Category: Advocacy

New Yorkers Deserve Full Transparency About the COVID-19 Emergency and State Response

Full data transparency — including 121 specific data sets,comprehensive oversight hearing, NTSB-style independent assessment Nine major state watchdog groups wrote to New York’s elected leaders urging full transparency about all aspects of the COVID-19 emergency, including the state’s response. The letter was signed by groups across the political spectrum, from the Empire Center to Reinvent […]

Testimony on NYC’s COVID-19 vaccinations, service design, and their websites

To: NYC Council – Joint committee hearing with Health, Technology, and AgingFrom: Noel Hidalgo, Executive Director  Re: Covid-19 vaccinations and their websites (link to hearing) Wednesday, 17 February 2021 On behalf of the BetaNYC community, we would like to say thank you for hosting this open conversation. Thank you Council Members for all of your […]

BetaNYC’s Testimony at City Council Technology Committee Oversight Hearing on the Smart City

To: NYC Council – Committee on Technology, Chair Holden From: Noel Hidalgo, Executive Director Re: Oversight – Smart CityTuesday, 19 January 2021 On behalf of the BetaNYC community, we would like to say thank you for hosting this open conversation. First, BetaNYC would like to acknowledge this Administration’s involvement in the Cities for Digital Rights coalition. […]

Statement on Intro 1894-2020, a bill that would regulate the use of automated employment decision tools.

BetaNYC has signed onto a collective letter that flags a number of concerns within Int. 1894-2020, a bill that would regulate the use of automated employment decision tools. November 11, 2020Hon. Laurie A. CumboNew York City Council Majority Leader via email RE: Int. 1894-2020 – Sale of Automated Employment Decision Tools. Dear Council Member Cumbo: […]

Re: Oversight hearing of Internet Master Plan and Resolution T2020-6730

Important quotes to note from the NYC Internet Master Plan: “The private market has failed to deliver the internet in a way that works for all New Yorkers. Citywide, 29% of households do not have a broadband subscription at home. The same percentage of households are without a mobile broadband connection.” “…more than 1.5 million […]

Statement from 7 Leading Civic and Journalism Groups on Legislature’s Repeal of Police Secrecy Law 50-a and Modification of FOIL

Statement on Legislature’s Repeal of Police Secrecy Law 50-a and Modification of FOIL Our groups thank Assemblymember Danny O’Donnell and Jamaal Bailey, Speaker Carl Heastie, Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and the Assembly and State Senate for passing S8496/A10611. Our groups strongly support this bill and ask Governor Cuomo to sign it immediately, without modification or chapter […]

WE & Seven Other Watchdogs Urge Mayor to Publish COVID-19 Data as Open Data

Bill de Blasio                                      VIA EMAILMayor, City HallNew York, New York 10007 April 30, 2020 Re: Please Publish the City’s COVID-19 Data as Open Data Dear Mayor de Blasio: We write to ask you to publish as open data the tabular information the City has gathered about the COVID-19 emergency. This valuable […]

WE & Six Other Watchdogs Urge Governor to Publish COVID-19 Data as Open Data

Open Government Boosts Public Confidence in Government and HelpsResearchers Get Fullest Possible Picture in Fight Against COVID-19 Seven government watchdogs sent a letter to Governor Cuomo today asking that the state place as much COVID-19 data as possible on the state’s open data portal. The groups lauded the Governor’s daily briefings on the state of […]