6739
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 June 2, 2026
11 1:58 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR ROXANNE J. PERSAUD, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
20
21
22
23
24
25
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
3 Senate will come to order.
4 I ask everyone present to please
5 rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: In the
9 absence of clergy, let us bow our heads in a
10 moment of silent reflection or prayer.
11 (Whereupon, the assemblage respected
12 a moment of silence.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Reading
14 of the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Monday,
16 June 1, 2026, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Sunday, May 31,
18 2026, was read and approved. On motion, the
19 Senate adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Without
21 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 The Secretary will read.
25 THE SECRETARY: Senator Comrie
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1 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Banks,
2 Assembly Bill Number 391 and substitute it for
3 the identical Senate Bill 5473, Third Reading
4 Calendar 188.
5 Senator Ryan moves to discharge,
6 from the Committee on Labor, Assembly Bill
7 Number 5894A and substitute it for the identical
8 Senate Bill 6912A, Third Reading Calendar 356.
9 Senator Parker moves to discharge,
10 from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill
11 Number 622C and substitute it for the identical
12 Senate Bill 5955B, Third Reading Calendar 487.
13 Senator May moves to discharge, from
14 the Committee on Consumer Protection,
15 Assembly Bill Number 852B and substitute it for
16 the identical Senate Bill 1541A, Third Reading
17 Calendar 539.
18 Senator Sepúlveda moves to
19 discharge, from the Committee on Codes,
20 Assembly Bill Number 8382A and substitute it for
21 the identical Senate Bill 9316, Third Reading
22 Calendar 572.
23 Senator Skoufis moves to discharge,
24 from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill
25 Number 3919B and substitute it for the identical
6742
1 Senate Bill 6254B, Third Reading Calendar 703.
2 Senator Cleare moves to discharge,
3 from the Committee on Aging, Assembly Bill
4 Number 10055 and substitute it for the identical
5 Senate Bill 8689, Third Reading Calendar 725.
6 Senator Hinchey moves to discharge,
7 from the Committee on Education, Assembly Bill
8 Number 4384B and substitute it for the identical
9 Senate Bill 7150B, Third Reading Calendar 743.
10 Senator Skoufis moves to discharge,
11 from the Committee on Ethics, Assembly Bill
12 Number 463B and substitute it for the identical
13 Senate Bill 4857C, Third Reading Calendar 826.
14 Senator Webb moves to discharge,
15 from the Committee on Local Government,
16 Assembly Bill Number 9183A and substitute it for
17 the identical Senate Bill 8513A, Third Reading
18 Calendar 900.
19 Senator Persaud moves to discharge,
20 from the Committee on Social Services,
21 Assembly Bill Number 2538A and substitute it for
22 the identical Senate Bill 7754A, Third Reading
23 Calendar 1025.
24 Senator Skoufis moves to discharge,
25 from the Committee on Banks, Assembly Bill
6743
1 Number 9404A and substitute it for the identical
2 Senate Bill 9570A, Third Reading Calendar 1033.
3 Senator Cleare moves to discharge,
4 from the Committee on Children and Families,
5 Assembly Bill Number 5893A and substitute it for
6 the identical Senate Bill 5437A, Third Reading
7 Calendar 1053.
8 Senator Martinez moves to discharge,
9 from the Committee on Health, Assembly Bill
10 Number 5115 and substitute it for the identical
11 Senate Bill 674, Third Reading Calendar 1091.
12 Senator Mayer moves to discharge,
13 from the Committee on Health, Assembly Bill
14 Number 10243 and substitute it for the identical
15 Senate Bill 10090, Third Reading Calendar 1102.
16 Senator Comrie moves to discharge,
17 from the Committee on Energy and
18 Telecommunications, Assembly Bill Number 7633A
19 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill
20 Number 7260A, Third Reading Calendar 1120.
21 Senator Cooney moves to discharge,
22 from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill
23 Number 6522A and substitute it for the identical
24 Senate Bill 2113A, Third Reading Calendar 1124.
25 Senator Cooney moves to discharge,
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1 from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill
2 Number 1062 and substitute it for the identical
3 Senate Bill 8920, Third Reading Calendar 1127.
4 Senator Ryan moves to discharge,
5 from the Committee on Cities 2, Assembly Bill
6 Number 8680A and substitute it for the identical
7 Senate Bill 8283A, Third Reading Calendar 1130.
8 Senator Cooney moves to discharge,
9 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
10 Number 10698B and substitute it for the identical
11 Senate Bill 8951B, Third Reading Calendar 1144.
12 Senator Sanders moves to discharge,
13 from the Committee on Procurement and Contracts,
14 Assembly Bill Number 7125 and substitute it for
15 the identical Senate Bill 8291, Third Reading
16 Calendar 1154.
17 Senator Martinez moves to discharge,
18 from the Committee on Procurement and Contracts,
19 Assembly Bill Number 11225A and substitute it for
20 the identical Senate Bill 9594A, Third Reading
21 Calendar 1156.
22 Senator Fernandez moves to
23 discharge, from the Committee on Veterans,
24 Homeland Security and Military Affairs,
25 Assembly Bill Number 6559C and substitute it for
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1 the identical Senate Bill 7708B, Third Reading
2 Calendar 1161.
3 Senator Liu moves to discharge,
4 from the Committee on Finance, Assembly Bill
5 Number 9240A and substitute it for the identical
6 Senate Bill 8574A, Third Reading Calendar 1211.
7 Senator Krueger moves to discharge,
8 from the Committee on Finance, Assembly Bill
9 Number 9598 and substitute it for the identical
10 Senate Bill 8851, Third Reading Calendar 1212.
11 Senator Scarcella-Spanton moves to
12 discharge, from the Committee on Cultural
13 Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation,
14 Assembly Bill Number 3223A and substitute it for
15 the identical Senate Bill Number 7277A,
16 Third Reading Calendar 1220.
17 Senator Gianaris moves to discharge,
18 from the Committee on Health, Assembly Bill
19 Number 3283C and substitute it for the identical
20 Senate Bill 9279A, Third Reading Calendar 1234.
21 Senator Palumbo moves to discharge,
22 from the Committee on Local Government,
23 Assembly Bill Number 10326A and substitute it for
24 the identical Senate Bill 9079A, Third Reading
25 Calendar 1246.
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1 Senator Zellner moves to discharge,
2 from the Committee on Local Government,
3 Assembly Bill Number 11162A and substitute it for
4 the identical Senate Bill 10075A, Third Reading
5 Calendar 1253.
6 Senator Addabbo moves to discharge,
7 from the Committee on Racing, Gaming and
8 Wagering, Assembly Bill Number 3681A and
9 substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 5614,
10 Third Reading Calendar 1287.
11 Senator Addabbo moves to discharge,
12 from the Committee on Racing, Gaming and
13 Wagering, Assembly Bill Number 10329 and
14 substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 9415,
15 Third Reading Calendar 1288.
16 Senator Liu moves to discharge,
17 from the Committee on Labor, Assembly Bill
18 Number 9350C and substitute it for the identical
19 Senate Bill 8494C, Third Reading Calendar 1291.
20 Senator Ramos moves to discharge,
21 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
22 Number 10510 and substitute it for the identical
23 Senate Bill 9251, Third Reading Calendar 1292.
24 Senator Webb moves to discharge,
25 from the Committee on Women's Issues,
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1 Assembly Bill Number 9304 and substitute it for
2 the identical Senate Bill 8543, Third Reading
3 Calendar 1320.
4 Senator Bottcher moves to discharge,
5 from the Committee on Codes, Assembly Bill
6 Number 1962B and substitute it for the identical
7 Senate Bill 9629, Third Reading Calendar 1411.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: So
9 ordered.
10 Messages from the Governor.
11 Reports of standing committees.
12 Reports of select committees.
13 Communications and reports from
14 state officers.
15 Motions and resolutions.
16 Senator Gianaris.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Good afternoon,
18 Madam President.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Good
20 afternoon.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: On behalf of
22 Senator Weber, I wish to call up Senate Print
23 8062 -- not Weber, Webb, I'm sorry.
24 On behalf of Senator Webb, I wish to
25 call up Senate Print 8062A, recalled from the
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1 Assembly, which is now at the desk.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
3 Secretary will read.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 399, Senate Print 8062A, by Senator Webb, an act
6 to amend the Public Service Law.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to
8 reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
10 Secretary will call the roll on reconsideration.
11 (The Secretary called the roll.)
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
14 is restored to its place on the Third Reading
15 Calendar.
16 SENATOR GIANARIS: I offer the
17 following amendments.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
19 amendments are received.
20 SENATOR GIANARIS: I also offer
21 amendments to the following Third Reading
22 Calendar bills:
23 By Senator Cooney, page 22,
24 Calendar Number 943, Senate Print 9056;
25 By Senator Myrie, page 25,
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1 Calendar 1027, Senate Print 3789B.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
3 amendments are received.
4 (Pause; off the record.)
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: I didn't hear
6 you, I apologize.
7 Moving on to resolutions, we had
8 such a great time yesterday I thought we'd take
9 up my resolution again.
10 (Laughter.)
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Just kidding.
12 Just kidding.
13 What we're going to do is
14 simultaneously call an immediate meeting of the
15 Rules Committee and continue with resolutions,
16 beginning with Resolution 2285, by
17 Senator Hinchey.
18 Before we do that, I want to move to
19 adopt the Resolution Calendar, with the exception
20 of Resolutions 2138, 2143, and 2285.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: All
22 those in favor of adopting the Resolution
23 Calendar, with the exception of Resolutions 2138,
24 2143, and 2285, please signify by saying aye.
25 (Response of "Aye.")
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Opposed,
2 nay.
3 (No response.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
5 Resolution Committee is adopted.
6 Senator Gianaris.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Now let's take
8 up Resolution 2285, by Senator Hinchey, read its
9 title, call on Senator Hinchey, and
10 simultaneously call an immediate meeting of the
11 Rules Committee in Room 332.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: There
13 will be an immediate meeting of the
14 Rules Committee in Room 332.
15 The Secretary will read.
16 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 2285, by
17 Senator Hinchey, mourning the death of
18 Hudson Talbott, distinguished citizen,
19 beloved writer, talented artist, and devoted
20 member of his community.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
22 Hinchey on the resolution.
23 SENATOR HINCHEY: Madam President,
24 I rise today to honor the life and unforgettable
25 legacy of Mr. Hudson Talbott, a celebrated
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1 communicator, an international ambassador of
2 creativity, and a beloved resident of the
3 Hudson Valley.
4 Hudson was a masterful writer,
5 illustrator and artist with a rare gift, the
6 ability to turn big ideas and thought-provoking
7 art into stories that resonate with people of all
8 ages. He knew how to meet minds exactly where
9 their imaginations lived.
10 His work is celebrated worldwide,
11 earning prestigious commissions from renowned
12 institutions like the Louvre, in Paris, and
13 closer to home at the Metropolitan Museum of Art,
14 the Museum of Modern Art, and the Metropolitan
15 Opera.
16 His calling was sparked unexpectedly
17 when the Museum of Modern Art commissioned him to
18 create a unique guide for young visitors titled
19 "How to Show Grownups the Museum." That project
20 ignited a realization for Hudson. It showed him
21 that he could take the places and ideas most
22 sacred to him, from the bustling energy of
23 New York City to the quiet majesty of the
24 Hudson River, and share that sense of wonder with
25 children all over the world.
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1 For over four decades, Hudson poured
2 his talents into awakening a sense of possibility
3 for his readers through his children's books. He
4 turned prehistoric creatures into beloved
5 characters in We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story, and
6 collaborated with Steven Sondheim to adapt
7 Into the Woods for young readers.
8 Perhaps most inspiring of all,
9 Hudson drew upon his own childhood struggles with
10 dyslexia in his award-winning book A Walk in the
11 Words. It was his way of creating something to
12 help children facing similar struggles who might
13 find in its pages strength, understanding, and
14 the realization that they are never alone.
15 Beyond the bookshelves, Hudson was a
16 devoted community leader. He was a founding
17 trustee of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site
18 in Catskill, where he served for 20 years,
19 sharing the richness of Thomas Cole's work and
20 influence on American landscape painting.
21 Hudson inspired people to dream, to
22 believe in themselves, and to remain infinitely
23 curious. What an incredible gift, that he could
24 do this through the words that he brought to life
25 in his books.
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1 The connections Hudson forged
2 between fine art, history, and children's
3 literature will be felt in the Hudson Valley and
4 around the world for generations to come.
5 And on a personal note, Hudson was
6 an incredible friend. You could feel his joy and
7 his love almost physically spill over when he
8 engaged in something that he loved or with
9 someone that he appreciated. What a gift to have
10 known Hudson and to have been a recipient of that
11 warmth.
12 When I think about Catskill, I think
13 of Hudson. His love for the village, his
14 excitement for the new businesses, his creation
15 of the tight-knit community that exists today.
16 Hudson really is woven into the
17 fabric of Catskill. And I will think of him
18 every time I have a cup of coffee at Willa's, or
19 walk the main street, or celebrate Catskill Pride
20 or look at the beautiful landscapes where we are
21 so lucky to call home.
22 Madam President, we are joined today
23 by Hudson's incredible partner, Jay Lesenger, and
24 his longtime assistant and close friend
25 Amanda Collier.
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1 To you I extend my deep sympathies,
2 sincere sympathies. Hudson will be truly missed.
3 He was larger than life, an incredible person, an
4 absolute joy, and someone who I feel so lucky and
5 privileged to have been able not just to know but
6 to call a friend.
7 Madam President, please offer our
8 guests all of the privileges and cordialities of
9 this chamber.
10 Thank you very much.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
12 you.
13 To the relatives and friends of
14 Hudson Talbott, I offer you our condolences.
15 Thank you for being here.
16 I welcome you on behalf of the
17 Senate. We extend to you the privileges and
18 courtesies of this house. Please rise and be
19 recognized.
20 (Standing ovation.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: All
22 those in favor of adopting the resolution please
23 signify by saying aye.
24 (Response of "Aye.")
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Opposed,
6755
1 nay.
2 (No response.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
4 resolution is adopted.
5 Senator Serrano.
6 SENATOR SERRANO: Madam President,
7 let's please recognize Senator Harckham for an
8 introduction.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
10 Harckham for an introduction.
11 SENATOR HARCKHAM: Thank you very
12 much, Madam President.
13 You know, as elected officials we
14 get a lot of the attention, whether it's here in
15 the chamber or back in the district with
16 constituents. But we would be nowhere without
17 our talented staff, the folks who have the
18 energy, the ideas, put in the long hours.
19 And that extends to our interns,
20 very talented young people who want to learn
21 about public service. And to the curmudgeons we
22 run into from time to time who bemoan the next
23 generation, I say to them they should pound sand,
24 because we have some remarkable young folks here
25 who are offering their time and their talents to
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1 learn service and step up to be the next
2 generation of leaders.
3 I feel very good not only about the
4 interns in my office, but also the interns I meet
5 in many of your offices.
6 So, Madam President, I have from our
7 Peekskill office, visiting today to learn more
8 about what we do here: Megan Crowe,
9 Declan Whalen, Kevin O'Connell, Jared Delventhal,
10 Rhea Neronin, Aniyah Morte, and James Colodner.
11 And with them from our crackerjack
12 Constituent Affairs Team: Peter Lombardo and
13 Kathleen Clarke.
14 And I also want to make a note,
15 sitting behind me is a remarkable young woman who
16 came to us as a session assistant and stayed on a
17 legislative aide. Today is her last day:
18 Zara Pinar.
19 So, Madam President, if you would
20 welcome them to the chamber and extend to them
21 the courtesies of the house, I would be greatly
22 appreciative.
23 Thank you.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
25 you.
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1 To all of the incredible interns and
2 to Zara, congratulations. I hope you had an
3 experience that you will never forget.
4 I welcome you on behalf of the
5 Senate. We extend to you the privileges and
6 courtesies of this house.
7 Please all rise and be recognized.
8 (Standing ovation.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
10 Serrano.
11 SENATOR SERRANO: Madam President,
12 let's please take up previously adopted
13 Resolution 1890, by Senator Hinchey. Let's read
14 that title only and call on Senator Hinchey.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
16 Secretary will read.
17 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 1890, by
18 Senator Hinchey, memorializing Governor Kathy
19 Hochul to proclaim June 2026 as Dairy Month in
20 the State of New York.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
22 Hinchey on the resolution.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
24 you, Madam President.
25 Today here at the Capitol, it's one
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1 of my favorite days of the year, Dairy Day. From
2 ice cream and yogurt to artisan cheeses and cold
3 glasses of milk, the dairy industry is New York's
4 leading ag specialty.
5 This powerhouse sector thrives
6 thanks to a dedicated community of over
7 3,000 dairy farmers. Unlike other parts of the
8 country, New York's dairy industry is not
9 dominated by corporate factory farms. In our
10 state, dairy was started, stewarded and expanded
11 by generations of local families.
12 The invaluable wisdom passed down
13 through these families is exactly why New York
14 competes and leads on the national stage. Today
15 our state ranks proudly No. 1 in yogurt,
16 sour cream and cottage cheese, and No. 4 in total
17 dairy production.
18 Our farmers have done an incredible
19 job in elevating New York dairy, and they're
20 supported by strong collaborations with
21 world-class research partners at Cornell CALS and
22 local CCEs across the state. Through that
23 partnership, New York outproduces our neighbors
24 in Pennsylvania and Vermont in total milk
25 production.
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1 New York dairy farmers are also
2 leading the way in sustainability, achieving a
3 42 percent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions
4 per gallon of milk, and a 24 percent reduction in
5 total farm emissions because of the practices
6 they've implemented to help steward our
7 environment.
8 Their hard work has attracted over
9 $3.5 billion in new investment in New York over
10 the next five years, making New York No. 1 in
11 dairy manufacturing advancements across the
12 country. That's an incredible feat.
13 New York dairy punches well above
14 its weight because of the grit, determination and
15 love of our family farms. We had a number of our
16 local producers who were in the chamber with us
17 earlier, and we had a great day at Dairy Day in
18 the Well.
19 I want to give a special shout-out
20 to Hudson Valley Fresh, who is an incredible
21 co-op in my district who makes sure that all of
22 our students are drinking good, healthy milk in
23 our schools.
24 I rise to vote aye on this
25 resolution and to support Dairy Month in the
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1 State of New York.
2 Thank you very much,
3 Madam President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
5 you, Senator.
6 Senator Borrello on the resolution.
7 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
8 Madam President.
9 Well, if the two-story-tall
10 inflatable cow didn't tell you that today was
11 Dairy Day, you obviously missed something big.
12 You know, it is a great day to
13 celebrate agriculture. I want to thank our
14 chairwoman of the Ag Committee, Senator Hinchey.
15 I'm proud to be the ranking member of the
16 Agriculture Committee.
17 And New York is an agriculture
18 state, and it is a dairy state, that is for sure.
19 As was mentioned, yogurt, cheese, so many great
20 dairy products here in New York State that drive
21 our economy, that make sure our food is made here
22 locally to help our food security. It is a huge
23 economic engine that is so important.
24 It's tough to be a farmer here in
25 New York State. It's tough to be a farmer
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1 anywhere, quite frankly, but particularly here in
2 New York State. But yet we are proud to have
3 nearly 98 percent of our farms are family-owned
4 farms.
5 In my district there are over
6 4500 farms, literally one farm for every square
7 mile of the 57th Senate District, much of which
8 are dairy farms. They are people that work hard
9 every day, they're proud of what they do. They
10 feed our families and they keep our people
11 employed.
12 God bless those that farm. And
13 today we celebrate agriculture and dairy farms in
14 particular. Again, I'm proud to vote yes.
15 Thank you, Madam President.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
17 Oberacker on the resolution.
18 SENATOR OBERACKER: Thank you,
19 Madam President.
20 As the proud pop-pop to two
21 grandsons who are on their family dairy farm,
22 Dairy Day, Dairy Month is every day on the farm
23 for them.
24 Just the other day my grandson
25 Daniel was explaining to me the proper way to
6762
1 chop hay. And I was -- he's only four years old,
2 Madam President, and the job to educate the
3 Senator is not an easy one, as I'm sure most of
4 my colleagues in the chamber would agree to. But
5 he did such a great job of explaining how that
6 was done that I can't imagine a better
7 farmer-in-training than my grandson.
8 My son, my daughter-in-law, they
9 work the farm in Columbia County. God bless them
10 for the life that they've chosen, the hard work
11 that they put out every day.
12 Thank you to our chair for bringing
13 this resolution forward. And I, as a proud dairy
14 pop-pop, proudly vote aye.
15 Thank you, Madam President.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
17 you.
18 The resolution was adopted on
19 April 21st.
20 Senator Gianaris.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please recognize
22 Senator Tedisco for an introduction.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
24 Tedisco for an introduction.
25 SENATOR TEDISCO: Thank you,
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1 Madam President.
2 And Madam President and my
3 colleagues, we're heading towards the home
4 stretch, but we've still got a lot of work to do.
5 And I guess because of that we had to rearrange
6 some things here.
