1665
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 March 23, 2026
11 3:33 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ANTONIO DELGADO, President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
20
21
22
23
24
25
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 THE PRESIDENT: The Senate will
3 come to order.
4 I ask everyone present to please
5 rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 THE PRESIDENT: In the absence of
9 clergy, let us bow our heads in a moment of
10 silent reflection or prayer.
11 (Whereupon, the assemblage respected
12 a moment of silence.)
13 THE PRESIDENT: Reading of the
14 Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Friday,
16 March 20, 2026, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Thursday, March 19,
18 2026, was read and approved. On motion, the
19 Senate adjourned.
20 THE PRESIDENT: Without objection,
21 the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 Messages from the Governor.
25 Reports of standing committees.
1667
1 Reports of select committees.
2 Communications and reports from
3 state officers.
4 Motions and resolutions.
5 Senator Gianaris.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: Good afternoon,
7 Mr. President.
8 THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: I wish to call
10 up the following bills, which were recalled from
11 the Assembly and are now at the desk: Senate
12 Bill 1327 and Senate Bill 8440.
13 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
14 read.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 137, Senate Print 1327, by Senator Parker, an act
17 to amend the Public Service Law.
18 Calendar Number 252, Senate Print
19 8440, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend the
20 Highway Law.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to
22 reconsider the vote by which these bills were
23 passed.
24 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
25 call the roll on reconsideration.
1668
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
3 THE PRESIDENT: The bills are
4 restored to their place on the Third Reading
5 Calendar.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: I offer the
7 following amendments.
8 THE PRESIDENT: The amendments are
9 received.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: On behalf of
11 Senator Sepúlveda, on page 21 I offer the
12 following amendments to Calendar Number 493,
13 Senate Print 5280, and ask that said bill retain
14 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
15 THE PRESIDENT: The amendments are
16 received, and the bill will retain its place on
17 the Third Reading Calendar.
18 Senator Gianaris.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: There's a
20 privileged resolution at the desk,
21 Resolution 1758. Please take that up, read its
22 title, and recognize Senator Scarcella-Spanton.
23 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
24 read.
25 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 1758, by
1669
1 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, honoring Staff
2 Sergeant Michael H. Ollis posthumously upon
3 receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor and
4 his induction into the Hall of Heroes.
5 THE PRESIDENT: Senator
6 Scarcella-Spanton.
7 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
8 you, Mr. President.
9 Today it is a privilege to honor the
10 life and memory of Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis,
11 a true American hero, a proud Staten Islander,
12 and a dedicated member of the United States Army.
13 Michael Ollis grew up on
14 Staten Island in a tight-knit community where
15 service, sacrifice, and strong character are
16 deeply valued. These principles shaped his life
17 and guided him in his service to our nation.
18 He served with distinction in the
19 United States Army, joining the 10th Mountain
20 Division, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment,
21 Bushmaster Company, in Fort Drum, where he
22 exemplified the highest values of duty, courage,
23 and selflessness.
24 On August 28, 2013, while stationed
25 at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, in Afghanistan,
1670
1 Staff Sergeant Ollis displayed extraordinary
2 heroism. When a suicide bomber threatened the
3 lives of others, he placed himself between the
4 bomber and a fellow soldier, Polish officer
5 Lieutenant Karol Cierpica. We talked about the
6 pronunciation earlier.
7 He made the ultimate sacrifice that
8 day. For his valor, Michael was posthumously
9 recognized with numerous awards, including the
10 Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Audie Murphy
11 Medallion, the Polish Armed Forces Gold Medal,
12 and the Distinguished Service Cross, which was
13 ultimately upgraded to the Medal of Honor earlier
14 this month.
15 Today I would also like to recognize
16 and welcome his parents, Linda and Bob Ollis --
17 and of course their dog Neville -- who received
18 the Congressional Medal of Honor on his behalf
19 and who have joined us in our state's Capitol
20 today.
21 Would you please rise just so they
22 could see you? Linda and Bob are here today.
23 Their strength, love, and tireless
24 advocacy ensured that Michael's heroism would be
25 recognized at the highest level.
1671
1 Their son's story is a reflection of
2 the pride and spirit of Staten Island. He was a
3 true son of our community, and his courage and
4 selflessness continue to inspire neighbors,
5 veterans, and all New Yorkers alike.
6 On a personal note, I have known the
7 Ollises for some time, way before I was ever
8 elected into office, and I have always been
9 inspired by the journey that they've gone on,
10 making sure that their son's legacy was never
11 forgotten, not for one second.
12 Their son Michael attended the same
13 school that my children attend today. Just two
14 years ago, a wing of that school was dedicated to
15 his honor, and a statute stands proudly there, a
16 daily reminder to young people of what courage
17 and selflessness look like.
18 I also had the privilege at that
19 ceremony of meeting Lieutenant Cierpica and his
20 family, including his young son, Michael, who is
21 named after Staff Sergeant Ollis, the man who
22 saved his father's life.
23 I would also like to recognize the
24 broader community and all those who supported
25 this recognition over the years, from veterans'
1672
1 organizations to elected officials, and the
2 people of Staten Island, who kept his story
3 alive.
4 As a Staten Islander and chair of
5 the Veterans Committee, I could not be more
6 proud. Staff Sergeant Ollis's bravery, his
7 sacrifice, and his unwavering commitment to his
8 fellow soldiers and our nation serve as a lasting
9 example of the very best America has.
10 Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis, a
11 soldier, a Staten Islander, and a hero, will
12 forever remain in our hearts and in the history
13 of New York and the United States.
14 To Mr. and Mrs. Ollis, it is truly
15 an honor to stand here to remember Michael today,
16 after seeing your journey over the last several
17 years. On behalf of New York State, it is my
18 privilege to congratulate the Ollis family on a
19 hard-fought journey to make sure he received the
20 Medal of Honor.
21 And I thank you for sharing your
22 son's legacy, and I'm proud that my children
23 attend the school that he did and they get to see
24 his face every day.
25 I proudly vote aye. Thank you.
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1 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Helming on
2 the resolution.
3 SENATOR HELMING: Thank you.
4 Thank you, Senator
5 Scarcella-Spanton, for bringing this forward.
6 Mr. and Mrs. Ollis, you don't know
7 me. My name is Pam Helming. I represent the
8 Finger Lakes region.
9 We have something in common. Your
10 son, my son-in-law, they did pre-Ranger training
11 together. They served in Afghanistan together.
12 I apologize, I didn't know you were
13 going to be here today. But from my family, and
14 from all of us here, I extend to you my deepest,
15 my deepest condolences and appreciation for your
16 son's incredible service.
17 Thank you.
18 MR. OLLIS: Thank you.
19 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
20 And thank you, Senator
21 Scarcella-Spanton.
22 I would also like to acknowledge
23 that we are all eternally indebted to your son's
24 sacrifice. And we welcome you with nothing but
25 deep, deep gratitude and love in our hearts.
1674
1 And we do so with a profound sense
2 of responsibility that we serve in a way that
3 reflects the integrity and the character of all
4 those who serve.
5 And with that, we recognize you and
6 honor the life of your son.
7 Let us all stand and do so.
8 (Lengthy standing ovation.)
9 THE PRESIDENT: The question is on
10 the resolution. All those in favor please
11 signify by saying aye.
12 (Response of "Aye.")
13 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed?
14 (No response.)
15 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is
16 adopted.
