For Immediate Release: June 25, 2010

Assembly: 141 Yes / 1 No ; Senate: 60 Yes / 0 No

On Friday, June 25th at about 4:30pm, in a unanimous vote—60 Yes, 0 no—the NYS Senate passed the Taxi Driver Protection Act sponsored by Senator Eric Adams. The Assembly passed the same bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Rory Lancman, on Tuesday, June 22nd in a vote of 141 to 1. The Taxi Driver Protection Act increases the penalties on assaults against taxicab, black car, and livery drivers and requires a sticker in every taxicab: "WARNING: Assaulting A Taxi Driver Is Punishable By Up To Twenty-Five Years In Prison." On misdemeanor assaults which carry maximum one year prison, the penalty will increase to a mandatory two year prison term if the victim is a driver. On felony assaults, there will be a penalty enhancement of five additional years to the term if the victim is a driver. The bill now goes to the Governor for signing. Within ten days, the bill will become law.

We are overjoyed beyond words.

We raise this victory in prayer to our brother Shajedur Rahman who, four and a half years later, remains in a vegetative state after recovering from a coma following an assault on October 2, 2005. We are indebted to his beautiful wife Shahida and their three beautiful girls whose courage has guided this campaign at every step and juncture.

We are so thankful to our superb Sponsors, Assemblyman Lancman who championed and authored the bill with unbelievable precision and commitment and the incomparable Senator Adams who kept up our spirits and championed a ninth inning rally to bring home the victory!

We want to especially recognize staff Allison Weingarten and Brad Fischer for their unwavering dedication to the protection of taxi workers.

We also thank Taxi and Limousine Commission Chairman David Yassky who endorsed the campaign within just days of taking his new post.

We are humbled by our injured brothers and sisters who have graciously taken some of the most traumatic moments of their lives and used them for a lifetime of protection for their fellow drivers. This campaign was born in the hospital bed of our brother Mamnun Ul Haq, co-founder of NYTWA, who despite shooting pain from the wounds of a 10-inch hunting knife, imagined a political solution where justice lay in the future, not a bitter past. We salute with admiration all the sisters and brothers who have stood with us at press conferences and hearing rooms, retelling their nightmare for a better tomorrow: Mamnun Ul Haq, Neeru Singh, Mohammad Chowdhury, Enois Malbranche, Ousmane Drame, Ndiaye Serigne, Jangbir Singh, Syed Salman, Abubakar Abdallah, Jamil Hussain, Zakir Howlader, Amarjit Singh Soni, Gurmail Singh, Frederick Dsouza, among thousands.

This victory was shouldered by the members of NYTWA who made the trek to Albany, sacrificing income, sleep, rest, paying lease out of pocket and covering the trip costs themselves. You are our heroes.

May this victory—won in an unprecedented six weeks of mobilization—be the shining reminder that unity is power and workers united will never be defeated.

At the end of the day, after all other reflection, may this victory above all serve as a dedication to the brothers and sisters we have lost through the years. May their loved ones know we never forgot. We dedicate to you, Mohammad Elwaleed, Mohammad Butt, Ibrahima Doukare, Humayun Laskar, in our loving memory.

Download press release here

Download Flyer here and outreach to fellow drivers!