Treyger Intros Bill To Protect Children From Lead Poisoning
City Council Member Mark Treyger (D-Coney Island, Bensonhurst, Gravesend) introduced legislation yesterday that would help eradicate lead poisoning from childcare facilities.
The new measure would require owners or operators of childcare centers and schools to remediate any lead-based paint found in such facilities. Int. 0920 is part of a City Council package of bills on lead reform, which aim to amend the administrative code of the city of New York in relation to remediating lead paint hazards in certain facilities serving children, including preschools, nursery schools, and schools.
Treyger is also a prime co-sponsor of Int. 0919 with Council Member Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx), another bill in the City Council’s lead package, which would require mandatory lead inspections be conducted at least every five years for apartment turnovers by a person who is independent of the owner and has an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification.
“Lead has devastating long-term health impacts and I’m proud our city is taking a huge step forward towards eliminating lead poisoning by being vigilant about lead testing and removal,” said Treyger.
“My bill will require all childcare centers and schools to remediate lead paint. As Chairman of the Education Committee, I know how exposure to lead can cause tragic behavioral and cognitive effects for children for years to come. Our city has a duty to do what’s right for our children, and I commend Speaker Corey Johnson for leading the City Council in this important public health fight to help ensure that all children are safe and healthy in our schools and childcare centers,” added Treyger.
Ortiz Holds Anti-Bullying, Gun Violence Town Hall
Assembly member Felix Ortiz (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park) will host an Anti-Bullying and Gun Violence Town Hall today.
The event will feature a panel of specialists in the fields of social work and violence prevention and will give an opportunity for members of the local community to ask questions and receive advice.
The event is slated for 6:30 p.m to 8 p.m, at P.S. 516, at 4222 4th Avenue in Sunset Park.
Brannan Announces Plans To Improve NYC Schools Emergency Notification System
City Council member Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bath Beach, Bensonhurst) announced plans to improve the emergency notification system in place at NYC public schools.
At Wednesday’s stated City Council meeting, Brannan’s bill was introduced as part of a ten bill legislative package on improving school security. The new measure will mandate the Department of Education (DOE) to employ a real time system, similar to an Amber Alert where notices would be sent directly to parents’ cell phones with real time information.
Currently the DOE doesn’t update parents in real-time when there is a lockdown in progress. DOE policy says that during an emergency, the primary focus is on safety and staff in the building and that schools should send their notification after the all-clear is given. The new system would see the DOE work in tandem with the NYPD to make sure that information sent to parents is accurate and up to date.
In December 2017, there were reports of a student with a gun at Fort Hamilton High School in Bay Ridge. While the report ultimately turned out to be unfounded, parents were left to sift through unsubstantiated reports, some suggesting that were was an active shooter in the building. Even though the swift NYPD response was able to determine quickly that students and teachers were not in any danger, parents were not officially notified by the DOE until 6:00 PM that evening.
“This 2018 and parents and guardians should know what is happening at their child’s school in real-time. The DOE already has a system in place to share and update information internally. Parents should not need to turn to social media rumors when an incident occurs. Let’s share the DOE information with parents so they can know exactly what is happening, as it happens,” said Brannan.
CM Williams Urges City To Regulate For-Hire Vehicles
City Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) and Council Member I. Daneek Miller (D-Queens) introduced legislation yesterday aimed at regulating for-hire vehicles.
The bill would close a loophole and allow for the New York City Taxi and the Limousine Commission (TLC) to regulate large for-hire vehicles and commuter vans. Intro. 925, would amend the definition of “for-hire vehicle” to include vehicles that seat more than 20 passengers for the purposes of the enforcement authority of TLC. This bill would also amend the definition of “commuter van” to make explicit that, for enforcement purposes, the definition of “commuter van” also includes vehicles that seat more than 20 passengers.
Previously, the law had only permitted TLC to regulate vehicles up to 20 seats, allowing some operators to circumvent necessary regulations and licensing processes by adding more capacity to their vehicles. This loophole disadvantaged law-abiding businesses operating in good faith and providing a vital service to communities where public transportation is not expansive. According to the lawmakers, by skirting TLC enforcement, these larger vehicles present a danger to the public as unsafe, unlicensed, unregulated vehicles on the streets of New York City.
In 2017, Williams and Miller worked together to pass the Commuter Van Safety Act. The package of three bills was aimed at facilitating legal and legitimate commuter van operations which increased enforcement against bad actors. The act consisted of Intro 570, Intro 860-A, and Intro 861-A, and removed unnecessary burdens from industry operations while cracking down on dangerous and illegitimate operations and increasing penalties for violations.
“Commuter vans are essential in filling the need for affordable transportation in these communities, and I’ve been proud to support these services throughout my career. Bad actors attempting to circumvent the law with unsafe large vehicles present a danger to the public and to hardworking small business owners operating with legitimacy,” said Williams.
Donovan Applauds Release North Korean Hostages
Congressman Dan Donovan (R-South Brooklyn, Staten Island) applauded the release of three hostages from North Korea yesterday.
On Wednesday, American prisoners Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song and Tony Kim were released after a year of detainment in North Korea. The trio was released after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo flew to North Korea to iron out details surrounding Kim Jong Un’s meeting with Trump this summer.
North Korea had accused the three Korean-Americans of anti-state activities. Their arrests, which were widely seen as politically motivated, compounded the dire state of relations over the isolated nation’s nuclear weapons, according to the New York Daily News.
“It’s a great day for our nation as we await the safe return of fellow U.S. citizens. President Trump and his administration continue to show how strong and effective leadership brings results,” said Donovan.
“The release of three American hostages is another step forward in growing relations to bring stability and denuclearization to the region. We must keep the North Korean regime to its word, and the continued use of tough diplomacy will be vital to securing lasting peace,” added Donovan.
Kavanagh Hosts Community Convention, Discusses Neighborhood Issues
State Senator Brian Kavanagh (D-Northern Brooklyn, Lower Manhattan) hosted the 26th Senate District Community Convention over the weekend to discuss neighborhood issues.
During the annual event, experts from advocacy organizations and elected offices led community-driven conversations on a wide array of topics including defending tenants’ rights, reforming the justice system, enhancing resiliency, and preventing gun violence.
Additional discussion topics at the convention included: campaign finance laws, youth education, civil rights, affordable and accessible healthcare, transportation and infrastructure improvements as well as public housing. The was the first time Kavanagh hosted the event since getting voted into the vacant seat back in September of 2017.
“More than 315,000 New Yorkers live in the communities that make up the 26th Senate District, and my staff and I work every day to support them and make New York a better, fairer place to call home. The convention is a people-driven event. It gives us an opportunity to hear directly from constituents about issues that matter to them — and gives residents of the district a chance to have in-depth conversations about the challenges facing our communities,” said Kavanagh.
“I’m glad we were able to bring over 250 New Yorkers together for these discussions — and my staff and I look forward to reviewing all of the feedback and ideas the conversations generated and working with our constituents to improve our city and our state,” added Kavanagh.
