Keith Powers introduced the bill in November. He's term-limited and leaves office this week. Councilmember Frank Morano from Staten Island has volunteered to take over as prime sponsor. Bipartisan support for the first time.

The bill is with the Committee on Health. No hearing scheduled yet. That's the next step.

Zohran Mamdani becomes mayor on January 1. During the campaign, he appeared on Shop Cats and said he loves bodega cats. He hasn't stated a position on Int. 1471. If the bill passes the Council, he'll need to sign it.

I wrote more about what to expect from Mamdani here: https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/blog/will-zohran-mamdani-sign-the-bodega-cat-bill

What you can do now: Contact Lynn Schulman's office and ask when the Committee on Health will schedule a hearing.

The book arrives October 2026. Join the waitlist for pre-order access: https://bodegacatsofnewyork.com/book

Dan