Page 9 - QT Eedition #41

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2025 THE QUEENS TIMES PAGE 9

Speaker Adrienne Adams, Community Leaders Celebrate Gillibrand, Grassley Reintroduce
NYC Council’s $5.1 Million Investment to Renovate Legislation To Combat Sexual Assault

Sutphin Playground On College Campuses, Improve
Capital funding allocation for Accountability And Transparency For
first phase of reconstruction Higher Education Institutions
project will deliver new play area,
benches, plaza, and other features (Continued from page 8) ing created by the Department of
Education.
New York City Council Speaker are handled with fairness,” said 4. Ensure that individuals who
Adrienne Adams celebrated the Senator Gillibrand. “The bipar- report sexual misconduct in good
Council’s capital funding alloca- tisan Campus Accountability and faith are not punished for any
tion of $5.1 million in the City’s Safety Act would strengthen the physical violence or assault as a
Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget to support network for survivors defense, or alcohol or drug use,
renovate Sutphin Playground in and increase accountability for that is revealed by that report.
her district. Joined by Queens schools by creating a standardized 5. Expand the VAWA Campus
Parks Commissioner Jacqueline process for investigating instances Grant Program to also address
Langsam, Baisley Park Gardens of sexual assault. This will help sexual harassment on campuses.
Tenant Association leaders, and survivors get the justice they 6. Require the comptroller gen-
PS 223Q Principal Tekesha Babb, deserve and ensure a fair process eral to study the effectiveness of
Speaker Adams hosted the check for everyone involved. I’m proud VAWA grants and submit a report
presentation to signify the start to lead this legislation and com- to Congress within 2 years of
of the multi-phase reconstruction mitted to working across the aisle enactment.
project. The Council’s $5.1 million Speaker Adrienne Adams Delivers Remarks at Parks to get it passed.” Senator Gillibrand has fought
investment will kick off the first Funding Announcement “Across America, inconsis- alongside survivors of sexual as-
phase, which includes renovating Located within Baisley Pond will provide a revitalized and tent enforcement mechanisms sault for over a decade, working to
the children’s play area, benches, Park, Sutphin Playground was last engaging play space for the en- are failing to treat sexual assault build a broad bipartisan coalition
plaza, flagpole, and more. The renovated in 1997. That $859,000 tire community to enjoy, with crimes with the seriousness they dedicated to justice and fairness.
second phase would include re- capital project included the addi- further amenities and improve- deserve,” said Senator Grassley. During the 117th Congress, she led
constructed basketball courts and tion of a giant mastodon sculpture, ments to come,” said NYC Parks “We’re taking action to change the effort to fundamentally change
adult fitness equipment. which pays homage to a mid-19th Queens Borough Commissioner that. Our legislation creates a the military justice system along-
“Our neighborhood parks and century discovery of the remains Jacqueline Langsam. “We are so coordinated approach to address side Senator Grassley. Their legis-
playgrounds are critical public of an American Mastodon by grateful to Speaker Adams and incidents of sexual assault on col- lation to remove judicial functions
spaces where we gather with Brooklyn city workers at the the City Council for their critical lege campuses. It would inform and prosecutorial decisions from
neighbors, exercise, and spend bottom of Baisley Pond. The support making this and other university protocols for handling the chain of command for certain
time with our families,” said playground currently features ongoing capital projects in Baisley reports, and it would strengthen serious crimes, including sexual
Speaker Adrienne Adams. “I’m play equipment, safety surfacing, Pond Park possible, and we look recovery resources for survivors assault and domestic violence,
proud to celebrate the Council’s a sitting area, a spray shower, a forward to holding a community and empower them to know their and put them in the hands of
$5.1 million investment to reno- basketball court, swing sets, and input meeting in the upcoming rights.” professional military prosecutors
vate Sutphin Playground, which a drinking fountain. year.” Specifically, the Campus was included in the FY2022 and
serves the residents of Baisley In addition to the renovation of “On behalf of Baisley Park Accountability and Safety Act 2023 defense bills. Additionally,
Park Gardens and the PS 223Q Sutphin Playground, Baisley Pond Gardens Tenant Association, would: Senator Gillibrand successfully
school community. This capital Park is currently undergoing sev- we extend heartfelt gratitude to 1. Increase transparency and ushered her bipartisan Ending
funding will kick off the first eral capital improvement projects, Speaker Adrienne Adams for reporting requirements under Forced Arbitration of Sexual
phase of the reconstruction proj- including the reconstruction of its securing funding for our Sutphin the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Assault and Sexual Harassment
ect, which includes a new chil- track, synthetic turf field, and the Playground,” said Charmell Campus Security Policy and Act, which Senator Grassley also
dren’s play area, benches, plaza, addition of sports lighting, the Cooper-Banks, President of the Campus Crime Statistics Act by cosponsored, to passage in 2022.
flagpole, and other upgrades. I reconstruction of its paths, and an Baisley Park Gardens Tenant As- mandating that the institution’s This crucial legislation prevents
thank our community partners, overhaul of the 157th Street Play- sociation, “a vibrant oasis that will website include campus safety perpetrators from being able to
