Transcript: Mayor Bill de Blasio Holds Public Hearing for and Signs Intros 673-A, 683-A, 881-A, 883-A, 478-A, 1029 and 1047

March 14, 2016

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Welcome, everyone. Okay, we have a number of bills to sign today. I want to welcome everyone. First, we have a group of four bills that will ensure that New Yorkers who don’t speak English or have who have a disability can easily access City services. Intro 673-a requires every City website to clearly indicate that the website text is available in New York City’s seven most commonly spoke languages. The sponsor is Councilmember Jumaane Williams.

Intro 683-a requires the City to adopt a standard for making city websites accessible for people with disabilities. The sponsor is Councilmember Dan Garodnick. This new standard will be based on either federal regulations or the internationally recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Intro 881-a requires every City agency to designate a disability service facilitator. The sponsors are Councilmember Helen Rosenthal and Councilmember Ritchie Torres. Several agencies already employ these facilitators. By early June, New Yorkers with disabilities will be able to reach a dedicated staff member at every agency to connect them to any services they may need. These facilitators will also proactively strengthen communications with people with disabilities, and train agency staff on disability access issues.

Intro 883-a requires City agencies to include information about disability access in materials for all public events hosted by City agencies. The sponsors are Councilmembers Helen Rosenthal and Ritchie Torres. No New Yorker should arrive at a municipal event just to learn that it doesn’t offer the wheelchair access they need or the sign language interpretation they need or the [inaudible] they need. Any ad for, or invitation for a municipal event should let people with disabilities know whether they’ll be able to fully enjoy and participate in the event before they go. Making our city a more fairer and more equitable place for all New Yorkers is at the heart of everything we do, and these bills will help us close the accessibility gap and allow everyone to reap the benefits of our city. 

I want to thank Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito; our DoITT Commissioner Anne Roest; Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Nisha Agarwal. I want to thank Councilmember Andy Cohen, the chair of the Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Disability Services. I want to thank Councilmember Dan Garodnick, Councilmember Richie Torres – both co-sponsors of several of these pieces of legislation.

[…]

Alright now, let’s sign the legislation.

[Mayor Bill de Blasio signs Intros 673-a, 683-a, 881-a, and 883-a]

The bills are now law.

[Applause]

Mayor: Patience is a virtue. Okay, we can go? Okay, here we go.

Next we have a bill that will help us expand solar energy to more of our buildings. Intro 478-a requires the City to evaluate which municipal buildings are compatible with photovoltaic systems. The sponsor is Council Member Costas Constantinides, chairman of the Environmental Protection Committee. I am proud our city is a leader in the fight against climate change. We often talk about our plans to eliminate greenhouse gas submissions by 80 percent by the year 2050. Photovoltaic systems are a key way to do that. They provide us with clean solar power by converting sunlight into electricity. Since 2013, we have increased the amount of solar power in City-owned buildings eight-fold. And in my State of the City, I announced that we’ll increase that amount five times over again to 25 megawatts within the next three years. And by 2025, we want our city’s buildings to have 100 megawatts of solar power. This bill will help us achieve that goal.

Building by building, we will be able to see what the energy and cost savings of installing solar panels would be. And by making this information available online, we hope homeowners and business owners will realize that they too can save by installing solar panels. I want to thank Speaker Mark-Viverito. And now, I want to introduce our DCAS commissioner, Lisette Camilo. 

[…]

Okay. Okay, folks standing in front of the cameras you need to actually get out of the way so the cameras can record this important history. 

There we go.

[Mayor Bill de Blasio signs Intro 478-a]

[Applause]

Alright, the last two bills will help foster a stronger and more vibrant downtown Brooklyn. Intro 1029 extends the boundaries of the Fulton Street business improvement district also known as the Fulton Area Business Alliance, or FAB, and increases the amount we spend annually – provides services to the newly added area. Intro 1047 increases the amount the Fulton Mall special assessment district can spend annually, allowing the district to enhance and expand its programs and services, like connecting local businesses with jobseekers.

Bids across the City are strong advocates for the neighborhoods and provides simple things that can make a big difference to small businesses like helping to promote businesses in the area or keeping the streets clean and inviting. And the success of our small businesses mean a stronger economy for our whole city. I want to thank speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito; Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Chair of the Committee on Finance; Council Member Laurie Cumbo; Council Member Stephen Levin. And now, it is my pleasure to introduce our Small Business Service commissioner, Gregg Bishop.

[…]

Alright, just a few words in Spanish before we sign the final legislation.

[Mayor de Blasio speaks in Spanish]

[…]

[Mayor de Blasio signs Intro 1029 and Intro 1047]

It’s now law.