Photo Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
Mayor Adams characterized the proposed pieces of legislation as “Three important bills that are addressing real issues and crises that are unfolding in our city.”
By Michael V. Cusenza
Mayor Eric Adams on Friday held public hearings for three bills that help prevent opioid overdoses in nightlife venues, that would help reduce the flow of illegal firearms into New York City, and that designate Times Square as a zone where it is unlawful to carry firearms.
“Three important bills that are addressing real issues and crises that are unfolding in our city. The opioid crisis has been inflicting pain and heartache on New York City for far too long. We have lost too many New Yorkers to overdoses. Too many families and communities have been torn apart, and COVID-19 has only made it worse,” Adams said. “While we are the first in the nation to open overdose prevention centers, they have been successful averting over 480 overdoses since opening. We can, and must do more to tackle this public health crisis. That is what we’re doing today with Intro 56-A. This bill is how we save lives. Intro 56-A requires the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to create a Nightlife Opioid Antagonist Program to help prevent opioid overdoses in nightlife establishments. The program will permit nightlife establishments in the city to request and retain up to five opioid antagonist kits, five at a time, free of charge, to keep on premises. This is going to help those who are in need of this usage.”
However, as Hizzoner noted on Friday, “New York City is not just a place that’s tackling opioid cases. We are working hard to end gun violence and stop the scourge of illegal guns in our city.
“Intro 518-A requires the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, MOCJ, to coordinate with the New York City Police Department to conduct a study on reducing the flow of firearms into the city. It should report Dec. 1, 2022, and annually on the trafficking of illegal firearms into New York City. We cannot fix what we don’t continue to identify and report in a real way,” Adams said. “Finally, we turn to Intro 602-A. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court overturned New York’s long standing gun license requirements, taking aim at the safety of New Yorkers. The decision came down less than six weeks after 10 New Yorkers were shot and killed inside a Buffalo supermarket.
“Here in New York,” the mayor continued, “a place known with freedom, openness, and diversity, we will defend ourselves against these threats to our safety. Thanks to Gov. Hochul and the state lawmakers, new restrictions on carrying of concealed weapons in sensitive locations are now in place. Today, we are enshrining those restrictions into city law, protecting New Yorkers, tourists, and all who visit our city. The safety and security of 8.8 million people is my primary responsibility. In working with the City Council, we have continued to make it New York’s number one priority, and I cannot thank them enough.
“Millions of New Yorkers and tourists flock to Times Square to see Broadway shows, enjoy a good meal, and take photos of the neon billboards, and all the excitement that Times Square brings. So Intro 602-A amends the administrative code of the City of New York to identify Times Square as a sensitive location zone where it is unlawful to carry firearms. Licensed gun carriers, others may not enter sensitive location zones with a gun unless otherwise specifically authorized by law.”
