Council Member Hanif celebrates passage of horse carriage ban and COPA
Council Member Shahana Hanif speaks in support of Romancia's law and COPA, praising the advocates and colleagues who fought for these bills. She votes aye on all.
Hanif.
Permission to explain my vote?
Permission granted.
Today I am proud that under Speaker Menon's leadership, this council is passing Ramach's law, ending the dangerous and inhumane horse-drawn carriage industry after nearly two decades of advocacy and struggle in these halls.
We must never forget the preventable injuries and deaths of horses and humans that occurred while our city failed to act.
As vice co-chair of the Animal Welfare Caucus and a longtime sponsor of this legislation, I am deeply grateful for the advocates who never gave up.
Today we honor Ryder and Romach and take a historic step toward a safer, more humane city.
I also congratulate our fierce Progressive Caucus co-chair, Sandy Nurse, on passing COPA.
Councilmember Nurse and the New York City Community Land Initiative Coalition weathered a veto and a coordinated corporate disinformation campaign to reach this moment.
Six years in the making, this victory belongs to the countless New Yorkers who demanded real tools to fight private equity firms buying up our homes and displacing our communities.
I was proud to serve as Progressive Caucus co-chair when we adopted COPA as a priority last term.
My colleagues and our movement stood strong through every fight.
COPA is a major victory for housing justice and puts people before shareholder profits.
With that, I vote aye on all.
Thank you.
Thank you.