LA City Council Meeting - May 12, 2026

Maria Ver · Public comment

General comment. Good morning, honorable council members. It's an honor to be here. My name is Maria Ver from District 1. I ask a community member to prohibit nitrous oxide sale in communities and tobacco stores. And now I have seen how young people and old people use it to alter their bodies and their mind as another drugs as if we needed more., and this is damaging to the brain and the body. And I think it's it's all it's it's already enough what we're witnessing with people on the streets that are all drugged out already. these people are heavily altered in in altered states. And as a mother and as a grandmother, I ask that you please vote to prohibit the sale and distribution of these …

Adrian · Item 14

Hello. Good morning. I'm here to speak on behalf of item 14 and general public comment. Okay. First off, my name is Adrian and I'm a high school student in the San Frernando Valley. I want to start off by saying on my way to school last week, right across the street from my high school, I personally I personally found these three NOS tanks. Right now, nitrous oxide is easy for young people to access in our community. And because it's easy, more people are using it despite the serious risks of brain damage, oxygen deprivation, and long-term harm. I see these tanks on what feels like a daily occurrence. Seeing these takes on the street in my community is becoming normal. Something this …

Aiden · Item 14

Good morning. I'm speaking on item 14. Item 14 in general or just item 14? Item 14. Good morning. My name is Aiden and I'm here as a student representing my community. We are the ones seeing the impact of these products every day. Walking to school, in our neighborhoods, and in our parks, we see the canisters left behind. We see how easy it is to get these products. And we're asking a simple question. If we know why it's harmful, why is it so easy to access? If we are serious about protecting young people, we have to match our policies with reality. Please hear our voices and support this motion. Thank you. Good morning. What

Luis Oh · Item 14

item 14.

Vadal Lupe · Item 14

on item on item 14. Good morning, council. My name is Vadal Lupe and I'm a student from Burke Corona Charter and the eldest sister of two. I'm here to I'm here to support the ban on and restriction of nitrous oxide. And honestly, I can go on about how these canisters affect our school, our community, and school. But I'm here to state what's most important. I'm here for my sisters. I'm here to ask how I'm supposed to feel about the fact that both of my sisters, who are no older than nine, are exposed to these items. How should I feel at the fact that I don't feel comfortable to walk them to school when in that same path I see canisters and boxes of nitrous oxide just a few steps from my …

Daniel · Item 14

I'm here for item number 14 and general public comment. Hello. Good morning. My name is Daniel and I'm a student in 10th grade. I'm in the Pathways to Parenting program. Let me start by saying nitrous oxide to miners isn't the only problem we have. Making nitrous oxide tanks available in smoke shops is also a problem. My question is why are smoke shops selling things that aren't made for humans to inhale? Unless they intend for buyers to use it for recreational purposes. Nitrous oxide marketing is getting more and more common by the day in communities kids call home. They use colorful labels and new flavors to attract consumers. Most of the consumers are minors. Walking out of school, me …

Gabriel · Item 14

I would like to speak on item number 14, general public comment. Good morning. What

Angel · Item 14

Good morning. I'm speaking on behalf of item number 14 and general public comment. Good afternoon. Good morning. My name is Angel and I'm a student at Burke Kerner Charter High School. On my way to school, every day I pass through multiple different I pass through multiple different smoke shops that are selling products like nitrous oxide. These aren't hidden and they're right there. They're visible and they're easy to access for the youth. At school, we're hearing things about making good choices, but once we come out of school, the message becomes completely different. When products like these are being sold near schools and smoke shops, it's making them seem normal and harmless. This …

Unverified speaker · Item 14

Hi, my name is Teresa. I'm a student at B Corona Charter High School and a teenager living in the Sun Valley. I live in a community where you see nitrous oxide also known as knots everywhere like in the park with your friends and I'm 17. There are elementary students whom I see at this parks as well. That means students ages five and up may also be seen as tanks. Nitrous oxide should be banned for the sake of our community and the children going grow growing up in it. This community cannot allow children and teenagers to fall into the health issues caused by this gas. Let me tell you something even bigger if I haven't caught your attention yet. This is a drug that can causes you lack of …

Allison · Item 14

I'm here to speak on item number 14 in general public comment. Thank you. Good morning. My name is Allison and I'm also a student from the San Frernando Valley. I'm here to support the item to ban the sale of nitrous oxide for recreational use. I want to stand here and be honest with all of you. This is something that I've struggled with myself. Nitrous oxide is addictive and one of the biggest reasons it's hard to stop is that it's so easy to get. It's sold in places we pass every day. We see the canisters lying around. You've heard it and I'll say it again. It really starts to feel normal even though it's not safe. I'm working with Pathways to Prevention project to reduce and stop using. …

