Monday, June 9, 2025

Senator Bailey moves to discharge, from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill Number 979A and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 5048A, Third Reading Calendar 1448.

Senator Bailey moves to discharge, from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill Number 6595 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7221, Third Reading Calendar 1451.

Senator Liu moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 6783 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill Number 4484, Third Reading Calendar 1530.

Senator C. Ryan moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 7377 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 4815, Third Reading Calendar 1531.

Senator Myrie moves to discharge, from the Committee on Elections, Assembly Bill Number 1241A and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7281, Third Reading Calendar 1544.

Senator Martinez moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 7745 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7420, Third Reading Calendar 1546.

Senator Harckham moves to discharge, from the Committee on Children and Families, Assembly Bill Number 5927 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7533, Third Reading Calendar 1547.

Senator Cleare moves to discharge, from the Committee on Aging, Assembly Bill Number 8113 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7737, Third Reading Calendar 1551.

Senator Harckham moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 8276 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7852, Third Reading Calendar 1557.

Senator Webb moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 8210 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7912, Third Reading Calendar 1560.

Senator C. Ryan moves to discharge, from the Committee on Environmental Conservation, Assembly Bill Number 8597 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7976, Third Reading Calendar 1562.

Senator Harckham moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 8275 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 8011, Third Reading Calendar 1563.

Senator Kavanagh moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 8571 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 8177, Third Reading Calendar 1570.

Senator Persaud moves to discharge, from the Committee on Social Services, Assembly Bill Number 8433 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill Number 8179, Third Reading Calendar 1571.

Senator Mayer moves to discharge, from the Committee on Education, Assembly Bill Number 7212 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 8226, Third Reading Calendar 1576.

Senator Baskin moves to discharge, from the Committee on Labor, Assembly Bill Number 8153 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 8230, Third Reading Calendar 1577.

Senator Ramos moves to discharge, from the Committee on Labor, Assembly Bill Number 7694 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 8231, Third Reading Calendar 1578.

Senator Sepúlveda moves to discharge, from the Committee on Cities 1, Assembly Bill Number 8416 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill Number 8245, Third Reading Calendar 1583.

Senator Stavisky moves to discharge, from the Committee on Higher Education, Assembly Bill Number 8478 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 8251, Third Reading Calendar 1584.

Senator Harckham moves to discharge, from the Committee on Environmental Conservation, Assembly Bill Number 8596 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 8261, Third Reading Calendar 1586.

Senator Martinez moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 8568 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 8297, Third Reading Calendar 1590.

Senator Cooney moves to discharge, from the Committee on Consumer Protection, Assembly Bill Number 804C and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 1104A, Third Reading Calendar 316.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:So ordered.

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 afternoon, Mr. President.

On behalf of Senator May, I move to amend Senate Bill Number 4417A by striking out the amendments made and restoring it to its original previous print, 4417.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:So ordered.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Amendments are also offered to the following Third Reading Calendar bills:

By Senator Kavanagh, page 48, Calendar 1331, Senate Print 4274B;

Senator Hoylman-Sigal, page 46, Calendar 1304, Senate Print 1325B;

Senator Jackson, page 53, Calendar 1389, Senate Print 6698;

Senator Skoufis, page 15, Calendar 630, Senate Print 409;

Senator Rivera, page 43, Calendar 1267, Senate Print 6375;

Senator Skoufis, page 40, Calendar 1229, Senate Print 14;

Senator Fernandez, page 42, Calendar 1249, Senate Print 1819;

Senator Gianaris, page 56, Calendar Number 1415, Senate Print 7494;

Senator Hoylman-Sigal, page 42, Calendar 1251, Senate Print 3385;

Senator Cleare, page 52, Calendar 1376, Senate Print 4691;

Senator Myrie, page 42, Calendar 1247, Senate Print 399;

Senator Cooney, page 23, Calendar 907, Senate Print 7025;

Senator Gianaris, page 5, Calendar 203, Senate Print 363;

Senator Skoufis, page 15, Calendar 600, Senate Print 4576;

Senator Harckham, page 55, Calendar 1410, Senate Print 4989;

Senator Brisport, page 39, Calendar 1207, Senate Print 7491;

Senator Kavanagh, page 53, Calendar 1386, Senate Print 1239D;

Senator May, page 52, Calendar 1374, Senate Print 3492;

Senator Hinchey, page 24, Calendar 918, Senate Print 7202;

And Senator Skoufis, page 41, Calendar 1239, Senate Print 7699A.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The amendments are received, and the bills will retain their place on the Third Reading Calendar.

Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:I wish to call up the following bills, which were recalled from the Assembly and are now at the desk:

Senate Bill Numbers 372, 3393, 1100, 3799B, 3335, 73, 2618, and 4358.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1221, Senate Print 4358, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Education Law.

Calendar Number 442, Senate Print 372, by Senator Gianaris, an act to amend the Labor Law.

Calendar Number 356, Senate Print 3393, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Education Law.

Calendar Number 650, Senate Print 1100, by Senator May, an act to amend the Education Law.

Calendar Number 350, Senate Print 3799B, by Senator Comrie, an act to amend the Real Property Actions and Proceedings Law.

Calendar Number 305, Senate Print 3335, by Senator Cooney, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

Calendar Number 392, Senate Print 73, by Senator Kavanagh, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.

And Calendar Number 333, Senate Print 2618, by Senator Addabbo, an act to amend the Racing, Parimutuel Wagering and Breeding Law.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Move to reconsider the vote by which those bills were passed.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll on reconsideration.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 50.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bills are restored to their place on the Third Reading Calendar.

Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:I offer the following amendments.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The amendments are received.

SENATOR GIANARIS:At this time we're going to call an immediate meeting of the Rules Committee in Room 332 and stand at ease.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:There will be an immediate meeting of the Rules Committee in Room 332.

The Senate will stand at ease.

(Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease at 2:41 p.m.)

(Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at 4:09 p.m.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Senate will return to order.

Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Mr. President, let's begin by recognizing Senator Scarcella-Spanton for an introduction.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Can we have some order in the chamber prior to the introduction, please. Thank you.

Now that we're settled, Senator Scarcella-Spanton for the purposes of an introduction.

SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON:Thank you.

And I am so excited to welcome our guests, TraNa Relief, who is here with us. They actually have maybe 50 people with them. So they do amazing work in the Brooklyn side of my district and also the Staten Island side of my district as well, with Ukrainian refugees.

So I am so excited to have them here with us today, to honor them and let them know here on the Senate floor that we genuinely appreciate the work that you do each and every day.

Thank you so much.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:To our guests, we welcome you on behalf of the Senate. We extend to you all of the privileges and courtesies of this house.

Please remain standing and be recognized.

(Standing ovation.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Mr. President, there's a report of the Finance Committee at the desk. Let's take that up, please.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Senator Krueger, from the Committee on Finance, reports the following nominations:

As chair of the Cannabis Control Board, Jessica C. Garcia;

And also as director of the Authorities Budget Office, Joshua C. Norkin.

SENATOR GIANARIS:I move to accept the report of the Finance Committee and ask that you recognize Senator Krueger first to speak on the nomination of Joshua Norkin.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:All those in favor of accepting the report of the Finance Committee please signify by saying aye.

(Response of "Aye.")

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Opposed, nay.

(Response of "Nay.")

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The report of the Finance Committee is accepted.

Senator Krueger on the nominations.

SENATOR KRUEGER:Thank you very much.

I rise to support the nomination of Josh C. Norkin to be the director of the Authorities Budget Office. Some of us have known Josh in his current or I guess previous position for the Governor in the counsel's office and, even before that, know him from his work at the Legal Aid Society of New York.

We think the Authorities Budget Office is a critically important office. After all, Robert Moses came up with the idea of taking all kinds of government functions off-budget and making them independent authorities, and that means we need to be extra careful in evaluating and keeping track of what they're doing, and the money that they're spending. And so we are counting on Mr. Norkin to serve us well by doing the work that needs to be done.

The director of the Authorities Budget Office is technically independent of the Governor, so they don't even have to agree on everything. And they have the authority to work with law enforcement and the Inspector General and the Comptroller and the Attorney General.

And frankly, as I think many of us know, if the people of the State of New York don't have confidence that they can trust our government agencies are doing what they're supposed to be doing, it just doesn't work. So we are counting on Mr. Norkin to play that role.

And I see that he's here with his wife and two children today. So welcome, all of you, for being here, and congratulations on your new position.

Thank you.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The question is on the nomination of Joshua C. Norkin to the Authorities Budget Office.

Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to the nomination, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Gallivan, Griffo, Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.

Ayes, 40. Nays, 15.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The nominee is confirmed.

Congratulations, Mr. Norkin.

(Standing ovation.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Now let's take up the nomination of Jessica Garcia to the Cannabis Control Board, please.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Krueger on the nomination of Jessica Garcia.

SENATOR KRUEGER:Thank you.

Jessica Garcia cannot be with us today, but she went through the interview process to move into the position of chair of the board of the Cannabis Control Board.

Now, Ms. Garcia has already served on the Cannabis Control Board up until now, but then there was an opening for chair, so the Governor nominated her to be chair.

She also went through an interview process, and I believe that the vast majority of the members who were asking her questions were confident in her abilities to take on this responsibility as the chair of the board. She's even followed up with some of us with answers to additional questions that she couldn't answer during the interview.

So I'm hoping that my colleagues will join me in confirming Jessica Garcia to be the chair of the New York State Cannabis Control Board. Thank you.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator Krueger.

The question is on the nomination of Jessica C. Garcia to the Cannabis Control Board.

Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to the nomination, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martinez, Martins, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.

Ayes, 38. Nays, 20.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The nominee, Jessica C. Garcia, is confirmed to the Cannabis Control Board.

Congratulations.

Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Madam President, let's recognize Senator Cleare for an introduction, please.

SENATOR O'MARA:Senator Cleare for an introduction.

SENATOR CLEARE:Thank you, Madam President.

I thought we were going to do this in a different order, but I'm really proud today. This is Black Music Month that we are celebrating, and we have some guests here today that I would like to introduce. They came up here to play jazz for us, which is the Indigenous American music.

And so I'm going to ask Dr. Mujib Mannan, who is here on the floor, and his band with the New York Jazz Society, up there in the gallery, to please stand. They have been playing and preserving this very important music form for decades now, and keeping it alive.

And we know jazz is at the heart of all the music that we enjoy today. And we thank you for what you do and thank you for being here with us and your performances earlier.

Thank you.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator Cleare.

To our guests who are here joining us on behalf of Black History Month and Black music, thank you for joining us. We heard the music; it was fantastic.

Please stand and be recognized.

(Standing ovation.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Next up, Madam President, is previously adopted Resolution 933, by Senator Griffo. Please read its title and recognize Senator Griffo.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Resolution 933, by Senator Griffo, commemorating the 125th Anniversary of the publication of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and celebrating the enduring legacy of its author, L. Frank Baum.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Senator Griffo on the resolution.

SENATOR GRIFFO:Thank you, Madam Chairman.

And I want to welcome our guests here today. Over 125 years ago, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, written by the visionary author L. Frank Baum, was first published. And today we celebrate that.

In fact, over the last weekend, there was a tremendous celebration in the Village of Chittenango in Madison County, where thousands of people came out to commemorate and to remember this significant event in the history of our country.

This is a literary classic. It's spawned movies, Broadway musicals, all sorts of creative works. Widely recognized as one of the first American fantasy novels to achieve immediate and lasting success upon its publication.

It introduced us to Dorothy, who joins us today in the chamber, as well as the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, Glinda the Good Witch, and the Wicked Witch of the West -- characters that continue to inspire generations through books, film, theater and creative works.

In fact, many times here in the Capitol we may think we're in Oz. And when I look at and listen to the soundtrack and think of these characters, they may apply or reflect upon many who are assembled.

(Laughter.)

SENATOR GRIFFO:It's captivated hearts and minds of readers of all ages: Imaginative storytelling, vibrant characters, and universal themes that have entertained generations.

And while many of us are familiar with the Land of Oz, what many may not know is that L. Frank Baum was born in Chittenango in Madison County, an area that I represent and that Senator May has also had the opportunity to represent in the past.

And the village proudly preserves and celebrates Baum's enduring legacy each and every year, and this past last weekend had an outstanding festival. And it's one of the longest-running Wizard of Oz-themed celebrations across the globe.

So today we recognize the significant anniversary of its beloved book's publishing. And I'm pleased to introduce with us today Marc Baum, who is the International L. Frank Baum and All Things Oz Historical Foundation head, as well as Monica Kinner, the foundation vice president; Mark Sample, the foundation secretary; and Allison Lehr, the manager of All Things Oz Museum in Chittenango.

I want to thank each and every one of them for joining us today on this special occasion and recognition. I want to thank the organization and the Chittenango community and all those who work so hard to ensure that the memory of L. Frank Baum and the wonderful world that he created lives on for generations.

It's an honor to speak on this resolution to celebrate this literary classic which has had such a profound effect on generations and is an important part of the American culture enshrined in the Smithsonian.

So thank you all for being here, and congratulations on the celebration of 125 years of this publication and a celebration of New York's own L. Frank Baum.

Thank you, Madam President.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator Griffo.

Senator May on the resolution.

SENATOR MAY:Thank you, Madam President.

I also want to add my voice to the celebration of 125 years of an amazing novel and to our guests who are here who have worked so hard to keep the memory of Frank Baum and the whole World of Oz alive.

I do want to mention that L. Frank Baum's mother-in-law, Matilda Joslyn Gage, lived in Fayetteville, New York, and she was a prominent suffragist and abolitionist. She was very closely involved with the Haudenosaunee Nation, to the point where she became an honorary member of the Onondaga Nation.

She, many believe, was a model for his heroine Dorothy, who is one of the most courageous, resourceful and independent girls that you find in fiction to this day. I know she was an inspiration for me and my daughter and for girls all around the world. And I want to celebrate all of them and that whole concept of lifting up girls who can be independent, wise and resourceful like that.

So thank you for keeping her memory alive and Frank Baum's memory alive, and I vote aye.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator May.

To our guests who are here to celebrate 125 years and an incredible history and a great story of the Wizard of Oz, please stand and be recognized. We give you all the privileges and courtesies of the house.

(Standing ovation.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Madam President, I think I speak for all my colleagues when I would like to ask Dorothy to click her heels three times and send us all home, if possible.

