REMARKS
Council Member Hudson introduces new bills and acknowledges a constituent's death
1:08:12
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112 sec
Council Member Crystal Hudson apologizes for speaking out of turn earlier and acknowledges the passing of Denzel Chan, a constituent killed on Labor Day.
She then introduces three of six new bills she's proposing, focusing on automatic enrollment in city benefits, improved record-keeping for jail visits, and gender-affirming items for transgender individuals in city jails.
- Intro 1028: Requires DSS to automatically enroll eligible individuals in city benefits programs using existing records.
- Intro 1026: Mandates more detailed record-keeping for jail visits to address concerns about canceled video visits.
- Intro 1027: Aims to reduce dehumanization of transgender and non-conforming people in city jails by providing access to gender-affirming items.
Crystal Hudson
1:08:12
And I'd like to apologize for speaking out of turn earlier.
1:08:14
It just didn't feel right to say anything without acknowledging first the passing of Denzel Chan who was killed in my district on Labor Day along with for other people who were shot, and he was a constituent of counsel for Lewis's.
1:08:29
And we both attended his viewing, and so just wanted to send my condolences again to his family and friends.
1:08:37
I'd also like to quickly highlight 3 of the 6 bills I'm introducing today.
1:08:41
All six bills are great, but we've been here a little while, and I only have 2 minutes, well, just a minute and a half.
1:08:47
Intro 1028 will require DSS to establish a system to automatically enroll eligible individuals and city benefits programs like Fairfares NYC by using existing records such as tax and social services data, thus eliminating the need for cumbersome applications.
1:09:04
The second intro 1026 would address concerns that correction officers are canceling video visits by falsely claiming incarcerated people are rejecting the visits by requiring more detailed record keeping for jail visits and the bill would mandate the Department of Correction to report separately on in person and video visits and provide more thorough explanations for any canceled visits.
1:09:24
And third, intro 1027 aims to reduce the dehumanization of transgender nonconforming people in city jails by requiring the Department of Correction to create a process for people in custody to obtain gender affirming items like hair extensions, chest binders, prosthetics, and medical devices that support their self identified gender in The bill also ensures that Department of Correction staff have access to these gender affirming items and medical devices while on duty to match their own self identified gender.
1:09:52
It's already received a glowing endorsement from the New York Post, so you know it's a great bill.
1:09:57
And I urge my colleagues to co sponsor these bills and the 3 others I've introduced today.
1:10:03
Thank you.