NYC NOW - September 21, 2023: Morning Headlines

Episode Date: September 21, 2023

Get up and get informed! Here’s all the local news you need to start your day: New York has introduced laws that could expand voting rights, pending court review. Meanwhile, the Rutgers University Senate debates a vote of no confidence in President Jonathan Holloway. Additionally, a memo received by WNYC suggests an NYPD counterterrorism unit might face a 75% reduction in its ranks.

Welcome to NYC Now. Your source for local news in and around New York City from WNYC. It's Thursday, September 21st. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. New York has a new slate of laws that will expand voting rights if they hold up in court. WNYC's Bridget Bergen explains. The centerpiece of the package is a new law that will allow people to vote by mail starting 10 days before an election. That's the period.

designated for early voting. While a proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed for mail voting through no-excuse absentee ballots was rejected by voters two years ago, Hogle says this new law is different. Absentee ballots require an excuse and can be requested earlier. We're only talking about that early voting time frame that now exists and that you'd be able to vote by mail during that time. Hogle acknowledged the likelihood of legal challenges and promptly after she signed the bill, New York Republicans, including Congress members, Elise Stefanik, and Nicole Maliatakis, filed a lawsuit calling the new law unconstitutional. The Rutgers University Senate is considering a vote of no confidence in President Jonathan Holloway.

WNYC's Nancy Solomon reports. Members of the Senate, which includes faculty, staff, and students, are upset about what's called shared governance, a tradition that gives the academic community a say in decisions. They say he let Rutgers medical schools merge without their approvals. and they object to his decision not to renew the Redgers Newark Chancellor's contract. Lecturer Heather Pierce, a member of the Senate, says Holloway is undermining shared governance. With his actions, with his behavior, with his disregard for the broader academic community and especially the disregard for the role of the Senate in decision-making.

On Friday, the Senate will decide whether to add the no-confidence vote to that day's agenda. A commander in an NYPD counterterrorism unit has sent his team a memo warning that the city is about to slash their ranks by 75%. WNYC has received that memo. The city launched a critical response command after 9-11 to prevent and plan the NYPD's response to terrorism. The news comes just nine days after Mayor Adams announced billions in citywide budget cuts, saying the migrant crisis is driving most of that order. but it's unclear if the response command cut is part of that. A spokesperson for the NYPD said the department has no planned personnel changes for the union, and City Hall did not immediately respond to for a comment. 60 and clear, going up to a sunny 72 on this Thursday, September 21st.

Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WNYC. Be sure to catch us every weekday, three times a day, for your top news headlines. and occasional deep dives, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you this afternoon.