(Reaction from members.)

SENATOR GIANARIS:Next up, previously adopted Resolution 554, by Senator Bailey. Please read that resolution's title and recognize Senator Webb first to speak on that resolution.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Resolution 554, by Senator Bailey, memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim June 2025 as Black Music Month in the State of New York.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Senator Webb on the resolution.

SENATOR WEBB:Thank you, Madam President.

I rise proudly today in recognition of Black Music Month here in the State of New York.

I want to thank our Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, for her support of this important commemoration.

Throughout our nation's history, Black music has been the heartbeat of American culture. From the soul-stirring power of spirituals sung in the face of slavery, to the jazz clubs of Harlem, the gospel choirs of the South, the hip-hop beats of the Bronx, and the rhythm and blues that echoes across the world, black music has told the story of struggle, resilience, joy and triumph.

And here in New York we have a special honor because we are the creative epicenter for Black music. We are deeply connected to that story. We are the home of the Harlem renaissance, the birthplace of hip-hop, the stage of Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Nas, MC Lyte and so many others whose artistry shapes not just music but history. Artists like Sly Stone, who we just learned today transitioned.

All of these artists continue, through their talent, to make our lives enriched and better.

And as we reflect on this legacy, we also lift up icons like Kurtis Blow, who's here with us in our chamber today, a pioneer who helped turn hip-hop into a cultural force with global reach.

Kurtis Blow, as the first rapper signed to a major label, helped to bring rap into the mainstream and opened doors for future generations. His contributions have helped to shape the voice of urban America and continue to inspire artists today, including the work that he still does to this day as the founder of Hip Hip Alliance and the Hip Hop Church in Harlem.

And who in this chamber has not heard -- or can complete this sentence: "These are the breaks." And you all know the rest of the lyrics.

We also recognize the powerful role of Black media in uplifting music and culture, especially institutions like WBLS, which has long served as a trusted voice and cultural touchstone for our communities. And I want to acknowledge Dr. Bob Lee and G. Keith Alexander, the voices of New York, two legends of the airwaves, for using their platforms to support emerging artists, amplify Black voices, and preserve the legacy of Black music in New York and beyond.

Madam President, Black music has been more than entertainment. It is protest. It is educational. It's healing. It's identity. It's inspiration.

It brings people together across race, class and background. It's a universal language. It gives voice to the voiceless. And it reminds us that Black culture is American culture and it is embedded in our collective society.

And as we honor Black Music Month this June, I urge us not to only celebrate the rich musical legacy of the past, but to uplift and invest in the next generation of Black artists whose voices will define our future.

Let us continue to make space for creativity, protect cultural institutions, and remember that Black art, Black stories and Black music must always have a place in our public square.

I want to thank our planning committee that made today possible: Senator Cleare, Senator Comrie and Senator Bailey, Senators Persaud, Baskin, Bynoe, Brouk and Persaud. And of course our colleagues in the Assembly, Assemblymembers Jackson and Walker and our entire New York State Black Legislative Task Force.

Madam President, I proudly vote aye. And I want to ensure that we extend all full courtesies of the floor to our special guests. And I encourage my colleagues to join us in celebrating and commemorating Black Music Month.

Thank you, Madam President.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator Webb.

Senator Cleare on the resolution.

SENATOR CLEARE:Thank you, Madam President.

I rise to speak in support of the Black Music Month resolution. I thank Senator Bailey. I thank Senator Webb and all of the committee members. And I give my special thanks to the leader for allowing us to celebrate this very important moment.

I represent Harlem. I consider it the epicenter of Black history, culture, thought, art, scholarship and music. A significant part of the history of Black music is rooted in my district, the quintessential venues of the Harlem Renaissance such as the Alhambra Ballroom, Cotton Club, Count Basie's Lounge, Lenox Lounge, the Renaissance Ballroom, the Savoy, Monette's Supper Club, Bill's Place, Minton's Playhouse, the Apollo Theater. These are all venues that just allowed Black music to thrive and grow.

Moreover, many of the finest musicians lived in, played in, worked in or frequented Harlem, including Louie Armstrong and Duke Ellington, Earl "Fatha" Hines, Cab Calloway, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie, Jelly Roll Morton, Charlie Parker -- the list goes on. Fats Waller, Ella Fitzgerald, Bessie Smith, Paul Robeson, Ethel Waters, and so many more. Lena Horne. Billie Holiday. Josephine Baker.

But through the generations, the torch of creativity has been passed and we are blessed to have one of our very own here today, as was mentioned here before, the one and only Kurtis Blow, one of the most important and influential pioneers in rap history. We're honored to have him. He told the story of a generation.

In addition, I'm proud to honor two icons in Black radio, because without Black radio it would have been very difficult for many Black artists to reach America. Black media, entertainment and journalism is blessed to have their voices, and they are the voices of our generations: Dr. Bob Lee and G. Keith Alexander.

And I've just got to pause for a moment. You know, as I think about it, you know, Dr. Bob Lee, it was more than music. He had the On-Time Program. You wanted to listen to WBLS in the morning, but you just didn't want to listen, you wanted to be at your school on time because Dr. Bob Lee might be there, and you could get on the radio. So we thank you for doing that for us.

And then I shouted out our bands that played in the Well earlier, including the Tony Jefferson Quartet, who were here and had to leave. They were here compliments of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.

But for hundreds of years, Black music has been the drumbeat and the lifeblood of existence, resistance, freedom, storytelling, creativity and history. It has been the backdrop of our struggles, our victories, our joy, our tears, our praise and our worship, our love, our frustrations, and of course our movements. It is the heartbeat of us all. Long may it live.

Happy Black Music Month. Thank you, and I proudly vote aye.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator Cleare.

Senator Baskin on the resolution.

SENATOR BASKIN:Thank you, Madam President.

I rise today in support of the resolution recognizing Black Music Month as a celebration here in our state's great Capitol. The incredible influence that Black music has had, it still endures to this day. One month hardly seems enough to honor its roots and its legacy.

I'd like to honor my colleague Senator Lea Webb, who worked so very hard leading our committee, organizing and inviting our esteemed guests to be here today. I'd also like to acknowledge our leader, who welcomed our inaugural celebration in the Well today. Good job, colleagues.

It's befitting that we stand here today, moments after the media, as my colleague said, just announced that the musical icon Sly Stone has gone on to be with the Lord. We welcome these talented artists who sit here in our chambers today for their history, and we thank them for coming to Albany.

And we have to lift up and acknowledge the fact that this month reflects a time that traces back to a dark history. Our African ancestors brought here in chains against their will also carried with them cultural influences that no oppressor could ever steal. Spirituals, expressive native dances, songs, music with lyrics reflecting their bondage and their servitude.

Centuries later, that rich heritage continues to influence and evolve in genres like jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, all rooted in Black music. That influence remains strong in other genres such as new jack swing, neo soul, beatboxing, all of it born out of the bellowing beat of the African drum.

Who can name this lyric: "I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley/To do Black music so selfishly/And use it to get myself wealthy." The hip-hop heads in the chambers today know that that's a lyric from Eminem, who was a white rapper. But through this lyric he paid great homage to Black music.

It is true, Eminem's remarks about Black music have made a lot of people indeed wealthy. And his reference to Elvis recalls the tragic end of Big Mama Thornton, an example of systemic hijacking of Black music artists and their creative properties that have been robbed over generations.

Thornton was a Black woman who was known for her recording artist's work. She wrote and recorded two of the biggest rock and roll hits of the 1950s and '60s. Big Mama Thornton, she recorded "Hound Dog," which was one of Elvis Presley's biggest hits. She wrote Janis Joplin's biggest hit of the 1960s, "Ball and Chain."

Now, had this Black woman been given the courtesy of rightfully earned writer's credits and royalties, perhaps she would have been spared the indignity of dying penniless and being buried in a shared pauper's grave.

These injustices cannot be ignored as we celebrate Black Music Month, Madam President. We have to acknowledge the totality of the Black music heritage. Just as we brought an immense joy, as a people, through our music to this country, the industry has produced countless tragedies that cannot be ignored. So many Black artists have been robbed of their musical rights.

But then came Berry Gordy, a visionary and a pioneer, who founded Motown Records after he borrowed $800 to launch his business enterprises from his family. He believed in hiring the best people, both Black and white. While he became immensely wealthy, he didn't forget his roots, fighting racism through music and charitable acts.

Today it is the power of people like Mr. Gordy -- people like Sly Stone, people like Big Mama Thornton, who we remember and lift up.

In closing, Madam President, I want to lift up Buffalo, New York, the district that I represent, and the contributions that my great city has given to Black music: Musician and producer Rick James, who rose from the east side of Buffalo, overcoming hardships that plagued so many. His music, a mix of rhythm, rock and attitude, still resonates with us today.

I want to lift up Buffalo's Colored Musicians Club, which is also now a jazz museum. It was founded 91 years ago. This club continuously is being operated as an all-Black music venue here in the United States. And back when it first started, its members were from Buffalo Local 533, the American Federation of musicians, which was an all-Black musicians union. And they had to be separated because of the segregation laws at the time.

And finally, I want to lift up Sheila Brown, who is the CEO of Vision Multimedia and owner of WUFO radio station in Buffalo, New York. WUFO is a pillar in the Black community. And Sheila showcased her music talents, current events and all of her hard work starting out as a salesperson at an entry level in 1986. She moved up to sales manager and she is now the owner of Buffalo's oldest Black radio station, becoming the first African-American female radio owner in our city.

I'm so grateful again to my colleagues and everybody who worked on our committee, Madam President, to make today so special. Thank you to all of our special guests who have contributed so much to the history of Black music in the great State of New York, and may God continue to bless your gifts and artistry.

Thank you, Madam President.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator Baskin.

Senator Comrie on the resolution.

SENATOR COMRIE:Thank you, Madam President. I rise to proudly support the Black Music Month resolution.

I'm just very proud today. I'm proud of our colleagues that brought the level of this to a new level to create an opportunity to honor people. You know, when I first started, one of the things that I hate doing -- hate hearing when I first started is that we've done this before. Or, you know, we did this before. Or you don't have to do something that we've done already.

And so I've always made it a point to never say that to new colleagues, to new people that are coming up, to people that are trying to do things.

So I'm very proud of our colleagues Senator Webb, Senator Baskin, and all of the folks that made today a really special day, where we had the first opportunity to honor some real icons. Kurtis Blow and Dr. Bob Lee and G. Keith Alexander are people that have influenced so many of us over time through their music, through their creativity, but also through their grace and style and class, and their dignity. They've really truly changed the landscape in many different ways.

I've had many opportunities to be with Dr. Bob Lee, whether it's through his Make the Grade Foundation annual events that he has, through the many times that he's in the community lifting up kids or doing special pieces on opportunities to encourage people to come out to vote or to do different things, to be aware.

Back when we had the issues with the pandemic, he was all over the place trying to get people to understand what they had to do.

Dr. Bob Lee has always been on the ground with a positive message that has been able to influence people and change things.

They gave me a lot to say about today, but I'm not going to say all of it, other than, you know, Queens originated all music. I just want you all to know that.

(Laughter.)

SENATOR COMRIE:People have it confused about where music was originated from, and they claim hip-hop was originated here and this was originated there. I've got Senator Bailey going to respond now for --

(Laughter.)

SENATOR COMRIE:Today's just a happy day. I'm just saying I want to say I'm very proud of my colleagues, but it's a long day, so I'm not going to say everything, other than to say I want to bow to my icons.

Thank you, gentlemen, for being here today. Thank you all for starting a wonderful tradition.

Thank you, Madam President.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator Comrie.

Senator Sanders on the resolution.

SENATOR SANDERS:Thank you, Madam President.

So my colleague before me spoke so well about the origin of the music, so I won't speak to that. I will merely point out that I come from Southeast Queens, which is part of Q-York City, and I am here to speak of the American classical music.

American classical music, which we also know as jazz, is -- was a creation in America, something that we can all take pride in, one of the few musics that were created here, not brought from other -- well, brought-ish from other places.

You've heard of five minutes of funk, let me give you two minutes of facts. When we speak of rap music, the word "rap music" really is the -- we're trying to figure out where it comes from. Most people are saying that it came from H. Rap Brown, who was known for his amazing ability to project, to speak.

But if you really want to understand rap music and other musics, you're going to have to look at the jazz poets. You're going to have to look at Gil Scott-Heron. You're going to have to look at Kurtis Blow. You're going to have to look all of these very worthy people.

But when we speak of those things, we heard this music in many different places on the streets. But when you started hearing it on the air, you heard from our first internet. We had internet way before it was created, way before. We just didn't call it the internet. We called it WBLS.

We understood, we all tuned in. It was easier to understand it and to tune in than it is to do it with this new internet.

And there we heard some of the greatest voices out. We heard of G. Keith Alexander -- I mean, people who could project -- who's in the audience right now. We heard of Dr. Bob Lee. And of course the captain of that show was Frankie "Hollywood" Crocker, the chief rocker. And -- well, that's a history in itself.

But let me close by saying that this is an -- we knew that this day would come. And I want to thank Senators Webb, Baskin and all of those who put such a great thing together. You've done the music well.

But most of this -- much of this music came from other places. And today is a bittersweet day, because we have lost Sly Stone. We have -- what a foundational part of music. And I guess the best thing that I could do is to thank you all and -- but to thank Sly Stone and say thank you for letting me be myself again.

(Appreciative reaction from floor.)

SENATOR SANDERS:Thank you.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator Sanders.

Senator Bailey to close.

SENATOR BAILEY:Thank you, Madam President.

On a celebratory day, my brothers from Queens have decided to commit the ultimate treason --

(Laughter.)

SENATOR BAILEY:-- in speaking about the origins of hip-hop. So they speak. But we know what the origins of hip-hop were. They were 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, right in the heart of Senator Serrano's district, where the one and only hip-hop museum is going to be built.

There will not be a hip-hop museum in Queens. There will not be a hip-hop museum anywhere else. There will be a hip-hop museum in the birthplace of hip-hop, which is the boogie-down Bronx. Because if it wasn't for the Bronx, this rap thing probably never would be going on. "So tell me where you from, uptown baby, uptown baby."

(Laughter.)

