Press Releases

NYS Assembly Passes Danny O’Donnell’s Bill to Ban the Use of Hydrofracking By-Products for De-Icing

NEW YORK — Today, the New York State Assembly passed legislation (A903) sponsored by Assembly Member Danny O’Donnell that prohibits the use of drilling fluids, brine and flowback water from wells, pools or fields for de-icing highways or suppressing...

O’Donnell Statement on the Passage of Marijuana Legalization in New York State

New York – “Today marks an important step in the process of healing and recovery for communities long overcriminalized by racially disparate marijuana laws. In New York City, people of color accounted for almost 94 percent marijuana-related arrests...

New York State Assembly Unanimously Passes O’Donnell Bill Requiring Insurance Coverage for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis

NEW YORK — Today, legislation introduced by Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell requiring insurance companies to cover pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) again passed in the New York State Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan...

O’Donnell Champions Investment in the Arts in the 2021-22 Budget

New York — Today, Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell (D-Manhattan) highlighted funding commitments to the arts in the New York State Assembly’s One House budget proposal, which represents the Assembly's vision for the coming fiscal year. The Assembly...

O’Donnell Statement on President Trump’s Second Impeachment

New York – “Donald Trump was a danger to our country before his presidency, during his presidency, and will remain so after his presidency. Last week, we saw the starkest demonstration of Donald Trump’s malfeasance yet as he incited a violent mob...

State Senators James Sanders Jr., Brian Benjamin and Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell Introduce Comprehensive Search Warrant Reform Legislation in New York State, With Campaign Zero

NEW YORK -- State Senators James Sanders Jr. and Brian Benjamin, along with Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell, today introduced a pioneering and comprehensive bill in the New York State Legislature that would restrict the use of dangerous No-Knock warrants...

NY Legislature Prohibits Gay and Trans Panic Defenses

Today, the Assembly and Senate passed legislation ending the so-called “gay panic” and “trans panic” defenses in court, shepherded to passage by its sponsors, New York State Assembly Member Daniel J. O’Donnell and State Senator Brad Hoylman....

O’Donnell Statement on Passage of His Bill Repealing 50-a

NEW YORK-“Today is a monumental day for justice. For too long, 50-a has shielded law enforcement officials from accountability when they commit wrongdoing. For too long, we have allowed 50-a to erode the trust between police officers and communities,...

Simotas Bill to Prevent Rape Kit Backlog Passes; Legislator O'Donnell Proud to Co-Sponsor

Today, the legislature passed A10067/S6430, Assemblymember Simotas' bill to speed up testing of rape kits in order to prevent future backlogs. The bill mandates that when law enforcement agencies receive a rape kit, it must be sent to a forensic laboratory...

O'Donnell Floor Statement Responding to the Orlando Massacre

Assemblymember O'Donnell Speaks on the Assembly Floor in reaction to Orlando massacre Watch the video here Today, Assembly Member O'Donnell took to the floor of the Assembly urging everyone to #StopTheHate as he acknowledged the massacre in Orlando,...

New York State Assembly Passed ODonnell Bill Creating Independent Oversight of NYS Prisons

Assembly bill A9939, sponsored by Assemblymember O'Donnell, passed the Assembly today. This bill would create an Office of the Correctional Ombudsman, an independent entity that would investigate complaints, grievances, and unusual incidents within the...

O'Donnell Statement Regarding the Inspector General Report on Clinton Escape

Yesterday the State Inspector General published its report on the failures within the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) that led to the escape of Richard Matt and David Sweat from Clinton Correctional Facility. “A year after...

O'Donnell Launches Campaign Calling for Historic Designation and Rezoning of Morningside Heights

In the face of 2-4 large scale, as of right, towers proposed within a few blocks of each other, between West 120th street and West 123rd street, Assembly Member O'Donnell urged Mayor de Blasio for the third time to support the rezoning of Morningside...

O’Donnell Statement Calling for TennesseeTravel Ban in Response to Anti-LGBT Legislation

Assemblymember O'Donnell made the following statement in response to Tennessee Governor Haslam's signing into law anti-LGBT legislation: “I am extremely concerned that I must make this request for the second time this year. It is obvious that states...

O'Donnell Rallies with Striking Verizon Workers on the Upper West Side

Photo as described in caption
Assemblymember O'Donnell rallied with striking Verizon workers on the Upper West Side. O'Donnell joined the workers picketing in front of a Verizon storefront located in his Assembly District on 109th Street and Broadway. Verizon workers in the North...

Squadron, O’Donnell Introduce “Childcare Advance” in Assembly

NEW YORK — Today, State Senator Daniel Squadron and Assemblymember Daniel O'Donnell announced introduction of the "Childcare Advance" into the Assembly. The Childcare Advance (S.6714/A.9699) would allow families to defer $2,000 in state taxes annually...

Glick and O'Donnell Announce Budget Funds for Transgender Civil Legal Services

Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick, 66th Assembly District Manhattan, and Assemblymember Daniel J. O'Donnell, 69th Assembly District Manhattan, publicized a new funding stream for transgender people in need of civil legal services. Assemblymember Glick...

O’Donnell Statement Calling for Mississippi Travel Ban in Response to Anti-LGBT Legislation

Assembly Member O'Donnell made the following statement in response to Mississippi Governor Bryant's signing into law the so called religious freedom bill: It is once again time for New York to send a strong message to the country that we will not allow...

O'Donnell Nominates Nan Mead as Manhattan Regent

Assembly Member O'Donnell is proud to announce his nomination and the legislature's election of Nan Mead as the 1st Judicial District representative for the New York State Board of Regents. Assembly Member O'Donnell believes it is crucial that the Board...

Assembly Members Nolan, Glick, and O'Donnell Sponsor Symposium on the Implementation of the Dignity for All Students Act

Assembly Members Catherine Nolan, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Education; Deborah Glick, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education; Daniel O'Donnell, Sponsor of the Dignity for All Students Act; in coordination with The Queering Education...