[THEME MUSIC] >> WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

I'M SHANTEL DESTRA.

IN MARCH, THOUSANDS OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WORKING AT PRISONS ACROSS NEW YORK WENT ON AN UNSANCTIONED WORK STRIKE.

THE MAIN POINTS OF CONTENTION FROM OFFICERS WAS THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE HALT ACT AND WHAT THEY ALLEGED WERE POOR WORKING CONDITIONS.

WHILE THE STRIKE ENDED AFTER 22 DAYS, ABOUT 2,000 OFFICERS WERE TERMINATED FOR REFUSING TO RETURN TO WORK.

TODAY NEARLY SIX MONTHS SINCE THE STRIKE STATE PRISONS ARE STILL FEELING ITS EFFECTS.

IN THIS NEXT SEGMENT, WE'LL DIVE INTO THE PRISON STAFFING CHALLENGES AND THE STATE'S EFFORTS TO INCREASE RECRUITMENT.

HERE'S THAT STORY.

>> IT'S BEEN MONTHS SINCE THOUSANDS OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AT PRISONS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE WALKED OFF OF THEIR JOB IN WHAT WAS KNOWN AS AN UNSANCTIONED WILDCAT STRIKE.

JOSE SALDANA, WHO SERVES AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE RELEASING AGING PEOPLE IN PRISON CAMPAIGN, SAYS THE IMPACT OF THE PRISON STRIKE CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED.

AFTER SERVING 33 YEARS IN PRISON, SALDANA SPOKE ABOUT HOW THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICER STRIKE IMPACTED THOSE SERVING TIME BEHIND BARS.

>> THEY JUST FINISHED GOING ON A WILDCAT STRIKE.

THEY WALKED OUT THEIR POSTS WITHOUT CARING, NOT A SINGLE CARE FOR WHAT THEY WAS LEAVING BEHIND.

>> WHILE MANY OFFICERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RETURN TO THEIR POSTS, MORE THAN 2,000 OFFICERS WERE TERMINATED FOR REFUSING TO RETURN TO WORK.

JENNIFER SCAIFE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK, SAYS WHILE THE ISSUES WITH STAFFING LEVELS LONG EXISTED, THE MARCH STRIKE WORKED TO EXACERBATE THOSE PROBLEMS.

>> AS A RESULT OF TERMINATIONS FOLLOWING THAT WORK STOPPAGE, THE SYSTEM IS FACING EVEN DEEPER HOLES IN TERMS OF VACANCIES AMONG, IN PARTICULAR, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND SERGEANTS, WHO ARE KEY ROLES WHO FILL KEY ROLES IN THE DEPARTMENT.

>> ACCORDING TO AN AUGUST 2025 STAFFING REPORT FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, THERE IS CURRENTLY A VACANCY OF CLOSE TO 5,000 POSITIONS ACROSS STATE PRISONS.

SCAIFE SAYS SOME OF THOSE VACANCIES ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE STRIKE.

>> WELL, THE NUMBER OF VACANCIES ROUGHLY DOUBLED AFTER THE END OF THE STRIKE AMONG SECURITY STAFF POSITIONS.

SO IT MADE THE PROBLEM TWICE AS BAD IN SOME WAYS.

>> REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR PATRICK GALLIVAN, WHO REPRESENTS ERIE COUNTY IN THE LEGISLATURE, AGREES WITH THAT SENTIMENT.

>> I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE THOUSANDS OF NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS THAT ARE DEPLOYED.

KEEP IN MIND, BEFORE THE STRIKE, THEY WERE SEVERELY SHORT STAFFED.

>> ACCORDING TO SCAIFE, LOW STAFFING NUMBERS AFFECT INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS' ABILITY TO HAVE RECREATIONAL AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS.

>> EVERY ASPECT OF THE FACILITY HAS BEEN AFFECTED.

