Kathy Hochul vetos financial protection bill introduced after murders of gay men

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has vetoed a bill designed to protect users of money-sharing apps even after two high-profile cases of murder and robbery against gay men.

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Out gay state senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal introduced the Financial App Security Act, which passed unanimously passed the state legislature earlier this year, in an effort to require mobile banking platforms such as CashApp, Venmo, and Zelle to require users to enter a personal identification number (PIN) under certain circumstances, such as for transactions exceeding a limit of their choosing, or if making a payment to an account created within the past 24 hours.

Hoylman-Sigal introduced the bill in response to the murders of Julio Ramirez and John Umberger, two gay men who were drugged at LGBTQ+ nightclubs in New York City and robbed of thousands of dollars using facial recognition.

Related: Mom of NYC Gay Bar Homicide Victim John Umberger Has a Message For the LGBTQ+ Community

Hochul wrote in her veto memo that the bill “would mandate the use of onerous banking security features” while also admitting that the security features are “commonly utilized by the largest financial institutions.” Tech firm Chamber of Progress lobbied Hochul in July to veto the bill.

“This legislation includes requirements that conflict with Department of Financial Services banking regulations and other technical challenges that could hinder compliance and unnecessarily restrict users’ access to these widely-used applications," she said.

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Hoylman-Sigal responded to the veto in a statement to local outlet W42ST, saying that he "can’t understand why common-sense security measures are viewed as onerous when every major financial institution, with the exception of these apps, uses them.”

Umberger, 33, of Washington D.C., was drugged, robbed, and killed after a night visiting gay bars in Hell's Kitchen on May 28. He was last seen with a group of men exiting a taxi and his body was found on June 1. Ramirez, 25, a Brooklyn social worker, was found dead in the back of a taxi after he was drugged and robbed in the area on April 21. Umberger's and Ramirez’s families said about $20,000 had been taken from each of their bank accounts.

At least a dozen more have also reported being drugged and robbed by a group of men suspected of preying on gay men. Police arrested two men in connection with the robberies and murders in December 2022, and they were indicted later in June 2023.

Umberger's mother, Linda Clary, told NYC-based outlet Gay City Newsthat it was "disappointing" for Hochul to veto the bill, which would have deterred crime and helped protect vulnerable communities — something she believes the administration has overlooked.

“New York has a chance to lead the country on this legislation and protect citizens. It is disappointing the governor chose to veto this effort to protect citizens," Clary said. "It would have been a step in the right direction and a chance for New York to lead.”