Thursday, March 26, 1998

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ALBANY, NEW YORK 9 March 26, 1998 10 11:05 a.m. 11 12 13 REGULAR SESSION 14 15 16 17 SENATOR RAYMOND A. MEIER, Acting President 18 STEVEN M. BOGGESS, Secretary 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 1 P R O C E E D I N G S 2 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The 3 Senate will come to order. I'd ask everyone 4 present to please rise and repeat with me the 5 Pledge of Allegiance. 6 (The assemblage repeated the 7 Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.) 8 In the absence of clergy, may we 9 now bow our heads for a moment of silence. 10 (A moment of silence was 11 observed.) 12 The reading of the Journal. 13 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, 14 Wednesday, March 25th. The Senate met pursuant 15 to adjournment. The Journal of Tuesday, March 16 24th, was read and approved. Upon motion, the 17 Senate adjourned. 18 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Without 19 objection, the Journal stands approved as read. 20 Presentation of petitions. 21 Messages from the Assembly. 22 Messages from the Governor. 23 Reports of standing committees. 24 Reports of select committees. 25 Communications and reports from 1 state officers. 2 Motions and resolutions. 3 Senator Alesi. 4 SENATOR ALESI: Mr. President, on 5 page 20, I offer the following amendments to 6 Calendar Number 432, Senate Print 5174, and ask 7 that said bill retain its place on the Third 8 Reading Calendar. 9 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The 10 amendments are received, and so ordered. 11 Senator Skelos. 12 SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President, 13 if we could take up the non-controversial 14 calendar, please. 15 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The 16 Secretary will read the non-controversial 17 calendar. 18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 19 53, by Senator Farley, Senate Print 2338, an act 20 to amend the Education Law, in relation to 21 authorizing. 22 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 23 last section. 24 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This 25 act shall take effect on the first day of April. 1 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 2 roll. 3 (The Secretary called the roll.) 4 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 42. 5 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 6 is passed. 7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 8 194, by Senator Maziarz, Senate Print 5083-A, an 9 act to amend the Executive Law, in relation to 10 directing. 11 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 12 last section. 13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This 14 act shall take effect immediately. 15 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 16 roll. 17 (The Secretary called the roll.) 18 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 42. 19 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 20 is passed. 21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 22 327, by Senator Seward, Senate Print 4278, an 23 act to amend the Public Service Law, in relation 24 to increasing. 25 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 1 last section. 2 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This 3 act shall take effect immediately. 4 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 5 roll. 6 (The Secretary called the roll.) 7 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 43. 8 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 9 is passed. 10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 11 351, by Senator Trunzo, Senate Print 6179, an 12 act to amend the Retirement and Social Security 13 Law, in relation to the maximum amount. 14 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 15 last section. 16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This 17 act shall take effect immediately. 18 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 19 roll. 20 (The Secretary called the roll.) 21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 43. 22 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 23 is passed. 24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 25 381, by Senator Rath, Senate Print 3638-A, an 1 act to amend the Town Law. 2 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 3 last section. 4 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This 5 act shall take effect immediately. 6 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 7 roll. 8 (The Secretary called the roll.) 9 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 43. 10 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 11 is passed. 12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 13 386, by Senator Skelos, Senate Print 334, an act 14 to amend the Education Law, in relation to 15 notification. 16 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 17 last section. 18 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This 19 act shall take effect on the first day of 20 September. 21 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 22 roll. 23 SENATOR GOLD: Excuse me. 24 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: I'm 25 sorry. Senator Gold. 1 SENATOR GOLD: What number is 2 it? 3 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: This 4 would be Calendar 386, Senator Gold. 5 SENATOR GOLD: Did we skip 385? 6 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: 385 is 7 high, Senator Gold. 8 SENATOR GOLD: Excuse me? 9 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: 385 is 10 high, Senator. 