7 And I'm so excited that I still have
8 the opportunity to have some outstanding scholars
9 and their mentors, their educators and their
10 teachers here from a great high school in the
11 44th Senate District.
12 And they're up in the balcony over
13 there (pointing).
14 I rise today to welcome to the
15 chamber and introduce three outstanding academic
16 teams from the Niskayuna Central School District,
17 one of the many fine districts in the 44th Senate
18 District.
19 Niskayuna has long been recognized
20 as one of New York's premier STEM school
21 districts. And these students have once again
22 demonstrated why their community is synonymous
23 with academic excellence.
24 Joining us are the Niskayuna
25 High School Science Bowl Champions, coached by
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1 Elizabeth Kenny. Also with us, the Niskayuna
2 High School MasterMinds Champions, coached by
3 Victor Alcantara. And the Iroquois Middle
4 School Science Bowl Champions, coached by
5 Karen Postlethwait.
6 Remarkably, remarkably, all three
7 teams captured their regional championships and
8 advanced to the national-level competition,
9 representing not only Niskayuna but New York
10 State on the national stage last month in
11 Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Department of
12 Energy National Science Bowl National Finals from
13 April 30th through May 4th, 2026, and the NAQT
14 High School National Championship Tournament --
15 often referred to as MasterMinds or Quiz Bowl
16 Nationals -- in Atlanta, Georgia, from May 22nd
17 to 24th, 2026.
18 It is especially impressive,
19 Madam Chairman and my colleagues, that several
20 students competed on both the Science Bowl and
21 MasterMinds teams, excelling across multiple
22 academic disciplines.
23 Also, I really want to recognize the
24 tremendous impact of dedicated educators and
25 mentors such as Coaches Kenny and Postlethwait,
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1 whose leadership serves as an outstanding example
2 for young women pursuing careers in science,
3 technology, engineering and mathematics, as well
4 as, of course, their Coach Alcantara.
5 Madam President, I ask that we join
6 together in congratulating these outstanding
7 students from an outstanding academic high
8 school, Niskayuna High School; offer them all the
9 cordialities of this august body. We're proud of
10 you, and we'd love to have you stand up.
11 And would you welcome them,
12 Madam Chairman -- President.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: To our
14 students from Niskayuna, congratulations on your
15 academic excellence. Keep aiming high.
16 I welcome you on behalf of the
17 Senate. We extend to you the privileges and
18 courtesies of this house. And to your academic
19 leaders, congratulations on a job well done.
20 Please rise and be recognized.
21 (Standing ovation.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
23 Gianaris.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's move on to
25 previously adopted Resolution 1472, by
6766
1 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, read its title and
2 call on Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, please.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
4 Secretary will read.
5 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 1472, by
6 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, commending
7 Gabriella Scheer upon the occasion of her
8 designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the
9 highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the
10 New York State Senate.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
12 Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick on the resolution.
13 SENATOR CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK:
14 Thank you, Madam President.
15 I rise today to recognize a special
16 constituent from my district who's here with us
17 in the chamber, Gabriella Scheer.
18 Gabby is here with her family from
19 Long Island, and I am proud to welcome her to the
20 State Senate chamber. In April of 2025, Gabby
21 was at work at a local hair salon and her boss
22 wasn't feeling well.
23 While in the back of the salon, she
24 heard a loud noise from the front and feared that
25 something terrible had happened. When she came
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1 forward, her boss was not standing behind the
2 counter. She looked behind the counter and found
3 that he was unconscious on the floor.
4 In that moment, many people would
5 have frozen, but Gabby did not. Her instincts
6 took over. She called 911 immediately. And
7 despite not having any formal training, she began
8 performing CPR with the assistance of the 911
9 operator.
10 When the members of the
11 Franklin Square & Munson Fire Department arrived,
12 they told Gabby to continue with CPR since she
13 was in such a good rhythm. Because of Gabby's
14 quick thinking, composure, and willingness to
15 act, a pulse was restored before her boss was
16 transported to the hospital.
17 Her efforts weren't done at that
18 point. When they took him to the hospital, she
19 stayed behind to make sure that the salon was
20 properly closed up and continued.
21 Gabby's courage and willingness to
22 act is a reflection of the family that she comes
23 from. She is one of two daughters of George and
24 Fara Scheer. Her father George served for
25 15 years with the FDNY at Engine 249, and for
6768
1 nearly three decades in the Malverne Volunteer
2 Fire Department. George unfortunately passed
3 away (tearing up) at the age of 47 in 2018.
4 He has left a hole in this family --
5 excuse me -- and in the Malverne community. He
6 was a dear friend of mine, and I know today he is
7 smiling down on Gabby for continuing the family
8 legacy of service, courage, and stepping forward
9 when others need help.
10 Due to her efforts, Gabby and the
11 family in the Franklin Square & Munson
12 Fire Department saved a life.
13 It is my honor to award Gabby with
14 the highest award in New York State, the New York
15 State Liberty Medal. And I ask today that we
16 welcome her and her family and extend all the
17 cordialities and privileges of this chamber.
18 Thank you, Madam President.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
20 you.
21 To Gabriella Scheer, congratulations
22 on your award. Thank you for stepping up and
23 saving a life. Thank you for having the courage.
24 To your family, we welcome you here
25 also. Thank you for being her support.
6769
1 On behalf of the Senate, I welcome
2 you. Please rise and be recognized, and we
3 extend to you all of the privileges and
4 courtesies of this house.
5 (Standing ovation.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
7 resolution was adopted on January 28th.
8 Senator Gianaris.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please call on
10 Senator Weber for an introduction.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
12 Weber for an introduction.
13 SENATOR WEBER: Thank you,
14 Madam President.
15 Today I rise to recognize a very
16 special family visiting us here in the New York
17 State Senate chamber from my Senate district,
18 Shmulie Hartstein, with his two sons, Yehuda and
19 Zev. You guys want to stand up for me?
20 Over the last couple of months, many
21 members in this chamber had the opportunity to
22 meet Shmulie through his organization
23 Kol Yisroel, a grassroots civic engagement
24 movement focused on educating young people about
25 government, public service, and the importance of
6770
1 becoming involved in their communities.
2 Through ten separate missions to
3 Albany in just the last five months alone,
4 Shmulie has brought hundreds of students,
5 volunteers and advocates to our State Capitol to
6 experience firsthand how government works and to
7 advocate for important community safety
8 legislation.
9 But today's visit is especially
10 meaningful. Today, during these final days of
11 the legislative session, he is here alongside his
12 two children, Yehuda and Zev, ages 10 and 7,
13 giving them the opportunity to witness democracy
14 in action at that very young age. Throughout the
15 day they met with elected officials, walked the
16 halls of the Capitol and Legislative Office
17 Building, and learned about the legislative
18 process and public service.
19 And I can personally say, after
20 spending much time with them, not only here but
21 back in the district, that they're thoughtful,
22 respectful and wonderful young boys.
23 Moments like this matter, and I know
24 that they will remember this as well as us.
25 Because when young people are exposed to civic
6771
1 engagement early in life, they begin to
2 understand that their voices matter and that they
3 too can make a difference in their communities
4 and in our state.
5 So today we proudly welcome
6 Yehuda and Zev Hartstein, along with their
7 father, Shmulie, founder of Kol Yisroel, to the
8 New York State Senate.
9 Madam President, I ask that all the
10 courtesies and privileges of this chamber be
11 extended to my guests here today.
12 Thank you.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
14 you.
15 He's just been smiling and --
16 (Laughter.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: I know
18 you had an enjoyable day here today, right? Yes.
19 (Laughter.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: To the
21 Hartstein family, I hope you really enjoyed your
22 experience here today. I welcome you on behalf
23 of the Senate. We extend to you the privileges
24 and courtesies of this house.
25 Please continue standing and be
6772
1 recognized.
2 (Standing ovation.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
4 Gianaris.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Next up is an
6 introduction by Senator Bottcher.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
8 Bottcher for an introduction.
9 SENATOR BOTTCHER: Thank you,
10 Madam President.
11 Today we are joined by Diana
12 Cochran. Diana is the mother of Francesco, whose
13 life was cut short tragically at the age of 17.
14 No parent should ever have to endure
15 the loss of a child. And Diana could have
16 suffered this loss alone, privately, no one would
17 have blamed her for doing that. But instead, she
18 turned her grief into action. She chose to
19 relive the most painful chapter in her life by
20 sharing her story, by coming to Albany to
21 advocate for safe-storage-of-firearms laws.
22 When I think about Diana, I think
23 about my own mother. As many of you know, I
24 survived suicide attempts as a teen. And I'm
25 thankful that I survived, because I've lived a
6773
1 life that's beyond anything I ever dreamt of.
2 But I'm most thankful because I think about the
3 lifetime of anguish and pain that my family would
4 have experienced, including my mother.
5 So Diana, you've moved hearts,
6 you've changed minds, and you've saved lives. We
7 thank you on behalf of so many. We welcome you
8 here today.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
10 you.
11 To Diana Cochran, thank you for your
12 continued advocacy.
13 I welcome you on behalf of the
14 Senate. We extend to you the privileges and
15 courtesies of this house.
16 Please rise and be recognized.
17 (Standing ovation.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
19 Serrano.
20 SENATOR SERRANO: Thank you.
21 So let's -- at this time,
22 Madam President, let's begin with going through
23 the calendar.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
25 Secretary will read.
6774
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 188, Assembly Bill Number 391, by
3 Assemblymember Vanel, an act to amend the
4 Financial Services Law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
6 last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
8 act shall take effect immediately.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
10 roll.
11 (The Secretary called the roll.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
13 the results.
14 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
15 Calendar 188, voting in the negative:
16 Senator Walczyk.
17 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 356, Assembly Bill Number 5894A, by
22 Assemblymember Berger, an act to amend the
23 Workers' Compensation Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
25 last section.
6775
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 487, Assembly Bill Number 622C, by
13 Assemblymember Kim, an act to amend the
14 Insurance Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
18 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
19 shall have become a law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
24 Liu to explain his vote.
25 SENATOR LIU: Thank you very much,
6776
1 Madam President.
2 I just wanted to talk about the
3 importance of this bill. This bill is a -- has
4 been on the agenda for many years now, carried by
5 Senator Parker. And I am absolutely elated that
6 it is finally, at long last, passing this
7 chamber. It passed the Assembly a few weeks ago.
8 Acupuncture, as many of us know --
9 and I came to personally know just a few weeks
10 ago -- has been a form of medicine treatment for
11 thousands of years. And yet for a long time here
12 in the State of New York it was not recognized as
13 such.
14 It has, in the last few decades,
15 become more and more widespread as a treatment
16 for a variety of ailments, but to this day still
17 does not carry the force of insurance coverage
18 that other forms of treatment for illnesses and
19 diseases have.
20 And so this bill will finally allow
21 all of our fellow New Yorkers to access this
22 important kind of treatment that really has been
23 shown to be effective for many, many millennia.
24 So I want to thank Senator Parker
25 for carrying this bill, and I recommend a yes
6777
1 vote on this.
2 Thank you very much,
3 Madam President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
5 Liu to be recorded in the affirmative.
6 Senator Weik to explain her vote.
7 SENATOR WEIK: Thank you,
8 Madam President.
9 There's so few holistic practices
10 that are recognized. I'm so glad; I use
11 acupuncture for migraines. It's really a great
12 practice, and I'm very grateful to see this bill
13 come to the floor to have it be covered by
14 insurance, because it really is effective.
15 You can't overdose on it, you can't
16 become addicted to it. So it's really one of the
17 best medical practices.
18 So thank you.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
20 Weik to be recorded in the affirmative.
21 Announce the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
23 Calendar 487, voting in the negative are
24 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Gallivan, Murray,
25 Ortt, Rhoads and Walczyk.
6778
1 Ayes, 54. Nays, 6.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 496, Senate Print 9165, by Senator Cleare, an act
6 to amend the Elder Law.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
8 last section.
9 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
10 act shall take effect immediately.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
12 roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
15 the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
18 is passed.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 539, Assembly Bill Number 852B, by
21 Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the
22 General Business Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6779
1 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
2 shall have become a law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
9 Calendar 539, voting in the negative are
10 Senators Borrello, Griffo, Lanza, Mayer, O'Mara,
11 Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Skoufis, Tedisco and
12 Walczyk. Also Senator Helming.
13 Ayes, 48. Nays, 12.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 572, Assembly Bill Number 8382A, by
18 Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the Family
19 Court Act.
20 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Lay it
22 aside.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 625, Senate Print 8061, by Senator Skoufis, an
25 act to amend the Correction Law.
6780
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
5 shall have become a law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 639, Senate Print 5665B, by Senator Cleare, an
16 act to amend the Public Health Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
25 the results.
6781
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 681, Senate Print 8595, by Senator Myrie, an act
6 to amend the Real Property Actions and
7 Proceedings Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
11 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
12 shall have become a law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
17 the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
19 Calendar 681, voting in the negative are
20 Senators Chan, Griffo, O'Mara, Walczyk and Weber.
21 Also Senator Borrello. Also Senator Mattera.
22 Also Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.
23 (Laughter.)
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 53. Nays, 8.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
6782
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 703, Assembly Bill Number 3919B, by
4 Assemblymember Weprin, an act to amend the
5 Insurance Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar 703, voting in the negative:
17 Senator Walczyk.
18 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 707, Senate Print 9517A, by Senator Mayer, an act
23 to amend the Insurance Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
25 last section.
6783
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
9 Calendar 707, voting in the negative are
10 Senators Borrello, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming,
11 Walczyk and Weik.
12 Ayes, 55. Nays, 6.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 722, Senate Print 7933A, by Senator Cooney, an
17 act to amend the Real Property Actions and
18 Proceedings Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6784
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 722, voting in the negative are
5 Senators Mayer and Ortt.
6 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 725, Assembly Bill Number 10055, by
11 Assemblymember Zaccaro, an act to amend the
12 Elder Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
16 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
17 shall have become a law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
25 is passed.
6785
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 734, Senate Print 7839B, by Senator Hinchey, an
3 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
7 act shall take effect immediately.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 743, Assembly Bill Number 4384B, by
18 Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the
19 Education Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
23 act shall take effect on the first of July.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
25 roll.
6786
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
6 is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 767, Senate Print 1834A, by Senator Martinez, an
9 act to amend the Education Law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
11 last section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
13 act shall take effect immediately.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
15 roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
18 the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 770, Senate Print 8401B, by Senator Sepúlveda, an
24 act to amend the Education Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
6787
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect one year after it shall
4 have become a law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 784, Senate Print 9318B, by Senator Stec, an act
15 to amend the Highway Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
19 act shall take effect immediately.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
24 the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
6788
1 Calendar 784, voting in the negative:
2 Senator Brisport.
3 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 794, Senate Print 4379, by Senator Comrie, an act
8 to amend the Correction Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
10 last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
12 act shall take effect immediately.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
17 the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 810, Senate Print 4306, by Senator Parker, an act
23 to amend the Public Health Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
25 last section.
6789
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
2 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
3 shall have become a law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
8 the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
10 Calendar 810, voting in the negative are
11 Senators Martinez, Rhoads and Walczyk.
12 Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 814, Senate Print 9573, by Senator Rivera, an act
17 to amend the Social Services Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
6790
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 819, Senate Print 2258A, by Senator Comrie, an
7 act to amend the Public Service Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
18 Calendar 819, voting in the negative are
19 Senators Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan,
20 Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Martins, Oberacker,
21 O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk,
22 Weber and Weik.
23 Ayes, 45. Nays, 16.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
25 is passed.
6791
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 826, Assembly Bill Number 463B, by
3 Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the
4 Public Officers Law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
6 last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 6. This
8 act shall take effect on the first of January.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
10 roll.
11 (The Secretary called the roll.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
13 the results.
14 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 836, Senate Print 9267, by Senator May, an act to
19 amend the General Business Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
23 act shall take effect one year after it shall
24 have become a law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
6792
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
4 May to explain her vote.
5 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
6 Madam President.
7 People who watch the Super Bowl this
8 year might have noticed an ad for a doorbell
9 camera that was about how, when a dog got loose
10 in a neighborhood, they were able to pool all the
11 information from the doorbell cameras to find the
12 dog.
13 And a lot of people -- the
14 advertiser thought that everybody was going to be
15 very excited about this feature, but a lot of
16 people saw the ad and were truly creeped out by
17 the idea that the footage from their doorbell
18 cameras were being shared and could become part
19 of a local network like this without their
20 knowledge or consent.
21 Obviously there are reasons for
22 sharing information. Obviously law enforcement
23 should be able to come with a warrant and get
24 access to some of that information. But we
25 believe that it is basic consumer protection to
6793
1 allow people to opt in to these kinds of networks
2 rather than have this information being shared
3 without their knowledge of what is happening on
4 their private property at their own door.
5 So I'm proud of this bill. I'm
6 grateful to everyone who worked on it and
7 grateful to my colleagues for supporting it.
8 I vote aye.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
10 May to be recorded in the affirmative.
11 Announce the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
13 Calendar 836, voting in the negative are
14 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
15 Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Martins,
16 Mattera, Murray, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Rolison,
17 Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
18 Ayes, 42. Nays, 19.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 851, Senate Print 7460, by Senator Rivera, an act
23 to amend the Public Health Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
25 last section.
6794
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
2 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
3 shall have become a law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
8 the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 884, Senate Print 9960B, by Senator Myrie, an act
14 to amend the Penal Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 10. This
18 act shall take effect immediately.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
23 Myrie to explain his vote.
24 SENATOR MYRIE: Thank you,
25 Madam President.
6795
1 A few weeks ago we had survivors and
2 victims of sex trafficking come to the Capitol,
3 display courage and talk about their experience
4 and why we needed to act as a Legislature to hold
5 abuserers accountable.
6 That is what this law is about
7 today, making changes to our sex trafficking,
8 labor trafficking, and civil laws to ensure that
9 anyone that is a victim or a survivor of abuse
10 can have a path, can have recourse to recovery
11 from the trauma and harm that was inflicted on
12 them.
13 Most notoriously and famously today,
14 many of those victims and survivors are involved
15 and have been involved with the Epstein case.
16 But for every Epstein survivor there are many
17 more whose names we will never know, who will
18 never make it to the headlines, who deserve the
19 backing, who deserve the support of our laws here
20 in New York State even if the federal government
21 chooses not to act.
22 So I am proud that we are passing
23 this bill today in response to what we have heard
24 from survivors, and I urge all of my colleagues
25 to do the same.
6796
1 Thank you. I vote aye.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
3 Myrie to be recorded in the affirmative.
4 Announce the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 894, Senate Print 9716, by Senator Cleare, an act
10 to amend the Public Housing Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect on the first of January.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
21 Calendar 894, voting in the negative are
22 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
23 Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martins,
24 Mattera, Murray, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Rolison,
25 Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
6797
1 Ayes, 41. Nays, 20.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 900, Assembly Bill Number 9183A, by
6 Assemblymember Lupardo, an act to amend the
7 General Municipal Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 930, Senate Print 9928A, by Senator Salazar, an
22 act to amend the Executive Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
6798
1 act shall take effect immediately.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
6 Salazar to explain her vote.
7 SENATOR SALAZAR: Thank you,
8 Madam President.
9 Many survivors of sexual assault who
10 choose to report the crime find that the
11 investigative process forces us to share with
12 strangers in excruciating detail -- and
13 repeatedly -- about a deeply traumatic
14 experience, and to do so at times in local
15 precincts that are not designed to support
16 survivors of violence.
17 Survivors are typically not allowed
18 to have a member of their family or a loved one
19 with them for moral support during questioning,
20 even as they endure an invasive investigation and
21 must painfully recount the assault.
22 The bill we're passing today allows
23 survivors of sexual assault to have a support
24 person with them throughout the investigation.
25 The bill also requires a task force
6799
1 to convene to assess the services available to
2 survivors, and requires law enforcement training
3 on how to thoughtfully interact with survivors
4 based on trauma-informed, evidence-based
5 practices.
6 This is the minimum that survivors
7 and victims of sexual assault deserve, and I'm
8 proud to vote aye.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
10 Salazar to be recorded in the affirmative.
11 Announce the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
14 is passed.
15 Senator Serrano.
16 SENATOR SERRANO: Madam President,
17 there will be an immediate meeting of the
18 Finance Committee held jointly with the
19 Parks Committee in Room 124.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: There
21 will be an immediate meeting of the
22 Finance Committee, in collaboration with the
23 Parks and Recreation Committee, in Room 124.
24 SENATOR SERRANO: And we can
25 continue with the calendar.
6800
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
2 Secretary will read.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 944, Senate Print 9327, by Senator Martinez, an
5 act to amend the Highway Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar 944, voting in the negative:
17 Senator Brisport.
18 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 1025, Assembly Bill Number 2538A, by
23 Assemblymember Davila, an act to amend the
24 Social Services Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
6801
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect September 1, 2026.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
8 the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
10 Calendar 1025, voting in the negative are
11 Senators Stec and Walczyk.
12 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 1033, Assembly Bill Number 9404A, by
17 Assemblymember Santabarbara, an act to amend the
18 Banking Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
22 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
23 shall have become a law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
25 roll.