17 Senator Gianaris.
18 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
19 Mr. President.
20 Let's move on to previously adopted
21 Resolution 1733, by Senator Hinchey. Let's have
22 its title read and recognize Senator Hinchey,
23 please.
24 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
25 read.
1675
1 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 1733, by
2 Senator Hinchey, commending New York Maple
3 Producers upon the occasion of hosting their
4 Annual Maple Weekends on March 21-22, 2026, and
5 March 28-29, 2026.
6 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Hinchey.
7 SENATOR HINCHEY: I've never met
8 anyone who doesn't like maple, Mr. President.
9 And we are right now in the middle of
10 Maple Weekends.
11 One of New York's proudest and
12 time-honored agricultural traditions is maple
13 production, led by family-run businesses that
14 have passed their craft down through generations.
15 What began in 1995 as a single day,
16 Maple Sunday, has grown into something much
17 bigger, to celebrate the harvest and to connect
18 with the public and local producers.
19 This year marks the 31st anniversary
20 of Maple Weekend, and it now spans four days
21 across two weekends.
22 New York is home to over 2,000 maple
23 producers, and we have more family farms making
24 maple syrup than any other state. That's
25 incredibly special, because it means when you
1676
1 visit a site, you're often watching many
2 generations working side by side.
3 Their work has made New York the
4 second-largest maple producer in the country, and
5 a major driver of our economy. In 2025 alone,
6 maple production hit 829,000 gallons. And we
7 hold the distinction of having the largest number
8 of tappable maple trees in the United States.
9 This year, over 160 New York farms
10 are opening their doors for Maple Weekend. And I
11 can tell you from experience that it's an
12 extraordinary opportunity. I visited
13 Platte Creek Maple Farm in Saugerties this
14 weekend, and it was a wonderful tour where we
15 were able to pick up local products. Depending
16 on where you go, you can get a behind-the-scenes
17 look at both traditional and modern methods of
18 boiling sap into syrup, watch live tree-tapping
19 demonstrations, and arguably the best part is
20 sampling the products.
21 In Saugerties, at Platte Creek Maple
22 Farm, we were able to see the trees that were
23 tapped, taste the products, and get a firsthand
24 look at how that sap becomes the syrup products
25 that we are tasting.
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1 There are some incredible events
2 happening all across the state both this past
3 weekend and the weekend we're going into.
4 Several in my district include Maple Leaf
5 Sugaring in Ghent, Soukup Farms in Dover Plains,
6 New Beginnings Farms in Kingston, and
7 Corey's Sugar Shack in Highland.
8 I encourage all of our colleagues to
9 go check out one of these incredible farms. They
10 are opening their doors over this weekend, and I
11 encourage everyone to try their products and make
12 sure, when you buy maple syrup, that it is from a
13 New York farm.
14 I'm proud to sponsor this
15 resolution, Mr. President, and Happy Annual
16 Maple Weekend.
17 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
18 Senator Hinchey.
19 Senator Borrello on the resolution.
20 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
21 Mr. President.
22 I too want to rise to celebrate
23 maple and celebrate the Maple Weekends. And I
24 also stand as the representative of Wyoming
25 County, in the 57th Senate District, the
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1 number-one maple-producing county in New York
2 State.
3 And we're the number-two state in
4 the nation, but well on our way to number one.
5 Because as Senator Hinchey mentioned, we have the
6 most tappable trees of the entire nation.
7 New York State produces amazing maple and amazing
8 maple products, from dark maple, light maple,
9 maple candy, maple fluff, maple coffee -- I can
10 go on and on.
11 But there is a lot of maple out
12 there, and how sweet it is to have it here in
13 New York State driving our agricultural economy.
14 Thank you, Mr. President, and I vote
15 aye.
16 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
17 Senator Oberacker.
18 SENATOR OBERACKER: Thank you,
19 Mr. President.
20 It's not often I disagree with my
21 colleague on this side of the aisle --
22 (Laughter.)
23 SENATOR OBERACKER: -- but
24 representing the 51st Senate District, right in
25 the heart of maple production -- there's no
1679
1 better place to be in March.
2 And I will say this. With all the
3 products that my colleague expanded upon, he does
4 not have what the 51st Senate District has, which
5 is an adult beverage that is called the
6 Senator Oberacker, which is --
7 (Laughter.)
8 SENATOR OBERACKER: The suspense is
9 killing everybody.
10 Which is maple with some habanero,
11 and it's set up as an old-fashioned. Kind of
12 like Senator Oberacker.
13 So with that, Mr. President, I too
14 would like to thank the sponsor for bringing this
15 forward and let everybody, let everyone enjoy
16 maple this week.
17 Thank you, Mr. President.
18 THE PRESIDENT: All right. Thank
19 you.
20 Senator May on the resolution.
21 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
22 Mr. President.
23 And I want to thank the sponsor for
24 this resolution as well.
25 And I want to lift up Dutch Hill
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1 Maple Farm in my district, which not only goes
2 all out for Maple Weekends, but they were the
3 ones who brought me the idea for the bill we
4 passed a couple of years ago that created the
5 opportunity for maple leases on state forestland,
6 which is going to help Senator Oberacker's
7 district become a statewide leader in this and
8 help move New York into first place in maple
9 production.
10 But I also want to say, about Dutch
11 Hill, they do a lot about educating the public on
12 what they do, and they post constantly about how
13 their production is going every year. And this
14 has been a great year for maple production, until
15 a couple of weeks ago when there was a huge
16 windstorm that brought a tree down on their sugar
17 shack, knocked down a lot of their lines that
18 transport the sap to the sugar shack. And
19 they've been digging out from that.
20 And I just want to let them know
21 we're thinking about them. They are soldiering
22 on. But it reminds you that this isn't all
23 sweetness, this -- it's a hard job to produce
24 maple sometimes in New York State. And I really
25 honor everyone who is doing it.
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1 I vote aye.
2 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
3 The resolution was adopted on
4 March 17th.
5 Senator Gianaris.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: Next up is
7 previously adopted Resolution 1706, by
8 Senator Fernandez. Please read that resolution's
9 title and call on Senator Fernandez.
10 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
11 read.
12 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 1706, by
13 Senator Fernandez, memorializing Governor
14 Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 26, 2026, as
15 Bangladesh Independence Day in the State of
16 New York.
17 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Fernandez.
18 SENATOR FERNANDEZ: Thank you,
19 Mr. President.
20 It is an honor to stand here today
21 to present this resolution, not only for my
22 guests here in the chamber but for the entire
23 State of New York, to declare in New York we
24 recognize March 26th as Bangladesh Independence
25 Day. Because days like this are about sharing
1682
1 the belief that every nation and every people has
2 the right to determine its own future.
3 In 1971, the people of Bangladesh
4 made that belief real. They stood up for their
5 language, for their culture, for their dignity.
6 When Urdu was imposed as the sole state language,
7 it sparked a Bengali language movement. And the
8 resilience persisted throughout the following
9 decade when, in 1998, Bangladesh established
10 International Mother Language Day.
11 I must inform how this is the
12 starting point of the fight for perseverance and
13 pride in a nation's mother language. Today we
14 have nations still preserving their indigenous
15 language. And it is the Bangladesh community
16 that started that movement worldwide to make sure
17 that you can always have the right to speak the
18 language your mother instilled upon you.
19 Bangladesh fought hard to maintain
20 their sovereignty. When they were met with
21 opposition, they fought for basic rights. Out of
22 that struggle emerged our freedom fighters,
23 freedom fighters that to this day stand proud,
24 resilient, and forward-looking, and are in this
25 room today.
