Council Member Salaam introduces bills on seatbelts in custody, public fountain inspections, and funeral director parking permits

Councilmember Salam, followed by Lewis.

Thank you, Majority Leader, and thank you, Speaker.

Today I'm introducing three bills.

Intro 1054.

55 and 56.

Entry 1054 is about people in our custody.

When someone is handcuffed in the back of a police car or a corrections van, they cannot brace themselves and they cannot buckle the seatbelt.

A sudden stop can change their life forever.

We saw that with Freddie Gray in Baltimore.

I know what it meant, or means rather, to be in custody with your fate in someone else's hands.

This bill requires the NYPD and DOC officers to fasten the seatbelts of individuals in their custody before transport, except in emergency situations.

Custody should never mean surrendering your safety.

Intro 1055 is about something as basic as a drink of water.

On a hot summer day, children at a playground, seniors on a walk, and workers on their break all count on public drinking fountains.

And it is our job to ensure that the water is safe to drink and aesthetically pleasing as well.

This bill requires the Parks Department to inspect every public fountain and test its water at least twice a year, post signage showing whether the water is safe and when it was last tested.

And maintain an online map that anyone can reach with a QR code.

And lastly, Intro 1056 is about those who ensure our dignity even after we are gone.

Funeral

Directors take care of the bodies of our loved ones.

They are an important pillar of our communities.

Funeral directors should not have to choose between a parking ticket and a family's final goodbye.

This bill lets funeral homes apply for an annual DOT permit so licensed funeral directors can park their hearses next to their establishments when posted signs prohibit parking.

I urge my colleagues to sign on as co-sponsors.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember.