NEW YORK, NY, November 26, 2003— The New York City Police Department has asked the City to exercise its discretion to temporarily deny permits for street events, which it says “place an excessive burden on police resources and divert uniformed personnel from core crime fighting, public safety and counter terrorism duties” the latest issue of CityRegs reports. A public hearing on the proposed amendment to the Rules of the City of New York will be held on December 16 at 10 a.m. at Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street. The proposed amendment also calls for the director of the Street Activity Permit Office (SAPO) to deny applications for events not held in the calendar year preceding the effective date of the amendment, and requires all applicants to obtain $1 million in general liability insurance for the street activity (or receive a waiver if they can demonstrate this would create an unreasonable hardship). Nearly 4,400 SAPO-permitted street events occur annually within the City, and nearly 400 of these events involve permits for the use of multiple blocks over several days, known as street festivals or street fairs. In the past few years, a number of persons have been injured during SAPO-permitted street activities, which have resulted in claims against applicants, sponsors and the City. ABOUT CENTER FOR NEW YORK CITY LAW: Founded in 1993, the Center for New York City Law publishes CityLaw, a bi-monthly journal reporting New York City legal and administrative decisions, and CityRegs, a bi-weekly newsletter on new and proposed city regulations. The Center's Web site, www.citylaw.org, provides an open window on city government, making over 10,000 city administrative decisions from 11 agencies available free of charge in a searchable, comprehensive online database. The Center's Director, Professor Ross Sandler, is former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation. New York Law School, old.nyls.edu, is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. Located near the centers of law, government, and finance in Manhattan's TriBeCa district, New York Law School enrolls 1,400 students in its day and evening divisions. Contact:  Ross Sandler, Professor of Law and Director, Center for New York City Law, 212.431.2869, rsandler@nyls.edu, www.citylaw.org Jim Hellegaard, New York Law School Public Affairs, 212.431.2191, jhellegaard@nyls.edu ###