L.L. 2015/032

Enactment date: 4/20/2015  

Int. No. 689-A

By Council Members Lander, Garodnick, Mealy, Chin, Crowley, Lancman, Rose, Constantinides, Rosenthal, Dromm, Eugene, King, Kallos, Levin, Van Bramer, Williams, Rodriguez and Barron

A Local Law in relation to establishing a housing discrimination testing program.

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Investigation of discrimination in housing accommodations using testers.

   a.   For a period of one year, the commission on human rights shall organize and conduct no fewer than five investigations of discrimination in housing accommodation services, during which the commission shall use pairs of testers to investigate local housing accommodation providers, the owner, lessor, lessee, sublessee, assignee, or managing agent of, or other person having the right to sell, rent or lease or approve the sale, rental or lease of a housing accommodation, constructed or to be constructed, or an interest therein, or any agent or employee thereof. Such investigations shall include but not be limited to using matched pairs of testers who shall apply for, inquire about or express interest in the same housing accommodations and who shall be assigned similar credentials but who shall differ in one of the following characteristics: actual or perceived race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, partnership status, alienage or citizenship status, lawful source of income, number of children who will be residing with such person or persons, or other characteristic protected pursuant to subdivision 5 of section 8-107 of the administrative code of the city of New York. The first of the investigations shall commence on or before October 1, 2015.

   b.   On or before March 1, 2017, the commission shall submit to the speaker of the Council a report related to such housing accommodation investigations conducted during the 12 month period commencing on October 1, 2015. Such report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the number of matched pair tests completed; (ii) the protected class variable used in each matched pair test; and (iii) the number of incidents of actual or perceived discrimination on each protected class, including a description of any incidents of discrimination detected in the course of such investigations, provided that the commission shall not be required to report information that would compromise any ongoing or prospective investigation or prosecution.

   c.   Any incidents of actual or perceived discrimination that occur during such investigations shall be referred to the commission's law enforcement bureau.

   d.   Nothing herein shall preclude the commission from conducting other such discrimination testing programs or investigations pursuant to the commissioner's authority under this Code and the New York city charter.

§ 2. This local law shall take effect immediately upon enactment.

L.L. 2015/033

Enactment date: 4/20/2015  

Int. No. 690-A

By Council Members Mealy, Arroyo, Chin, Crowley, Lancman, Rose, Williams, Cabrera, King, Lander, Miller, Garodnick, Constantinides, Van Bramer, Levine, Barron, Dromm, Eugene, Kallos, Levin, Rosenthal and Rodriguez

A Local Law in relation to establishing an employment discrimination testing program.

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Investigation of discrimination in employment using testers.

   a.   For a period of one year, the commission on human rights shall organize and conduct no fewer than five investigations of discrimination in employment during which the commission shall use pairs of testers to investigate local employers, labor organizations or employment agencies and employees or agents thereof. Such investigations shall include but not be limited to using matched pairs of testers who shall apply for, inquire about or express interest in the same job and who shall be assigned similar credentials but who shall differ in one of the following characteristics: actual or perceived age, race, creed, color, national origin, gender, disability, marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation or alienage or citizenship status, or other characteristic protected pursuant to title 8 of the administrative code of the city of New York. The first of the investigations shall commence on or before October 1, 2015.

   b.   On or before March 1, 2017, the commission shall submit to the speaker of the council a report related to employment investigations conducted during the prior 12 month period commencing on October 1, 2015. Such report shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the number of matched pair tests completed; (ii) identification of the industry of the employer where each completed matched pair test was conducted; (iii) the protected class variable used in each matched pair test; (iv) the number of incidents of actual or perceived discrimination by protected class for each such investigation; and (v) a description of any incidents of discrimination detected in the course of such investigations, provided that the commission shall not be required to report information that would compromise any ongoing or prospective investigation or prosecution.

   c.   Any incidents of actual or perceived discrimination that occur during such investigations shall be referred to the commission's law enforcement bureau.

   d.   Nothing herein shall preclude the commission from conducting other such discrimination testing programs or investigations pursuant to the commission's authority under this Code and the New York city charter.

§ 2. This local law shall take effect immediately upon enactment.

L.L. 2015/035

Enactment date: 4/28/2015  

Preconsidered Int. No. 747

By Council Member Ferreras (by request of the Mayor)

A Local Law in relation to the date of issuance and publication by the Mayor of a ten-year capital strategy, the date of submission by the Mayor of the proposed executive budget and budget message, the date of submission by the Borough Presidents of recommendations in response to the Mayor's executive budget, the date of publication of a report by the director of the independent budget office analyzing the executive budget, the date by which the Council hearings pertaining to the executive budget shall conclude, the date by which if the expense budget has not been adopted, the expense budget and tax rate adopted as modified for the current fiscal year shall be deemed to have been extended for the new fiscal year until such time as a new expense budget has been adopted, the date by which if a capital budget and a capital program have not been adopted, the unutilized portion of all prior capital appropriations shall be deemed reappropriated, the date of submission by the Mayor of an estimate of the probable amount of receipts, the date by which any person or organization may submit an official alternative estimate of revenues, the date by which if the Council has not fixed the tax rates for the ensuing fiscal year, the commissioner of finance shall be authorized to complete the assessment rolls using estimated rates, and related matters, relating to the fiscal year two thousand sixteen

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. During the calendar year 2015 and in relation to the 2016 fiscal year:

   1.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of section 248 of the New York city charter, as added by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, the Mayor shall pursuant to such section issue and publish a ten-year capital strategy as therein described not later than May 7, 2015.