>> ALEX BURTON, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF CRIMINOLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, SAYS WHEN STAFFING SHORTAGES OCCUR, THE FOCUS OF OFFICERS IS TO ENSURE THE OVERALL SAFETY OF THE PRISON COMMUNITY FIRST AND FOREMORST.

>> GENERALLY WHEN STAFF SHORTAGES ARE PRESENT, OFFICERS MUST SPEND MORE TIME AND MORE RESOURCES ON SAFETY AND SECURITY AND THEN BY EXTENSION LESS TIME FOCUSING ON THINGS LIKE REHABILITATIVE EFFORTS, QUALITY PROGRAMING.

BASICALLY, THEY REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON JUST MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE RUNNING SMOOTHLY.

AND SO THAT MIGHT LEAD TO MORE INDIVIDUALS BEING STUCK IN THEIR CELLS FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME, LESS RECREATION, WHICH CAN ULTIMATELY DECLINE THINGS LIKE QUALITY OF LIFE.

>> ONE OF THE MOST PERTINENT ISSUES FOR OFFICERS HAS BEEN THE HALT ACT.

THIS IS A 2022 STATE LAW THAT AIMED TO LIMIT THE USE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN PRISONS.

DURING THE MARCH STRIKE, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS EXPRESSED ISSUES WITH THE LAW.

ACCORDING TO OFFICERS, THE HALT ACT MADE IT HARDER FOR THEM TO KEEP ORDER INSIDE PRISONS.

MEANWHILE, SALDANA SAYS THAT SOLITARY CONFINEMENT DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD.

>> THEY ARE ACCUSTOMED TO PUNISHING.

THEY DON'T SEE THAT THE HARM, THE LASTING HARM NOT ONLY ON THOSE THEY ARE PUT IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT FOR YEARS.

I HAVE A CODEFENDANT THAT SPENT 30 YEARS IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

SO THIS IS THIS ISSUE IS VERY CLOSE TO ME.

30 YEARS IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT.

THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT WHAT THAT DOES TO A HUMAN BEING, AND THE FAMILY.

>> BECAUSE OF THE GRIEVANCES BY OFFICERS DURING THE STRIKE, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS DID MOVE TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND THE HALT ACT.

IN THE SUMMER, A JUDGE MOVED TO REVERSE THAT SUSPENSION.

THE LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER THE STATE'S ABILITY TO SUSPEND THE LEGISLATION IS STILL ACTIVELY IN THE COURTS.

>> THERE'S BEEN NO REAL SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE RULES.

THE HALT ACT STILL PRESENTS PROBLEMS, LAWSUIT ASIDE, DEALING WITH THE HALT ACT, IT STILL PRESENTS PROBLEMS, STILL PRESENTS CHALLENGES.

AND MY BELIEF IS THAT THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND CORRECTIONS STAFF DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TOOLS.

>> IN DECEMBER 2024, THE BRUTAL BEATING AND KILLING OF INMATE ROBERT BROOKS BY CORRECTIONAL STAFF AT MARCY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY LED TO OUTCRY FROM PRISON ADVOCATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS.

>> YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT VIDEO, YOU SEE A HUMAN BEING BEATEN TO DEATH.

THAT HUMAN BEING IS NOT A CRIMINAL AT THAT VERY MOMENT.

HE'S JUST A HUMAN BEING BEATEN TO DEATH BY CRIMINALS.

SO TO US, THIS IS A FARCE.

THE CRISIS IS CREATED BY THEM.

>> KEVIN KEMPF OF THE CORRECTIONAL LEADERS ASSOCIATION SAYS THAT THE INCIDENTS OF INMATES BEING KILLED AT THE HANDS OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS IS INTOLERABLE AND MOST OF THE TIMES CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS ARE PERFORMING THEIR JOBS PROFESSIONALLY.

>> CORRECTIONS IS A 24 7 BUSINESS.

I MEAN, IT NEVER STOPS.

IT'S GOING ON AS WE SPEAK.