11 SENATOR GOLD: Thank you, Mr. 12 President. 13 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The 14 Secretary will continue to read -- we were on 15 the last section. 16 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This 17 act shall take effect on the first day of 18 September. 19 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 20 roll. 21 (The Secretary called the roll.) 22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 43. 23 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 24 is passed. 25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 1 400, by Senator Kuhl, Senate Print 1828-B, an 2 act to amend the Judiciary Law, in relation to 3 increasing. 4 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 5 last section. 6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This 7 act shall take effect immediately. 8 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 9 roll. 10 (The Secretary called the roll.) 11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 43. 12 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 13 is passed. 14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 15 428, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 2466, an 16 act to amend the Executive Law. 17 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 18 last section. 19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This 20 act shall take effect immediately. 21 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 22 roll. 23 (The Secretary called the roll.) 24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 43. 25 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 1 is passed. 2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 3 433, by Senator Trunzo, Senate Print 6029, an 4 act to amend Chapter 41 of the Laws of 1997. 5 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 6 last section. 7 THE SECRETARY: Section 9. This 8 act shall take effect immediately. 9 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 10 roll. 11 (The Secretary called the roll.) 12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 43. 13 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 14 is passed. 15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 16 452, by Senator Saland, Senate Print 64... 17 SENATOR PATERSON: Lay it aside. 18 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Lay the 19 bill aside. 20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 21 453, by Senator Velella, Senate Print 92-A, an 22 act to amend the Penal Law, in relation to 23 arson. 24 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 25 last section. 1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This 2 act shall take effect on the first day of 3 November. 4 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 5 roll. 6 (The Secretary called the roll.) 7 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 44. 8 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 9 is passed. 10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 11 455, by Senator Goodman, Senate Print 414, an 12 act to amend Penal Law, in relation to computer 13 networks. 14 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 15 last section. 16 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This 17 act shall take effect on the first day of 18 November. 19 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 20 roll. 21 (The Secretary called the roll.) 22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 44. 23 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 24 is passed. 25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 1 513, by Senator Nozzolio, Senate Print 6505, an 2 act to amend Chapter 887 of the Laws of 1983. 3 SENATOR GOLD: Lay it aside. 4 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Lay the 5 bill aside. 6 Senator Skelos, that completes 7 the reading of the non-controversial calendar. 8 SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President, 9 if we could take up the controversial calendar 10 at this time. 11 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The 12 Secretary will read the controversial calendar. 13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 14 452, by Senator Saland, Senate Print 6467, an 15 act to amend Chapter 705 of the Laws of 1993. 16 SENATOR PATERSON: Explanation, 17 please. 18 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 19 Saland, an explanation has been requested of 20 Calendar Number 2... I'm sorry -- 452. 21 SENATOR SALAND: Thank you, Mr. 22 President. 23 Mr. President, the link deposit 24 program is a program which has met with great 25 success, great acclaim, in fact. It's a means 1 by which particularly small businesses can 2 access loans at rates lower than market rates 3 and the means by which that occurs is that these 4 rates, which is some two to three points blow 5 market rates, are, in effect, encouraged by the 6 state making deposits which are comparably at 7 lower -- excepting interest rates -- at 8 comparably lower rates. The net result is that 9 state dollars are pumped in to basically benefit 10 small businesses throughout the state of New 11 York. 12 This bill would extend that 13 program. It's due to sunset, I believe on or 14 about the 1st of April. It changes the name 15 from the Excelsior to the Empire State Link 16 Deposit Program and also would permit a borrower 17 to receive more than one loan but not to exceed 18 the existing cap of that loan. 19 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 20 Paterson. 21 SENATOR PATERSON: Thank you, Mr. 22 President. 