   2.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of section 249 of the New York city charter, as added by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, subdivision a of section 249 as amended by local law number 25 for the year 1998, the Mayor shall pursuant to such section submit a proposed executive budget and budget message as therein described not later than May 7, 2015.

   3.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of section 251 of the New York city charter, as added by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, each borough president shall pursuant to such section submit recommendations in response to the Mayor's executive budget as therein described not later than May 15, 2015.

   4.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of section 252 of the New York city charter, as added by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, the director of the independent budget office shall pursuant to such section publish a report analyzing the executive budget as therein described not later than May 26, 2015.

   5.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of section 253 of the New York city charter, as added by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, the Council shall pursuant to such section hold hearings on the executive budget as therein described, which shall conclude by June 15, 2015.

   6.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of subdivision d of section 254 of the New York city charter, as added by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, and subdivision b of section 1516 of the New York city charter, as amended by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, if an expense budget has not been adopted by June 16, 2015 pursuant to subdivisions a and b of section 254 of the New York city charter, the expense budget and tax rate adopted as modified for the current fiscal year shall be deemed to have been extended for the new fiscal year until such time as a new expense budget has been adopted.

   7.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of subdivision e of section 254 of the New York city charter, as added by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, if a capital budget and a capital program have not been adopted by June 16, 2015 pursuant to subdivisions a and b of such section, the unutilized portion of all prior capital appropriations shall be deemed reappropriated.

   8.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of subdivision a of section 1515 of the New York city charter, as amended by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, the Mayor shall pursuant to such subdivision prepare and submit to the Council an estimate of the probable amount of receipts as therein described not later than June 16, 2015.

   9.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of subdivision d of section 1515 of the New York city charter, as added by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, any person or organization may pursuant to such subdivision submit an official alternative estimate of revenues as described therein at any time prior to May 26, 2015.

   10.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of subdivision a of section 1516-a of the New York city charter, as amended by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, if the Council has not fixed the tax rates for the ensuing fiscal year on or before June 16, 2015, the commissioner of finance shall pursuant to such subdivision be authorized to complete the assessment rolls using estimated rates and to collect the sums therein mentioned according to law. The estimated rates shall equal the tax rates for the current fiscal year.

   11.   Notwithstanding any inconsistent provisions of subdivision b of section 1516-a of the New York city charter, as amended by vote of the electors on November 7, 1989, if, subsequent to June 16, 2015, the Council shall, pursuant to section 1516 of the New York city charter, fix the tax rates for the ensuing fiscal year at percentages differing from the estimated rates, real estate tax payments shall nevertheless be payable in accordance with subdivision a of section 1516-a of such charter at the estimated rates, where the commissioner of finance has exercised the authority granted by subdivision a of section 1516-a of such charter to complete the assessment rolls using estimated rates and to collect the sums therein mentioned according to law. However, in such event, prior to the first day of January in such fiscal year, the commissioner of finance shall cause the completed assessment rolls to be revised to reflect the tax rates fixed by the Council pursuant to section 1516 of such charter, and an amended bill for the installment or installments for such fiscal year due and payable on or after the first day of January shall be submitted to each taxpayer in which whatever adjustment may be required as a result of the estimated bill previously submitted to the taxpayer shall be reflected.

§ 2. This local law shall take effect immediately.

L.L. 2015/037

Enactment date: 5/6/2015  

Int. No. 261-A

By Council Members Lander, Rose, Arroyo, Chin, Dickens, Dromm, Ferreras, Garodnick, King, Koslowitz, Levin, Mendez, Richards, Van Bramer, Williams, Wills, Gentile, Gibson, Constantinides, Levine, Miller, Reynoso, Rosenthal, Torres, Menchaca, Kallos, Cornegy, Cumbo, Crowley, Johnson, Eugene, Treyger, Rodriguez, Cabrera, Espinal, Barron, Mealy, Vallone, Koo, Deutsch, Maisel, Cohen and the Public Advocate (Ms. James)

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting discrimination based on consumer credit history.

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

* * *

[Consolidated provisions are not included in this Appendix A]

* * *

§ 4. The commission on human rights shall request information from City agencies and non-governmental employers regarding the agencies' and employers' use of the exemptions established in subdivision 24 of section 8-107 of the administrative code for purposes of hiring and employment. Within two years of the effective date of this local law, the commission shall submit to the council a report concerning the results of such request and any relevant feedback from agencies and employers.

