Adrienne E. Adams Re-Elected as New York City Council Speaker

 

Adams, the Council’s first Black Speaker, will continue to lead historic women-majority and most diverse legislative body in city history, naming first Latina Majority Leader and all women in top leadership positions

At the New York City Council’s Charter Meeting, Council Members re-elected Speaker Adrienne E. Adams to lead the legislative body for a second two-year term. Speaker Adams will continue to lead the most diverse and women-majority New York City Council, which includes four new Council Members: Yusef Salaam of Council District 9, Kristy Marmorato of Council District 13, Chris Banks of Council District 42, and Susan Zhuang of Council District 43.

Council Members Diana Ayala and Selvena N. Brooks-Powers will continue to serve in their roles as the Council’s Deputy Speaker and Majority Whip, respectively. Council Member Amanda C. Farías was named Majority Leader, the first Latina to hold the position. It places another member that is not in their final term in the Council on the leadership team to prepare the institution for its next generation and expand representation. It also marks the first time the top leadership positions of the New York City Council will all be women, and all are women of color. 

“Leading this historic City Council is the honor of a lifetime, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving New York City and our diverse communities,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “I’m proud of the work we have accomplished together over the past two years to address long-standing issues through the lens of equity, and I look forward to building on this momentum to continue delivering for all. I thank our returning members for their support and commitment, and I welcome our new members who bring their diverse experiences and expertise to this legislative body. Together, this Council will continue to confront the challenges facing our city and make meaningful changes that prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of every New Yorker.”

See here for a copy of the Charter Meeting remarks, as prepared for delivery.

Under the leadership of Speaker Adams during the previous term, the New York City Council confronted major crises facing the city by advancing solutions and prioritizing equity through legislation and the budget. These include:

Prioritizing Women’s Health + Public Health Equity

• Enacted historic NYC Abortion Rights Act, 12 pieces of legislation that safeguard and expand access to abortion and reproductive health care (2022).
• Passed 11-bill legislative package to address persistent disparities in maternal and birthing health that disproportionately impacts the health and safety of Black and Latina women and birthing people (2022)
• Delivered $1 million Council allocation to provide access to abortion health care for people in need of financial assistance/support – the largest municipal funding commitment of any city in the nation to support direct access to abortion care (Began in 2022)
• Passed a bill to confront the historic racial disparities in treatment of sickle cell disease that primarily affects people of African descent (2023).
• Released the Mental Health Roadmap, first in May, to address existing challenges in the City’s mental healthcare landscape and strengthen the infrastructure and investments in evidence-based solutions to improve mental health outcomes for New Yorkers. 
  • The legislation affiliated with the first part of the roadmap was passed in June and July 2023, with an initial focus on increasing access to community-based preventative services and addressing the mental health workforce shortage. 
  • As part of the second part on the roadmap, released in November, legislation to address the mental health needs of veterans passed in December.
• Passed a package of legislation building on the previous efforts to protect children from the dangers of lead poisoning, including relating to lead-paint investigations and remediation in housing units
• Passed several bills to improve public health, including bills to increase access to vision testing for low-income individuals and require added sugar notifications for menu items in chain restaurants. (2023)
• Passed three pieces of legislation to address addiction and overdoses, including bills to establish a community-based working group to create plans that respond to the crisis holistically and with local solutions, prevent opioid overdoses in nightlife establishments, and track spending from the Opioid Settlement Fund, respectively. (2022)
• Passed several bills that expand education on and access to menstrual products in city facilities and change terminology to be gender inclusive with the goal of making the city safer, healthier, and more just for every New Yorker who menstruates (2023)