6802
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
6 is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 1053, Assembly Bill Number 5893A, by
9 Assemblymember Hevesi, an act to amend the
10 Social Services Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect immediately.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1055, Senate Print 8545, by Senator Sutton, an
25 act to amend the Public Health Law.
6803
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1062, Senate Print 7270, by Senator Harckham, an
15 act to amend the Public Officers Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
19 act shall take effect immediately.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
24 the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6804
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
2 is passed.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 1079, Senate Print 9538A, by Senator Baskin, an
5 act authorizing the Commissioner of General
6 Services to transfer and convey certain state
7 land to the Richardson Center Corporation.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 6. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1091, Assembly Bill Number 5115, by
22 Assemblymember Stern, an act to amend the
23 Public Health Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
25 last section.
6805
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 1097, Senate Print 7859A, by Senator Rivera, an
13 act to amend the Social Services Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
25 is passed.
6806
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 1098, Senate Print 8339, by Senator Comrie, an
3 act to amend the Public Health Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
7 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
8 shall have become a law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
10 roll.
11 (The Secretary called the roll.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
13 the results.
14 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1099, Senate Print 8487A, by Senator Cleare, an
19 act to amend the Public Health Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
23 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
24 shall have become a law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
6807
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
4 Cleare to explain her vote.
5 SENATOR CLEARE: Thank you,
6 Madam President.
7 In the summer of 2025,
8 Central Harlem was the epicenter of a
9 Legionnaires' disease outbreak that overspread
10 the community, directly causing almost 10 deaths
11 and seriously harming well over a hundred others.
12 And of course these are only the reported
13 numbers.
14 I introduced a four-bill package to
15 help us eradicate Legionnaires', and we have got
16 three more to go. But at the moment I am glad
17 that we are going to establish a Legionnaires'
18 Disease Awareness and Education Program under the
19 Department of Health so funding and resources can
20 be brought to bear on the situation.
21 Legionella bacteria is omnipresent
22 in freshwater; that is a fact of life. But we
23 have the tools and resources to address it and
24 eradicate it at the source, much as we have done
25 for other bacteria such as those that cause
6808
1 cholera, wherein there are only 20 cases per year
2 in the entire country.
3 We need to be doing the same thing
4 for Legionella, which has a 10 percent mortality
5 rate and upwards of 70,000 people affected each
6 year. On behalf of my community and all of
7 New York State, I say never again.
8 And I vote aye.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
10 Cleare to be recorded in the affirmative.
11 Announce the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 1102, Assembly Bill Number 10243, by
17 Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the
18 Social Services Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6809
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 1102, voting in the negative are
5 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Martins,
6 Rhoads, Weber and Weik.
7 Ayes, 55. Nays, 6.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 1120, Assembly Bill Number 7633A, by
12 Assemblymember Barrett, an act to amend the
13 Public Service Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
24 Calendar 1120, voting in the negative:
25 Senator Walczyk.
6810
1 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
3 is passed.
4 There's a substitution at the desk.
5 The Secretary will read.
6 THE SECRETARY: Senator Sanders
7 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
8 Assembly Bill Number 10866C and substitute it for
9 the identical Senate Bill 9987B, Third Reading
10 Calendar 1122.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
12 substitution is so ordered.
13 There's a home-rule message at the
14 desk.
15 The Secretary will read.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 1122, Assembly Bill Number 10866C, by
18 Assemblymember Pheffer Amato, an act in relation
19 to authorizing the City of New York to
20 discontinue certain parkland in the Borough of
21 Queens.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
23 last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
25 act shall take effect immediately.
6811
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
7 Calendar 1122, voting in the negative are
8 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Fahy and
9 Weik.
10 Ayes, 57. Nays, 4.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1124, Assembly Bill Number 6522A, by
15 Assemblymember Lee, an act to amend the
16 Insurance Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
20 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
21 shall have become a law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
6812
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
3 Calendar 1124, voting in the negative are
4 Senators Martins and Walczyk.
5 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 1127, Assembly Bill Number 1062, by
10 Assemblymember Lunsford, an act to amend the
11 Insurance Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 1130, Assembly Bill Number 8680A, by
6813
1 Assemblymember Burke, an act to amend the
2 General City Law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
4 last section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
8 roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
11 the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 1143, Senate Print 8944, by Senator Myrie, an act
17 to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
6814
1 Myrie to explain his vote.
2 SENATOR MYRIE: Thank you,
3 Madam President.
4 This bill -- that is supported by
5 the Unified Court System, by the District
6 Attorneys Association for New York, and by
7 advocates that represent New Yorkers involved in
8 the criminal legal system -- is a broad
9 recognition of a truth that many of us have known
10 for a long time but that we are just coming to
11 the realization of as a society. And that is
12 mandatory minimums are not appropriate in many
13 instances and sometimes go against the interests
14 of justice.
15 What this bill allows for is, on the
16 consent of all three of those stakeholders, that
17 the court not require a mandatory minimum be
18 imposed. That is left up to the prosecutor and
19 the defense and the court. And to also impose on
20 the judge a duty to explain why in this
21 circumstance that would not be appropriate.
22 My hope is that this is a first step
23 in us examining our system and the regime that
24 has set up mandatory minimums, so that we can
25 make our way ultimately to a system that
6815
1 adjudicates every individual based on the
2 circumstances in their individual case.
3 I proudly vote aye. Thank you.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
5 Myrie to be recorded in the affirmative.
6 Senator Martins to explain his vote.
7 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you,
8 Madam President.
9 I'll be voting against this bill
10 today because we do have mandatory minimums for a
11 reason. And as long as we continue to have
12 district attorneys in New York State who refuse
13 to enforce the law, then I'm concerned that
14 leaving the discretion to them, as opposed to
15 this body in passing laws, is a mistake.
16 You want to change the law? Bring
17 it here, pass laws, amend those laws and change
18 it that way. But allowing for the kind of
19 discretion that we're talking about here leads
20 to, frankly, disparate results in different
21 jurisdictions depending on the whims of the
22 prosecutor, and I don't think that's in the best
23 interests of this state.
24 I'll be voting no.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
6816
1 Martins to be recorded in the negative.
2 Announce the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 1143, voting in the negative are
5 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Bynoe,
6 Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Griffo, Lanza,
7 Martinez, Martins, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker,
8 Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco,
9 Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
10 Ayes, 40. Nays, 21.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1144, Assembly Bill Number 10698B, by
15 Assemblymember Dais, an act to amend the
16 Cannabis Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
21 shall have become a law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
6817
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 1149, Senate Print Number 5053B, by
7 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the
8 Administrative Code of the City of New York.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: There is
10 a home-rule message at the desk.
11 Read the last section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
13 act shall take effect immediately.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
15 roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
18 the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 1152, Senate Print 9831, by Senator Griffo, an
24 act to authorize Christopher Walser to take the
25 competitive civil service examination.
6818
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: There's
2 a home-rule message at the desk.
3 Read the last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
12 Calendar 1152, voting in the negative:
13 Senator Brisport.
14 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1154, Assembly Bill Number 7125, by
19 Assemblymember Bichotte Hermelyn, an act to amend
20 the State Finance Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
24 act shall take effect on the 60th day after it
25 shall have become a law.
6819
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 1156, Assembly Bill Number 11225A, by
11 Assemblymember Schiavoni, an act to amend the
12 Veterans' Services Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
16 act shall take effect immediately.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
18 roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
21 the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
24 is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6820
1 1161, Assembly Bill Number 6559C, by
2 Assemblymember Benedetto, an act to amend the
3 Veterans' Services Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
7 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
8 shall have become a law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
10 roll.
11 (The Secretary called the roll.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
13 the results.
14 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1179, Senate Print 8630C, by Senator May, an act
19 to amend the Education Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
23 act shall take effect on the first of December.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
25 roll.
6821
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
5 Calendar 1179, voting in the negative are
6 Senators Borrello, Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Lanza,
7 Ortt, Stec, Walczyk and Weik.
8 Ayes, 52. Nays, 9.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 1185, Senate Print 9760, by Senator Gounardes, an
13 act to amend the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 25. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
22 Gounardes to explain his vote.
23 SENATOR GOUNARDES: Thank you,
24 Madam President.
25 At least 740,000 New Yorkers have
6822
1 medical debt on their credit reports. More than
2 1.3 million New Yorkers are behind on their
3 utility bills. And over 2.4 million New Yorkers
4 are struggling with student loan debt. But right
5 now our state's consumer protection laws protect
6 none of them.
7 New York gives important consumer
8 protections when they're sued over credit card
9 debt, but those protections are confusing and
10 outdated, and they don't reflect how the debt
11 collection industry actually works. In fact,
12 they often don't apply to medical debt,
13 rent arrears, tuition debt, utilities, and
14 everyday consumer debts.
15 What does that mean for everyday
16 New Yorkers? The overwhelming majority of cases
17 involve plaintiffs suing consumers without legal
18 representation, without clear pleadings, notice,
19 proper venue and fair deadlines, consumers often
20 don't understand what they are being sued for or
21 how to respond.
22 We all want a court system that
23 treats New Yorkers with fairness and respect, but
24 when it comes to these debt cases, that's not
25 what we're getting. The Consumer Debt Uniformity
6823
1 Act does a simple thing. It extends existing
2 protections to all types of debt cases, including
3 requirements that the complaint provide basic
4 information about the alleged debt, along with
5 additional notices in multiple languages, clearer
6 notice on summary judgment motions, and more time
7 to raise improper service.
8 In short, it brings our laws in line
9 with the times and ensures that New Yorkers
10 aren't treated differently based on the type of
11 debt being collected. These protections help
12 unrepresented consumers understand the cases
13 against them and respond before losing by
14 default.
15 Believe it or not, this proposal is
16 actually good for lenders too. Clearer
17 complaints and uniform rules make the process
18 more predictable, improve consistency across
19 courts, and help consumers identify and resolve
20 valid debts more quickly.
21 It's about basic fairness,
22 Madam President. As the cost of living goes up,
23 more New Yorkers are struggling with medical
24 debt, rent arrears, tuition debt and utility
25 payments. They face the same challenges and
6824
1 obstacles that exist in cases seeking to collect
2 credit card debt, and they should be given the
3 same protections.
4 I vote aye.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
6 Gounardes to be recorded in the affirmative.
7 Announce the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
9 Calendar 1185, voting in the negative are
10 Senators Ashby, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan,
11 Gallivan, Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Oberacker,
12 Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Stec, Walczyk, Weber and
13 Weik.
14 Ayes, 46. Nays, 15.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1211, Assembly Bill Number 9240A, by
19 Assemblymember Berger, an act to amend the
20 Tax Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
24 act shall take effect immediately.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
6825
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 1212, Assembly Bill Number 9598, by
10 Assemblymember Glick, an act to amend the
11 State Finance Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
15 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
16 shall have become a law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
18 roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
21 the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
23 Calendar 1212, voting in the negative are
24 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
25 Chan, Gallivan, Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Murray,
6826
1 Oberacker, Ortt, Rhoads, Skoufis, Stec, Walczyk,
2 Weber and Weik.
3 Ayes, 44. Nays, 17.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 1220, Assembly Bill Number 3223A, by
8 Assemblymember Eachus, an act to amend the Parks,
9 Recreation and Historic Preservation Law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
11 last section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
13 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
14 shall have become a law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1833, Senate Print 3188A, by Senator Persaud, an
25 act to amend the Public Service Law.
6827
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect on the first of the
5 calendar month next succeeding the 60th day after
6 it shall have become a law.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
8 roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
11 the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
13 Calendar 1233, voting in the negative are
14 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
15 Chan, Griffo, Lanza, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker,
16 Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Stec, Walczyk, Weber and
17 Weik.
18 Ayes, 45. Nays, 16.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 1239, Assembly Bill Number 3283C, by
23 Assemblymember Bores, an act to amend the
24 Public Health Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
6828
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
3 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
4 shall have become a law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1244, Senate Print 2321A, by Senator Fahy, an act
15 to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
19 act shall take effect immediately.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
24 the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
6829
1 Calendar 1244, voting in the negative are
2 Senators Martins, Palumbo and Weik.
3 Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 1246, Assembly Bill Number 10326A, by
8 Assemblymember Kassay, an act in relation to
9 authorizing the Town of Brookhaven to alienate
10 certain lands used as parklands.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: There's
12 a home-rule message at the desk.
13 Read the last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
22 Calendar 1246, voting in the negative are
23 Senators Fahy, Skoufis and Weik.
24 Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
6830
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 1247, Senate Print 9345, by Senator Gallivan, an
4 act to amend the General Municipal Law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
6 last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
8 act shall take effect immediately.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
10 roll.
11 (The Secretary called the roll.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
13 the results.
14 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1249, Senate Print 9943A, by Senator Griffo, an
19 act in relation to authorizing the village of
20 New Berlin to alienate and discontinue the use of
21 certain parklands.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: There's
23 a home-rule message at the desk.
24 Read the last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
6831
1 act shall take effect immediately.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
8 Calendar 1249, voting in the negative are
9 Senators Fahy and Skoufis.
10 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1253, Assembly Bill Number 11162A, by
15 Assemblymember Solages, an act to amend
16 Chapter 308 of the Laws of 2020.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
25 the results.
6832
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1260, Senate Print 10251, by Senator Martinez, an
6 act in relation to authorizing Godschild Outreach
7 Ministries to receive retroactive real property
8 tax-exempt status.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
10 last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
12 act shall take effect immediately.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
17 the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
19 Calendar 1260, voting in the negative are
20 Senators O'Mara and Skoufis.
21 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 1274, Senate Print 9061A, by Senator Ortt, an act
6833
1 to amend the Highway Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
12 Calendar 1274, voting in the negative:
13 Senator Brisport.
14 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1287, Assembly Bill Number 3681A, by
19 Assemblymember Woerner, an act to amend the
20 General Business Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
24 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
25 shall have become a law.
6834
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
7 Calendar 1287, voting in the negative:
8 Senator Skoufis.
9 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 1288, Assembly Bill Number 10329, by
14 Assemblymember Kassay, an act to amend the
15 Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
19 act shall take effect on the first of January.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
24 the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6835
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
2 is passed.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 1291, Assembly Bill Number 9350C, by
5 Assemblymember Lupardo, an act to amend the
6 Labor Law.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
8 last section.
9 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
10 act shall take effect immediately.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
12 roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
15 the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
18 is passed.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 1292, Assembly Bill Number 10510, by
21 Assemblymember Rozic, an act to amend the
22 Public Service Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6836
1 act shall take effect immediately.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
8 Calendar 1292, voting in the negative are
9 Senators Gallivan and Ortt.
10 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1297, Senate Print 8925A, by Senator Ryan, an act
15 to amend the General Business Law.
16 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Lay it
18 aside.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 1300, Senate Print 9834, by Senator Bailey, an
21 act to amend the General Business Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
23 last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 8. This
25 act shall take effect immediately.
6837
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
7 Calendar 1300, voting in the negative are
8 Senators Chan, Lanza and Weik.
9 Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 1314, Senate Print 6259, by Senator Skoufis, an
14 act to amend the Election Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
18 act shall take effect immediately.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
25 Calendar 1314, voting in the negative are
6838
1 Senators Borrello, Chan, Mattera, Ortt, Rhoads,
2 Stec, Walczyk, Weber and Weik. Also
3 Senator Palumbo. Also Senator Martins. Also
4 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.
5 Ayes, 49. Nays, 12.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 1319, Senate Print 7495A, by Senator Persaud, an
10 act to amend the Public Health Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 6. This
14 act shall take effect immediately.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1320, Assembly Bill Number 9304, by
25 Assemblymember Rosenthal, an act to amend the
6839
1 Public Health Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 1326, Senate Print 9934A, by Senator Gianaris, an
16 act to amend the General Business Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
21 shall have become a law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
6840
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
3 Calendar 1326, voting in the negative:
4 Senator Walczyk.
5 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 1411, Assembly Bill Number 1962B, by
10 Assemblymember Anderson, an act to amend the
11 Penal Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
20 Bottcher to explain his vote.
21 SENATOR BOTTCHER: Thank you,
22 Madam Speaker.
23 I could not be more proud today to
24 vote aye on Francesco's Law, legislation that
25 will require universal safe storage of the
6841
1 firearms in New York State.
2 As we said before, we are joined
3 today by Diana Cochran, the mother of Francesco,
4 who ended his life at age 17 after gaining access
5 to an unsecured firearm.
6 When I learned about Francesco's
7 story, he reminded me of someone, a teen
8 struggling with his sexuality, bullied at school,
9 someone who lost hope in life, and someone who
10 made the decision to end his life. And of course
11 I'm talking about myself.
12 The difference between Francesco and
13 I is that I did not have access to an unsecured
14 firearm. If I did, there is no doubt in my mind
15 I would not be standing here today.
16 Of course we're talking about more
17 than just suicide. Every day in America a child
18 accesses an unsecured firearm and uses it to
19 shoot or kill someone. Seventy to 80 percent of
20 school shooters under the age of 18 accessed a
21 firearm from their home or someone else's home.
22 And unsecured guns are frequently used in crimes
23 when they're stolen from a home.
24 So today we're passing legislation
25 that will save lives. It will bring us in line
6842
1 with states around the country that have
2 universal safe storage laws.
3 There's no reason for the amount of
4 pain that we've seen caused by unsecured
5 firearms. Madam Speaker, I vote aye.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
7 Bottcher to be recorded in the affirmative.
8 Announce the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
10 Calendar 1411, voting in the negative are
11 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
12 Gallivan, Griffo, Lanza, Mattera, Murray,
13 Oberacker, Ortt, Rhoads, Rolison, Ryan, Stec,
14 Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
15 Ayes, 44. Nays, 17.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
17 is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 1417, Senate Print 9820A, by Senator Borrello, an
20 act in relation to authorizing the City of Olean
21 assessor to accept an application for a real
22 property tax exemption.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6843
1 act shall take effect immediately.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
8 Calendar 1417, voting in the negative are
9 Senators O'Mara and Skoufis.
10 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1427, Senate Print 9919, by Senator Borrello, an
15 act to amend the Town Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
19 act shall take effect immediately.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
24 the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6844
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
2 is passed.
