Queens Lawmakers On The Move — Friday, Oct. 6, 2017

Senators Comrie And Gianaris Sponsered Bill To Prevent Fake News And Ads

New York State Senators Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), and Michael Gianaris (D-Long Island City, Sunnyside, Astoria) sponsored a bill in Albany this week that would require buyers of political ads on social media to identify themselves.

New York politicians such as New York State Senator Todd Kaminsky (D-Long Island) have been targeted by campaign-style Facebook ads from groups called “NYS Public Schools,” and Stop the Corruption In Albany Now.” The ads attacked Kaminsky, often claiming falsities about his position on issues.

The bill, S.6896, is sitting in the Senate Rules Committee and would change campaign laws to include social media platforms.

 

No ad would be anonymous under this bill – each will say “paid for by..” below it. Failure to identify the ad source would lead to a fine of up to $1,000.

Constantinides Applauds De Blasio’s Street Safety Competition

City Council Member Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria, Jackson Heights, Woodside) thanked Mayor Bill de Blasio for taking part in a joint competition between him and the mayor of Barcelona Ada Colau to make streets safer for blind people.

“Our streets must be accessible to all New Yorkers,” said Constantinides.  “This joint competition for accessibility upgrades at intersections across our city will help make our streets more navigable for residents who are blind or have low vision.  Thank you to Mayor de Blasio and DOT Commissioner Trottenberg for their leadership in keeping our streets safe and accessible.”

According to the mayor’s office, this is the result of a months-long effort to work with cities around the world to solve shared challenges. The winning solution will be announced in November and will receive funding for technology that would alleviate the issue at certain locations in NYC and Barcelona, Spain.

Velasquez And Meng Thankful To The City For Puerto Rico Relief Effort

New York City has been donating en masse to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria ravaged the U.S. territory and U.S. Representatives Nydia Velasquez (D-Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan) and Grace Meng (D-Queens) have noticed.

As of yesterday, 265 pallets of donated material have been collected and processed at the New York City Emergency Management warehouse in Brooklyn. These materials include 12,800 cases of diapers; 23,800 cases of feminine hygiene products; 1,200 first aid kits; 3,600 cases of baby food and 8,800 packs of batteries, according to the mayor’s office.

“New York and Puerto Rico are inextricably linked.  To New Yorkers, Puerto Ricans are family, for some figuratively and, for many of us, literally,” said Velasquez. “Given the scope of Hurricane Maria’s devastation, Puerto Rico needs all the help it can get. I commend the Mayor for his leadership in this area and thank all New Yorkers who are contributing to these vital relief efforts.”

“After Hurricane Maria wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico, I asked New Yorkers to help our fellow Americans on the island, and I’m proud that so many in our city have stepped up to do so,” said Meng. “The generous support that New Yorkers have provided reinforces the special bond that exists between our city and the people of Puerto Rico, and I thank Mayor de Blasio for coordinating this important relief effort. Last week, I spearheaded legislation to permit waiving the Jones Act for humanitarian relief efforts, and I will continue to do all I can in Congress to ensure that Puerto Rico receives all the help it deserves.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio visited the New York City Emergency Management warehouse yesterday and announced 53 additional staff deployments to further assist in the recovery effort.