Council Committees Weigh Senior Nutrition, Home Care Hours, Inmate Funds

Week of Feb 16 – Feb 22, 2026

A quiet week at the Council, with four bills receiving committee hearings but none advancing to a full vote. The week's agenda centered on older New Yorkers' access to food, the working conditions of home care aides, and the rights of people leaving city jails.

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Senior Nutrition: Two Bills, Two Committees

Two separate bills addressing food access for older New Yorkers were heard this week — neither moved forward.

• The Aging Committee held a hearing on a proposal to launch a grab-and-go meal pilot program at senior centers, but delayed action pending further review. The bill, currently under committee consideration, would test a new meal pickup model at city senior centers.
• A second bill, which would expand year-round home-delivered meal service for seniors, was also laid over after a hearing. That measure would extend nutrition access beyond its current seasonal or limited schedule.

Together, the two proposals reflect ongoing legislative attention to gaps in the city's senior meal infrastructure — though both remain in committee for now.

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Home Care Aides: Working Hours Bill Delayed

The labor committee heard a bill that would regulate the working hours of home care aides — workers who provide in-home assistance to elderly and disabled New Yorkers. The home care aide hours bill was discussed but delayed, with no vote scheduled. Home care aides are among the city's largest low-wage workforces, and hour-related protections have been a recurring subject of Council legislation in recent years.

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Jail Commissary Funds: Hearing in Criminal Justice Committee

The Criminal Justice Committee discussed a bill that would require the city to return commissary funds to people upon their release from jail. Commissary accounts hold money that incarcerated individuals use to purchase goods while detained. The commissary fund return bill was heard but not advanced.

Under current practice, the return of these funds at release is not explicitly mandated by city law. The bill would establish a clear legal requirement.

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What's Next

All four bills remain in their respective committees. No floor votes are scheduled on these measures at this time. Readers can follow individual bills using the links above.