City Council meeting
January 7, 2026, 12:00 PM
CHARTER MEETING
The Council held its first organizational meeting of the new 2026 term, electing Jennifer Menin as Speaker, adopting a continuation of prior-term rules (M 0001-2026), and electing the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Elections. Twenty mayoral veto messages on bills passed in the previous Council term were referred to committees for potential override consideration.
What was discussed
- Charter Meeting called to order and roll call City Clerk Michael McSweeney gaveled in the organizational Charter Meeting under Section 42 of the Charter, noted the Board of Elections' certification of the November 2025 elections, and the Clerk conducted a roll call establishing a quorum.
- Attorney General Letitia James administers the oath of office New York State Attorney General Letitia James, a former Council member, administered the oath of office to the members of the new Council, saying she saw "the best of New York City" before her and urging them toward an affordable, safe city.
- Invocation by Rabbi Joseph Potasnik Rabbi Joseph Potasnik of the New York Board of Rabbis delivered the invocation, calling on members to resist the spread of hatred; Council Member Virginia Maloney spread it on the record, noting his role as FDNY Chief Chaplain and his support for families after September 11.
- Continuation of the Council's rules adopted (M 1) Council Member Sandra Ung moved under Section 46 of the Charter to continue the 2024–2025 Rules of the Council until new rules are adopted; the motion passed by voice vote.
- Council members nominate Julie Menin for Speaker (M 2) Council Members Kevin C. Riley, Shaun Abreu, Farah N. Louis, Linda Lee, Kamillah Hanks, Shekar Krishnan and Eric Dinowitz rose to nominate Julie Menin for Speaker, citing her record on public-private partnerships and women's equity; no other candidates were placed in nomination.
- Julie Menin elected Speaker, 51-0, as members explain their votes (M 2) The Council elected Julie Menin as Speaker for the term beginning January 2026 by a roll-call vote of 51 in the affirmative; members took turns explaining their votes, several noting she would be the first Jewish Speaker and praising her record, with Menin voting "aye for myself."
- Speaker Menin's inaugural address In her inaugural address, Speaker Julie Menin thanked her colleagues and family, recognized former speakers and elected officials in attendance, and laid out priorities including confronting fraud, waste, abuse and corruption at City Hall, procurement reform to end no-bid contracts, restoring agency
- Mayoral vetoes and Comptroller's report received (M 3–M 23) Speaker Menin referred the Mayor's twenty vetoes and disapprovals of Council legislation (M 3 through M 22) to committee as indicated on the agenda, and the Comptroller's report (M 23) was received, ordered, printed and filed.
- Temporary Committee on Rules elected (M 24) On a motion by Speaker Menin under Rule 7.10, the Council elected the temporary members of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Elections by a roll-call vote of 50 in the affirmative.
- David Carr designated Minority Leader (M 25) Speaker Menin announced that the Republican Conference had elected Council Member David M. Carr as Minority Leader; Carr thanked his colleagues, congratulated the Speaker, recognized Minority Whip Inna Vernikov and Council Member Frank Morano, and pledged to focus on essential services before the
Agenda
26 items
- M 0001-2026 Continuation of the 2024-2025 Rules of the Council, As Amended. Approved, by Council
- M 0002-2026 The City Clerk will open the floor for nominations for the office for Speaker of the Council of the City of New York pursuant to Section 44 of the New York City Charter for the term commencing January 7, 2026 and terminating December 31, 2029. Approved, by Council
- M 0003-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 125-A of 2024 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to prohibiting the police department from collecting DNA from a minor without consent from a parent, legal guardian or attorney Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0004-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 276-A of 2024 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the wrongful deactivation of high-volume for-hire vehicle drivers Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0005-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 408-A of 2024 - A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to creating a division within the department of small business services to assist street vendors and reporting regarding such assistance efforts Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0006-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 431-B of 2024 - A Local Law to amend the New York city charter and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to expanding business licensing and regulatory compliance of all mobile food and general vendors Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0007-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 479-A of 2024 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the establishment of standards and procedures to determine the existence of conflicts of interest and other Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0008-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 570-B of 2024 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to creating a land bank Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0009-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 902-B of 2024 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to giving qualified entities a first opportunity to submit a statement of interest and a first opportunity to purchase certain Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0010-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 958-A of 2024 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the creation of affordable homeownership opportunities Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0011-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1120-B of 2024 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing timelines for cooperative corporations to approve or deny the sale of cooperative apartments Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0012-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1251-A of 2025 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to issuing licenses to mobile food and general vendors Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0013-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1279-B of 2025 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to a department of sanitation rule regarding supplemental sanitation service providers placing out refuse or recycling Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0014-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1297-A of 2025 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the gender-motivated violence protection law. Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0015-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1391-A of 2025 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the establishment of compensation standards for security guards Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0016-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1407-A of 2025 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the sale of tax liens Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0017-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1412-A of 2025 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to redefining terms concerning immigration enforcement to account for current enforcement practices, and prohibiting the Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0018-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1419-A of 2025 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to reporting regarding unresolved tax liens, and to repeal and replace section 11-356 of such code, relating to a temporary Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0019-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1420-A of 2025 - A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the transfer of tax liens to a land bank Referred to Comm by Council
- M 0020-2026 Communication from the Mayor – Veto and disapproval of Introductory Number 1433-A of 2025 - A Local Law to amend the New York city charter and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the citywide percentage of rental units in projects receiving city financial assistance that Referred to Comm by Council