{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/Int%200714-2015/featured_a-local-law-to-amend-the-administrative-code-of-the-city-of-new-york-in-relation-to-exempting-or-partially-exem-1430376827.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/Int%200714-2015/featured_large_a-local-law-to-amend-the-administrative-code-of-the-city-of-new-york-in-relation-to-exempting-or-partially-exem-1430376827.jpg"},"introduced_on":"2015-04-27","title_override":"Should Senior Citizens and People With Disabilities be Exempt from Clearing Snow?","summary_override":"

This bill would establish a program to help people over 65, and people with disabilities remove snow and ice from the walkways around their homes. The program would be paired with reduced fines for people who have demonstrated that they cannot easily clear the snow and ice alone.

Penalties for failing to clear snow or ice from a sidewalk can range between $10 and $150 for the first violation, $150 to $250 for a second violation within 12 months, and between $250 and $350 for a third or subsequent violation within the same 12 months.

Under this bill, people who can demonstrate hardship would have their minimum and maximum penalties cut in half. People who wish to be exempted would have to prove their age or disability to the Environmental Control Board or a court.

The program to assist these exempted people from snow removal would be run by the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Crosswalks, sidewalks, gutters, curb cuts, bus stops, and other city property would all be fair game for ice and snow removal under the program. The program would also be permitted to contract with not-for-profit agencies.

","official_title":"A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to exempting or partially exempting seniors and certain persons with disabilities from penalties for failing to remove snow or ice from sidewalks, crosswalks, curbs and other locations.","short_title":null,"popular_title":null,"short_summary":null,"summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A cost estimate is unavailable. ","impact":"Senior citizens and people with disabilities who would be exempted or partially exempted from snow or ice clearing requirements, contracted not-for-profit groups, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. ","argument_for":"It is pretty harsh to require senior citizens and people with disabilities to clear snow from walkways — and fine them if they fail to do so. Reducing or eliminating the fines, and letting not-for-profits to take care of the walkways is the right thing to do. ","argument_against":"The responsibility for getting the walkways cleared rest on residents. If they can’t do it themselves there are groups they can contact to have it taken care of, or they should reach into their networks to find someone who will. ","bill_type":"Introduction","published":true,"type":"LocalBill","status":"Committee","official_url":"http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=2240502&GUID=BBED00E6-AB16-4875-8D05-77ED75FFC654&Options=&Search=","bill_id":"Int 0714-2015","links":{"details":"/api/bills/40236-int-0714-2015/details","positionsFor":"/api/bills/40236-int-0714-2015/positions/for","positionsAgainst":"/api/bills/40236-int-0714-2015/positions/against","positions":"/api/bills/40236-int-0714-2015/positions/all"},"is_current_congress":true,"issue_ids":["civil-rights"],"progress":"","following":false,"position_count":68,"vote_count":924,"yea_vote_count":774,"nay_vote_count":149,"id":"40236-int-0714-2015","vote_id":null,"my_position_id":null,"legislative_body_id":3,"district_id":"new-york-ny"}],"votes":[],"issues":[{"id":"civil-rights","name":"Civil Rights","slug":"civil-rights","description":"Federal legislation related to Civil Rights protections and can encompass: abortion, age discrimination, voting rights, women’s rights, racial and ethnic relations. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. ","page_title":"Civil Rights legislation encompassing discrimination, privacy and the first amendment - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/civil-rights/black_civil-rights-1429042036.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/civil-rights/grey_civil-rights-1429042036.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/civil-rights/white_civil-rights-1429042036.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false}],"users":[{"name":"S","vote_count":27,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-flags.png","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-flags.png","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-flags.png"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/zmJqpgJZ/following","followers":"/api/users/zmJqpgJZ/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":28,"is_following":null,"influence_score":0,"influence_level":0,"follower_count":0,"following_count":0,"position_count":2,"id":"zmJqpgJZ","partner_id":null}],"bill_position":{"flagged":false,"id":"a87bd83b-7708-44b8-81fc-af3e4cab9937","argument_for":null,"argument_against":"If you own property, it's your responsibility to keep the sidewalk walkable. Hire someone if you can't shovel yourself. ","show_argument_for":false,"show_argument_against":true,"upvote_count":0,"upvotes_for_count":null,"upvotes_against_count":0,"has_upvoted":false,"endorsement_count":0,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/positions/a87bd83b-7708-44b8-81fc-af3e4cab9937"},"body":"If you own property, it's your responsibility to keep the sidewalk walkable. Hire someone if you can't shovel yourself. ","stance":"nay","created_at":"2017-02-24T20:35:29.057Z","shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/positions/a87bd83b-7708-44b8-81fc-af3e4cab9937.png","note_color":null,"note_text":null,"bill_id":"40236-int-0714-2015","user_id":"zmJqpgJZ","endorser_ids":[]}}

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Should Senior Citizens and People With Disabilities be Exempt from Clearing Snow?