File #: Int 0471-2024    Version: Name: Establishing a New York city freedom trail task force.
Type: Introduction Status: Enacted (Mayor's Desk for Signature)
Committee: Committee on Civil and Human Rights
On agenda: 2/28/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law in relation to establishing a New York city freedom trail task force
Sponsors: Nantasha M. Williams, Christopher Marte, Lincoln Restler, Yusef Salaam, Gale A. Brewer, Althea V. Stevens, Shahana K. Hanif, Julie Menin, Kamillah Hanks, Carlina Rivera , Chi A. Ossé, Tiffany Cabán, Amanda Farías, Jennifer Gutiérrez, Crystal Hudson, Alexa Avilés, James F. Gennaro, Pierina Ana Sanchez, Mercedes Narcisse, Erik D. Bottcher, Julie Won, Rita C. Joseph, Farah N. Louis, Darlene Mealy, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams
Council Member Sponsors: 25
Summary: This bill would establish a task force to consider the creation of a citywide New York City freedom trail and a “Lower Manhattan freedom trail” in Lower Manhattan. The freedom trails would be walkable tours which mark and commemorate historical sites in New York City that are associated with the abolitionist movement and Underground Railroad. The task force would consist of public officials, academic and historical scholars, and representatives from relevant organizations. The freedom trail task force would be required to conduct at least two public meetings. The task force would be required to submit a report of its recommendations to the Mayor and the Speaker of the Council no later than one year after the task force is first convened.
Indexes: Council Appointment Required, Other Appointment Required, Report Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 471-A, 2. Summary of Int. No. 471, 3. Int. No. 471, 4. February 28, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 5. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 2-28-24, 6. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - February 28, 2024, 7. Hearing Testimony 9/19/23, 8. Committee Report 6/27/24, 9. Hearing Testimony 6/27/24, 10. Hearing Transcript 6/27/24, 11. Proposed Int. No. 471-A - 7/15/24, 12. Committee Report 9/12/24, 13. Hearing Transcript 9/12/24, 14. Committee Report - Stated Meeting, 15. September 12, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 16. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 9-12-24, 17. Int. No. 471-A (FINAL), 18. Fiscal Impact Statement
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
9/27/2024ANantasha M. Williams Mayor Hearing Scheduled by Mayor Cancelled  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/12/2024ANantasha M. Williams City Council Sent to Mayor by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/12/2024ANantasha M. Williams City Council Approved by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
9/12/2024*Nantasha M. Williams Committee on Civil and Human Rights Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/12/2024*Nantasha M. Williams Committee on Civil and Human Rights Amendment Proposed by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/12/2024*Nantasha M. Williams Committee on Civil and Human Rights Amended by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
9/12/2024ANantasha M. Williams Committee on Civil and Human Rights Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
6/27/2024*Nantasha M. Williams Committee on Civil and Human Rights Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
6/27/2024*Nantasha M. Williams Committee on Civil and Human Rights Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
5/21/2024*Nantasha M. Williams City Council Re-referred to Committee by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
2/28/2024*Nantasha M. Williams City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
2/28/2024*Nantasha M. Williams City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 471-A

 

By Council Members Williams, Marte, Restler, Salaam, Brewer, Stevens, Hanif, Menin, Hanks, Rivera, Ossé, Cabán, Farías, Gutiérrez, Hudson, Avilés, Gennaro, Sanchez, Narcisse, Bottcher, Won, Joseph, Louis, Mealy and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams)

 

A Local Law in relation to establishing a New York city freedom trail task force

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Definitions. For purposes of this local law, the following terms have the following meanings:

City. The term “city” means the city of New York.

Freedom trail. The term “freedom trail” means a walkable tour of historical sites in the city associated with the abolitionist movement and Underground Railroad, including sites that have been marked and sites that remain unmarked, that are linked through unifying signage, programs, or maps.

Task force. The term “task force” means the New York city freedom trail task force established by this local law.

§ 2. Freedom Trail task force established. There is hereby established a task force to be known as the New York city freedom trail task force.

§ 3. Duties. The task force shall study and report on the feasibility of creating two freedom trails in the city: a freedom trail in lower Manhattan and a citywide freedom trail. The task force shall make recommendations for historical sites in lower Manhattan and citywide to be featured on such freedom trails, as well as for legislation and policy in furtherance of that objective. Those recommendations shall take into account the potential educational and cultural value of the freedom trails to persons in the city, the projected costs of implementing any recommended programs, anticipated effects on stakeholders, and any other considerations the task force deems relevant.

§ 4. Membership. a. The task force shall be composed of the following members:

1. Ten members appointed by the mayor, including five representatives of mayoral agencies; and

2. Three members appointed by the speaker of the council.

b. Appointed members shall include academic or historical scholars and representatives of institutions, organizations, corporations, agencies or associations that are organized or operated primarily for historical, cultural, educational, religious, or charitable purposes.

c. The mayor may invite officers and representatives of relevant federal, state, and local agencies and authorities to participate in the work of the task force.

d. All appointments required by this section shall be made no later than 90 days after the effective date of this local law.

e. Each member of the task force shall serve at the pleasure of the officer who appointed the member. In the event of a vacancy on the task force, a successor shall be appointed in the same manner as the original appointment no later than 30 days after the date that such vacancy occurs. All members of the task force shall serve without compensation.

§ 5. Meetings. a. The chair shall convene the first meeting of the task force no later than 30 days after the last member has been appointed, except that where not all members of the task force have been appointed within the time specified in subdivision d of section four of this local law, the chair shall convene the first meeting of the task force no later than 14 days after the appointment of a quorum.

b. The task force may invite experts and stakeholders to attend its meetings and to provide testimony and information relevant to its duties.

c. The task force shall meet regularly, as needed, to carry out the duties described in section three of this local law. The task force shall hold at least 2 public meetings prior to submission of the report required by section six of this local law, to solicit public comment on the establishment of the freedom trails.

§ 6. Report. a. No later than 1 year after the task force first convenes pursuant to subdivision a of section five of this local law, the task force shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council setting forth its recommendations for legislation and policy relating to the freedom trails, including the task force’s recommendations for the feasibility of establishing the freedom trails. The report shall include a summary of information the task force considered in formulating its recommendations. In formulating its recommendations the task force shall consider the following:

1. The feasibility of establishing the freedom trails;

2. Potential sites along the freedom trails;

3. Methods or systems that would be necessary to link the sites along the freedom trails;

4. The extent of coordination among relevant city agencies and organizations that would be necessary to the implementation and operation of the freedom trails; and

5. Outreach and educational materials and efforts, including technological tools, that would be necessary to support the operation of the freedom trails.

b. A mayoral office or agency to be designated by the mayor shall publish the task force’s report electronically on its website no later than 14 days after such report’s submission to the mayor and the speaker of the council.

§ 7. Agency support. Each agency affected by this local law shall provide appropriate staff and resources to support the work of such agency related to the task force.

§ 8. This local law takes effect immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

Session 13

JLB

LS #10464

7/10/2024 7:19 PM

 

Session 12

DPM

LS #10464

7/24/2023 10:25 AM