23 If Senator Saland would yield for 24 a question. 25 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Does the 1 Senator yield? 2 SENATOR SALAND: Yes, Mr. 3 President. 4 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The 5 sponsor yields. 6 Senator Paterson. 7 SENATOR PATERSON: Mr. President, 8 as Senator Saland pointed out, the link deposit 9 program has been a vital link between small 10 business and the financial industry. My concern 11 relates to the discrepancy between the Senate 12 bill and the Assembly bill. 13 The Assembly bill appropriates 14 another $50 million, 25 million coming from the 15 comptroller's office and 25- coming from tax and 16 finance which would expand the overall amount to 17 $200 million. At this point the program is 18 supported not by any state appropriations but 19 rather by existing resources and investment. 20 I was wondering if Senator Saland 21 could amplify for me the reason that this 22 discrepancy between the two bills exists. 23 SENATOR SALAND: Well, Mr. 24 President, there has been over the course of the 25 past week or two an interest expressed by the 1 Assembly to make some changes in this bill. My 2 concern, whether it deals with the subject of 3 appropriation or some of the other changes that 4 have been proposed, is that as we approach the 5 April 1 deadline, I would not want to see the 6 program prejudiced by not having it continued. 7 These are all things which will be subject to 8 negotiation. Right now this is a rather revenue 9 neutral measure. We certainly would welcome the 10 dialogue with the Assembly and we're certainly 11 willing to entertain anything that they might 12 want to put on the table. Whether, in fact, 13 that will ultimately be part of the three-way 14 agreement remains to be seen, but my concern 15 here today as we are here on the last session 16 day of this week and as we approach the 31st of 17 March, is that we pass an extender. This 18 extender effectively -- this is effectively no 19 more an extender with some very minor 20 modifications. 21 SENATOR PATERSON: Thank you, Mr. 22 President. 23 If Senator Saland would continue 24 to yield. 25 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Does the 1 Senator continue to yield? 2 SENATOR SALAND: Yes, Mr. 3 President. 4 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The 5 Senator yields. 6 Senator Paterson. 7 SENATOR PATERSON: Senator, you 8 may well have answered my second question with 9 your response to the first. I was going to ask 10 you would you consider as the Assembly has 11 including a lot of farm projects which can be 12 found in their bill which right now are in great 13 need of the kind of reductions in rates 14 particularly for loans that could perhaps come 15 under the umbrella of this legislation, and I 16 would take from your first answer that the kind 17 of need to pass this legislation at this time 18 and to try to get this worked out before March 19 31st or April 1st would be, you're saying, the 20 feeling on an issue such as the farm projects 21 program. 22 SENATOR SALAND: Well, I'm 23 certainly aware of the -- that provision in the 24 Assembly bill. We look forward to working with 25 the Assembly to try and see how we can succeed 1 in expanding what I think by everybody's 2 acknowledgment has been an extremely successful 3 program. We are not adverse to entertaining 4 that. 5 My concern, as I said earlier, is 6 not to permit this to sunset. We believe that 7 there will be some changes, some substantive 8 changes that will be made, Mr. President, but I 9 greatly fear that with March 31st being just 10 around the corner that the negotiations will not 11 be able to be brought to a swift enough 12 conclusion to enable us to accomplish that. 13 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 14 Paterson. 15 SENATOR PATERSON: Thank you, Mr. 16 President. 17 Then I guess I would -- if 18 Senator Saland would yield. 19 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Does the 20 Senator yield? 21 SENATOR SALAND: Yes, Mr. 22 President. 23 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 24 Saland continues to yield. 25 SENATOR PATERSON: Senator, I 1 understand your concern for meeting the 2 deadline, but it's not as if the Senate itself 3 can bring the deadline or come in under the 4 deadline just with the legislation that we're 5 passing here. In other words, if the Assembly 6 is insistent on those other two measures, it's 7 going to be hard to pass a bill at all. 8 So, in other words, isn't it true 9 that perhaps by some negotiation or some 10 recognition of the farm projects program or the 11 extra 50 million that the Assembly is proposing, 12 that we can get this done as quickly as you 13 would like, but it's not as if we have to stand 14 on the status quo just to meet the deadline. 15 SENATOR SALAND: Well, I would 16 not be as confident as you that that can be 17 accomplished, and I would not want to see, as I 18 said earlier, this program sunset. I feel 19 confident that there will be some changes. 20 There's some changes that the Senate -- or 21 expansions in the program that the Senate is 22 interested in, I believe, again, that you have 23 outlined or certainly highlighted one of the 24 things that the Assembly is interested in. 25 There's nothing that will not be appropriately 1 the subject of discussion. Where we will wind 2 up, Senator Paterson, I really can't tell you, 3 but as you and I both know, if both parties come 4 to the table with an interest in expanding, 5 there will certainly have to be some type of 6 accommodations that deal with the respective - 7 the respective parties' priorities and I'm not 8 ruling out, as I said earlier, dealing with any 9 one of those particular items. 