Gaveled in 11:05 AM · Albany, New York · 2005–06 session
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE 2 3 4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD 5 6 7 8 9 ALBANY, NEW YORK 10 February 2, 2005 11 11:05 a.m. 12 13 14 REGULAR SESSION 15 16 17 18 LT. GOVERNOR MARY O. DONOHUE, President 19 STEVEN M. BOGGESS, Secretary 20 21 22 23 24 25
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(518) 371-8910 1 P R O C E E D I N G S 2 THE PRESIDENT: The Senate will 3 please come to order. 4 I ask everyone present to please 5 rise and repeat with me the Pledge of 6 Allegiance. 7 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited 8 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.) 9 THE PRESIDENT: In the absence of 10 clergy, may we bow our heads in a moment of 11 silence, please. 12 (Whereupon, the assemblage 13 respected a moment of silence.) 14 THE PRESIDENT: Reading of the 15 Journal. 16 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, 17 Tuesday, February 1, the Senate met pursuant 18 to adjournment. The Journal of Monday, 19 January 31, was read and approved. On motion, 20 Senate adjourned. 21 THE PRESIDENT: Without 22 objection, the Journal stands approved as 23 read. 24 Presentation of petitions. 25 Messages from the Assembly.
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(518) 371-8910 1 Messages from the Governor. 2 Reports of standing committees. 3 Reports of select committees. 4 Communications and reports from 5 state officers. 6 Motions and resolutions. 7 Senator Skelos. 8 SENATOR SKELOS: Madam President, 9 I move that we adopt the Resolution Calendar, 10 with the exception of Resolutions 257 and 294. 11 THE PRESIDENT: All in favor of 12 so adopting the Resolution Calendar please 13 signify by saying aye. 14 (Response of "Aye.") 15 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay. 16 (No response.) 17 THE PRESIDENT: The Resolution 18 Calendar is so adopted. 19 Senator Skelos. 20 SENATOR SKELOS: Madam President, 21 at this time if we could have Resolution 22 Number 294, by Senator Little, read in its 23 entirety. And then I'd like to move for its 24 immediate adoption. 25 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary
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(518) 371-8910 1 will read. 2 THE SECRETARY: By Senator 3 Little, Legislative Resolution Number 294, 4 memorializing Governor George E. Pataki to 5 proclaim February 2005 as Parent Leadership 6 Month in the State of New York. 7 "WHEREAS, Meaningful Parent 8 Leadership occurs when parents gain the 9 knowledge and skills necessary to function in 10 meaningful leadership roles and present a 11 'parent voice' to help shape the direction of 12 their families, programs and communities; and 13 "WHEREAS, Parent Leadership is an 14 essential and effective means of strengthening 15 families and preventing child abuse and 16 neglect; and 17 "WHEREAS, Parents Anonymous 18 Incorporated has created National Parent 19 Leadership Month to recognize the 20 extraordinary courage and tenacity of parents 21 who have reached out to make improvements in 22 their families and communities; and 23 "WHEREAS, The Child Care Council of 24 the North Country recognizes the vital 25 importance of partnering with parents and
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(518) 371-8910 1 assists public systems and private 2 organizations, policymakers and other key 3 stakeholders to effectively implement Parent 4 Leadership strategies; and 5 "WHEREAS, Parent Leadership is a 6 necessary component in an effective family 7 strengthening and family support program; and 8 "WHEREAS, Parent Leadership is 9 successfully achieved when parents received 10 support and training and share responsibility, 11 expertise and leadership in the planning, 12 implementation, oversight and evaluation of 13 policies, practices and programs that affect 14 families and communities; and 15 "WHEREAS, More parents each year 16 are developing vital partnerships with service 17 providers, policymakers and key stakeholders 18 to shape policy and practice and build 19 stronger, safer communities for children; and 20 "WHEREAS, The power of parents 21 speaking publicly about their experiences has 22 made and will continue to make an impact on 23 the lives of families everywhere; and 24 "WHEREAS, Parents Anonymous 25 Incorporated developed the National Parent
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(518) 371-8910 1 Leadership Team, an innovative model that 2 actively supports parents in meaningful Parent 3 Leadership roles to help shape programs, 4 practices, policies and legislation that 5 impact families everywhere; and 6 "WHEREAS, National Parent 7 Leadership Month recognizes, honors and 8 celebrates parents for the vital leadership 9 roles in their homes and communities and in 10 local, state, national and international 11 arenas; now, therefore, be it 12 "RESOLVED, That this Legislative 13 Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize 14 Governor George E. Pataki to proclaim 15 February 2005 as Parent Leadership Month in 16 the State of New York; and be it further 17 "RESOLVED, That copies of this 18 resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted 19 to The Honorable George E. Pataki, Governor of 20 the State of New York, and to the Child Care 21 Council of the North Country." 22 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Little. 23 SENATOR LITTLE: Thank you, Madam 24 President. If I may, I would like to speak on 25 the resolution.
