REMARKS
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse advocates for decriminalizing jaywalking
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132 sec
Council Member Mercedes Narcisse speaks in support of Introduction 346-A, which aims to decriminalize jaywalking in New York City. She argues that the current enforcement disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic New Yorkers and that the change will allow police to focus on more pressing public safety concerns.
- Narcisse highlights that 96.5% of jaywalking tickets this year were issued to Black and Hispanic New Yorkers.
- The bill requires the Department of Transportation to conduct an education effort on street safety for all users.
- As a registered nurse, Narcisse emphasizes her commitment to safety while addressing longstanding inequities.
Mercedes Narcisse
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Thank you, madam majority and madam speaker for giving me the opportunity to speak on the floor.
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Today, we have the chance to take an important step toward fairness, equity, and public safety with the vote on ensure number 346A.
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Jim Walking happens in every neighborhood across New York City, but enforcement has disproportionately impacted certain communities with 96.5 percent of gym walking tickets this year issued to Black And Hispanic New Yorkers.
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This bill seeks to address that imbalance.
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Under ensure number 346 a crossing outside of the crosswalk will no longer be a violation of the administrative code and can no longer be the subject of a summons.
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I have spoken with police officers and many of them have said they prefer to focus on real public safety concerns rather than stopping people for gym walking.
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Let's face it.
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No one ever said, I am so glad because that gym walkers.
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I feel so much safer now.
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Never.
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Anybody in the room can tell me they never did walking.
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I'm still waiting.
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No hands.
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By removing these penalties, we allow our officers to focus on the issues that really matter to public safety.
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Additionally, this bill will require a DOT to conduct an education effort regarding the rights and responsibilities of pedestrian and operators of motor vehicles bicycles and other devices on our city streets.
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This is crucial for ensuring that everyone understand how to use our streets safely and responsibly.
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As a registered nurse, I will encourage safety because that's what I work for.
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So as a madam speaker, thank you so much for understanding the important and issue that we had faced in our community for decades and addressing the inequities for real.
0:33:56
So thank you to all the great legislative team here that we we were.
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That's what I can say.
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So thank you for you all.
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And I have to say happy birthday to my deputy and communication, Frank Shea, and my chief of society, Joseph, and all my team that are doing amazing work to keep our community going.
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Thank you so much, God bless.
