Health Care Security Act
In a historic vote on October 11, 2005, the Health Care Security Act moved from a bright idea to a new reality for hard-working New Yorkers. Despite Bloomberg’s opposition, the NYC Council overrode the mayoral veto and passed the Health Care Security Act into law. The first of its kind in the country, the new law sets a vital precedent for tackling the health care crisis in New York and around the country while protecting businesses and their workers from the devastating effects of low-road, irresponsible companies.
The Health Care Security Act pilot project expands health care to 6,000 grocery workers and protects coverage for 21,000 working New Yorkers who currently receive health care through their employers. By requiring that grocery stores in New York City provide similar levels of health care to their workers, the new law will keep the doors open at responsible companies by removing the incentive for their competitors to slash benefits to gain an unfair leg up on the competition.
The Health Care Security Act has already sparked similar legislation in localities around the nation, and will provide a powerful model for other jurisdictions to follow suit. The Suffolk County Legislature recently passed a version of the bill, and additional efforts are in progress in Maryland, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington State, and San Francisco.
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