Legislative and Community Updates   Dear Neighbor, Below you will find updates on legislative activity in Albany, including progress toward passing a final state budget, as well as upcoming events and other useful information. 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 Senate Passes One-House Budget Earlier this month, the Senate passed our one-house budget, an important step toward achieving a final budget. Following the one-house budgets, the Assembly, Senate, and Governor's office engage in three-way negotiations to try to reach an agreement on a final budget that theoretically must be passed by April 1st. This year, as in many previous years, we will be passing a short extender with the goal of having a final budget sometime next week I am proud that once again the Senate is offering a one-house budget that provides a thoughtful, responsible alternative to the Executive’s proposal, one that protects New Yorkers’ healthcare and education from spending cuts while laying out an ambitious, multi-pronged package to support building more affordable housing and protecting existing tenants; one that includes wage increases for low-wage health and human services workers, funding to help pay off New York’s unemployment insurance debt, a modest increase in high income corporate tax rates, and a full package of legislation to protect our environment and act on the climate crisis. The Senate laid out a vision of a New York that provides for hard-working families and makes the investments we need to preserve our gains and create shared prosperity for all New Yorkers well into the future. Click Here to Learn More About the Senate One-House Budget Senator Krueger Discusses Budget on New York NOW Last week I recorded an interview with David Lombardo on New York NOW, discussing the ongoing budget negotiations. Click Here to Watch the Interview Community Education Council District 2 Resolution on Trans Athletes Last week, the Community Education Council for District 2, by a vote of 8 to 2, passed a non-binding resolution calling on the Department of Education to reassess guidelines on gender inclusion in school sports. I believe this was an appalling decision, one that targets and ostracizes an extremely vulnerable group of our city's children in the name of "solving" a non-existent "problem." Several of my elected LGBTQ colleagues - Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Assembly Members Tony Simone and Deborah Glick, and Council Member Erik Botcher - released a statement prior to the vote that explains very clearly just why this decision by the CEC is so problematic:  "As LGBTQ elected officials representing vibrant and diverse districts in Manhattan that are covered by Community Education Council District 2 (CEC D2), we are outraged that CEC D2 is considering a resolution targeting transgender girls in sports. "It is utterly shocking that such a regressive and harmful resolution is being proposed in a school district that covers much of Manhattan, including the neighborhoods of Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea and Greenwich Village, the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ civil rights movement, and neighborhoods that are home to the largest LGBTQ communities in the United States. "As dictated by our human rights laws, transgender individuals, including transgender girls, have the same rights and opportunities as every other New Yorker. Denying them the ability to participate in sports aligned with their gender identity is flatly illegal under the NYC Human Rights Law and the NYS Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA). "Resolution #248 is based on the false premise that the gender identity policy negatively impacts female athletes, and stems from the misguided notion that the inclusion of transgender students in sports diminishes the experience of other student athletes. "In addition, this resolution not only goes against the principles of fairness and inclusion, but also perpetuates harmful stereotypes and bias against a population that is already subject to vicious discrimination and harassment. "Discriminating against transgender students not only harms the targeted individuals but also negatively impacts the entire school community. "It fosters a hostile environment that can lead to increased bullying, harassment, and violence, creating an unsafe atmosphere for all students. Additionally, discrimination undermines inclusivity, tolerance, and respect, essential values for a healthy and supportive learning environment for all students. "We stand firmly against any attempts to undermine the rights and dignity of transgender individuals and call on Community Education Council District 2 to reject resolution #248. "We expect the Department of Education to uphold the current inclusive gender guidelines and ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate in sports in a safe and supportive environment, regardless of their gender identity. "Discrimination has no place in our schools, city, or state, and we are proud that New York is a legal safe haven for transgender young people and their families. We will not stand idly by while transgender students are threatened and victimized by the very