Tech:NYC Digest: July 1

Tech:NYC Digest: July 1

July 01, 2022 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Friday July 1, 2022 

We’re back with another summer Friday edition of the Tech:NYC Digest, featuring five articles to carry you through the holiday weekend.One programming note, we’ll be off on Monday in observance of July 4th. Here’s the weekend weather forecast across the country. And, a local guide to watching fireworks. Otherwise, see you Tuesday.

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Breaking: New York Moves to Enshrine Abortion Rights in State Constitution (New York Times)

  • Today the New York State Legislature will pass the Equal Rights Amendment, which would enshrine the right to seek an abortion and access contraception in the State Constitution. It would also prohibit government from discriminating against anyone based on race, ethnicity, national origin, disability or sex — specifically noting sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and pregnancy related decisions. Next it will need to be passed by the legislature a second time in 2023 and then will be placed on the ballot that November to seek final approval by voters in a referendum.

N.Y. Democrats to Pass New Gun Laws in Response to Supreme Court Ruling 

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  • Following last week’s Supreme Court decision striking down a law limiting the spread of concealed handguns in New York, lawmakers introduced legislation that would block the concealed carry of a weapon from:

    • Schools

    • Places of worship

    • Public transit

    • Polling sites

    • Government buildings 

    • Rehabilitation facilities

    • Sporting and entertainment venues 

    • Sidewalks/public places for special events

    • Establishments where alcohol is served

    • Times Square

  • The legislation would also extend to private property, such as a bar, restaurant or home, unless the property owner expressly allows guns, as indicated by signage.

  • The legislation is expected to sail through the State Senate and Assembly today, where Democrats hold supermajorities, and will be signed into law by Governor Hochul. It will serve as an early test of how far a state can go to limit the spread of handguns without violating last week’s Supreme Court’s ruling.

New York City’s COVID test positivity rate surpasses 10% for the first time since January 

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  • With the positivity rate likely to be even higher due to those who test at home, it’s a good reminder to test before attending events this weekend and returning to the office next week. The majority of cases continue to be among the unvaccinated. According to public health experts, the increase in numbers is likely the begining of a wave caused by BA.5, an omicron subvariant. It is likely we will see numbers continue to climb in the coming weeks.

Oh Look, RadioShack is Edgy on Twitter Now. 

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  • A colleague alerted to RadioShack twitter earlier this week and we were very😲.

One guilty pleasure: The third annual running of the goats helps Riverside Park remove invasive plants in hard-to-reach areas.

 

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  • We’re suckers for this annual tradition. More goatcon here.

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