Gaveled in 11:33 AM · Albany, New York · 2025–26 session
NEW YORK STATE SENATE
THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
ALBANY, NEW YORK
April 22, 2025
11:33 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION
SENATOR JAMAAL T. BAILEY, Acting President
ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
P R O C E E D I N G SACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Senate will come to order.
I ask everyone present to please rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
(Whereupon, the assemblage recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:In the absence of clergy, let us bow our heads in a moment of silent reflection or prayer.
(Whereupon, the assemblage respected a moment of silence.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Reading of the Journal.
THE SECRETARY:In Senate, Monday, April 21, 2025, the Senate met pursuant to adjournment. The Journal of Friday, April 18, 2025, was read and approved. On motion, the Senate adjourned.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Without objection, the Journal stands 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 from state officers.
Motions and resolutions.
Senator Gianaris.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Good morning, Mr. President.
There will be an immediate meeting of the Rules Committee in Room 332.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:There will be an immediate meeting of the Rules Committee in Room 332.
SENATOR GIANARIS:The Senate will stand at ease.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Senate will stand at ease.
(Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease at 11:34 a.m.)
(Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at 11:40 a.m.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Senate will return to order.
Senator Gianaris.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Mr. President, there's a report of the Rules Committee at the desk. Please take that up.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Senator Stewart-Cousins, from the Committee on Rules, reports the following bills:
Senate Print 1733, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law;
Senate Print 5111, by Senator Parker, an act enacting the "Just Energy Transition Act";
Senate Print 7530, by Senator Krueger, an act making appropriations for the support of government.
All bills reported direct to third reading.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Move to accept the report of the Rules Committee.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:All those in favor of accepting the report of the Rules Committee please signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The report of the Rules Committee is accepted.
Senator Gianaris.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Please take up the supplemental calendar.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will read.
There is a substitution at the desk.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Senator Krueger moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 8015 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7530, Third Reading Calendar 689.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The substitution is so ordered.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 689, Assembly Bill Number 8015, by Assemblymember Pretlow, an act making appropriations for the support of government.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Is there a message of necessity and appropriation at the desk?
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:There is a message of necessity and appropriation at the desk.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Move to accept the message of necessity and appropriation.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:All those in favor of accepting the message please signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Opposed, nay.
(No response.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The message is accepted, and the bill is before the house.
Senator Gianaris.
SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 689, Assembly Bill Number 8015, by Assemblymember Pretlow, an act making appropriations for the support of government.
SENATOR GIANARIS:The bill is laid aside.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is laid aside.
The Secretary will ring the bell.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 687, Senate Print 1733, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator O'Mara.
(Discussion off the record.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Gianaris, we'll return to the supplemental calendar and the Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 687, Senate Print 1733, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 120th day after it shall have become a law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 50.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 688, Senate Print 5111, by Senator Parker, an act enacting the "Just Energy Transition Act."
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 7. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 688, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec, Weber and Weik. Also Senator Tedisco.
Ayes, 35. Nays, 15.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
Senator Gianaris.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Mr. President, I believe that completes the reading of the supplemental calendar.
So let's move on to the first controversial calendar of the day.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will ring the bell.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 689, Assembly Bill Number 8015, by Assemblymember Pretlow, an act making appropriations for the support of government.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator O'Mara, why do you rise?
SENATOR O'MARA:Thank you, Mr. President.
In the absence of Senator Krueger, is anybody available to answer some questions?
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Mayer is ready, willing and able.
SENATOR MAYER:Good morning.
SENATOR O'MARA:Good morning, Senator.
Through you, Mr. President, will the Senator yield for some questions.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Mayer, do you yield?
SENATOR MAYER:Yes.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Mayer yields.
SENATOR O'MARA:Senator, can you just outline for us what this extender bill is doing today as far as dollars being appropriated and how long it runs for?
SENATOR MAYER:Through you, Mr. President. This bill provides $12.1 billion in appropriation authority, meets certain payroll costs of certain agencies and, most importantly, it provides 2.4 billion for school aid, the next school aid payment. And it runs through this Thursday.
SENATOR O'MARA:Thank you.
Mr. President, if the Senator will continue to yield.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Does the Senator yield?
SENATOR MAYER:Yes.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Senator yields.
SENATOR O'MARA:Senator, can you tell us where we are relative to finalizing the budget?
SENATOR MAYER:Through you, Mr. President. My understanding is some of the significant policy issues are close to being resolved and the parties are talking and we are moving in the right direction.
SENATOR O'MARA:Through you, Mr. President, if the Senator will continue to yield.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?
SENATOR MAYER:Yes.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.
SENATOR O'MARA:Can you tell us if any of those policy issues have been formally shut down, decided and moved on to other ones?
SENATOR MAYER:Through you, Mr. President. I think, as Senator Krueger indicated last time, there was an understanding about the cellphone ban. And I'm hopeful we're making progress on the other issues that are primary to the Governor.