Scott · Item 14

good morning. I'm speaking on item number 14 under general public comments. Thank you. my name is Scott and I am with the San Frernando Valley Partnership where I work closely with students from Burke Corona Charter High School. These young people gave up a full day of learning because of what they are seeing every day in their neighborhoods, parks across the street from their school on a daily basis. Every day we teach young people about healthy choices, prevention, and protecting their future. But there's still a growing disconnect between what we teach our students and what they're continuously exposed to in their community. When products that we know are being misused and that are …

Florinda · General public comment

I'm here for general public comment.

Kimberly · Item 14

Hello. We are here in support of item 14. Hello everyone. My name is Kimberly and I'm part of Lifted Minds Youth Council. Today I want to talk about how NOS affects people in our community. Nause is often seen as harm harmless but it is not. It can damage the brain affect memory, mood and behavior. Using too much knock can cause low blood pressure, figning, numbness and it can make people confuse and not can think clearly. I saw this happen to someone I know personally. He used NOS almost every day. He lost a lot of weight. His face changed and his health was terrible. He became angry, confused, and started homeless for no reason. I didn't give up on him. I supported him and encouraged him …

Jula Hernandez · Item 14

Hello. Good morning. Item 14 in general. Thank you. Good morning, council president and council members. My name is Jula Hernandez and I'm with Los Angeles Unified School District, Office of Government Relations, and I we're here in support of item 14 related to the restricting of the retail sale and distribution of nitrous outside. The district would like to thank council member Padilla along with every other council member who has helped move this item forward in making sure that the everyone has the same shared goal of creating safer communities for our youth. Los Angeles Unified supports the efforts to help protect health, the health, safety, and well-being of young people across our …

Unverified speaker · General public comment

I want to remind you that you are encouraged to communicate with people so long as it's done in public. It's secret discussions which are the problem because they are potential serial meeting violations. Of course, communications with your personal lawyers are protected, but city attorneys are not personal lawyers. Their client is the public, and their communications are public records. So, what do we do when there's a dispute over matters like this? We're supposed to let a jury decide, but our prosecutors ain't prosecuting and on med on issues far more serious than this. On a related issue, Smoke and Scan has threatened to stop doing Friday shows because of your illegal delay of public …

Brandon · Public comment

Yes. [clears throat] General comment and number 18 today, please., which one first? Good morning. What

Unverified speaker · General public comment

Hello, my name is Sebastian. We're here with the live No, we're here with the Lift and Minds Youth Council Program. Okay. So, one minute for general 14. So, is it 14 and general public comment or just 14? Just the 14. All right. We're here with the lithium youth council program. We're here to explain the side effects of what could happen when you do nause nitrous oxide. It's these things called whip. You can find them in your local corner store. like to personal experience I think I think it's very bad you know anybody can be impacted by it and we're here to spread awareness because we think it's really important. So thank you and have a good day. All right. We're here to support the …

Ray Marquez · Item 14

we're talking about the item 14. Hello, I'm Jacob Smith, the president of the Lifted Minds Youth Council at Homeboy, and I'm going to talk to you about the rise of nitrous oxide abuse. A growing number of youth is abusing and using NAS by inhaling it from balloons and metal canisters, also called whippids. They inhale the scentless colorless gas, and when it hits their lungs, it give them a short rush of euphoria or lightheadedness for a short period of time. Its original purpose was for cars and medical use, but now it's being abused. Thank you for listening. Hi, I'm here to talk about item 14., my name is Ray Marquez,, vice president of the Homeboy Industries,, youth council. And if you …

Unverified speaker · Item 14

support item 14. I'm here with the Elevate Lifted Minds Council. I'm here to spread awareness to the young adults. Over the summer of 2025, someone I knew passed away in a car accident due to driving and using oz. That's why I think it's important to start paying attention on the young adults and how they are getting it so easily. Thank you for taking the time and learning about the effects NOS can have on our minds and body.

Unverified speaker · Item 14

Good morning. What would you like to general comment and item 14?

