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4d ago

Adams Vetoes Council Bill to Decriminalize Street Vending, Setting Up Override Vote

The decision maintains misdemeanor penalties for unlicensed street vendors, triggering an override vote by late August.

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Street vendors Ruth Palacios, 43, and her husband, Auturo Xelo, 60, sell their wares on a busy street corner abutting Junction Boulevard in Corona, Queens.
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Overview

  • Mayor Eric Adams vetoed Intro 47-B on July 31, arguing that removing misdemeanor charges for unlicensed street vendors would undermine the NYPD’s ability to address serious public health and safety violations.
  • The City Council approved the bill on June 30 by a 40–8 vote with three abstentions, securing a veto-proof majority for a potential override.
  • The legislation, based on recommendations from a 2021 Street Vendor Advisory Board, would have replaced criminal misdemeanor charges with civil fines of up to $1,000 for unlicensed vendors.
  • Under current law, unlicensed vendors face misdemeanor charges with fines up to $1,000 and up to three months in jail, penalties that advocates say jeopardize immigrants’ housing, employment and immigration prospects.
  • Council leaders have until the end of August to mount an override vote, with immigrant advocacy groups and vendor coalitions intensifying pressure on lawmakers.