[New York City Council News]
New York City Council is voting today on a number of public safety bills including: a “ghost guns” bill, a Commercial Tenant Harassment Law, a traffic congestion bill, climate-related bills, and the Council will take a vote to repeal “current Local Law 22 of 2018, which bans conversion therapy services for a fee.”
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The New York City Council on Wednesday will vote on a package of public safety bills, including legislation to ban the possession of unfinished frames or receivers used to create so-called “ghost guns.”
These “ghost guns” can be created by buying pieces online and are essentially unlicensed, do-it-yourself firearms. They have no serial number and are difficult for law enforcement to trace.
The Council is also voting on a bill to protect commercial tenants by strengthening the Commercial Tenant Harassment Law. The bill will broaden the definition of harassment from an act that is “intended to cause” a tenant to vacate to an act that “would reasonably cause” a tenant to vacate. The bill also for the first time addresses owners who harass their commercial tenants based on immigration status. The legislation increases the current penalty for harassment from $1,000 to $10,000, to between $10,000 and $50,000. And, it would clarify that courts may order the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) to deny any new construction work permits for an owner who has committed these violations.
The Council will also vote on a bill that would require the City to study the feasibility of off-hour deliveries to City agencies in the central business district (below 60th Street in Manhattan) and two highly congested areas outside of the central business district. Those two highly congested areas will be determined at a later date. This bill is intended to help ease congestion.
Additionally, the Council will vote on a series of climate bills, including one that requires the City to study the feasibility of the installation of solar water heating and thermal energy systems on city-owned buildings. Another bill requires the City to study and plan community choice aggregation programs. This climate package is timed to coincide with Climate Week.
The Council will also vote to repeal current Local Law 22 of 2018, which bans conversion therapy services for a fee. Shortly after its enactment, the law was challenged in court. To avoid the possibility of a negative legal precedent, advocates requested a repeal of the law. Minors would still be protected pursuant to a recently passed state law. Additionally, under existing state and city consumer fraud laws, a person who went through conversion therapy could bring a lawsuit that they were defrauded.
Finally, the Council will vote on several land use items.
