Mayor de Blasio Signs Legislation Improving Transparency Regarding use of Force by Police Officers, Adding More Oversight to the Department of Probation

Also signs legislation co-naming 65 thoroughfares and public spaces in honor of New Yorkers who have served the city

NEW YORK––Mayor Bill de Blasio recently signed nine pieces of legislation – Intros. 539-A, 606-B and 824-A, in relation to Police Department reporting; Intros. 1026-A and 1142-A, in relation to Department of Probation reporting; Intro. 1231, in relation to creating an exception to the rebuttal presumption applicable to vending tickets; Intro. 697-A, in relation to the regulation of laundries; Intro. 1169-A, in relation to conforming the New York City energy conservation code to the New York State energy conservation code; and Intro. 1227, in relation to the naming of 65 thoroughfares and public places in honor of public servants, servicemen and women, community advocates and others who have made an impact on New York City. The mayor also held a public hearing for Intro. 1063-A, in relation to requiring lactation rooms in certain locations providing services to the public.

“This package of legislation ensures that the City better understands the use of force by the Police Department, increasing transparency and accountability,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I would like to thank Council Members Rory Lancman, Jumaane Williams, and Debi Rose for sponsoring these bills, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito for her leadership, the entire City Council, and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton for working on these important issues.”

The first bill, Intro. 539-A, requires a quarterly report on use of force and an annual report on the use of excessive force. The bill also clearly defines each term and disaggregates certain actions within each category of force.

The second bill, Intro. 606-B, requires a quarterly report on use of force, but in relation to the basis on which the initial approach was made by Police Department. The bill also requires reporting on certain police action that might have resulted from the encounter such as arrest, criminal summons, civil summons, or desk appearance ticket.

The third bill, Intro. 824-A, requires a report on the deployment locations of police officers having a recent history of substantiated CCRB complaints, internal affairs investigations that resulted in suspension, findings of use of excessive force, or arrests as a result of actions taken while on duty or in relation to their job function. Along with Intros. 539-A, and 606-B, this bill improves transparency regarding how and under what circumstances NYPD officers use force.

The fourth bill, Intro. 1026-A, requires the Department of Probation to report annually on the services being used by people on probation, how much those services cost, how long they last, their target populations, and their impact on the lives of those on probation, with regard to recidivism and compliance. In his remarks, the Mayor thanked the bill’s sponsors, Council Members Elizabeth Crowley, Darlene Mealy, Rosie Mendez and Deborah Rose.

The fifth bill, Intro. 1142-A, requires the Department of Probation to release an annual report on the recidivism factors and other statistics involving those on probation. This report will give the City basic information on factors that lead to recidivism, in order to prevent people on probation from continuing to be involved in the criminal justice system. In his remarks, the Mayor thanked the bill’s sponsors, Council members Elizabeth Crowley, Deborah Rose and Andrew Cohen. Along with Intro. 1026-A, this bill improves transparency in the Department of Probation.

The sixth bill, Intro. 697-A, clarifies the Department of Consumer Affairs’ laundry licensing structure to cover industrial laundries, which commonly serve commercial clients, and also expands the structure to include all laundry delivery services. Additionally, the bill imposes minimum standards of cleanliness and hygiene and requires the maintenance of functional separation between laundered and unlaundered materials. In his remarks, the Mayor thanked the bill’s sponsors, Council Members Ritchie Torres and Dan Garodnick.

The seventh bill, Intro. 1231, amends the administrative code of the City of New York, in relation to creating an exemption to the rebuttable presumption applicable to vending tickets. This bill clarifies language in Local Law 80 to make a technical fix. Local Law 80 provided a rebuttable presumption that the place of entertainment is responsible for violations of the law by those who vend tickets on their behalf. However, this presumption wasn’t intended to apply when a ticket vendor sells counterfeit or unauthorized tickets. Intro. 1231 adds this exception, which was intended to be the last sentence of section 20-559(d) in Local Law 80, but was unintentionally omitted. In his remarks, the Mayor thanked the bill’s sponsor, Council Member Dan Garodnick.

