New York City has officially legalized jaywalking, allowing pedestrians to cross streets without fear of being ticketed by police.
The City Council passed the bill back in February, and after Mayor Eric Adams failed to take action within the 30-day window, the legislation automatically became law as of late October.
The bill, sponsored by Brooklyn Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, aims to end racial disparities in jaywalking enforcement, a concern that has been building for years. Narcisse highlighted that over 90% of jaywalking tickets last year were issued to Black and Latino New Yorkers, emphasizing that laws penalizing common behaviors often unfairly impact communities of color. “Let’s be real, every New Yorker jaywalks. People are simply trying to get where they need to go,” she said in a statement.
For decades, NYPD has faced criticism for disproportionately issuing jaywalking tickets to minority communities. Streetsblog NYC reported that out of 467 jaywalking tickets given last year, 92% went to Black or Latino pedestrians.
The Legal Aid Society applauded the decision, stating that decriminalizing jaywalking removes a longstanding practice used as “a pretext to stop, question, and frisk New Yorkers, especially those from communities of color.” The organization hopes this will inspire further legislative efforts to eliminate laws that, it argues, only serve to entangle people in the criminal justice system without enhancing public safety.