Addressing the Housing & Homelessness Crises

• The Council approved nearly 60 land use projects that will produce more than 14,500 units of housing,67% of which are affordable. Major projects include:
  • Innovation QNS – Over 3,100 housing units, 45% of which are affordable, and over 800 units reserved for extremely or very low-income households. It is the largest private affordable housing project in the history of Queens. Amenities include two acres of open space for the neighborhood, as well as community spaces for non-profit organizations, small businesses and startups. Additionally, the project includes a commitment of $2 million to fund free legal advocacy services for low-income tenants in the surrounding area to help protect against housing discrimination, displacement, and harassment (2022).
  • Hallets North – 1,340 total housing units, 335 of which are permanently affordable (the majority for extremely and very low-income households). Amenities include commercial space, community facilities, and public open space, including a waterfront esplanade. The development also provides $1 million to support NYCHA’s nearby Astoria Houses (2022).
  • Innovative Urban Village – 11 new mixed-use buildings with 1,975 affordable residential units, commercial areas, a performing arts center, and open space. Over 1,100 units are reserved for extremely or very low-income households (2022).
  • 1460-1480 Sheridan Boulevard – 970 units of 100% affordable housing. Amenities include commercial space, bike, and car parking spaces (2023).
  • 2560 Boston Road– 333 affordable housing units. Amenities include a new supermarket and community facility space (2023).
  • 521 East Tremont Avenue– 205 affordable units, including 61 units of supportive housing, with ground floor commercial and community space (2023).
• Passed CityFHEPS bill package that removes barriers to the rental assistance program that helps move people out of the shelter system more expeditiously and prevent evictions to keep people in their homes during eviction and homelessness crises (2023)
• Speaker released Planning and Land Use Guidelines Toolkit and Housing Agenda with a proposal to pass Fair Housing Framework legislation that would require targeted housing goals for each community district, ensuring that every neighborhood contributes fairly to affordable housing development production (2022).
• Passed Speaker Adams’ Fair Housing Framework Legislation, establishing targeted housing production goals for each Community District to help hold every neighborhood accountable for their role in equitably addressing the city’s housing crisis, with a focus on affordable housing. The legislation also creates a citywide fair housing assessment and plan every five years, a strategic equity framework that would report on obstacles and strategies to achieve the housing targets, and focuses on anti-displacement resources, and neighborhood investments for under-served communities (2023).
• Approved several bills designed to provide assistance for homeowners, including establishing a program to provide financial assistance for the purchase and installation of backwater valves, the creation of an office of the homeowner advocate within HPD, and eliminating permit and filing fees for green building projects (2022 and 2023).
• In FY23 budget:
  • $237 million to expand CityFHEPS to fully fund and increase the rental voucher rate to match Section 8 levels
  • $171.3 million to expand funding for Drop-in Centers, Safe Haven Beds, and Stabilization Beds to provide effective alternatives to congregate shelters for unhoused New Yorkers
  • $90 million to protect working and middle-class homeowners with a property tax rebate
• In FY24 budget:
  • Secured a historic $4 billion in capital funding for affordable housing, including $2.5 billion for HPD and $1.5 billion for NYCHA in the FY24 budget.
  • Allocated $300 million for housing and tenant assistance programs, including CityFHEPS, Partners in Preservation, and Emergency Housing Voucher Assistance Payments.
  • Secured a $46 million increase (and $30 million baselined) in support for legal service provides, including Right to Counsel
  • Reversed $32.9 million in cuts to NYCHA’s Vacant Unit Readiness Program to expedite availability of vacant apartments
  • Funded $11 million in HPD programs to support homeowners, including HelpDesk, HomeFirst, and HomeFix.

Advancing Public Safety for All

• Passed the “Support Survivors” package during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, two pieces of legislation requiring city agencies to establish a housing stability grant assistance program for crime survivors and create an online portal and resource guide for survivors (2022).
• Created a new Speaker’s Initiative of $5.1 million in Council funding – Community Safety and Crime Victims Services Initiative – to provide each Council district with $100,000 to expand crime victim services and community safety programs (Began in 2022).
• Established New York State’s first four Trauma Recovery Centers in New York City to support underserved victims of crime and stop cycles of crime in neighborhoods experiencing high rates of violence (Began in 2022).
• Approved several pieces of legislation addressinggun violence, examining the flow of illegal firearms, defining Times Square as a sensitive area, requiring City training and operational support for violence prevention programs in the Crisis Management System, and evaluation of criminal justice programs. (2022).
• Approved 6 pieces of legislation addressing fire safety, in the wake of the Twin Parks fire that took the lives of 17 New Yorkers, including eight children (2022).
• Passed 6 bills to begin addressing the fire hazard posed by lithium-ion battery-powered devices, including city’s first battery swap program to remove uncertified batteries from circulation (2023).
• Approved several bills with the goal of safely reducing the population of individuals detained on Rikers Island, ensuring people make it to court so lengths of stay aren’t inflated, protecting TGNCNBI detainees, banning solitary confinement and increasing transparency (2023).
• Reappointed the Independent Rikers Commission to strengthen the roadmap to closing Rikers and work with stakeholders on successful implementation (2023).
• Passed several police transparency laws that provide more complete data, facilitate increased trust, and enhance accountability to improve public safety.
• Passed bills to advance street safety for all road users, including bills to require DOT to implement daylighting at 100 dangerous intersections, install traffic calming devices at senior pedestrian zones, prioritize equity in street safety investment, report on motor vehicles with unreadable license plates, creating off-street parking for tractor trailers, developing a map of bike infrastructure conditions, and reducing unnecessary bureaucracy in the processes for bike lane projects (2023).
• Enacted four bills related to citywide swim access and safety, following through on a proposal outlined in the Speaker’s most recent State of the City address. The bills established water safety instruction to New York city’s public school children at no cost and mandated a DOHMH report on drowning deaths in the city, among other things (2023). 
• Secured $86 million in FY24 budget for Crisis Management System (CMS) and violence prevention programs
• Secured $121.2 million in FY24 budget for Alternatives to Incarceration and Detention programming
• Secured $5 million in the FY23 city budget to prevent and respond to hate crimes for community-based programs.