SENATOR BAILEY:But it's bigger than rap. It's bigger than rap. And I just want to make sure that -- on a serious note, I'm going to talk about sampling music. And my brother Leroy spoke about it earlier, how he did the Black music reso first and then I did it afterwards. And then, to quote Jay-Z, you know, we made it a hot line, but Lea, you made it a hot song. Senator Webb, you have taken a resolution and made it into a day of commemoration so that our legends can properly be recognized.

And so to all of the committee members, we thank you. But a special shout-out to you, Lea, for doing that. Because it's really important that we recognize who we have in the chamber.

I don't know if you know exactly what Kurtis Blow has done for hip-hop. It wasn't large-scale. He was the first rapper to get signed to a major record deal, but he was the first rapper to go gold, the first rapper to have a music video. Right? And all of these things were the precursors to us being able to see hip-hop going global, to a multi-billion-dollar industry, that started with someone like Kurtis Blow talking about these are the breaks. Or basketball is his favorite sport, he likes the way they dribble up and down the court. Just like he's like the king of the microphone, so is Dr. J and Moses Malone. You don't want no more.

(Laughter.)

SENATOR BAILEY:But it's so important to have an artist like Kurtis Blow, a trailblazer, and someone who is living in my district. It's my community, it's my district, and we get to have hip-hop royalty.

And speaking of hip-hop royalty, like my colleagues have spoken about -- Senator Cleare I think put a finer point on it: Black music media. I don't know about you, but Sunday Classics with Hal Jackson on 107.5, when my parents were cleaning the house and I better have it cleaned along with them.

But when I was listening to G. Keith Alexander and Dr. Bob Lee, making sure I was making the grade and paying attention about what's happening in school, to be on (announcer voice) WBLS-S-S. Like this was the time we were taping off the radio, because we didn't the money to buy the CDs or the tapes and the songs. So RIAA, don't get mad at me, but we were taping the songs off the radio because that's what it was. We got the -- and we sat by that radio waiting for our song to come on.

When we talk about sampling, we see there's no hip-hop if there's not Kurtis Blow. I represent the Bronx and money-earnin' Mount Vernon, where the great Heavy D, a hip-hop renaissance man, has ruled. But Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth made "They Reminisce Over You," but it was sampled from a jazz song called "Today" by Tom Scott. We've heard of "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio, may he rest in peace, but it came from "Pastime Paradise" by Stevie Wonder. We've heard of "Summertime" by the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith, but that came from "Summer Madness" by Kool and the Gang.

I can go on and on. But hip-hop and Black music, we all borrow from each other so that there's always going to be elements of Black music, because it continues to create itself. It will never die. The revolution may not be televised, like Gil Scott-Heron said, but it was played on the radio, Madam President.

Black music has been the rapid response system in our communities. It allowed us to express ourselves, to remember where we were at what time we heard that certain song, and just feel what music does.

You know, the BET Awards are tonight. There wouldn't be a BET if there wasn't a Kurtis Blow. There wouldn't be a BET if there wasn't a G. Keith or a Dr. Bob. That wouldn't exist.

So I want people to understand exactly how far we've come, but how far we'll go. And we'll continue to make sure that in the name of Rick James and Queen Latifah, we have {falsetto} "Unity," Madam President.

I vote aye.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Thank you, Senator Bailey.

To our incredibly distinguished guests who are here in support of Black History Month, for all you have contributed to many of us who listened to you along the way, thank you for all you have done. Thank you to this group that put this together.

Please stand and be recognized. You are welcome to the privileges and courtesies of the house.

(Extended standing ovation.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Madam President, there will be an immediate meeting of the Finance Committee in Room 332 -- nope, 124. Sorry.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:There will be an immediate meeting of the Finance Committee in Room 144.

SENATOR GIANARIS:124.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:124, thank you.

SENATOR GIANARIS:At the request of the sponsors, today's resolutions are open for cosponsorship.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:At the request of the sponsors, the resolutions are open for cosponsorship. Should you choose not to be a cosponsor, please notify the desk.

SENATOR GIANARIS:I believe there's a report of the Rules Committee at the desk. Let's take that up, please.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Senator Stewart-Cousins, from the Committee on Rules, reports the following bills:

Senate Print 106, by Senator Comrie, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;

Senate Print 253, by Senator Martinez, an act to amend the Social Services Law;

Senate Print 273, by Senator Martinez, an act to amend the Local Finance Law;

Senate Print 597, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Public Service Law;

Senate Print 634B, by Senator Liu, an act to amend the Insurance Law;

Senate Print 1148, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Public Authorities Law;

Senate Print 1180B, by Senator Gianaris, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law --

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:One minute.

Could we have some quiet in the chamber. Thank you.

THE SECRETARY:-- Senate Print 1757, by Senator Persaud, an act to amend the Social Services Law;

Senate Print 1807A, by Senator Fernandez, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 1833A, by Senator May, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law;

Senate Print 1838, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the General Municipal Law;

Senate Print 1889, by Senator Ashby, an act to amend the State Law;

Senate Print 1982, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the General Municipal Law;

Senate Print 2048, by Senator Webb, an act to amend the Transportation Law;

Senate Print 3194, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law;

Senate Print 3207A, by Senator Kavanagh, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 3231, by Senator Bailey, Concurrent Resolution of the Senate and Assembly proposing an amendment to Section 1 of Article 2 of the Constitution;

Senate Print 3256A, by Senator Cooney, an act to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law;

Senate Print 3262, by Senator Cooney, an act to amend the Banking Law;

Senate Print 3620, by Senator Ortt, an act to amend the Town Law;

Senate Print 3637, by Senator Ortt, an act to amend the County Law;

Senate Print 3740A, by Senator Fernandez, an act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law;

Senate Print 3851, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 4070B, by Senator May, an act to amend the Labor Law;

Senate Print 4457B, by Senator Murray, an act authorizing the Town of Brookhaven to alienate certain parklands for use as a recharge basin;

Senate Print 4535, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Executive Law;

Senate Print 4544B, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the Education Law;

Senate Print 4889, by Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the Veterans' Services Law;

Senate Print 4903, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 4947, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Transportation Law;

Senate Print 4955A, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 5168, by Senator Rolison, an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law;

Senate Print 5233, by Senator Weber, an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law;

Senate Print 5269, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the State Finance Law;

Senate Print 5382, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law;

Senate Print 5516A, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Railroad Law;

Senate Print 5713, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Railroad Law;

Senate Print 6035, by Senator Parker, an act to amend the Elder Law;

Senate Print 6233, by Senator Martinez, an act to amend the Tax Law;

Senate Print 6693A, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Education Law;

Senate Print 6832, by Senator Webb, an act to amend the Military Law;

Senate Print 6851, by Senator Webb, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 6872, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Tax Law;

Senate Print 6959, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Social Services Law;

Senate Print 6998, by Senator Tedisco, an act to amend the Tax Law;

Senate Print 7111A, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Election Law;

Senate Print 7139, by Senator Tedisco, an act authorizing the Commissioner of General Services to transfer and convey certain lands in the Town of Wilton to the Veterans and Community Housing Coalition;

Senate Print 7148, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Retirement and Social Security Law;

Senate Print 7222, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Insurance Law;

Senate Print 7541, by Senator Bynoe, an act to amend the Real Property Law;

Senate Print 7688, by Senator Palumbo, an act in relation to authorizing certain police officers in the Town of Southold, County of Suffolk, to receive certain service credit under Section 384-d of the Retirement and Social Security Law;

Senate Print 7690, by Senator Gianaris, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 7724, by Senator Murray, an act in relation to authorizing the assessor of the Town of Brookhaven to accept an application for a real property tax exemption;

Senate Print 7728, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 7796A, by Senator O'Mara, an act to amend the Public Officers Law;

Senate Print 7966, by Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, an act to amend the Tax Law;

Senate Print 7980, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law;

Senate Print 8021A, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Executive Law;

Senate Print 8151, by Senator Martinez, an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law;

Senate Print 8197, by Senator Brisport, an act to amend the Family Court Act;

Senate Print 8201A, by Senator Martins, an act to amend Chapter 280 of the Laws of 2016;

Senate Print 8237, by Senator Parker, an act to amend the Public Authorities Law;

Senate Print 8238, by Senator Addabbo, an act to amend the Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law;

Senate Print 8255, by Senator Serrano, an act to amend the State Finance Law;

Senate Print 8270, by Senator Webb, an act to amend the Domestic Relations Law;

Senate Print 8277, by Senator Chan, an act to amend the Executive Law;

Senate Print 8342, by Senator Comrie, an act to amend Part P of Chapter 39 of the Laws of 2019;

Senate Print 8343, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Insurance Law;

Senate Print 8345, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend Chapter 465 of the Laws of 2016;

Senate Print 8346, by Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, an act to amend Chapter 846 of the Laws of 1970;

Senate Print 8357, by Senator Sanders, an act to amend the State Finance Law;

Senate Print 8361, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Administrative Code of the City of New York;

Senate Print 8362, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend Chapter 554 of the Laws of 2013;

Senate Print 8369, by Senator Stavisky, an act to amend the Education Law;

Senate Print 8370, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend the Education Law;

Senate Print 8371, by Senator Brisport, an act to amend the Education Law;

Senate Print 8373, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the Surrogate's Court Procedure Act;

Senate Print 8383, by Senator Stavisky, an act to provide for the adjustment of stipends of certain incumbents in the State University of New York;

Senate Print 138, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 426, by Senator Liu, an act to amend the Legislative Law;

Senate Print 652A, by Senator Gianaris, an act to amend the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law;

Senate Print 915, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend the Highway Law;

Senate Print 1472, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend the Penal Law;

Senate Print 1511, by Senator Liu, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;

Senate Print 1891, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;

Senate Print 1986, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Education Law;

Senate Print 2709, by Senator May, an act to amend the Labor Law;

Senate Print 3155, by Senator Cooney, an act to amend the Insurance Law;

Senate Print 3820B, by Senator Rivera, an act to amend the Insurance Law;

Senate Print 4052, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Labor Law;

Senate Print 4230, by Senator Comrie, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;

Senate Print 4497, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Insurance Law;

Senate Print 4534, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Executive Law;

Senate Print 4658A, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend the General Municipal Law;

Senate Print 4803, by Senator C. Ryan, an act to amend the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law;

Senate Print 5324A, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Insurance Law;

Senate Print 6150, by Senator Parker, an act to amend the Banking Law;

Senate Print 6155A, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Education Law;

Senate Print 6166, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law;

Senate Print 6231, by Senator Webb, an act to amend the General Business Law;

Senate Print 6334, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend the Education Law;

Senate Print 6363, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Real Property Law;

Senate Print 6640, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Retirement and Social Security Law;

Senate Print 6736A, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend the Social Services Law;

Senate Print 7007, by Senator Bynoe, an act to amend the General Business Law;

Senate Print 7032, by Senator Sepúlveda, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;

Senate Print 7191, by Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;

Senate Print 7422A, by Senator Stewart-Cousins, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;

Senate Print 7485, by Senator Mayer, an act to amend the Labor Law;

Senate Print 7545, by Senator Brouk, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 7642, by Senator Comrie, an act to amend the Public Health Law;

Senate Print 7680A, by Senator Serrano, an act to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law;

Senate Print 7717, by Senator Cooney, an act to amend the General Business Law;

Senate Print 7731, by Senator Webb, an act to amend the Insurance Law;

Senate Print 7800, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Public Officers Law;

Senate Print 7801, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Public Officers Law;

Senate Print 7882, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the General Business Law;

Senate Print 7889, by Senator Palumbo, an act relating to permitting the Setauket Fire District and Stony Brook Fire District to enter into contracts with the State University of New York at Stony Brook;

Senate Print 7984, by Senator Fernandez, an act to amend the Social Services Law;

Senate Print 8059, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;

Senate Print 8082, by Senator Brouk, an act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law;

Senate Print 8150, by Senator Bynoe, an act to amend the Veterans' Services Law;

Senate Print 8207, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Retirement and Social Security Law;

Senate Print 8256, by Senator Sutton, an act to amend the Administrative Code of the City of New York;

Senate Print 8257, by Senator Sutton, an act directing the Department of Health to establish an alternative payment methodology for Federally Qualified Health Centers;

Senate Print 8271, by Senator Stewart-Cousins, an act in relation to authorizing the City of Yonkers to alienate and discontinue the use of certain parklands;

Senate Print 8312, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law;

Senate Print 8320, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the Court of Claims Act;

Senate Print 8334, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Insurance Law;

Senate Print 8338, by Senator Mayer, an act to amend the Executive Law;

Senate Print 8384, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Executive Law.

All bills reported direct to third reading.

SENATOR GIANARIS: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.

(Response of "Nay.")

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The report of the Rules Committee is accepted.

Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Let's take up the calendar at this time, Mr. President.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 182, Senate Print 1985A, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.

SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 204, Senate Print 488A, by Senator Fernandez, an act to amend the General Business Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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 204, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Mattera, Ortt, Palumbo, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 51. Nays, 10.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 246, Senate Print 2271, by Senator Krueger, an act to amend the Executive Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 246, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 47. Nays, 14.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 316, Assembly Bill Number 804C, by Assemblymember Magnarelli, an act to amend the General Business Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 322, Assembly Bill Number 1096B, by Assemblymember Magnarelli, an act to amend the General Business 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 322, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 500, Senate Print 626, by Senator Stavisky, an act to amend the Penal 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 500, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Oberacker, Ortt, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 53. Nays, 8.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 510, Senate Print 194A, by Senator Martinez, an act to amend the General Business 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:In relation to Calendar Number 510, voting in the negative are Senators Oberacker, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 54. Nays, 7.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 511, Senate Print 397, by Senator Myrie, an act to amend the General Business Law.

SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 592, Senate Print 4840, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend the Lien 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 627, Senate Print 6600B, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Multiple Dwelling 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 627, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 46. Nays, 15.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 632, Senate Print 5277, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Cannabis 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 632, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Martinez, Martins, Mattera, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 48. Nays, 13.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 634, Senate Print 2433A, by Senator Krueger, an act to amend the Real Property Law.

SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 645, Senate Print 4906A, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend the Executive 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 773, Senate Print 1353B, by Senator Cleare, an act to amend the General Business 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 773, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Lanza, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Stec, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 53. Nays, 8.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 779, Senate Print 290A, by Senator Rhoads, an act to amend the Highway 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 779, voting in the negative: Senator Brisport.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 882, Senate Print 7630, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Tax Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. 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 882, voting in the negative are Senators Harckham, Hinchey, Lanza, Martinez, Palumbo, C. Ryan, Scarcella-Spanton and Weik. Also Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.

