NYC Councilmember Volunteers To Lead Bodega Cat Bill In 2026

Eleven minutes. That is how long it took Councilmember Frank Morano to respond when I asked if anyone planned to take over Int. 1471 after Keith Powers leaves office.

"Yes, I'm planning on continuing as a sponsor," Morano wrote. "I'd be happy to take over as a Prime Sponsor."

Nothing is official yet. The new Council session starts in January. But Int. 1471 now has someone willing to carry it forward.

The problem this solves

Keith Powers introduced the bill on November 12, 2025. He worked with our office to draft the language. But Powers is term-limited and leaves the Council at the end of December.

A bill without an active champion stalls. Someone has to request hearings, work with committee chairs, and keep the issue moving. Powers did that work to get Int. 1471 introduced. With him gone, the question was whether anyone would step up.

Morano answered that question in eleven minutes.

Why a Republican matters

Morano represents District 51, covering Staten Island and a small part of Brooklyn. He is a Republican in a Democratic-majority Council.

Bodega cats are not a partisan issue. But having a Republican willing to lead the bill makes it harder to dismiss as a progressive pet project. It signals that protecting working cats and supporting small business owners crosses party lines.

The original co-sponsors already reflected this: Democrats and Republicans, progressive and moderate districts, representatives from the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. Morano taking the lead reinforces that this is a citywide issue, not a niche cause.

What still needs to happen

1. Morano volunteering as the prime sponsor is a commitment, not a conclusion. The bill still needs:

2. A hearing before the Committee on Health, chaired by Lynn Schulman. No hearing has been scheduled. Morano will need to work with Schulman's office to get Int. 1471 on the calendar once the new session begins.

3. A committee votes to advance the bill to the full Council.

4. A floor vote. Fifty-one members, simple majority needed.

5. The mayor's signature. Zohran Mamdani takes office January 1, 2026. He has not stated a position on Int. 1471.

6. State action for full legalization. The city bill stops NYC enforcement but does not override state regulations from the Department of Agriculture and Markets. That is a separate fight.

What you can do

Contact Frank Morano's office and thank him for volunteering to lead the bill. His number is 718-984-5151. His email is Morano@council.nyc.gov. Elected officials notice when people reach out for support.

Contact Lynn Schulman's office and ask when the Committee on Health will schedule a hearing. Her number is 718-544-8800. Her email is Schulman@council.nyc.gov.

When a hearing gets scheduled, show up. Public testimony matters.

What this means

The petition that led to Int. 1471 collected over 13,000 signatures. Those signatures showed the Council that bodega cats have a real constituency. Keith Powers responded by introducing the bill. Frank Morano is now willing to carry it into 2026.

Nothing is guaranteed. The bill still has to clear the committee, pass the Council, and get signed by the mayor. But it has something it did not have yesterday: a councilmember ready to lead.

That happened in eleven minutes.

Our book, Bodega Cats of New York, comes out in October 2026

More info: bodegacatsofnewyork.com

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