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(518) 371-8910 1 This is a new initiative being 2 sponsored by a group called Parents Anonymous, 3 a national association that recognizes the 4 role and the leadership of parents in the 5 lives of their children. 6 In our lifetime we assume many 7 roles in our personal and professional lives, 8 but I don't believe that there's any role more 9 important in a person's life than that of a 10 parent. And also, many times it's the one 11 role in life that you're not prepared to 12 assume. 13 I can remember in college writing a 14 term paper on the effects of the first child 15 on a marriage. And it was great on paper, but 16 it was a whole different thing when I had my 17 first child and realized the effect. 18 A parent is responsible for the 19 care, for the education, for the development 20 of a child for that child's lifetime. And as 21 spoken by Kahlil Gibran, a parent is like the 22 bow shooting the arrow and the child is an 23 arrow. 24 A parent develops a child in life 25 with the idea that that child can go out and
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(518) 371-8910 1 lead a life of their own and be an independent 2 person. And while they're independent, they 3 are forever with their parents. 4 We're all very pleased and proud of 5 being parents and of developing our children 6 to adulthood. But many times it's not as easy 7 as we think it is going to be. I was once 8 taken by a poem -- and I don't know if you've 9 all heard it, it's called "Welcome to 10 Holland." 11 And it's a poem about a person 12 preparing for a trip to Italy, learning the 13 language, learning all about the country, 14 deciding on things that they are going to do 15 when they get to Italy, and being very excited 16 about getting to Italy. And on the way, on 17 the plane, the plane finally arrives at an 18 airport and when they go to get off the plane, 19 the attendant says, "Welcome to Holland." And 20 the person said, "No, I wasn't going to 21 Holland, I was going to Italy. I'm prepared 22 to go to Italy." 23 And I'd liken this poem to what 24 happens in the life of a parent when they have 25 a child with special needs and with
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(518) 371-8910 1 disabilities. Because they've learned one 2 language, they've been excited about having a 3 perfectly normal child of good health and all, 4 and yet that's not what happens. They have to 5 learn a new language, they are in a new place, 6 and yet they find that there's a great deal of 7 beauty in that place once they adjust to being 8 in that place. 9 And the moral of that story was to 10 recognize where you are at the time and what 11 you have and not always be wishing you were in 12 that other place, that you have that child. 13 These parents are special parents, 14 and they are advocates for their children. 15 And we know many of them who have been here 16 who have come to our offices and advocated on 17 behalf of their children. 18 I was particularly taken yesterday 19 by a parent who came in and told about her 20 child who has mental health illness and has 21 been institutionalized for the past year and a 22 half. And yet this parent is a true advocate 23 of that child, working hard for policies and 24 programs to help that child. 25 The other role of parents that
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(518) 371-8910 1 doesn't always happen the way we'd like it to 2 is parents who abuse their children. And we 3 know that that happens every day. 4 What we are doing here in this 5 resolution is trying to express our gratitude 6 and our recognition of those parents who 7 assume leadership roles in developing public 8 policy, programs and helping other parents to 9 become better parents for their children. In 10 their role of leadership, they try to help 11 parents so that there is no more child abuse 12 and parents do not abuse their own children. 13 This is an effort to bring that to 14 national attention, to recognize all parents 15 for their roles in advocacy, for their roles 16 in promoting policy, PTAs, in their roles in 17 volunteering for children's programs, for 18 recreational programs, for educational 19 programs, for all the things that parents do. 20 And in doing so for their own children, they 21 help other children and other parents. 22 And in our resolution today, we 23 recognize them. And I thank you for joining 24 me. I invite all of you to join us on this 25 resolution.
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(518) 371-8910 1 Thank you. 2 THE PRESIDENT: The question is 3 on the resolution. All in favor please 4 signify by saying aye. 5 (Response of "Aye.") 6 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay. 7 (No response.) 8 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is 9 adopted. 10 Senator Skelos. 11 SENATOR SKELOS: Madam President, 12 if we could open the resolution to 13 cosponsorship. If anybody wishes not to be on 14 the resolution, they should notify the desk. 15 THE PRESIDENT: Any member who 16 does not wish to be a cosponsor of the last 17 resolution please notify the desk. 18 Senator Skelos. 19 SENATOR SKELOS: Madam President, 20 if we could take up Resolution 257, by Senator 21 Connor, have the title read and move for its 22 immediate adoption. 23 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary 24 will read. 25 THE SECRETARY: By Senators
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(518) 371-8910 1 Connor, Duane and Savino, Legislative 2 Resolution Number 257, commemorating the Asian 3 American community's celebration of the Lunar 4 New Year, 4703, the Year of the Rooster, on 5 February 9, 2005. 6 THE PRESIDENT: The question is 7 on the resolution. All in favor please 8 signify by saying aye. 9 (Response of "Aye.") 10 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay. 11 (No response.) 12 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is 13 adopted. 14 Senator Skelos. 15 SENATOR SKELOS: Madam President, 16 Senator Connor has consented to the resolution 17 being open for cosponsorship. If anybody 18 wishes not to sponsor the resolution, they 19 should notify the desk. 20 THE PRESIDENT: Any member who 21 does not wish to cosponsor the last resolution 22 please notify the desk. 23 Senator Skelos. 24 SENATOR SKELOS: Is there any 25 housekeeping at the desk?
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(518) 371-8910 1 THE PRESIDENT: No, there isn't, 2 Senator. 3 SENATOR SKELOS: There being no 4 further business to come before the Senate, I 5 move we stand adjourned until Monday, 6 February 7th, at 3:00 p.m., intervening days 7 being legislative days. 8 THE PRESIDENT: On motion, the 9 Senate stands adjourned until Monday, 10 February 7th, intervening days being 11 legislative days. 12 (Whereupon, at 11:15 a.m., the 13 Senate adjourned.) 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
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(518) 371-8910