Ayes, 52. Nays, 9.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 899, Senate Print 607A, by Senator Stavisky, an act to amend the Education Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 15. This act shall take effect 18 months 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1037, Senate Print 550A, by Senator Brisport, an act to amend the Social Services Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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 1037, voting in the negative are Senators Bynoe and Martinez.

Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1039, Senate Print 1026A, by Senator Kavanagh, an act to amend the Executive 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 1039, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Lanza, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 52. Nays, 9.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1052, Senate Print 2646, by Senator Stec, an act to amend the Executive 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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1054, Assembly Bill Number 6195, by Assemblymember Fall, an act to amend Chapter 306 of the Laws of 2011.

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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1067, Senate Print 2110D, by Senator Oberacker, an act to amend the Highway 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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1153, Senate Print 6009, by Senator Baskin, an act to amend the General Municipal Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1154, Assembly Bill Number 6593, by Assemblymember Schiavoni, an act to amend Chapter 264 of the Laws of 1961.

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 1154, voting in the negative: Senator Skoufis.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1219, Senate Print 2058, by Senator Webb, an act to amend the Education Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect April 1, 2026.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1219, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Martinez, Oberacker, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 49. Nays, 12.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1246, Senate Print 362, by Senator Gianaris, an act to amend the General Business Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 6. This act shall take effect on the first of January.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1246, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Harckham, Hinchey, Lanza, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, C. Ryan, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 44. Nays, 17.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Calendar Number 1239 is high and will be laid aside for the day.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1254, Senate Print 6121, by Senator Mayer, an act to amend the Executive 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 1254, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Oberacker, Ortt and Walczyk.

Ayes, 57. Nays, 4.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1269, Senate Print 3610A, by Senator Helming, an act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 60th 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1311, Senate Print 4542, by Senator Fahy, an act in relation to authorizing Justin Finkle to take the competitive civil service examination for the position of police officer.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:There is a home-rule message at the desk.

Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1354, Senate Print 4836, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend the Judiciary 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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1411, Senate Print 5597, by Senator May, an act to amend the General Business Law.

SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1416, Senate Print 7727, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the General Business 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 1416, voting in the negative are Senators Lanza, Martins and Walczyk.

Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1421, Senate Print 7455, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, Concurrent Resolution --

SENATOR SERRANO:Excuse me. Lay it aside for the day.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill will be laid aside for the day.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1423, Senate Print 8175, by Senator Sepúlveda, an act to amend the Surrogate's Court Procedure Act.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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 1423, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1445, Senate Print 7649, by Senator C. Ryan, 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 1445, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Harckham, Hinchey, Lanza, Martinez, Scarcella-Spanton, Skoufis and Weik.

Ayes, 53. Nays, 8.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Excuse me. Also Senator Palumbo as well.

Ayes, 52. Nays, 9.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill still passes.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1448, Assembly Bill Number 979A, by Assemblymember Lunsford, an act to amend the Insurance 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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1451, Assembly Bill Number 6595, by Assemblymember Weprin, an act to amend the Insurance 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 1451, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1456, Senate Print 56B, by Senator Fernandez, an act to amend the Public Health Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Fernandez to explain her vote.

SENATOR FERNANDEZ:Thank you, Mr. President.

This legislation codifies the Drug Checking Services Program in New York State, something we've been doing for a number of years.

In October 2023 the Department of Health announced a drug checking program to protect individuals from laced drugs, to better understand the local drug supply, and improve outcomes for people with a substance use disorder.

Since its inception the program has allowed for realtime testing on nearly 2500 samples at 13 different sites. Unlike test strips, which allow you to test for one substance at a time, the machine that's used in these programs can test for a number of adulterants such as fentanyl and its analogs, xylazine, medetomidine, caffeine, acetaminophen, as well as more fillers such as mannitol.

The data from these samples have not only provided lifesaving information to the individuals using these services but have provided DOH and their providers with current drug trends to inform care, advocacy, research and policy.

This program, along with other public health responses to the overdose epidemic, is responsible for the small but steady decrease in overdoses within the state. We can build on this progress by codifying the drug checking program already being facilitated across the state.

This bill ensures that drug checking programs are protected in our state at a time when we are seeing constant attacks on behavioral health services from the federal government. It not only provides legal protections for the individuals operating and using drug checking services, but it also empowers the Department of Health to monitor and to respond to trends in the unregulated drug supply to get and stay ahead of the overdose crisis.

Now is not the time to claim victory and walk back our efforts. We must continue to push forward to help those most vulnerable New Yorkers, especially those in the Black and brown communities who have borne the brunt of this epidemic. Let's continue these dips and make sure we're keeping programs that work alive.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I vote aye.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Fernandez to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1456, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Bynoe, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Martinez, Martins, Mattera, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, C. Ryan, Skoufis, Stec, Sutton, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 42. Nays, 19.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1486, Senate Print 4641A, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend the Labor 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 1486, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 46. Nays, 15.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1512, Senate Print 7974, by Senator Gonzalez, an act to amend the General Business 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 1512, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 49. Nays, 12.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1513, Senate Print Number 7451, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the Domestic Relations 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 1513, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Lanza, Martins, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco and Walczyk.

Ayes, 53. Nays, 8.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1518, Senate Print 84, by Senator Liu, an act to amend Chapter 802 of the Laws of 1947.

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 1518, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Chan, Lanza, Mattera, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Rolison, Skoufis, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 47. Nays, 14.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1519, Senate Print Number 455A, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the Public Officers Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. 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 1519, voting in the negative are Senators Martins and Walczyk.

Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1521, Senate Print 649, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend Subpart H of Part C of Chapter 20 of the Laws of 2015.

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 1521, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1523, Senate Print 1613A, by Senator Fahy, an act directing the Empire State Development Corporation, in conjunction with the Office of General Services, to create plans for the development of mixed-use commercial and residential property.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Fahy to explain her vote.

SENATOR FAHY:Thank you, Mr. President.

I rise to vote aye in support of this legislation. I'm really pleased. This has been a years-long effort to allow for mixed-use development on a 7-acre portion where we plan to build the Wadsworth Labs as well as to create a master plan for the entire campus, which is well over 200 acres and highly underutilized. In fact, it's called -- often referred to as the "uptown parking lot district."

We think this will go hand-in-hand with the transformational $400 million that we've secured to revitalize the downtown campus; I'm very grateful to the Governor on that part.

However, we are investing 1.7 billion in state-of-the-art Wadsworth public health labs, and it is being done in isolation of the rest of Harriman Campus and only addressing one part of it.

We face a massive housing shortage. We think more can be done with a portion of the land designated for Wadsworth, those -- the 7 acres I referred to, as well as a comprehensive plan which we hope would also address some of the needs of New York Creates and other growth industries here in the Capital Region.

This vision has been -- a bigger vision for Harriman has been supported by 75 elected officials, community leaders, labor, neighborhood associations and more. And again, want this to go hand-in-hand with the efforts in downtown.

We are trying to correct mistakes from five decades ago that have fueled a disconnected, sprawling campus that is still very much stuck in the 1960s. We think that a much bigger vision is needed there and that we can do both, as well as build these state-of-the-art Wadsworth labs that we've been advocating for for about 10 years.

And with that, Mr. President, I'm grateful to see this legislation move, and I vote in the affirmative. Thank you.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Fahy to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1523, voting in the negative are Senators Oberacker, Rolison and Weik.

Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1530, Assembly Bill Number 6783, by Assemblymember Weprin, an act in relation to ordering a study and report on a proposed extension of the Long Island Motor Parkway.

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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1531, Assembly Bill Number 7377, by Assemblymember Stirpe, an act to amend the Canal 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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1535, Senate Print 5387, by Senator Harckham, an act directing the Commissioner of Transportation to waive an annual security deposit fee.

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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1537, Senate Print 5755, by Senator Cleare, an act to amend the Public Health 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 Cleare to explain her vote.

SENATOR CLEARE:Thank you, Mr. President.

Recreational cannabis may be legal in New York State, and the MRTA got it right when it prohibited those under 21 from the purchase, possession or use of recreational cannabis.

However, you cannot take a step in any direction in my district without encountering a smoke shop or a glaring advertisement of cannabis of any kind.

This oversaturation and easy accessibility is harmful and exploitative because it's sending a message to those under 21 that using cannabis is okay. And with all the candy, cookie, cake and other snack and beverage options, it is quite appealing to them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, the brain is not fully developed until the age of 25. And marijuana use during the teenage and young adult years could impact its development in an adverse manner.

There are facts and education that every young person should have. And it's not a matter of just saying no, but being able to make an intelligent and reasoned decision. Creating an awareness program will help equip our young people with sound information and an opportunity to ask important questions.

I proudly vote aye and ask my colleagues to do the same.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Cleare to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1539, Senate Print 6307, by Senator Sanders, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1541, Senate Print 6484A, by Senator C. Ryan, an act to amend the Economic Development Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 7. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1544, Assembly Bill Number 1241A, by Assemblymember Simon, an act to repeal Section 17-140 of the Election 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 1544, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco and Weik.

Ayes, 49. Nays, 12.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1546, Assembly Bill Number 7745, by Assemblymember Stern, 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 1546, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Harckham, Hinchey, Lanza, C. Ryan, Scarcella-Spanton and Skoufis.

Ayes, 54. Nays, 7.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1547, Assembly Bill Number 5927, by Assemblymember P. Carroll, an act to amend the Chapter 329 of the Laws of 2009.

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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1548, Senate Print 7542A, by Senator Ortt, an act to amend Chapter 530 of the Laws of 2024.

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 1548, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Harckham, Lanza, Martinez, C. Ryan, Scarcella-Spanton and Skoufis.

Ayes, 54. Nays, 7.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1551, Assembly Bill Number 8113, by Assemblymember Seawright, an act to amend Chapter 462 of the Laws of 2015.

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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

There is a substitution at the desk.

The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Senator Rolison moves to discharge, from the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations, Assembly Bill Number 8074A and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7742A, Third Reading Calendar 1552.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The substitution is so ordered.

The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1552, Assembly Bill Number 8074A, by Assemblymember Jacobson, 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 1552, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Harckham, Lanza, Martinez, C. Ryan, Scarcella-Spanton, Skoufis and Weik.

Ayes, 53. Nays, 8.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

There is a substitution at the desk.

The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Senator Webb moves to discharge, from the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations, Assembly Bill Number 8155 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 7804, Third Reading Calendar 1553.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The substitution is so ordered.

The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1553, Assembly Bill Number 8155, by Assemblymember Kelles, 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 1553, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Harckham, Lanza, Martinez, C. Ryan, Scarcella-Spanton, Skoufis, Tedisco and Weik.

Ayes, 52. Nays, 9.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1557, Assembly Bill Number 8276, by Assemblymember Levenberg, an act to amend Chapter 606 of the Laws of 2006.

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 Ashby to explain his vote.

SENATOR ASHBY:Thank you, Mr. President.

I want to thank the sponsor for bringing this bill to the floor.

And I think if we're all in agreement that we can declare this as presumptuous, then I would hope that we could recognize our responsibility in providing pre-cancer screenings for all volunteer firefighters. Hope to see that into law soon.

Thank you.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Ashby to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1560, Assembly Bill Number 8210, by Assemblymember Kelles, an act to amend Chapter 443 of the Laws of 2007.

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 1560, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Harckham, Lanza, Martinez, C. Ryan, Scarcella-Spanton, Skoufis, Tedisco and Weik.

Ayes, 52. Nays, 9.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1562, Assembly Bill Number 8597, by Assemblymember Stirpe, an act to amend Chapter 230 of the Laws of 2023.

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 1562, voting in the negative: Senators Martinez and May.

Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1563, Assembly Bill Number 8275, by Assemblymember Jones, an act to amend Chapter 668 of the Laws of 1997.

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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1570, Assembly Bill Number 8571, by Assemblymember Rosenthal, an act to amend Chapter 514 of the Laws of 1983.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1571, Assembly Bill Number 8433, by Assemblymember Davila, an act to amend Chapter 436 of the Laws of 1997.

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 1571, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1576, Assembly Bill Number 7212, by Assemblymember Otis, an act to amend Chapter 618 of the Laws of 1998.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1577, Assembly Bill Number 8153, by Assemblymember P. Carroll, an act to amend Chapter 674 of the Laws of 1993.

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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1578, Assembly Bill Number 7694, by Assemblymember Conrad, an act to amend Chapter 413 of the Laws of 2003.

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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1583, Assembly Bill Number 8416, by Assemblymember Burke, an act to amend the Local Finance 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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1584, Assembly Bill Number 8478, by Assemblymember Valdez, an act to amend Chapter 20 of the Laws of 1998.

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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1586, Assembly Bill Number 8596, by Assemblymember Glick, an act to amend Chapter 550 of the Laws of 2013.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1587, Senate Print 8273, by Senator Stewart-Cousins, an act to amend Chapter 118 of the Laws of 1969.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1590, Assembly Bill Number 8568, by Assemblymember Lavine, an act to amend the Real Property 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 1590, voting in the negative: Senator Skoufis.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

Senator Gianaris, that completes the reading of today's calendar.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Mr. President, I believe we have a one-bill supplemental active list. Can we take that up, please.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will read the supplemental active list.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1666, Senate Print 8357, by Senator Sanders, an act to amend the State Finance Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1666, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

Senator Gianaris, that completes the reading of today's supplemental active list.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Go to the supplemental calendar, please.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1674, Assembly Bill Number 136, by Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the Public Health Law.

SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1675, Senate Print 426, by Senator Liu, an act to amend the Legislative Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. 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 1575, voting in the negative: Senator Lanza.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1676, Assembly Bill Number 7040B, by Assemblymember Stirpe, an act to amend the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 5. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1677, Senate Print 915, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend the Highway 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 1677, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Chan, Lanza, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Rhoads, Skoufis, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.

Ayes, 48. Nays, 13.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1678, Senate Print 1472, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend the Penal Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. 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 1678, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Helming, Lanza, Mattera, Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.

Ayes, 44. Nays, 17.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1680, Senate Print 1891, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Calendar Number 1679 is high and will be laid aside for the day.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1680, Senate Print 1891, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 15. 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:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1680, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Helming, Martinez, Martins, Mattera, Oberacker, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco, Weber and Weik.

