CARRINGTON (i) deleted one of the email accounts from which he had purportedly sent some of the Faked Emails the day after he filed his amended complaint; (ii) deleted another email account from which he had purportedly sent some of the Faked Emails, after the court began its investigation, and then called the email provider to confirm that the account’s emails would never be accessible; and (iii) failed to appear in court for questioning about the Faked Emails.

The court in the Civil Case ultimately dismissed the Civil Case and imposed sanctions on CARRINGTON, ruling, “these emails were fabricated, and that was bad enough, but the deactivation of the accounts, the efforts undertaken to really foreclose what is necessary discovery in this case, and the stream of lies to me necessitate the sanctions that I am imposing.”

CARRINGTON, 34, of Los Angeles, California, pled guilty today to one count of submitting a false declaration to a court, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.  CARRINGTON is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Caproni on June 1, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.