Unverified speaker · General public comment

[snorts] yes. So I I have worked at McDonald's for the last nine years. I've been a cashier and I've been working in district 10. and I went on strike yesterday to support my co-workers who have been work forced to work in extreme heat. without air conditioning or adequate brakes. I I am someone who does not tolerate abuse on the job because I have suffered it before. I know firsthand the physical and mental toll that our bosses put on us. But after yesterday, I now know the importance of knowing our rights. It gives the workers confidence to speak up when the boss breaks the law. Speaker, your time is expired, but I am going to ask the interpreters to interpret the last statements. Please. …

Raymond · Item 14

Hi. Good morning. On public comment and item 14, please.

Andres Garcia · Item 14

Item 14, please. Hello., my name is Andres Garcia with the office of State Senator Caroline Menjavar. As a state, we are confronting a growing youth crisis from the surge in youth vaping among teens to the recent rise of nitrous oxide use, most commonly known as whippets. Which is why Senator Menjavar introduced SB1 1314 to ban the sale of nitrous oxide at smoke shops and prevent these same smoke shops from being within 600 ft of our schools and daycare centers. This bill works handinhand with this motion in addressing the growing concerns at the state level. The senator supports council member Padia's motion item 14 and the recommendations of the public safety committee to prohibit tobacco …

Pamela Gberman · Item 14

My name is Pamela Gberman and I'm speaking as an individual, though I am also the chair of the Panorama City Neighborhood Council Education Committee. Last night, the education committee voted unanimously to recommend to the full PCNC board the following community impact statement. The Panorama City Neighborhood Council strongly supports banning the sale of any and all nitrous oxide products at tobacco and cannabis retailers throughout the city of Los Angeles. These products pose a serious danger to the health and safety of our community, most particularly to our young people since the number of such retailers located close to schools is obscene. It has been proven that nitrous oxide harms …

Unverified speaker · General public comment

Yeah, I'd like to speak to five in public comment. So, five relates to street lighting. I noticed you guys been patting yourselves on the back for your new plan to address the fact that our city is dark as hell. I know my neighborhood Hugo should know it. He's my council member. It's completely dark. You guys are always talking about, you know, you always giving more money to the LAPD to fight crime. You want to fight crime, you want to prevent crime, light up our streets. Again, you guys are patting yourselves on the back for this new program, especially the mayor. But she said that over the last years, leaders have neglected the street lighting problem. What she doesn't mention is the …

Albert · Item 14

Item 14 and general public comment. Good morning, honorable council members. My name is Albert Melenna. I'm the executive director of the San Frernando Valley Partnership. And I'm also honored to stand here with the students from our pathways to prevention program at Burke Corona Charter High School and here to support this motion that is desperately needed. Our work focuses on addressing the community conditions that contribute to youth substance abuse and we know that access availability and product play a key role in what young people are using. It's also important to understand place how that impacts use. Did you know that in the city of Los Angeles, there are over 3,400 smoke shops and …

Unverified speaker · General public comment

Public comment. Harriet Elliott, I posted yesterday on the public comment that the librarian over at Central Library, from my understanding, they all have master's degrees over there. She's a young person. her name. She's about 30. her name is Journey and she wrote in a review of Renee Pitman's book, You Are Not My Big Brother. I never got a copy of it. she this woman Journey would be willing to tell others, I'm sure, if she wasn't Edom that how she feels about Renee Pitman. I think it'd be worth it for you to kind of call her and ask to share what she was going to write for summer reading. She had a book picks for summer reading. I think that she actually is a positive towards Renee Pitman …

Jason Christopher · Item 16

Item 16. Or can I move into general a little bit if I run? Perfect. Thank you. Good morning, council. My name is Jason Christopher and I contend places built to save lives should never stop serving communities. The historic fire station number five located in the city of Westchester once served this city by responding to emergencies. Today it is the opportunity it has the opportunity to serve again by becoming a human performance and fitness center serving municipal bus drivers in the Westchester, Santa Monica, Culver City, and Los Angeles communities and the neighboring residents. Studies from the National Institutes of Health o show over 80% of urban bus drivers suffer from chronic back …

Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez · Council discussion

Council member McCoscer seconds. What's next? Commendatory resolutions for approval.

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez · Item 23

Council member Hut seconds. What's next? Mr. President, today is Tuesday and it's time for the flag salute. All right. I'll ask everybody in the chambers to rise, face the flag, and follow along with our council member from the 11th district, Tracy Park. If you can place your hand over your heart, ready, begin. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, madam clerk, let's run through our agenda for this morning. Thank you, sir. Item number one is an item noticed for public hearing. Item two is an item for which public hearing has been held. Items 3 …