Latest news with #BathroomBill
New York Times
10-04-2025
- Health
- New York Times
New York City Council Approves Bill to Build More Public Bathrooms
After decades of complaints about a lack of public bathrooms in New York City, as well as the thousands of summonses for public urination, the City Council enacted a bill Thursday that aimed to double the number of public restrooms in the city by 2035. Though waiting in a long line for a public toilet is a common experience for most New Yorkers, the bill was conceived with a specific focus on the plight of delivery workers, homeless people, street vendors and other vulnerable groups who often can't afford to buy a $5 coffee to use a private business's facilities. New York has far fewer bathrooms, as a percentage of its population, than many other cities around the world. There are just 1,066 public toilets available for the city's 8.2 million residents, according to the bill's sponsor, Councilwoman Sandy Nurse. That's one facility for every 7,800 people. The new law, known as the Bathroom Bill, would increase the number of public restrooms in New York to 2,120 in 10 years. Adolfo Abreu, the director of housing campaigns for Vocal-NY, said that increasing public bathroom access was an important issue that his organization had been pushing for years. He was 'ecstatic' about the Council's vote, he said. Ms. Nurse said the law would satisfy a 'universal need' in the city while helping to address inequalities imposed on vulnerable populations. Homeless people 'were planning their entire day around where they would be able to access the bathroom,' Ms. Nurse said, adding that she'd hear 'horror stories' about how people were forced to urinate and defecate on themselves or else 'relieve themselves in very public settings.' Over 1,400 criminal summonses and 8,000 civil summonses were issued in 2024 alone, according to Ms. Nurse's office. And those tickets disproportionately affected people of color, the office said. Many homeless people try to deal with the lack of public restrooms by simply not drinking water, Mr. Abreu said, but that approach can cause health problems, including urinary tract infections. Having access to public bathrooms, he said, was a 'matter of survival.' New Yorkers are often forced to rely on private bathrooms when they're out and about, but those lavatories come with a price: Most businesses require people to buy something before they can use the toilet. Mohamed Attia grappled with that issue constantly while working as a street vendor in Manhattan between 2009 and 2018. He said he usually had to spend $20 on a sandwich at a fancy restaurant or $3 to buy a bottle of water he did not need just so he could relieve himself. Mr. Attia's experience is not uncommon. A 2021 survey by the Immigration Research Initiative found that some 63 percent of street vendors did not have access to public bathrooms. 'Given the affordability issues in the city, many can't afford to buy a cup of coffee or make a purchase at a business in order to use a bathroom,' said Alison Wilkey, director of governmental affairs and strategic campaigns at the Coalition for the Homeless. Under the new law, city agencies working to expand the network of public bathrooms have to consider neighborhood foot-traffic levels, street density and the equitable distribution of the facilities in underserved communities. The city is also required to develop a plan to establish more gender-neutral restrooms and to produce a digital map of all public bathrooms. Tax dollars will fund the project, but the city will have to come up with ideas on cutting costs and streamlining installations every four years. Sarah Kaufman, director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at New York University, said that although the bill was a step in the right direction, she wondered how the cleanliness and safety of the bathrooms would be maintained. Ms. Kaufman pointed to an automatic public toilet at Madison Square Park in Manhattan, which is self-cleaning and charges users a small fee, as a helpful innovation. (There are four other automatic toilets spread across the city.) Paying a nominal fee to use public restrooms is common in other cities around the world, she noted, and those fees would go toward helping maintain the facilities. New York still has plenty to do when it comes to restroom access, Ms. Kaufman said, but the Bathroom Bill is 'truly necessary for the livability of the city.' Councilwoman Nurse, who first proposed the bill in 2023, said that the city was initially reluctant to spend millions on bathrooms that would take years to install. But the law was given new life, she said, after demand for public restrooms grew and innovations in modular design made them cheaper to produce and faster to assemble. 'Everybody needs to go,' Ms. Nurse said, adding: 'We need to account for that in our planning processes, rather than emphasizing tickets and summonses.'