3 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
4 reading of today's calendar.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
6 there's a report of the Rules Committee at the
7 desk. Can we take that up, please.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
9 Secretary will read.
10 THE SECRETARY: Senator
11 Stewart-Cousins, from the Committee on Rules,
12 reports the following bills:
13 Senate Print 84, by Senator Liu, an
14 act to amend Chapter 802 of the Laws of 1947;
15 Senate Print 290A, by
16 Senator Rhoads, an act to amend the Highway Law;
17 Senate Print 1357, by Senator Stec,
18 an act to amend the Public Authorities Law;
19 Senate Print 1443A, by
20 Senator Borrello, an act to amend the Town Law
21 and the Public Officers Law;
22 Senate Print 1728A, by
23 Senator Brouk, an act to amend the
24 Mental Hygiene Law;
25 Senate Print 3445, by
6845
1 Senator Helming, an act to amend the Village Law;
2 Senate Print 3618, by Senator Ortt,
3 an act to amend the State Finance Law;
4 Senate Print 4052, by
5 Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Labor Law;
6 Senate Print 4102, by
7 Senator Parker, an act to amend the
8 Mental Hygiene Law;
9 Senate Print 4441, by Senator Stec,
10 an act to amend the Environmental Conservation
11 Law;
12 Senate Print 4713A, by Senator Fahy,
13 an act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law;
14 Senate Print 5387, by
15 Senator Harckham, an act directing the
16 Commissioner of Transportation to waive an annual
17 security deposit fee;
18 Senate Print 5407A, by
19 Senator Harckham, an act to amend the
20 Mental Hygiene Law;
21 Senate Print 6018, by
22 Senator Baskin, an act in relation to authorizing
23 and directing the New York State Power Authority
24 to rename the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant to
25 the Shirley J. Hamilton Niagara Power Plant;
6846
1 Senate Print 7038, by
2 Senator Griffo, an act to amend the Vehicle and
3 Traffic Law;
4 Senate Print 7096, by Senator Lanza,
5 an act to amend the General Business Law;
6 Senate Print 7674, by
7 Senator Baskin, an act to amend the Uniform City
8 Court Act;
9 Senate Print 7844A, by
10 Senator Baskin, an act to authorize the widow of
11 Gerald J. Sullivan to file an application with
12 the New York State and Local Police and Fire
13 Retirement System;
14 Senate Print 8082, by Senator Brouk,
15 an act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law;
16 Senate Print 8348A, by
17 Senator Tedisco, an act to amend the Highway Law;
18 Senate Print 8389, by Senator Ramos,
19 an act to amend the Labor Law;
20 Senate Print 8439B, by Senator Webb,
21 an act to amend the Public Authorities Law;
22 Senate Print 8875, by
23 Senator Rhoads, an act to amend the Elder Law;
24 Senate Print 8924, by Senator Ryan,
25 an act to amend the Canal Law;
6847
1 Senate Print 8938, by
2 Senator Oberacker, an act to amend the
3 General Municipal Law;
4 Senate Print 9128, by Senator Stec,
5 an act in relation to authorizing the County of
6 Warren to offer an optional 20-year retirement
7 plan to Bradley Murphy;
8 Senate Print 9181, by
9 Senator Baskin, an act to amend the
10 Local Finance Law;
11 Senate Print 9212, by
12 Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Retirement
13 and Social Security Law;
14 Senate Print 9213, by
15 Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the
16 Retirement and Social Security Law;
17 Senate Print 9248, by
18 Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Village Law;
19 Senate Print 9367A, by
20 Senator Bailey, an act to amend Chapter 589 of
21 the Laws of 2015;
22 Senate Print 9447A, by
23 Senator Harckham, an act to amend the
24 Village Law;
25 Senate Print 9481A, by
6848
1 Senator Helming, an act to amend the Highway Law;
2 Senate Print 9489, by
3 Senator Helming, an act to amend the Highway Law;
4 Senate Print 9492A, by
5 Senator Baskin, an act to amend Chapter 108 of
6 the Laws of 2016;
7 Senate Print 9501, by
8 Senator Comrie, an act to amend the
9 General Business Law;
10 Senate Print 9505, by
11 Senator Rolison, an act to amend the Highway Law;
12 Senate Print 9539A, by
13 Senator Bynoe, an act to amend the
14 Public Health Law;
15 Senate Print 9576, by
16 Senator Bailey, an act to amend the
17 Private Housing Finance Law;
18 Senate Print 9617A, by
19 Senator Harckham, an act to amend subpart H of
20 Part C of Chapter 20 of the Laws of 2015;
21 Senate Print 9652, by
22 Senator Bottcher, an act to amend the
23 Administrative Code of the City of New York;
24 Senate Print 9729A, by
25 Senator Cooney, an act to amend the Highway Law;
6849
1 Senate Print 9824, by
2 Senator Sepúlveda, an act to amend the
3 Criminal Procedure Law;
4 Senate Print 9863, by
5 Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Vehicle and
6 Traffic Law;
7 Senate Print 9864, by
8 Senator Skoufis, an act to amend the Vehicle and
9 Traffic Law and the Public Officers Law;
10 Senate Print 9869, by Senator Brouk,
11 an act in relation to establishing a task force
12 to study aging in place in mental health housing;
13 Senate Print 9947A, by
14 Senator Mattera, an act to amend Chapter 63 of
15 the Laws of 1971;
16 Senate Print 9969, by
17 Senator O'Mara, an act to amend the Town Law;
18 Senate Print 9971, by Senator Weber,
19 an act authorizing the Congregation Atzei Chaim
20 to receive retroactive real property tax-exempt
21 status;
22 Senate Print 10085A, by
23 Senator Jackson, an act to amend the Retirement
24 and Social Security Law;
25 Senate Print 10080A, by
6850
1 Senator Harckham, an act to amend the
2 Real Property Tax Law;
3 Senate Print 10194A, by
4 Senator Bottcher, an act to amend the
5 Coordinated Construction Act for Lower Manhattan;
6 Senate Print 10195A, by
7 Senator Bottcher, an act to amend Chapter 322 of
8 the Laws of 2014;
9 Senate Print 10264, by Senator Webb,
10 an act to amend the General Municipal Law;
11 Senate Print 10295A, by
12 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, an act in relation
13 to authorizing the Village of New Hyde Park to
14 file an application for exemption from real
15 property taxes;
16 Senate Print 10319, by Senator Webb,
17 an act to amend the Tax Law;
18 Senate Print 10321A, by
19 Senator Bynoe, an act authorizing the assessor of
20 the County of Nassau to accept from the Town of
21 Hempstead an application for exemption from real
22 property taxes;
23 Senate Print 10396, by Senator Ryan,
24 an act to amend the General Municipal Law;
25 Senate Print 10442, by
6851
1 Senator Kavanagh, an act to amend the
2 Private Housing Finance Law;
3 Senate Print 10484A, by
4 Senator Serrano, an act to amend Chapter 192 of
5 the Laws of 2011;
6 Senate Print 10488, by
7 Senator Bynoe, an act in relation to authorizing
8 the Power House Church to file an application for
9 a retroactive real property tax exemption;
10 Senate Print 10522A, by
11 Senator Weber, an act in relation to authorizing
12 the Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County to
13 alienate certain lands used as parklands;
14 Senate Print 10553, by Senator May,
15 an act to amend Chapter 519 of the Laws of 2024;
16 Senate Print 10556, by Senator Webb,
17 an act to amend the Tax Law;
18 Senate Print 10564, by
19 Senator Stewart-Cousins, an act to amend the
20 Vehicle and Traffic Law;
21 Senate Print 10571, by
22 Senator Stavisky, an act to amend Part D of
23 Chapter 58 of the Laws of 2011;
24 Senate Print 10572, by
25 Senator Stewart-Cousins, an act to amend
6852
1 Chapter 617 of the Laws of 1937;
2 Senate Print 10575, by
3 Senator Baskin, an act to amend the
4 Economic Development Law;
5 Senate Print 10579, by
6 Senator Sanders, an act to amend Chapter 62 of
7 the Laws of 2011;
8 Senate Print 10581, by
9 Senator Bailey, an act to amend Chapter 490 of
10 the Laws of 2017;
11 Senate Print 10582, by
12 Senator Bailey, an act to amend the
13 Insurance Law;
14 Senate Print 10583, by Senator Webb,
15 an act to amend Chapter 152 of the Laws of 2020;
16 Senate Print 10589, by
17 Senator Persaud, an act to amend Chapter 436 of
18 the Laws of 1997;
19 Senate Print 10590, by
20 Senator Jackson, an act to amend the
21 Retirement and Social Security Law;
22 Senate Print 10591, by
23 Senator Sepúlveda, an act to amend the
24 Civil Practice Law and Rules;
25 Senate Print 10595, by
6853
1 Senator Bynoe, an act to amend Chapter 401 of the
2 Laws of 2002;
3 Senate Print 10604, by
4 Senator Sepúlveda, an act to amend the
5 Judiciary Law;
6 Senate Print 10605, by
7 Senator Jackson, an act to amend the
8 Retirement and Social Security Law;
9 Senate Print 10609, by
10 Senator Bottcher, an act to amend the Tax Law.
11 All bills reported direct to third
12 reading.
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to accept
14 the report of the Rules Committee.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: All those
16 in favor of accepting the report of the
17 Rules Committee please signify by saying aye.
18 (Response of "Aye.")
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Opposed,
20 nay.
21 (No response.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The report
23 of the Rules Committee is accepted.
24 Senator Gianaris.
25 SENATOR GIANARIS: If you could
6854
1 just give us one moment, Madam President. We're
2 waiting for a group that's about to be introduced
3 to be seated.
4 So before we start with the
5 supplemental calendar, let's just stand at ease
6 for another minute or so.
7 (Pause.)
8 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
9 I think they're here. Let's recognize
10 Senator Cleare for an introduction.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
12 Cleare for an introduction.
13 SENATOR CLEARE: Thank you,
14 Madam President.
15 I rise on behalf of all of the
16 legislators who collectively serve more than
17 8 million New Yorkers of color through membership
18 in the New York State Association of Black,
19 Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislators, to
20 recognize and applaud an extraordinary group of
21 young scholars.
22 Today we have with us 29 of the very
23 best and brightest minds of this generation --
24 individuals who are not only educationally
25 excellent but civic and socially minded.
6855
1 The 29 individuals in the gallery
2 are the most recent scholarship recipients from
3 the association in a tradition dating back
4 several decades and multiple generations to the
5 days of Arthur O. Eve and Constance Baker Motley.
6 The association has always believed
7 in giving back and empowering the next
8 generation. And to this end, they have always
9 supported the higher education goals of Black,
10 Hispanic and other students of color.
11 The association is deeply committed
12 to removing financial barriers that stand between
13 talented students and their futures. The
14 association awarded more than $160,000 in
15 scholarships to students attending colleges
16 across New York State by the close of its
17 2025 fiscal year.
18 Madam President, would you please
19 give these incredible guests all the privileges
20 and cordialities of the Senate. They are their
21 ancestors' wildest dreams.
22 Thank you.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
24 Senator Cleare.
25 To our distinguished scholarship
6856
1 recipients from the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic
2 and Asian Legislative Association, we are so
3 pleased to have you. We honor your achievements.
4 You are welcome to the Senate, and
5 we extend to you the privileges and cordialities
6 of the house.
7 Please rise and be recognized.
8 (Standing ovation.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
10 Gianaris.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Now let's take
12 up the supplemental calendar.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There are
14 substitutions at the desk.
15 The Secretary will read.
16 THE SECRETARY: Senator Brouk moves
17 to discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
18 Assembly Bill Number 6804A and substitute it for
19 the identical Senate Bill 1728A, Third Reading
20 Calendar 1529.
21 Senator Baskin moves to discharge,
22 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
23 Number 8874A and substitute it for the identical
24 Senate Bill 7844A, Third Reading Calendar 1542.
25 Senator Tedisco moves to discharge,
6857
1 from the Committee on Transportation,
2 Assembly Bill Number 8798A and substitute it for
3 the identical Senate Bill 8348A, Third Reading
4 Calendar 1544.
5 Senator Ramos moves to discharge,
6 from the Committee on Labor, Assembly Bill
7 Number 10267 and substitute it for the identical
8 Senate Bill 8389, Third Reading Calendar 1545.
9 Senator Webb moves to discharge,
10 from the Committee on Transportation,
11 Assembly Bill Number 8470B and substitute it for
12 the identical Senate Bill Number 8439B,
13 Third Reading Calendar 1546.
14 Senator Ryan moves to discharge,
15 from the Committee on Corporations, Authorities
16 and Commissions, Assembly Bill Number 10117 and
17 substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 8924,
18 Third Reading Calendar 1548.
19 Senator Baskin moves to discharge,
20 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
21 Number 10660 and substitute it for the identical
22 Senate Bill 9181, Third Reading Calendar 1551.
23 Senator Skoufis moves to discharge,
24 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
25 Number 10359 and substitute it for the identical
6858
1 Senate Bill 9213, Third Reading Calendar 1553.
2 Senator Bailey moves to discharge,
3 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
4 Number 10218A and substitute it for the identical
5 Senate Bill 9367A, Third Reading Calendar 1555.
6 Senator Baskin moves to discharge,
7 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
8 Number 10744A and substitute it for the identical
9 Senate Bill 9492A, Third Reading Calendar 1559.
10 Senator Comrie moves to discharge,
11 from the Committee on Consumer Protection,
12 Assembly Bill Number 9381B and substitute it for
13 the identical Senate Bill 9501, Third Reading
14 Calendar 1560.
15 Senator Rolison moves to discharge,
16 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
17 Number 10742 and substitute it for the identical
18 Senate Bill 9505, Third Reading Calendar 1561.
19 Senator Bottcher moves to discharge,
20 from the Committee on Cities 1, Assembly Bill
21 Number 11454 and substitute it for the identical
22 Senate Bill 10194A, Third Reading Calendar 1576.
23 Senator Bottcher moves to discharge,
24 from the Committee on Cities 1, Assembly Bill
25 Number 11455 and substitute it for the identical
6859
1 Senate Bill 10195A, Third Reading Calendar 1577.
2 Senator Bynoe moves to discharge,
3 from the Committee on Local Government,
4 Assembly Bill Number 4277A and substitute it for
5 the identical Senate Bill 10488, Third Reading
6 Calendar 1585.
7 Senator Stewart-Cousins moves to
8 discharge, from the Committee on Civil Service,
9 Assembly Bill Number 11375 and substitute it for
10 the identical Senate Bill 10572, Third Reading
11 Calendar 1591.
12 Senator Baskin moves to discharge,
13 from the Committee on Commerce, Economic
14 Development and Small Business, Assembly Bill
15 Number 10851 and substitute it for the identical
16 Senate Bill 10575, Third Reading Calendar 1592.
17 Senator Sanders moves to discharge,
18 from the Committee on Banks, Assembly Bill
19 Number 11393 and substitute it for the identical
20 Senate Bill 10579, Third Reading Calendar 1593.
21 Senator Bailey moves to discharge,
22 from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill
23 Number 11366 and substitute it for the identical
24 Senate Bill 10581, Third Reading Calendar 1594.
25 Senator Bailey moves to discharge,
6860
1 from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill
2 Number 11367 and substitute it for the identical
3 Senate Bill 10582, Third Reading Calendar 1595.
4 Senator Bynoe moves to discharge,
5 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
6 Number 11487 and substitute it for the identical
7 Senate Bill 10595, Third Reading Calendar 1600.
8 Senator Fahy moves to discharge,
9 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
10 Number 3733A and substitute it for the identical
11 Senate Bill 4713A, Third Reading Calendar 1535.
12 Senator Weber moves to discharge,
13 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number
14 11386A and substitute it for the identical Senate
15 Bill 10522A, Third Reading Calendar 1586.
16 Senator Sepúlveda moves to
17 discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
18 Assembly Bill Number 11389 and substitute it for
19 the identical Senate Bill 10591, Third Reading
20 Calendar 1599.
21 Senator Sepúlveda moves to
22 discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
23 Assembly Bill Number 11388 and substitute it for
24 the identical Senate Bill 10604, Third Reading
25 Calendar 1601.
6861
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:
2 Substitutions so ordered.
3 The Secretary will read.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1525, Senate Print 84, by Senator Liu, an act to
6 amend Chapter 802 of the Laws of 1947.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
8 last section.
9 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
10 act shall take effect upon the enactment into law
11 by the State of New Jersey.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
18 Calendar 1525, voting in the negative are
19 Senators Chan, Gallivan, Lanza, Mattera, Murray,
20 Oberacker, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison,
21 Skoufis, Stec, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
22 Ayes, 46. Nays, 15.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
24 is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6862
1 1526, Senate Print 290A, by Senator Rhoads, an
2 act to amend the Highway Law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
4 last section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
8 roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
11 the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
13 Calendar 1526, voting in the negative:
14 Senator Brisport.
15 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
17 is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 1527, Senate Print 1357, by Senator Stec, an act
20 to amend the Public Authorities Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
24 act shall take effect immediately.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6863
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 1528, Senate Print 1443A, by Senator Borrello, an
10 act to amend the Town Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
14 act shall take effect immediately.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1529, Assembly Bill Number 6804A, by
25 Assemblymember Griffin, an act to amend the
6864
1 Mental Hygiene Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 1530, Senate Print 3445, by Senator Helming, an
16 act to amend the Village Law.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside for
18 the day.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
20 is laid aside for the day.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 1531, Senate Print 3618, by Senator Ortt, an act
23 to amend the State Finance Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
25 last section.
6865
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 1532, Senate Print 4052, by Senator Skoufis, an
13 act to amend the Labor Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
24 Calendar 1532, voting in the negative:
25 Senator Oberacker.
6866
1 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1533, Senate Print 4102, by Senator Parker, an
6 act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
8 last section.
9 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
10 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
11 shall have become a law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1534, Senate Print 4441, by Senator Stec, an act
22 to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6867
1 act shall take effect immediately.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 1535, Assembly Bill Number 3733A, by
12 Assemblymember Bronson, an act to amend the
13 Mental Hygiene Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
24 Calendar 1535, voting in the negative:
25 Senator Walczyk.
6868
1 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1536, Senate Print 5387, by Senator Harckham, an
6 act directing the Commissioner of Transportation
7 to waive an annual security deposit fee.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1537, Senate Print 5407A, by Senator Harckham, an
22 act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6869
1 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
2 shall have become a law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 1538, Senate Print 6018, by Senator Baskin, an
13 act in relation to authorizing and directing the
14 New York State Power Authority to rename the
15 Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant to the Shirley
16 J. Hamilton Niagara Power Plant.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
25 the results.
6870
1 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
2 Calendar 1538, voting in the negative are
3 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Gallivan,
4 Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, Ortt,
5 Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Walczyk, Weber
6 and Weik.
7 Ayes, 45. Nays, 16.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 1539, Senate Print 7038, by Senator Griffo, an
12 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
16 act shall take effect immediately.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
18 roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
21 the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
24 is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6871
1 1540, Senate Print 7096, by Senator Lanza, an act
2 to amend the General Business Law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
4 last section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
8 roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
11 the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 1541, Senate Print 7674, by Senator Baskin, an
17 act to amend the Uniform City Court Act.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6872
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 1542, Assembly Bill Number 8874A, by
7 Assemblymember Burke, an act in relation to
8 authorizing the widow of Gerald J. Sullivan to
9 file an application with the New York State and
10 Local Police and Fire Retirement System.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
12 home-rule message at the desk.
13 Read the last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 1543, Senate Print 8082, by Senator Brouk, an act
6873
1 to amend the Mental Hygiene Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 1544, Assembly Bill Number 8798A, by
16 Assemblymember Woerner, an act to amend the
17 Highway Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6874
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 1545, Assembly Bill Number 10267, by
7 Assemblymember Bronson, an act to amend the
8 Labor Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
10 last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
12 act shall take effect immediately.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
17 the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 1546, Assembly Bill Number 8470B, by
23 Assemblymember Magnarelli, an act to amend the
24 Public Authorities Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
6875
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect immediately.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
8 the results.
9 Excuse me. Senator Webb to explain
10 her vote. Sorry.
11 SENATOR WEBB: Thank you,
12 Madam President.
13 You know, as we often work in this
14 chamber around a lot of key issues, none of us
15 can most certainly deny the significance of
16 improving access to public transportation. And
17 so this bill is aiming to do just that.
18 In districts like mine in the
19 Southern Tier and upstate New York, having access
20 to public transportation, especially in
21 underserved areas, is very -- it's a challenge,
22 but it also is something that we are aiming to
23 address with this legislation.
24 In my district, access to a bus
25 route is the difference between making it to a
6876
1 doctor's appointment or missing it, making it to
2 work or to school, making it to important
3 recreation opportunities with your family and
4 staying connected to our respective communities.
5 The Central New York Regional
6 Transportation Authority, also known as Centro,
7 is that lifeline for many residents in my
8 district. Centro serves the counties of
9 Onondaga, Oswego, Cayuga, and Oneida. And last
10 year we passed legislation allowing Centro to
11 expand their service area to include
12 Cortland County, in my district, bringing
13 reliable public transportation to a community
14 that desperately needs it.
15 Now that we have expanded the
16 service, we must also expand representation. And
17 so Centro's board cannot effectively serve a
18 community if it does not have a pathway to hear
19 from constituents who have much needed input that
20 will help guide their decisions.
21 And so what this bill will do is
22 that it will allow Centro to increase their board
23 from 12 to 13 members, creating the space for
24 Cortland County to have a voice at the table.
25 As we know, good governance isn't
6877
1 just about providing a service; we also have to
2 make sure that the people receiving that service
3 actually have a say in how it's run.
4 Madam President, our rural
5 communities deserve more equitable access to
6 transportation, options that work for them, and
7 they deserve a board that listens. This bill
8 makes that possible.
9 And I am hopeful about the future of
10 public transportation in the Southern Tier, and
11 this bill is a step in the right direction.
12 I proudly vote aye.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
14 Webb to be recorded in the affirmative.
15 Announce the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
17 Calendar 1546, voting in the negative:
18 Senator Ortt.
19 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 1547, Senate Print 8875, by Senator Rhoads, an
24 act to amend the Elder Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
6878
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
4 shall have become a law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
9 Rhoads to explain his vote.
10 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
11 Madam President.
12 Informal home caregivers are
13 probably the unsung heroes of our healthcare
14 system in many ways. They use their time and use
15 their talents staying home and caring for a
16 family member who is in need. That benefits not
17 only that family member, but obviously benefits
18 society as a whole because it improves outcomes
19 for the disabled individuals that they care for,
20 reducing hospitalizations, delays in
21 institutionalization, and providing essentially
22 free healthcare which the state would otherwise
23 have to bear the burden of.
24 And this doesn't come without a
25 cost. That cost is often the emotional strain,
6879
1 exhaustion, and issues that this bill is
2 attempting to address. By offering dedicated
3 mental health services and emotional support, the
4 bill directly addresses the stress and isolation
5 and burnout that's experienced by unpaid family
6 caregivers.
7 I want to thank my legislative team
8 that worked on this, especially Drew Retmanski,
9 who incidentally was an intern with our office --
10 is an intern with our office, and is a
11 high school senior at Plainview-Old Bethpage
12 High School in Plainview, Long Island, who helped
13 to work on this bill based on his experience with
14 his grandmother.
15 But I am proud to vote aye, and I
16 would encourage my colleagues to do the same.
17 Thank you, Madam President.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
19 Rhoads to be recorded in the affirmative.
20 Announce the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 1548, Assembly Bill Number 10117, by
6880
1 Assemblymember Stirpe, an act to amend the
2 Canal Law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
4 last section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
8 roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
11 the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 1549, Senate Print 8938, by Senator Oberacker, an
17 act to amend the General Municipal Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6881
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
3 Calendar 1549, voting in the negative are
4 Senators Martinez, Scarcella-Spanton and Skoufis.
5 Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 1550, Senate Print 9128, by Senator Stec, an act
10 in relation to authorizing the County of Warren
11 to offer an optional 20-year retirement plan to
12 Bradley Murphy.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
14 home-rule message at the desk.