Ayes, 47. Nays, 14.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1681, Senate Print 1986, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Education Law.

SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1682, Assembly Bill Number 4938, by Assemblymember Levenberg, an act to amend the Labor 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 1682, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1683, Senate Print 3155, by Senator Cooney, an act to amend the Insurance Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Cooney to explain his vote.

SENATOR COONEY:Thank you, Mr. President.

It's a privilege to speak in support of my legislation which would provide greater coverage and access for in vitro fertilization here in New York State. With all the craziness and uncertainty happening at the federal level, we know it's important more than ever for New Yorkers to take the lead when it comes to reproductive healthcare options, and this bill would do just that.

Back in 2019 this Legislature passed a landmark piece of legislation to require coverage for three cycles of IVF in cases of infertility. But unfortunately, what we have seen since that legislation first passed is that a number of healthcare practices and insurance companies have been requiring the use of all of those embryos in a cycle before covering the next -- a situation that is not always viable, and it delays the process for many parents-to-be.

When a couple is trying to have a child, the last thing they want to do is to wait longer and to risk more potential issues of a healthy birth down the line. I'm proud to sponsor and support this legislation to make sure that we make these changes in insurance practices and to create more opportunities for those New Yorkers looking to start a family.

I vote aye, Mr. President.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Cooney to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1683, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Stec, Tedisco and Walczyk.

Ayes, 57. Nays, 4.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1684, Senate Print 3820B, by Senator Rivera, an act to amend the Insurance Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1685, Senate Print 4052, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Labor 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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1686, Senate Print 4230, by Senator Comrie, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the first of November.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1687, Senate Print 4497, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Insurance Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Hinchey to explain her vote.

SENATOR HINCHEY:Thank you, Mr. President.

I rise incredibly excited to vote in favor of this bill. Healthcare technology has come a long way in just the last few years, and we now have the ability to give people the option on when they want to start a family and how.

And for many women, the prime time to start that family biologically is also the prime career years of their life. And for some people they're able to either defer starting a family because they either haven't found the right partner or they want to focus on work or whatever other reason, if they have insurance to cover egg freezing.

Most people who have that option are people who either work in big tech companies or big companies that provide that option, or if they're incredibly wealthy and have the means to do it. But most other people do not have the ability for regular commercial insurance to cover this type of fertility preservation.

And so today, in passing this bill, which requires commercial insurance to cover the cost of egg freezing and storage, we are the first house in the country to actually pass this kind of coverage. And as my colleague stated, as we are watching at the federal government a lot of uncertainty around what the future of reproductive healthcare looks like, this bill is a really big step in ensuring that women will have the ability to start a family when and how they choose.

Thank you, Mr. President. And for that, I vote aye.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Hinchey to be recorded in the affirmative.

Senator Cooney to explain his vote.

SENATOR COONEY:Thank you, Mr. President.

I just want to rise and thank the bill sponsor, Senator Hinchey, for her leadership on this historic legislation.

I think we all have to take a different look at IVF legislation. This is really becoming an equity issue: Who can have a family, who cannot have a family. Who can afford to have a family, who cannot afford to have a family.

This type of legislation the Senate Majority is moving forward today allows that conversation to be had by New Yorkers regardless of their income level. If they want to have a family, they should have the right to do so in our great state, and we're doing that today.

I vote aye, Mr. President.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Cooney to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1687, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Helming, O'Mara, Ortt, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 51. Nays, 10.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1688, Senate Print 4534, by Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Executive Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 5. 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 1688, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Helming, Martins, Mattera, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.

Ayes, 43. Nays, 18.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1689, Senate Print 4658A, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend the General Municipal Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1689, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Helming, Martinez, Martins, Oberacker, Rhoads, Rolison, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 49. Nays, 12.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1690, Senate Print 4803, by Senator C. Ryan, an act to amend the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: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 MAYER:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1691, Assembly Bill Number 1433A, by Assemblymember Hunter, an act to amend the Insurance Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: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 MAYER:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1692, Senate Print 6150, by Senator Parker, an act to amend the Banking Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: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 MAYER:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1693, Senate Print 6155A, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Education Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Senator Bailey to explain his vote.

SENATOR BAILEY:Thank you, Madam President.

So a few years back we created something I thought was excellent. We created something called the Excelsior Scholarship, which allowed talented and bright students to be able to pursue an education, a higher education, even if they didn't make a lot of money and if their parents weren't as well off.

And this has an income level, right? But what happens if you have a hardworking parent or parents and they decide to go get a little bit more overtime to make sure that they're helping their family out, that they're taking care of things in the community and in their home?

Well, that happened in my community, and one of my daughter's teachers, she went through this scenario and she explained it to me, she had gone and taught summer school and made a couple of hundred dollars more, but it disqualified her son from the Excelsior Scholarship.

This is not something that should be happening. We're not talking about a raise, a 20 percent raise or a 30 percent raise, which I'm sure anybody would be happy to get, but we're talking about a couple of hundred dollars from teaching in the summer. That should not be a disqualifying factor for a young person to be able to obtain their education.

So I'm glad we're starting this out today, because this allows for a modest increase in your income. Again, these aren't major raises. Modest increase so that, most importantly, so you're not afraid to take a little bit of extra work and your family will not suffer if that happens.

I am proud to sponsor this legislation. I proudly vote aye, Madam President.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Senator Bailey to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1693, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Lanza, Martins, Ortt, Rhoads, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 54. Nays, 7.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1694, Senate Print 6166, by Senator S. Ryan, an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1694, Senators voting in the negative: Senator Weik.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1. Oh, also Senator Mayer.

Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The bill is passed.

Calendar Number 1695 is high and will be laid aside for the day.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1696, Senate Print 6334, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend the Education Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect 18 months after it shall have because a law.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 696, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Martins and Walczyk.

Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.

ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1697, Assembly Bill Number 2739, by Assemblymember Cruz, an act to amend the Real Property 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 1697, voting in the negative: Senator Rhoads.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1698, Senate Print 6640, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Retirement and Social Security Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1699, Senate Print 6736A, by Senator Fahy, an act to amend the Social Services Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1700, Senate Print 7007, by Senator Bynoe, an act to amend the General Business Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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 1700, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Gallivan, Helming, Lanza, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 46. Nays, 15.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1701, Senate Print 7032, by Senator Sepúlveda, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1702, Senate Print Number 7191, by Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic 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, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1703, Senate Print 7422A, by Senator Stewart-Cousins, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. 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 1703, voting in the negative are Senators Helming, Martinez, Martins, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 56. Nays, 5.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1704, Assembly Bill Number 8465, by Assemblymember Otis, an act to amend the Labor 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 1704, voting in the negative are Senators Gallivan, Hinchey, Oberacker, Rhoads, Stec and Walczyk.

Ayes, 55. Nays, 6.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1705, Assembly Bill Number 2168, by Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the Public Health 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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1706, Senate Print 7642, by Senator Comrie, an act to amend the Public Health Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1707, Senate Print 7680A, by Senator Serrano, an act to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation 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:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1708, Senate Print 7717, by Senator Cooney, an act to amend the General Business Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

SENATOR LANZA:Lay it aside.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Lay it aside.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1709, Senate Print 7731, by Senator Webb, an act to amend the Insurance Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 4. 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:Senator Webb to explain her vote.

SENATOR WEBB:Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to explain my vote on this important legislation.

What this does is that it amends the Insurance Law to ensure that a new mother and their infant are not separated in the event that a newborn infant has a medical issue regarding transport to a hospital that is able to provide specialized care.

Despite the importance of a birthing parent being near their newborn during this time, insurance coverage for the transfer of the hospitalization of the hospitalized birthing parent is not guaranteed. Physicians who provide maternity care must receive approval from an insurance company for the transfer to be covered.

And waiting for approval and potentially being denied coverage for the transfer creates time-consuming barriers that impedes care and also creates additional stress.

This legislation ensures a birthing parent is able to fully participate in the healthcare of their new child and that a birthing parent and their newborn do not miss out on important opportunities for bonding and skin-to-skin contact just because of lack of insurance coverage for the hospital transfer of a birthing parent.

I proudly vote aye, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

Thank you, Madam President.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Senator Webb to be recorded in the affirmative.

Senator Martins to explain his vote.

SENATOR MARTINS:Thank you, Madam President.

You know, I want to first thank the sponsor for this bill. It is so important that a mother have the opportunity to spend time with her child. And certainly, you know, economics should not come into play when it comes to deciding how to transport a baby with her mother. That's really -- or his or her mother.

That's what this is all about. It's important from a public policy standpoint that we keep mothers with their child every chance we can get, and it's a small cost to pay. I'll be voting aye.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Senator Martins to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1710, Senate Print 7800, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Public Officers Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1710, voting in the negative: Senator Weik.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1711, Senate Print 7801, by Senator Harckham, an act to amend the Public Officers Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1711, voting in the negative: Senator Weik.

Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1712, Senate Print Number 7882, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the General Business Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 60th day after it shall have become a law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1712, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, C. Ryan, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.

Ayes, 39. Nays, 22.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1713, Assembly Bill Number 8279, by Assemblymember Kassay, an act relating to permitting the Setauket Fire District and Stony Brook Fire District to enter into contracts with the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1714, Senate Print 7984, by Senator Fernandez, an act to amend the Social Services Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1714, voting in the negative are Senators Martins and Walczyk.

Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1715, Senate Print 8059, by Senator Bailey, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Senator Bailey to explain his vote.

SENATOR BAILEY:Thank you, Madam President.

So around the state there were a few sheriff's offices in a few localities that were doing something really ingenious in advance of what we've called the Blue Envelope Program. This is what happens when there are individuals who are neurodivergent, that may have autism spectrum syndrome or a host of other things happening. And they can place their license and registration inside a blue envelope and, in the event of a traffic stop, they hand that blue envelope over to the officer that's making the stop.

When at officer makes the stop and they see that blue envelope, they realize that the individual that's driving, you know, is a part of that community that I mentioned earlier. So it lessens the tension, it decreases the possibility for possible infractions and unfortunate incidents.

And this is supported not just by the sheriffs, but it's also supported by the troopers. And I want to thank the troopers for supporting this piece of legislation. And I think this is one of these moments that we can point at where we're saying we want everybody to have equal opportunities. Just because you may have a disability or you may be what they call neurodivergent does not mean you cannot do everything else that anybody else can do.

So this allows you to be able to drive and get places by yourself without fear of having a traffic stop go awry. And so it protects the safety of the driver as well as the officer. I'm glad to support it and hope my colleagues do the same.

I'll be voting aye, Madam President.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Senator Bailey to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1716, Senate Print 8082, by Senator Brouk, an act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1717, Senate Print 8150, by Senator Bynoe, an act to amend the Veterans' Services Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 10. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become a law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1718, Senate Print 8207, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Retirement and Social Security Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 6. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1719, Senate Print 8256, by Senator Sutton, an act to amend the Administrative Code of the City of New York.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

Senator Gianaris.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Madam President, apparently that was Senator Sutton's first bill to pass the Senate.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Congratulations, Senator Sutton.

(Standing ovation.)

SENATOR GIANARIS:Now we'll take up the second Senator Sutton bill to pass the Senate.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Okay.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1720, Senate Print 8257, by Senator Sutton, an act directing the Department of Health to establish an alternative payment methodology for Federally Qualified Health Centers.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1721, Senate Print Number 8271, by Senator Stewart-Cousins, an act to amend in relation to authorizing the City of Yonkers to alienate and discontinue the use of certain parklands.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:There's a home-rule message at the desk.

Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 7. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1722, Assembly Bill Number 7563, by Assemblymember McDonald, an act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1723, Senate Print Number 8320, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend the Court of Claims Act.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1723, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Rhoads, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 57. Nays, 4.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1724, Senate Print 8334, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Insurance Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 5. This act shall take effect on the first of January.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Senator Gounardes to explain his vote.

SENATOR GOUNARDES:Thank you, Madam President.

Rarely do I think a bill has been more timely before us for consideration in this chamber. What this bill would do is it would allow and give authority to the Insurance Commissioner, in consultation with the Health Commissioner, to require in-state insurers to cover the cost of the COVID vaccine.

Now, this was an idea that was brought to me by my wife, actually, a couple of weeks ago, on the heels of the news that the HHS Secretary, Robert Kennedy, Jr., was recommending that COVID coverage no longer be mandated by the CDC for pregnant mothers and young children.

Now, this of course caused a huge uproar in the medical community because we know that COVID can be an incredibly high-risk illness for women who are pregnant and young children in particular. And there was significant concern that if the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices followed the Secretary's request and delisted COVID as a covered vaccine -- which would have required the vaccine to be covered under the Affordable Care Act -- it would mean that millions of people who wanted to get the vaccine would not be able to have it covered by their insurance.

Now, thankfully, two weeks ago the CDC declined to follow Secretary Kennedy's directive. But just an hour and a half ago, we saw the news break just this evening that Secretary Kennedy has removed all of the members of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, thereby paving the way to put in his own appointees, who we believe will now say that the COVID vaccine should not be covered by insurance companies for those who choose to receive it, particularly pregnant women and young children.

We are actually now in a position where we can protect ourselves here in New York State by giving this authority to DFS and the Health Commissioner to, on their own, just like they have the authority for other vaccine series, require that vaccines are covered by insurance companies in the State of New York.

I'm thankful, I know we're all thankful to our families for letting us come up here. I'm particularly thankful to my wife for giving me this idea. And it's one of personal salience for my family because we are expecting our third and obviously are very concerned that if coverage is no longer mandated or covered, it could have a significant impact not just for our family but for countless others across the state.

And so for those reasons I vote aye. Thank you.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Senator Gounardes to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1724, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Mattera, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Walczyk and Weik.

Ayes, 52. Nays, 9.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1725, Senate Print 8338, by Senator Mayer, an act to amend the Executive Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Senator Mayer to explain her vote.

SENATOR MAYER:Thank you, Madam President.

I rise to proudly vote aye on this bill to codify disparate impact analysis for workplace discrimination cases under New York's Human Rights Law.

New York has a proud and long tradition of robust and expansive antidiscrimination protection, especially in the workplace. However, it's threatened by the analysis and the efforts of the Trump administration to get rid of this very traditional disparate impact analysis in analyzing whether a violation of law has occurred.

