Legislation

Since joining the City Council in January 2022, Crystal has sponsored nearly 500 pieces of legislation.

The City Council is the legislative body of New York City government. Members of the Council introduce (or sponsor) local laws and resolutions, which have to be heard and voted on in their respective committees before coming to the full body for a vote. Once the full body votes on the Introduction or Resolution, it is passed and becomes law. Introductions are local laws, and resolutions are statements that express the collective support of the Council and can help push for the passage of bills in the New York State Legislature and Congress. Legislation can take anywhere from a few months to a few years to pass, depending on committee hearing schedules, the Speaker’s discretion, and complexity of the proposed law.

As of March 2023, Crystal has introduced more than 40 bills, including:

  • Int. 115: Increase the minimum daytime (between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.) temperature during heating season from 68 degrees to 70 degrees, and it would increase the nighttime (between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.) temperature from 62 degrees to 66 degrees

  • Int. 172: Require the Department of Transportation to provide notice to affected council members, community boards and community organizations at least 60 days prior to any designation of, permanent removal of or permanent changes to opens streets, and after such notice allow at least four weeks to accept comments from the affected community and at least two weeks in which to consider such comments

  • Int. 255: Require the Department of Finance (DOF) to establish a citywide online system for tenants to apply to and renew their benefits under the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) Program and the Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) Program

  • Int. 256: Require the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to report additional data in quarterly and annual reporting on officers’ use of force

  • Int. 257: Require the Department of Youth and Community Services to establish a universal employment program for youth aged 14 to 17 and for youth aged 18 to 21 who attend a middle school or high school

  • Int. 337: Require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to compile and distribute to tenants or occupants of a multiple dwelling a list of any unresolved violations of the Housing Maintenance Code for such dwelling

  • Int. 477: Establish a child care task force (“task force”) to study how to make child care more affordable through free or low-cost child care, how to make child care more accessible for families in the city, and how to provide support and funding to child care programs and workers at such programs, taking into account: the number of children ages five and under in the city, the capacity of child care providers, the average incomes of families with children in the city, the projected costs of implementing any recommended programs, and any other considerations the task force deems relevant (SIGNED INTO LAW)

  • Int. 478: Require an agency designated by the mayor to administer a public education program that informs the public regarding the services offered by doulas and midwives, the evidence-based benefits of such services and free and low-cost resources related to such services in the city (SIGNED INTO LAW)

  • Int. 538: Require the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) to report on instances in which an individual denies consent to a search, and information pertaining to circumstances involved in such attempt to obtain consent to search

  • Int. 539: Require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to conduct periodic studies of rent stabilized housing accommodations and to develop a program to incentivize owners to keep such accommodations rent stabilized for an extended period of time

  • Int. 540: Require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (“HPD”) to promulgate certain minimum rules governing affordable housing lotteries

  • Int. 575: Require landlords to provide certain documentation to tenants whenever a landlord deducts money from a tenant’s security deposit at the end of a tenancy

  • Int. 620: Require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to develop a plan to prevent the spread of monkeypox in response to the ongoing monkeypox outbreak; require DOHMH to conduct an education and outreach campaign about the monkeypox outbreak, including transmission, prevention of infection, and vaccination and treatment; require DOHMH to coordinate with agencies and community organizations to ensure that communities most at risk of contracting the virus and communities with low vaccine accessibility have adequate vaccine access; require DOHMH to evaluate the demographics of monkeypox vaccine recipients, and adjust the hours of operation and location of vaccination sites based on such examination and the needs of communities most at risk of contracting the disease; require DOHMH to maintain a vaccine portal that allows individuals to schedule appointments for COVID-19, monkeypox and other infectious disease vaccinations

  • Int. 672: Require the Department for the Aging (DFTA) to identify the communities served by each older adult center and the prevalent spoken languages of each such community, and to notify each older adult center of such prevalent spoken languages at least once annually; direct DFTA to require each older adult center to develop and conduct programming in each prevalent spoken language of each such center. (PASSED)

  • Int. 673: Entitle any person 60 years of age or older facing eviction or termination of tenancy in housing court to full legal representation at no cost; require the Department for the Aging to establish a housing support program for the purpose of providing tailored advice and support, through case management services, to persons 60 years of age or older who are at risk of eviction or foreclosure; direct the Coordinator of the Office of Civil Justice to work with persons 60 years of age or older to educate and inform them about their rights in housing court. (PASSED)

  • Int. 674: Require the Department for the Aging (DFTA) to create and maintain a know your rights pamphlet for older adults who are 60 years of age and above, to inform them of their rights on various topics (PASSED)

  • Int. 675: Require the department of health and mental hygiene to create a telemedicine accessibility plan to improve the availability and accessibility of portable monitoring devices and telehealth devices for populations that could be better served by telemedicine services

  • Int. 676: Require the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to develop a list of universal design features and require that a developer who receives City financial assistance incorporate universal design in all dwelling units in a new housing development project (PASSED)

  • Int. 839: Establish an Office of Refugee and Migrant Settlement to provide short and long term access to relevant resources including, housing, medical care, education and food to people from outside the U.S. who are resettled in New York City

  • Res. 24: Resolution calling upon the State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.5374-A/A.6329-A, the Fair Pay for Home Care Act (APPROVED)

  • Res. 67: Resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and calling upon Congress and President Joseph R. Biden to increase and expand the severity of sanctions imposed on Russia (APPROVED)

  • Res. 199: Resolution declaring June Caribbean Heritage Month

  • Res. 238: Resolution calling upon New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S7475B/ A7770C, which would increase oversight of the immigration bond industry and curb abusive practices

  • Res. 239: Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign S9247/A10447, which would prohibit fake electronic communication service accounts and use of such information by law enforcement and other government entities

  • Res. 241: Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, Fair and Timely Parole Act (S7514/A4231A) and Elderly Parole Act (S15A/A8855)

  • Res. 293: Resolution calling on the United States Congress to pass, and the President to sign, legislation requiring that the Federal Aviation Administration ensure that all approved emergency medical kits on airplanes flying within the United States include life-saving medications and devices, including, but not limited to, a glucometer, an EpiPen, automatic blood pressure cuffs, disposable stethoscopes and naloxone

  • Res. 294: Resolution calling upon the United States Department of Health and Human Services to increase the number of monkeypox vaccines available and ensure the amount of vaccines sent to New York City is reflective of the proportion of the nationwide cases for an equitable distribution and effective containment of the nationwide monkeypox outbreak

  • Res. 395: Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S728/A2198 and S836/A1732, and for the Governor to sign S688/A807, which would increase access to pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis

To view a full list of sponsored, co-prime sponsored, and co-sponsored legislation, click here.