Tompkins County endorses state immigrant-protection bills and advances Good Food procurement resolution
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Summary
The legislature passed a resolution urging the state to adopt the Dignity Not Detention and New York for All acts (13-3) and the Planning Committee recommended the Good Food New York procurement bill with a 15-1 committee vote.
At the full meeting the legislature approved an individual-member resolution urging New York State to pass two bills focused on immigrant protections: the Dignity Not Detention Act and the New York for All Act. Sponsor Rachel Osland summarized the measures for the body: New York for All would limit state and local sharing of sensitive information with federal immigration authorities without judicial warrants and prohibit 287(g)-style deputization agreements; Dignity Not Detention would bar New York State, local or private entities from contracting with ICE to detain individuals for civil immigration matters and would prevent private immigration detention centers inside the state.
The full legislature passed the endorsement in a 13-3 vote. County staff indicated the sheriff is familiar with and supports the bills per the sponsor's outreach.
Separately, the Planning, Energy and Environmental Quality Committee unanimously (15-1) advanced an amended resolution backing the Good Food New York bill (S7338/A8091B). Committee members said the bill would give municipal agencies an "opt in" to values-based procurement for institutional food-buying; agencies could choose values-based bids from New York farms that fall within 10% of the lowest price. Committee discussion emphasized the bill is voluntary for municipal agencies and aims to expand market access for smaller in-state farms while setting clear qualification criteria for qualifying values (local economic benefit, equity, workforce treatment, animal welfare, nutrition and environmental sustainability).
Supporters argued these state bills align with county values on immigrant protections, food equity, and local economic development. Public commenters at tonight's meeting also urged passage, noting the county's sanctuary-community commitments and ties between procurement and local food-system resilience.
Next steps: the county's committee-approved Good Food resolution will be scheduled for full-body consideration as part of the legislature's normal agenda process; the immigrant-protection resolution is a public statement of county support to state legislators and the governor.
