Justification:

Currently, obesity and related comorbidities are the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Obesity is closely linked with impaired immune function, decreased lung capacity, and

increased risk of severe illness, all of which makes individuals more vulnerable as we continue managing the onslaught of Coronavirus.  Unfortunately, the obesity epidemic continues to grow exponentially, especially amongst children. Nearly one-third of New York's children are obese or overweight. In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the Lancet Medical Journal jointly formed a commission that found exploitative marketing practices as one of the most serious threats to our childrens' future. In the United States, children see roughly three to five fast food advertisements per day.  Children are particularly susceptible to these tactics because they are still forming their personal preferences and habits, and they do not yet possess the ability to detect ulterior motives. Furthermore, children are less likely to practice restraint and can easily become addicted to the immediate satisfaction junk food provides.

Like many comorbidities, obesity also disproportionately affects communities of color. The fast food industry specifically targets advertising towards disadvantaged communities with just enough money to spend on cheap fast food and little access to reliable nutrition information. Food-related companies spend almost $14 billion per year on advertising, of which 80% promotes fast food, surgery drinks, candy and other unhealthy snacks. In New York, the trends are alarming. Research shows that companies specifically target largely black and brown neighborhoods to advertise for sugary products. A CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute survey found that New Yorkers living and working in lower income neighborhoods are almost twice as likely to fall victim to predatory marketing of unhealthy foods than those in higher income communities.  Highly processed foods share similar characteristics to alcohol, narcotics and other addictive substances. Research indicates that the chemical composition of such foods may actually alter our physiology to promote over-eating and metabolic dysfunction. Like the restrictions placed on the consumption of drugs and alcohol, the legislature is morally obligated to protect the public from predatory marketing of junk food consistent with the state's efforts to curb the disastrous health outcomes associated with overconsumption of these products.

Justification:

One of the most discriminatory hiring practices employed by the New York State Civil Service System falls under the title of language parentheticals. These employees need to poses multiple language skills, are not compensated for them, have no opportunity for promotions, are locked into low payin titles and their supervisors are unqualified to supervise them. This legislation will bring all of the above to an end by creating a language parenthetical supervisory title and requiring a pay differential for multi-language skills of current workers. For decades, the work of these multilingual civil servants has allowed New York State government to conduct is constitutional duties, yet all these employees have been discriminated against by a system that does not compensate them for their extra job skills or their years of experience. 

Fearing the loss of such valuable workers, promotional opportunities to other civil service job titles are rarely allowed and the situation is compounded when considering the fact that there are no supervisory parenthetical job titles available for employees to aspire. In addition, their present supervisors are not multi-lingual and therefore they are unable to supervise the quality.of their employees' work. This adds insult to injury to employees that find their work product is needed but no respect or proper compensation for their skills.

This legislation will address this terrible situation. The reporting mechanism will allow the legislature to monitor the legislative intent of this proposed law to enact substantial and ongoing oversight of DCS actions with regard to these employees can be gained.

As schools plan and prepare for emergencies, it should not be the case that police, whose job is to enforce the law, should be "go-to" to respond to mental health emergencies. As can be the case in the wider public, law enforcement training and methods are almost never the correct response to mental health emergencies. This bill requires school districts to prepare for mental health emergencies more appropriately.