people who are supposed to be protecting them." Legislature Passes Bill To Ban CO2 Fracking In January I joined several of my legislative colleagues, experts, and actor and activist Mark Ruffalo to announce the introduction of a bill (A8866/S8357) to prohibit using carbon dioxide to drill and extract natural gas and oil resources. This month both the Assembly and the Senate passed the bill. Now it's up to Governor Hochul to sign or veto. Since the fall of 2023, the fossil fuel industry (specifically through a Texas-based company called “Southern Tier CO2 to Clean Energy Solutions”) has been asking landowners to lease their land in the Southern Tier to extract gas by injecting carbon dioxide into the Marcellus shale formation, the same area where they had tried to frack previously. Almost a decade after New York historically led the nation and protected public health and the environment by banning high-volume hydraulic fracking, the gas industry is proposing to use an experimental and dangerous method of shale gas extraction. Currently, the state’s law banning fracking prohibits the use of water to extract the gas. The industry’s push to get around our state’s fracking ban is to use CO2, which poses many of the same threats to our water, health, and climate. More than 90 environmental, public health, and community organizations previously released a letter to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, Speaker Heastie, and DEC Commissioner Seggos calling for a ban on CO2 fracking. The proposed plan to transport waste CO2 to New York from other states, drill and inject high-pressure CO2 to release sequestered methane, and build new gas-fired power plants is reckless and would perpetuate reliance on fossil fuels. As countless scientific studies about drilling and fracking demonstrate, fractures are not controllable and could cause the CO2 as well as naturally occurring radioactivity in the shale to migrate, threatening to contaminate our drinking water. High pressure CO2 is itself very dangerous, and ruptured pipelines can result in asphyxiation. This was tragically illustrated in Satartia, Mississippi when a CO2 pipeline exploded, leading to mass CO2 poisoning that left 45 people hospitalized. Additionally, high pressure CO2 injection underground poses significant risk of earthquakes. The organizations have noted that they are deeply concerned that the proposal would violate New York’s nation-leading climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Studies show that drilling and fracking operations and infrastructure are inherently leaky, releasing methane that is disastrous for the climate along with air pollutants that endanger public health. Drilling and fracking for fossil fuels, along with pipelines, gas plants, truck trips, and other infrastructure, is contradictory to the CLCPA. I am very proud of both houses of the Legislature for moving so quickly to make sure this insane idea of CO2 fracking never sees the light of day in New York. Fracking is a bad idea, full stop. Injecting incredibly dangerous concentrated CO2 into the ground and hoping to never have to think about it again is like a kid saying they've cleaned their room by shoving it all under the bed. Except what they're shoving under the bed is a toxic gas that can cause mass asphyxiation and literally melt your internal organs. We don't need this ridiculous concept damaging our land, our water, and our people's health and offering more false solutions to the greatest challenge of our time. Click Here to Watch the Press Conference Announcing the Bill Senate Passes the NY HEAT Act Last week, the Senate passed S.2016, the NY Home Energy Affordable Transition, or NY HEAT Act, which was also included in the Senate's one-house budget resolution. NY HEAT is a critical bill that will save ratepayers money while providing a path for the decarbonization of New York State's buildings, which account for over one third of our state's greenhouse gas emissions. NY HEAT will empower the state Public Service Commission to direct utilities to begin the decades-long process of carefully transitioning New York communities toward affordable zero-emissions heating and cooling, in a way that ensures the safety and reliability of energy service and provides financial and technical assistance to customers. This legislation will empower utilities to provide the most cost-effective and safest long-term energy sources, rather than just gas. It will save customers over $200 million per year by ending outdated gas expansion subsidies such as the “100 Foot Rule” and create opportunities for further savings by retiring old gas grids when they are no longer necessary and can be replaced with cost-effective zero-emissions alternatives. The bill will cap the cost of energy bills at 6% of a household’s income, delivering financial relief, while opening the door for technology like thermal energy networks at a neighborhood scale, allowing entire communities to access zero-emissions heating and cooling together, delivering cleaner indoor and outdoor air for everyone. With gas utilities raising rates across the state in order to double down on outdated fossil gas infrastructure, it's never been clearer that the status quo is not only unsustainable, it's also unaffordable. 