Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 3
Committee: Committee on Women and Gender Equity
Chair Amanda C. Farías led an oversight hearing on the restructuring of the Mayor's Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) under the Office of Community Safety, created by Executive Order 15 in March 2026, and heard Intro. 1079 (hotline call reporting), Resolution 441 (November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women), Intro. 295 (endometriosis and PMOS screening) and Resolution 637 (insurance coverage of lactation consultation); the chair said no votes would be taken. Office of Community Safety Commissioner Aisha Delaney-Brumsey testified that ENDGBV will remain a distinct entity, that its budget rose by $15.7 million (to about $89 million in FY27), and that the administration supports Intro. 1079 with adjustments; officials reported 59 of 79 staff lines filled. Speaker Julie Menin and members asked about resources, staffing, title and salary changes, provider funding and access, and the Speaker said she believes the office should be free-standing with a commissioner. Most advocates and survivors, including Sanctuary for Families, Safe Horizon, Sakhi and the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, opposed or raised concerns about the restructuring and lack of consultation, and Safe Horizon criticized the new crime victims assistance RFP, while the Korean American Family Service Center said the broader model could strengthen the response.
0:13 You what good morning and
0:13 welcome to the New York City
0:16 council hearing on woman
0:18 agenda and equity at this time
0:20 we're asking everyone to sell
0:22 its all electronic devices and
0:24 at no point in time you're
0:26 approached is day as if you
0:27 wish to testify to it as a
0:29 hearing and haven't thrown the
0:30 appearance card please your
0:31 surgeon at the back for
0:32 assistance
0:32 . Sure you begin
0:36 . Good morning everyone I'm
0:41 councilmember Amanda fadi as
0:42 chair of the of the committee
0:42 on women and gender equity
0:45 welcome to today's oversight
0:46 hearing examining the
0:47 restructure of the mayor's
0:49 office to end domestic and
0:50 gender based violence under
0:51 the office of community safety e
0:55 council members that are
0:58 present council members all
1:00 dubel and samson suel so who
1:00 have joined us this morning I
1:03 want to begin by acknowledging
1:04 the moment we are in just this
1:07 week New York er's and women
1:08 have once again been
1:08 confronted with the painful
1:10 realities of sexual violence
1:12 through the allegations
1:13 surrounding former cornell
1:14 university students and the
1:15 decision by the tompkins
1:16 county district attorney t
1:18 oreopen the criminal
1:19 investigation into the 20 24
1:19 assault and rapes
1:22 . This case has raised renewed
1:24 public questions about consent y
1:27 and how systems respond when
1:29 women report violence and
1:30 whether our laws and
1:31 institutions are adequately
1:32 equipped to protect survivors
1:34 while that case is outside the
1:36 jurisdiction of New York City
1:37 it is a reminder that gender
1:39 based violence does not exist
1:41 in isolation it exists in our
1:43 homes on our campuses in our
1:44 workplaces in our communities
1:46 and within the systems that
1:47 are supposed to protect us and
1:48 as a City we are in a pivotal
1:51 moment we have an opportunity
1:53 and a responsibility to ensure
1:55 that preventing and responding
1:57 to gender based violence
1:58 remains a central priority for
1:59 our government and that
2:01 survivors can access
2:02 meaningful support and that
2:03 are systems are coordinated
2:06 accountable and equipped t
2:07 orespond to the realities women
2:09 and gender expensive people
2:10 face the Mayor office to end
2:12 domestic and gender based
2:13 violence or n g b has created
2:16 was created to tackle domestic
2:17 and gender based violence as a
2:20 systemic problem and recognize
2:21 it as an important issue
2:23 impacting people across New
2:25 York City since its
2:26 establishment n g b b a leader
2:29 in efforts across the City t
2:30 oassess and respond to domestic
2:32 and gender based violence
2:33 these efforts include chairing
2:35 domestic violence fatality
2:36 review committee co leading
2:38 the mayor's domestic violence
2:39 task force and collaboration
2:40 with the Mayor office of
2:42 criminal justice and operating
2:43 the city's five family justice
2:45 centers just to name a few so
2:47 today as we examine the
2:49 proposed restructuring of n g
2:51 bb office office of community
2:52 safety I want us to focus on a
2:55 fundamental question how do we
2:56 ensure that this restructuring
2:58 strengthens not diminishes the
3:00 city's ability to prevent
3:02 gender based violence supports
3:03 survivors and hold our systems
3:05 accountable the committee will
3:07 also consider the following
3:09 legislation intro thousand 79
3:12 sponsored by myself in
3:14 relation to reporting on a
3:15 hotline for survivors of
3:16 gender based violence the bill
3:19 would require an ghb t
3:21 oanonymous high level
3:22 information about calls
3:24 received by g hotline for
3:26 survivors of domestic and
3:27 gender based violence we will
3:29 also hear resolution 441 also
3:31 sponsored by me declaring
3:34 November 25 as the
3:34 international day for the
3:35 elimination of violence
3:36 against women in honor of the
3:39 medieval sisters
3:40 . Additionally we will hear
3:41 intro to 95 sponsored by
3:43 Council Member lewis lewis in
3:45 relation to establishing a
3:46 screening program for
3:48 endometriosis and paleo and
3:49 durkin metabolic ovarian
3:51 syndrome I'll now read a
3:52 statement from councilmember
3:54 lewis.