IT'S GOING TO BE GOING ON AS WE SPEAK AT 3:00 IN THE MORNING.

IT'S TAKING PLACE ACROSS EVERY SINGLE PRISON IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME IT'S BEING DONE CORRECTLY.

RIGHT.

AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WITH HUMANITY, YOU KNOW, PRACTICES INVOLVED.

BUT SADLY, GOOD HEAVENS, THERE ARE THESE INCIDENTS LIKE THIS ROBERT BROOKS INCIDENTS, JUST STAINS ALL OF US.

>> WHEN ASKED BY WMHT ABOUT THE STAFFING LEVELS AT PRISONS, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS CONFIRMED THAT 2,000 OFFICERS WERE TERMINATED AS A RESULT OF THE STRIKE AND A LITTLE OVER 700 HAVE RETURNED TO WORK.

MEANWHILE, FOR SOME PUBLIC POLICY EXPERTS, THE RATIO OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS TO PRISONERS APPEARS FAVORABLE.

SHAWN BUSHWAY, PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY AT THE UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY, POINTS TO THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CURRENTLY BEHIND BARS IN RECENT YEARS.

>> THE AVERAGE RATIO OF TOTAL SECURITY STAFF TO PRISONERS IN STATE PRISONS IN THE U.S., ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, IS 5 TO 1.

IN NEW YORK, IT'S 2 TO 1.

THIS RATIO, IN FACT, HAS GOTTEN BIGGER OVER TIME BECAUSE THE RATE AT WHICH WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS HAS NOT BEEN AS BIG AS THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF PRISONERS.

>> ASSEMBLY MEMBER MICHAELLE SOLAGES, WHO SERVES AS CHAIR OF THE BLACK, PUERTO RICAN, HISPANIC AND ASIAN CAUCUSES UNDERSCORED THE IMPACT OF THE STRIKE ON STAFFING AND ASSERTS IT IS UP TO THE STATE TO DO MORE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES.

>> WE'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AS WELL AS DOCS, THAT THERE IS A STAFFING CHALLENGE.

AND SO WE HAVE AN URGENT ISSUE ON OUR HANDS AND WE NEED TO BE CREATIVE IN ORDER TO BUILD UP THE STAFFING LEVELS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AT A CRITICAL POINT.

>> THE LATEST STATE BUDGET INCLUDED EFFORTS TO HELP RECRUITMENT EFFORTS FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, INCLUDING SIGN ON BONUSES, LOWERING THE AGE REQUIREMENT FROM 21 TO 18, AND ADVANCED PLACEMENT FOR EXPERIENCED OFFICERS.

BUT THE ROAD TO FILLING UP VACANCIES HAS BEEN LONG.

>> I CAN'T SAY WHEN IT'LL BE DONE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET OUR GRADUATING CLASSES UP TO SPEED AND TRAINED AND THEN BRING IN THE NEXT CLASS, AND IT'S A PROCESS.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE IT'S NOT OVERNIGHT.

IT'S NOT EVEN IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO GET IT RIGHT.

I'M COMMITTED TO THAT.

>> ASSEMBLY MEMBER SOLAGES SAYS THE RECRUITING EFFORTS SHOULD ALSO FOCUS MORE ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY AND JUSTICE, IT HAS TO BE A COHESIVE CONVERSATION WHERE WE USE THE COMMUNITIES THAT WERE MOST HARMED IN ORDER TO BRING A LAYER OF KNOWLEDGE AND JUSTICE ABOUT HOW THEY COULD REALLY CHANGE OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND THE CULTURE FROM THE INSIDE.

AND SO WHAT I HOPE THAT DOCS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THE LEGISLATION, THE GOVERNOR ARE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE COULD RECRUIT IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST HARMED BY OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

>> IN TERMS OF THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, STATE SENATOR GALLIVAN SAYS THAT IT IS UP TO THE LEGISLATURE TO PASS POLICY TO HELP WITH THE WORKING CONDITIONS THAT CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS DEAL WITH.