In April 2025 the Trump administration issued an executive order dubiously finding disparate impact analysis to be unconstitutional, and declaring that it's now the policy of the federal government to eliminate the use of disparate impact analysis to the fullest extent possible. Despite this shaky legal ground, the Trump administration has quickly moved to end civil rights cases based on this disparate impact analysis.

This bill is necessary to ensure that New York's Human Rights Law accepts and embodies disparate impact analysis for employment discrimination cases, ensuring plaintiffs can continue to bring disparate impact cases under the Human Rights Law and affirming New York's longstanding commitment to fighting discrimination in employment and in our society at large.

I vote aye.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Senator Mayer to be recorded in the affirmative.

Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:In relation to Calendar 1725, voting in the negative are Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Lanza and Walczyk.

Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1726, Senate Print 8384, by Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Executive Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Read the last section.

THE SECRETARY:Section 26. This act shall take effect immediately.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Call the roll.

(The Secretary called the roll.)

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Announce the results.

THE SECRETARY:Ayes, 61.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The bill is passed.

Senator Gianaris, that completes the reading of the supplemental calendar.

SENATOR GIANARIS:Thank you, Madam President.

We're going to move on now to the controversial calendar.

We're going to begin with Calendar Number 1674, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The Secretary will ring the bell.

The Secretary will read.

THE SECRETARY:Calendar Number 1674, Assembly Bill Number 136, by Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the Public Health Law.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Senator Borrello, why do you rise?

SENATOR BORRELLO:Thank you, Madam President. Would the sponsor yield for a question.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Through you, Madam President. New York State has once again proposed a law that goes beyond any other law when it comes to this particular -- assisted suicide.

So my first question is, why would New York propose a law for something so serious that doesn't require a waiting period before folks that are choosing to end their life, potentially, can receive those deadly drugs?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Thank you, Madam President, and to my colleague.

Well, first let's frame this issue, if you don't mind, Senator, that medical aid in dying, which is what we call it, MAID, will allow adults who have been given a terminal prognosis of six months or fewer to live, to request self-administered life-ending medication after approval.

They have to make these decisions voluntarily, be capable of making an informed decision, and have the six-month diagnosis due to an incurable and irreversible illness.

So I like to think about it as it's not so much about ending a person's life but shortening their deaths, because they have been granted, given, that terminal prognosis.

And your question specifically is about waiting periods and why we don't include one in New York. And let me tell you that I think, in effect, we do have a waiting period. It's built in, because it takes a number of days and weeks to actually go through the processes as outlined in the bill.

It's a lengthy process. You have to find a consulting physician. You have to make the oral and written request. And then you have to find a pharmacy to dispense the medication. That can take several weeks in and of itself.

And then I'll also add that there isn't currently waiting periods for ending life-sustaining treatment that already exist, such as dialysis.

And I'll also add that the process is so lengthy that a number of states have disbanded it or are considering disbanding it. There are court challenges to waiting periods. And in California, where medical aid in dying exists, fully one-third of terminally ill patients die before completing the paperwork.

So states that have had waiting periods are already looking to waive them in certain instances or roll them back completely, California and Oregon being two good examples.

So the waiting period we think is built in.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:So you're saying that someone can receive a prescription, go to the pharmacy and get those deadly drugs the same day, with no waiting period, is that correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. The question being it's not a one, two, three-step process by any means. You have to, as I've said earlier, find a consulting physician for your attending physician, and then go from there through the processes, which can take weeks.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Yes, I understand that there's a process. But at the end, someone makes a decision. The decision is I would like that prescription. That's the day, in my opinion, that they've decided that they are willing to potentially take their own life.

So there's no waiting period from when they make that decision and get that prescription until they are able to get those deadly drugs into their hands. Is that correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:That's correct.

But if I could add. So through you, Mr. President, it's long established in our state laws that no healthcare decisions, including withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatments, require a waiting period. The procedures in place for medical aid in dying -- written requests, two physician evaluations, witness requirements -- have that time already built in.

There just isn't any justification, when we wrote this bill, for forcing a suffering patient to suffer any longer. And that's what this is fundamentally about, is not about hastening death but ending suffering.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Look, I understand the empathy for someone who is -- you know, has a terminal disease. But at the end of the day this is an irreversible decision, irreversible, if you decided to end your life.

So in New York State, if you buy a car you have three days to take it back. If you book a flight, you have 24 hours to cancel it. So we can give people time to change their mind about a flight they've booked, but not about whether or not they're going to kill themselves, is that correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, our bill currently states that physicians do have the obligation to tell the patient that they can in fact change their mind.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Is there any requirement that that physician have any history with that patient? In other words, could they just have never done anything but prescribe this deadly medication to them? Do they have to have had history with that patient, with their care, for this disease or any -- or just their care in general?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President, just to go back to your -- the Section 2899-g: "Right to rescind request; requirement to offer opportunity to rescind. A patient may at any time rescind the request for medication under this article without regard to the patient's decision-making capacity."

Just wanted to make sure that you knew that that's there.

And your question -- I'm sorry.

SENATOR BORRELLO:So does a doctor have to have any history with that patient that they will be prescribing these deadly drugs for? Can a person walk in and see that consultant physician, the second opinion, whatever you -- and have absolutely no medical history with that particular patient?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, one assumes that the attending physician does in fact have a relationship with the patient to the extent that he or she are able to make the determination that the patient is of sound mind, has met the eligibility requirements for age, has a terminal illness of six months or fewer.

And so through that examination -- and we obviously entrust physicians to make those determinations every single day. One would hope and expect that a physician will fulfill their responsibilities in that regard.

This is premised on physicians acting in accordance with the standards of professional medical ethics.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:You talk about someone having a diagnosis of a terminal illness and being given the prediction of six months or less to live. Do you know what percentage of those doctor predictions are correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Well, we have Oregon as a predictor --

SENATOR BORRELLO:That's not my question. When a doctor says you have six months to live, how frequently is that six-month prediction correct?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Borrello, in the future if we could direct all comments through the chair.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Sorry.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:I understand this is a passionate subject, but if we could please direct all debate through the chair, I'd appreciate it.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Thank you, Senator Borrello.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. The studies show -- and we obviously don't have any data in New York. But the studies that have been collected in the 11 states, now 11 -- it was 10. Earlier this week it's now 11, plus the District of Columbia -- show that in fact those estimations by physicians on length of term of life to live after an illness are actually over-predictors.

In other words, physicians predict, according to the statistics, 85 percent longer than a patient in fact has to live. So the reality shows it's just the opposite.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Well, my question was on accuracy, and the answer is 20 percent. That means that when doctors give someone with a terminal illness a prediction of how long that they have left to live, they're only right 20 percent of the time. Does that sound like a good percentage to you?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. I'm looking at a study by the University of Chicago, where researchers of terminally ill patients showed that 83 percent of life expectancies were either overestimates or accurate.

Another study reported that 85 percent of inaccurate prognoses for patients in palliative care were also overestimates.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:So we can both agree that they're not accurate. That's basically what you're saying. I might be saying differently. But at the end of the day those predictors, which are the determination as to whether or not someone can receive these deadly drugs, are horribly inaccurate, correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. I mean, look, I think a physician predicting the length of life for a patient is obviously an extremely difficult task.

I think we should be reassured, though, that physicians are not in the main suggesting that patients have less time to live than they in fact do. It's the opposite. So I would rely on these statistics in that regard.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Let's move on.

So we're talking about deadly medicine that is being handed over to someone and then they are just going to leave the pharmacy or whatever. What is this bill's prescription, if you will, for the chain of custody for that deadly medicine? What happens?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. The disposal of the medicine is specified in the bill, and I will reference you where that is.

But while we're looking for it, I will say that our shelves and our cabinets in our apartments and homes have a lot of dangerous-to-deadly medication. Certainly a bottle of aspirin can be fatal if the dose is such that it can cause harm. There are a multitude of household products probably in your garage, Senator, that also could cause death.

But we are mindful of this concern. So Section 2899-o discusses safe disposal of unused medicine. (Reading.) A person who has custody or control of any unused medication prescribed under this article after the death of the qualified individual shall personally deliver the unused medication for disposal to the nearest qualified facility that properly disposes of controlled substances, or shall dispose of it by lawful means in accordance with regulations made by the commissioner.

So there will be future regulations to specify further the chain of custody, as you put it, Senator.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Well, that all sounds nice. But what in this bill is actually requiring someone, under any kind of penalty, to actually ensure that those deadly drugs, if they're not used, especially, get taken care of properly? We're not talking about disposing of old motor oil here. We're talking about medicine that can kill people.

There is no actual I guess responsibility, whether it be a state agency, doctor, you know, healthcare professional of any kind, to ensure and monitor that that drug is being handled properly. So where -- what in this bill would prevent that from being essentially misplaced, mishandled or misused?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Again, please refer to Section 2899-o. But -- it's there, Senator.

But let me also add that in -- you know, in the 30 years that -- it's 27 years, I believe, specifically -- that medical aid in dying has been legal in the United States, there hasn't been a single case, not a single case of medication falling into the wrong hands.

That tells you something about the chain-of-custody concerns, the practices that have been well established as New York considers becoming State Number 12. We've worked it out, thanks to our sister states who have taken the path before us.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:That all sounds nice. But at the beginning of this debate I pointed out the fact that once again New York has crafted a law that goes far beyond any other law. This law will be more progressive or whatever you want to call it. You yourself said we have to remove the barriers. We can't even have a waiting period. People have to be able to immediately get that medication and take it if they want it.

So I discount what you've said about, you know, because it hasn't somewhere else, it hasn't happened here.

Why wouldn't we -- this is the question. Why wouldn't we have this being done by medical professionals in a controlled environment like a hospital or a hospice center? Why would we allow these deadly drugs to be taken home and with no oversight whatsoever by any medical professional?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, thank you for mentioning hospice, because that is a good example to raise in terms of the medication and the chain of custody.

There are thousands of people with terminal illnesses currently on home hospice care, in the comfort of their homes with their family members and other loved ones. And there are a huge number of opiate medications in connection with that hospice treatment.

So we're looking at the same protocols that handle -- that apply to the handling and return of those medications. We are applying those same protocols to the unused medical-aid-in-dying medications.

So we've already done it with hospice. Other states have done it with medical aid in dying. So we aren't reinventing the wheel. We're following a standard practice that has made this process quite secure, based on evidence and practice.

And specifically -- thank you, Senator -- why not do this in a hospital?

SENATOR BORRELLO:Yes.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Well, that certainly could be the option of patient if he or she chose.

But we do think, and through experience, that the home setting is the setting that most patients prefer. And when somebody is choosing to end their life peacefully because they have been given a terminal diagnosis, I think we all want what's best for them in their personal capacity of decision-making.

And I think it would be a bridge too far to impose those types of rules and regulations on a suffering patient. We don't impose them on patients in hospice care. We shouldn't impose them on patients seeking medical aid in dying.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR BORRELLO:When you talk about hospice, end-of-life care, the goal is to make people comfortable. It's not to prematurely end their life. There's a big difference between hospice care and someone who's going to end their life voluntarily -- on their own, potentially.

So why would we not require that these drugs be in a controlled environment with professionals that can actually ensure that this is done properly? Why wouldn't that simple requirement be made?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:To have a -- I'm sorry --

SENATOR BORRELLO:To have this in a controlled environment with healthcare professionals, whether it be in a hospital, a hospice care or home care with a medical professional there to ensure that these drugs are properly handled.

Why wouldn't we make that simple amendment that would improve the safety of this bill?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. I mean, once again, to my colleague, the experience and data show that medical aid in dying at home is safe. And I don't think we should stray from that and make patients less comfortable.

If a patient wants to pursue medical aid in dying in a controlled environment such as a hospital, that's their choice.

Fundamentally, this is about choice and personal autonomy, and we don't impose these requirements for other conditions. And I don't think we should do it here. So we're trying to -- we're trying to apply this evenly across different patient experiences, if you will.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, time check? Am I --

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:You read my mind, Senator Borrello. I was going to give you a courtesy reminder. You have -- 23 minutes have elapsed, so you have approximately seven minutes remaining.

SENATOR BORRELLO:All right great. One last question, then, if the sponsor wouldn't mind, please.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Seven minutes.

SENATOR BORRELLO:(Laughing.) I'll be brief.

So let's assume, now, this person with a terminal illness expires at home and family, law enforcement show up. We have no chain of custody for these drugs. How do we know that that person actually died using those deadly drugs or whether they just expired because of their illness -- and then having to find those deadly drugs. How are we going to guarantee that this person actually died by using those deadly drugs?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, obviously if, you know, the -- their -- if someone shows up at someone's doorstep, there would have to be some understanding as to what happened.

But I'll tell you that there are extensive reporting requirements in this bill for this exact scenario.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Mr. President, on the bill.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Borrello on the bill.

SENATOR BORRELLO:Thank you, Senator Hoylman-Sigal. I appreciate the engagement here.

You know, we've proposed a lot of irresponsible laws in the five-plus years that I've been here. And, you know, we kind of want to give people the impression that New York is the most progressive because we have to do everything a little bit further than every other state. But now we're talking about giving people the right to commit suicide with the state's sanction. And we're still going to prove that we're the most progressive.

This bill is horribly irresponsible. It gives people the ability to walk in with a prescription, walk out with life-ending drugs with no accountability whatsoever, walk home.

We all have known people with terminal illnesses. It's very difficult on the family as well. You have kids that are going to lose their parent. They become depressed, emotional. And now in that house, without any supervision, any oversight, are deadly life-ending drugs. And the State of New York has no idea where they are or how they were used. That's what this bill will do.

Now, you can tell me what hasn't happened anywhere else. You don't know that, because in the states that have actually done assisted suicide bills, suicide rates are up. They're up. How do we not know that these people haven't committed suicide using these deadly drugs? We really don't.

We're talking about families in crisis. And I know that that's difficult. We should be helping those families by saying we're going to put you in an environment that is controlled, where there are professionals that know how to properly administer these drugs and ensure that it's being done properly.

The doctors that are going to prescribe these drugs don't necessarily have to have a relationship with that patient. There are stories from other places, like in Canada, where a girl with severe autism wanted to end her life, and she doctor-shopped until she found doctors that would prescribe those deadly medications. And her father worked very hard to make sure that that didn't happen.