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1 And here in New York the story
2 continues, because tens of thousands of
3 Bangladesh New Yorkers carry that same spirit
4 with them.
5 And in my district in particular,
6 the great 34th Senatorial District, we have in
7 the heart of Parkchester, the Bronx, a vibrant,
8 bustling Bangladesh community, officially named
9 Bangla Bazaar, thanks to leaders before me.
10 Community leaders, small businesses,
11 organizations work together here to bring a sense
12 of home to the neighborhood, one that values
13 closeness and partnership -- values all neighbors
14 can relate to. Its venues, restaurants,
15 businesses have created spaces for local
16 gatherings and celebrations, while nearby schools
17 like PS 106 and 127 have opened their doors and
18 accommodated the diverse community, to hosting
19 events like the Community Iftar that we've done
20 recently.
21 Organizations that support the arts,
22 preserve dance, music, culture, heritage,
23 history, teaching this to our children because we
24 know how important it is for our children to know
25 where we came from so they can go in a better
1684
1 direction.
2 We have organizations that allow
3 language access and translation, to make sure
4 that all members of this community are aware of
5 receiving every support system available to us.
6 The Bronx supports families through
7 resource and information and food and in every
8 which way you can imagine. And to the many
9 non-for-profits that continue to support
10 entrepreneurs, seniors, families, we thank you
11 for being an example of what we all should be
12 doing for our communities.
13 Together we ensure that
14 Bangla Bazaar remains a place where culture not
15 only is preserved but proudly celebrated. And
16 that goes far beyond Bangla Bazaar. It goes for
17 every borough in New York City, because I know
18 all of my colleagues can speak proudly about
19 their communities.
20 Today we welcome the members of the
21 Bangladesh community from the Bronx to here in
22 Albany. And I hope we can take a moment to pause
23 and recognize their strength, their perseverance,
24 and their diligence and their commitment to their
25 culture, pride, and contributions to New York.
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1 They remind us that the story of
2 New York has always been a story of people who
3 come here, who hold on to who they are and find a
4 way to build something new. That's what makes
5 moments like this so important.
6 So Happy Independence Day to my
7 Bangla brothers and sisters from your
8 {in Bangla}, and thank you so much for this
9 honor.
10 May everyone please join me in
11 welcoming my guests here celebrating this day.
12 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
13 Senator --
14 (Applause from the galleries.)
15 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
16 We will recognize Senator Fahy on
17 the resolution.
18 SENATOR FAHY: Thank you,
19 Mr. President.
20 I'd like to join my colleague here
21 in recognizing Bangladesh Independence Day as
22 well, which I know will be observed later this
23 week on March 26th.
24 It is the birth of a nation after a
25 powerful struggle for freedom, identity, and
1686
1 self-determination. It was quite a conflict that
2 cost millions of lives, but through that is a
3 nation that will has been defined by resilience,
4 courage, and democratic hope has emerged from
5 that.
6 And today I am particularly proud to
7 recognize Dr. Mohammad Kabir, of Delmar, if he
8 would rise in the chamber. Thank you, Dr. Kabir.
9 He is a respected and celebrated
10 member of our community here locally and
11 certainly helps reflect the enduring legacy of
12 Bangladesh's independence.
13 He has chosen to serve his community
14 here and dedicated his entire career to helping
15 U.S. veterans at the VA. Now close to 80,
16 Dr. Kabir continues to work part-time to care for
17 individuals who are grappling with addiction.
18 Beyond his work in healthcare,
19 however, Dr. Kabir has also been integral to his
20 community as chairman of the Bangladeshi American
21 Foundation of Albany, BAFA.
22 It is a cultural nonprofit focused
23 on honoring the history and undertaking important
24 fundraising projects, including most recently
25 establishing a foundation in memory of another
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1 Bangladeshi activist, Ahmed Rafiq, who passed
2 away just last year, another revered figure and
3 civil rights leader, scholar and more, who
4 dedicated his life to peaceful advocacy for the
5 Bangla language, sovereignty, and dignity of the
6 Bangladeshi people.
7 This is so much a story of
8 democracy, the right to speak freely and to
9 determine one's future. As we honor the
10 sacrifices of 1971 and celebrate the independence
11 of Bangladesh, I am truly honored to give the
12 example of Dr. Mohammad Kabir's extraordinary
13 work and legacy in paying that forward.
14 Thank you, Mr. President.
15 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
16 Senator Stavisky on the resolution.
17 SENATOR STAVISKY: Thank you,
18 Mr. President.
19 And thank you, Senator Fernandez,
20 for introducing this resolution. And thank you
21 for talking about their many contributions as
22 well as the history and the tradition that they
23 bring.
24 And you mentioned the
25 freedom fighters. I represent a district in
1688
1 Queens County, and we have a lot of people who
2 originally came from Bangladesh living in
3 Queens County.
4 But you notice Senator Fernandez
5 from the Bronx, Senator Fahy from the
6 Capitol District, I'm from Queens. And the
7 Bangladesh community has made a remarkable
8 imprint of progress, of being part of the
9 community throughout the state.
10 I am particularly proud -- when the
11 district lines changed three years ago and I
12 began to meet more people from the Bangladesh
13 community, I realized how welcoming they are, how
14 much they care about their community. And in
15 fact, about 10 days ago I was happy to host an
16 Iftar event for members of the Bangladesh
17 community in Queens.
18 And in fact, in January we have a
19 New York State Supreme Court justice born in
20 Bangladesh, came here when she was relatively
21 young, but her father was a freedom fighter.
22 And that I think just adds to --
23 adds another dimension to the experiences that
24 Judge Sayeed has brought to the Supreme Court of
25 the state in Queens County.
1689
1 So I thank you, and I welcome our
2 friends and neighbors from the Bronx. And we
3 will have something for the Queens people when
4 they come here too.
5 Thank you, Mr. President.
6 (Applause from the galleries.)
7 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
8 Senator Myrie.
9 SENATOR MYRIE: Thank you.
10 And thank you to Senator Fernandez
11 for introducing this resolution.
12 I'm going to add to the geographical
13 diversity in honoring our Bangladeshi community
14 today. I have the honor of representing
15 Kensington, in Brooklyn. And it has been really
16 a joy and pride associated with representing this
17 community in the State Senate.
18 Much like my own family, much like
19 many of the families that I represent, this
20 community has come here for economic opportunity,
21 for hope, to provide and protect their neighbors.
22 So on this day we just want to say
23 that we see you, we appreciate you, we celebrate
24 with you. Whether you're on, in my district,
25 Church Avenue, McDonald Avenue, Coney Island
1690
1 Avenue, this is a community that Brooklyn would
2 not be the same without.
3 So thank you for everything that you
4 do. Happy Independence Day.
5 (Applause from the galleries.)
6 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
7 Senator Bailey on the resolution.
8 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
9 Mr. President.
10 Kemon Acho.
11 (Response from audience.)
12 SENATOR BAILEY: These are things
13 that I learned from my good friend
14 Senator Sepúlveda.
15 And as I always like to say, when I
16 was first running for election, the first news
17 station to interview me was not News 12, it was
18 not BronxNet, it was not ABC -- I still can't get
19 on ABC -- it was not CNN. It was Time TV, a
20 Bangla-speaking community television show.
21 So I want to make sure I reaffirm
22 that commitment always. And I think it's
23 important to continue to tell that story about
24 how the Bangladeshi community is so diverse, in
25 not just thought but in jobs.