10 I should also point out, and I'm 11 sure you're aware, I believe this is a 12 departmental -- certainly the Governor will have 13 a lot to say in what the final form of this bill 14 will be as well. 15 SENATOR PATERSON: Thank you, 16 Senator. 17 I have just one last question, if 18 you'll continue to yield. 19 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The 20 Senator yields. 21 SENATOR SALAND: Yes, Mr. 22 President. 23 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 24 Paterson. 25 SENATOR PATERSON: Senator, I 1 felt that the reason that this program was 2 brought into existence was to try to encourage 3 opportunity, particularly for smaller 4 businesses. I believe 13 out of every small 5 businesses that start -- 13 out of every 15 6 small businesses that start after commencing 7 don't exist after their first year and 8 particularly in minority areas where the 9 availability of capital may not be as 10 opportunistic, that there is -- the reduced rate 11 is particularly helpful, but it somewhat 12 concerns me that the data that I see on the 13 topic reveals that only six percent of the loans 14 have gone to businesses in New York State. 15 Now, in my particular district - 16 I'm sorry -- in New York City. I'm sorry. In 17 my particular district there have been a few 18 loans, but understanding what the real scope of 19 the program was and certainly what its credo is, 20 it's a little disappointing to find out that the 21 areas that would probably benefit the most are 22 getting such a small percentage of the loans. 23 Would you share that concern and 24 have any idea as to how perhaps we can bring 25 what is -- extend this program from what now is 1 what I would describe as more than a scintilla 2 of appropriation - 3 SENATOR SALAND: Mr. President, 4 could I beg the Senator's indulgence. It's 5 awfully noisy and I'm finding it a little 6 difficult to hear. 7 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Can we 8 have some order in the house. Members stop 9 their conversations. 10 Senator Paterson. 11 SENATOR PATERSON: Thank you, Mr. 12 President. 13 I was just closing, Senator 14 Saland, just by saying that it's certainly more 15 than what I would describe as a scintilla of 16 opportunity, but it is not nearly what I would 17 consider to be comprehensive or representative. 18 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 19 Saland, as puzzled the Chair is, is there a 20 question in there? 21 SENATOR SALAND: Was Senator 22 Paterson closing or was there a question? 23 SENATOR PATERSON: No. My 24 question was that being that only six percent of 25 the loans are going to businesses that exist in 1 New York City, doesn't this fail to coincide 2 with what would really be the credo of the 3 program to extend opportunity to smaller 4 businesses, particularly in minority 5 neighborhoods where the need is greater and the 6 availability to capital is less than it would be 7 in other areas and that with such a small 8 percentage of the loans going to areas where it 9 would be needed the most, would you have any 10 suggestion as to how to increase the resources 11 in these particular locations that don't seem to 12 be on the track for receiving the loan 13 advantages? 14 SENATOR SALAND: Well, let me 15 just suggest that I cannot account for the 16 internals of the process. For instance, I have 17 no idea of how many applications may be 18 emanating from banks in the Metropolitan -- in 19 the New York City area compared to banks perhaps 20 in more rural areas where this may be a far more 21 attractive loan mechanism because the kinds of 22 dollars involved in the loans might be 23 considered more substantial bigger loans than 24 might be the case in some of the major New York 25 banks. So some of the problem -- and I don't 1 know this to be the case, Senator Paterson - 2 they simply reflect where the applications are 3 coming from. 4 Secondly, I would suggest to you 5 that in order for the program to be effective, I 6 think there has to be a degree of flexibility 7 and that we certainly should be looking at every 8 region in the state, whether it's -- when I say 9 "we", I'm being collective. Let me say they 10 should be looking at every region in the state 11 as should we, whether it be New York City, 12 whether it be the mid-Hudson, whether it be the 13 Adirondacks or Western New York and what we 14 should be doing is, in effect, dealing with the 15 applications in an equitable fashion. 16 I would not want to pigeonhole 17 certain areas as being priority areas. I would 18 much prefer having a flexible program that 19 responds to the applications on, in effect, a 20 need plus certainly sound banking practice 21 basis. 22 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 23 Paterson. 24 SENATOR PATERSON: Thank you, Mr. 25 President. 1 Mr. President, on the bill. 2 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 3 Paterson, on the bill. 4 SENATOR PATERSON: Mr. President, 5 Senator Saland is right. If there are fewer 6 applications coming from New York City, then 7 what we would really be trying to encourage the 8 program is to engage in more of a marketing 9 program so that those who are starting 10 businesses and those who would be eligible would 11 become aware of the availability of the 12 program. 