Dear Neighbor,

This email contains several updates about what I have been up to in Albany this month, as well as some upcoming events and useful information. The legislative session will come to an end next week, on June 8th, and I expect to have much more to report at that time as well.

In the meantime, stay safe and healthy. As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, please email or call my office at [email protected] or 212-490-9535.

Best,

Liz Krueger

State Senator

Upcoming Off-Site Constituent Service Hours

Our on-location constituent services team will be out and about this June. Please stop by with questions, concerns or just to say hi!

June 10 (Saturday), 11am to 4pm (with Senator Krueger)

Roosevelt Island Day

Blackwell Plaza, Roosevelt Island

June 12 (Monday) 2pm to 4pm

St. Catherine's Park (1st Avenue between 67th and 68th Streets)

June 15 (Thursday) 10:30am to 1pm 

Health, Wellness and Disability Fair

Good Shepherd Plaza

Roosevelt Island

June 26 (Monday) 3pm to 5pm

Chelsea Green (140 W 20th Street)

June 28 (Wednesday) 10:30am to 12:30pm

Carter Burden Senior Center on Roosevelt Island

Last month I joined several of my legislative colleagues in Albany to push for legislation to help tenants facing a record affordability crisis after negotiations on a housing package collapsed during the budget session. 

At the press conference, advocates pointed to evidence showing that high housing costs were driving New Yorkers out of the state, warning that a failure to act this session would only accelerate this trend. Earlier this year, the New York Times reported that Black families in particular were impacted, with nearly 200,000 Black New Yorkers leaving the state in the past two decades, about nine percent of the city’s population. 

My colleagues and I urged support for two key tenant protections that could help New Yorkers afford the rent and stay in their homes: Good Cause eviction protections and the Housing Access Voucher Program, which would protect unregulated tenants against arbitrary evictions and provide rental subsidies for the most vulnerable New Yorkers.

Two in three likely voters in New York back Good Cause, and the policy has received support from 16 labor unions, more than 100 faith leaders, and more than 50 NY city and county elected officials. The real estate community has also warmed up to the policy, with a score of landlords writing a letter urging Gov. Hochul to pass Good Cause and real estate developer Alicia Glen coming out publicly in support. 

To address our affordable housing crisis, we know we need to build more housing. But the first step is to keep people in the housing they already have. Good Cause Eviction and the Housing Access Voucher Program will stem the bleeding for tenants across the state - we must move these critical priorities this session.

Early last month I introduced a bill (S.5623) with Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas to amend the Champerty Doctrine, which prohibits the purchase of securities for the sole purpose of litigation. The bill would strengthen current law and eliminate a loophole for transactions over $500,000.

This legislation would prevent hedge funds from engaging in “vulture” behavior, which involves buying up sovereign debt in order to profit at the expense of people. It comes on the heels of the reintroduction of The Model Law, (S.5542/A.2102), re-introduced this session by Senator Gustavo Rivera and Assemblymember Maritza Davila, which seeks to provide a pathway out of debt for nations. The practices of vulture hedge funds have created debt crises in nations around the world, forcing austerity measures which have caused schools to close, hospitals to shut down and public infrastructure to crumble. 

Click here to read my op-ed in the Albany Times Union explaining the need for this legislation.

When we help destroy other countries’ economies, preventing them from providing education, infrastructure, clean water, electricity, and healthcare to their people, not only do the people of that country suffer, but we suffer because we’re responsible for allowing this to happen. We can’t continue to destroy countries, wreaking international havoc, to allow the hedge funds to game our system to build their personal wealth. We need to shut them down.

Last week I joined Congressmen Goldman and Nadler, along with several of my legislative colleagues and advocates to push for the passage of my bill to make corporate climate polluters pay. We gathered at the South Street Seaport, which is at risk of flooding from rising sea levels without $50 billion+ in resiliency infrastructure. Taxpayers are on the hook for those costs, but the Climate Change Superfund Act (S.2129A/A.3351A) would put those responsible - Big Oil - on the hook instead.

According to a new study in One Earth, the world’s 21 top polluting companies are responsible for $5.4 trillion in climate damages over a period of 26 years. Just this year alone in New York State, taxpayers have already been asked to pay more than $800 Million so far for projects related to climate damages and resilience. On top of that, according to the State Comptroller’s office, the City plans to spend another $829 million on projects fully intended for climate change adaptation and resilience just this year. The City also plans to spend an additional $1.3 billion on projects that are partially for these purposes.

Meanwhile, while the bills pile up for taxpayers, the industry responsible for this mess is raking in cash. The top Big Oil companies in the U.S. are on track for a second consecutive year of record profits, and the industry globally is performing much better than expected. 2022 was a record profit year for the industry, with the top companies’ combined profits reaching an astounding $376 billion. Those record profits allowed them to deliver unprecedented returns to shareholders while doing little to address the climate crisis they knew was coming, but did all they could to undermine climate action. Starting in the 1970s, scientists working for Exxon made “remarkably accurate projections of just how much burning fossil fuels would warm the planet.” Yet for years, “the oil giant publicly cast doubt on climate science, and cautioned against any drastic move away from burning fossil fuels, the main driver of climate change.”

New York City is especially vulnerable to climate change - nearly $200 billion worth of property - including housing, transportation, power generation, and waste management - is in the current floodplain, and this is expected to increase by about 40% by the 2050s. Last week, NYC Comptroller Brad Lander sent a letter to Albany leadership calling on them to support the Climate Change Superfund Act and protect NYC taxpayers. In the letter, he wrote:

 “[Climate] costs are particularly high in New York City. According to a recent study from Moody’s Analytics, “New York City, in particular, faces the possibility of significant losses from rising sea-level rise given that Manhattan is surrounded by water and frequent flooding could prove crippling to an economy where much activity — and the ability to travel – is tied to low-lying land or subway tunnels.” Another recent study from First Street Foundation found that New York City faces the greatest rise in risk of catastrophic hurricane damage over the next 30 years, more than any other city in the country. Average annual losses from hurricanes alone will skyrocket from around $2.1 million this year to $8 million every year in three decades. That’s on top of the $52 billion the Army Corps of Engineers is proposing to protect New York Harbor alone, and another $55 billion experts are predicting will be necessary to protect the rest of the state over the next decade. That’s more than $100 billion in spending for climate change, out of taxpayers’ pockets.” 

New York taxpayers, individuals, and businesses are already paying billions of dollars every year to try to protect themselves from the damage brought on by climate change, and that’s on top of all the disruption, loss of property, and loss of life. And it’s only going to get worse. Meanwhile, the world’s biggest multinational oil and gas companies – the ones who caused this mess in the first place – are laughing all the way to the bank. I believe it is our responsibility as legislators, before we ask taxpayers to pick up the tab, to first go after those responsible for creating the problem. There’s no question that someone will have to pay these costs; the only question before us in Albany is who – Big Oil, or our constituents?

Last month I joined my legislative colleagues and over one hundred advocates at the State Capitol to puch for passage of the NY Home Energy Affordable Transition (NY HEAT) Act before the end of session. NY HEAT would cap energy bills at 6% of household income for low- and middle- income families, saving them up to $75 per month. On top of the $75 monthly savings, NY HEAT gets rid of the unfair 100-foot rule, which forces New York families to subsidize new gas hookups to the tune of $200 million every year and worsens the climate crisis. As New Yorkers face increasing utility rate hikes, NY HEAT will make energy – a basic necessity – more affordable for all families.

The NY HEAT Act ensures that New York State will be able to meet the crucial climate justice and greenhouse gas emission reduction mandates set forth in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act for buildings without sticking everyday New Yorkers with the bill for misguided expansion of the gas system. It will allow gas utilities to invest in safer, cheaper, neighborhood-scale non-pipe alternatives to new gas infrastructure to protect New Yorkers from spiraling bills and enable zero emissions alternatives to the gas system.

Crucially, NY HEAT will do away with the unfair 100 foot rule, which sticks everyday New Yorkers with the bill for gas hookups in new buildings totaling $1 billion in added costs to utility bills for New Yorkers over just five years. It will also allow utilities to redirect the $150 billion that it will cost to complete planned gas pipe replacements over the next 20 years, and instead invest in neighborhood-scale building electrification.

A new report from the Building Decarbonization Coalition finds that every new mile of a gas pipeline costs customers an average of $6 million — that’s $60,000 per new customer on that line! But a new memo from Alliance for a Green Economy shows how NY HEAT would redirect money NYS is already spending on costly gas investments toward climate-friendly solutions, while saving money for hardworking New Yorkers.