Expanding Opportunities for New Yorkers

• Passed Industrial Development Strategic Plan Law to require creation of a citywide plan for investing in the industrial sector to cultivate its growth for our city to achieve its green energy goals and expand equitable economic opportunities for New Yorkers (2023).
• Created first-ever CUNY Reconnect Initiative in FY23 through a $4.4 million pilot program to bring back 10,000 working-age students who left CUNY with credits but no degree – majority of whom are people of color and women. The program surpassed its goal in the inaugural year, bringing back over 16,000 former students to CUNY. It was expanded in the FY24 budget to $5.8 million and the program has enrolled over 26,000 students in total thus far, the majority of whom are women and people of color (2022-2023).
• Enacted 8 childcare bills to expand access for working families and advance professional opportunity for women (2022).
• Passed a 5-bill package to increase thediversity of FDNY’s firefighters through recruitment and retention policies that support women and people of color being firefighters – the strongest effort to date by the City to address historic discrimination and lack of diversity in the FDNY (2022).
• Passed legislation to expand access to Civil Service careers by establishing a Civil Service Ambassador Program, codifying the Public Service Corps, and creating pipelines to the civil service for marginalized communities and populations (2022).
• Approved legislation to expand opportunities for persons with disabilities, relating to workforce development (2023).
• Passed legislation requiring SBS to provide information on Community Development Financial Institutions, which can provide M/WBEs with access to capital (2023).
• Created a new permanent outdoor dining program that is accessible and inclusive to more restaurants, while addressing concerns for more orderly and uniform regulation (2023).
• Provided legal authorization for the City to establish pilot programs to support guaranteed income programs for eligible low-income families and individuals (2023).
• Amended the City’s Human Rights Law to prohibit discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations on the basis of a person’s height or weight (2023).
• Improved the Salary Transparency Law for successful implementation, helping to give clarity to job seekers and help eliminate inherent bias in setting employee salaries (2022).
• Secured $75 million in baselined annual funding for Fair Fares to support subsidized public transit access for low-income New Yorkers in FY23 and expanded the program to $95 million baselined with wider eligibility for low-income New Yorkers in FY24.

Creating a Greener, More Sustainable City

• Passed legislation to make New York City the largest municipality in the nation to require its fleet to consist of zero emission vehicles, exceeding the goals of the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) in its international agreement (2023).
• Approved the “Zero Waste Act,” a legislative package that aims to advance the City’s efforts to divert organic waste from landfills, fight climate change and a create a more sustainable future (2023).    
• Decreased Unnecessary Plastic Waste by passing the “Skip the Stuff” bill to reduce the provision of plastic eating utensils, condiment packets, napkins and extra containers in food orders, and “water bottle” legislation requiring sporting venues to allow fans to enter with reusable beverage containers (2023).
• Enacted multiple bills pertaining to solar and green roofs, the tree canopy and urban forest plan (2023).
• Passed legislation to expedite the phase out of oil grade No. 4, the most harmful heating oil still used in city buildings, to create cleaner air and reduce negative health outcomes that are especially felt in environmental justice communities (2023).
• Enacted legislation to require the city’s first redesign of its truck route network in over four decades, with the goals of improving safety and health outcomes, increasing visibility, and reducing traffic congestion (2023).
• Passed legislation to measure and reduce noise pollution, as well as cap compensation on civilian noise complaints, with the goal of curbing New Yorkers’ exposure to excessive noise, which affects quality of life and has been linked to negative health outcomes and eliminate complaint incentives that are harmful to small businesses (2023)

