CONTACT: Mariah McGough, mariah@vocal-ny.org

VOCAL-NY CELEBRATES WIFI WIN FOR HOMELESS NEW YORKERS, SLAMS LEGISLATURE FOR LEAVING LIFE-SAVING LEGISLATION ON THE TABLE

NEW YORK — Today, in response to the end of the 2026 New York State legislative session, we celebrated the passage of legislation that requires homeless shelters statewide to provide secure WiFi access for all residents (S8026/A1755) while condemning the legislature’s failure to pass additional legislation that would materially transform the lives of our members and vulnerable New Yorkers across the state. VOCAL-NY released the following statement, attributable to Kim Smith, VOCAL-NY Political Director:

“Our members fought for six years and won WiFi access for New Yorkers living in homeless shelters statewide. Internet access is crucial for homeless New Yorkers as they search for jobs, housing, medical care, benefits, and community connections. This is proof that when this legislature decides to act, it can. Which makes everything else they left on the table all the more inexcusable.

We have ended another session with the legislature’s self-imposed clock running out on bills that would create pathways to release people from the horrifying conditions in our state’s prisons and jails, and secure the harm reduction infrastructure that has reduced overdose deaths from attacks by a hostile federal government.

Although the legislative session runs from January through June, the legislature used the most delayed budget in 15 years as an excuse not to pass legislation. Two things have become glaringly obvious: the legislature should expect late budgets from this governor, and need to flex their power and use every day of the session to put bills on Hochul’s desk.

We don’t need to reform the process — we need the Senate and the Assembly to stop acting like passive observers, embrace their role as a co-equal branch of government, and start fighting for the people of New York every day.

Politicians have exposed themselves as unwilling or unable to lead on the life-saving issues our members have asked them to champion. We will not accept political finger pointing as an excuse. We will continue to build power until saving and transforming lives is inevitable.”

BACKGROUND:

VOCAL-NY ratified and released its platform, “Meeting the Moment: Federal Cuts & Colliding Crises” in late 2025. The platform focuses on protecting, transforming, and implementing proven solutions, raising revenue to stabilize the safety net, and creating pathways to release and stability.

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