The eighth bill, Intro. 1169-A, preserves the existing improvements in the current City energy code, adopts recent changes made to the State energy code and makes several enhancements that will make New York City’s energy code more stringent than the State energy code. This legislation represents the latest in the City’s efforts to hold buildings to the highest standards for construction and energy performance as outlined in the One City Built to Last plan. With nearly three-quarters of all emissions in New York City generated by buildings, how buildings are designed and how they operate are central to the efforts to address the negative impacts of climate change. These changes will bring the high standards for energy efficiency to the City’s building equipment and facades and will ensure that the City’s buildings consume less energy, working towards meeting the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. In his remarks, the Mayor thanked the bill’s sponsors, Council Members Jumaane Williams and Donovan J. Richards.

he ninth bill, Intro. 1063-A, would require certain agencies to make a lactation room available to members of the public. There are numerous health benefits of breastfeeding, including lower rates of respiratory problems and ear infections in breastfed babies and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancers for mothers who breastfeed, but many women face barriers to continued breastfeeding. Intro. 1063-A ensures that new mothers who are seeking City services will have easy access to spaces where they can privately express milk. Lactation rooms created under this legislation must not be a bathroom – they must be a separate, private space properly outfitted with an electrical outlet, a chair, and nearby access to running water. These rooms will be available whenever practicable in Department of Health and Mental Hygiene health centers, City-owned borough offices of the Administration for Children’s Services, as well as the Nicholas Scoppetta Children’s Center, job centers, SNAP centers and medical assistance program centers run by the Department of Social Services. This bill also requires the Department of Education to submit an annual report summarizing its policies for providing lactation rooms to students and their parents and guardians in New York City public schools. This bill does not interfere with the already protected right of a mother to breastfeed in any public place. Mayor de Blasio is expected to sign this legislation at a later date. In his remarks, the Mayor thanked the bill’s sponsor, Council Member Robert Cornegy.

The tenth bill, Intro. 1227, co-names 65 thoroughfares and public spaces across the five boroughs to celebrate and honor public servants, servicemen and women, community advocates, and others who have left lasting marks on New York City. This bill includes five streets previously written into law whose location or sign will be changed. In his remarks, the Mayor thanked the bill’s sponsors Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, and Council Member Mark Levine, Chair of the Committee on Parks.

The following individuals, cultural icons and entities will be honored:

Purple Heart Memorial Bridge
William “Pop” Marsh Avenue
Hy Genee Way
Grace Belkin Way
Lieutenant Theodore Leoutsakos Way
Emma Brandt Way
Tohma Y. Faulkner Way
Det. Joseph A. Picciano Way
Easter Rising Stair Way
Dorothy Neary Way
Cecil Collymore Way
Dr. Rev. Clarence Norman Sr. and Ellen Norman Way
Bishop William Lee Bonner Square
Judge Constance Baker Motley Lane
Mary Vavruska Way
Dr. Walter A. Kyte Way
George’s Way
Senator Christopher J. Mega Way
Maureen Stramka Way
Salvatore (Sal) D’Amato Place
Howard Dunn Way
Juanita Hamilton Place
Melanie Rodriguez Place
Elmo Hope Way – Jazz Pioneer
Honorable Samuel Bea Jr. Way
Bishop Joseph H. Bell Sr. Way
Kings 5 Way
THE RAMONES WAY
Jose “Tuffy” Sanchez Corner
Hope Reichbach Way
John J. McCarthy Way
Kells – Grennie American Legion Post No. 316 Way
Joe Manfredi Way
Connor and Breandan Moore Way
Ingram and Geneva Montgomery Way
John Steptoe Way
Malik ‘Phife Dawg’ Taylor Way
Charles ‘Chuck’ Granby Way
Melvin Harris Way
Reverend Dr. James C. Kelly Sr. Way
Vincent “Vinnie” Abate Way
Mary Jane Matos Way
Renee Mancino Way
School Safety Agent Sandra P. Cranford Way
Olympic Silver Medalist Abel Kiviat Way
Peter Pellegrito Way
Mark B. Herman Way
Joseph Russo Way
John L. Nelson Way
Lt. Christopher Pupo Way
Twana Gilliard-Green Way
Martha Watford Way
Dr. Serafin Izquierdo Way
Dr. Luis Felipe Serrano Way
Nathan and Ida Handwerker Way
Captain Michael E. Berdy Way
Pastor Debbe Santiago Way
Midshipman Justin Zemser Way
Al Agovino, Sr. Way
Coach Stephen Piorkowski Way
Alfred J. Vigliante Way
D’Aja Naquai Robinson Way
Anthony Mason Way
65th Infantry Regiment “Borinqueneers” Way
Alfredo “Chocolate” Armenteros Way

The locations for these thoroughfares and public spaces can be found here.