Thursday, September 24, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 2
Committee: Committee on Children and Youth
The Committee on Children and Youth, chaired by Althea V. Stevens, held a vote on proposed Resolution 142-A, sponsored by Council Member Kevin C. Riley, calling for New York State to pass and the governor to sign legislation establishing a statewide fatherhood initiative under the Office of Children and Family Services. Chair Stevens spoke in support, citing her provider experience and research on father engagement and youth outcomes, and delivered remarks on behalf of Council Member Riley, who was absent. The clerk, Ben Jacobs, conducted a roll call, and the resolution was adopted with three votes in the affirmative and none in the negative, as read aloud.
0:13 I'm confused
0:13 . Good morning and welcome t
0:15 otoday's New York City Council
0:16 vote for the committee on
0:17 church and the at this time we
0:19 please ask did you silence all
0:21 elektronik devices at no point
0:22 in time as anyone to approach
0:24 the front you begin good
0:29 morning I'm counsel about
0:31 Stevens share of New York City
0:31 council on committee on
0:32 children and youth thanks for
0:33 joining us this morning for
0:34 our committee vote on proposed
0:37 proposed resolution number
0:40 hundred 40 a special shout out
0:41 to my colleagues who are here
0:43 on time Council Member Felder
0:44 and Council Member Joseph so
0:46 we are starting expeditiously
0:48 and really about that but back
0:49 to this resolution resolution
0:53 4 1 4 2 a sponsored by my
0:54 colleague Kevin reilly this
0:56 resolution calls for New York
0:57 state to pass and for the
0:58 governor to sign legislation
0:59 that would establish the sense
1:01 of her fatherhood initiative
1:03 under the office of children
1:05 and family services I have
1:07 spent much of my career in the
1:09 provider space directly
1:10 directly serving young people
1:11 and families in my community
1:13 in that work I have seen
1:15 firsthand the connection
1:16 between strong potential
1:17 environment and positive youth
1:20 development outcomes research
1:20 supports that this that
1:22 children whose fathers are
1:24 engaged present and active in
1:26 their lives experience
1:27 positive youth development
1:28 outcomes this benefit includes
1:31 strong cognitive and
1:31 behavioral development self
1:33 esteem high self esteem and
1:36 improved academic performance
1:36 yet many fathers face this
1:38 systemic that prevent them
1:40 from fully engaging in their
1:41 children's eyes.
1:42 This is particularly true
1:43 for those who are co parenting
1:44 or non custodial parents those
1:47 who are incarcerated or
1:49 undergoing reentry and young
1:51 young teen.
1:52 Fathers New fathers often
1:54 have few resources to turn to
1:57 turn out to in very moments
1:59 where they are required the
2:00 most support in their journey
2:02 in New parents
2:03 . I'm glad that this
2:04 resolution is being brought t
2:05 oa vote in our committee today
2:07 I am hopeful that this New
2:09 state office will provide a
2:11 critical resource necessary to
2:12 strengthen family dynamics and
2:14 build community I like t
2:15 othink committee staff for
2:17 their hard work and preparing
2:19 for this vote and extend and
2:22 excited to an excellent team
2:24 back in district sixteenth and
2:25 thanks to the excellent team
2:27 back in district 16 I have
2:30 also ben acts to deliver
2:31 remarks on behalf of
2:33 councilmember Riley who was
2:34 unable to join us today thank
2:36 you chair Stevens that would
2:38 be me.
2:38 You're welcome council
2:41 member I want to give give you
2:42 my gratitude to the committee
2:44 for that elevating resolution
2:46 140 this request that New York
2:49 state established a dedicated
2:50 resource center for fathers
2:51 I'm excited to see this bill
2:52 come to a vote at the council
2:54 . I am encouraged to see the
2:56 conversation continue in
2:57 albany and I want to thank
2:59 senator bailey and assembly
3:00 member dais for their
3:02 leadership as they continue t
3:03 oadvocate for this program t
3:05 ocome across the finish line in
3:06 the state just as special
3:08 shout out to assemblyman dais
3:09 he's one of my assembly
3:10 members.
3:11 Look at him as a son and a
3:12 father now I have come t
3:12 ounderstand that the father
3:15 fathers often navigate
3:16 difficult social barriers than
3:17 mothers and do not always have
3:19 inherited knowledge of the
3:20 services available for them
3:22 and their children.
3:23 Follow certainly can benefit
3:26 from tools to be involved and
3:27 support their children's lives
3:28 . Those centers were offered
3:31 statewide support support for
3:32 errors such as mentoring job
3:34 training parent support truly
3:36 helping fathers overcome
3:37 barriers and strengthening
3:39 families this resolution is a
3:41 great step towards fostering
3:43 healthier communities and a
3:43 more brazilian City thank you
3:45 to all my colleagues who have
3:47 supported this legislation and
3:49 elizabeth artz with the
3:50 legislative division who
3:51 helped to ensure that the
3:53 resolution acknowledged there
3:54 are future positive outcome of
3:58 this proposal and with that I
4:00 concluded I and that was
4:01 conclusion of both my my
4:04 remarks for councilman Riley
4:05 and I will now turn it over t
4:07 othe clerk for call the role of
4:09 I am ben jacobs committee
4:11 clerk roll call vote vote on
4:13 resolution 142 a chair Stevens
4:16 I Council Member Joseph I
4:19 Council Member say
4:23 councilmember Williams council
4:25 member Felder I with a vote of
4:30 three in the affirmative none
4:32 none of the negative and no
4:33 is adopted thee the item