§ 5. This local law shall take effect one hundred twenty days after enactment.

L.L. 2015/048

Enactment date: 6/2/2015  

Int. No. 240-A

By Council Members Williams, Richards, Constantinides, Gentile, Koo, Mendez, Rodriguez, King, Treyger, Reynoso, Rosenthal, Wills, Gibson, Vallone, Miller, Barron, Crowley, Koslowitz, Dickens, Cohen, Vacca, Cumbo, Lancman, Torres, Deutsch, Johnson, Kallos, Arroyo, Levin, Chin, Espinal, Van Bramer and Ulrich

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to filing semiannual reports on catch basin cleanup and maintenance

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

* * *

[Consolidated provisions are not included in this Appendix A]

* * *

§ 2. This local law takes effect July 1, 2016, and expires and is deemed repealed June 30, 2019, except that the commissioner of environmental protection shall submit a report in accordance with subdivision f of section 24-503 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by section one of this local law, for the period from January 1, 2019, through June 30, 2019.

L.L. 2015/050

Enactment date: 6/2/2015  

Int. No. 592-A

By Council Members Johnson, Chin, Torres, Reynoso, Richards, Levine, Miller, Van Bramer, Kallos, Rodriguez, Dromm, Lander, Ferreras, Lancman, Rose, Constantinides, Deutsch, Espinal, Eugene, Gentile, Gibson, King, Levin, Maisel, Cumbo, Rosenthal, Mendez, Menchaca, Cohen, Treyger, Arroyo, Cabrera, Koslowitz and Wills

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the preservation of certain hotels, a moratorium and report relating to such preservation, and the expiration and repeal of such amendments

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Declaration of legislative intent and findings.

   a.   The council finds and declares that:

      1.   As one of the world's premier travel destinations, the city depends on a diverse group of visitors for its economic health and wellbeing, and spending by such visitors, which generates over $3.7 billion in taxes annually, provides a crucial source of revenue for the city and supports 360,000 jobs.

      2.   Larger hotels, which often provide additional services to guests, are a vital component of the city's hospitality industry. These hotels are a critical source of quality jobs for city residents and are essential for attracting business and convention travelers and affluent visitors. Several such hotels have converted to residential condominiums in recent years, resulting in, among other impacts, a significant loss of quality jobs. Because of this recent conversion history and current market conditions, the council is concerned that more such hotels will convert to residential condominiums or other non-hotel uses in the near future; in fact, the owners of several such hotels in Manhattan have already announced their intention to undertake conversion of at least some of their hotel rooms to residential apartments.

      [3.   Reserved.]

      4.   Once undertaken, such conversions are potentially irreversible, and the loss of even a small number of such hotels, coupled with the inability to reliably predict that the jobs and tourism-related revenues and economic activity generated by these hotels will be replaced in their particular communities, poses a significant risk to the city's economy, its tourism, its market for quality jobs and the quality of life for city residents and visitors. It is unclear whether the impact of such losses may be counteracted through development of smaller hotels.

      5.   Determining the full extent of such risks, and the appropriate responses thereto, requires further study.

   b.   The council finds that it is necessary and appropriate to place limited, short-term restrictions on the conversion of larger hotels in Manhattan to other uses to facilitate the preparation and consideration of a comprehensive report to be completed by appropriate city offices or agencies, and to maintain the city's inventory of these critical hotels pending the development and implementation of the recommendations of such report.

* * *

[Consolidated provisions are not included in this Appendix A]

* * *

§ 3. Hotel industry report.

   a.   Not later than six months after the enactment of this local law, one or more offices or agencies designated by the mayor shall complete a report analyzing the cumulative impact of the hotel industry and particular sectors thereof, including hotels as defined in section 25-701 of the administrative code of the city of New York, on the economy of the city. Such report shall include, but need not be limited to:

      1.   An analysis of recent and projected conversions of primary hotel space, as such term is defined in section 25-701 of the administrative code of the city of New York, and other hotel space to other uses, and the short-term and long-term impacts of such conversions on the city's economy, including tourism and the availability of quality jobs for city residents, and the potential economic, land use and other impacts of restrictions on such conversions; and

      2.   Recommendations for the preservation and enhancement of the hotel industry and particular sectors thereof, including hotels as defined in section 25-701 of the administrative code of the city of New York, and of tourism more broadly, including, but not limited to, recommendations relating to legislation, zoning text or map amendments, regulatory actions and financial or other incentives; provided that such recommendations shall not seek to prohibit any conversion of primary hotel space or covered timeshare space exempted by the definition of "covered hotel conversion" in section 25-701 of the administrative code of the city of New York.

   b.   In preparing such report, the designated offices or agencies shall consult with stakeholders, including representatives of the hotel industry, elected officials, community groups, labor, real estate investors and the real estate industry, and others, and may hold public hearings to obtain comments and testimony.

§ 4. This local law takes effect immediately, and expires and is deemed repealed two years after its effective date.