3:54 Thank you chair Farías for
3:55 your leadership on and for
3:56 moving introduction to 95
3:59 forward today intro to 95
4:00 would require the department
4:01 of health and mental hygiene
4:03 to establish a menstrual
4:05 health program providing
4:07 screening screening referrals
4:07 and education and support for
4:11 endometriosis and polly
4:12 endocrine metabolic ovarian
4:14 syndrome or p mos it would
4:15 also expand the sexual and
4:17 reproductive health outreach
4:18 to include these conditions
4:19 the need is significant
4:21 . Federal data from the shows
4:24 that among women ages 22 49
4:27 62% has been diagnosed with
4:29 endometriosis and 8.7% wit
4:31 hpcos in 20 22 and 20 23
4:33 . Among women diagnosed with
4:35 either condition rates of
4:36 current fertility problems or
4:38 substantially higher than
4:39 among women without these
4:41 diagnoses here in New York
4:42 City our own department of
4:44 health recognizes that both
4:45 conditions can cause
4:47 significant symptoms including
4:48 painful or irregular periods
4:50 infertility fatigue and other
4:52 health complications yet t
4:53 omany women continue to face
4:55 caps and awareness diagnosis
4:56 and access to appropriate care
4:58 . That is why the amendment to
5:00 recognize pm os is so
5:01 important in 20 26 the medical
5:05 community adopted
5:05 . Paleo endocrine metabolic
5:07 ovarian syndrome as the New
5:08 name for the condition
5:09 previously known as the change
5:11 reflects a broader
5:12 understanding that this is a
5:14 complex endocrine and
5:15 metabolic condition that
5:16 affects much more than just
5:19 the ovaries for too long
5:20 women's health needs have been
5:21 shut out of conversations
5:22 research education and public
5:24 health systems that determine
5:25 whether people receive care we
5:27 have an opportunity to change
5:28 that by making accurate
5:30 information and pathways to
5:31 care part of our cities public
5:34 health infrastructure I urge
5:35 my colleagues to support
5:36 introduction to 95 a and I
5:38 look forward to continuing the
5:39 work to ensure that every New
5:40 yorker has access to the
5:42 information screening
5:43 referrals and support they
5:44 need to take control of their
5:46 health thank you I thank
5:47 councilmember lewis for
5:48 sending in that statement in
5:49 support of her bill finally
5:51 the committee will hear
5:52 resolution 637 sponsored by a
5:56 Council Member Kayla san suu
5:57 also and me calling on the New
5:58 York state legislature to pass
5:59 and the governor to sign
6:02 legislation requiring insurers
6:03 to cover all lactation
6:05 consultation and counseling
6:07 services without restrictions
6:08 and reimburse providers
6:09 accordingly I'd like to invite
6:10 council members down to see
6:12 you also from to make some
6:13 remarks about this resolution
6:14 thank you chair there is
6:17 overwhelming evidence that
6:19 breastfeeding provides a
6:19 multitude of health benefits
6:21 to babies and their caregivers
6:23 difficulties early on often
6:24 forced people to discount
6:25 breastfeeding many times
6:27 without seeking professional
6:27 advice or support research
6:29 suggests that many of the
6:30 disparities are further rooted
6:32 in systemic racism which
6:33 further perpetuates health
6:35 disparities later in life the
6:36 u s department of health and
6:38 human services has reaffirmed
6:39 that international board
6:41 certified lactation
6:42 consultants and other
6:43 professionals are equipped to
6:45 help parents navigate their
6:46 challenges with breastfeeding
6:47 this greatly greatly improves
6:48 the chance that families will
6:49 reach their infant feeding
6:50 goals given the clear health
6:52 benefits to children and child
6:54 caregivers there's no reason
6:55 that lactation consultant
6:56 consultation should not be
6:57 covered by health insurance
6:58 companies in the state of New
7:00 York this resolution calls on
7:02 the governor and state
7:03 legislature to draft and pass
7:05 lcritical services withou
7:09 thaving to pay out of pocket
7:11 and as a New mom and as a mom
7:12 who is nursing I will just say
7:14 that a nursing can be very
7:16 difficult it requires a lot of
7:19 support it requires those
7:20 around you who can help you
7:22 make sure that it's done
7:24 effectively and it's a shame
7:26 that all too often these that
7:31 resources are not covered by
7:32 covered by insurance and
7:33 that's one of the reasons that
7:34 would be nursing moms you know g
7:37 able to Nurse and sew this
7:39 resolution is important to me
7:40 and I hope that we can get it
7:42 passed calling on the state t
7:43 omake sure that insurance is
7:44 not a reason why a mom cannot
7:47 choose breastfeeding for
7:48 herself and for her child
7:48 thank you so much.