local leaders, and the Parks De- ground’s multi-purpose play area. empower our children to grow, policies, an annual security report, push survivors of sexual harass-
partment for their collaboration “These important, phased learn, thrive, and play in a beauti- instructions for filing a complaint, ment and sexual assault into the
on this vital project.” upgrades to Sutphin Playground ful, safe space.” and statistics of sexual misconduct secretive, biased process of forced
allegations on campus. arbitration. Senator Gillibrand
Attorney General James Announces That Social Media 2. Create sexual and interpersonal also leads the bipartisan Tax
Companies Must Start Reporting Their Content violence specialists at each institu- Fairness for Survivors Act, which
tion to serve as confidential aides would remove the federal tax
Moderation Policies to Combat Online Hate for victims. penalty on settlements, awards,
3. Ensure that sexual and inter- and judgments paid to survivors
“Stop Hiding Hate Act” Requires social media companies to share mation on their platforms,” said personal violence specialists are of sexual harassment and sexual
assault.
well-trained by requiring train-
Social Media Companies Operat- their content moderation policies Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal.
ing in New York to Report Their publicly and with my office to “The commencement of required
Content Moderation Policies to ensure that these companies are reporting by social media compa- Final Debate Lineup Announced for
OAG Starting October 1 more transparent about how they nies is an important milestone and NYC’s 2025 General Election
are addressing harmful content on first step toward allowing New
New York Attorney Gen- their platforms. I thank Governor Yorkers to be able to better decide The New York City Campaign • Zohran Mamdani
eral Letitia James announced Hochul, Senator Hoylman-Sigal, which social media platforms they Finance Board (CFB), in partner- • Curtis Sliwa
that social media companies and Assemblymember Lee for utilize. The transparency and ac- ship with NYC Votes, WNBC, Due to insufficient qualify-
must start reporting their content their work on this legislation to countability resulting from the and NY1, has released the final ing candidates, there will be no
moderation policies to her office, ensure transparency and account- reporting required by the Stop schedule and qualified candidate CFB-sponsored debates for the
as required by the “Stop Hiding ability.” Hiding Hate Act will reduce the list for the citywide general elec- offices of Comptroller and Public
Hate” Act. This law, sponsored “Whether in our communi- circulation of malevolent white tion debates ahead of Election Day Advocate.
by Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal ties or online, my top priority is supremacy, antisemitism, is- on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Debate Participation Criteria:
and Assemblymember Grace Lee keeping New Yorkers safe,” said lamophobia, anti-LGBTQ hatred Participation in these debates To qualify for the first general
and signed by Governor Hochul, Governor Kathy Hochul. “Social and anti-AAPI violence. New is mandatory for candidates who mayoral debate, candidates must
requires platforms to submit bian- media platforms should be a Yorkers deserve this information, joined the city’s Matching Funds be on the ballot and have raised and
nual reports on whether and how place for people to connect and and I am happy to stand with Program and met the financial spent at least $198,300. For the sec-
their existing policies deal with share their interests — not a place Attorney General Letitia James, and ballot access criteria outlined ond debate, candidates must meet
hate speech, racism, misinforma- where individuals can hide behind Assemblymember Grace Lee, by the CFB. Debates will only one of the following thresholds:
tion, and other types of content. a keyboard to spread hate speech and the Anti-Defamation League proceed if at least two candidates • Raised and spent $2,379,600, or
The law applies to any social or harass others. This legislation as we start to shed a light on the qualify. • Raised $250,000 in matchable
media company operating in New builds on our efforts to improve darkness that is social media con- The first mayoral debate will air contributions, including at least
York that generates over $100 mil- safety online and marks an impor- tent moderation.” on Thursday, October 16 at 7 p.m. 1,000 contributions of $10 or more.
lion in gross annual revenue. As tant step to increase transparency “Starting today, New York- ET, hosted by WNBC, followed Similar financial benchmarks
of today, social media companies and accountability.” ers will finally get the trans- by a leading contenders debate on were set for Comptroller and Pub-
can submit their content modera- “As real and threatened po- parency they deserve from so- Wednesday, October 22 at 7 p.m. lic Advocate candidates, though
tion reports at online by January 1. litical violence emanates from cial media companies,” said ET, broadcast by NY1. none met the required thresholds
“With violence and polar- the spread of hate speech and Assemblymember Grace Lee. Qualified Candidates for May- for debate inclusion.
ization on the rise, social me- disinformation online, the Stop “For too long, attention-driven oral Debates: For updates, follow @NYCCFB
dia companies must ensure that Hiding Hate Act will ensure that algorithms have amplified harm- • Andrew Cuomo and @NYCVotes.
their platforms don’t fuel hateful New Yorkers are able to know ful content with little account-
rhetoric and disinformation,” said what social media companies are ability. The Stop Hiding Hate Act
Attorney General James. “The doing (or not doing) to stop the Visit Our Website: www.queenstimes.com
Stop Hiding Hate Act requires spread of hatred and misinfor- (Continued on page 10)