Council Member Hudson speaks on Intro 246 and Intro 248

Thank you.

Councilmember Hudson.

Thank you so much and good afternoon.

I'd like to speak briefly on two of my bills that we're voting on today, Intro 246 and Intro 248.

Since entering office, I've advocated for policies that make it easier for New Yorkers to access the benefits and services they deserve.

I got into public service to make government more accessible for more people.

Antiquated systems and unnecessary red tape make it nearly impossible for New Yorkers to reach benefits they're entitled to, and that fuels distrust in government.

Both of today's bills are about the same basic idea.

Government should return to people what is already theirs without an onerous process to obtain it.

Intro 248 bridges that gap.

It creates a streamlined enrollment process for fair fares that allows DSS

to immediately enroll individuals with their consent into fair fares if they're also applying for SNAP or cash assistance.

Intro 246 also works to put cash into the pockets of New Yorkers by requiring the Department of Correction to tell every person in city jails exactly how much is in their account and directs the agency to return those funds via cash, check, or preloaded debit card

before the individual leaves custody.

Together, these bills send one message.

Whether it's benefits owed to a family or money owed to someone leaving custody, as government, we owe it to our constituents to ensure they get the money and benefits they are entitled to.

I want to thank the advocates who have pushed for these reforms for years, including Writers Alliance, CSS, Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA,

Legal Aid Society, Freedom Agenda, as well as the teams at DSS and DOC, the Council's committee staff, and my team who helped get these bills across the finish line.

Thank you.