Continuing to expand the fossil gas system in New York State is not only unsustainable, it is unaffordable, and it is driving rate increases across our state. Whether it’s $200 million per year that ratepayers are forced to pay to subsidize gas expansion, $150 billion ratepayers will have to pay to fix leaky pipes, or the continually skyrocketing price of gas, the status quo is an albatross around New Yorkers’ necks. It’s time to pass NY HEAT and give New Yorkers a break.

New Bill To Allow New Yorkers To Buy Wine In Grocery Stores

Last month I joined Assemblymember Pamela Hunter to introduce new legislation to allow consumers to buy wine in New York grocery stores. The new bill (S.6786/A.6989) would expand the purchases of wine to only grocery stores, and not to convenience stores, gas stations, drug stores or big box stores like Walmart or Target. Grocery stores would receive additional incentives to sell New York wines. Assm. Hunter and I also co-authored an op-ed in Empire Report discussing the bill.

I have been championing this issue – allowing consumers to buy wine in their local grocery stores – for many years. When friends come to visit from places like Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, or DC, they’re often dismayed to discover the law won’t let them buy wine in the grocery store. But it’s time to change that.

Forty other states (including DC) allow consumers to buy wine in their local markets – where they can already buy beer in addition to all their other groceries.

According to a recent Siena College poll, New York voters support being able to buy wine in grocery stores 76-19%. Allowing the sale of wine in grocery stores is supported by 79% of Republicans, 76% of Democrats and 75% of independents, as well as by 73% of voters from New York City, 79% from the downstate suburbs, 77% of upstaters, 77% of women, and 76% of men.

This year's bill differs from past efforts to allow consumers to buy wine in grocery stores in several important ways.

The 2010 version of the bill:

• Would have allowed wine sales licenses in any location that sold beer.
• Would have allowed wine sales at Walmart, Target, Costco, BJ’s Wholesale, etc.
• Would have allowed wine sales in CVS, Walgreens, Stewarts, 7-Elevens, Speedways, Mobil Marts, corner delis and convenience stores.
• Would have generated upwards of an estimated 8,700 new wine licenses statewide (Note: And that was at much lower than a 100% participation rate).
• Contained no incentives for promoting New York State wine sales.

The new 2023 version of the bill:

• Limits new wine sales licenses to full-service grocery stores only.
• Eliminates big-box retailers and superstores by limiting bill to stores where 65% of sales are food related.
• Eliminates convenience stores, mini-marts and drug stores by requiring a minimum of 5,000 square feet.
• Will generate a maximum of approx. 1,900 new wine licenses at full-service grocery stores across New York State (Note: Assuming 100% participation, which is unlikely).
• Includes incentives for selling New York State wines (reduced license renewal fees based on NY wine sales).

Underage buying is a non-issue. Grocery stores already sell beer and hard cider and vigilantly require legitimate proof of age for these purchases. Everybody knows someone well over 21 who’s been asked for ID when buying beer. We also know from other states that liquor stores and supermarkets that sell wine not only can co-exist but thrive. In other states with laws most like the one we’re proposing, the number of liquor stores has increased.

 With overwhelming public support – from the left and from the right, upstate and downstate – this is simply the right thing to do. I look forward to working with my colleagues in both houses and on both sides of the aisle to get this done.

Last month the Senate passed my bill, S.2449, to prevent employers from requiring that a prospective employee disclose his or her age, date of birth or date of graduation when applying for a job.

According to the US Census, over the past decade, the number of New Yorkers aged 50 and over increased by 13 percent, making up a larger share of the state's population than ever before. After 50, many older adults find it challenging to find a job but some want to continue working, and others need to work to make ends meet.

However, age discrimination is a significant factor in preventing older adults from finding jobs and staying employed. Older adult advocates and legal experts familiar with age discrimination litigation believe prohibiting employers from asking about a job applicant's age and graduation dates during the hiring process are important first steps to eliminating age discrimination in hiring. A 2018 study of age discrimination by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission stressed the importance of hiring and retention practices in addressing age discrimination.