1691
1 And in speaking of jobs,
2 Mr. President, a great Bangladeshi detective,
3 Didarul Islam, a Bangladeshi officer, represented
4 my district, my home precinct, the 47th Precinct.
5 And he died with honor representing this country
6 and serving this country that he loved.
7 And so you can be Bangladeshi and be
8 anything in the world. But the thing that you
9 are the most is that you are protectors of your
10 own, your are protectors of this great country.
11 And for that reason and so many
12 more, I thank you for all that you do.
13 Dhonnobad.
14 I vote aye on the resolution,
15 Mr. President.
16 (Applause from the galleries.)
17 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator.
18 Senator Comrie on the resolution.
19 SENATOR COMRIE: Thank you,
20 Mr. President.
21 I want to thank Senator Fernandez
22 and Senator Sepúlveda for making sure that this
23 day is memorialized in a yearly event in our
24 Senate.
25 It's great to see the folks from the
1692
1 Bronx. I wish we could get the folks from Queens
2 to be here at the same time. We have to work on
3 that next year, hopefully. Because the
4 Bangladesh community, as you've heard, is
5 thriving. It's growing throughout the state.
6 It's growing in respect, it's growing in focus,
7 and it's growing in their ability and
8 understanding that they want to be part of
9 government in a major way.
10 I'm proud to say that I've worked
11 with the Bangladesh community since before I got
12 elected. I elected the first Bangladesh member
13 to the school board to serve with me,
14 Morshed Alam, back when I first served on the
15 school board in Queens. He ran then against some
16 Senator -- I'm blanking on his name -- Padavan,
17 and he actually won over 45 percent of the vote
18 when he ran, the first Bangladesh-American to run
19 for State Senate in New York.
20 And I've been working with that
21 community for many years.
22 I just wanted to also note that as
23 we had the honor of traveling to Bangladesh in
24 2018 with Senator Sepúlveda and with some other
25 members -- to see the beauty of the country, to
1693
1 be scared when I was in the middle of the city
2 with no traffic lights and all the traffic that
3 was happening. But to see the beauty of the
4 country, to travel to Sylhet, to travel to where
5 they make the tea, where the manufacturing areas
6 were, to travel throughout the country and to see
7 the resilience and focus of people, to understand
8 that we are all one people trying to make sure
9 that our children do better.
10 I want to congratulate everyone for
11 coming today, and also note the fact that the
12 Bangladesh community will continue to stay strong
13 because there's a focus and purpose in the
14 community that we all need to admire.
15 Thank you, Mr. President.
16 (Applause from the galleries.)
17 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
18 Senator Comrie.
19 Senator Sepúlveda on the resolution.
20 SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: Thank you,
21 Mr. President.
22 New York {Bangla}, Senate {Bangla},
23 {in Bangla}.
24 (Laughter; applause.)
25 SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: Today I rise
1694
1 with great pride to recognize Independence Day, a
2 date that symbolizes courage and determination of
3 a people who fought for their freedom and their
4 right to self-determination.
5 This commemoration not only honors
6 the history of a nation but also celebrates the
7 universal values of democracy, human dignity, and
8 hope that unite our communities here in the great
9 State of New York.
10 In the same spirit of recognition
11 and respect, I want to thank Senator Fernandez
12 for introducing this resolution. This important
13 initiative represents far more than a ceremonial
14 gesture; it constitutes an institutional
15 acknowledgment of the positive impact of the
16 valuable contributions of the Bangladeshi
17 community to the economic, social, and cultural
18 development of our state.
19 At one point I represented the
20 largest Bangladesh community in the Bronx.
21 Senator Fernandez now has that honor. During the
22 years I've developed such close relationships and
23 friendships with that community. In fact, when I
24 first ran for office in 2010, it was the
25 Bangladesh community that gave me the first
1695
1 endorsement that I ever received, and we've
2 maintained a very close relationship since then.
3 As Senator Comrie indicated, in 2018
4 I took about five Senators with me to Bangladesh
5 and just met -- went to an incredible country
6 with incredible members and met incredible people
7 with an incredible experience.
8 Our city is home to one of the most
9 diverse populations in the world that has more
10 than 100,000 people of Bangladesh origin that
11 live here, making it the largest Bangladeshi
12 community in the United States.
13 In recent decades the population has
14 experienced extraordinary growth, making it one
15 of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in the
16 metropolis. This vibrant population has
17 established strong roots in the neighborhoods
18 across the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn.
19 But one area is proudly known as
20 Little Bangladesh. It is a young, hardworking
21 and entrepreneurial community that has shown
22 exemplary commitment to economic and social
23 progress, particularly through the development of
24 small businesses and essential services.
25 Today we recognize Bangladesh
1696
1 Independence Day, and I reaffirm my commitment to
2 continue supporting and celebrating this
3 extraordinary community whose work, culture and
4 entrepreneurial spirit helped build a stronger,
5 fairer and more inclusive New York for all.
6 May this recognition serve as a
7 testament to our respect and gratitude for all
8 that they contribute to our state.
9 {In Bangla.} Dhonnobad!
10 (Applause from the galleries.)
11 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator.
12 Senator Ramos on the resolution.
13 SENATOR RAMOS: Thank you,
14 Mr. President.
15 I know the Bangladeshi diaspora is
16 all over New York now. But there's only one
17 Bangladesh Street, and that's in Jackson Heights,
18 Queens.
19 So as the proud State Senator from
20 my hometown, I of course also want to join the
21 celebration of our Bangladeshi community -- a
22 creative community, an entrepreneurial community,
23 a very hardworking community.
24 And as always, as every year, I get
25 to proclaim my love and say {in Bangla}.
1697
1 (Applause from the galleries.)
2 SENATOR RAMOS: It is incredible to
3 see how our Bangladeshi community has grown, how
4 lucky we are to still have so many freedom
5 fighters among us to share those stories, and to
6 also be able to recognize the plight of the
7 Bangladeshi community to fight and keep their
8 mother language.
9 Bangla is a beautiful language. {In
10 Bangla.} Thank you so much --
11 (Applause from the galleries.)
12 SENATOR RAMOS: Thank you so much
13 for the opportunity, to Senator Fernandez, to our
14 leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, for making today
15 possible so that we can continue to celebrate the
16 diverse vibrancy of our state.
17 Thank you.
18 (Applause from the galleries.)
19 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
20 Senator Ramos.
21 Senator Skoufis.
22 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Thank you very
23 much, Mr. President.
24 I too want to thank Senator
25 Fernandez for this wonderful and important
1698
1 resolution and want to echo something that
2 Senator Stavisky had noted.
3 I too was fortunate enough to visit
4 Bangladesh several years ago with a number of
5 colleagues, and one of the qualities that struck
6 me most was how caring and welcoming the
7 population is there, and certainly the
8 population, the community, is here in New York.
9 You know, it's -- and we live in
10 very obviously politically divisive times. There
11 are some places in this country where a small
12 number, a small handful of refugees sets off a
13 firestorm in some communities in our country.
14 And that is a separate debate.
15 But the reason why I bring it up is
16 because Bangladesh hosts 1.2 million Myanmar
17 Rohingya refugees who faced ethnic cleansing from
18 just across their border. Let me say that again:
19 1.2 million refugees.
20 And certainly there are challenges
21 with those refugee camps and the circumstances,
22 but the reason why those over 1 million
23 individuals, who were being otherwise slaughtered
24 back in their home, crossed into Bangladesh --
25 and that border, by the way, is minuscule. There
1699
1 are much large borders with India, with China,
2 with Thailand, with Laos. They came and they
3 went to Bangladesh because the Bangladeshis are
4 caring and welcoming and loving people.
