'Sammy's Law' stalls in NY Assembly, advocates demand action

ALBANY - The New York State Assembly wrapped up its 2023 session without voting on ‘Sammy’s Law,' a bill allowing New York City to dictate speed limits on city streets, to the outrage of pedestrian safety advocates.

The law, which was inspired by a boy named Sammy who was struck and killed by a reckless driver near his home in Brooklyn in 2013, had already gotten a mass majority in the State Senate.

Sammy's mother, Amy Cohen, along with the organization "Families for Safe Streets" had been holding a hunger strike in Albany in the hopes of convincing Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, but the law never came to the floor for a vote.

"It was unconscionable that they adjourned without passing the bill," Cohen said. "It is outrageous and it is Albany backroom politics, you know, at its worst."

The law would give New York City the ability to set its own speed limits without first getting approval from Albany, allowing the city to lower its speed limit from the current 25 miles per hour to 20 miles per hour wherever necessary.

"It passed the senate 55 to 7. It had a super majority from the City Council. The governor wanted it. The mayor, the 4 borough presidents, several district attorneys, the comptroller, and a majority of the New York State Assembly," Cohen said. 

But Speaker Heastie did not bring the bill up for a vote.

"On the final day, he just kept saying ‘I am just one vote.’ I'm sorry, you're the leader of the assembly, and it is your decision whether or not to bring the bills for a vote," Cohen said.

Last month, Governor Hochul expressed her support for Sammy's Law.

It is believed that some Assembly members from the outer boroughs are fearful of voter backlash if the speed limit is lowered, and it takes them longer to drive in the five boroughs