Gaveled in 3:06 PM · Albany, New York · 2013–14 session
NEW YORK STATE SENATE
THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
ALBANY, NEW YORK
March 13, 2013
3:06 p.m.
REGULAR SESSION
SENATOR ELIZABETH O'C. LITTLE, Acting President
FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
P R O C E E D I N G SACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:The Senate will come to order.
I ask everyone present to please rise and repeat with me the Pledge of Allegiance.
(Whereupon, the assemblage recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:In the absence of clergy, may please we bow our heads in a moment of silence.
(Whereupon, the assemblage respected a moment of silence.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Reading of the Journal.
THE SECRETARY:In Senate, Tuesday, March 12th, the Senate met pursuant to adjournment. The Journal of Monday, March 11th, was read and approved. On motion, Senate adjourned.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Without objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
Presentation of petitions.
Messages from the Assembly.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:On page 16, Senator LaValle moves to discharge, from the Committee on Higher Education, Assembly Bill Number 1049 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill Number 2897, Third Reading Calendar 171.
On page 16, Senator LaValle moves to discharge, from the Committee on Higher Education, Assembly Bill Number 1050 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill Number 2899, Third Reading Calendar 172.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Substitutions ordered.
Messages from the Governor.
Reports of standing committees.
Reports of select committees.
Communications and reports from state officers.
Motions and resolutions.
Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Madam President.
At this time I believe that you could recognize Senator Klein, and he would like to address the body.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Thank you.
Senator Klein.
SENATOR KLEIN:Thank you, Madam President. Thank you, Senator Libous.
I want to take a moment to recognize a very special guest we have with us visiting us here in Albany and in our Senate chamber. I'm honored to have visiting Ms. Padma Lakshmi, who's someone who I think everyone knows her many accomplishments. Host of the Emmy Award-winning show "Top Chef" on the Bravo TV Network, she's an accomplished actress, model, food expert.
And she's here today for a very special reason, to help us move forward with our teen health education initiative. And she's someone who has done so much work on behalf of young people throughout our state, throughout our country.
And she's also the cofounder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America. And she's really putting her heart and soul in this organization, doing so much great work.
And I hope you will join me, Madam President, in welcoming Padma today to the Senate chamber.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Thank you, Senator Klein.
And welcome. It's really a pleasure and an honor to have you in our midst today. Everyone has enjoyed knowing of you and what you have done, and we appreciate it. So thank you very much for joining us.
(Applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Thank you, Madam President. I believe there's a previously adopted resolution by Senator Carlucci, Number 582, at the desk. Could we please have the title read at this time.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Thank you.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 582, by Senator Carlucci, memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim September 2013 as Suicide Prevention Month in New York State.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Senator Carlucci.
SENATOR CARLUCCI:Thank you, Madam President.
Today I rise to get a head start and proclaim September as Suicide Prevention Month in the State of New York.
And today we've probably all been visited by mental health advocates from across the state that have really talked to us about the importance of making sure that we don't run away from the stigma, that we talk about this very important issue.
And in fact, it's troubling, the statistics. Believe it or not, right now about 20 percent of our military personnel succumb to suicide -- 20 percent. Startlingly, the tenth highest cause of death in the United States is currently suicide.
The statistics are startling, and there's something that we can do about it. And we have to start by making sure that we don't hide away from this stigma, that we don't hide away this emotion, this issue. And we make sure that people that need help and want to talk about it can.
And we are setting that example by proclaiming September a month where we're going to recognize the importance of what we can do to prevent suicide in the State of New York.
Thank you, Madam President.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Thank you, Senator Carlucci.
Senator LaValle.
SENATOR LaVALLE: Madam President, may we please have the noncontroversial reading of the calendar.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 157, by Senator Marcellino, Senate Print 3047, an act to amend the Tax Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 55.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 158, by Senator Fuschillo, Senate Print 752, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect on the first of November.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 55.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 160, by Senator Little, Senate Print 1356, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 180th day.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 55.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 164, by Senator Libous, Senate Print 982, an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Senator Espaillat to explain his vote.
SENATOR ESPAILLAT:Yes, thank you, Madam President. I would like to explain my vote.
Every session this chamber takes on a numerous number of legislation to assist the farm industry in our state which provides the food that we bring to our table. In fact, many neighborhoods in the City of New York benefit from the green markets that receive on a regular basis produce from these farms, from New York State farms.
And while we do this, we neglect to recognize that in these farms, there are many farmworkers that continue to be exploited on a regular basis by many of these farms. They don't get a day's rest. They don't get overtime. They don't have the right to collectively bargain. They work under very adverse conditions. And yet we haven't found it within us to address this very serious issue that I think is -- I could only characterize it as being one step away from being indentured servants.
So I will be casting my vote in the negative for this and other future bills that will bring assistance to the farms until this very serious travesty of justice is resolved.
Thank you, Madam President. I will be voting in the negative.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Thank you.
Senator Espaillat will be recorded in the negative.
Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 54. Nays, 1. Senator Espaillat recorded in the negative.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 171, substituted earlier by Member of the Assembly Glick, Assembly Print Number 1049, an act to repeal subdivision 7 of Section 7908 of the Education Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as Chapter 444 of the Laws of 2012.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Senator Kennedy to explain his vote.
SENATOR KENNEDY:Thank you, Madam President.
First of all, I want to thank my colleague Senator LaValle for carrying this important bill regarding the profession of occupational therapy in this house today. I'm proud to support it.
As an occupational therapist, I'd like to introduce a group of young occupational therapy students, some of them from my alma mater, D'Youville College, and others from all across New York State, from Buffalo to New York City and everywhere in between. They're learning the process of Albany as they're studying to become occupational therapy students, and they're watching government in progress and really learning the process of that.
These individuals are going to go out into the world and help people. As I make the correlation between our jobs as elected officials and what will be their jobs as healthcare professionals and occupational therapists, the common denominator is that we are out there helping people. They're studying the skills to help people learn the job of living and to live their lives with independence and dignity.
And with that said, Madam President, I would appreciate if we could extend the honor of this house to those students today.
Thank you very much.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Thank you, Senator Kennedy.
And welcome to all of the occupational therapy students and therapists who are here, and assistant therapists. We appreciate your presence today, and continue your good work. Thank you.
And Senator Kennedy will be recorded in the affirmative.
(Applause.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 55.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 172, substituted earlier by Member of the Assembly Glick, Assembly Print Number 1050, an act to amend the Education Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 55.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:The bill is passed.
Senator Libous, that completes the noncontroversial reading of the calendar.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Madam President, is there any further business at the desk?
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:No, Senator Little -- Senator Libous.
SENATOR LIBOUS:I'm sorry? I'm having a difficult time hearing today.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:I'm just as glad you didn't hear it.
(Laughter.)
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:Senator Libous, no, there is no further business at the desk.
SENATOR LIBOUS:Okay. Before I adjourn, I did want to announce and remind the Republican Conference that they will have conference immediately following session.
And there being no further business before the house, I move that we adjourn until Thursday, March 14th, at 11:00 a.m.
ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:On motion, the Senate stands adjourned until Thursday, March 14th, at 11:00 a.m.
(Whereupon, at 3:19 p.m., the Senate adjourned.)
Highest impact first.
Not yet analyzed. Open the bill for its official title.
Not yet analyzed. Open the bill for its official title.
Not yet analyzed. Open the bill for its official title.
Not yet analyzed. Open the bill for its official title.
Not yet analyzed. Open the bill for its official title.
Not yet analyzed. Open the bill for its official title.
Not yet analyzed. Open the bill for its official title.
Not yet analyzed. Open the bill for its official title.