New York Note: Executive Orders, AI Moratorium, Racial Equity Plan, Legionnaires’ Measures

September 8, 2026

Mayor Announces Series of Executive Orders

Last week, Mayor Mamdani signed several executive orders, including Executive Order 20, which established the Mayor’s Office of Worker Power and directed agencies to strengthen coordination and enforcement of worker protection laws; Executive Order 21, which designated September 11 as an annual Citywide Day of Remembrance and Service; and Executive Order 22, which created a new citywide continuity and mission assurance framework to help ensure essential government services remain operational during emergencies and other disruptions.

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NYC Public Schools Announce Student-Facing AI Moratorium

Mayor Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced a one-year moratorium on student-facing generative AI for students in 2-K through 8th grade during the 2026-27 school year, along with new screen time guidelines and a review of educational technology tools. The policy also establishes limited AI pilot programs for up to 50,000 high school students, twice-yearly AI literacy modules for all high school students, and a coalition to assess the policy’s impact and make recommendations for future school years.

Mayor Releases First Citywide Racial Equity Plan

Mayor Mamdani and the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice released New York City’s first Citywide Racial Equity Plan, a government-wide framework establishing eight goals through 2034 to address disparities in housing, education, employment, maternal health, transportation, broadband access, and the justice system. The plan, developed with input from New Yorkers and 45 city agencies, includes citywide benchmarks, agency-level commitments, and biennial progress reports to track implementation and outcomes.

Mayor, Health Department Announce New Measures to Address Legionnaires’ Disease

Mayor Mamdani and the New York City Health Department announced new measures to strengthen the City’s response to Legionnaires’ disease following the Upper East Side cluster earlier this summer, including enhanced cooling tower registration and tracking, a new public mapping tool for registered cooling towers, accelerated enforcement procedures, expanded testing capabilities, and the creation of a scientific advisory panel to evaluate emerging cooling technologies and prevention strategies.

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