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UC president calls 'biological' bathroom signs error as students, faculty protest
When lawyer and University of Cincinnati graduate Scott Knox heard about the "biological" men and women bathroom signs going up at his alma mater, it was just more disappointment. "To be so enthusiastically quick," Knox said. "They've been great on diversity in the past, which makes this so hugely disappointing." The bathroom signs went viral this week as students protested against the university's rollback of diversity initiatives to comply with a presidential executive order. To an impassioned group of students at the trustees meeting Tuesday, President Neville Pinto said the signs were an "error." It is unclear when or if the signs will be changed back. More: University of Cincinnati ends DEI, sparking 2nd day of student protests Knox holds two degrees from UC, has donated to the university since he graduated and has spoken numerous times about diversity at foundation functions and other events. He said he understands that funding is at risk, but he's infuriated that the university didn't take more time to consider what they were doing. Knox said the school should have been looking for lawsuits to join to fight the state and federal measures instead of changing bathroom signs. It's been less than two months since President Donald Trump signed a bevy of executive orders targeting transgender people along with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Ohio's "Bathroom Bill" requiring signage at public schools and universities went into effect Tuesday. Knox said that due to the vague nature of the law and the possibility for pending litigation both at the federal and state level, the university would have been safe in waiting for more clarity. He added that the bathroom law is nearly impossible to enforce. "Is there going to be a genital checker at the door? Why are they making a rule that can't be enforced?" Knox asked. "Beyond the cruelty of it, it's so poorly thought out." Ohio ACLU Legal Director Freda Levenson echoed Knox's concerns. She said her organization is extremely opposed to the bill and is monitoring what happens for potential litigation. Levenson said signage issue shows the absurdity of the whole law and problems it creates for schools and universities. "The obscurity is a detail compared to the cruelty ... of the whole thing," Levenson said. Michelle Minette is a group facilitator at Transform, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit that hosts support groups for trans youth and their families. She said these sorts measures are harmful to a community that is already at risk. According to the Trevor Project, 78% of transgender youth report being harassed in schools, 38% report being physically assaulted and 50% have serious suicidal ideation. "We expect these numbers to increase when we have legally and socially sanctioned spaces for segregation and discrimination," Minette said. Minette said research institutions, like UC, have shown in their research that there is a huge variety in gender and sex variability. She said the idea of binary sexes has been "debunked," and finds it ironic that an institution that might have contributed to this science is now trying to enforce such a thing. However, she said, people should remember that the University of Cincinnati was on the "forefront of DEI" until now. She said for UC it could come down to how many marginalized people can be helped by fighting the regulations versus how many can be helped by complying with them and maintaining full funding. But the university's reasoning was not clear, as UC did not respond to The Enquirer's request for comment Tuesday. "I don't think that UC is the enemy here. It's the state," Minette said. "How do I keep supporting people while flying under the radar of those trying to stop that support?" Ohio Rep. Adam Bird, R-New Richmond, co-sponsored Senate Bill 104, which has been dubbed the "Bathroom Bill." He told The Enquirer that UC's signs comply with the law, but said other schools may not need to use the specific "biological" language. "They are doing the best that they can to comply with the letter of the law," Bird said. "That language is the actual law language. It is not necessary, but if a school needs to be that specific, then they should do what is best for their university." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC president calls 'biological' bathroom signs error amid protests
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
How to report pothole damage in Columbus and central Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Columbus and central Ohio is in the midst of second winter with an arctic blast bursting through the area. The cold and snow has always made driving more difficult with slippery roads and increased potholes. If you are driving around central Ohio and sustain car damage from a pothole, there are multiple ways to report it and get reimbursed for the repair costs. Here is what to know on how to report and who to report to. The City of Columbus covers over 6,000 miles of roadway with city roads and portions of a few highways. If you encounter pothole damage on a city road or portions of State Routes 315, 33 and 104 that are within Columbus boundaries, you can report the damage at this link. You start by contacting the 311 Service Center and report the location of the pothole. Street maintenance investigators will then locate the pothole and get it filled. The question of reimbursement is left to the city attorney's office. You can follow this link to to file a claim about receiving repair costs. One of two conditions must be met for your claim to be considered: The city had actual or constructive notice of the pothole and failed to respond in a reasonable amount of time or responded in a negligent manner The city, in a general sense, maintains its roadways negligently Schools mull changes as 'Bathroom Bill' goes into effect If you encounter vehicle damage from a pothole on a state roadway, then you would report the pothole and file a claim to the Ohio Department of Transportation. All interstate highways as well as multiple U.S. and state routes are under ODOT's purview. You can follow this link for a more detailed look at which roads are under ODOT. You can file a claim to ODOT by clicking here where you must provide details on the occurrence and potential damage. If you sustain damage on the Ohio Turnpike, you can file a separate claim at this link. You can send NBC4 your experience dealing with potholes in Columbus and around central Ohio. If you have an issue about it, tell us about it by filling this form below with your photos or videos. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Schools mull changes as ‘Bathroom Bill' goes into effect
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Senate Bill 104, known as the Bathroom Bill, is set to become law in Ohio on Feb. 25. Some school districts will have to change their policies to comply with the law, which states that people can only use the bathroom of the gender they were assigned at birth when in school buildings. Ohio lawmaker pressing hardline immigration bills Any policy that goes against the law will have to be changed or school districts could face legal action from the Ohio attorney general. Many central Ohio districts, like Bexley and Upper Arlington, have already made the changes to comply with the law. 'At a minimum, we're talking about signage changes; at a maximum, we may be talking about some schools having to change their physical facilities,' Morgan Masters, an attorney and co-owner of Albeit Masters Law Firm in Columbus, said. Columbus City Schools' Board of Education has a gender-affirming policy, allowing students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity. The school board has not yet decided whether it will change the policy. 'The choice for Columbus City Schools and other boards of education who have not adopted a policy yet is to either adopt a policy that complies with the law, that may just be an amendment, or to take their chances and see what the repercussions are,' attorney Mark Weiker, a managing partner at Abdnour Weiker Law Firm in Columbus, said. Ohio Senate's actions called 'undemocratic' after passing higher ed bill Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has threatened legal action if Columbus schools does not change its current policy. 'It's hard to say what the attorney general is contemplating but I would imagine a lawsuit, a request for injunction, something of that nature to force the districts who don't comply to comply,' Weiker said. Both Weiker and Masters said school boards will most likely be having discussions about the impact of the bill on students, parents and staff. 'I think most of them realize that they don't really have a choice in adopting a policy that complies with the law, but they do have a choice in they still control the culture that they create within the district and that's important,' Weiker said. 'In the short term, they're going to see transgender students likely being allowed to use faculty facilities because Senate Bill 104 does not prohibit that,' Masters said. Columbus City Schools has a board meeting on Tuesday where the board will likely decide whether to change the policy or face potential legal consequences. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