>> WE'VE GOT THESE DIFFERENT THINGS ALL COMING TOGETHER.

WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO DO THE JOB PROPERLY.

THEY DON'T HAVE SUFFICIENT TOOLS TO DO THE JOB PROPERLY.

AND IT'S A VICIOUS CIRCLE.

ONE FEEDS THE OTHER AND WE NEED TO SOLVE BOTH OF THEM.

>> NOW TURNING TO ANOTHER IMPORTANT TOPIC.

TOWARD THE END OF THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, STATE LAWMAKERS WERE HOPEFUL THAT A BILL THAT WOULD CREATE AN EBONY ALERT SYSTEM FOR MISSING BLACK YOUTH WOULD MAKE IT OVER THE LEGISLATIVE FINISH LINE.

IN NEW YORK, LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY SOUNDING THE ALARM ON WHAT THEY CALL DISPARITIES IN THE WAY CASES OF MISSING BLACK WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE HANDLED IN THE STATE.

WHILE THE EBONY ALERT BILL WAS NOT PASSED THIS YEAR, LAWMAKERS AND SUPPORTERS ARE STILL ACTIVELY WORKING TO BUILD SUPPORT THROUGH THE SUMMER.

IN THIS NEXT SEGMENT, OUR ELISE KLINE SPOKE WITH STATE SENATOR LEAH WEBB, WHO SPONSORS THE BILL IN THE UPPER CHAMBER ABOUT ITS IMPACT AND THE EFFORTS TO GET IT PASSED NEXT YEAR.

HERE'S THAT CONVERSATION.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY, SENATOR.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME, ELISE.

>> LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS BILL WILL DO AND WHAT IT BROUGHT YOU TO WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO SPONSOR IT?

>> SO THE EBONY ALERT BILL THAT I SPONSORED WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER NOAH BURROUGHS IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED DISPARITIES THAT EXIST WHEN UNFORTUNATE TRAGEDIES OF BLACK YOUTH GO MISSING.

IT IS DOCUMENTED THAT OVER 600,000 AMERICANS GO MISSING EVERY YEAR.

OF THAT, 40% ARE BLACK AMERICANS, AND BLACK YOUTH MAKE UP 38% OF THAT STATISTIC.

AND SO THE EBONY ALERT SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO FILL A GAP BECAUSE IT HAS ALSO DOCUMENTED OFTENTIMES BLACK YOUTHS WHO GO MISSING ARE OFTEN CATEGORIZED AS RUNAWAYS AND MOST CERTAINLY AREN'T GIVEN THE SAME AMOUNT OF MEDIA ATTENTION WHEN THESE TRAGEDIES HAPPEN.

AND SO THIS BILL IS TRULY DESIGNED TO FILL THAT GAP AND PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY SYSTEM WITH THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO HELP LOCATE BLACK YOUTH AND ALSO PROVIDE JUSTICE FOR THE IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

>> THIS BILL THIS PREVIOUS SESSION DIDN'T PASS.

THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR IT HASN'T MADE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHY IT HASN'T PASSED AND WHAT THE OPPOSITION HAS BEEN?

>> SO I CARRY THIS BILL.

IN THIS SESSION I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY GET AN ASSEMBLY SPONSOR.

SO WE ACTUALLY RAN OUT OF TIME.

BUT THERE MOST CERTAINLY IS INTEREST.

MOST RECENTLY, THE MOVIE HIGHEST 2 LOWEST DIRECTED BY SPIKE LEE FEATURING DENZEL WASHINGTON AND A STELLAR CAST ACTUALLY LIFTED UP THIS BILL AND THEY LIFTED UP THE FACT IT IS CURRENTLY A BILL AND NOT A LAW IN NEW YORK STATE.

AND SO NEW YORK ALWAYS HAS BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF TRYING TO ADDRESS A NUMBER OF BIG POLICY ISSUES.

