NYC Council Introduction 220

intro.nyc/0220-2026 2026-2029 Legislative Session Mayor's Desk for Signature
A report and map of historical African American burial sites.
Sponsored by Kamillah Hanks
Introduced: January 29, 2026

This bill would require the Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS), in consultation with other city agencies, organizations and experts, to provide a report to the public about historical African American burial sites. The report would be required to include a list of all known burial sites historically associated with formerly enslaved persons or historically African American communities citywide, along with certain information about each site. The report would also include a plan to locate any currently unmarked historical African American burial sites citywide. It would also include recommendations for the preservation or commemoration of the burial sites as well as recommendations for sources of potential resources or support to preserve the sites, including from state or federal historic preservation programs. This bill would also require DORIS to notify elected officials and community boards when a burial site has been located in their district. Finally, this bill would require DORIS to make educational materials available to City residents about the burial sites and develop and maintain an interactive online map of the burial sites.

Approved by Committee September 10, 2026

Committee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries and International Relations Votes 7:0:0
Nantasha M. Williams (Affirmative)
Crystal Hudson (Affirmative)
Farah N. Louis (Affirmative)
Virginia Maloney (Affirmative)
Chi A. Ossé (Affirmative)
Althea V. Stevens (Affirmative)
Sandra Ung (Affirmative)

Approved by Council September 10, 2026

Votes 50:0:0
Julie Menin (Affirmative)
Shaun Abreu (Affirmative)
Shirley Aldebol (Affirmative)
Joann Ariola (Affirmative)
Alexa Avilés (Affirmative)
Chris Banks (Affirmative)
Gale A. Brewer (Affirmative)
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers (Affirmative)
Tiffany L. Cabán (Affirmative)
David M. Carr (Affirmative)
Carmen N. De La Rosa (Affirmative)
Eric Dinowitz (Affirmative)
Elsie Encarnación (Affirmative)
Harvey D. Epstein (Affirmative)
Amanda C. Farías (Affirmative)
Simcha Felder (Affirmative)
Oswald J. Feliz (Affirmative)
James F. Gennaro (Affirmative)
Jennifer Gutiérrez (Affirmative)
Shahana K. Hanif (Affirmative)
Ty Hankerson (Affirmative)
Kamillah Hanks (Affirmative)
Crystal Hudson (Affirmative)
Rita C. Joseph (Affirmative)
Shekar Krishnan (Affirmative)
Linda Lee (Affirmative)
Farah N. Louis (Affirmative)
Virginia Maloney (Affirmative)
Christopher Marte (Affirmative)
Darlene Mealy (Bereavement)
Frank Morano (Affirmative)
Mercedes Narcisse (Affirmative)
Sandy Nurse (Affirmative)
Chi A. Ossé (Affirmative)
Vickie Paladino (Affirmative)
Lincoln Restler (Affirmative)
Kevin C. Riley (Affirmative)
Yusef Salaam (Affirmative)
Pierina Ana Sanchez (Affirmative)
Justin E. Sanchez (Affirmative)
Kayla Santosuosso (Affirmative)
Lynn C. Schulman (Affirmative)
Althea V. Stevens (Affirmative)
Shanel Thomas-Henry (Affirmative)
Sandra Ung (Affirmative)
Inna Vernikov (Affirmative)
Nantasha M. Williams (Affirmative)
Carl Wilson (Affirmative)
Julie Won (Affirmative)
Phil Wong (Affirmative)
Susan Zhuang (Affirmative)