7:50 Thank you council members
7:51 sounds as well so I'd also
7:53 like to thank committee staff
7:55 julia goldsmith pinkham katie
7:57 selina and ali stafford as
7:58 well as my own staff dan
8:00 curtain and josina cars for
8:01 their work on today's hearing
8:03 I would like to remind
8:04 everyone who wishes to testify
8:05 in person today that you must
8:06 fill out a witness slip which
8:08 you can find on the desk of
8:08 the sergeant at arms near the
8:10 entrance of this room please
8:11 fill out a slip even if you
8:13 have already registered in
8:15 advance that way you'll be
8:17 testifying in person today
8:18 today you'll need that if you
8:19 wish to testify on any of the
8:21 legislation please indicate
8:22 that on the witness slip
8:23 whether you're are here t
8:24 otestify in favor of or in
8:25 opposition to the legislation
8:27 I also want to point out that
8:28 we will not be voting on any
8:30 of the legislation listed
8:32 today.
8:32 To allow as many people t
8:34 otestify as possible testimony
8:35 will be limited to two minutes
8:36 per person whether you are
8:38 testifying in person or on
8:40 zoom I'm also going to ask my
8:41 colleagues to limit their
8:42 questions and comments to five
8:45 minutes please note that
8:45 witnesses who are here in
8:47 person will testify before
8:48 those who are signed on to the
8:51 webinar I will now turn it
8:51 over to the women and gender
8:55 equity committee council t
8:56 oadminister the oath a sorry
9:00 and call folks up from the
9:01 to come testify great good
9:16 morning in accordance with the
9:17 rules the council I'll
9:19 administer the affirmation t
9:21 othe witnesses from the more
9:23 mayoral administration I'll
9:24 call on you each of them I'll
9:26 call on each of you
9:26 individually for a response
9:27 please raise your right hand
9:29 do you affirm to tell the
9:30 truth the whole truth and
9:31 nothing but the truth before
9:32 this committee and to respond
9:33 honestly to Council Member
9:35 questions yep I do I do thank
9:39 you um as a reminder to our
9:42 witnesses here and the future
9:42 please state your name prior
9:44 to your testimony you begin
9:47 . My name is aisha delaney
9:53 brum z
9:54 . Good morning sheriff arias
9:56 and members of the committee
9:57 on women and gender equity my
9:58 name is dr I should lenny brum
10:00 z and I'm the commissioner of
10:02 the office of community safety I
10:05 commissioner of the mayor's
10:06 office to end domestic and
10:08 gender based violence or n g
10:09 bi v thank you for the
10:11 opportunity to speak with you
10:12 today and provide an update on
10:14 the ongoing transition of ngv
10:16 under osi's the office of
10:18 community safety advances a
10:19 coordinated whole of
10:20 government approach t
10:22 opreventing violence and
10:23 promoting safety across New
10:24 York City established by
10:26 executive order 15 in March
10:29 2026 brings together efforts
10:30 to prevent gun violence and
10:31 hate crimes strengthen crisis
10:33 response support victims and
10:36 survivors and prevent domestic
10:36 and gender based violence
10:38 central to this approach is
10:40 the recognition that community
10:41 safety includes safety in our
10:42 homes and relationships and
10:44 protection from gender based
10:45 violence in all its forms
10:47 bringing n g b b into osi's
10:48 allows us to strengthen
10:50 coordination across government
10:52 while continuing to build on
10:54 existing expertise programs
10:56 and partnerships the end b b
10:59 victims and survivors
11:00 survivors of domestic and
11:01 gender based violence and
11:02 other crimes as well as their
11:04 families and communities
11:06 through collaboration with
11:08 government agencies community
11:09 partners survivors and
11:10 philanthropy the team works to
11:12 reduce barriers address gaps
11:12 and services and create
11:14 pathways to safety through
11:16 program development
11:17 legislative and policy
11:18 advocacy research and capacity
11:21 building n g beebe also
11:21 oversees oversees a of of
11:23 prevention intervention
11:24 services including the city's
11:25 five borough based family
11:27 justice centers or since n g
11:32 continued to has continued t
11:33 oadvance this mission
11:34 strengthen services and
11:36 deliver critical support t
11:37 ovictims and survivors across
11:37 New York City the mondaini
11:40 administration allocated in
11:43 New in funding to ngvs fiscal
11:46 year 27 budget the largest
11:48 such increase since the
11:49 office's mission was expanded
11:50 in 20 18 to include all forms
11:53 of gender based violence this
11:55 is reflective of the
11:57 administration and to this
11:58 work this funding will support
12:00 programs and services
12:02 including legal services and
12:03 mental health prevention and
12:06 community based services in
12:07 the fiscal year 27 budget we
12:08 expanded home plus to 4.
12:11 3Million to help survivors
12:12 remain safely housed through
12:13 security improvements and
12:14 flexible funding while also
12:15 providing flexible funding at
12:17 the family justice centers to
12:18 help survivors meet immediat
12:19 eand essential needs together
12:22 these programs help survivors
12:24 maintain housing stability by
12:26 addressing immediate safety
12:26 and financial needs we have
12:29 also strengthened access to
12:31 legal services funding for
12:33 immigration and family law
12:33 services at the family justice
12:34 centers increased by 20%
12:36 bringing the city's annual
12:38 investment we also secured