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Council Member Hanif presents the AFFIRM Act and Protect Trans Futures package
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Council Member Shahana K. Hanif presents her bill, Intro 1201-A (the AFFIRM Act), as part of the Protect Trans Futures package. She explains that the legislation creates safe harbor protections for those accessing gender-affirming care in New York City, shielding patients from lawsuits filed by anti-trans entities. Hanif urges her colleagues to vote yes on the bill.
- The AFFIRM Act is part of a larger suite of legislation aimed at protecting transgender and gender non-conforming rights in NYC.
- The bill allows patients to countersue for damages if suits are filed against them for receiving gender-affirming care in NYC.
- Hanif emphasizes the importance of this legislation in the context of anti-trans legislation being passed in other jurisdictions.
Shahana K. Hanif
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Thank you.
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Today we are voting on my bill, intro 12 o one, the affirm act.
0:40:48
I'd like to thank Brooklyn borough president Reynoso and council members Bacher, Rivera, Osei, Wesseler Hudson, and Della Rosa for introducing this bill with me.
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Women and gender equity chair Lewis for moving it through the committee and Speaker Adams for including it on today's agenda.
0:41:04
I'm proud that this council is stepping up to fight Donald Trump's trans erasure agenda.
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The Protect Trans Futures package is a bold suite of legislation that makes it loud and clear that trans and gender nonconforming people have rights here no matter who is in the White House.
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As other jurisdictions pass anti trans legislation, the AFFIRM Act creates safe harbor protections for those who access gender affirming care here in the five boroughs.
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These patients will be shielded from lawsuits from anti trans governments or entities that are filed on the basis of gender affirming care that is provided in New York City.
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If a suit is filed, it shall constitute interference and the aggrieved patient will have the personal ability to countersue for damages and other costs under city law.
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This bill protects gender affirming care and affirms our city's values as a bastion for TGNC rights.
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I urge my colleagues to vote yes.
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I'd like to thank Alex Liao, Mous Lamia, Nisha Choudhary, and Matt Malloy from my team, Johary Fraser, Julia Goldsmith Pinkham, and Sahar Mozami from the legislative division, and the incredible coalition of issue experts who got the AFFIRM Act to this point.
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I'll close by saying that as important as this suite of legislation is, there is still much the city needs to do to further trans rights, including allocating and baselining the following funds in the FY twenty six budget.
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10,000,000 for the trans equity initiative, 15,000,000 for gender affirming care, and 10,000,000 for LGBTQ youth housing.
0:42:40
Thank you.