Budget Highlights:

• FY23:
  • $60 million secured for long-sought wage adjustments to nonprofit human service workers
  • $277 million for the Summer Rising Program to provide free academic enrichment to students
  • $170 million to expand the Summer Youth Employment Program to a record 100K slots
  • $237 million to expand CityFHEPS to fully fund and increase the rental voucher rate to match Section 8 levels
  • $171.3 million to expand funding for Drop-in Centers, Safe Haven Beds, and Stabilization Beds to provide effective alternatives to congregate shelters for unhoused New Yorkers
  • $90 million to protect working and middle-class homeowners with a property tax rebate
  • First-time baselined allocation of $75 million for Fair Fares to support subsidized public transit access for low-income New Yorkers
  • $44.1 million for Parks Department Maintenance and Summer Workforce
  • $40 million to increase investments for cultural institutions
  • $22 million to support citywide 6-days/week, twice daily litter basket service pickup
  • $10 million for a new program to provide child care for undocumented children
  • Budget Transparency: Added a historic 18 new Units of Appropriation (U/As) as part of budget negotiations, including first-ever U/As added by Council to NYPD with six additions (nearly 50% increase in the departments total), four additions in DOC, four in HRA, and one each in DYCD, DOB, DOE, and ACS. The Council also secured terms and conditions on NYPD overtime reporting, DOC reporting on sick leave and unstaffed posts, information on city doula services, among other areas.

• FY24:
  • $4 billion in capital funding for affordable housing, including $2.5 billion for HPD and $1.5 billion for NYCHA
  • $100 million baselined due to an additional $40 million for wage adjustments for nonprofit human service workers, plus an additional $50 million in the next fiscal year.
  • $46 million increase (and $30 million baselined) in support for legal service provides, including Right to Counsel
  • $20 million addition to the existing baseline for a total of $95 million baselined, with expanded eligibility for Fair Fares to serve more low-income New Yorkers
  • $32.9 million to reverse cuts to NYCHA’s Vacant Unit Readiness Program to expedite availability of vacant apartments
  • $47 million for supportive programs for K-12 students, including Mental Health Continuum, Community Schools, Immigrant Family Engagement, Restorative Justice, Arts Education, and Shelter-Based Coordinators
  • $16 million for Promise NYC to provide early childhood education services for undocumented families ($6 million increase)
  • $15 million to convert 1,800 school-day/school-year 3-K seats to extended day/extended year to better match supply with demand
  • $22.5 million for the Work, Learn, and Grow program to support young people in their careers
  • $32.4 million in restoration for CUNY programs, including Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE), Accelerated Study in Associate Programs, CUNY Reconnect, and Academic Advisors
  • $6.7 million for Adult Literacy programs
  • $86 million for Crisis Management System (CMS) and violence prevention programs
  • $121.2 million for Alternatives to Incarceration and Detention programming
  • Budget Transparency: Adopted 11 new Units of Appropriation and a record 62 Terms and Conditions, including spending on care for asylum seekers, emergency contracting, DOE payments to early childhood providers, and Restorative Justice programming

Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against the State of Texas Regarding Unconstitutional SB 4 Immigration Law

 

The Justice Department filed suit against the State of Texas to challenge Senate Bill 4 (SB 4) under the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause and Foreign Commerce Clause. The Constitution assigns the federal government the authority to regulate immigration and manage our international borders. Pursuant to this authority, Congress has established a comprehensive framework governing the entry of noncitizens into the United States and the removal of noncitizens from the country. Because SB 4 is preempted by federal law and violates the U.S. Constitution, the Justice Department seeks a declaration that SB 4 is invalid and an order preliminarily and permanently enjoining the state from enforcing the law.

“SB 4 is clearly unconstitutional,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “Under the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution and longstanding Supreme Court precedent, states cannot adopt immigration laws that interfere with the framework enacted by Congress. The Justice Department will continue to fulfill its responsibility to uphold the Constitution and enforce federal law.”

“Texas cannot disregard the United States Constitution and settled Supreme Court precedent,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “We have brought this action to ensure that Texas adheres to the framework adopted by Congress and the Constitution for regulation of immigration.”    

