Asm. Jo Anne Simon

The bill empowers librarians educated in library science to curate developmentally appropriate materials without eliminating parents or school boards. It addresses a real problem: librarians are self-censoring due to pressure from both sides, and some districts are removing age-appropriate books like science texts. The Commissioner would set guidelines but districts retain a role through an appeal process.

Sponsor argued the bill removes an unfair subsidy where all ratepayers fund new residential gas connections within 100 feet, saving customers $200 million annually. She contended that those building new homes should pay for their own connections, and that the bill does not eliminate gas access or contradict climate policy.

Stated the bill is critically needed because the Administration is actively seeking to eliminate disparate impact standards through Executive Orders and rulemaking, and codifying the standard protects New Yorkers even if other states do not.

Supported requiring judges to seek Wilson-Pakula authorization to run on non-enrolled party lines. Noted that without this requirement, judges are forced to run on contradictory party lines, confusing voters. If the judiciary is meant to be nonpartisan, the law should reflect that principle.

The bill removes mayoral abuse of bumping provisions, allowing both mayoral and council/commission proposals on the ballot simultaneously. Voters would choose the proposal with the most affirmative votes, empowering citizens and preventing mayors from blocking legitimate charter initiatives.

Stated prior mayors have abused bumping power to suppress City Council proposals, citing a recent example of a proposal to confirm commissioners. Argued the bill restores balance of power and allows voters to see multiple options rather than limiting choices.

Argued that statutory requirements are stronger than departmental guidance and cannot be easily changed, and that the bill protects communities by ensuring decision-makers understand healthcare needs before closures occur.

The bill removes mayoral bumping powers that have been abused historically, allowing both mayoral and council/commission proposals to appear on ballots simultaneously. This empowers voters and prevents important issues like class size referendums from being blocked by mayors.

Argued prior mayors have abused the bumping power to prevent legitimate City Council proposals from reaching voters. Stated the bill restores balance of power and expands democratic options for voters rather than limiting them.

Argued that statutory requirements are stronger than departmental guidance and cannot be easily changed. Cited the 2013 closure of her hospital as evidence that DOH fails to assess community healthcare needs, and noted that 41 hospitals have closed in the past decade with 27 rural hospitals lost and 40 more in danger.

The bill provides voters early access to sample ballots so they may be informed and prepared before casting votes, addressing the overwhelming nature of the voting process.

The bill provides voters early access to sample ballots so they can be informed and prepared before voting, addressing the fact that current law does not contemplate early voting.

The bill repeals an out-of-date line-warming ban that criminalized providing food and water to voters waiting in polling lines. Sponsor Simon cited a May 30th federal court ruling (Brooklyn Branch NAACP v. Kosinski) finding Section 17-140 unconstitutional, with no compelling state interest in the prohibition. Opponents raised concerns about enforcement ambiguity regarding the 100-foot electioneering rule, particularly regarding campaign-branded items (water bottles, snacks with candidate names) inadvertently carried into polling places by voters. Supporters argued the 100-foot rule remains independently enforceable and that concerns about nominal-value items are no different from existing prohibitions on campaign buttons or literature.

Sponsor explained the bill clarifies that pistol converters—devices that enable a semiautomatic pistol to fire rapidly or automatically with a continuous trigger pull—are rapid-fire modification devices. Cited ATF 2023 report showing 570 percent increase in recovery of such devices between 2017 and 2021.

Drop-boxes expand voting access and convenience; used successfully in 33 states and D.C. with fraud rates of 0.0024 percent; addresses mail delivery problems that invalidated thousands of ballots in past elections.