I know the call to action below is super-specific and will only...
I know the call to action below is super-specific and will only apply to a small number of people. But if you do live in one of these districts, please call or write your NYS Senator. Hearing from constituents makes a difference!
The New York state No Condoms as Evidence bill (S323/A1008) is on the agenda for the NYS Senate Judiciary Committee for this Thursday, March 1. State level bills need to make their way through several committees in both the Senate and Assembly before they can go to a vote, and frequently in past years, this bill has "died in committee," which means that it was referred to a committee and then the members never put it on an agenda to get voted on. So it didn't get voted against, it just didn't get a chance. So this could be a step forward! And its an advocacy opportunity for us - but only those of us who live in senate districts where the Senator is part of the Judiciary Committee. I have a list of those relevant Senators in NYC below. Please write or call before Thursday!
Find your Senator here: http://www.nysenate.gov/senators
Here's a sample letter:
Subject: Bill S323 No Condoms as Evidence
Dear Senator XXX,
I am a constituent of yours, and I am a resident of [neighborhood]. I am writing to encourage you to support bill S323, which would make it illegal for condoms to be used as evidence of prostitution. This bill is on the Judiciary Committee agenda for this Thursday, March 1.
Many people, particularly people of color and transgender women, have become afraid to carry condoms with them for fear of condoms being used as evidence of prostitution if they are stopped and arrested. The fear that the NYPD has created in this community around this issue is at cross purposes with the Department of Health, which has been distributing condoms for free to the public, and particularly to high risk populations, for many decades.
This issue is of personal importance to me because… [insert some stuff about why this is important to you, and if you are a current/former sex worker or an ally this is a great place for a personal story, which could be your story or a friend's]
I hope to see S323 make it out of the Judiciary Committee and to the floor for a vote in this legislative session, and encourage you to vote to pass S323 in Committee this week.
best regards,
[NAME]
[ADDRESS including zip code - this is very important as it confirms that you live in the district]
Here's a sample phone script:
I am a constituent of yours, and I live at [ADDRESS AND ZIP]. I am calling to encourage the Senator to support bill S323, which would make it illegal for condoms to be used as evidence of prostitution. This bill is on the Judiciary Committee agenda for this Thursday, March 1. This is a serious public health issue that impacts populations at high risk for STIs including HIV. This issue is of personal importance to me because…
If your Senator is both on the Judiciary Committee and is a co-sponsor of the bill, as is the case for Adams (my senator!) and Perkins, please thank them for their co-sponsorship of the bill. They will definitely be voting yes, so you don't have to be all persuasive - but let them know you support the bill and look forward to seeing it move along with their continued support.
Here's a list of Senators on the JC:
Brooklyn
Eric Adams (D) - parts of Greenwood Heights, Windsor Terrace, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Wingate, Weeksville, Prospect Lefferts Gardens
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/eric-adams/contact
Martin M. Dilan (D) - parts of Bushwick, Cypress Hills, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, East New York
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/martin-malave-dilan/contact
Daniel Squadron (D) - Lower Manhattan, also parts of Williamsburg, Sunset Park, and the Navy Yard
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/daniel-l-squadron/contact
Manhattan
Adriano Espaillat (D) - parts of the (northern) West Side, Northwest Bronx
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/adriano-espaillat/contact
Liz Krueger (D) - parts of Murray Hill, Tudor City, Sutton Place, Yorkville, Midtown
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/liz-krueger/contact
Bill Perkins (D) - parts of Harlem, Upper West Side, Washington Heights
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/bill-perkins/contact
Jose Serrano (D) - parts of South and West Bronx, also parts of East Harlem, Roosevelt Island, North Yorkville, Upper Washington Heights
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/jose-m-serrano/contact
Daniel Squadron (D) - Lower Manhattan, also parts of Williamsburg, Sunset Park, and the Navy Yard
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/daniel-l-squadron/contact
Queens
Michael Gianaris (D) - parts of Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Bayside, Flushing, Bay Terrace
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/michael-gianaris/contact
Toby Ann Stavisky (D) - parts of Flushing, Bay Terrace, Forest Hills, Rego Park
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/toby-ann-stavisky/contact
Bronx
Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D) - parts of the South Bronx including Morrisania, West Farms, and Concourse Village
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/ruth-hassell-thompson/contact
Adriano Espaillat (D) - parts of the (northern) West Side, Northwest Bronx
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/adriano-espaillat/contact
Jose Serrano (D) - parts of South and West Bronx, also parts of East Harlem, Roosevelt Island, North Yorkville, Upper Washington Heights
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/jose-m-serrano/contact
Staten Island
Andrew Lanza (R)
http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/andrew-j-lanza/contact