Asking someone's age is the easiest way to discriminate against hiring older people. Age is just a number, and does not predict if a person is qualified for a job and has the requisite skills needed to perform a job well. Furthermore, since an increasing number of job applications are submitted online, asking for a date of birth (DOB) or graduation dates allows employers to easily identify and remove older applicants from the applicant pool if they wish to do so.

June 15th Virtual Town Hall

New Technology to Support

People with Hearing and Vision Loss,

PLUS

an Overview of the MTA’s New OMNY Payment System

Thursday, June 15th 10 am – 11:45 am

OMNY Program

The Town Hall will begin with the a brief overview of the OMNY program, the new contactless fare payment system for subways and buses, and how older people with half fare cards can easily transition to this convenient “tap and go” system.

New Technology

If you want to find out about exciting advances in technology for people with hearing and vision loss that can significantly improve your quality-of-life. The Center for Hearing and Communication will provide information about over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, where to buy them, how to use them, and the free services the Center for Hearing and Communication (CHC) offers to support individuals with hearing loss and their families. New technology is also available to help people with vision loss. The Lighthouse Guild will share information about an array of support services you can access, and the new technological devices to support individuals with vision loss.

The Virtual Town Hall will feature:

• Jeff Wax, LCSW-R, Director of Emotional Health and Wellness Center, Psychotherapist, CHC
• Michele DiStefano, AuD, Director of Audiology Services, Audiologist, CHC
• Carolyn Ginsburg Stern, Director of Outreach and Strategic Initiatives, CHC
• Lisa Beth Miller, Outreach and Referral Coordinator, Lighthouse Guild
• Dr. Bryan Wolynski, Chief Technology Officer, Lighthouse Guild

You will have the option of joining the event online through Zoom, a webinar hosting service. 

You will also have the option to view the event online through Facebook. Please note that you do not need a Facebook account or profile to view the event through Facebook.

If you do not have access to a computer, tablet, or other electronic device, you can listen in by telephone.

**If you register for an event, a confirmation email with the Zoom link and the call-in information will be sent at least a week in advance of the event.**

The event will feature a question and answer session with Jeff Wax, Michele DiStefano, Carolyn Ginsburg Stern, Lisa Beth Miller, and Dr. Bryan Wolynski. If you want to find out what you should consider when purchasing OTC hearing aids, or new tech devices for people with vision loss, join us at the June 15th Virtual Town Hall. Attendees will be able to submit questions through Zoom and Facebook during the event but are *strongly* encouraged to submit them in advance.

Please let us know if you plan to attend the Thursday, June 15th Virtual Town Hall and RSVP to https://tinyurl.com/6-15-23-Virtual-Town-Hall

Important Info for New Yorkers Covered by Medicaid, Child Health Plus, or the Essential Plan

Update from NY Attorney General Letitia James

Free Summer Meals Starting June 29th

The New York City Public Schools focus on the health and well-being of young people continues throughout the summer months, and they provide free meals to children across the City during the summer.

Starting June 29, 2023, all children will be eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch meals at sites across the City, including schools, parks and pools, in all five boroughs. No identification or application is required and meals will be available Monday through Friday. 

Breakfast will be served from 8:00am to 9:15am and lunch will be served from 11:00am to 1:15pm at designated sites.

For more details and a list of locations, please go to the DOE Summer Meals Website.

Open Lottery for Affordable Housing in Murray Hill

509 Third Avenue is a 36-story brand new construction building in Murray Hill. 50% preference for residents of Manhattan Community Board 6. Amenities fees apply for select units. Rent includes water, heat and cooking gas. Tenant is responsible for electricity. The building has an elevator, accessible entrance and is smoke-free. Additional fees apply for bike storage lockers.

How to Eliminate Rodents, Bedbugs,

Roaches and Other Pests

NYC HPD (Housing Preservation and Development) is hosting this online session on June 6 from 6-8pm to review the owner’s responsibility for confronting these issues. You must sign-up in advance to participate.

This Housing Information Session is for Tenants, Homeowners, and Property Owners.

Residential building owners in New York City are required to take steps to identify and keep their buildings free of mice, rats, roaches, and bedbugs. In this session, HPD will discuss the owner’s responsibilities to identify and eliminate pests, review the annual inspection requirements, and when to use a licensed contractor.

Free Sailing Lessons for Veterans

Weill Cornell's "Do More Feel Better" Program