As outlined in the complaint, Texas’s law would create two new state crimes that attempt to regulate immigration, with charges ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony. Additionally, SB 4 would give state judges the ability to order removal from the United States. The Supreme Court, in Arizona v. United States, has previously confirmed that decisions relating to removal of noncitizens from the United States touch “on foreign relations and must be made with one voice.” SB 4 impedes the federal government’s ability to enforce entry and removal provisions of federal law and interferes with its conduct of foreign relations.

The suit was filed on behalf of the United States, including the Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of State.

New Rochelle Man Pleads Guilty To Bronx Shooting

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TYRIEK SKYFIELD pled guilty to one count of illegally possessing ammunition after a felony conviction.  The charge of conviction arises from SKYFIELD’s firing two shots at an individual (“Victim-1”), one of which hit Victim-1, on a residential street in the Bronx on July 22, 2023.  SKYFIELD pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2024. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “On a summer night in the Bronx last July, Tyriek Skyfield fired two shots from a handgun at an individual from close range.  One shot struck the victim in the foot, injuring him.  This plea underscores an important priority of my Office: We will not tolerate gun violence in the Southern District of New York.” 

According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings:

On or about July 22, 2023, at approximately 9:56 p.m., TYRIEK SKYFIELD fired two shots with a handgun at Victim-1 near the intersection of Needham Avenue and East 223rd Street in the Bronx, New York.  Surveillance video from a building overlooking the scene showed SKYFIELD brandishing a firearm at Victim-1 seconds before shooting at him. 

Surveillance video then captured SKYFIELD fleeing down Needham Avenue and onto East 222nd Street.  During a canvass of the scene of the shooting on the following day, officers from the New York City Police Department recovered a 9mm Luger shell casing from one of the gunshots in the yard of a residential building near the shooting.

SKYFIELD was not permitted to possess ammunition because of prior felony convictions. 

TYRIEK SKYFIELD, 31, of New Rochelle, New York, pled guilty to one count of possession of ammunition after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. 

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

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York State Police and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and he thanked the New York City Police Department for its assistance.

Attorney General James Announces Arrest of Medical Biller Who Stole More Than $1 Million

 

Amrish Patel and Medlink Allegedly Stole Funds Intended for Surgeons Who Provided Care to Injured Workers

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the arrest and arraignment of Amrish Patel, 61, of Monroe Township, New Jersey, for allegedly stealing more than $1 million that was intended to be paid directly to doctors who provided medical care to injured workers under the New York State Workers’ Compensation Law. Patel, who provided billing services to a Brooklyn-based orthopedic surgery practice, allegedly submitted falsified claim forms to the New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) to steal at least $1.1 million in workers’ compensation reimbursements for himself. Patel and his two companies, Medlink Services, Inc. and Medlink Partners, LLC (together, Medlink), were charged today with 27 felony counts for the thefts they allegedly committed from January 2012 through January 2019. 

“Doctors and health care professionals provide crucial care to our communities, and they rely on accurate and ethical billing to sustain these services and ensure our wellbeing,” said Attorney General James. “When money is illegally diverted away from doctors and providers, all New Yorkers suffer as a result. Fraud of any kind will never go unchecked in our state, and my office will continue to use every measure to hold accountable those who seek to cheat New Yorkers for personal gain. I thank our partners for their invaluable support and collaboration on this case.”  

“Fraud in any part of the workers’ compensation system is detrimental to trust and hurts the entire system, including medical providers, carriers, businesses, and injured workers,” said New York State Insurance Fund Executive Director and CEO Gaurav Vasisht. “I am thankful for the collaboration of the Attorney General and Inspector General’s offices on this investigation.” 

“Workers’ compensation fraud is not a victimless crime,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “The defendant compromised the integrity of this crucial safety net when he took advantage of his trusted position to ensure accurate billing for medical providers and health insurers. I am grateful to the Office of the Attorney General and the New York State Insurance Fund for their partnership in rooting out this fraud.” 

As outlined in the 27-count complaint, Patel abused his position as a medical billing agent over the course of nearly seven years by diverting payments that were intended for surgeons who provided health care services to workers’ compensation claimants. Starting in 2011, Patel and his companies handled billing services for a Brooklyn-based orthopedic surgery practice and were responsible for submitting billing for surgeries related to work-related injuries under the New York State Workers’ Compensation Law. 