5 (Applause from the galleries.)
6 SENATOR SKOUFIS: So I thank you
7 all for your contributions here in New York; I
8 saw the same abroad.
9 And thank you again,
10 Senator Fernandez, for the resolution.
11 (Applause from the galleries.)
12 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
13 Senator Skoufis.
14 Senator Scarcella-Spanton.
15 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
16 you, Mr. President.
17 And thank you, Senator Fernandez,
18 for introducing this resolution.
19 Happy Independence Day! Thank you
20 so much for being here.
21 (Applause from the galleries.)
22 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: And in
23 the spirit of making sure every borough is
24 represented, I have a huge Bangladeshi population
25 both in the Staten Island portion of my district
1700
1 and on the Southern Brooklyn portion of my
2 district, especially in Brighton Beach.
3 And I wanted to echo what my
4 colleagues said. The Bangladeshi community is
5 some of the most warm, caring, compassionate, and
6 empathic people that I personally have the
7 privilege of representing.
8 So it is an honor to have you here
9 today in the New York State Senate. We love the
10 Bangladeshi community. You bring so much to our
11 great state.
12 Thank you, and I proudly vote aye.
13 (Applause from the galleries.)
14 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Chan on the
15 resolution.
16 SENATOR CHAN: Thank you,
17 Mr. President.
18 First I would like to welcome our
19 Bangladeshi community to Albany, to the
20 Senate floor.
21 As the neighboring Senator to
22 Senator Myrie, I also have a part of Kensington.
23 Not only that, but I also served as a NYPD patrol
24 supervisor in the neighborhood of Kensington, in
25 the 66 Precinct, for three years. And working
1701
1 closely with the Bangladeshi community, I have
2 learned a lot about the culture.
3 So much has been said today about
4 Bangladesh and the Bangladeshis and their strive
5 and achievements. But one thing we left out is
6 Bangladesh is a rising world power in
7 manufacturing. And that's because of a country
8 that is together, its resilience, its
9 togetherness, its hard work.
10 And congratulations on your
11 Independence Day, and welcome to Albany.
12 (Applause from the galleries.)
13 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
14 Senator Liu on the resolution.
15 SENATOR LIU: Thank you,
16 Mr. President.
17 I don't know what there is left to
18 be said, but clearly even though we have a
19 delegation primarily from the Bronx -- led by one
20 of their noble elderly statesmen, Abdul Shahid --
21 I want to say clearly that the Bangladeshi
22 diaspora extends clearly to Queens, Brooklyn,
23 Staten Island, even Manhattan, here in the
24 Capitol Region, and other parts of the State of
25 New York.
1702
1 And their presence, the
2 Bangladeshi-American community, only makes the
3 great State of New York even greater.
4 I too was also honored to join the
5 delegation a number of years ago to Bangladesh.
6 Incredible memories there. But the most vivid
7 are the clear illustration of that nation's
8 natural resources as well as its human capital
9 and intellectual capital, much of which they have
10 brought here to New York to invigorate our own
11 economy in our own state.
12 So, Mr. President, thank you very
13 much, and I vote in favor of this resolution.
14 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
15 (Applause from the galleries.)
16 THE PRESIDENT: To our Bangladeshi
17 community and the freedom fighters here in the
18 chamber, Happy Independence Day.
19 I welcome you on behalf of the
20 Senate, and we extend to you all the privileges
21 and courtesies of the house.
22 Please all rise and be recognized.
23 (Standing ovation.)
24 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution was
25 adopted on March 10th.
1703
1 Senator Gianaris.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's move on to
3 previously adopted Resolution 1300, by
4 Senator Helming, read its title and recognize
5 Senator Helming, please.
6 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
7 read.
8 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 1300, by
9 Senator Helming, congratulating the York
10 Middle/High School Girls Varsity Volleyball Team
11 upon the occasion of winning the New York State
12 Public High School Athletic Association Class D
13 State Championship.
14 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Helming.
15 SENATOR HELMING: Thank you,
16 Mr. President.
17 It's my honor this afternoon to
18 welcome the Class D New York State Champion York
19 Golden Knights Girls Volleyball Team to this
20 chamber.
21 The third time is the charm. For
22 the York Golden Knights, that wasn't just a
23 saying, it became their mindset after falling
24 short in the sectionals two years in a row.
25 When the team returned to sectionals
1704
1 for a third time, they were more determined, more
2 focused, and ready. And this time they didn't
3 just win, they made history.
4 They defeated the defending state
5 champions in three straight sets to capture the
6 first state title in school history.
7 What makes this victory even sweeter
8 is the journey behind it. After graduating nine
9 seniors and returning just two starters, this was
10 to be a rebuilding year. With only one senior on
11 the roster, these young women proved that
12 leadership is not defined by age or experience.
13 Mr. President, can I have a little
14 order, please? Thank you.
15 THE PRESIDENT: Order in the
16 chamber.
17 SENATOR HELMING: It's defined by
18 showing up, putting in the work, and supporting
19 one another every single day.
20 This team built a bond that extended
21 far beyond the court. They shared dinners the
22 night before games. In the locker rooms, they
23 got ready together listening to their favorite
24 pump-up songs. I understand the team's favorite
25 songs include "Golden" and "Soda Pop" from
1705
1 KPop Demon Hunters.
2 This songs brought the team a source
3 of energy, they helped build confidence, and they
4 reminded the team that their moment to shine was
5 right in front of them.
6 The girls also carried with them the
7 words of one of their assistant coaches, a former
8 head coach whose message became a part of the
9 program's tradition. Every night before a game,
10 the girls shared: "Sleep well, dream big. And
11 on game day, you're a winner."
12 This message, passed down over time,
13 is one that has shaped not just the team, but a
14 championship culture, and they believed in it.
15 Today I'm proud to recognize these
16 outstanding student athletes, and I've asked that
17 you please rise when I call your name: Madalena,
18 Jordan, Bailey, Erin, JJ, Bree, Fiona, Madison,
19 Kylee, Leah, Sylvianna, and CC.
20 They're led by Head Coach
21 Kaitlin Kolb, along with Assistant Coaches
22 Mikayla Johnson, Lonni Carroll, Beth Niedermaier,
23 and Steven Carroll -- coaches who have built not
24 just a championship team but strong, competent
25 young leaders.
1706
1 I also want to recognize
2 Athletic Director Kurt Schneider,
3 Principal Charlie Passarell, and Transportation
4 Coordinator Extraordinaire Larry Holbrook, for
5 helping make it possible for the team to be with
6 us today.
7 Mr. President, this team has proved
8 that sometimes it truly is the third time that's
9 the charm.
10 Congratulations, girls, on a
11 historic and unforgettable season.
12 Mr. President, I vote yes on the
13 resolution. Thank you.
14 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
15 Senator Helming.
16 And to our guests, the state champs,
17 I welcome you on behalf of the Senate. We extend
18 to you all the privileges and courtesies of the
19 house.
20 Please rise again so that we may
21 properly recognize you.
22 (Standing ovation.)
23 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution was
24 adopted on March 17th.
25 Senator Gianaris.
1707
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's keep
2 Senator Helming up on her feet by taking up
3 previously adopted Resolution 1757, by her and
4 Senator Borrello. Read its title and recognize
5 my two colleagues, please.