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. New Yorkers deserve a break - and that's just what NY HEAT will deliver. Click Here to Read the NY HEAT Op-Ed from NYers For Clean Power Senator Krueger Introduces The TREES Act This week I introduced a revised version of my NY Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act, which was vetoed by Governor Kathy Hochul in December. The new bill, renamed the Tropical Rainforest Economic & Environmental Sustainability (TREES) Act, makes several changes to address concerns raised by the Governor, while retaining the nation-leading impact of the original bill. The bill is carried in the Assembly by Assembly Member Kenneth Zebrowski. Tropical forests harbor close to 50 percent of all species on Earth. Those species are now going extinct at a rate that is at least 100 to 1,000 times higher than historical levels, due to human activity. Taking into account carbon sequestration potential, stopping the loss of tropical forests, mangroves, and wetlands could provide over 20 percent of necessary climate mitigation by 2030. Globally, an estimated 18,000,000 acres of forest, an area more than half the size of New York State, are lost every year to deforestation according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with over one-half of Earth’s tropical forests already gone. At the current pace, the entirety of Earth’s tropical rainforests will be degraded or destroyed within the next 100 years. Loss of biodiversity resulting from forest degradation and deforestation, as well as human encroachment on formerly undisturbed ecosystems, also increases the risks of zoonotic disease pandemics such as COVID-19. The TREES Act would help to ensure that New York State government procurement does not drive tropical deforestation or degradation by tightening an existing state ban on the use of tropical hardwoods for government projects, and creating a new statute requiring state contractors who deal in forest-risk commodities to certify that their products don't drive deforestation. New York would be the first state in the nation to implement such a policy, following in the footsteps of the European Union, which recently enacted economy-wide deforestation regulations. Many businesses throughout the United States and across the world are already increasingly engaged in efforts to ensure their supply chains are transparent, traceable, ethical, and environmentally sound, whether in reaction to consumer pressure or government regulation, or out of an understanding of corporate social responsibility. Businesses that achieve ethical and sustainable supply chains may also be able to increase their appeal with certain consumers, charge premium prices, or access previously untapped markets as a result of their efforts. In order to remain competitive, New York businesses, particularly small and medium-sized businesses and minority- and women-owned businesses, must be able to take advantage of and stay ahead of this socially responsible and beneficial trend. The proposed Supply Chain Transparency Assistance Program, included in the TREES Act, to be administered by Empire State Development, would be available to New York-based small and medium-sized businesses, as well as MWBEs, to help them establish more ethical and sustainable supply chains, while ensuring they have the tools they need to compete in the national and global marketplace. To address concerns expressed by the Governor's office prior to her December veto of the bill that passed last session, several changes have been made in the TREES Act: The MTA and the Staten Island Ferry have been granted five-year exemptions from the ban on the use of tropical hardwood, with the possibility of annual extensions of such exemption for an additional five years. Language has been added to clarify that state contractors must complete concrete and specific due diligence steps established by the Office of General Services prior to certifying that products furnished to the state are deforestation-free. A broad exemption from the bill’s certification provisions has been added in a situation where a state agency or authority fails to receive any offers in response to a solicitation for products covered by the bill. If such exemption is not used by an agency or authority for three consecutive years, that agency or authority will lose the ability to use the exemption going forward. A provision previously requiring the creation of a stakeholder advisory group has been amended to only require four meetings with relevant stakeholders by OGS prior to issuing regulations. The effective date of the certification provisions has been pushed back to 2027, from 2025 in the previous version of the bill. As I said when the Governor vetoed this bill in December, this is not some esoteric issue for tree-huggers – the climate crisis and the biodiversity crisis threaten the very survival of human civilization. That is why we reintroduced the bill. We have addressed the Governor's concerns as they were expressed to us, and we are confident that the TREES Act can not only be successfully implemented, but will enhance New York's global role as an