But most importantly, think about this scenario. We all know that there are people out there that are just waiting around for someone to die so they can inherit some money. We all know those people. Right? All of a sudden, grandma's got a terminal illness, dad's got a terminal illness -- Dad, you've got those pills, come on. Maybe they won't say it exactly that way, but they will encourage those family members to end their life prematurely so that they can stop the flow of money that's going to their care.

That, to me, is horrible. And this legislation will allow people to accelerate the death of loved ones for financial gain.

That's the problem with this bill, folks. We need real oversight. I'm opposed to it anyway, quite frankly. We should not be in the business of state-authorized suicide, period. But if you want to make this bill a little bit better, let's make sure that there's some accountability, some oversight, that the things I just described aren't going to happen.

And just because they may not have happened elsewhere doesn't mean they won't happen here, because this bill goes further than any other assisted suicide bill in this nation. It's irresponsible. We should not pass this. And the Governor should not sign it.

I'll be voting no. Thank you, Mr. President.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Thank you, Senator Borrello.

Senator Weber, why do you rise?

SENATOR WEBER:Thank you, Mr. President. On the bill first.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Weber on the bill.

SENATOR WEBER:So probably like a lot of my colleagues, I've gotten probably thousands of phone calls and emails from concerned residents regarding this assisted suicide bill. And probably the majority of the phone calls I got were from the disability community. They're concerned. There's no explicit ban on someone with developmental disabilities being prescribed this. And it says it can be -- it says it cannot be your sole diagnosis.

The disability community has also had the experience of the other states that have had it in place for a while, and they don't feel at ease. In fact, the fear, the impact of it on people living with disabilities continues to grow. And we also hear from many elderly people who are concerned about this as well.

So I want to explore some questions with the sponsor on some of those related topics. So, Mr. President, would the sponsor yield for some questions?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Hoylman-Sigal, would you yield for some questions?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR WEBER:Thank you, Senator.

Somewhere in the bill memo it talks about that this works in all other states. But if that's the case, why are national disability groups so strongly opposed to this bill?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, I will say to my colleague I would suggest reviewing Section 4, line 9 of the bill itself. Please look at the bill versus the memo. "No person shall qualify for medical aid in dying under this article solely because of age or disability." I don't think we could be more explicit in protecting the -- in addressing the concerns of the disability community.

I think -- through you, Mr. President -- that there's misinformation about this issue. And it's understandable, because it's a tough issue. But we shouldn't stray away from tough issues because there's misinformation. We should try to clear the air and understand why so many patients are actually seeking this while respecting the concerns of those in the disability community and elsewhere, perhaps because of a lack of full understanding of what the bill does.

But we put that language in this bill specifically, Mr. President, to address those concerns.

SENATOR WEBER:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR WEBER:Thank you.

Well, as you mentioned, we have decades of experience in other states, and yet disability advocates throughout the nation remain very concerned with not only this bill but similar bills.

So there's been a recent study that I read that -- and according to disability advocates -- 82 percent of physicians view people with disabilities as having a worse quality of life. Do you agree with that?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, I'm not a physician, so I can't really agree with a physician standpoint.

I will say that our statistics show the vast majority of people with disabilities support end-of-life choices -- according to a Susquehanna poll, 79 percent nationally in 2023.

SENATOR WEBER:Through you, Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

SENATOR WEBER:Thank you.

Well, I'd love to see that study, because what I've read and what I've seen and researched is quite the opposite.

But do you think that the bias could impact a physician's decision to counsel a developmentally disabled person into this option, this assisted-suicide option that you're proposing here today?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Do I think that what? I'm sorry, say again?

SENATOR WEBER:Would a physician who may have a bias, as I had mentioned earlier about having a developmentally disabled person having a worse quality of life, do you fear that that physician's decision to counsel a person would counsel that person into this option of assisted suicide?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President, no. Because we're very clear about what is required. Having a disability does not qualify you in any way, shape or form by itself for medical aid in dying.

And again, I refer you to the clause that we inserted that no person shall qualify for medical aid in dying solely because of age or disability. Simply being disabled doesn't qualify you. Medical aid in dying is one of a number of end-of-life options for people with an incurable and irreversible terminal illness and a prognosis of six months left to live. And those options are already included in forms of palliative care such as hospice.

So I think there is a bright line, and we expect our physicians to follow it.

SENATOR WEBER:Thank you.

Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR WEBER:I have another question I'd like to explore with you. How will patients in long-term-care facilities, group homes or state-run institutions be protected from conflicts of interest or subtle administrative pressure?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, there are a number of safeguards in the bill, and I could certainly share those with you.

Of course the patient has to make an oral request and then a written request, signed, attested to by two disinterested witnesses -- can't be a family member, can't have a stake in the estate, can't work for that assisted living facility. So these are neutral witnesses.

The patients have to be required to be counseled about alternatives by the attending physician. That includes hospice. That's why we've seen rates of hospice, Mr. President, rise in states that have medical aid in dying. The patient can withdraw the request at any time. The medication has to be self-administered -- not by anyone else or by a physician, by the individual.

As I mentioned earlier, there are publicly available annual reports on utilization. There's essentially a medical-aid-in-dying plan which the physician will complete with the consulting physician.

So I think those safeguards protect the patient in the facility that you would suggest.

In addition to stating that health insurance benefits, according to the bill, remain unaffected, and life insurance payments can't be denied because of medical aid in dying.

So I -- and then we have the experience of the other states that have had this. And there are no examples of the concerns that you raise, with all due respect.

SENATOR WEBB:Will the sponsor continue to yield, Mr. President?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR WEBER:I'd like to explore a few other topics.

As I mentioned earlier, we get a lot of phone calls from elderly people, and the subject of coercion always comes up. And, you know, who decides if there's any coercion of a patient?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Well -- through you, Mr. President -- who decides would be law enforcement and prosecutors if there were concerns about coercion.

We have very strong laws in that regard. Anyone attempting to coerce a patient would face a criminal prosecution, Class A misdemeanor to Class D felony. We have those statutes specifically in existence already.

And again, back to experience. Since 1997, when medical aid in dying was first authorized in Oregon, not a single case -- not one -- of coercion has been uncovered. That's pretty significant.

We also know that family members -- you know, typically -- I know there's the, you know, stereotype of an evil son-in-law. But family members typically are pressuring patients to prolong their lives, to not take advantage of medical aid in dying. And that's borne out by the statistics in Oregon: 90 percent of those who took the medication did so citing the bodily autonomy they were losing to their illness.

So I feel like coercion is a concern, but our criminal statutes have addressed that. And experience shows that it does not bear out in reality.

SENATOR WEBER:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR WEBER:How do we know that, though? How do you we know that people haven't been coerced? Are doctors qualified to recognize forms of coercion?

You know, you talk about law enforcement and, yeah, they would be brought in at a particular time of the process. But are physicians qualified to recognize when there's coercion, when there's family members, I think as Senator Borrello mentioned a little while ago, maybe relatives who have a financial interest of, you know, Nanny not being around or a sick child being around any longer. How do you know if a physician is qualified to recognize signs of coercion? They would be the ones that would be the front line.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Look, I understand the concern. Again, I think it's a bit of a stereotype, a rather dark view of human nature which is not borne out by the facts.

But I understand what we're trying to do, and I share your concern, which is to prepare for the unintended consequence. And I understand where you're coming from, Senator.

But there have been no examples of it in history since 1997, number one.

Number two, recall that the physician has to attest to the voluntary nature of the oral and written request. And then the witnesses have to be completely disinterested parties having no relationship, marital or familial or -- even a domestic partner is forbidden from attesting to the request for medical-aid-in-dying medication.

And finally, the -- they can't have an interest in the estate, even if they're not related. Nor can they have an interest in the facility, perhaps, where medical aid in dying may be administered. And the physician and the consulting physician both have to represent those facts and sign under penalty of perjury.

SENATOR WEBER:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR WEBER:I think some of the fear is that, you know, we're going to be creating hundreds if not thousands of Dr. Kevorkians, right, those who are going to get into the business of really practicing and really promoting end-of-life treatment. And that's a concern.

But I want to move on to another question. Are there any verification or notarization requirements that the two witnesses' signatures are legitimate, so that we can ensure that a patient or someone else has not forged the witness signatures?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, the witnesses have to sign and attest to the voluntary nature of the request under penalty of perjury, really the strongest backup for an attestation we have in the law.

SENATOR WEBER:Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR WEBER:The only problem with that is if something's forged and the person's ended their life, the damage has been already been done.

So, I mean, are you comfortable and/or what other safeguards would you consider that should be really improved upon or at least strengthened so that something like that doesn't happen? Because it may come too late that it's found out about.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. I -- again, through practice we've seen that this works. And I appreciate the hypotheticals because we should always be thinking about the hypotheticals, particularly in lawmaking. But we have no examples of what my colleague suggests in this specific regard.

And remember, the kind of baseline here is the terminal diagnosis of six months or fewer to live. And I suppose the -- I suppose someone could be after -- you know, someone may have a nefarious motive. But six months? You know, you're going to get your greedy paws on that estate now or in six months? I mean, I -- in addition to the fact of all the safeguards.

That's why I think it has not happened, is that it's -- the safeguards are in place and the terminal diagnosis had been granted. The person is dying. It's not as if that isn't based in reality. The person has a terminal diagnosis. They are dying.

SENATOR WEBER:Thank you, Senator. Thank you for those answers to the questions.

Mr. President, on the bill.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Weber on the bill.

SENATOR WEBER:And as I said, Senator, thank you. But I'm still not satisfied and I'm still very concerned with the dangerous road that we're going down, potentially, today.

And again, I rise not in anger but in sorrow, sorrow for where we are headed if we allow the proposed assisted-suicide bill to become law in this state -- a state that is bleeding residents literally and figuratively.

Supporters of this bill claim that it's about compassion. But compassion without transparency is not mercy, it's neglect and coercion cloaked in kindness.

Under this bill a terminally ill patient could take their own life with prescribed lethal medication. But unless that patient chooses to notify their family beforehand, their loved ones may never know how or even why that life was ended. Was it a suicide pill, an accidental overdose, or something more sinister?

This legislation offers no clear path for family involvement, no mandate for disclosure, no mandated wait period, and no guaranteed autopsy. And for many families, especially those whose faith prohibit autopsies after death, that is not just a bureaucratic oversight, it's a religious violation.

My questions are not just hypothetical. We've seen the consequences of institutional decisions made without regard for our citizens. During the COVID-19 pandemic, how many of our elderly died alone, isolated in hospitals, unable to hold the hand of a loved one, even to make a final phone call? Have we forgotten that already?

Did the state not only preside over the lonely, silent deaths of thousands of seniors and those with chronic illnesses? And now, with this bill, we may be repeating the same mistake, not from the fear of spreading COVID, but in the name of freedom without sufficient safeguards, without witnesses, and too often without love.

We are told this is a choice. But what kind of choice is it when the system makes it even easier or even encourages people to die rather than to live with dignity? Who is this assisted-suicide bill really helping? And who is it quietly abandoning?

I'll tell you: It's abandoning the vulnerable, our seniors, those living with disabilities, and those in their darkest moments. Hundreds if not thousands of my constituents have called and emailed and contacted my office, commented on social media posts, and they are all opposed to this dangerous and reckless legislation.

This may be well-intentioned, but the road to hell was paved with good intentions. I'll be voting no, and I encourage my colleagues from across the aisle to do the same.

Thank you, Mr. President.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Thank you, Senator Weber.

Senator Ashby, why do you rise?

SENATOR ASHBY:Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield for some questions?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Thank you, Senator Hoylman.

Through you, Mr. President. Is there a requirement for the attending physician to have been with this patient for any period of time?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. There's no specific time period that the physician has to spend with the patient in the statute.

But I will say that the patient -- the physician has to make these important determinations, including that the patient is of sound mind, that he or she is over 18, that they have a terminal illness, and that the patient is voluntarily requesting, both orally and in writing, the medication. In addition to recruiting a consulting physician to back up the original physician's assessment.

So that is, I think, the essence of the doctor-patient relationship in this regard. And I think that's why we have the New York State Medical Society in support of this bill. Which goes to the fact that physicians here in New York feel comfortable, in the main, in making that assessment.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Through you, Mr. President. I'm glad that you brought up the consulting physician. So how much time does the consulting physician need to spend with the patient in person?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Well, he or she has to make all those determinations and, along with the attending physician, determine whether a mental health examination is required. Either physician can make that determination.

So you would want to understand the patient -- we know that physicians do that for a whole host of other conditions they're treating, but they most certainly have to do it here. And both of them would have to do it. And I think, again, built in that is a relationship that the physician, abiding by our standards of medical practice, would have to take very seriously.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:So again, Senator Hoylman, how much time in person would the attending physician or the consulting physician need to spend with the patient?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Like a lot of medical decisions, that's up to the physician to make that determination. We don't prescribe that in the statute.

I don't think you'd find in any part of our voluminous statutes any requirement that a physician has to spend a certain amount of time with a specific patient regarding a specific condition. We leave it to the medical professionals.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Through you, Mr. President. So what you're saying is that they, by law, don't have to spend any time in person with this patient who's seeking to potentially end their life, is that correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President, no, that's exactly the opposite of what I'm saying.

I'm saying that they have to make a certain number of determinations about the patient. Let's start with the age. Let's started with the fact that they have to examine the patient's medical history and determine whether they have an illness that's terminal and irreversible --

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor recognize that --

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Wait a minute. Senator Ashby, Senator Hoylman-Sigal has the floor. I understand this is an issue that gets everybody -- but when the Senator has the floor, he's speaking.

If you are asking him to yield, you can wait until he's finished speaking and then you can ask him to yield to another question. Is that fair?

SENATOR ASHBY:It's only fair if he's going to answer the question.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Ashby, your definition of him answering the question is not germane here. He is answering, and he has the floor.

Again, can he finish his question and then you ask him to yield again?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Let me cut to the chase.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Hoylman-Sigal, continue.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Thank you, Mr. President.

Let me cut to the chase. The physician has go to through a number of checklists. That's going to take time in and of itself.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Through you, Mr. President. Through that series of checklists, is the physician required -- attending or consulting -- to spend time with that patient in person?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. We do not specify that in the bill. But by virtue of what they are required to assess and what their determination must be in order for medical aid in dying to be administered, yes, they would most certainly have to spend time with the patient.