15 Read the last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
25 is passed.
6882
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 1551, Assembly Bill Number 10660, by
3 Assemblymember Peoples-Stokes, an act to amend
4 the Local Finance Law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
6 home-rule message at the desk.
7 Read the last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
17 is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 1552, Senate Print 9212, by Senator Skoufis, an
20 act to amend the Retirement and Social Security
21 Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
23 home-rule message at the desk.
24 Read the last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
6883
1 act shall take effect immediately.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 1553, Assembly Bill Number 10359, by
12 Assemblymember Kay, an act to amend the
13 Retirement and Social Security Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
15 home-rule message at the desk.
16 Read the last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
18 act shall take effect immediately.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
25 Calendar 1553, voting in the negative:
6884
1 Senator Brisport.
2 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 1554, Senate Print 9248, by Senator Skoufis, an
7 act to amend the Village Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1555, Assembly Bill Number 10218A, by
22 Assemblymember Woerner, an act to amend
23 Chapter 589 of the Laws of 2015.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
25 last section.
6885
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 1556, Senate Print 9447A, by Senator Harckham, an
13 act to amend the Village Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
25 is passed.
6886
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 1557, Senate Print 9481A, by Senator Helming, an
3 act to amend the Highway Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
7 act shall take effect immediately.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 1558, Senate Print 9489, by Senator Helming, an
18 act to amend the Highway Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6887
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 1559, Assembly Bill Number 10744A, by
8 Assemblymember Peoples-Stokes, an act to amend
9 Chapter 108 of the Laws of 2016.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
11 home-rule message at the desk.
12 Read the last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect immediately.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1560, Assembly Bill Number 9381B, by
25 Assemblymember Dinowitz, an act to amend the
6888
1 General Business Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 1561, Assembly Bill Number 10742, by
16 Assemblymember Bores, an act to amend the
17 Highway Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6889
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
3 Calendar 1561, voting in the negative:
4 Senator Brisport.
5 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 1562, Senate Print 9539A, by Senator Bynoe, an
10 act to amend the Public Health Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
15 shall have become a law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 1563, Senate Print 9576, by Senator Bailey, an
6890
1 act to amend the Private Housing Finance Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
7 Secretary will call the roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
12 Calendar 1563, voting in the negative are
13 Senators Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan,
14 Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martins,
15 Mattera, Murray, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads,
16 Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.
17 Ayes, 43. Nays, 18.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1564, Senate Print 9617A, by Senator Harckham, an
22 act to amend subpart H of Part C of Chapter 20 of
23 the Laws of 2015.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
25 last section.
6891
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Sorry. Excuse me.
12 In relation to Calendar 1564, voting
13 in the negative: Senator Walczyk.
14 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1565, Senate Print 9652, by Senator Bottcher, an
19 act to amend the Administrative Code of the City
20 of New York.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
24 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
25 shall have become a law.
6892
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
7 Calendar 1565, voting in the negative are
8 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
9 Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martins,
10 Mattera, Murray, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads,
11 Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
12 Ayes, 40. Nays, 21.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 1566, Senate Print 9729A, by Senator Cooney, an
17 act to amend the Highway Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6893
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
3 Calendar 1566: Ayes, 61.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 1567, Senate Print 9824, by Senator Sepúlveda, an
8 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
10 last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
12 act shall take effect 60 days after it shall have
13 become a law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
15 roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
18 the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
20 Calendar 1567, voting in the negative are
21 Senators Chan, Lanza, Mattera, Rhoads, Stec,
22 Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
23 Ayes, 53. Nays, 8.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
25 is passed.
6894
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 1568, Senate Print 9863, by Senator Skoufis, an
3 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
5 home-rule message at the desk.
6 Read the last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
8 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
9 shall have become a law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar 1568, voting in the negative are
17 Senators Martinez, Murray and Ortt.
18 Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 1569, Senate Print 9864, by Senator Skoufis, an
23 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
25 home-rule message at the desk.
6895
1 Read the last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
3 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
4 shall have become a law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
11 Calendar 1569, voting in the negative are
12 Senators Martinez, Murray and Ortt.
13 Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 1570, Senate Print 9869, by Senator Brouk, an act
18 in relation to establishing a task force to study
19 aging.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
23 act shall take effect immediately.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
25 roll.
6896
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
6 is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 1571, Senate Print 9947A, by Senator Mattera, an
9 act to amend Chapter 63 of the Laws of 1971.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
11 last section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
13 act shall take effect immediately.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
15 roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
18 the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 1572, Senate Print 9969, by Senator O'Mara, an
24 act to amend the Town Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
6897
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
3 act shall take effect immediately.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
8 the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
10 Calendar 1572, voting in the negative:
11 Senator Ryan.
12 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 1573, Senate Print 9971, by Senator Weber, an act
17 authorizing the Congregation Atzei Chaim to
18 receive retroactive real property tax-exempt
19 status.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
23 act shall take effect immediately.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
25 roll.
6898
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
5 Calendar 1573, voting in the negative:
6 Senator O'Mara.
7 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 1574, Senate Print 10085A, by Senator Jackson, an
12 act to amend the Retirement and Social Security
13 Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 21. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
25 is passed.
6899
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 1575, Senate Print 10180A, by Senator Harckham,
3 an act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
7 act shall take effect immediately.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 1576, Assembly Bill Number 11454, by
18 Assemblymember Burke, an act to amend the
19 Coordinated Construction Act for Lower Manhattan.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
23 act shall take effect immediately.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
25 roll.
6900
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
6 is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 1577, Assembly Bill Number 11455, by
9 Assemblymember Burke, an act to amend Chapter 322
10 of the Laws of 2014.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect immediately.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1578, Senate Print 10264, by Senator Webb, an act
25 to amend the General Municipal Law.
6901
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1579, Senate Print Number 10295A, by
15 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, an act in relation
16 to authorizing the Village of New Hyde Park to
17 file an application for exemption from real
18 property taxes.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6902
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 1579, voting in the negative are
5 Senators O'Mara and Skoufis.
6 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 1580, Senate Print 10319, by Senator Webb, an act
11 to amend the Tax Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
22 Calendar 1580, voting in the negative are
23 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Helming, Lanza,
24 Martinez, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Ryan,
25 Scarcella-Spanton, Skoufis, Tedisco and Weik.
6903
1 Ayes, 49. Nays, 12.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1581, Senate Print 10321A, by Senator Bynoe, an
6 act authorizing the assessor of the County of
7 Nassau to accept from the Town of Hempstead an
8 application for exemption from real property
9 taxes.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside for
11 the day.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
13 is laid aside for the day.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 1582, Senate Print 10396, by Senator Ryan, an act
16 to amend the General Municipal Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
25 the results.
6904
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
3 is passed.
4 There's a substitution at the desk.
5 The Secretary will read.
6 THE SECRETARY: Senator Kavanagh
7 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
8 Assembly Bill Number 11529 and substitute it for
9 the identical Senate Bill 10442, Third Reading
10 Calendar 1583.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
12 Secretary will read.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1583, Assembly Bill Number 11529, by
15 Assemblymember Hooks, an act to amend the
16 Private Housing Finance Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
25 the results.
6905
1 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
2 Calendar 1583, voting in the negative are
3 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Gallivan,
4 Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Murray,
5 O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco,
6 Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
7 Ayes, 43. Nays, 18.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 1584, Senate Print 10484A, by Senator Serrano, an
12 act to amend Chapter 192 of the Laws of 2011.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
16 act shall take effect immediately.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
18 roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
21 the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
24 is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6906
1 1585, Assembly Bill Number 4277A, by
2 Assemblymember Burroughs, an act in relation to
3 authorizing the Power House Church to file an
4 application for a retroactive real property tax
5 exemption.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar 1585, voting in the negative:
17 Senators O'Mara and Skoufis.
18 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 1586, Assembly Bill Number 11386A, by
23 Assemblymember Carroll, an act in relation to
24 authorizing the Town of Clarkstown, in
25 Rockland County, to alienate certain lands used
6907
1 as parklands.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
3 home-rule message at the desk.
4 Read the last section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
8 roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
11 the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
13 Calendar 1586, voting in the negative are
14 Senators Fahy and Skoufis.
15 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
17 is passed.
18 There's a substitution at the desk.
19 The Secretary will read.
20 THE SECRETARY: Senator May moves
21 to discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
22 Assembly Bill Number 11474 and substitute it for
23 the identical Senate Bill Number 10553, Third
24 Reading Calendar 1587.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
6908
1 Secretary will read.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 1587, Assembly Bill Number 11474, by
4 Assemblymember Magnarelli, an act to amend
5 Chapter 519 of the Laws of 2024.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar 1587, voting in the negative are
17 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Lanza, Martinez,
18 Ryan, Scarcella-Spanton, Skoufis, Tedisco and
19 Weik.
20 Ayes, 53. Nays, 8.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1588, Senate Print 10556, by Senator Webb, an act
25 to amend the Tax Law.
6909
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
11 Calendar 1588, voting in the negative are
12 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Lanza, Martinez,
13 Skoufis and Weik.
14 Ayes, 56. Nays, 5.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1589, Senate Print 10564, by Senator
19 Stewart-Cousins, an act to amend the Vehicle and
20 Traffic Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There's a
22 home-rule message at the desk.
23 Read the last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
25 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
6910
1 shall have become a law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
8 Calendar 1589, voting in the negative:
9 Senator Martinez.
10 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1590, Senate Print 10571, by Senator Stavisky, an
15 act to amend Part D of Chapter 58 of the Laws of
16 2011.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
25 the results.
6911
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1591, Assembly Bill Number 11375, by
6 Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend
7 Chapter 617 of the Laws of 1937.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1592, Assembly Bill Number 10851, by
22 Assemblymember Stirpe, an act to amend the
23 Economic Development Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
25 last section.
6912
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 1593, Assembly Bill Number 11393, by
13 Assemblymember Anderson, an act to amend
14 Chapter 62 of the Laws of 2011.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
18 act shall take effect immediately.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
6913
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 1594, Assembly Bill Number 11366, by
4 Assemblymember Taylor, an act to amend
5 Chapter 490 of the Laws of 2017.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
17 is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 1595, Assembly Bill Number 11367, by
20 Assemblymember Hunter, an act to amend the
21 Insurance Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
23 last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
25 act shall take effect immediately.
6914
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 1596, Senate Print 10583, by Senator Webb, an act
11 to amend Chapter 152 of the Laws of 2020.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
22 Calendar 1596, voting in the negative are
23 Senators Martinez and Skoufis.
24 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
6915
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 1597, Senate Print 10589, by Senator Persaud, an
4 act to amend Chapter 436 of the Laws of 1997.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
6 last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 7. This
8 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
9 shall have become a law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar 1597, voting in the negative are
17 Senators Griffo, Lanza, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads,
18 Walczyk and Weik.
19 Ayes, 54. Nays, 7.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 1598, Senate Print 10590, by Senator Jackson, an
24 act to amend the Retirement and Social Security
25 Law.
6916
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 6. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1599, Assembly Bill Number 11389, by
15 Assemblymember Lavine, an act to amend the
16 Civil Practice Law and Rules.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
20 act shall take effect on the first of July.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
25 the results.
6917
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1600, Assembly Bill Number 11487, by
6 Assemblymember Lavine, an act to amend
7 Chapter 401 of the Laws of 2002.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1601, Assembly Bill Number 11388, by
22 Assemblymember Romero, an act to amend the
23 Judiciary Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
25 last section.
6918
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
9 Calendar 1601, voting in the negative:
10 Senator Ortt.
11 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 1602, Senate Print 10605, by Senator Jackson, an
16 act to amend the Retirement and Social Security
17 Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6919
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 1603, Senate Print 10609, by Senator Bottcher, an
7 act to amend the Tax Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 14. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
18 Calendar 1603, voting in the negative are
19 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
20 Chan, Gallivan, Helming, Lanza, Martinez,
21 Martins, Mattera, Murray, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo,
22 Rhoads, Ryan, Scarcella-Spanton, Tedisco and
23 Weik. Also Senator Griffo.
24 Ayes, 41. Nays, 20.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
6920
1 is passed.
2 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
3 reading of today's supplemental calendar.
4 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
5 there will be an immediate joint meeting of the
6 Veterans and Finance committees in Room 124.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There will
8 be an immediate meeting of the Finance and
9 Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
10 committees in Room 124 of the Capitol.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: And we will
12 proceed with the controversial calendar.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
14 Secretary will ring the bell.
15 The Secretary will read.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 572, Assembly Bill Number 8382A, by
18 Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the
19 Family Court Act.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
21 Murray, why do you rise?
22 SENATOR MURRAY: Thank you,
23 Madam President. Would the sponsor yield for a
24 few questions, please.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
6921
1 Sepúlveda, will you accept some questions?
2 SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: Through you,
3 Madam Leader, I do.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
5 Senator yields.
6 SENATOR MURRAY: Through you,
7 Madam President. So can you tell me exactly,
8 Senator Sepúlveda, what does this bill do?
9 SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: The bill
10 adjusts language in the law to be more inclusive
11 and gender-neutral by substituting parentage and
12 affiliation.
13 I mean, this bill is a combination
14 of several things that happened in history
15 recently. For example, in 2006 the equitable
16 estoppel defense on a father -- let's say a
17 father was at the birth of their child, went to
18 the hospital, made themself out to be the parent
19 and then discovers later on that they're not the
20 actual father.
21 Family Court still requires that
22 person to pay child support, despite the fact
23 that that person is not a parent by the
24 biological or family law definition.
25 Also in 2016, there was another case
6922
1 called Brooke S.B. vs. Elizabeth A.C.C., which is
2 a case regarding same-sex couples where the
3 parent -- one of the parents, after they had had
4 the child, one of the mothers -- it's two
5 mothers -- had the child, they got divorced and
6 one of the parents tried to assert their right to
7 visitation, and the lower court said no, you're
8 not a parent according to the biological
9 definition. But then it was overturned and they
10 said that it's really intent, actual parenting
11 intent and conduct that determines who is a
12 parent.
13 We're changing the word "parentage,"
14 which comes from the Latin word paternitatem,
15 which means fatherly care or fatherhood, as
16 opposed to parentage, which means descent from
17 parents or ancestors.
18 So the bill is really to adjust to
19 modern times and different families that you have
20 today and the way you define those parents of
21 those children.
22 SENATOR MURRAY: Thank you.
23 Mr. President, on the bill, please.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
25 Murray on the bill.
6923
1 SENATOR MURRAY: And thank you,
2 Senator Sepúlveda. I actually had a follow-up
3 question of could you explain why, but that was
4 so thorough you covered all of that. So thank
5 you very much.
6 But here's my concern. I understand
7 there are -- and you had stated a couple of
8 specific examples, and I understand that that
9 will arise, especially when it comes to law.
10 There's always something here or there that needs
11 to be adjusted or fixed.
12 The problem is that we're changing
13 these terms in law, in New York State law, we're
14 amending the Family Court Act, the Civil Practice
15 Law and Rules, Domestic Relations Law, the
16 Executive Law, the Judiciary Law, the
17 Social Services Law -- there's several others.
18 Basically, we're changing the laws of New York to
19 get rid of the term "mother," to get rid of the
20 term "father."
21 These terms -- these terms matter.
22 And I can pause if you need to run by or
23 something. I didn't want to --
24 SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: No, no.
25 SENATOR MURRAY: Okay. But these
6924
1 terms matter. You know, "mother" is probably one
2 of the most sacred titles that you can have, as
3 is "father," "grandmother," "grandfather." In
4 fact, you know, it's -- the term "mother" is so
5 important we have a special day named after it.
6 It just passed a few weeks ago.
7 Of course now maybe we change that
8 to Gestating Parent's Day instead of
9 Mother's Day, and Father's Day, just change it to
10 straight Parent Day. Forget the term "father."
11 But, see, we can't forget the term
12 "father," because fathers do play a very
13 important role, a very specific role. And I know
14 that because we passed a bill yesterday in this
15 very chamber to amend the Executive Law in
16 relation to directing the Office of Children and
17 Family Services to establish a Center for
18 Fatherhood Initiatives. Not parenthood or
19 anything-else-hood, it was fatherhood. Because
20 it does matter. It means something. In fact,
21 (reading): "The Center for Fatherhood Initiatives
22 shall issue grants to initiatives regarding the
23 promotion and advancement of fatherhood."
24 My point is this. We've gone down
25 the rabbit hole, and we've gone way too far, to
6925
1 the point where it just seems like we're afraid
2 to use terms that are so obvious. A mother is a
3 mother. A father is a father. If you need to
4 determine -- change that in some case or some
5 specific part of law, okay, we can address that.
6 But I feel like we've gone so far
7 off the path here to the point of eliminating
8 "mother," of eliminating "father."
9 And in fact, it was just earlier
10 that we passed a resolution, I believe it was
11 last week, for Maternal Mental Health Awareness
12 Month. "Maternal." That definition is an
13 adjective that relates to a mother or motherhood.
14 I hope you're getting my point here.
15 My point is these terms do matter. They matter
16 in society. They matter in real life. And they
17 matter to us as individuals.
18 As I said before, one of the most
19 sacred titles you can have, and any mother in
20 this chamber will tell you, is the term "mother."
21 And any father here will tell you the same thing.
22 And we are eliminating those, and I think we've
23 gone too far.
24 Thank you, Mr. President. I'll be
25 voting no.
6926
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
2 you, Senator Murray.
3 Are there any other Senators wishing
4 to be heard?
5 Seeing and hearing none, debate is
6 closed.
7 Senator Gianaris.
8 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
9 we've agreed to restore this bill to the
10 noncontroversial calendar.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: On
12 consent, the bill is restored to the
13 noncontroversial calendar.
14 Read the last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 72. This
16 act shall take effect immediately.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
18 roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
21 Walczyk to explain his vote.
22 SENATOR WALCZYK: Thank you,
23 Mr. President.
24 This vote shouldn't really need an
25 explanation. This bill before us right now for a
6927
1 vote replaces the terms "father" and "mother" to
2 gender-neutral language in New York State's laws.
3 I vote no.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
5 Walczyk to be recorded in the negative.
6 Announce the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
8 Calendar 572, voting in the negative are
9 Senators Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan,
10 Lanza, Martins, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, Ortt,
11 Palumbo, Rhoads, Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.
12 Ayes, 47. Nays, 14.
13 Oh, sorry. Also Senator Rolison.
14 Ayes, 46. Nays, 15.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
16 is passed.
17 The Secretary will ring the bell.
18 The Secretary will read.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 1297, Senate Print 8925A, by Senator Ryan, an act
21 to amend the General Business Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
23 Borrello, why do you rise?
24 SENATOR BORRELLO: Mr. President,
25 would the sponsor yield for a question.
6928
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Will the
2 sponsor yield?
3 SENATOR RYAN: I do.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
5 sponsor yields.
6 SENATOR RYAN: Through you,
7 Mr. President, I sure do.
8 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
9 Mr. President. Through you.
10 What other states have done this,
11 and what has been the result? I guess to explain
12 for the few people that are watching, this would
13 ban the -- this ban, what would it do and what
14 other states have done it?
15 SENATOR RYAN: Through you,
16 Mr. President. So what other states have done
17 this.
18 Let's see. We have Louisiana,
19 August 1, 2025. It's now on a Schedule I
20 controlled substance list. Florida, August 13,
21 2025, has -- is now a Schedule I controlled
22 substance. California. Rhode Island had its
23 little bit of a difference in Rhode Island.
24 Additional states this year: Ohio,
25 Virginia, Arizona have all enacted or are
6929
1 pursuing restrictions on synthetic or
2 concentrated 7-OH. And Mississippi and Colorado
3 have full bans, Senator Borrello.
4 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you.
5 Mr. President, will the sponsor
6 continue to yield?
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Would the
8 sponsor yield?
9 SENATOR RYAN: Yes.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
11 Senator yields.
12 SENATOR BORRELLO: So would these
13 bans -- what has occurred? I know it's anecdotal
14 evidence because it sounds like this is
15 relatively recent. What has occurred in those
16 states as a result?
17 SENATOR RYAN: What has occurred in
18 those states?
19 SENATOR BORRELLO: Well, I mean,
20 how is it --
21 SENATOR RYAN: I don't know. I
22 don't represent those states.
23 SENATOR BORRELLO: All right, so I
24 guess I'll be more specific.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Yes,
6930
1 Senator Borrello, please clarify.
2 SENATOR BORRELLO: I'll clarify.
3 So in relation to overdose, overdose
4 deaths, how has that been impacted by the banning
5 of this substance in other states?
6 SENATOR RYAN: In those states I
7 would presume, I would hope that less people are
8 dying.
9 SENATOR BORRELLO: Okay.
10 Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to
11 yield?
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Will the
13 sponsor yield?
14 SENATOR RYAN: Yes.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
16 sponsor yields.
17 SENATOR BORRELLO: Through you,
18 Mr. President.
19 Well, from what I'm told, actually,
20 opioid overdoses have increased with the result
21 of the ban of these 7-OH products. So I think
22 I'm concerned about the unintended consequence,
23 potentially, of this.