environmental leader. I look forward to sending it back to the Governor's desk as soon as possible. Senate Passes Bill To Ban The Sale Of ATVs And Dirt Bikes In NYC This week the Senate passed legislation that I carry (S.2773) to prohibit the sale, lease, or rental of ATVs and off-highway motorcycles (also known as dirt bikes) in New York City. S.2773 would prohibit any person or business from selling, leasing, renting, or attempting to sell, lease, or rent, an ATV or off-highway motorcycle to any other person in New York City. Any person or entity who violates the bill's provisions would be liable for a civil penalty of $1,000 for the first violation, and $2,000 for each subsequent violation within one year. Vehicles sold or being offered for sale in violation of the bill's provisions may be impounded. There is no part of the Five Boroughs where an ATV or a dirt bike can be used legally, and yet these vehicles are readily available to buy at many locations in the city. For years New York City residents have watched large groups of young men riding ATVs and dirt bikes through the city at high speeds, weaving in and out of traffic, running red lights, and putting other road users, particularly pedestrians, in danger. The police have been virtually powerless to stop them for fear of making a bad situation even more dangerous. The bill we passed in the Senate this week is not a silver bullet, but making it harder to access these vehicles in the city would have an impact on discouraging this behavior. MTA Board Gives Final Approval To Congestion Pricing Yesterday, after almost five years of hard work, a detailed, 4,000-page environmental review, and an extensive series of public comment periods, the MTA Board voted eleven to one to approve Congestion Pricing. I am pleased the MTA Board decided to give Congestion Pricing the final approval it needs to begin being implemented in June of this year. The plan outlined by the MTA after extensive public feedback and the TMRB report is equitable, and will help reduce automotive congestion, with its negative environmental, health, and economic effects, while providing much-needed funds to support the public transit that the vast majority of New Yorkers rely on every day. I submitted my own testimony during the public comment process, which can be viewed by clicking here. The tolling structure is available online. It is modeled on recommendations made by the Traffic Mobility Review Board on Nov. 30. While many of my constituents strongly support congestion pricing, I also regularly hear from residents and community groups with concerns about how congestion pricing will impact them personally and their neighborhoods. I appreciate that it will increase the cost of car ownership for some residents and may lead to slightly higher fees for those who regularly use ride-hailing services. Those of us who live and work in Manhattan know very well the negative impacts of traffic congestion on our daily lives – the air pollution, the noise, the risks to pedestrians posed by our overcrowded streets, and the frustration of being stuck on a bus or in a car or taxi moving slower through traffic than pedestrians walking. As a car owner myself, as well as a pedestrian and a user of mass transit, I believe that the positives of this program outweigh any negatives for those of us who live in the overly congested core of Manhattan. Click Here to Read Sen. Krueger's Congestion Pricing Testimony Baby Supplies Drive for Asylum Seekers Assembly Member Harvey Epstein and I have launched a baby supplies drive for asylum seeker families residing in the district with the incredible help of the Open Hearts Initiative. Many asylum seekers arriving to New York are expecting parents, with babies and young children. We have seen government agencies, organizations, and community members step up in unprecedented ways but our office was recently made aware of the ongoing need for formula, diapers, and other crucial baby items. The drive will run until April 5th. Supplies can be dropped off at Assembly Member Epstein's office, 107 Avenue B (between 6th and 7th Streets) Monday - Friday, from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. Items can also be ordered online through an Amazon Wish List or you can donate through Paypal which will be used to buy the most needed items. Early Voting In The Presidential Primary Has Begun Healing Forest Planting on Roosevelt Island On Saturday, April 6th, from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm, iDig2Learn teams up with SUGi & RIOC to plant a Pocket Forest on Roosevelt Island! The opening ceremony is 10:30 AM at Southpoint Park and all are welcome. The planting follows starting at 11 AM through 2 PM alongside a variety of community organizations who will be on hand until 2:30 PM when the event concludes. We are thrilled to be creating the first Pocket Forest in NYC using the Miyawaki Method of tight-knit planting of young trees close together proven to boost faster growth. Our partner SUGi is a globally recognized expert and will be leading the way, and Roosevelt Island will be their 200th forest, a milestone for them too! All ages are invited to witness this historic event and we hope this forest