Unless they're a quack. And I'm not -- we're not dealing with quack physicians in this regard. But we have sanctions in criminal statutes for that, you know, unlikely potential. But one that I agree should always be considered, which is why we've built in those safeguards.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:So I'm glad that there's safeguards and provisions for quacks.

But what safeguards and measures are there, Senator, if we're not requiring them to see the patient in person?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President, we make no specific requirements, nor do we in any physician-patient relationship require physicians to do -- to make a personal appearance or otherwise.

But we do make requirements that they assess the patient extensively. And in my mind, as it has been in the 11 other states, it's worked effectively and safely, and I expect the same here in New York.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Through you, Mr. President. So if there is an extensive evaluation going on, albeit not in person, is mental health a requirement for that? A mental health evaluation, is that required?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. The mental health requirement is such that if the physician thinks that the patient is not making the decision themselves or that they're incapable of making such a decision, then they are required to refer the patient to a mental health examiner for a screening. That is either -- or both -- the attending physician and the consulting physician.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Through you, Mr. President, if someone is potentially choosing to end their life and is in this awful position, why wouldn't they be referred to mental health regardless?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, because I may disagree with my colleague. I don't think requesting end-of-life medication when an individual is suffering, in pain, and dying, suggests a mental health condition.

If anything, I think it's quite rational to seek medical aid in dying when one is suffering unbearably. That's the experience that has been shared with my colleagues and so many of the advocates.

In addition, we don't require a mental health screening for other decisions that may hasten death such as hospice care or a "Do Not Resuscitate" order, for example. Those are also rational decisions that we, as a society of laws, respect the personal autonomy of an individual to make his or her own decisions about their body.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:In those scenarios they have to have capacity. And in order to have capacity, there's an evaluation that's done.

How is a physician who's not spending any time with this person or this patient in person, and no evaluation required, able to determine if this person has capacity?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, physicians make that determination all the time. You know, maybe every day. Maybe every patient they see.

Speak to a physician. They've told me that that is one of their routine checks that they make. And we entrust them to make that.

But don't just trust them, trust the New York State Psychiatric Association, who have strongly supported this legislation because of the safeguards that we've put in place in connection with mental health.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Are you aware of the proliferation of medical aid in dying in Canada?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. I am aware. It's not medical aid in dying, though. It's euthanasia. And it is abhorrent and appalling.

And I am proud that here in the United States, and maybe in New York, we have chosen a distinctly different path for patients who are terminally ill.

There's no requirement in Canada for that. So it is a -- and it's not self-administered. It's a completely different scenario, but one that I'm glad you raise. Because our bill is the diametric opposite of what the courts and statutes are following in Canada.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Through you, Mr. President. It devolved into that, but when it began in Canada, it was shaped similarly.

Are you nervous at all about the protections that are currently in this bill eroding over time through the judiciary and expanding?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Let me -- thank you for the question. Let me tell you how Canada's physician-assisted death is different from medical aid in dying.

In Canada there's no requirement for a terminal illness. There's no requirement that there be a six-month or less prognosis. There's no requirement, as I mentioned earlier, for self-administration of the drugs.

Canada's law is derived from a completely different Bill of Rights, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. And, you know, here in the United States we have both the U.S. Supreme Court and New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals, that have explicitly stated there is no right to die.

The Court of Appeals said that in fact it was up to the Legislature. The Legislature may conclude that, and specify the conditions under which it will permit aid in dying. That was in the case Myers v. Schneiderman, dating back 20 years ago.

But so in addition to that are court decisions which are diametrically opposite to the Supreme Court of Canada. We have the experience, the 27-year experience, beginning with Oregon. No medical-aid-in-dying statute has expanded. We talk about a slippery slope -- the slope has not slipped.

We -- and we are -- we, you and I, Senator, and our colleagues, are the guardians of the slippery slope. We will be the ones, not our courts, as happened in Canada, we would be the ones to expand this law. But we should not, and I'm telling you other states have not either.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Through you, Mr. President. Then I guess this bill is exactly as it was written for -- how long ago? Thirty, 35 years? Has it not changed or expanded at all?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Virtually, no.

There are discussions in states, as I've mentioned earlier, about waiting periods. That is the only permutation that I'm aware of among the 11 states.

There's a constitutional challenge in New Jersey about the waiting period, and other states are looking to waive the waiting period or statutorily address it.

But again, because there's no constitutional right, it's up to legislators to safeguard the outlines of the bill.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:I believe just in the last few years the method of delivery has changed, has it not?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. I'm not aware of that and would welcome to be enlightened.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:So it's my understanding that originally it had to be ingested orally, right? And now it's expanded potentially into other methods of delivery -- tube feed, for example. Is that correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:What was the last part? I'm sorry.

SENATOR ASHBY:Tube feed. Through a tube feed.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:I'm sorry -- oh. Well, there perhaps -- through you, Mr. President, there perhaps could be different ways to administer the medication. But it doesn't change the fact -- and that's probably due to technology over the last 27 years. But it hasn't changed the basic precept that the medication has to be self-administered.

SENATOR ASHBY:Will the sponsor yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR ASHBY:Tube feed has been around for a while, Senator. And again, this is an example of it changing just in the last five years. So when you had mentioned that, you know, we're the guardians of the slippery slope and that -- how the bill is not going to change, just in the last four to five years we're seeing delivery methods change on this and expand.

How does that not concern you that it will change afterwards?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. I was -- couldn't understand. You were saying "tube feeding"?

SENATOR ASHBY:Yeah.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Okay, tube feeding. Okay, got it.

Well, again, that doesn't change -- the administration of the drug still requires -- again, section 15 -- or, rather, 16, "'Self-administer,'" the definition, "means a qualified individual's affirmative, conscious, and voluntary act to ingest medication under this article. Self-administration does not include lethal injection or lethal infusion." Meaning a physician administering that to you, as is the case in Canada.

So the technology may advance, but I think you have the black-and-white guardrails here that self-administration is essential to medical aid in dying.

SENATOR ASHBY:On the bill.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Ashby on the bill.

SENATOR ASHBY:Thank you, Senator Hoylman.

And what we're seeing here is the denial of the proliferation of this already. Just in the last couple of years the bill has changed, the bill has expanded for new means of administration and methods of delivery. It will continue to expand, just as it has in other places.

And we can call this whatever we would like, different names for it, but in the end we all know what it does.

Thank you, Mr. President.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Thank you, Senator Ashby.

Senator Rhoads, why do you rise?

SENATOR RHOADS:I was hoping that the sponsor would yield to a few more questions. As soon as he's finished chewing.

(Laughter.)

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Hoylman-Sigal, do you yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:Thank you, Mr. President. Through you, Mr. President.

You know, I'm happy that you mentioned the support of the New York Psychiatric Association, because it's interesting -- isn't it a fact, Senator, that nowhere in this bill is it required that there actually be a psychiatric evaluation of the patient before this medication is actually given? Is that correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President, no, it's not completely correct.

If the attending or consulting physician deems that the patient is not able to make the decision on their own, then it would be required.

SENATOR RHOADS:Would the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:So you're talking about the actual prescribing physician would be the one to make the determination as to the mental health of the patient. So in theory, your oncologist could be making a decision as to the state of my mental health.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, they would make the first stop. As, again, physicians do all the time when they see a patient every day: Is this patient of mine making a voluntary decision to request all kinds of medication or procedures or hospice or perhaps, you know, a trivial or a serious medical procedure.

And then if they determine that they are not -- this patient is not capable of making an informed decision, in addition to the other requirements, they then refer -- either of those physicians would refer that patient for a mental health screening.

SENATOR RHOADS:Would the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:Thank you, Senator. Through you, Mr. President.

Neither of those physicians actually has to be a psychiatrist, correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President, that is correct.

SENATOR RHOADS:So again -- if the sponsor will continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield? Senator Hoylman-Sigal, do you yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:So again, two oncologists who have no background in psychiatric training are going to be asked to make an evaluation as to whether someone has the capacity to be able to make this decision, is that correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Again, physicians make these assessments all the time. But yes, they are not necessarily, you know, mental health professionals in the first round, they are medical doctors who assess state of mind among their patients all the time.

And for the complete evaluation, they would refer the patient to a mental health expert.

SENATOR RHOADS:Would the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:Through you, Mr. President. However, Senator Hoylman, there is no requirement that they do so, isn't that correct?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Yes, there is no specific requirement that they make the mental -- what the requirement is, is that the physician has to ensure that the patient meets the criteria, inform the patient that they can rescind the request, discuss risks, alternatives, hospice and palliative care.

The secondary physician has to confirm the diagnosis and assess the capacity of the patient.

If the physician is unsure, then the physician refers that -- either physician refers that patient to a mental-health practitioner who has to evaluate the decision-making capacity.

And according to our bill, the attending physician shall not prescribe medication to the patient if they find the patient lacks capacity.

So again, both physicians make the first assessment as to whether a specific mental-health evaluation is required.

SENATOR RHOADS:On the bill briefly.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Rhoads on the bill.

SENATOR RHOADS:Thank you, Senator, for those questions.

There is a difference between mental capacity and a mental-health evaluation. The fact that this bill does not require someone to actually see a mental-health professional to determine whether they're suffering from clinical depression is a fallacy in this bill. Someone can be clinically depressed yet still demonstrate the capacity to be able to make a decision.

And to have someone who is not a trained professional make that determination to have a physician who is not qualified as a psychologist or a psychiatrist to make the determination is problematic. Because someone who is an oncologist, someone who is a cardiologist, someone who has a specialty other than as a mental-health professional is not going to be able to be make the proper mental-health evaluation.

In fact, this bill doesn't even require it. It merely requires that a doctor certify that the individual that appears before them has the capacity to be able to make that decision.

If the sponsor will continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Hoylman-Sigal, do you yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:Can you point in the bill where it actually provides a definition of terminal illness?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes. Through you, Mr. President. Section 17, line 15. Would you like me to read it?

"'Terminal illness or condition' means an incurable and irreversible illness or condition that has been medically confirmed and will, within reasonable medical judgment, produce death within six months."

SENATOR RHOADS:And will the sponsor continue to yield?

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:And is there a definition as to whether the condition needed -- needs to be treatable by medication or not?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. There's nothing specific that the condition be treatable by medication.

But it does state that it has to be incurable and irreversible and, according to reasonable medical judgment, produce death within six months. There's no mention of medication per se.

SENATOR RHOADS:If the sponsor will continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:Well, how does this bill make a distinction -- or does this bill make a distinction between terminal illness and a chronic illness?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, a chronic illness is one that does not lead to death within six months. I can assure you it would not qualify under terminal illness or condition.

SENATOR RHOADS:Will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:Well, how does this bill account for, for example, diseases that are treatable with medication but if you refuse to take the medication would result in death within a period of months? Like, for example, ALS.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Most of the conditions that we've seen in other states are mainly cancer, terminal diagnoses for cancer of six months or fewer. But there are neurodegenerative disorders such as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, that could qualify. They are in fact the second-leading diagnosis of people who use medical aid in dying.

And in terms of an individual withholding a treatment, I think is your question? If that moved them into a potential terminal diagnosis, I think it would not be based on the standard that's the set in the statute, in the law -- bill, rather.

SENATOR RHOADS:Will the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:Well, in what way, if I can ask, would that not meet the determination?

If it's an illness that will result in death within six months and it contains no qualifications with respect to medications -- if, for example, I have advanced diabetes, my kidneys have shut down and I require daily dialysis, I can live indefinitely as long as I receive that dialysis. The moment that I stop, I could be dead within a matter of a few days.

If I make the conscious decision that I want to stop, why wouldn't I meet the criteria under the bill?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President, let's start with the fact that if you do have chronic diabetes and you stop dialysis, for example, sadly, I think you would expire before you'd even got the paperwork together. It's my understanding that that would be a matter of days, not weeks, which would be required under this bill.

But also, to my colleague, look at the word "irreversible," which is a requirement. The condition has to be irreversible. I would suggest that in a situation involving dialysis, that is reversible, if the patient would resume that treatment and then could continue to live. So that would not qualify, in my assessment, under our bill.

SENATOR RHOADS:If the sponsor will continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:And where is that definition in your bill?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:That definition of irreversibility is in Section 17, line 15: "'Terminal illness or condition,'" which I read earlier, means an incurable and irreversible, incurable and irreversible illness or condition that has been medically confirmed.

SENATOR RHOADS:So it's a definition --

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Are you on the bill, Senator Rhoads, or --

SENATOR RHOADS:On the bill.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Senator Rhoads on the bill.

SENATOR RHOADS:So it's a definition of a term that in the definition contains the very term that you're seeking to define.

So in reality, it appears as though there is no definition of what an irreversible condition actually would turn out to be, opening the pathway so that if somebody refuses ordinary treatment and that ordinary treatment will actually enable them to -- will actually enable them to qualify for a condition that would allow them to take advantage of a medication that will actually end their life more quickly.

By the way -- if the sponsor will continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:In your bill is there any way to track potential abuses by physicians?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:I'm sorry, so sorry.

SENATOR RHOADS:In your bill is there any way to track abuses by physicians?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Track abuses.

SENATOR RHOADS:Yes.

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Well, there is a pretty rigorous reporting requirement that is in place, which is in Section 2899, and requires annual reports to the Legislature, among other things. (Reading.) The physician shall document or file the dates of oral requests, the written requests, attending physician's diagnosis and prognosis, et cetera.

And then at the -- and then there's reporting requirements to the State Legislature, which is in Section -- it's also in Section 2899.

So -- but, I mean, abuses would presumably be part of this report should they exist. Of course we have our criminal statutes also in terms of any transgressions that I assume would be part of the annual reports to the State Legislature.

SENATOR RHOADS:Would the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Yes.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:The sponsor yields.

SENATOR RHOADS:But the annual reports are statistical reports, are they not? Who would actually review, on a case-by-case basis, the decisions that are made by physicians to determine whether there's an anomaly or whether there's abuse in any particular instance?

SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL:Through you, Mr. President. Well, Section 2 of the section I was referring to, 2899, says the commissioner -- the Health Commissioner shall prepare a report annually containing relevant data regarding utilization and compliance with this article, and shall send such report to the Legislature and post it on the department's website. I'm assuming that would encompass your concerns.

SENATOR RHOADS:Would the sponsor continue to yield.

ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY:Will the sponsor yield?