Int. No. 799
By Council Members Stevens, Riley, Williams, Gennaro, Hanks, Menin, Hudson, Louis, Ariola and Paladino
A Local Law in relation to panic buttons for small business operators
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Definitions. a. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Department. The term “department” means the department of small business services.
Panic button. The term "panic button" means a help or distress signaling system that connects an individual in distress or someone assisting that individual with the police department. Such panic button shall also be equipped to alert pedestrians in the vicinity where the panic button is activated, by visual sign or sound.
b. Establishment of a storefront panic button pilot program. 1. The department shall establish a one-year “storefront panic button pilot program,” during which qualifying businesses will be reimbursed for the cost of purchasing and installing panic buttons made available for use to any employee or patron in case of emergency. Upon request of a qualifying business, the department shall reimburse the business for the allowable costs of purchasing and installing panic buttons, as established by the department, provided that the business provides proof of purchase.
2. A business qualifies to participate in the program if such business: (i) has a storefront entry; (ii) employs fewer than ten individuals; and (iii) is located in a pilot district as determined by this section. The department shall determine any other qualifications relevant to the program.
3. Siting of pilot district. The commissioner of the department, in consultation with the commissioner of the police department, shall identify potential locations for the pilot districts in consideration of all relevant factors, which shall include, but need not be limited to crime rates.
c. Reporting. No later than 90 days after the completion of the pilot program created pursuant to paragraph b of this section, the commissioner of the department shall report a detailed assessment of the impacts of the pilot program to the mayor and the speaker of the council. Such assessment shall include, but need not be limited to: (i) recommendations for improving the pilot program, including the specification of any beneficial new technology for informing law enforcement about ongoing criminal activity; (ii) recommendations on whether or not to make the pilot program permanent; (iii) recommendations on whether or not to add similar permanent or pilot programs in additional districts or locations; (iv) the costs incurred by the city in implementing the pilot program up to the date of the report; and (v) anticipated future costs per year if the recommendations included in the report were followed.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes a law, except that the commissioner of small business services shall take such measures as are necessary for the implementation of this local law, including the promulgation of rules, prior to such date.
Session 13
LS #8677
1/17/24
Session 12
SJ
LS #8677
5/10/22