I don't know if the language has been resolved, but at this point we are clearly -- the parties are talking and we're hopeful that we're moving in the right direction.
SENATOR O'MARA:Through you, Mr. President, if the Senator will continue to yield.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?
SENATOR MAYER:Yes.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.
SENATOR O'MARA:So, Senator, on this extender bill, what is the amount of new money being appropriated in this one? As opposed to the aggregate number which I think you mentioned earlier.
SENATOR MAYER:Well, the bill is an aggregate up to a certain point, and then there's a 2.5 billion increase over the prior extender.
SENATOR O'MARA:Okay, thank you.
Mr. President, if the Senator will continue to yield.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?
SENATOR MAYER:Yes.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.
SENATOR O'MARA:So 2.1 billion of that is for our school districts?
SENATOR MAYER:Through you, Mr. President, 2.4 billion.
SENATOR O'MARA:Two-point-four, thank you.
Thank you, Mr. President. That's all I have.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Thank you, Senator O'Mara.
Are there any other Senators wishing to be heard?
Seeing and hearing none, debate is closed. The Secretary will ring the bell.
Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 50.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
Senator Gianaris, that completes the reading of the first controversial calendar.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Let's move on to the regular calendar, please.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 135, Senate Print 1668, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Public Authorities Law.
SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 325, Senate Print 1069, by Senator Serrano, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Borrello to explain his vote.
SENATOR BORRELLO:Thank you, Mr. President.
I certainly applaud this. We have to keep our state lands, our forests pristine.
But I also suggest that this bill be amended to include the highly damaging and quite frankly not helpful green energy -- wind and solar projects in particular. We're starting to see them creep into some of our state parks in areas that, quite frankly, should be kept pristine.
We should really treat this fairly. If we don't want our precious lands disturbed, we should be consistent.
So I would ask that this be amended, but today I'll be voting yes. Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Borrello to be recorded in the affirmative.
Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 325, voting in the negative are Senators Oberacker and Senator Ortt. Also Senator O'Mara.
Ayes, 47. Nays, 3.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 327, Senate Print Number 2706A, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become a law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 327, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt and Weber.
Ayes, 46. Nays, 5.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 328, Senate Print Number 3828A, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 4. This act shall take effect on the 30th day after it shall have become a law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 328, voting in the negative: Senator Oberacker.
Ayes, 51. Nays, 1.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 329, Senate Print 3852A, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become a law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 52.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 330, Senate Print 4030, by Senator Fernandez, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after it shall have become a law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 3030, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Chan, Lanza, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco and Weber.
Ayes, 42. Nays, 10.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 399, Senate Print 4513, by Senator Ramos, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become a law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick to explain her vote.
SENATOR CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK:Thank you, Mr. President.
I am voting in favor of this bill because I think it's so important that whenever we have projects that affect our communities such as offshore wind, environmental issues, or the type of bill that this is addressing, we need to make sure we have local input.
Local input is critical. Through government, through community outreach, we need to make sure that when we are affecting our communities we listen to our constituents.
I proudly vote aye.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick to be recorded in the affirmative.
Senator Ramos to explain her vote.
SENATOR RAMOS:Thank you.
And I appreciate the comments by my colleague Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.
I think a lot of our land use review processes have historically been designed for the real estate industry and making sure that we are focused on building housing, less so designed around the need to build infrastructure and what that process should look like.
So what we're trying to do here is make sure that environmental justice communities like Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick's and mine, have a say in what happens, what type of company comes in, how we can hold them accountable to their promises and make sure, of course, that we are tackling the crisis of climate change, hopefully in a way that creates lots of jobs as we move towards a union climate economy here in New York.
Thank you, Mr. President.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Ramos to be recorded in the affirmative.
Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 470 -- pardon me. Excuse me.
In relation to Calendar 399, voting in the negative: Senator Ortt.
Ayes, 51. Nays, 1.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 470, Senate Print 1463, by Senator Kavanagh, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Lay it aside for the day.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill will be laid aside for the day.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 622, Print 4574B, by Senator May, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 4. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator May to explain her vote.
SENATOR MAY:Thank you, Mr. President.
PFAS, which are also known as forever chemicals, are useful as fire retardants, and so they get used in cookware and clothing and a lot of objects that we have close contact with. And as a result these chemicals, which are known to cause cancer and reduce fertility and otherwise interfere with processes of the human body, are present in almost everyone's blood and tissue in this country.
Last year the Environmental Protection Agency, when it still cared about environmental and human health, did set very low limits on what was allowable in terms of PFAS in water supplies. And we want to make sure that our drinking water is free of PFAS to the extent possible. But we can't do that unless we know how it's getting into the water -- where it's coming in, in what quantities it's coming in.
This bill is one of the first in the nation to actually require disclosure of discharge of PFAS into waterways by industrial producers, by industrial waste treatment facilities, and by publicly owned treatment works.
So I'm very proud that we're voting for this today, and I hope this will be a way we will protect New Yorkers from these dangerous chemicals in the future.
I vote aye.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator May to be recorded in the affirmative.
Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 52.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
There is a substitution at the desk.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Senator Mayer moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 4533 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 5560, Third Reading Calendar 685.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The substitution is so ordered.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 685, Assembly Bill Number 4533, by Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the Tax Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 685, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Martinez, Mattera, Palumbo, Rhoads, Scarcella-Spanton, Skoufis, Tedisco and Weik.
Ayes, 41. Nays, 11.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
Senator Gianaris, that completes the reading of today's calendar.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Let's move on to controversial calendar number two, please.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will ring the bell.
The Secretary will read.
THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 135, Senate Print 1668, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Public Authorities Law.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Lanza, why do you rise?
SENATOR LANZA:Happy Easter, Mr. President.
Mr. President, I believe there's an amendment at the desk. I waive the reading of that amendment and ask that you recognize Senator Mattera.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Thank you, Senator Lanza.
Upon review of the amendment, in accordance with Rule 6, Section 4B, I rule it nongermane and out of order at this time.
SENATOR LANZA:Accordingly, Mr. President, I appeal the ruling of the chair and ask that Senator Mattera be heard on that appeal.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The appeal has been made and recognized, and Senator Mattera may be heard.
Senator Mattera.
SENATOR MATTERA:Thank you, Mr. President.
I rise to appeal the ruling by the chair. The proposed amendment is germane to the underlying bill because the underlying bill relates to the future costs of our residents by the rushed transition to electric heat pumps. The amendment seeks to repeal the All-Electric Building Act.
The All-Electric Building Act prohibits the use of heating and cooling systems powered by natural gas, propane and oil in new buildings. This, as we already see in the 340 billion -- and that's billion -- in extra costs from the CLCPA mandates added to our families and businesses' bills to date, will result in skyrocketed energy costs for all of our ratepayers by forcing the use of more expensive alternatives.
It would also cost many of our hardworking men and women in the trades a good amount of different trades -- their careers -- without providing them with any assistance of finding new crafts, without new training, no training at all.
The reality is banning cost-effective heating systems that utilize natural gas and propane will increase any construction costs of new buildings, particularly the single-family and multifamily residences.
For instance, a natural gas furnace costs around $5500, whereas electric heat pumps can run as high as 25,000 and more.
As a result, costs of construction in new single-family homes in our state could increase by approximately 20,000 once this law takes effect at the end of this year.
Proponents of the All-Electric Building Act urge that the higher up-front costs of heat pumps will be offset by long-term savings due to their efficiency. But the reality is that electricity in our state is already 50 percent more expensive than in Pennsylvania and other states. So even if the heat pumps are more efficient, it is unclear whether the homeowner will actually see any cost savings.
The All-Electric Building Act is going to lead to higher electricity rates by increasing overall demand at a time when legislative decisions are pushing to take reliable gas, natural gas plants offline. That is a huge, huge mistake. We need to retool our existing power plants with carbon capture. We need a plan, not a ban.
As we struggle with the affordable housing crisis and our families deal with increasing costs across the board, adding massive increases in New Yorkers' utility bills through the hurried and extreme changes that are being forced on all of our residents through the CLCPA will be only worsen the situation by making new construction extremely expensive.
Goals are good. But mandates are going to ruin all New Yorkers' lives. New Yorkers can't afford higher utility bills. It's very, very difficult to live here. It's the reason why we have so many of our New Yorkers in the last -- since 2020 exited out of New York State. And if everybody doesn't understand that, over 2 million of our residents have exited out of New York State because of mandates just like this.
For these reasons, Mr. President, I strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment. Thank you.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Thank you, Senator Mattera.
I want to remind the house that this vote is on the procedures of the house and the ruling of the chair.
Those in favor of overruling the chair please signify by saying aye.
(Response of "Aye.")
(Pause.)
SENATOR LANZA:Show of hands.
(Laughter.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:A show of hands has been requested and so ordered.
Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 17.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The ruling of the chair stands, and the bill-in-chief is before the house. (Pause.)
Are there any other Senators wishing to be heard?
Seeing and hearing none, debate is closed. Read the last section.
THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.
(The Secretary called the roll.)
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.
THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 135, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Lanza, Mattera, Ortt and Weik.
Ayes, 47. Nays, 5.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.
Senator Gianaris, that completes the reading of today's second controversial calendar.
SENATOR GIANARIS:Is there any further business at the desk?
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:There is no further business at the desk.
SENATOR GIANARIS:I move to adjourn until Thursday, April 24th, at 11:00 a.m., with the intervening days being legislative days.
ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:On motion, the Senate stands adjourned until Thursday, April 24th, at 11:00 a.m., with intervening days being legislative.
(Whereupon, the Senate adjourned at 12:02 p.m.)
Highest impact first.
Phase Out Fossil Fuel Plants
Temporary State Funding Extension
Ban Emission Tampering Devices
Limit Toxic Air Pollution
Require Community Input on Projects
Extend Emergency State Funding
Fund Heat Pump Upgrades
Ban Oil Drilling in Forests