Governor Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility, Mayor Announces New Appointments, & Gennaro Likely Winner of NYC Council Special Election

February 8, 2021

News in New York – Governor Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility, Mayor Announces New Appointments, & Gennaro Likely Winner of NYC Council Special Election

Governor Expands COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility

Last week, Governor Cuomo expanded the eligibility of New Yorkers who could receive the COVID-19 vaccine. With an increase of federal supply to states, Cuomo granted localities the flexibility to add restaurant workers, taxi drivers, and developmentally disabled facilities to the 1B vaccine prioritization group, who are currently eligible to receive the vaccine. Further, the Governor released the list of comorbidities and underlying conditions that the state will use to determine eligibility for the vaccine, and New Yorkers who have one of the comorbidities on the list will be eligible beginning February 15. As of this morning, New York has administered over 1.6 million first does, and over 500,000 second doses, which you can track on the State’s vaccine dashboard.

Mayor Announces New Appointments

Last week, Mayor de Blasio announced several new appointments in his Administration. The Mayor appointed Roberto Perez as the new commissioner of the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit (CAU) and Hank Gutman as Commissioner of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Perez joins CAU from the Department of Education, where he was Senior Executive Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. He also served as Deputy Commissioner of CAU in the beginning of the de Blasio administration. Gutman recently retired as a Partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, LLP, where he headed the intellectual property practice group. He also serves as Chair of the Brooklyn Navy Yard and sits on the Board of Brooklyn Bridge Park. On his first day as Commissioner, Gutman announced a plan to build 10,000 new bike parking racks by the end of 2022.

Gennaro Likely Winner of NYC Council Special Election

Last Tuesday, there was a special election in City Council District 24, which covers the neighborhoods of Kew Gardens Hills, Pomonok, Hillcrest, Briarwood, and Jamaica Estates. James Gennaro is the likely winner of the race, as he secured about 60% of the in-person vote on election day. He will be reclaiming his old seat, as he previously served three terms as the Council Member of the District 24. This election was the first test of NYC’s new ranked choice voting system, but it wasn’t put into effect as it appears that Gennaro secured a majority of the vote. Gennaro will replace former Council Member Rory Lancman, who left for a role in the Cuomo Administration in November.

Please contact Katie Schwab or Rose Christ of Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies with any questions you may have regarding this note or if you’re interested in ways to engage on these issues.

About Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies

Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies, an affiliate of the international law firm Cozen O’Connor, is a bipartisan government relations practice representing clients before the federal government and in cities and states throughout the country. With offices in Washington D.C., Richmond, Albany, New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Chicago, and Santa Monica, the firm’s public strategies professionals offer a full complement of government affairs services, including legislative and executive branch advocacy, policy analysis, assistance with government procurement and funding programs, and crisis management. Its client base spans multiple industries, including healthcare, transportation, hospitality, education, construction, energy, real estate, entertainment, financial services, and insurance.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 775 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle-market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 31 offices across two continents.

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