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Council Member Nantasha Williams opens joint hearing on supporting small businesses' accessibility compliance
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Council Member Nantasha Williams, chair of the committee on civil and human rights, delivers opening remarks for a joint hearing with the committee on small business. She emphasizes the importance of supporting small businesses in complying with accessibility laws while recognizing the challenges they face in doing so.
- Williams highlights the significance of small businesses in New York City and their need for support in understanding and implementing accessibility requirements.
- She mentions several pieces of legislation being heard, including bills related to small business support and a resolution to recognize Thurgood Marshall Day.
- The council member expresses interest in learning about agency coordination and efforts to aid small businesses in remaining compliant with accessibility laws.
Nantasha Williams
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Good morning or it's not morning, afternoon.
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Blame the person who wrote this.
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My name is Nantasha Williams and I serve as chair to the committee on civil and human rights.
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Thank you to everyone joining us for today's joint hearing with the committee on small business.
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I'd like to start off by first thanking my co chair council member Felice for joining me today in covering this very important topic which affects many people in our city.
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New York City is a metropolis full of opportunity drawing in many who dream of starting their own business here.
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This city is home to big corporations but its heart and backbone have always been small local businesses ran by so many different types of people and families from all walks of life.
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Many of these businesses are subject to the New York City Human Rights Law also known as NYC HRL which covers many protected classes and topics including one we are discussing extensively today, accessibility for individuals living with disabilities.
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While I do believe the law should always be evolving to protect the rights of New Yorkers and to best reflect their needs, it is equally important that our government is helping those who will have to make changes to be compliant with new laws.
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During today's hearing, I am hoping to learn more about both the solo work and interagency coordination with respect to aiding small businesses and remaining educated, up to date, and compliant with accessibility laws and policies.
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Many of these businesses do not have the resources such as lawyers or large HR departments to keep up with the changes made to our complex human rights law that we love but it is complex nonetheless as we try to be and become a more inclusive and accessible city.
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Plenty of them may also need extra guidance on how the law will impact their business specifically, Ensuring that members of this protective class can access work at and or patronize these businesses safely is imperative and therefore we need to do our part in working with business owners on how they can also meet this goal while protecting themselves as well.
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We are also hearing several pieces of legislation today within the committee on small business which my co chair will speak about in just a bit.
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In addition to the three bills being heard today, we are also hearing resolution five twenty sponsored by majority leader Amanda Fadias recognizing July 2 annually as Thurgood Marshall Day in New York City to promote his contributions and legacy as a pillar of the civil rights movement.
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I look forward to hearing back feedback from both the administration and members of the public on today's legislation.
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Thank you so much to committee staff and finance staff for their work in preparing this hearing, and thank you to my colleagues who have joined us today.
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I'll now pass it along to chair Felice for his opening statement.