24 But that being said, there are
25 studies out there, scientists who studied kratom
6931
1 and 7-OH. Have you heard anything on their
2 opinions, their thoughts on banning the product
3 outright?
4 SENATOR RYAN: The opinions of
5 those who are not --
6 SENATOR BORRELLO: I would just say
7 scientists in general that have studied this
8 product and the banning of it.
9 SENATOR RYAN: Senator Borrello, I
10 would urge you to take a look at the U.S. Food
11 add Drug Administration, 7-OH. By the way, I
12 want to tell you, it's 7-Hydroxymitragynine.
13 And I'll take it that is -- they
14 have done a study and an assessment of the
15 scientific data and the toxicology concerns
16 around an emerging opioid threat from 7-OH, or as
17 we like to call it -- some people do -- the
18 gas-station opioid.
19 SENATOR BORRELLO: Mr. President,
20 will the sponsor continue to yield?
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Will the
22 sponsor yield?
23 SENATOR RYAN: I do.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
25 sponsor yields.
6932
1 SENATOR BORRELLO: So does it make
2 sense, I guess -- my question is, do you believe
3 it makes sense that this substance, 7-OH, like
4 the precursors to this drug, which have been
5 converted to 7-OH in the liver, remain legal?
6 So in other words, is there -- the
7 precursors are going to remain legal, things that
8 could still be combined to have the same impact,
9 not just the derivative. Does that make sense?
10 SENATOR RYAN: Well, I guess -- I
11 guess the -- through you, Mr. President, I guess
12 the very, very, very, very harmful synthetic
13 substances that will go into making the 7-OH,
14 synthetic kratom 7-OH, technically will still be
15 legal because I don't think we would want to ban
16 all of those substances.
17 But what this does, we'll take the
18 kratom in and of itself, the 2 percent, in
19 addition. So that's what the law does. So if
20 it's in excess of 2 percent, that's when it
21 becomes harmful and is killing people.
22 So the substance in and of itself
23 will still be legal because it has medicinal
24 qualities and can be sold with that minor
25 threshold, less than 2 percent. But everything
6933
1 over the 2 percent, mixed with the very, very
2 dangerous substances and sold at higher dosage,
3 is what's killing people.
4 SENATOR BORRELLO: Mr. President,
5 will the sponsor continue to yield?
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Will the
7 sponsor yield?
8 SENATOR RYAN: I do.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
10 sponsor yields.
11 SENATOR BORRELLO: So I guess my
12 concern is right now when someone goes into, you
13 know, a gas station or wherever else you can buy
14 this, they know what they're getting, right? If
15 someone has become -- I don't want to say
16 necessarily addicted, but they're using this as a
17 regular user, and now they are maybe combining
18 the products themselves -- you know, the base
19 products that are not going to be banned, to come
20 up with their own mix -- or buying it on the
21 street, are we kind of pushing people in that
22 direction to a market, a black market, if you
23 will, or making it themselves, potentially, since
24 the elements to make it are still going to be
25 readily available here in New York State, and
6934
1 legal?
2 SENATOR RYAN: Through you,
3 Mr. President. I don't -- I don't know if I
4 think that that's -- Senator Borrello, I think
5 that could be speculative whether this will
6 create a black market.
7 I don't know if we could control
8 that. All we're trying to do is control the fact
9 that there is -- you're taking a legal substance,
10 kratom, which has medicinal value, creating a
11 synthetic drug that is 13 times more potent than
12 morphine, more addictive than many other opioids,
13 mixing that with terrible, terrible, terrible
14 chemicals, selling it over the counter in
15 gas stations.
16 And I think just the intent behind
17 this is that -- people are dying, people are
18 becoming addicted. It is being used, I guess,
19 and/or categorized as a means to help come off of
20 opioid addiction; it's actually making things
21 worse.
22 So I guess with that said, I don't
23 know if it's going to lead to illicit 7-OH
24 somewhere. I don't know, I guess maybe people
25 find a way. But what I'm just trying to do is
6935
1 legally stop the sale of such said products in
2 corner grocery stores that my 18- or 20-year-old
3 kid could go in and buy tomorrow.
4 SENATOR BORRELLO: Mr. President,
5 on the bill.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
7 Borrello on the bill.
8 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
9 Senator Ryan.
10 I'm actually supportive of this
11 bill. However, there's always a cautionary tale
12 here. In Florida they banned the substance and
13 actually opioid overdoses almost immediately
14 tripled. The few states that's have banned it
15 basically have not seen declines in fatal opioid
16 overdoses.
17 So I understand what the target is
18 and what we're trying to accomplish, and I
19 support this because I'd rather be safe than
20 sorry.
21 But I really would strongly suggest
22 that we look at this closely and see what are we
23 -- what is the alternative? Are we creating an
24 even worse situation by driving people to
25 deadlier drugs, potentially?
6936
1 That may -- that is certainly not
2 the intention, I know that. The intention is to
3 save lives. There are people's lives who have
4 been ruined with this -- you know, with this
5 substance, and I get that. But in the end, we
6 want to save lives. And it appears that at least
7 the initial evidence from states like Florida is
8 that it has not helped in that area.
9 So I'm going to be supportive
10 because I'd rather be safe than sorry, but I
11 think we should understand that this is not
12 necessarily going to solve the problem.
13 Addiction, as we all know, is a complex issue and
14 people who have addictions will find a way until
15 we can cure them of those addictions. So let's
16 hope we can figure out a way to do that and save
17 lives.
18 So thank you, Mr. President.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
20 you, Senator Borrello.
21 Are there any other Senators wishing
22 to be heard?
23 Seeing and hearing none, debate is
24 closed.
25 Senator Gianaris.
6937
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
2 let's restore this to the noncontroversial
3 calendar, please.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: On
5 consent, the bill is restored to the
6 noncontroversial calendar.
7 Read the last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
9 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
10 shall have become a law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
12 roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
15 Ryan to explain his vote.
16 SENATOR RYAN: Thank you,
17 Mr. President.
18 So obviously I rise in support of
19 Bill 8925A, a pretty straightforward consumer
20 protection measure that addresses the growing
21 presence of synthetic 7-OH products in New York's
22 marketplace.
23 While 7-OH naturally exists in
24 kratom at trace levels, manufacturers have
25 developed ways to concentrate it far beyond what
6938
1 occurs in nature, creating products with
2 significantly greater potency. These products
3 are increasingly being sold in convenience
4 stores, gas stations and online, with limited
5 oversight and inadequate consumer information.
6 The bill draws a clear line between
7 natural kratom and these highly concentrated
8 derivatives. It does not prohibit natural kratom
9 products.
10 I believe, as lawmakers here, we
11 have a great responsibility to ensure that
12 products being sold to consumers and our children
13 are not creating unnecessary risks to public
14 health and safety. I believe this legislation
15 takes a measured, commonsense approach to doing
16 exactly just that, and I vote in the affirmative.
17 Thank you, Mr. President.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
19 Ryan to be recorded in the affirmative.
20 Announce the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
23 is passed.
24 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
25 reading of today's calendar.
6939
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
2 to give my colleagues some sense of schedule, we
3 will be dealing with a supplemental calendar
4 later this evening.
5 And in an effort to be efficient,
6 let's take up some of the resolutions that were
7 without guests that we might normally wait till
8 the end of session -- but as we're awaiting that
9 supplemental calendar, let's do the resos.
10 So please take up Resolution 2143,
11 by Senator Sutton, read its title and call on
12 Senator Sutton.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
14 Secretary will read.
15 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 2143, by
16 Senator Sutton, recognizing May 2026 as
17 Jewish American Heritage Month in the State of
18 New York.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
20 Sutton on the resolution.
21 SENATOR SUTTON: Last week we
22 paused not only to recognize Jewish American
23 Heritage Month, but to honor a story engrained
24 into the very fabric of New York, the American
25 experience, a story of faith and freedom,
6940
1 struggle and triumph, resilience and unity. The
2 Jewish American story is in many ways the
3 American story itself.
4 For thousands of years the
5 Jewish people carried forward their identity,
6 tradition, faith while enduring persecution,
7 expulsion, pogroms, and the unimaginable horrors
8 of the Holocaust.
9 Yet through every generation the
10 Jewish spirit endured. It endured because it was
11 grounded in something stronger than hatred -- in
12 family and community and in dignity, human
13 dignity.
14 That spirit arrived to these shores
15 in 1654 when 23 Sephardic immigrants came from
16 South America facing the horrors of the
17 Inquisition. They arrived in the face of
18 discrimination to find discrimination here.
19 Despite that, they survived. They
20 founded schools and synagogues. And through
21 courage and determination, they helped shape
22 New York into the vibrant center of culture,
23 commerce, innovation and democracy that it is
24 today.
25 Generation after generation,
6941
1 Jewish Americans helped build this nation.
2 Jewish Americans strengthened every corner of our
3 society, as teachers and scientists, physicians
4 and public servants, artists and entrepreneurs,
5 soldiers and activists. They advanced medicine,
6 elevated the arts, defended democracy, and
7 challenged America to live up its highest ideals.
8 But what makes the Jewish American
9 experience so inspiring is not only perseverance
10 in the face of adversity, it is the deep belief
11 that freedom and justice must belong to everyone.
12 Throughout our nation's history,
13 Jewish Americans stood shoulder to shoulder with
14 other communities in the fight to create a more
15 just America.
16 Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel
17 marching arm in arm with Dr. Martin Luther King,
18 Jr., in Selma became one of the defining images
19 of moral courage in America. It represents
20 something even greater, and that is the belief
21 that our struggles are connected, that the pain
22 of one community must matter to all communities,
23 and that we rise strongest when we stand united
24 and together.
25 That spirit of solidarity continues
6942
1 today across New York and across America, in
2 neighborhoods where Jewish communities stand
3 alongside Muslim communities, fighting hatred,
4 where Black and Jewish leaders work together for
5 justice, where immigrants of every background
6 find common cause in the promise of freedom, and
7 where Americans of all faiths and traditions
8 recognize that our diversity is not a weakness,
9 but one of our nation's greatest strengths.
10 And that is why Jewish American
11 Heritage Month is not only a celebration of one
12 community, it is a celebration of the American
13 ideal itself -- that people from every background
14 can preserve their identity, contribute to the
15 common good, and build a stronger nation
16 together.
17 But Jewish American Heritage Month
18 also calls us to vigilance. At a time when the
19 scourge of antisemitism is once again on the
20 rise, including here in New York, we must speak
21 clearly and without hesitation: Hate has no home
22 in this state nor in our country.
23 Antisemitism must be condemned
24 wherever it rears its ugly head, because history
25 teaches us that when one community is targeted,
6943
1 the fabric of our democracy is weakened for all.
2 Jewish American Heritage Month calls on us not
3 only to remember history but to carry its lessons
4 forward -- to protect truth, to reject hatred, to
5 defend one another and to ensure future
6 generations understand the extraordinary
7 contributions of the Jewish American community
8 and the enduring values that it represents:
9 Resilience, justice, compassion, faith and hope.
10 May we honor that legacy not only
11 with words but with actions worthy of it.
12 Thank you, Mr. President.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
14 you, Senator Sutton.
15 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick on the
16 resolution.
17 SENATOR CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK:
18 Thank you, Mr. President.
19 I want to thank the sponsor for
20 bringing this resolution to the floor today.
21 As I am honored to represent the
22 Five Towns community in the 9th Senate District,
23 which is one of the largest Jewish communities in
24 the state, we need to take this moment to make
25 sure that we acknowledge our Jewish brothers and
6944
1 sisters and recognize their community
2 contributions in science, in the arts, business,
3 public service, and so much more.
4 Despite these wonderful
5 contributions, we do have a rise of antisemitism
6 in our state. In 2025, New York led the nation
7 in reported antisemitic incidents, with over 1160
8 cases, nearly double the number reported just
9 three years earlier.
10 So that makes this resolution even
11 that much more important. Just recently we had a
12 swastika etched into a window at the Inwood
13 Long Island Rail Road train station in my
14 district. And that's very disturbing and
15 something that we as legislators, bringing
16 awareness to this, it's so important that we do.
17 Everything that we do here in Albany
18 needs to make sure that our constituents know
19 that hate has no place in our state. I'm proud
20 to vote aye on this resolution.
21 Thank you, Mr. President.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
23 you, Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.
24 Senator Martins on the resolution.
25 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you,
6945
1 Mr. President.
2 I too rise to support the
3 resolution. And I want to thank Senator Sutton
4 for bringing this resolution to the floor.
5 Mr. President, we live in a time
6 when people will equivocate, they'll conflate,
7 they'll say, No, this isn't antisemitic, I'm
8 talking about Israel or I'm talking about
9 Zionists, and let's not confuse the two.
10 Let's understand, as Senator Sutton
11 said and said well, this is a time for clarity.
12 We need to be clear in how we speak. We need to
13 be clear in our convictions that there's no place
14 for hate in our state, in our institutions.
15 Unfortunately, Mr. President, we've
16 seen time and again instances, especially in
17 institutions of higher learning, colleges, our
18 CUNY system, where we have seen, repeatedly,
19 instances of students being harassed because of
20 their beliefs, because of their religion, because
21 of their outward appearance and indications that
22 they are in fact Jews.
23 We've seen a rise in the boycott,
24 divest and sanction movement also included in
25 many of our universities and in particular in our
6946
1 CUNY system.
2 And frankly it's refreshing to sit
3 here on the floor and to hear colleagues speak to
4 the need for clarity and the importance of us
5 recognizing the contributions of the community
6 and the Jewish community here in New York State
7 and frankly across the country.
8 There isn't a facet of society,
9 whether it's academics, science, arts, law -- at
10 the highest level -- that haven't been
11 influenced, informed by the Jewish community, in
12 part with all the other communities. That's what
13 makes this country so great, the melting pot that
14 is our communities, where Catholics and Jews and
15 Muslims and Hindus and every religion can sit
16 side by side and pass laws and do so peacefully,
17 to advance science and art and to do so
18 collaboratively.
19 And so we're here recognizing
20 Jewish American Heritage Month, but there's a
21 larger question, Mr. President, with regard to
22 what's happening in society today.
23 And I stand with Senator Sutton, I
24 stand with my colleagues here in the Senate, I
25 stand for the clarity that is necessary in
6947
1 recognizing the importance of standing against
2 hate, standing against antisemitism, and standing
3 with our Jewish American communities.
4 Mr. President, I'm proud to vote aye
5 and thank Senator Sutton for the resolution.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
7 Martins to be recorded in the affirmative.
8 Senator Weber to explain on the
9 resolution.
10 SENATOR WEBER: Thank you,
11 Mr. President.
12 I rise today to thank the sponsor
13 for this very important resolution.
14 You know, today as we recognize
15 Jewish American Heritage Month here in the
16 New York State Senate, we celebrate the
17 extraordinary contributions Jewish Americans have
18 made to our state, our nation, and especially to
19 Rockland County.
20 In Rockland County Jewish heritage
21 is not simply part of our history, it is a
22 vibrant part of our daily life, our
23 neighborhoods, our schools, our businesses, and
24 the people who make our county strong.
25 Rockland is home to one of the
6948
1 largest Jewish populations in the United States,
2 and the values of faith, family, education,
3 charity and responsibility to others continue to
4 shape our county each and every day.
5 From houses of worship and schools
6 to charitable organizations and local businesses,
7 Jewish residents have helped make Rockland County
8 into the thriving and compassionate place it is
9 today. Their contributions can be seen not only
10 in civic and economic life but in the countless
11 acts of kindness and dedication that strengthen
12 the lives of so many around them.
13 I'm proud of the strong relationship
14 that I've built with Jewish residents throughout
15 Rockland County, and I remain committed to always
16 being accessible, responsible, responsive and
17 present for the people that I represent.
18 Whether celebrating simchas, helping
19 institutions navigate challenges, or standing
20 together during difficult times, those
21 relationships are deeply meaningful to me and to
22 my office.
23 At the same time, Jewish American
24 Heritage Month is not only about celebrating the
25 past. At a time when antisemitism continues to
6949
1 rise across our nation, it is especially
2 important that we recognize and reaffirm that
3 Jewish life, faith and tradition remain an
4 essential part of New York's future.
5 We must continue to stand firmly
6 against hatred, intolerance, and antisemitism in
7 all its forms.
8 Today we celebrate the enduring
9 contributions of Jewish Americans and recommit
10 ourselves to building a future rooted in dignity,
11 understanding, freedom and mutual respect.
12 Again, I want to thank the sponsor,
13 Senator Sutton, for this very important
14 resolution.
15 I proudly vote aye.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
17 Weber to be recorded in the affirmative on the
18 resolution.
19 Senator Chan to explain his vote on
20 the resolution.
21 SENATOR CHAN: Thank you,
22 Mr. President.
23 I rise to support Senator Sutton's
24 resolution to honor Jewish Heritage Month.
25 It's a privilege to be in the Senate
6950
1 district next door to Senator Sutton because we
2 share a common community, and that is our
3 Jewish community.
4 Let's go back 40 years -- 30 years.
5 In 1994 I was a patrolman in the Lower East Side,
6 in the 7th Precinct. I had the privilege of
7 serving the Jewish community over there, in
8 former Assemblyman Sheldon Silver's district over
9 there. And it has been a pleasure, and I
10 continue to learn about that community.
11 Back in high school I took one year
12 of Holocaust classes with a Holocaust survivor,
13 Mrs. Sally Frishberg. And it was an honor and
14 privilege to have known her and learning of her
15 plight as well as the plight of other Jewish
16 people in World War II. So there's nobody in
17 this world that can tell me that the Holocaust
18 did not happen. It absolutely did.
19 As a patrol supervisor, I spent
20 three years in the 66 Precinct, working closely
21 and intimately with our Jewish community -- and
22 by the way, special shout out to the
23 Eisner Brothers of the Lower East Side and
24 Borough Park.
25 Yes, I remember the night after
6951
1 Election Night, a dozen swastikas emerged in my
2 district and Senator Sutton's district. We were
3 incredibly concerned. There's no place to sow
4 hatred in our district or in New York or in
5 America. Or in the world, for that matter.
6 So I want to thank you,
7 Senator Sutton, for bringing forth the attention
8 of the rise of antisemitism as of late, and there
9 is just no room for it. I stand firm with our
10 Jewish community.
11 Thank you.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
13 you.
14 Senator Scarcella-Spanton on the
15 resolution.
16 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
17 you, Madam President.
18 I am proud today to call
19 Senator Sutton a colleague and a friend, and I
20 thank him for bringing this resolution to the
21 floor today in honor of all of our Jewish
22 constituents. And I want them to know that we
23 are here for them, making sure we're fighting for
24 policies that are beneficial to them.
25 Thank you so much.
6952
1 I proudly vote aye.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
3 you, Senator.
4 Senator Rhoads on the resolution.
5 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
6 Madam President.
7 I too want to rise in support of the
8 resolution.
9 And I also want to thank
10 Senator Sutton for his clarity and his leadership
11 in bringing this resolution to the floor as we
12 celebrate Jewish American history and all of the
13 contributions that the Jewish American community
14 has made to New York State and particularly to
15 Long Island.
16 But it's also a celebration of the
17 common values that we share, the values really
18 that our country was founded upon.
19 And, you know, we all have attended
20 Holocaust memorials where we've said "Never
21 again." But then October 7th of 2023 happened,
22 and all of a sudden "never again" became the here
23 and now as we watched what unfolded on college
24 campuses, as we watched the protests going on in
25 the street, as we continue to watch the violence
6953
1 that's gone on both in the City of New York and
2 across the country. Some of it, unfortunately --
3 unfortunately ignored by some of the elected
4 officials that we have in the city.
5 Let's use this not just as an
6 opportunity to celebrate Jewish Americans and the
7 contributions that they've made to our country
8 and to our community, but let's use this as an
9 opportunity to refocus our attention on what's
10 truly important in combating antisemitism and the
11 attacks that continue to go on on the Jewish
12 community.
13 Our Republican Conference has had an
14 Antisemitism Working Group that has proposed a
15 number of pieces of legislation which we would
16 love to see at some point in time come to the
17 floor so that we have an opportunity to
18 debate and discuss and hopefully offer some
19 protection against some of the outrageous acts
20 that are going on today.
21 But for this resolution, again, I
22 proudly vote aye. Again, I want to thank
23 Senator Sutton. But let's really focus on trying
24 to be a part of the solution here in the New York
25 State Senate. Our residents are counting on us,
6954
1 and I know that we will not let them down.
2 Thank you, Madam President.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
4 you.
5 Senator Bailey on the resolution.
6 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
7 Madam President.
8 I wanted to thank Senator Sutton for
9 this important resolution.
10 In this chamber we often disagree on
11 a lot of different things, but these cultural
12 moments are -- should be used as moments to unify
13 as opposed to even attempt to sow the seeds of
14 division or to sow the seeds of division.