6 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
7 read.
8 THE SECRETARY: Senate Resolution
9 1757, by Senator Helming, congratulating the
10 Pavilion/York Air Rifle Team upon the occasion of
11 winning the New York State Rifle Invitational
12 Championship in the Three-Position Event.
13 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Helming on
14 the resolution.
15 SENATOR HELMING: Thank you,
16 Mr. President.
17 Today I'm also proud to recognize
18 the Pavilion/York Air Rifle Team as the
19 2026 New York State Rifle Invitational Champions
20 in the three-position event.
21 In the spirit of March Madness, this
22 team delivered a true Cinderella season, rising
23 from very humble beginnings to reigning state
24 champions. Their story is one of perseverance,
25 grit, and teamwork.
1708
1 Just a few years ago, this team was
2 practicing with borrowed rifles, pieced-together
3 equipment, and they didn't even have uniforms.
4 They never won a single match. But they stayed
5 committed, they stayed focused, and so did their
6 head coach, Jenny Harkins.
7 With her leadership, and with the
8 support of Coaches Nate Paddock, Dillon Hirsh,
9 and Tom Green, along with Jeff Beardsley, the
10 program was rebuilt and strengthened.
11 Through the support of their
12 schools, community partners, and organizations
13 like White Tails Unlimited, these athletes gained
14 the equipment and the resources that they needed
15 to succeed. And what followed, Mr. President,
16 was absolutely remarkable.
17 They went from never winning a match
18 to an undefeated season, capturing sectional
19 titles and ultimately becoming New York State
20 champions. Along the way, they created
21 unforgettable moments.
22 I'd like to recognize each of the
23 outstanding members of this championship team.
24 If you'd please rise when I read your name:
25 Cooper, Tyler, Myra, Emily, Jayden, Jesse,
1709
1 Morgan, Levi, and Brooke.
2 And coaches, if you'd rise as well.
3 I wanted to mention that at the
4 state competition, Tyler Brian and Emily Harwood
5 each achieved their first perfect prone targets.
6 And York junior Myra Beardsley earned top
7 individual honors as the Overall State Champion
8 and will be soon be competing in the
9 Junior Olympics.
10 This team represents what can happen
11 when hard work meets opportunity. Their story is
12 a great reminder that success is not reserved for
13 the biggest programs or the most established
14 teams. It belongs to those who show up, put in
15 the work, support each other, and never stop
16 believing.
17 It's a pleasure to recognize the
18 Pavilion/York Air Rifle Team, their coaches, and
19 all who supported them along the way.
20 Congratulations, State Champions, on
21 a remarkable and inspiring season.
22 Mr. President, I vote yes on the
23 resolution.
24 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
25 Senator Helming.
1710
1 Senator Borrello on the resolution.
2 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
3 Mr. President.
4 Well, I want to join Senator Helming
5 in thanking you for being here today and coming
6 all the way to Albany.
7 And just like the great partnership
8 that Senator Helming and I have, what a great
9 partnership between Pavilion and York, and what
10 great results. To go from never having won a
11 single match to capturing the state championship,
12 that is a story of resilience, never giving up,
13 working hard, believing in yourselves.
14 That is an amazing story. It's
15 really the story of the regions that we
16 represent: Tough, resilient people that did a
17 great job.
18 Fantastic to have you here,
19 fantastic to have you celebrate this. It just
20 goes beyond.
21 And you talk about this is not only
22 a great season, but historic, rising all the way
23 to the state championships, being one of one, two
24 schools coming together and being one outstanding
25 team. That speaks volumes.
1711
1 Congratulations. We're happy to
2 have you here.
3 Mr. President, please welcome this
4 team and give them all the privileges and
5 courtesies of the house.
6 THE PRESIDENT: To our state
7 champs, I welcome you on behalf of the Senate.
8 We extend to you the privileges and courtesies of
9 the house, and we recognize your success.
10 (Standing ovation.)
11 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution was
12 adopted on March 17th.
13 Senator Gianaris.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: Okay,
15 Mr. President, let's move on to previously
16 adopted Resolution 1629, by Senator Walczyk, read
17 its title, and gaze with awe upon Senator Walczyk
18 as he discusses this resolution, his very stylish
19 jacket that he will tell us about, I'm sure.
20 (Laughter.)
21 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
22 read.
23 THE SECRETARY: Senate Resolution
24 1629, by Senator Walczyk, memorializing
25 Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 6, 2026,
1712
1 as Tartan Day in the State of New York.
2 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Walczyk on
3 the resolution.
4 SENATOR WALCZYK: Thank you,
5 Mr. President. And Happy Tartan Day.
6 Scottish independence was declared
7 on April 6th in 1320 at Arbroath. In Scotland,
8 tartans are worn to represent clans, families,
9 regions.
10 In the United States, half of the
11 Declaration of Independence signers were
12 Scottish. Nine of 13 governors of our first
13 states were Scottish. The Scottish economist
14 Adam Smith wrote Wealth of Nations in 1776, the
15 same year this nation was founded.
16 And Scotland is literally woven into
17 the fabric of our society. So we honor their
18 fabric with this Tartan Day resolution.
19 Now, the tartan that I'm wearing
20 today is the St. Lawrence Tartan. There's been
21 two tartans that were commissioned in the
22 United States, both actually in my Senate
23 district. And this St. Lawrence tartan was
24 designed by Mrs. Helene Cobb in 1961. It was
25 officially registered with Scottish Tartans.
1713
1 The blue represents the St. Lawrence
2 River. The red represents the sunset over the
3 Thousand Islands. The green represents the hardy
4 cedar trees that line the St. Lawrence River
5 Valley. And the subtle black and white hints
6 show the whitecaps over the St. Lawrence River,
7 that is often smooth but sometimes choppy.
8 Culture, clothing, our founding and
9 our economics, tartan tells the story not just of
10 Scotland but also of the founding of this nation.
11 It evokes pride in history.
12 So to you, Mr. President, and to all
13 of my colleagues, Happy Tartan Day to you.
14 I vote aye.
15 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator.
16 The resolution was adopted on
17 February 25th.
18 Senator Gianaris.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: I actually
20 enjoyed that, Senator Walczyk. Thank you.
21 (Laughter.)
22 SENATOR GIANARIS: The sponsors of
23 all of today's resolutions would like to open
24 them up for cosponsorship, please.
25 THE PRESIDENT: The resolutions are
1714
1 open for cosponsorship. Should you choose not to
2 be a cosponsor, please notify the desk.
3 Senator Gianaris.
4 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please take up
5 the calendar.
6 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
7 read.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 108, Senate Print 5982, by Senator Harckham, an
10 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
11 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
12 section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
15 shall have become a law.
16 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
19 results.
20 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
21 Calendar 108, voting in the negative are
22 Senators Skoufis, Walczyk and Weik.
23 Ayes, 57. Nays, 3.
24 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
1715
1 183, Senate Print 5600, by Senator May, an act to
2 amend the Personal Property Law.
3 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
4 section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
10 results.
11 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
12 Calendar 183, voting in the negative:
13 Senator Walczyk.
14 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
15 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 213, Senate Print 1239F, by Senator Kavanagh, an
18 act to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
19 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
20 section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 8. This
22 act shall take effect one year after it shall
23 have become a law.
24 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
1716
1 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
2 results.
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
4 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 219, Senate Print 4964, by Senator Bailey, an act
7 to amend the Insurance Law.
8 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
9 section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
15 results.
