AMIDST EMERGING SECOND WAVE OF COVID-19, CRITICAL LEGISLATION LANGUISHES
AWAITING THE GOVERNOR’S SIGNATURE

AT PRESS CONFERENCE, ADVOCATES AND LEGISLATORS WILL CALL ON GOVERNOR CUOMO
TO SIGN URGENT BILLS TO PROTECT BLACK, BROWN, IMMIGRANT & POOR NEW YORKERS

WHO: Senator Tim Kennedy, Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, Assembly
Member Pam Hunter, Assembly Member Nily Rozic, Assembly Member Michaelle
Solages and advocates from Bronx Defenders, Center for Community
Alternatives, Immigrant Defense Project, New York Civil Liberties Union,
the Osborne Association, Brooklyn Defender Services, Neighborhood Defender
Service of Harlem, New York Immigration Coalition

BACKGROUND:
–

In July, New York’s legislature passed important legislation including
the Protect Our Courts Act, the Drivers License Suspension Reform Act, the
Contact Tracing Confidentiality Act, and the Proximity Bill.
–

The Protect Our Courts Act
<https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s425/amendment/original>
would ensure equal access for immigrants to courts by preventing ICE from
arresting people attending court without a warrant. Since 2016, there
has been a 1700% increase
<https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/wp-content/uploads/Denied-Disappeared-Deported-FINAL.pdf>
in ICE operations at courthouses across the state creating a chilling
effect that prevented immigrant New Yorkers from accessing court
resources.  By signing POCA into law, the Governor can provide
some relief
to immigrant communities that have been greatly affected by COVID-19.
–

The Driver’s License Suspension Reform Act
<http://drivenbyjustice.org> would end New York’s cruel and
counterproductive practice of suspending a person’s driver’s license when
they don’t pay a traffic fine or answer a traffic ticket, a practice that
disproportionately impacts Black and brown communities and the
communities
hardest hit by COVID-19.  The DLSRA will allow people to get back to work
and keep them and their communities safe.
–

The Contact Tracing Confidentiality
<https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/s8450> Act would
prohibit police or immigration enforcement from having access to contact
tracing data, protecting the confidentiality of contact tracing data and
limiting its use to public health purposes.
–

The Proximity Bill
<https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/a6710> would require
the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to move
incarcerated parents to the NY State prison closest to their
children after
security level, health, and programming needs are met. 80,000
children have
a parent incarcerated in one of New York’s 52 prisons. Since prisons are
located all over the state, distance is a major barrier for families to
visit, particularly during the pandemic. Maintaining family ties through
visits has benefits for those incarcerated, their children and families,
and communities.
–

Each of these bills would play an important role in protecting Black,
brown, poor, and immigrant New Yorkers – many of whom are parents – during
an unprecedented public health and economic crisis.
–

These bills are particularly urgent in light of the emerging second wave
of the COVID-19 pandemic.