15 What we should be doing, with
16 resolutions like this, is making sure we continue
17 to uplift the proud Jewish Americans that have
18 been the fabric of society, as Senator Sutton
19 mentioned, to talk about the relationships that
20 we all have in our communities. Those are things
21 that we should be utilizing these conversations
22 for. That's the purpose of making sure that we
23 uplift a great prideful group of individuals for.
24 That's what we should be doing.
25 I want to make sure we highlight the
6955
1 relationship, as an African-American, the
2 relationship between the African American
3 community and the Jewish American community
4 during the civil rights movement. Critically
5 important, that relationship that we've had.
6 My district does not have a lot of
7 Jewish individuals in it, but when I went to the
8 Bronx High School of Science, it is where I
9 learned that one of the world's most famous
10 Holocaust museums is contained within the
11 Bronx High School of Science. Bronx High School
12 of Science, Madam President.
13 It was really eye-opening, as a high
14 school student who did not come from an area
15 where I lived around many Jewish Americans, to
16 see the pain and the struggle that the Jewish
17 community had gone through and to be able to be
18 in that institution and to have conversations
19 with curators and librarians to talk about the
20 struggle. And to see the triumph in America that
21 the Jewish folks have been able to do.
22 So I just wanted to thank you,
23 Senator Sutton, once again, for your work
24 today -- and all my Jewish colleagues, and all my
25 colleagues who are not Jewish, who we all should
6956
1 endeavor to bind ourselves, to be part of that
2 great beautiful fabric, the gorgeous mosaic, as
3 Mayor Dinkins called it once upon a time.
4 When we have moments like this in
5 the chamber, we get past differences. When we
6 have moments like this in the chamber, we can see
7 things from a different perspective.
8 Madam President, you have the view
9 from the dais and you can see down upon us, and
10 you can see that we're all equal, we're all on
11 equal footing. Moments like this truly equalize
12 us all.
13 I proudly vote aye on this
14 resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the
15 same.
16 Thank you.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
18 you.
19 Senator Stavisky on the resolution.
20 SENATOR STAVISKY: Thank you,
21 Madam Chairwoman.
22 And thank you especially to
23 Senator Sutton and to the leader,
24 Senator Stewart-Cousins, for recognizing how
25 diverse we are. We come from all over the world,
6957
1 our families did, and yet we're here today.
2 As Senator Bailey just said,
3 diversity is our -- I think one of our strongest
4 responses to some of the issues that face us.
5 As chair of the Committee on
6 Higher Education, I want to mention some of the
7 bills that we have passed that have tried to deal
8 with the issue not just of antisemitism but also
9 Islamophobia, racially charged issues, et cetera.
10 Hatred does not belong in our
11 state -- or our country, for that matter. And as
12 a result, in 2023 the Governor, at the Museum of
13 Jewish Heritage, signed my bill which required
14 college campuses in New York State that receive
15 state funding to report incidents of hate on
16 their campus. And they have been doing so.
17 Last year, about the same time as
18 the other legislation, at our office in
19 Manhattan, in a public ceremony, the Governor
20 signed another bill that I was proud to sponsor
21 with Assemblymember Rozic requiring a Title 6
22 officer on each college campus to deal with some
23 of the problems of hatred, so that if a student
24 or a teacher or a faculty member or anybody
25 affiliated with the college is subjected to these
6958
1 incidents, they have a person to talk to, a
2 person to deal with these issues.
3 And there are many other examples
4 because, as I said, hatred has no place here.
5 And hatred directed at any group is a -- it is a
6 hatred directed at everybody.
7 And lastly, I thank Senator Bailey
8 for mentioning the Holocaust Museum at Science.
9 It is a -- I think the only Holocaust center in a
10 New York City certainly public school.
11 We also have an interesting
12 Holocaust Museum at Queensborough Community
13 College. But it's not just antisemitism. There
14 was a -- the last time I was there, there was a
15 program directed at the Korean "comfort women,"
16 the Armenian genocide, all forms of hate.
17 So I thank Senator Sutton again for
18 his resolution.
19 And I proudly, proudly, as a
20 daughter of an immigrant, I vote aye.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
22 you, Senator.
23 Senator Comrie on the resolution.
24 SENATOR COMRIE: Thank you,
25 Madam President.
6959
1 I rise to support the resolution
2 that Senator Sutton brought to get -- celebrating
3 the Jewish community in New York State,
4 celebrating the fact that New York State is a
5 community that -- is a state, rather, that is a
6 melting pot, where people come from all over the
7 world and want to live their life, where the
8 Jewish community came and developed businesses
9 and families and traditions that need to be
10 respected. Those traditions and those
11 opportunities need to be understood and
12 appreciated.
13 You know, I've gotten up before and
14 said that we've lost civics in our schools.
15 We've lost the ability to make sure that our
16 young people understand our cultures. We need to
17 reinstate civics in our schools so that people
18 can understand that all people need to be
19 respected.
20 I'm honored to represent a large
21 part of the Jewish community in Queens --
22 Kew Gardens Hills, Kew Gardens, Briarwood. Parts
23 of Forest Hills are in my district, where the
24 Jewish community resides.
25 And I'm proud to work with them on
6960
1 particular issues. I've been working in the
2 Jewish community since before I got elected to
3 office, since I've been working back in the
4 Summer Youth Employment Program.
5 It's been important to understand
6 and be able to work with people to understand and
7 respect people's focus, people's culture, and
8 people's dignity.
9 So I'm glad that we're honoring this
10 resolution today, that we're recognizing that
11 we're -- as Jamaicans would say, we're all one
12 people, and we all have to work together.
13 Thank you, Madam President.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
15 Mattera on the resolution.
16 SENATOR MATTERA: Thank you,
17 Madam President.
18 And I just want to thank the
19 sponsor, Senator Sutton, for this very, very
20 important American Jewish Heritage Month.
21 You know, for somebody that lives in
22 a neighborhood in Smithtown, you know, an
23 Italian, Jewish and Irish neighborhood, we never
24 had hate. We all got together. Yeah, we fought
25 and everything like that. We never had any of
6961
1 this hate.
2 And I have a Rabbi that I dearly
3 love. He should be a comedian, he's that funny.
4 On October 7th in 2023 -- excuse me, on
5 October 5th, 2023, we were at his house for the
6 Sukkot. And I go to his home, and I always say
7 this. I go like this, I go to the rabbi, I go,
8 Rabbi, your food is great. But you know one
9 thing about the Italians and Jews, we're very,
10 very close. You know, about family -- and I
11 always thought I was going to be marrying a
12 Jewish girl named Marlene Yugoda {ph}.
13 And there I am sitting there, I go,
14 but you know what, Rabbi? One thing about the
15 Italians, we have better food. We used to -- we
16 laughed.
17 And the next thing you know,
18 October 7th hits us. And I couldn't understand
19 it. I said in these times -- you know, you hear
20 about the Holocaust. You know, history, you
21 know, doesn't want to repeat itself. We don't
22 want that to repeat itself. And I couldn't
23 understand it. I still don't understand it to
24 today. It's going to be three years, coming on
25 to three years October 7th with that horrific day
6962
1 that we all will remember.
2 And we don't want to remember. And,
3 you know, walking, walking the streets with our
4 Jewish friends and our neighbors, crying, looking
5 at the photos of all those beautiful people that
6 were hostages and sitting there praying that they
7 were going to come home.
8 And this is dear to my heart that,
9 in other words, that we need to respect all
10 religions.
11 And again to you, Senator, I just
12 want to say thank you so much for bringing this
13 resolution forward. And again, I'm going to say
14 we do not have any hate in our lives. We need
15 love.
16 Thank you so much. Thank you,
17 Madam President.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
19 you, Senator.
20 Senator Zellner on the resolution.
21 SENATOR ZELLNER: Thank you,
22 Madam President.
23 I want to thank Senator Sutton for
24 bringing this resolution forward recognizing
25 Jewish American Heritage Month.
6963
1 Jewish Americans have been a huge
2 part of New York's history for centuries. And in
3 Western New York, that history runs deep.
4 Buffalo's first synagogue, Congregation Beth El,
5 was established in 1847, and it was the first
6 synagogue between New York City and Chicago. And
7 from then on, our region has seen so much growth
8 from Jewish families across our region.
9 In 1863, what would become
10 Jewish Family Services of Western New York was
11 founded to care for the sick and those in need.
12 And then more than 160 years later it remains one
13 of our strongest institutions in Western
14 New York.
15 I just want to thank Senator Sutton
16 again for bringing this bill {sic}. It's an
17 important bill, and I vote aye.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
19 you.
20 Senator Gounardes on the resolution.
21 SENATOR GOUNARDES: Thank you,
22 Madam President.
23 I too want to add my voice to the
24 chorus of my colleagues in speaking on this
25 resolution. I thank Senator Sutton.
6964
1 And I want to uplift something that
2 Senator Bailey said. You know, these cultural
3 remembrance resolutions are really important --
4 not only to recognize the rich diversity and the
5 tapestry of diversity that make up our individual
6 districts, our communities, our cities, our
7 states, but to highlight just how important each
8 of these communities are to the greater story
9 that is New York.
10 In my eight years in this chamber
11 I've had the privilege to represent a very, very
12 broad array and diverse array of Jewish
13 constituents. In fact, when I first got elected,
14 Madam President, I used to represent many of the
15 areas that Senator Sutton now represents. And it
16 was a community that I grew to be very, very
17 close to.
18 And as disappointed as I was to lose
19 many of those neighborhoods as the district lines
20 changed, the one saving grace is that it allowed
21 him to join us in this chamber. And as a
22 Greek American, the relationship between Greeks
23 and Jews, between Greek Americans and Jewish
24 Americans, is incredibly, incredibly special.
25 There is a bond that goes back for hundreds if
6965
1 not thousands of years between Greek people and
2 the Jewish people. So much so that there
3 actually is a Greek Jewish synagogue in
4 Manhattan. They just celebrated a wonderful
5 festival just a couple of weeks ago.
6 There is a long history of each
7 community supporting each other, standing with
8 each other. And that relationship stems from a
9 sense of shared values and a sense of shared
10 ethics about what's important, how we value
11 what's important, and how we carry ourselves.
12 And so as we pause today to remember
13 and commemorate Jewish American Heritage Month, I
14 want to wish -- say to all of my constituents who
15 are Jewish that we recognize you, we see you, we
16 value what you bring to our communities, what you
17 bring to our state. And just as we do for any
18 other group, New York belongs to you.
19 Thank you.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
21 you.
22 Senator Fahy on the resolution.
23 SENATOR FAHY: Thank you.
24 I too want to join and commend the
25 sponsor, Senator Sutton, on this resolution on
6966
1 Jewish heritage, and rise in support of that
2 resolution.
3 And I should also add Senator
4 Stavisky sent me a little bit down memory lane
5 with a bill that we worked on when I was in the
6 other body, in the Assembly, about the studying
7 and tracking of hate and hate incidences on SUNY
8 and CUNY campuses. That bill was sponsored by
9 Daniel Rosenthal, but it was one that we worked
10 very hard to move through the committee when I
11 was in the other body, and I think it has gone a
12 long way to help.
13 And I should also add, similar to
14 what Senator Comrie has mentioned, it is about
15 trying to teach civics, civil engagement and
16 civil protests as well on our campuses and
17 elsewhere. It is something we -- free speech is
18 something we value, but it's -- there's a lot to
19 be learned here.
20 I should also add it was with great
21 honor last year a longstanding bill to create a
22 New York State Holocaust Memorial here at the
23 Capitol is a bill that we were able to move last
24 year. That is being worked on as we speak. And
25 that's something that is very meaningful to a lot
6967
1 here in our Jewish community. But hopefully it
2 will serve as an educational piece.
3 And I want to add I do think it's
4 important that we all focus on our heritage, our
5 shared history. And I often think if we learned
6 and respected and appreciated our histories more,
7 there would probably be less divisiveness in this
8 country.
9 And with that, again, I thank the
10 sponsor for this resolution and vote aye.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
12 you.
13 Are there any other Senators wishing
14 to speak on the resolution?
15 Seeing and hearing none,
16 Senator Mayer to close.
17 SENATOR MAYER: Thank you,
18 Madam President.
19 And thank you, Senator Sutton, for
20 this resolution.
21 I have to say I start with just a
22 position of joy talking about Jewish American
23 heritage. Before we get to the problems of this
24 moment and the antisemitism, it is so joyful to
25 have a resolution that really celebrates our
6968
1 heritage in such a rich way.
2 I always say to my non-Jewish
3 friends: Come to have Passover at my house and
4 see what a chaotic, opinionated, diverse -- just
5 like everyone else's ethnic group, but we have
6 such a rich and beautiful heritage that we
7 celebrate together.
8 And Jews are not a monolith, as we
9 have learned during the last several years. You
10 know, we have Jews that -- like my father, who
11 grew up Jewish but had very little identity, and
12 my mother, who had such a strong Jewish identity.
13 And she just carried it through her life and gave
14 it to all of her children, and I have given it to
15 my children and grandchildren.
16 There is something -- so much to
17 celebrate about Jewish American history in this
18 country. What we have achieved, what we have
19 fought for, who we have fought with, as
20 Senator Sutton mentioned in the resolution. Not
21 only the wonderful things of food and music and
22 culture, but the contributions to literature and
23 academia and law and business -- so much that is
24 rich and positive.
25 And for me, as the last elected
6969
1 official who is Jewish from the City of
2 Yonkers -- which at one time had a thriving
3 Jewish community, but it has changed -- I so
4 appreciate that the city where I live celebrates
5 Jewish life too, for -- so many people who are
6 not Jewish come and celebrate our holidays
7 together, with the mayor and the council, none of
8 whom are Jewish anymore, and all of whom
9 recognize that Jewish American heritage is
10 something that is special and as wonderful as
11 each of their own heritages.
12 But not just in an abstract way, in
13 a real, tangible way of lighting candles
14 together, learning to sing together, learning
15 about the food together.
16 So I'm so appreciative of the
17 beautiful, positive opportunity you give for
18 people like me to celebrate and talk about our
19 culture and our heritage.
20 And then I just want to pivot for a
21 minute to the challenge of this moment and the
22 fact that people are afraid to walk around with a
23 Star of David or a yarmulke or other outward
24 signs of their faith. And that is just simply
25 unacceptable.
6970
1 In this society, in this moment, for
2 anyone to have to hide the outward showing of
3 their faith is simply not acceptable. I think in
4 this chamber we all agree on that. But we have a
5 world to teach about that.
6 And we have not done well enough by
7 our children. Someone spoke about having -- I
8 think Senator Chan spoke about having someone, a
9 Holocaust survivor, come to his school. We need
10 to make sure that our next generation, which may
11 not be exposed to many people of Jewish faith,
12 understands and celebrates the history of
13 Jewish life.
14 We have a world of work to do. I
15 want to commend the State Education Department
16 and encourage you all to look at their updated
17 materials on the Holocaust, that they have done
18 an outstanding job of improving the materials to
19 teach our kids so that we do not stop teaching
20 about it.
21 But the Holocaust is not the end of
22 the Jewish American story, nor the beginning of
23 it. And we have a long way to go to get a
24 generation to understand that celebration of a
25 faith, outward display of a faith, joy and
6971
1 acknowledgment of people's right to worship is so
2 fundamentally American, so fundamental to the
3 success of our democracy. That if we walk away
4 from that, we are walking away from the essence
5 of what makes the United States so great.
6 So I'm so appreciative,
7 Senator Sutton, of the opportunity for me to talk
8 in such joyous terms about my own history and my
9 own heritage.
10 And again, you're all welcome to
11 come to my house, have Passover. If you can be
12 heard above the multiple disagreements about
13 politics and everything else, you're very
14 welcome.
15 That is the joy of the
16 Jewish American heritage in the United States.
17 Today we celebrate it.
18 I vote aye.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
20 you, Senator.
21 The question is on the resolution.
22 All in favor signify by saying aye.
23 (Response of "Aye.")
24 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Opposed,
25 nay.
6972
1 (No response.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
3 resolution is adopted.
4 Senator Gianaris.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's move on to
6 previously adopted Resolution 2121, by
7 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, read its title and
8 call on Senator Scarcella-Spanton, please.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
10 Secretary will read.
11 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 2121, by
12 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, commemorating the
13 250th Anniversary of the United States of
14 America.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
16 Scarcella-Spanton on the resolution.
17 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
18 you, Madam President.
19 As we prepare to celebrate America's
20 250th birthday, we are reminded that the story of
21 our nation is not simply the story of our
22 presidents, generals, or famous names in the
23 history books. It is the history of ordinary
24 people who believed in the extraordinary promise
25 of our country.
6973
1 It is the story of immigrants who
2 arrived in New York Harbor seeking opportunity.
3 It's the story of workers who built our cities,
4 veterans who defended our freedoms, parents who
5 sacrificed for their children, and generations of
6 Americans who believed that tomorrow could be
7 better than today and fought hard to ensure that
8 this became a reality.
9 It is the story of Martin Luther
10 King, who advanced civil rights; Mother Jones,
11 who fought for working men, women and children;
12 the story of Harvey Milk, who championed
13 dignity and equality for our LGBTQ community; and
14 Susan B. Anthony, who fought for women's
15 suffrage. Their efforts, and the efforts of
16 countless others, helped us move our nation
17 closer to its founding ideals.
18 For 250 years the United States has
19 remained a nation striving to live up to its
20 ideals of liberty, equality, representative
21 government, and opportunity -- a goal of always
22 becoming more perfect.
23 As a New Yorker, I am especially
24 proud of the role our state has played in this
25 story. From the birth of our democracy to the
6974
1 movements that expanded civil rights, labor
2 rights, and women's rights, New York has often
3 helped lead the nation forward.
4 The American story is also the story
5 of all of you here in this room, helping to shape
6 New York's history and policy in the
7 United States every day.
8 On this 250th anniversary we
9 celebrate not only where America has been, but
10 where we are going. We honor those who came
11 before us, recommit ourselves to the work of
12 self-government, and remember that the
13 American story is still being written every day.
14 Each generation is entrusted with
15 the responsibility to leave our country stronger,
16 freer, and more equitable than we found it
17 before. I am proud to be a part of this body
18 that ensures we do just that.
19 Thank you, Madam President, and I
20 proudly vote aye.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
22 you, Senator.
23 Senator Fahy on the resolution.
24 SENATOR FAHY: Thank you,
25 Madam President.
6975
1 I too want to commend the sponsor
2 and to vote in support of this resolution.
3 I do think it's important that we
4 mark this moment. It's 250 years ago that a
5 group of colonies came together with an
6 extraordinary declaration that all people are
7 created equal, entitled to liberty,
8 self-governance as well as self-determination.
9 The ideals that were found in the
10 Declaration of Independence ignited a movement
11 for liberty across the world that has endured for
12 generations, even with a number of painful
13 chapters during those generations.
14 Our nation's history has been
15 defined not just by pursuit of these ideals but
16 by this collective determination to live up to
17 them. We have revisited these ideals a lot in
18 the last few years as we realize none of them can
19 be taken for granted.
20 Here in the Capital Region we do
21 take pride in the role that our community has
22 played in securing American independence,
23 including the role of the Hudson River as well as
24 the Battle of Saratoga and more.
25 As we commemorate this anniversary,
6976
1 we should remember that America has been also
2 shaped by immigrants, those who first crossed the
3 ocean seeking religious liberty and economic
4 opportunity, as well as those for generations who
5 arrive from every corner of this globe.
6 Again, many came in pursuit of
7 freedom, of safety and a better life or better
8 opportunity. I'm very proud to say that my
9 parents were two of those individuals.
10 That story continues today, and the
11 American story remains a unique one. Unlike many
12 other nations which grew out of a shared
13 ancestry or tribal history, the United States was
14 really established by a document 250 years ago.
15 Again, it is the shared belief in
16 our democracy and opportunity that each
17 generation can build toward a perfect union. And
18 we have to keep building.
19 As we mark this 250 years of
20 independence, let us honor all of those who
21 fought, all of those who died to create and to
22 defend this nation, as well as those who continue
23 to work to strengthen it and continue to believe
24 in its promise.
25 And with that, Madam President, I
6977
1 vote in the affirmative.
2 Thank you.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
4 you.
5 The question is on the resolution.
6 All those in favor signify by saying
7 aye.
8 (Response of "Aye.")
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Opposed,
10 nay.
11 (No response.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
13 resolution is adopted.
14 Senator Gianaris.
15 SENATOR GIANARIS: All right, let's
16 move on and take up previously adopted
17 Resolution 1799, by Senator Mattera, read that
18 resolution's title and call on Senator Mattera.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
20 Secretary will read.
21 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 1799, by
22 Senator Mattera, mourning the untimely death and
23 paying tribute to the life and heroic service of
24 Nassau County Police Officer Patricia Espinosa,
25 who died on Saturday, January 31, 2026.
6978
1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
2 Mattera on the resolution.
3 SENATOR MATTERA: Thank you,
4 Madam President.
5 Today I humbly rise to recognize the
6 life, service, and sacrifice of Nassau County
7 Police Officer Patricia Espinosa.
8 Officer Espinosa, who was from the
9 Second Senate District, living in St. James, who
10 dedicated her life to serving others and
11 protecting her community, was tragically taken
12 from us in an avoidable DWI accident in January,
13 while she was on her way to protect and serve the
14 residents of Nassau County.
