District 10 Update: April 3, 2026

I hadn’t planned on sending a newsletter this week because of the holiday, but something happened that I need to share. On Thursday, the New York City Council voted on a proposal to create 25-foot buffer zones around places of worship. I strongly support the First Amendment, along with reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions that protect both free expression and safe access. Learn more about these restrictions. Westchester County worked diligently to ensure our Clinic Access Law does exactly that, protecting both First Amendment rights and access to reproductive healthcare with 25-foot buffer zones. That approach earned support from civil rights groups like the NYCLU and is reflected federally in the FACE Act. Read about NYCLU support for these protections. After protests in front of synagogues and Hebrew schools here in District 10, and in other parts of Westchester, I explored similar protections for all religious institutions at the County level. I was advised that New York State was already working on legislation, and to hold off. However, following the NYC Council vote, protests emerged opposing their bill, including from the NYCLU, which had actively fought to support our Clinic Access Law. It raises a simple question: if buffer zones are appropriate to protect access to healthcare, shouldn't they also be appropriate to protect access to places of worship? That inconsistency is concerning, and it is why I sent the following letter to Governor Hochul urging action on the state legislation.   March 28, 2026 The Honorable Kathy Hochul Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 Dear Governor Hochul, I am writing to urge you to pass legislation establishing 25-foot buffer zones around religious institutions across New York State. This is not hypothetical for my district. In recent months, two synagogues in District 10 have had protests outside their entrances. People attending services and community events have had to walk through crowds, noise, and confrontation just to get inside. That’s not what religious freedom should look like in practice. Safe and secure access to houses of worship must be guaranteed. We’ve addressed this issue in other contexts. Westchester enacted protections around reproductive health care facilities to ensure safe access, with support from the NYCLU as a constitutional balance between access and free speech. The same principle applies here. This bill does not prohibit protest. It sets a reasonable, narrowly tailored boundary so that exercising one right does not interfere with another. Even strong free speech advocates, including FIRE, recognize that content-neutral time, place, and manner restrictions can be appropriate. If we don’t act, we are permitting intimidation at the entrance to houses of worship. That is not consistent with the First Amendment, which protects both free expression and the free exercise of religion. This is a straightforward step with immediate and long-term impact. It ensures safe access now and helps prevent these tactics from spreading to other religious institutions, including churches and mosques. People of all faiths should be able to enter their houses of worship without fear or obstruction. I urge you to take this up and move it forward immediately. Sincerely, Judah Holstein Majority Leader Legislator, District 10 Westchester County Board of Legislators cc: Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senate Majority Leader Carl Heastie, Assembly Speaker Westchester County New York State Delegation Members County Executive Ken Jenkins Please check out my weekly update below, which includes information on the following: The People’s Voice, Now on .gov Eastchester Parks & Rec Presents The Teen Spring Zone! Upcoming Board of Legislators Meeting—April 6 Demystifying Medicare Workshops for Seniors Wishing You a Joyful Passover and Easter What’s Happening in Our Parks Thank you for taking the time to read my newsletter! Sincerely, Judah Holstein Majority Leader, 10th District Legislator The People’s Voice, Now on .gov The Board of Legislators has a new home on the internet. Beginning April 20, 2026, the Westchester County Board of Legislators website will move to: WestchesterLegislatorsNY.gov. A new federal mandate requires all government websites operate under a .gov domain, assuring residents that they are in the right place online.  Current website links and email addresses will forward to the new site. All legislative functions, meetings, and district office information remain unchanged. Eastchester Parks & Rec Presents The Teen Spring Zone! Your teen might want to join some of these 6 exciting events in the neighborhood in April and May. Check out fees and registration requirements.  Join Us for the Next Board of Legislators Meeting—April 6 The next Board of Legislators regular meeting will be held on Monday, April 6 at 7 PM in the Board Chamber on the 8th floor of the Michaelian Office Building, 148 Martine Avenue, White Plains, New York, 10601. Learn how to watch or participate.   Demystifying Medicare Workshops for Seniors The Westchester Library System is offering free Medicare workshops beginning April 18 to help older adults, caregivers, and those nearing retirement better understand their options, including Original Medicare, Advantage plans, prescription coverage, Medigaps, and cost-saving programs. Pre-registration is requested. Register for a Medicare workshop. Happy Spring: Wishing You a Joyful Passover and Easter The Board of Legislators wishes our Jewish friends and neighbors a happy Passover and our Christian friends and neighbors a joyful Easter. May this season of reflection, renewal, and new beginnings be filled with peace, warmth, and community.   What’s Happening in Our Parks Westchester County Parks has a full calendar of activities, programs, and events for residents of all ages. Find opportunities to get outside, stay active, and enjoy the season by exploring the Westchester County Parks events calendar.