Safe Hotels Act passed by New York City Council

Three months after the controversial Intro 991, or Safe Hotels Act, was first proposed by New York City Councilperson Julie Menin, the hotel licensing bill passed on Wednesday. 

The New York City Council Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection voted Wednesday morning to pass the Safe Hotels Act, which requires hotel operators in New York City to obtain a license in order to operate. 

In addition to the license mandate, the act — revised several times following its July 18 proposal — requires New York City hotels to have continuous coverage of their front desk, and large hotels to have a security guard providing continuous coverage on-property while any room is occupied. All hotels are also required to provide daily housekeeping unless a guest declines the service. 

Hotels will also need to directly employ their “core employees,” or housekeeping and front desk employees, rather than using subcontracted workers, according to the City Council. Earlier this month, the council narrowed the definition of “core employees,” exempting food and beverage, security and engineering roles, following industry pushback. Operators of hotels with less than 100 rooms will be exempt from the direct employment requirement. 

The legislation states that hotel operators must equip all core employees with panic buttons and provide them with human trafficking recognition training. Hotel operators that violate the license conditions would be subject to civil penalties, according to the City Council. 

Since its proposal, the legislation has been highly contested by national hotel associations, including the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Asian American Hotel Owners Association, which claim its passage will be “devastating” for New York’s hotels and the city’s economy at large. 

During a press conference on the steps of New York City Hall on Oct. 9, AHLA Interim President and CEO Kevin Carey said the bill “will do sweeping harm to the hotel sector, the economy, and hotel guests.” AAHOA Chair Miraj Patel echoed Carey’s sentiment, saying the bill’s passage could “force many NYC hotel owners to shut their doors, crippling the local industry and eliminating thousands of jobs.” 

Local union employees, meanwhile, have favored the act, claiming it could safeguard their health and safety protections.