Under the law, authorized providers are reimbursed for their treatment of injured workers by the insurance carrier for the employer. Under the terms of their client agreement, Patel submitted bills for surgical procedures to NYSIF, the workers’ compensation carrier in this instance, and then the payments would subsequently be issued directly to the surgical practice or its doctors. In exchange for these transactions, Patel and his companies were paid monthly service fees. However, Patel allegedly submitted falsified claim forms to NYSIF and requested that the payments be sent to his companies instead of the doctors. In total, Patel allegedly stole at least $1.1 million in payments originally intended for three doctors for services provided between January 1, 2012 and January 4, 2019. 

Patel was arraigned before the Honorable Holly Trexler in Albany City Court. Patel and the companies were charged with one count of Insurance Fraud in the First Degree (Class B felony), one count of Grand Larceny in the First Degree (Class B felony), one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (Class C felony), one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (Class D felony), one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (Class E felony), 11 counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree (Class E felony), and 11 counts of Workers’ Compensation Fraud (Class E felony). Patel was released with electronic monitoring and a $100,000 bond.  

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

These charges are the result of a joint investigation by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau (CEFC), NYSIF, and the New York State Offices of the Inspector General (OIG).

Attorney General James thanks NYSIF and OIG for their valuable assistance on this case. 

Inspector General Lucy Lang thanked Attorney-in-Charge for Workers’ Compensation Fraud Bryan Richmond and Investigators James Pescetti and Lisa Lingenfelter for their work on this case. 

Governor Hochul Unveils Second Proposal of 2024 State of the State: the ‘Back to Basics’ Plan to Improve Reading Proficiency

 

Governor Will Propose Legislation to Ensure Evidence-Based Best Practices Are Used in Schools Throughout New York

To Help Students and Support Teachers, $10 Million State Investment Will Train 20,000 Teachers in “Science of Reading” Instruction

SUNY and CUNY Microcredential Program for Teachers Will Expand to Ensure Next Generation of Educators Utilize Evidence-Based Best Practices

Governor Kathy Hochul today unveiled her Back to Basics plan to improve reading proficiency in New York as a part of her 2024 State of the State. To transition New York to reading instruction that teaches students the foundational skills they need to become proficient readers, Governor Hochul will introduce legislation that ensures evidence-based best practices are used throughout New York. The Governor will also propose $10 million in state investments to train 20,000 teachers in Science of Reading instructional best practices, and announced an expansion of SUNY and CUNY’s microcredentialing programs for teachers focused on the Science of Reading, to ensure our current and future teachers seeking advanced education are best prepared.

“Reading is the foundation of our education system, but New York State is currently not meeting basic reading proficiency levels,” Governor Hochul said. “We cannot continue to allow our kids to fall further behind by utilizing outdated and discredited approaches to reading comprehension. Our Back to Basics initiative will reset how schools approach reading, returning to scientifically proven techniques. Along with investments in teacher training programs, we are tackling this issue head on to make sure our teachers and kids are set up for success.”

The ability to read by third grade is an important indicator of a student’s future success. Students who do not achieve proficiency by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school, with dropout rates even more pronounced for students of color and students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Additionally, failure to ensure reading proficiency at an early age has a cascading effect, potentially derailing a student’s academic trajectory, impacting future earning potential, health, and wellbeing. Recognizing the urgent need to improve reading proficiency and ensure student success, more than 30 states have transitioned to a ‘back-to-basics’ approach.

As a part of her 2024 State of the State, Governor Hochul is announcing several initiatives to get New York kids back on track.

Governor Hochul’s Back to Basics reading plan takes statewide action to ensure that every school district utilizes instructional best practices grounded in the Science of Reading. Governor Hochul will seek passage this year of legislation to require that the State Education Department (SED) promulgate instructional best practices in reading instruction, and that school districts adopt those practices. This approach includes teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, vocabulary, and comprehension. By September of 2025, all school districts will need to certify with SED that their curriculum, instructional strategies, and teacher professional development align with all elements of the instructional best practices.

Governor Hochul also announced $10 million for teacher training programs to ensure teachers are prepared to utilize evidence-based standards in the classroom. The New York State United Teachers and the United Federation Teachers have already begun training thousands of teachers in the Science of Reading, and this funding would support the training of 20,000 additional teachers and elementary school teaching assistants. 