AND THIS PARTICULAR AREA IS NO EXCEPTION.

CALIFORNIA IS THE ONLY STATE CURRENTLY IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAS AN EBONY ALERT SYSTEM THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN 2023.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR A STATE LIKE US TO HAVE THIS RESOURCE AVAILABLE, AS I SAID, FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IMPACTED AND THEIR FAMILIES.

>> AND IF THIS BILL PASSES NEXT SESSION, WHAT IMPACT WILL THIS HAVE FOR THIS ISSUE?

>> IT CERTAINLY WILL BE AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE ADDED FOR OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO BRING JUSTICE TO IMPACTED INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

AS I'VE SAID IN PREVIOUS CONVERSATIONS, WE HAVE TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO RENDER JUSTICE FOR FAMILIES.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE CAN'T IGNORE THE DISPARITIES THAT HAPPEN WHEN TRYING TO ADDRESS ISSUES AROUND WHEN PEOPLE GO MISSING OR, IN SOME UNFORTUNATE CASES, ARE MURDERED.

ONE OF THE BENEFITS ABOUT THE EBONY ALERT SYSTEM IS THAT IT ALSO HELPS TO FILL A GAP BECAUSE THE AMBER ALERT SYSTEM, WHICH A LOT OF FOLKS ARE MORE FAMILIAR WITH, IS GEARED TOWARDS YOUTH UNDER THE AGE OF 17 THAT ARE PRESUMED TO BE KIDNAPPED.

THE EBONY ALERT SYSTEM IS FOR YOUTH UP UNTIL THE AGE OF 25.

AND SO, IT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO FILL GAPS IN RESPECT TO WHEN PEOPLE GO MISSING.

WE ALSO HAVE THE SILVER ALERT SYSTEM FOR SENIORS WHEN THEY GO MISSING.

THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER IMPORTANT ALERT SYSTEM THAT WE NEED TO MOST CERTAINLY PASS THROUGH LEGISLATION AND IMPLEMENT THROUGH LAW WITH OUR RESPECTIVE AGENCIES TO AGAIN ENSURE THAT WHEN THESE SITUATIONS HAPPEN THAT ALL THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN LOCATE AND REUNITE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IMPACTED WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND THAT THEY'RE BROUGHT HOME SAFELY.

>> AND WHAT DO EFFORTS LOOK LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS BILL IN THIS OFF SESSION TIME?

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO RESPOND TO THE PUSHBACK YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED?

>> SO ONE, THE UNEXPECTED INCLUSION OF THE BILL IN THE MOVIE HIGHEST 2 LOWEST, I THINK THAT IS ANOTHER GREAT ASSET.

ALSO, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE.

THIS IS A STATEWIDE ISSUE THAT, SINCE IT'S BEEN INTRODUCED, THE BILL HAS BEEN INTRODUCED, HAVE VOICED THEIR SUPPORT.

AND SO DURING THIS OFF SESSION, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONNECTING WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND ALSO WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND CONTINUING TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUE ASSEMBLY MEMBER NOAH BURROUGHS, SO THAT WE CAN NOT ONLY GET THIS BILL PASSED BUT ULTIMATELY SIGNED INTO LAW.

>> AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT IN OUR CONVERSATION.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE DATA HIGHLIGHTED IN THIS BILL ON THE DISPROPORTIONAL LACK OF ATTENTION TOWARDS MISSING BLACK GIRLS AND ADULTS?

>> YES, SO I HAVE ANOTHER BILL THAT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW TO ESTABLISH A BIPOC MISSING AND MURDERED WOMEN AND GIRLS TASK FORCE.

THIS IS YET ANOTHER TOOL TO ADDRESS THIS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE OF WHEN BLACK AND BROWN CHILDREN GO MISSING, AS I SAID EARLIER, THEY ARE OFTEN CATEGORIZED AS RUNAWAYS, AND SO THEY'RE NOT GIVEN THE SAME LEVEL OF ATTENTION.