13 If there is a reasonable number 14 of applications coming from New York City that 15 causes the six percent overall number to be as 16 not only accurate but reflecting a poor 17 percentage, then I would suggest that Senator 18 Saland's point is also right that we should not 19 have any priority regions and if the latter 20 supposition is true, then apparently there must 21 be some priority regions because New York City 22 and some of the areas that would probably be 23 best served by this type of program are for some 24 reason either systemically or with unawareness 25 or naively being excluded from the program. 1 I'll vote for the bill with the 2 admonition that somebody needs to take a look at 3 that because this was the whole real idea when 4 it was proposed as the Excelsior Link Deposit 5 Program some years ago. I notice that the 6 Assembly still calls it that. The Senate has 7 changed the name to the Empire State Link 8 Deposit Program and the name really doesn't make 9 a difference as long as the two houses agree and 10 the title doesn't really make a difference as 11 long as what was in contemplation of those who 12 first proposed this program is actually brought 13 to fruition actually to provide for small 14 businesses for people who throughout the years 15 have incurred the greatest difficulty receiving 16 these types of benefits which can inure to the 17 overall financial benefit of the states and even 18 the banks that actually provide these loans, 19 that this is something that would be a marvelous 20 idea if it actually works, and that's why I 21 would choose to support the bill and encourage 22 everyone else to do so, Mr. President, but I'm 23 going to take a look to see what the numerical 24 value of the applications are, because if it's 25 not the case, if we are getting a lot of 1 applications that are not being acted upon, then 2 I think when we come back at some other point 3 we'll have to take a second look at it, but I 4 hope that those who are in the decision-making 5 capacities and can act on this will recognize 6 that there are a lot of businesses all over the 7 state, many of them in New York City, many of 8 them with an opportunity to flourish with the 9 same type of treatment as their companion 10 businesses all throughout the rest of the state 11 have received. 12 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 13 last section. 14 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This 15 act shall take effect immediately. 16 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 17 roll. 18 (The Secretary called the roll.) 19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 51. 20 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 21 is passed. 22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 23 513, by Senator Nozzolio, Senate Print 6505, an 24 act to amend Chapter 887 of the Laws of 1983. 25 SENATOR GOLD: Explanation. 1 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 2 Nozzolio, an explanation has been requested of 3 Calendar Number 513. 4 SENATOR NOZZOLIO: Who requested 5 the explanation, Mr. President? 6 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The 7 explanation was requested by Senator Gold. 8 SENATOR NOZZOLIO: Thank you, Mr. 9 President. 10 This measure extends the 11 authorization of psychological testing for 12 candidates for the position of correction 13 officer for two years. 14 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: 15 Explanation satisfactory? 16 (Senator Gold nods head.) 17 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Read the 18 last section. 19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This 20 act shall take effect immediately. 21 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Call the 22 roll. 23 (The Secretary called the roll.) 24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes 51. 25 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: The bill 1 is passed. 2 Senator Skelos, that completes 3 the reading of the controversial calendar. 4 SENATOR SKELOS: Please recognize 5 Senator DeFrancisco. 6 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 7 DeFrancisco. 8 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I request 9 unanimous consent to vote in the negative on 10 Calendar 381, please. 11 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Without 12 objection, Senator DeFrancisco will be recorded 13 in the negative on Calendar Number 381. 14 Senator Skelos. 15 SENATOR SKELOS: Is there any 16 housekeeping at the desk? 17 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Nothing 18 at the desk, Senator. 19 SENATOR SKELOS: There will be an 20 immediate conference of the Majority in the 21 Majority Conference Room as we end session, and 22 I believe Senator Paterson has an announcement 23 also. 24 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: Senator 25 Paterson. 1 SENATOR PATERSON: Thank you, Mr. 2 President. 3 There will be a conference of the 4 Minority, plus Senator Goodman, if he would like 5 to join us. He declines respectfully. I would 6 also join that conference if I knew what time it 7 was -- oh, immediately, immediately after 8 session. 9 Thank you, Mr. President. 10 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: 11 Immediate meeting of both Majority and Minority 12 Conferences after session. 13 Senator Skelos. 14 SENATOR SKELOS: There being no 15 further business, I move we adjourn until 16 Monday, March 30th, at 3:00 p.m., intervening 17 days being legislative days. 18 ACTING PRESIDENT MEIER: On 19 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until 20 Monday, March 30th, at 3:00 p.m. Intervening 21 days will be legislative days. 22 (Whereupon, at 11:29 a.m., the 23 Senate adjourned.) 24 25