CM James Ranks #1 on Urban Justice Center- Human Rights Report Card

Council Member James was honored and pleased to be ranked #1 on the Urban Justice Center’s 2008 Human Rights Report Card.

The Urban Justice Center’s Human Rights Project (HRP) is one of eight projects of the Urban Justice Center, an anti-poverty non profit organization that serves New York City's most vulnerable residents through a combination of direct legal service, systemic advocacy, community education, and political organizing. HRP is a project that works to apply globally accepted human rights standards to domestic social policy.

As a former Public Defender with the Legal Aid Society, Council Member James considers the strengthening of equal and fair human/civil rights to be the foundation of a strong society, and her dedication has been represented by her involvement on such issues as fair housing, eminent domain, and term limits.

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Legislatively, Council Member James has a strong record on human and civil rights through sponsoring bills that strengthen issues within health, housing, and equal rights.*

Health
Laws-

Law 2008/004 (Int. No. 293-2006)- Making applications for Child Health Plus available in public schools and day care centers.
A Local Law to amend the New York City charter and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to distributing information on public health insurance options at day care centers.

Bills/Resos-
-Sponsored-
(2008)

Int. 805-2008- A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to providing paid family leave to private employees.

Int. 739-2008- A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the use of certain synthetic turf on surfaces used for recreational purposes.

Res. 1542-2008- Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign A.3477, currently pending in the New York State Assembly, which would expand eligibility for child care assistance by increasing the income eligibility minimum from two hundred percent of the state income standard to three hundred percent of the state income standard.

Res. 1418-2008- Resolution calling upon the Mayor of the City of New York to declare a state of emergency with respect to the HIV/AIDS crisis in the black MSM community in New York City, and urging the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to take necessary actions to address such health emergency.

Res. 1392-2008- Resolution calling upon the Department of Health to study the effects of fluoride in tap water.

Res. 1282-2008- Resolution calling upon the State of New York to pass A.3873/S.1865, legislation that would amend the Administrative Code of the City of New York and the retirement and social security law by expanding the term “physically taxing occupation” to include registered nurses and midwives employed by the City of New York or the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.

(2007)

Res. 1189-2007- Resolution expressing the Council’s support for the “Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2007” (H.R. 2349 and S. 1275), which would provide funding for research and education with respect to uterine fibroids.

Res. 1149-2007- Resolution calling for changes in the New York City Family Court system to better protect battered women and parents who reasonably believe that their child is threatened by child abuse or domestic violence that is perpetrated or permitted by the child’s other parent.

Res. 781-2007- Resolution calling upon the United States federal government to preserve immediate and non-contingent Medicaid eligibility for children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants.

Housing
Laws-
(2007)

Law 2007/029 (Int. No. 561-A-2007)- Alternative enforcement program by the department of housing preservation and development for violations of the housing maintenance code and multiple dwelling law.
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to an alternative enforcement program by the department of housing preservation and development for violations of the housing maintenance code and multiple dwelling law.

Bills/Resos-
-Sponsored-
(2008)

Res. 1571-2008- A resolution calling upon the New York City Housing Authority to review its infrastructure and address a possible correlation between air vents, water pipes and asthma, which may result in an increase in asthma among its residents.

(2007)

Res. 1084-2007- Resolution calling upon the New York City Housing Authority to devise Disaster Evacuation Plans for residents in Public Housing.

Equal Rights
Bills/Resos-
-Sponsored-
(2008)

Int. 844-2008 (along with CMs de Blasio and Vann)- A local law to amend the administrative code of the City of New York, in relation to requiring the Department of Homeless Services to maintain an intake center in Manhattan.

Res. 1617-2008- A resolution calling on the New York State Office of Court Administration to disclose and report to the Governor and the New York State Legislature on the process of selecting judges to preside at trials.

*This is a list of legislation from 2007-2008 alone. It does not include legislation co-sponsorships, and is not complete. We hope to have a full legislative 'check sheet' out in the next few months.

Click here: (http://www.hrpujc.org/CouncilWatch.html) to learn more about the Human Rights Report Card itself.