AND SO THIS IS A NATIONALLY DOCUMENTED ISSUE.

SO IT'S NOT JUST RELEGATED TO US HERE IN NEW YORK.

AND SO FOR ALL OF THOSE REASONS, AND MORE, WE HAVE TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THESE TRAGEDIES HAPPEN, THAT WE ARE EMPLOYING EVERY RESOURCE IN OUR DISPOSAL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RENDERING JUSTICE FOR THEM.

600,000 PEOPLE GO MISSING IN THE U.S.

EVERY YEAR.

40% OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT GO MISSING ARE FOLKS WHO IDENTIFY AS BLACK AMERICANS AND 38% OF THAT STATISTIC ARE BLACK YOUTHS.

AND SO WE KNOW THE CHALLENGES THAT PERSIST STILL WITH LACK OF MEDIA ATTENTION WHEN THESE INCIDENTS HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY TO BIPOC YOUTH.

SO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT AS A COMMUNITY, AS A STATE, THAT WE DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO RENDER JUSTICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED AND ULTIMATELY CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT ONCE THEY ARE BROUGHT HOME TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN GO ON AND THRIVE MOST CERTAINLY.

>> AND HOW WILL THE LEGISLATION ADDRESS THIS ISSUE?

COULD IT HAVE AN IMPACT ON A BIGGER SCALE, POSSIBLY INSPIRING OTHER STATES?

>> IT IS MY HOPE THAT NEW YORK WILL JOIN CALIFORNIA IN ESTABLISHING THIS LAW.

AND ABSOLUTELY, IT IS SOMETHING THAT I HOPE WILL MOST CERTAINLY INSPIRE OTHER STATES TO ALSO FOLLOW SUIT.

I THINK THAT OFTENTIMES, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES, IT OFTEN GETS KIND OF LUMPED INTO, WELL, WE DO THESE THINGS ALREADY, WHEN IN FACT WE DO, YES, HAVE ALERT SYSTEMS; HOWEVER, OUR SYSTEMS OVERALL HAVE GAPS IN THEM THAT, AGAIN, ARE VERY WELL DOCUMENTED WHEN IT COMES TO BIPOC MISSING AND MURDERED YOUTH.

AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I AM HOPEFUL THAT WILL CONTINUE TO GARNER ATTENTION.

AS I SAID, THE INCLUSION OF IT IN THE SPIKE LEE MOVIE WITH DENZEL WASHINGTON AND THE WHOLE CAST REALLY, I THINK, WAS SUCH AN IMPORTANT STEP TO LIFT UP THE FACT THAT THERE IS INTEREST AND THERE IS MOST CERTAINLY A NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS BILL GETS SIGNED IN TO LAW.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE SPIKE LEE MOVIE A COUPLE TIMES.

I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THAT.

THE DISPARITIES INVOLVING MISSING PERSONS WAS UPLIFTED IN THE SPIKE LEE FILM HIGHEST TO LOWEST ABOUT A NEW YORK CITY MUSIC MOGUL WHOSE SON IS KIDNAPPED.

DO YOU THINK THIS COULD HELP RAISE AWARENESS ON THIS BILL BEFORE NEXT SESSION?

AND WILL THIS HELP THE BILL PASS IN ANY WAY?

>> I THINK THAT ANY OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY DIALOGUE AROUND THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES WILL ALWAYS BE BENEFICIAL IN THEIR ULTIMATE EFFICACY WITH RESPECT TO GETTING BILLS PASSED.

THE FACT THAT IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE FILM DEMONSTRATES THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO OPPORTUNITIES TO RENDER JUSTICE FOR THOSE WHO ARE OFTEN LEFT BEHIND.

