Erik Bottcher: Legislative Record
Mental Health Legislation
Bottcher authored and passed legislation requiring family homeless shelters in New York City to provide on-site mental health services, a measure his office has described as landmark in scope . He also passed a separate bill requiring the Department of Education to provide suicide prevention resources to students . During his tenure on the Council, he served on the Committee on Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addiction beginning in January 2024 . He has advocated for increased inpatient psychiatric treatment capacity and fought for what he has characterized as adequate funding for public behavioral health services .
Sanitation and Scaffolding Reform
Bottcher co-led a package of sidewalk scaffolding reform legislation with Council Member Keith Powers, which was signed into law by Mayor Eric Adams in April 2025 . His specific contribution to the package established time limits requiring property owners to submit completed construction documents and permits to the Department of Buildings when scaffolding is erected, with financial penalties for noncompliance absent an approved extension . The legislation was framed as a response to what Bottcher and Powers described as more than 400 miles of sidewalk sheds covering New York City streets . Bottcher also advanced garbage containerization efforts and initiatives to reduce single-use plastics during his Council tenure .
Urban Forest Master Plan
Bottcher authored and passed legislation establishing New York City's Urban Forest Master Plan, requiring the city to adopt a five-year plan to increase trees and vegetation with the goal of expanding canopy coverage to 30 percent of the city's total area . He introduced the measure in 2023, citing the importance of permeable surface area in mitigating storm water flooding after a severe flooding event earlier that year . He also secured funding to plant hundreds of new street trees in District 3, with his office reporting that over 400 new trees had been planted in the district during the first half of 2023 .
Gun Safety Legislation
Bottcher introduced Intro. 1016 in September 2024, a bill requiring all 14 licensed gun stores in New York City to display graphic imagery and written warning signage conveying the health dangers of firearm ownership 6. The bill garnered at least 31 co-sponsors on the Council, virtually ensuring its passage . After moving to the state Senate, Bottcher and Assembly Member Keith Powers introduced companion legislation at the state level in March 2026 to extend the graphic warning requirement to gun stores across New York State . The state-level bill builds on a 2025 state law that required text-only warning signs in gun shops .
How Many Stops Act Vote
In January 2024, Bottcher initially voted against the How Many Stops Act, a policing transparency bill that would have required NYPD officers to document most investigative encounters . However, when the City Council voted to override Mayor Eric Adams's veto of the legislation later that month, Bottcher reversed his position and voted to override . The override succeeded with a growing majority that included several members who had previously abstained or voted against the measure .
Housing and Development
Bottcher supported the Midtown South Mixed-Use rezoning, working alongside Council Member Keith Powers to open portions of Midtown to residential development . He backed targeted tax relief tied to Penn South, a Mitchell-Lama cooperative in Chelsea, sponsoring local action to implement a reduced shelter-rent tax that was ultimately signed by Governor Kathy Hochul in October 2025 . During his Council tenure, his office reported facilitating a pipeline of thousands of new housing units in District 3, including permanently affordable units .
LGBTQ Rights and Transgender Protections
As co-chair of the Council's LGBTQIA+ Caucus, Bottcher led a legislative package in 2025 aimed at expanding protections for transgender, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, and intersex New Yorkers . The package included Intro. 1200, which would create a comprehensive campaign to educate TGNCNBI individuals about protections against discrimination, access to gender-affirming care, legal name and gender marker changes, and community resources . Bottcher also co-sponsored Intro. 1203, which would develop support systems for young TGNCNBI migrants under age 25 who are new to New York City .
State Senate Committee Assignments and Early Legislation
Upon entering the state Senate in February 2026, Bottcher was named chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Cities 1, which focuses on issues affecting New York City . He also received assignments to the committees on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions; Environmental Conservation; Judiciary; Libraries; Civil Service and Pensions; Investigations and Government Operations; and Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders . Among his early state-level legislative priorities, Bottcher has identified expanding statewide protections against ICE cooperation in civil immigration matters and advancing the graphic gun warning bill .