To prepare New York’s current and future teachers seeking advanced education, Governor Hochul’s Back to Basics plan also includes enhancing and expanding the SUNY and CUNY Microcredential Program for Teachers focused on the Science of Reading.

Release of Body Worn Camera Footage from an Officer Involved Shooting that Occurred on September 9, 2023 in the confines of the 45th Precinct

 

The NYPD is releasing today body-worn camera footage from an officer-involved shooting that occurred on September 9th, 2023 in the confines of the 45th Precinct..

The video includes available evidence leading up to the incident as well as during the incident. The NYPD is releasing this video for clear viewing of the totality of the incident.

All NYPD patrol officers are equipped with body-worn cameras. The benefits of cameras are clear: transparency into police activity, de-escalation of police encounters and accountability for police officers, through an independent account of interactions between the police and the citizens they serve. Body-worn cameras serve as a vital part of ongoing efforts to increase trust between the police and all New Yorkers.

You can find the video here

DEC and NYSERDA Release Draft Disadvantaged Communities Investments and Benefits Reporting Guidance for New York State Entities

 

Interagency Guidance Supports Implementation of Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Equity and Justice Requirements

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) today released draft guidance for State entities to inform the investments and benefits reporting on compliance with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act’s (Climate Act) requirement that a minimum of 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the State’s clean energy investments benefit disadvantaged communities. The draft Disadvantaged Communities Investments and Benefits Reporting Guidance is a blueprint for reporting energy efficiency and clean energy programmatic investments by State entities in disadvantaged communities and will advance consistency and transparency in complying with the Climate Act’s equity provisions. 

DEC Commissioner and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Basil Seggos said, "New York’s Climate Act prioritizes advancing equity and inclusion through the implementation of programs and investments. The draft Disadvantaged Communities Investments and Benefits Guidance released today is the latest step in the State’s sustained efforts to ensure all communities, but especially disadvantaged communities, benefit from the State’s climate investments and the opportunities created by the state’s transition to cleaner energy. DEC and our State partners are advancing comprehensive efforts to reduce climate pollution, create new green jobs, and build stronger, healthier communities, and I encourage New Yorkers to review and comment on the draft guidance to help ensure the State’s investments succeed in removing barriers and promoting climate justice."

NYSERDA President and CEO and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Doreen M. Harris said, “This guidance is critical to helping NYSERDA and our partner agencies take the necessary steps to design and implement programs that demonstrate direct benefits to New York’s most underserved communities. We welcome input from New Yorkers on this draft guidance so that, together, we can advance a clean energy future that maximizes accountability, advances climate justice, and stimulates economic development that allows all New York communities to prosper.”

Developed in collaboration with a number of New York State agencies and authorities, the draft guidance, when finalized, will provide the information state entities need to comply with the Climate Act’s equity mandate and account for energy efficiency and clean energy program investments in disadvantaged communities as defined and finalized by the Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG) in March 2023. This will help ensure that disadvantaged communities receive a minimum of 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the overall benefits of the state’s clean energy and energy efficiency programs, projects, or investments in the areas of housing, workforce development, pollution reduction, low-income energy assistance, renewable energy, transportation, and economic development.

All New Yorkers are welcome to provide input on how the state tracks progress toward addressing the interests and priorities of historically marginalized communities as the state continues to transition to an inclusive clean energy economy that reduces pollution, addresses systemic inequities, and expands economic opportunity for all New Yorkers.

An overview of the draft guidance was presented to the CJWG on November 14, 2023, and is now available for a public comment period.

Written comments on the proposed guidance may be submitted until close of business February 23, 2024. Contact: Alanah Keddell-Tuckey, NYSDEC - Office of Environmental Justice, 625 Broadway, Albany, New York 12233-1550 or email justice@dec.ny.gov. Include "Draft Disadvantaged Communities Reporting Guidance" in the subject line of the email.

A public information session will be scheduled to allow for additional stakeholder engagement before the draft guidance is finalized. For more information about New York's climate efforts, visit the Climate Act website.

New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan

New York State's nation-leading climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors and ensures that at least 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is on a path to achieving a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and economywide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York's unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $50 billion in 66 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector in 2022 and over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including requiring all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with nearly 400 registered and more than 100 certified Climate Smart Communities, nearly 500 Clean Energy Communities, and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the state to help target air pollution and combat climate change.