Loopholes in New York City’s municipal law lead to erroneous migrant arrests. New legislation could limit what information police officers can pass on to ICE.
arrow Wrapped plastic straws at a bubble tea cafe. Jeff Chiu/AP/Shutterstock
Drinking straws are once again being targeted by New York City officials who want to reduce the amount of single-use plastic going into trash cans, landfills and the environment. Only instead of an outright ban, lawmakers are trying to discourage businesses from indiscriminately handing them out to everyone.
On Wednesday, the New York City Council overwhelmingly passed a bill requiring bars, restaurants, delis and other businesses that sell beverages to carry plastic straws but to only give them to customers who ask for one. That would mean no more siphons handed over with every bodega soda bottle, and any straws available at self-serve stations would have to be compostable.
City Council Staff Union Becomes First Legislative Union In NY State
arrow The City Council staffers union membership cards Courtesy of Zara Nasir
The first sector of New York City Council staffers have been voluntarily recognized as a union, which members say makes it the first legislative staff union in the state.
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson recognized 23 financial analysts as a part of the newly formed Association of Legislative Employees (ALE) earlier this month, according to an announcement released Thursday. The recognition comes following at least two years of organizing by council staffers. This is a historic event because we will be the first legislative union in New York State, Daniel Kroop, a core committee member on the union and senior legislative financial analyst, said in a phone interview. We think that the investment that the union will help us make will ensure institutional and fiscal knowledge stays at the Council. This is a