16 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
17 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 227, Senate Print 2482, by Senator Parker, an act
20 to amend the Public Authorities Law.
21 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
22 THE PRESIDENT: Lay it aside.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 338, Senate Print 1787, by Senator Hinchey, an
25 act to amend the State Law.
1717
1 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
2 section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
8 results.
9 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
10 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 343, Senate Print 2640, by Senator Fernandez, an
13 act to amend the Executive Law.
14 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
15 section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
21 results.
22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
23 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 372, Senate Print 2499, by Senator Gounardes, an
1718
1 act to amend the Workers' Compensation Law.
2 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
3 section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
9 results.
10 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
11 Calendar 372, voting in the negative are
12 Senators Borrello, Chan, Gallivan, Griffo,
13 Helming, Lanza, Murray, Ortt, Walczyk and Weik.
14 Ayes, 50. Nays, 10.
15 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 443, Senate Print 5183B, by Senator Jackson, an
18 act to amend the Election Law.
19 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
20 section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
22 act shall take effect one year after it shall
23 have become a law.
24 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
1719
1 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
2 results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 443, voting in the negative:
5 Senator Walczyk.
6 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
7 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 480, Senate Print 3231, by Senator Bailey,
10 Concurrent Resolution of the Senate and Assembly
11 proposing an amendment to Section 1 of Article 2
12 of the Constitution.
13 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Bailey to
16 explain his vote.
17 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
18 Mr. President.
19 Twenty-one states and Washington,
20 D.C., Wyoming in caucuses, all allow for this to
21 take place. We go around our districts and we
22 lament the fact that young people are not getting
23 involved. Why don't the young people of this
24 great state and country care?
25 And yet I see hands indicating that
1720
1 we don't want this level of participation. It's
2 not a back door party registration trick. This
3 is something for everybody. And it simply just
4 says this.
5 If you have the not-so-great benefit
6 of having a late birthday, like somebody like me,
7 in August, and if there's a primary that happens,
8 and if you'll be 18 by the time there's a
9 general, if you're 17 you can vote in the
10 primary. You can pre-register to vote already in
11 the state, Mr. President, if you're 17 years old.
12 You can drive, you can pay taxes,
13 you can work up to 28 hours a week. But if you
14 have the misfortune of having a birthday after
15 the primary, then you can't be a part of choosing
16 your party's nominee.
17 I shudder to think how we can
18 credibly say we want people to participate but we
19 don't want to support this type of what I believe
20 to be commonsense legislation -- commonsense
21 legislation supported by the great students of
22 Mamaroneck High School, so I want to thank by
23 name Max, Mark, Laura and Henry for coming up,
24 and their great teacher, Joe Liberti, for
25 bringing up a cohort of students to speak about
1721
1 how important this was.
2 I want to make sure I recognize my
3 colleague in the Assembly, Nily Rozic, for this
4 important bill, being the sponsor over there.
5 And I'm hopeful that civically
6 minded individuals -- that one day, even if we
7 don't vote for this, that you become the
8 beneficiaries of this, that 17-year-olds in your
9 districts get an opportunity to be able to vote
10 in a primary when they'll be 18 in the same year.
11 You can't fault their parents for
12 having a late birthday.
13 For that reason, I vote aye,
14 Mr. President.
15 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Bailey will
16 be recorded in the affirmative.
17 Senator Mayer to explain her vote.
18 SENATOR MAYER: Thank you,
19 Mr. President.
20 I want to commend my colleague here,
21 Senator Bailey, for bringing this bill to the
22 floor.
23 These students who came from my
24 district and persuaded Senator Bailey that he
25 should be the prime sponsor of this bill were all
1722
1 young high school students who were absolutely
2 passionate and dogged about getting this bill
3 across the finish line.
4 They want to be able to vote when
5 they know they're going to be able to vote in the
6 general, in the primary, which in so many of our
7 elections is decisive and determines who is going
8 to be the candidate.
9 They were smart about it. They had
10 this fantastic teacher who runs the OCRA program
11 of Mamaroneck High School, Joe Liberti, which
12 encourages young people to decide on a civic
13 issue of great importance and then actually get
14 to work on it.
15 And this is what happens when our
16 students are empowered and really have their
17 voices heard.
18 So I want to commend Senator Bailey.
19 He really has run with this bill. We're going to
20 get it across the finish line, and it is going to
21 make a difference in the lives of these young
22 people who want to participate in our democracy.
23 I vote aye.
24 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Mayer will
25 be recorded in the affirmative.
1723
1 Senator Scarcella-Spanton to explain
2 her vote.
3 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
4 you, Mr. President.
5 And thank you, Senator Bailey, for
6 introducing this legislation.
7 I saw these students in the hallway,
8 and that's kind of what got me thinking about it.
9 And I have to say I think it's a really smart
10 piece of legislation.
11 And on the side of -- I chair the
12 Veterans Committee. You are allowed to enlist if
13 you are 17, if you're turning 18 by a certain
14 point. I kind of think this also applies. If
15 we're allowing them to do that, we should allow
16 them to do this.
17 So thank you for this bill, and I
18 proudly vote aye.
19 THE PRESIDENT: Senator
20 Scarcella-Spanton will be recorded in the
21 affirmative.
22 Senator Krueger to explain her vote.
23 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you very
24 much.
25 So it's petitioning time, so I spent
1724
1 the weekend petitioning in my district. And
2 these two young men came by, and I said, "Oh, are
3 you old enough to vote?"
4 And they said, "Well, we're
5 registered, but we won't be 18 until closer to
6 November."
7 I said, "Well, I don't have a
8 primary, but you won't be able to vote in the
9 primary."
10 And they said, "I know, but our
11 Assembly seat's open for a primary, so we're
12 pretty irritated about the fact that we're really
13 into this whole voting and now we can't vote in
14 the primary. And we don't understand, what's the
15 big deal?"
16 And I had to say "We don't have the
17 right law on the books." And I didn't even know
18 you were bringing this bill to the floor today.
19 And I said, "I'm going to go look
20 and see if we can do anything about it."
21 And so then the one was talking, and
22 he goes, you know, "And just for the record, I
23 come from a Democratic family." And his friend
24 said, "Well, actually, I'm a Republican, so we'll
25 cancel each other's votes anyway."
1725
1 And I go, "It's still great that you
2 at such young ages are so involved that you
3 understand these issues and have also discovered
4 you can be friends even when you don't agree on
5 politics."
6 And then I said to the Democrat,
7 "But I expect you to educate your friend about
8 why he still has plenty of time to change his
9 party."
10 I proudly vote yes.
11 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Krueger
12 will be recorded in the affirmative.
13 Senator Gonzalez to explain her
14 vote.
15 SENATOR GONZALEZ: Thank you so
16 much.
17 I want to thank my colleague,
18 Senator Bailey, for bringing forward this
19 legislation.
20 Voting is the foundation on which
21 we've won every single right in this state. And
22 in this moment when we're seeing our voting
23 rights under attack nationwide, it is so
24 important to see Senator Bailey stepping up and
25 leading in this chamber.
1726
1 And so I want to thank him and echo
2 my colleagues on how essential this is. You
3 know, a few weeks ago we celebrated the
4 anniversary of Bloody Sunday and I recounted what
5 happened. So many in the crowd were teenagers.
6 It has been young people who have been fighting
7 for voting rights for generations.
8 And at the very least we should be
9 allowing them to enter the electoral process as
10 soon as possible and exercise their voices.
11 So I am proudly in support of this
12 and urge my colleagues to support this as well.
