t
it’s most recent meeting, the City Council passing several laws
protecting the good and welfare of New Yorkers.
For example, responding to several recent deaths at nightlife
establishments, the Council passed the "Bouncer Control Act"
which will tighten enforcement on unlicensed security guards. It
will do so by making it a violation of the City's public
nuisance law to hire a bouncer or security guard who isn’t
licensed by the State.
Hiring an unlicensed bouncer or security guard is already
illegal, but only the State Liquor Authority has had the power
to enforce it. Too frequently, however, the Authority hasn’t
followed through, due, perhaps, to a lack of personnel to police
efficiently New York City's thousands of nightlife
establishments. Making it against City law to violate the State
law gives the City the power of enforcement as well.
The Council also addressed an issue arising from recent
changes in the federal bankruptcy law. It’s now required that a
person declaring bankruptcy first meet with a credit counselor
accredited by the federal government. If someone applies for
bankruptcy without seeking counseling, or if they are counseled
by someone who isn't approved by the federal government, they’re
not allowed to reapply for one year.
The
City Council passed a law requiring that unaccredited counselors
inform their clients of their lack of accreditation.
Councilmember James Gennaro, the bill's prime sponsor, said that
this will not only keep people from violating the bankruptcy law
but also serve as a quality control measure, warning people
about charlatans trying to capitalize on their financial
troubles. "People declaring bankruptcy are desperate to get out
of their financial straits," he commented. "Maybe they have a
little equity left in their home or whatever, and these
unscrupulous entities are out there trying to extract whatever
little bit of equity they have before they go into total
financial ruin."
Council
Member Leroy Comrie, who Chairs the Consumer Affairs Committee
and was instrumental in the bill’s passage, noted that credit
counselors are popping up in television and radio ads. "They’re
becoming predatory lenders because they’re giving people the
idea that they can get them out from under bankruptcy when
they’re only putting them deeper into debt," he declared. And
Comrie added that this bill is only the first in a series to
highlight this problem and to protect consumers when they are in
dire financial trouble.
The Council also passed legislation urging the Board of
Elections to take various actions while implementing the Help
America Vote Act. The resolution recommends that the Board of
Elections hold public hearings in each borough, analyze the
costs required to implement electronic voting, hold mock
elections to test the accuracy of vote counts, and make sure
that protections against hacking are in place. "There will be no
hanky panky with regards to the voting machines in New York
City," said Robert Jackson, the resolution's prime sponsor.
"That's the bottom line."
The
Council also passed a resolution to file an amicus brief in
support of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) in the
litigation Campaign for Fiscal Equity et al. v. the State of
New York et al. CFE charges that the State haa unfairly
shortchanged the City's schools. "Obviously, getting the funds
mandated by CFE to finally come to the City is critical to
making sure our schools are able to provide the education our
children deserve," Speaker Christine Quinn stated. "It's also
very important that the City Council be fully and squarely on
the record in support of CFE as the case makes its way through
the courts, and there’s no better way for us to do that than to
file this amicus brief."
Next
to speak was the resolution’s prime sponsor and CFE’s chief
litigant, Council Member Robert Jackson, who walked from New
York City to Albany on behalf of the City's schoolchildren.
Jackson emphasized that 44 councilmembers out of 51 had signed
on to the resolution. "I’m sure that will send a very clear
message," he said, "to every member of the State Legislature,
the Governor, and to all the members on the Court of Appeals
that the New York City Council stands united behind the children
to ensure that New York City receives $14 billion."
The
City Council passed a law requiring that unaccredited counselors
inform their clients of their lack of accreditation.
Councilmember James Gennaro, the bill's prime sponsor, said that
this will not only keep people from violating the bankruptcy law
but also serve as a quality control measure, warning people
about charlatans trying to capitalize on their financial
troubles. "People declaring bankruptcy are desperate to get out
of their financial straits," he commented. "Maybe they have a
little equity left in their home or whatever, and these
unscrupulous entities are out there trying to extract whatever
little bit of equity they have before they go into total
financial ruin."
Council
Member Leroy Comrie, who Chairs the Consumer Affairs Committee
and was instrumental in the bill’s passage, noted that credit
counselors are popping up in television and radio ads. "They’re
becoming predatory lenders because they’re giving people the
idea that they can get them out from under bankruptcy when
they’re only putting them deeper into debt," he declared. And
Comrie added that this bill is only the first in a series to
highlight this problem and to protect consumers when they are in
dire financial trouble.
The
Council also passed a resolution to file an amicus brief in
support of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE) in the
litigation Campaign for Fiscal Equity et al. v. the State of
New York et al. CFE charges that the State haa unfairly
shortchanged the City's schools. "Obviously, getting the funds
mandated by CFE to finally come to the City is critical to
making sure our schools are able to provide the education our
children deserve," Speaker Christine Quinn stated. "It's also
very important that the City Council be fully and squarely on
the record in support of CFE as the case makes its way through
the courts, and there’s no better way for us to do that than to
file this amicus brief."
Next
to speak was the resolution’s prime sponsor and CFE’s chief
litigant, Council Member Robert Jackson, who walked from New
York City to Albany on behalf of the City's schoolchildren.
Jackson emphasized that 44 councilmembers out of 51 had signed
on to the resolution. "I’m sure that will send a very clear
message," he said, "to every member of the State Legislature,
the Governor, and to all the members on the Court of Appeals
that the New York City Council stands united behind the children
to ensure that New York City receives $14 billion."