MOST CERTAINLY ITS INCLUSION, BUT ALSO IN TANDEM WITH OTHER EFFORTS THAT WE ARE ENGAGING IN TO NOT ONLY RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE BILL, BUT ALSO TO GARNER MORE SUPPORT AND ULTIMATELY HAVE THIS BILL SIGNED INTO LAW FOR THE LARGER PURPOSE OF ENSURING JUSTICE IS BEING RENDERED FOR THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THESE ISSUES IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND SO THE ARTS HAVE SUCH A POWERFUL MECHANISM FOR NOT ONLY RAISING AWARENESS AND RAISING THE COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS, BUT ALSO IMPLORING PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION.

IN THE FILM, THE FACT THAT THEY SHARE THE BILL, THEY LITERALLY BRING IT UP ON THE SCREEN, AND THEY ALSO IN THE MOVIE TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT A LAW YET IN NEW YORK, IT'S JUST A BILL, WAS A WAY FOR THEM TO CALL PEOPLE TO ACTION WITHOUT SAYING NOW WE NEED YOU TO TAKE THIS ACTION, RIGHT?

AND SO THE ARTS ARE POWERFUL IN THAT WAY.

THEY HELP TO RAISE OUR COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS.

THEY ALSO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT MAY BE GOING ON AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO COLLECTIVELY WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THESE ISSUES ARE ADDRESSED.

SO I ALSO HOPE THAT WE CAN WORK WITH NOT ONLY THE ADVOCATES WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THIS BILL SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION, BUT ALSO NEW PARTNERS, WHETHER THAT'S WITH MR.

LEE OR MR.

WASHINGTON AND MOST CERTAINLY THE CAST FROM THE FILM.

ANYONE THAT IS MOST CERTAINLY COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT OUR YOUTH ARE PROTECTED AND THAT THEY ARE MOST CERTAINLY GIVEN JUSTICE AND HEALING FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.

>> AND YOU MENTIONED THE BIPOC TASK FORCE.

WHAT ROLE WILL THE TASK FORCE PLAY IN IMPLEMENTING THIS LEGISLATION AND HOW WILL THE RESULTS FROM IMPLEMENTATION HELP FUEL THE TASK FORCE AND THEIR ACTIONS?

>> I THINK THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EBONY ALERT SYSTEM WILL BE A GREAT ASSET TO THE WORK THAT THE TASK FORCE WILL DO, AND ALONGSIDE THE TASK FORCE, ALL OF OUR LEADERS ACROSS THE STATE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN ADDRESSING THESE KINDS OF ISSUES.

AWARENESS IS NUMBER ONE FOR ANY ISSUE LIKE THIS AND OTHERS, BUT ALSO WHAT TOOLS AND RESOURCES DO WE HAVE?

SO PEOPLE KNOW WITH THE EBONY ALERT SYSTEM AND MORE SO WITH THE AMBER ALERT SYSTEM, YOU GET A NOTIFICATION ON YOUR PHONE, IT'S ON THE HIGHWAY.

IN THE CALIFORNIA, WHEN THEY IMPLEMENTED IT, IT'S RIGHT NOW ONLY THROUGH THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM.

AND SO IN NEW YORK, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE GAPS IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION THROUGH THIS LEGISLATION SO THAT NOT ONLY WOULD IT BE LISTED ON OUR HIGHWAY SYSTEMS, BUT ALSO THAT PEOPLE WOULD GET ALERTS ON THEIR PHONE TO KNOW THAT A CHILD IS IN DANGER AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT AS A COMMUNITY WE WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT THEM.

>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US, SENATOR.

UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE.

>> AND WE WERE SPEAKING WITH STATE SENATOR LEA WEBB.

>> AND FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EBONY ALERT BILL, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

AGAIN, THAT'S AT NYNOW.ORG.

YOU CAN ALSO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER BY GOING TO NEWSLETTER.NYNOW.ORG OR BY SCANNING THE QR CODE ON YOUR SCREEN.

WELL, THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF NEW YORK NOW.

THANK YOU FOR TUNING IN AND SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

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