Mayor Adams raises veto threat over NYC Council’s solitary confinement bill

A City Council bill that would put stringent restrictions on the use of solitary confinement at Rikers Island could face a veto if the Council passes the legislation in its current form, Mayor Adams threatened Friday.

The legislation, which is being sponsored by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, currently has a 36-member, veto-proof majority. If that number holds and the Council passes the bill, it would then ultimately become law without the mayor’s approval.

[ NYC Rikers violence exceeds jails, prisons elsewhere in U.S. ]

Adams said Friday that his administration is in talks with the Council about the bill and hopes they can reach a compromise. But he also raised a veto as a possibility if that does not come to pass.

“I’m going to do an evaluation and, if need be, use the power of veto to stop it,” he said. “I just think the Council should really think through this bill before they make that decision. We have been speaking with Council people and I believe the conversations are going fairly well.”

As its currently written, the bill, Intro. 549, would prohibit the city from putting an inmate into solitary confinement for more than eight hours during a day “unless such confinement is necessary to deescalate immediate conflict that has caused injury or poses a specific, serious and imminent danger to a person’s safety.”

[ NYC plan to ban solitary confinement leads to City Hall steps clash between supporters, Rikers correction officers ]

The bill also includes a provision that would require a review process before placing someone in what’s also known as punitive segregation.

“This just doesn’t make sense,” Adams said of that clause. “It just doesn’t make sense that we will put correction officers in harm’s way and civilians who work on the island and other inmates.”

Supporters of the ban remained steadfast, though. In response to Adams’ remarks, advocates doubled down on calls to end solitary confinement.

“Solitary confinement is torture and causes devastating harm and death. New York City has an opportunity right now to end this torturous practice,” said Anisah Sabur, a campaign organizer for #HALTsolitary. “The Council must pass Intro. No. 549 immediately to finally end solitary confinement, and the mayor must sign it into law.”