Gaveled in 11:05 AM · Albany, New York · 2015–16 session
NEW YORK STATE SENATE
THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
ALBANY, NEW YORK
April 23, 2015
11:05 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION
SENATOR JOSEPH GRIFFO, Acting President
FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
P R O C E E D I N G SACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The Senate will come to order.
I ask all present to please rise and join with me as we recite the Pledge of Allegiance to our Flag.
(Whereupon, the assemblage recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Today's invocation will be offered by Bishop June Montague, pastor of the United Pentecostal Deliverance Temple in Brooklyn.
Bishop Montague.
BISHOP MONTAGUE:Most holy and righteous Father, as we gather in this place, we ask for Your blessings.
Father, we ask for Your anointing and we ask that You bless each and every one of Your people here.
Father, we pray that You will send down a fresh anointing of wisdom, knowledge and understanding upon Your people as they take this task to lead the greatest country in the world.
Please, Father, bless their going out and their coming in. Bless them, Lord, and give them the wisdom, knowledge and understanding as they sit in Your presence.
In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the blessed Holy Ghost, I decree this blessing upon this place right now in Your name.
God bless you.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Amen.
BISHOP MONTAGUE:Amen.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The reading of the Journal.
THE SECRETARY:In Senate, Wednesday, April 22nd, the Senate met pursuant to adjournment. The Journal of Tuesday, April 21st, was read and approved. On motion, Senate adjourned.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Without objection, the Journal will stand approved as read.
Presentation of petitions.
Messages from the Assembly.
Messages from the Governor.
Reports of standing committees.
Reports of select committees.
Communications and reports of state officers.
Motions and resolutions.
Senator DeFrancisco.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Yes, Mr. President. Can we take up the previously adopted Resolution 1459, by Senator Hoylman, and title to be read only.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Legislative Resolution Number 1459, by Senator Hoylman, memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 24, 2015, as World Meningitis Day in the State of New York.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Senator Hoylman.
SENATOR HOYLMAN:Thank you, Mr. President.
I just wanted to take a few minutes to speak about this resolution which proclaims April 24th, tomorrow, as World Meningitis Day in the State of New York.
The resolution is really designed to increase awareness of the deadliness of bacterial meningitis and the importance of preemptive immunization campaigns in preventing outbreaks of meningitis here in New York and across the country.
You know, 25 percent of us carry the meningitis strain in our nose or our mouth. So that's 15.75 Senators who are carriers. We might not get sick from it, but we are infectious to other people. And if other people are in fact infected with meningitis, it can cause severe brain damage and it's fatal in about 50 percent of the cases.
It's especially frightening because it occurs so swiftly. Some victims are found dead in their beds before they've even had a chance to seek medical attention. And the initial symptoms are very innocuous. It could be just a stiff neck or a headache, but it rapidly, rapidly progresses.
Now, the issue carries particular weight in my district because it was the epicenter of an unnerving outbreak in 2012 that has lasted for several years, and it's had a particular impact on the LGBT population. Although we often associate meningitis with college dorms and military barracks, gay men are often the victims too.
And the outbreak was only contained and kept at bay due to the tireless work of a number of City Health Department officials, including Dr. Demetre Daskalakis and Dr. Jay Varma. Dr. Daskalakis went into nightclubs and private parties and inoculated young gay men with the meningitis vaccination one by one. And thousands of men across the city were inoculated, and it staved off an outbreak that could have been much worse. And this direct community-based approach was very successful.
We here, though, in the Senate did something too, and I wanted to thank my colleagues Senator Ken LaValle and Senator Kemp Hannon for working with me on passing a bill in 2013 to allow licensed pharmacists and certified nurse practitioners to administer the meningitis vaccination to adults 18 years or older. And this is an important safeguard as well.
We're very fortunate to have public health officials and colleagues in this body who recognize the importance of getting inoculated. Whether you're a preteen, age 16 to 21, a kid age 11 to 12, college students, military recruits, people who are HIV-positive or gay men, you should strongly consider the advice of the CDC and get inoculated even tomorrow on World Meningitis Day.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Thank you, Senator Hoylman.
As noted, the resolution was previously adopted.
Senator DeFrancisco.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Yes, could you go to the noncontroversial reading of the calendar.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:We'll have the noncontroversial reading of today's active-list calendar. The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 88, by Senator Golden, Senate Print 685, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 180th day.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 51.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 92, by Senator Nozzolio, Senate Print 1584, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 51.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 188, by Senator Funke, Senate Print 3095, an act to amend the State Technology Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Read the last section.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Lay it aside.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Lay the bill aside.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 210, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 327, an act to amend the Education Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 52.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 242, by Senator Lanza, Senate Print 3342, an act to amend the Public Housing Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 90th day.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 52.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 270, by Senator Croci, Senate Print 3137, an act to amend the Executive Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 54.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 282, by Senator Golden, Senate Print 1414, an act relating to waiving.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 55.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 297, by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 3227, an act to amend the Highway Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 55.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The bill is passed.
Senator DeFrancisco, that completes the noncontroversial reading of today's active-list calendar.
Senator DeFrancisco.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I would just like to make an announcement that one amongst us, Senator Gianaris, has a birthday today. And we want to all wish him happy birthday.
(Applause.)
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I don't know how old he is, but he's old enough to know better, I know that.
(Laughter.)
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Congratulations. Happy birthday, Senator Gianaris.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Would you now call the controversial calendar, please.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The Secretary will ring the bell.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Excuse me. Excuse me. I made a mistake. We've agreed, both sides of the aisle, to remove the lay-aside.
And would you call that bill up, please.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Without objection, the lay-aside will be removed.
And we'll return to the noncontroversial reading of today's calendar, and we will take up Calendar Number 188, Senate Bill 3095, by Senator Funke.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 188, by Senator Funke, Senate Print 3095, an act to amend the State Technology Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 30th day.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 55.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:The bill is passed.
Senator DeFrancisco, that now completes the reading of the noncontroversial calendar.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: It's my understanding there's no further business at the desk.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:Seeing that you've wished Mr. Gianaris a happy birthday, there is no further business before the desk.
SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: On motion, the Senate stands adjourned until Monday, April 27th, at 3:00 p.m., intervening days being legislative days.
ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:On motion, the Senate will stand adjourned until Monday, April 27th, at 3:00 p.m., intervening days being legislative days.
The Senate is adjourned.
(Whereupon, at 11:17 a.m., the Senate adjourned.)
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