will be the first of many. DOROT's Passover Package Delivery New Affordable Housing Listing Available on Housing Connects The Pearl at 312 W. 43rd Street is now accepting online applications via NYC Housing Connect. NYC Housing Connect is New Yorkers' portal to find and apply for affordable rental and homeownership opportunities across the five boroughs. To view income limits and rental amounts for this listing, click here. The application deadline is Monday, April 22. Paper applications must be postmarked by the application deadline date. Paper applications can be requested at the address below: 312 W. 43rd St c/o City5 Consulting 1115 Broadway 10th Floor Ste. 1026 New York, NY 10010 HPD Housing Information Classes HPD’s housing information classes provide information on a variety of housing issues to tenants, homeowners, and property managers in New York City. The classes are free, led by experts such as Housing Court Answers and The NYC Commission on Human Rights, and held virtually on Zoom. Any information shared during these classes is subject to change and does not constitute legal advice. To register, visit the events page here. Neighborhood Youth Team Sports NYC Health Department Notification Regarding Possible Lead Exposure My office has been informed that the NYC Health Department has found that traditional metal/brass products, also referred to as "Kansa" products, may contain lead at levels that are a thousand times greater than the allowable limit. The NYC Health Department monitors blood lead levels because lead exposure can be especially harmful for children. The following are images of what these products may look like: Children and adults can be subject to lead exposure from a Kansa product that has high lead content if it is used for cooking, serving, or storing food. For children, such exposure can cause developmental delays. If you know that you have used Kansa products to cook, serve, or store food for your child, the NYC Health Department recommends that your child should see their pediatrician to have a lead test conducted to ensure they are within the acceptable levels. Adults should also get tested, but they are at far less risk for developmental delays due to lead exposure. The NYC Health Department advises all New Yorkers to avoid known sources of lead exposure. Please see the following resource for more information: www.nyc.gov/hazardousproducts. Tolls By Mail Scam Alert NY Tolls By Mail, which processes tolls for E-ZPass as well as tunnels and bridges, has recently learned of an SMS text message scam being presented as an attempt to collect Tolls on behalf of “NY Toll Services”. Please be advised this is NOT an authorized communication from E-ZPass or the Toll Agencies associated with E-ZPass. We advise you NOT to access the website contained within the message if you should receive one. E-ZPass New York will never ask for a customer’s Date of Birth, Social Security Number, or other personally identifiable information. Real communications from E-ZPass New York will only refer customers to the following official websites: EZPassNY.com and TollsByMailNY.com. For more information on SMiShing scams, please visit NY DOS SMiShing Scam Information. Need A New Or Replacement Social Security Card? Do you need to apply for a new or replacement Social Security card? If so, you may be able to complete, or at least start, your application online. When you visit the Social Security number & card webpage, you can answer a series of questions that will determine whether you can: Complete the application process online. Start the application process online, then bring any required documents to your local Social Security office or card center to complete the application. Complete the application process at their local office. If you start your application online and Social Security determines you need to come into the office, you may be eligible to use their new Online Self-Scheduling option. Scheduling online can save you time when you visit to complete the application. This option allows you to: Select your language preference. Select the most convenient office to receive service. Choose to receive communications via email or text. Choose to receive email or text appointment reminders. Conveniently use your mobile device to check in for their appointment. You can also reschedule, modify, or cancel your appointment online without having to call or visit the office. Railroad Accessibility Survey The MTA would like to hear directly from you on your priorities as you use the railroads. Please take ten minutes of your time to complete the Spring 2024 Railroad Accessibility survey. Your feedback will help them better understand your needs and how specific programs and initiatives can be improved to work better for you. Click Here to Take the Survey NYSCAS Free Law Clinic District Office: 211 East 43rd Street, Suite 2000 | New York, NY 10017 | (212) 490-9535 | Fax: (212) 499-2558 Albany Office: Capitol Building, Room 416 | Albany, NY 12247 | (518) 455-2297 | Fax: (518) 426-6874 Email: [email protected] | On the Web: krueger.nysenate.gov   Senator Liz Krueger | 211 E 43rd St, #2000, New York, NY 10017 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!