Int. No. 2256
By Council Member Cabrera
A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to requiring the department of cultural affairs to report on access of low-income households to cultural institutions and to develop a plan to improve access
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 67 of the New York city charter is amended by adding a new section 2508 to read as follows:
§ 2508. Access to cultural institutions. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Discount program. The term “discount program” means a program that provides New York city residents discounted or free admission to cultural institutions in the city, including, but not limited to, the IDNYC card program, cool culture family pass and culture pass or successor programs.
Low-income household. The term “low-income household” means a household whose annual gross household income is not in excess of 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines as updated periodically in the federal register by the United States department of health and human services pursuant to subsection (2) of section 9902 of title 42 of the United States code.
b. Annual report. No more than 90 days after the effective date of the local law that added this section, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a report to the mayor and the speaker of the council on the access of low-income households to cultural institutions, and shall post such report on the department’s website. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. The efforts that the department and cultural institutions have made to improve the access of low-income households to cultural institutions, including, but not limited to, changes in admissions policies, outreach, free or reduced-price visits and discount programs;
2. Data regarding the access of low-income households to cultural institutions, including, but not limited to, the admission rates of such households to cultural institutions, if any; and
3. Any challenges faced by the department, cultural institutions or relevant stakeholders regarding low-income households’ access to cultural institutions and the efforts to address such challenges.
c. Access plan. No more than 90 days after the initial report required by subdivision b, the commissioner shall, in consultation with the commissioner of social services and relevant stakeholders, develop and submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council recommendations regarding how to improve the access of low-income households to cultural institutions and a plan to implement such recommendations. The commissioner shall post such recommendations and plan on the department’s website and report on the progress of such plan in the reports required by subdivision b.
d. The reports and plan required by this section shall not contain any personally identifiable information.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
NLB
LS #17004
3/8/21