13 Thank you.
14 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Gonzalez
15 will be recorded in the affirmative.
16 Announce the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
18 Calendar 480, voting in the negative are
19 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
20 Chan, Helming, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker,
21 O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco,
22 Walczyk, Weber and Weik. Also Senator Griffo.
23 Ayes, 42. Nays, 18.
24 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
1727
1 545, Senate Print 1191, by Senator Addabbo, an
2 act to amend the Correction Law.
3 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
4 section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
10 results.
11 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
12 Calendar 545, voting in the negative are
13 Senators Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan,
14 Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Oberacker, O'Mara,
15 Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk,
16 Weber and Weik.
17 Ayes, 44. Nays, 16.
18 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 555, Senate Print 1816, by Senator Fernandez, an
21 act to amend the Public Health Law.
22 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
23 section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
25 act shall take effect immediately.
1728
1 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
4 results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
6 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 561, Senate Print 9388, by Senator Rivera, an act
9 to amend the Public Health Law.
10 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
11 section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
13 act shall take effect on the 60th day after it
14 shall have become a law.
15 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
18 results.
19 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
20 Calendar 561, voting in the negative are
21 Senators Gallivan, Oberacker, Stec and Walczyk.
22 Ayes, 56. Nays, 4.
23 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 562, Senate Print 1057, by Senator Serrano, an
1729
1 act to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic
2 Preservation Law.
3 THE PRESIDENT: Read the last
4 section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect on the first of January.
7 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 THE PRESIDENT: Announce the
10 results.
11 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
12 Calendar 562, voting in the negative:
13 Senator Walczyk.
14 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
15 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
16 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
17 reading of today's calendar.
18 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please go to the
19 reading of the controversial calendar.
20 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
21 ring the bell.
22 The Secretary will read.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 227, Senate Print 2482, by Senator Parker, an act
25 to amend the Public Authorities Law.
1730
1 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Lanza, why
2 do you rise?
3 SENATOR LANZA: Mr. President, I
4 believe there's an amendment at the desk. I
5 waive the reading of that amendment and ask that
6 you recognize Senator Borrello.
7 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
8 Senator Lanza.
9 Upon review of the amendment, in
10 accordance with Rule 6, Section 4B, I rule it
11 nongermane and out of order.
12 SENATOR LANZA: Accordingly,
13 Mr. President, I appeal the ruling of the chair
14 and ask that Senator Borrello be heard on the
15 appeal.
16 THE PRESIDENT: The appeal has been
17 made and recognized. The Senator may be heard.
18 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
19 Mr. President.
20 I rise to explain why this amendment
21 is germane to the bill-in-chief. Because the
22 bill at hand deals with basically giving schools
23 the right to have planning resources for
24 renewable energy, and the amendment that I am
25 offering would actually replace the damaging
1731
1 mandate for electric school buses with a pilot
2 program, a study.
3 Let's study what happens when we put
4 school buses, electric school buses in urban,
5 suburban and rural areas. Planning, which is
6 what this bill is about. We want people to be
7 able to plan. Because goals without plans have
8 become expensive and dangerous here in New York
9 State.
10 We're now seeing the results of the
11 early adopters, the school districts that have
12 brought these electric school buses in. And what
13 we're finding out, it has been an unmitigated
14 disaster.
15 Perhaps this might work in some
16 urban areas where there are short routes, but
17 it's not working in the rural areas that I
18 represent.
19 One of the first stories we heard
20 this year was the Lake Shore School District,
21 directly adjacent to my Senate district, where
22 they had purchased 20 EV buses. And a lot of
23 fanfare -- the Governor was lauding this as an
24 amazing achievement, that Lake Shore School
25 District had bought these buses.
1732
1 And then what happened? Well, they
2 were getting complaints from parents because the
3 drivers were forced to turn the heat off in the
4 middle of winter in order for the buses to be
5 able to complete their routes. Kids were
6 freezing. Kids that were left stranded out in
7 the cold because the buses broke down.
8 All of a sudden this grand idea,
9 this virtue-signaling mandate, became a danger to
10 our children in the rural areas that I represent.
11 Just last week we heard from another
12 superintendent that was talking about, again, an
13 early adopter, the tremendous cost -- not only
14 are the buses more expensive, about triple the
15 cost of a diesel or gas school bus, but the cost
16 of operating them now has become untenable.
17 And the superintendent at this
18 school district actually said, and I quote,
19 "Transitioning to a full fleet of EV buses will
20 be impractical and frankly impossible, given what
21 we have learned about EV function, cost and
22 necessary infrastructure to support a larger or
23 full EV bus fleet."
24 So let's stop pretending this is
25 harmless. Let's stop pretending we're doing this
1733
1 for the kids. We're not. We're doing it
2 actually at the expense and sacrifice of our
3 children, in order to bow down to the extreme
4 left, the people that truly believe that if we
5 don't do this, that the world is going to come to
6 an end. And we're willing to sacrifice our
7 children on the altar of that ridiculous idea.
8 That's the problem with this.
9 It's time for us to repeal the
10 EV bus mandate, which is what my amendment will
11 do, and replace it with a study, so we can
12 understand where it can be used safely, where it
13 can be used affordably, where it can be used
14 effectively, and where it cannot.
15 And where it cannot is almost
16 entirely the areas that I represent and the other
17 rural areas here in New York State.
18 We will not sacrifice our children's
19 safety in order to meet this virtue-signaling
20 mandate that will bankrupt our school districts
21 and put our children at risk.
22 So I strongly recommend that if
23 you're concerned about the welfare of our
24 children in schools, that you support this
25 amendment.
1734
1 Thank you, Mr. President.
2 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator.
3 I want to remind the house that the
4 vote is on the procedures of the house and the
5 ruling of the chair.
6 Those in favor of overruling the
7 chair, signify by saying aye.
8 (Response of "Aye.")
9 SENATOR LANZA: Show of hands.
10 THE PRESIDENT: A show of hands has
11 been requested and so ordered.
12 Announce the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 22.
14 THE PRESIDENT: The ruling of the
15 chair stands, and the bill-in-chief is before the
16 house.
17 Read the last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
19 act shall take effect immediately.
20 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Weik to
23 explain her vote.
24 SENATOR WEIK: Thank you,
25 Mr. President. I rise to explain my vote today.
1735
1 The bill that's passing in this
2 house today conducts a study for school districts
3 to safely house its own energy source and store
4 energy harnessed, including using battery farms.
5 The fact that we are once again
6 voting to study battery and renewable energy
7 safety means we don't yet have a safe plan.
8 That's why I have a bill which removes the
9 mandate on our schools requiring that they have
10 an entire electric bus fleet, especially when the
11 dangers are still unknown.
12 Let's repeal the electric bus
13 mandate. I vote aye.
14 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Weik will
15 be recorded in the negative {sic}.
16 Announce the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
18 Calendar 227, voting in the negative:
19 Senator Walczyk.
20 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
21 THE PRESIDENT: The bill is passed.
22 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
23 reading of the controversial calendar.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Is there any
25 further business at the desk?
1736
1 THE PRESIDENT: There is no further
2 business at the desk.
3 SENATOR GIANARIS: I move to
4 adjourn until tomorrow, Tuesday, March 24th, at
5 3:00 p.m.
6 THE PRESIDENT: On motion, the
7 Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday,
8 March 24th, at 3:00 p.m.
9 (Whereupon, at 4:42 p.m., the Senate
10 adjourned.)
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