15 Officer Espinosa was a daughter, a
16 wife, a mother, and a respected member of the
17 ranks of the men and women in blue who serve the
18 Long Island community, and her loss is felt by so
19 many.
20 Sadly, in a tragic example of the
21 dedication of our law enforcement community, her
22 husband, fellow Nassau County Police Officer
23 Francisco Malaga, was also on his way to work
24 only five minutes behind his wife Patricia when
25 he noticed the accident.
6979
1 Without hesitation, and without
2 knowing the accident was involved with his wife,
3 Officer Malaga jumped into action with the
4 Nesconset Fire Department, stopping only when he
5 realized the tragedy had taken Patricia's life
6 from him.
7 Officer Espinosa embodied the very
8 best of this country and the very best of
9 law enforcement. She came to the United States
10 from Quito, Ecuador, at the age of 21, with a
11 dream of building a better life through hard
12 work, determination, and service to others. She
13 learned English, pursued a career in public
14 service, and ultimately achieved her dream of
15 becoming a Nassau County police officer in 2017.
16 She proudly served the residents of
17 Nassau County in the Fifth Precinct, in Elmont,
18 and served with compassion, professionalism, and
19 heart. She was deeply involved in her community,
20 mentoring young people, helping train fellow
21 officers, and building relationships that
22 strengthened trust between law enforcement and
23 the people they serve.
24 Those who knew Officer Espinosa
25 described her as strong, kind, compassionate and
6980
1 somebody whose smile could light up a room. From
2 the stories that were told to me, it was like I
3 knew Patricia for years. She was a very, very
4 special woman. She was not only respected by her
5 fellow officers and her loved ones, but by her
6 community. In short, she was the embodiment of
7 the American dream, and she was an inspiration to
8 everyone she connected with.
9 Her tragic passing on January 31st
10 is a heartbreaking loss to Nassau County, for
11 law enforcement across New York, and for all of
12 our community and state -- and most importantly,
13 her family. She leaves behind her husband
14 Francisco; their beautiful two-year-old daughter
15 Mia, that I met; and so many loved ones who will
16 forever carry her memory in their hearts.
17 As we discuss this resolution today,
18 let us remember that behind every badge is a
19 human being, someone who cares, somebody who
20 chose a life of sacrifice and service so others
21 could feel safe.
22 Officer Patricia Espinosa lived a
23 life of purpose, courage, and dedication to
24 others. Her legacy will never be forgotten. I
25 ask my colleagues today to join me in honoring
6981
1 her memory, praying for her family, and thanking
2 all the men and women in law enforcement who
3 continue to put themselves in harm's way every
4 single day to protect us.
5 May Officer Patricia Espinosa rest
6 in eternal peace.
7 Thank you, Madam President.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
9 you, Senator.
10 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick on the
11 resolution.
12 SENATOR CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK:
13 Thank you, Madam President.
14 And I want to thank my colleague
15 Senator Mattera for bringing this resolution to
16 the floor.
17 Just this past weekend in any
18 district we had the Elmont/Belmont Parade in
19 honor of Paul Sapienza, and at that parade they
20 made the Grand Marshal the family of
21 Patricia Espinosa. So I got to meet her parents,
22 her sister, her two brothers, and her beautiful
23 daughter Mia and her husband.
24 And it was exceptionally heartfelt
25 that her parents are now really taking care of
6982
1 her daughter so much because she's missing her
2 mom.
3 And to see the life that this family
4 has -- her two brothers are police officers, her
5 sister is a social worker. And as
6 Senator Mattera said, they came to the
7 United States for a better life.
8 It certainly is a tragedy that
9 Patricia is no longer with us. Her post was
10 right in the Home Depot parking lot of
11 Home Depot, right on Hempstead Turnpike in the
12 heart of my district. And her partner,
13 Angelica Caggiano, spoke so heartfelt about all
14 the work they did and how they became best
15 friends and served the Elmont community in such a
16 beautiful way, always being there for those who
17 needed them.
18 So I appreciate this resolution. I
19 thank you, Senator, for making sure that we
20 remember the family that lost her so tragically
21 as she was heading to work. And I too pray for
22 their family because her parents are truly
23 heartbroken over the loss of their beautiful
24 daughter.
25 Thank you, Madam President.
6983
1 I proudly vote aye.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
3 you, Senator.
4 Senator Martins on the resolution.
5 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you,
6 Madam President.
7 I too rise to support the resolution
8 mourning the passing of Patricia Espinosa,
9 honoring her service to the state and to the
10 residents of Nassau County.
11 I just want to underline a fact that
12 shouldn't be lost on anyone, that
13 Patricia Espinosa would be here today but for
14 someone driving drunk who got into a head-on
15 collision and took her life.
16 And there is something we can do
17 about it. There is something we can do about it
18 right here in the chamber as we mourn her passing
19 and we honor her service and we reflect on not
20 only her service, but on her family and the
21 sacrifice and loss that that means for her
22 husband, her family, her children.
23 There is something we can do when we
24 talk about strengthening drunk driving laws,
25 drugged driving laws, strengthening restrictions
6984
1 on people who are found and convicted while
2 driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs,
3 taking away those licenses, preventing them from
4 driving, keeping them off the streets,
5 understanding that yes, they need treatment, they
6 need help, and we're there for that -- and this
7 state has every resource there for them.
8 But we have to commit ourselves to
9 making sure that when people break the law when
10 it comes to drunk/drugged driving, impaired
11 driving, it is our responsibility to make sure
12 that we take them off the road.
13 Because the end result of policies
14 that sometimes are a bit too lenient,
15 Madam President, is loss of life and sacrifice.
16 I want to thank Senator Mattera for
17 this resolution, and I vote aye.
18 Thank you.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
20 you, Senator.
21 The resolution was adopted on
22 March 24th.
23 Senator Gianaris.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Okay,
25 Madam President. Now we're going to break for a
6985
1 couple of things.
2 First of all, there will be an
3 immediate meeting of the Investigations and
4 Finance committees jointly in Room 124.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: There
6 will be an immediate meeting of the Finance and
7 Investigations and Government Operations
8 committees in Room 124.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: The Majority
10 will then have conference at 5:30, and then we
11 will reconvene session at 7:00 p.m.
12 Please recognize Senator Lanza for
13 an announcement.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
15 Lanza.
16 SENATOR LANZA: Thank you,
17 Senator Gianaris.
18 Madam President, the
19 Republican Conference will meet at 5:45 in
20 Room 315 of the Capitol Building.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: The Senate will
22 stand at ease until 7:00 p.m.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
24 Senate will stand at ease until 7:00 p.m.
25 (Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease
6986
1 at 5:22 p.m.)
2 (Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at
3 7:23 p.m.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The Senate
5 will return to order.
6 Senator Gianaris.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Good evening,
8 Madam President.
9 Let's take up supplemental active
10 list, please.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
12 Secretary will read.
13 Oh, there's substitutions at the
14 desk. The Secretary will read.
15 THE SECRETARY: Senator Martinez
16 moves to discharge, from the Committee on
17 Local Government, Assembly Bill Number 10562 and
18 substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 9325,
19 Third Reading Calendar 667.
20 Senator May moves to discharge, from
21 the Committee on Internet and Technology,
22 Assembly Bill Number 8713B and substitute it for
23 the identical Senate Bill 9097A, Third Reading
24 Calendar 685.
25 Senator Martinez moves to discharge,
6987
1 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
2 Number 10885B and substitute it for the identical
3 Senate Bill 9502A, Third Reading Calendar 766.
4 Senator Cooney moves to discharge,
5 from the Committee on Transportation,
6 Assembly Bill Number 5306 and substitute it for
7 the identical Senate Bill 9226, Third Reading
8 Calendar 783.
9 Senator Bailey moves to discharge,
10 from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill
11 Number 6465 and substitute it for the identical
12 Senate Bill 5318, Third Reading Calendar 1125.
13 Senator Bailey moves to discharge,
14 from the Committee on Insurance, Assembly Bill
15 Number 11164 and substitute it for the identical
16 Senate Bill 10225, Third Reading Calendar 1129.
17 Senator Liu moves to discharge, from
18 the Committee on Education, Assembly Bill
19 Number 10079A and substitute it for the identical
20 Senate Bill 6355A, Third Reading Calendar 1172.
21 Senator Scarcella-Spanton moves to
22 discharge, from the Committee on Cultural
23 Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation,
24 Assembly Bill Number 10497 and substitute it for
25 the identical Senate Bill 9389, Third Reading
6988
1 Calendar 1221.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:
3 Substitutions so ordered.
4 The Secretary will read.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 328, Senate Print 3819B, by Senator Rivera, an
7 act to amend the Executive Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
18 Calendar 328, voting in the negative are
19 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
20 Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Martins,
21 Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt,
22 Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk,
23 Weber and Weik.
24 Ayes, 40. Nays, 21.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
6989
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 636, Senate Print 9065A, by Senator Parker, an
4 act to amend the Public Service Law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
6 last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
8 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
9 shall have become a law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar 636, voting in the negative are
17 Senators Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan,
18 Gallivan, Griffo, Martins, Mattera, Murray,
19 O'Mara, Rhoads, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
20 Ayes, 47. Nays, 14.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 667, Assembly Bill Number 10562, by
25 Assemblymember Stern, an act to amend the
6990
1 Real Property Tax Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect on the first of January.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 668, Senate Print 9326A, by Senator Martinez, an
16 act in relation to authorizing the assessor of
17 the Town of Babylon to accept an application for
18 exemption from real property taxes.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6991
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 668, voting in the negative are
5 Senators O'Mara and Skoufis.
6 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 685, Assembly Bill Number 8713B, by
11 Assemblymember Carroll, an act to amend the
12 General Business Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
16 act shall take effect immediately.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
18 roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
21 the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
24 is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6992
1 766, Assembly Bill Number 10885B, by
2 Assemblymember Stern, an act to amend the
3 Real Property Tax Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
7 act shall take effect on the first of January.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 783, Assembly Bill Number 5306, by
18 Assemblymember Reyes, an act to amend the
19 Vehicle and Traffic Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
23 act shall take effect on the 60th day after it
24 shall have become a law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6993
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
6 Calendar 783, voting in the negative are
7 Senators Addabbo, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
8 Fernandez, Griffo, Martins, O'Mara, Rhoads,
9 Skoufis, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
10 Ayes, 50. Nays, 11.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1125, Assembly Bill Number 6465, by
15 Assemblymember Hunter, an act to amend the
16 Insurance Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
25 the results.
6994
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1129, Assembly Bill Number 11164, by
6 Assemblymember Hunter, an act to amend the
7 Insurance Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
11 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
12 shall have become a law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
17 the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 1133, Senate Print 8612A, by Senator Kavanagh, an
23 act to amend the Real Property Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
25 last section.
6995
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 8. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
9 Calendar Number 1133, voting in the negative are
10 Senators Addabbo, Ashby, Borrello, Chan, Comrie,
11 Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martinez,
12 Mattera, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo, Stec,
13 Sutton, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
14 Ayes, 40. Nays, 21.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1172, Assembly Bill Number 10079A, by
19 Assemblymember Gibbs, an act to amend the
20 Education Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
24 act shall take effect immediately.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6996
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 1173, Senate Print 10007A, by Senator Liu, an act
10 to amend the Education Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect immediately.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1182, Senate Print 6729A, by Senator Jackson, an
25 act to amend the Real Property Law.
6997
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
11 Calendar 1182, voting in the negative are
12 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
13 Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martins,
14 Mattera, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo,
15 Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber
16 and Weik.
17 Ayes, 40. Nays, 21.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1199, Senate Print 1477A, by Senator Krueger, an
22 act to amend the Judiciary Law.
23 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
25 is laid aside.
6998
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 1221, Assembly Bill Number 10497, by
3 Assemblymember Fall, an act to amend the
4 Navigation Law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
6 last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
8 act shall take effect immediately.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
10 roll.
11 (The Secretary called the roll.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
13 the results.
14 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
15 Calendar Number 1221, voting in the negative:
16 Senator Walczyk.
17 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1264, Senate Print 2399A, by Senator Persaud, an
22 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
6999
1 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
2 shall have become a law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 1294, Senate Print 4500B, by Senator Fahy, an act
13 to amend the General Business Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 7. This
17 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
18 shall have become a law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
23 Fahy to explain her vote.
24 SENATOR FAHY: Thank you so much,
25 Madam President.
7000
1 This is such an important bill, and
2 I'm just so grateful to see it moving today.
3 I'm the proud sponsor, and this is
4 about powered wheelchairs and timely repairs.
5 Because when it's -- when you are
6 wheelchair-dependent, a repair is not a luxury,
7 it's a lifeline. When they break down, the
8 consequences are immediate and often quite
9 severe.
10 The statistics are a little bit
11 alarming. When individuals are stranded with
12 broken wheelchairs, they cannot go to work, they
13 cannot attend school, see a doctor, or even leave
14 their bedrooms in some cases.
15 It's not just inconvenience, this is
16 often dangerous. USPIRG, which is the U.S.
17 Public Interest Research Group, in 2022 found
18 that 62 percent of wheelchair users waited four
19 or more weeks for repairs, and 40 percent waited
20 seven or more weeks.
21 As one of my constituents,
22 Shamika Andrews, has said, plainly put it, there
23 is no AAA for wheelchairs. When hers broke down
24 at a local mall, she waited two weeks just to get
25 the manufacturer to pick it up.
7001
1 So I want to say in her honor --
2 there's just so much more on this bill. It will
3 help promote competition, lower some costs and
4 really reduce wait times.
5 I also want to say there is a
6 wonderful advocate in Senator Ashby's district
7 who has also helped on this bill,
8 Chantel Polarolo and her son Killian. She has
9 been a fierce advocate for him as a
10 wheelchair-bound young child, and this bill means
11 a lot to them, and I really want to make sure
12 that their tremendous advocacy has been
13 acknowledged.
14 And with that, I vote in the
15 affirmative. Thank you, Madam President.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
17 Fahy to be recorded in the affirmative.
18 Announce the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
21 is passed.
22 Oh. Senator Ashby to explain his
23 vote as well.
24 SENATOR ASHBY: Thank you,
25 Madam President.
7002
1 I want to thank Senator Fahy for her
2 partnership on this bill.
3 And yes, this bill started out as
4 Killian's Law, named after Killian Polarolo and
5 his mother Chantel, who's been a tremendous
6 advocate. The physical therapist, Kathryn Biel,
7 who was our Woman of Distinction this year, was
8 the physical therapist who relentlessly brought
9 this issue to our attention, which generated this
10 legislation.
11 And we are so hopeful that it will
12 make it through not only this house, but the
13 house next door, down the hall, and will be
14 signed into law, as so many other states are
15 doing right now. Because when people who are
16 wheelchair-bound are waiting for their
17 wheelchairs, this is -- it can be a matter of
18 life and death.
19 It certainly is for those who
20 struggle each and every day with it. And it's
21 our responsibility as legislators not only to
22 notice that, but to fix it.
23 Thank you.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
25 Ashby to be recorded in the affirmative.
7003
1 Announce the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 1303, Senate Print 10210, by Senator Bynoe, an
7 act to amend the Correction Law.
8 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
10 is laid aside.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 1305, Senate Print 6621, by Senator Harckham, an
13 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
17 act shall take effect on the 60th day after it
18 shall have become a law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
25 Calendar 1305, voting in the negative are
7004
1 Senators Griffo, Lanza, Ortt and Weik.
2 Ayes, 57. Nays, 4.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4 is passed.
5 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
6 reading of the supplemental calendar.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Okay, let's move
8 on to the controversial calendar then.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
10 Secretary will ring the bell.
11 The Secretary will read.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 1199, Senate Print 1477A, by Senator Krueger, an
14 act to amend the Judiciary Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
16 Borrello, why do you rise?
17 SENATOR BORRELLO: Madam President,
18 would the sponsor or whoever is speaking for the
19 sponsor yield for a question?
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
21 Gianaris?
22 SENATOR GIANARIS: Anybody?
23 Senator Liu.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Oh,
25 Senator Liu. Do you yield?
7005
1 SENATOR LIU: Madam President, yes,
2 I yield.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
4 Senator yields.
5 SENATOR BORRELLO: Through you,
6 Madam President.
7 Senator Liu, sovereign debt is an
8 important vehicle or important tool around the
9 world, particularly for struggling nations. And
10 New York is the center of that business.
11 Are you aware of the size of this
12 industry here in New York State?
13 SENATOR LIU: I don't know the
14 exact size, Madam President. But it is a
15 significant business in New York, and not many
16 other places have it.
17 SENATOR BORRELLO: Madam President,
18 will the sponsor continue to yield?
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
20 continue to yield?
21 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do,
22 Madam President.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
24 Senator yields.
25 SENATOR BORRELLO: Well, I would
7006
1 argue that if we pass this bill, many others
2 will. But it's about $700 billion annually.
3 And how will this bill impact our
4 ability to guarantee debt that -- here through
5 New York State law?
6 SENATOR LIU: Madam President, I'm
7 not convinced that passing this bill will move
8 the business to places in the United States
9 outside New York, given that it would be New York
10 laws that apply.
11 And when the good Senator talks
12 about bond issuance, the issuers of these bonds
13 have the prerogative to decide under which laws
14 they want to issue their bonds. And if they
15 issue them under New York laws, then this bill
16 would apply.
17 SENATOR BORRELLO: Madam President,
18 will the sponsor continue to yield?
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
20 continue to yield?
21 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do,
22 Madam President.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
24 Senator yields.
25 SENATOR BORRELLO: So Texas
7007
1 recently passed a law, and the governor there
2 signed it, that would streamline this type of
3 sovereign debt bonding in Texas. You don't
4 believe that's going to have a negative impact
5 here in New York?
6 SENATOR LIU: Well, that would be
7 true only if a sovereign nation decided to go to
8 Texas and issue debt under the laws of the
9 State of Texas. Which if we pass this, they
10 would be even further less likely to do, because
11 even a sovereign nation would like to have the
12 protections of the hundred-years doctrine called
13 champerty.
14 SENATOR BORRELLO: Madam President,
15 will the sponsor continue to yield?
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
17 continue to yield?
18 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
20 Senator yields.
21 SENATOR BORRELLO: So you talk
22 about the champerty defense. You believe that
23 this will restore that if you pass this law, is
24 that my understanding?
25 SENATOR LIU: Madam President, the
7008
1 bill directly seeks to restore the doctrine of
2 champerty and its protections for debtors against
3 creditors, particularly those who tend to be
4 predatory.
5 SENATOR BORRELLO: Madam President,
6 will the sponsor continue to yield?
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
8 continue to yield?
9 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do,
10 Madam President.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
12 Senator yields.
13 SENATOR BORRELLO: Well, apparently
14 this really doesn't restore that, is what I'm
15 being told. That, you know, the purpose of the
16 bill is to restore it; however, it doesn't seem
17 to have that impact. It's only really a minor
18 impact.
19 So wouldn't it -- this just raise
20 those -- rather than restore that, wouldn't it
21 just raise the cost of that debt for these
22 sovereign nations?
23 SENATOR LIU: Madam President, this
24 bill seeks to remove a carveout that was
25 legislated about 20 years ago, the circumstances
7009
1 of which I personally find questionable.
2 It simply seeks to remove the
3 carveout that specifically only refers to
4 sovereign debt from the protections of this
5 hundreds-of-years-old champerty doctrine.
6 So we're simply restoring -- we're
7 simply removing the sovereign debt carveout which
8 was enacted about 20 years ago. Prior to that,
9 when that bill was enacted, sovereign debt was
10 protected.
11 SENATOR BORRELLO: Madam President,
12 will the sponsor continue to yield?
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
14 continue to yield?
15 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do,
16 Madam President.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
18 Senator yields.
19 SENATOR BORRELLO: So would this
20 then protect sovereign debts of all sovereign
21 nations, including Iran, China, Russia?
22 SENATOR LIU: Madam President,
23 sovereign debt -- sovereign debt becomes the
24 target of investors such as vulture funds,
25 certain kinds of investment funds that are
7010
1 investing in this debt not expecting that that
2 investment would increase in value, but simply
3 looking to seek litigation and court settlement
4 or court judgments in order to provide that
5 profit.
6 The large nations that the good
7 Senator is referring to, they generally don't
8 fall into that kind of category. It's generally
9 the smaller nations around the world that have
10 distressed economies and therefore are not able
11 to repay their debts.
12 SENATOR BORRELLO: Madam President,
13 will the sponsor continue to yield?
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
15 continue to yield?
16 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do,
17 Madam President.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
19 Senator yields.
20 SENATOR BORRELLO: So if we're
21 going to limit the ability for someone to be able
22 to, you know, collect that debt, aren't they
23 going to have to compensate that by, again,
24 raising the --
25 SENATOR LIU: Can you repeat that,
7011
1 Senator?
2 SENATOR BORRELLO: Sure. I said if
3 we're going to limit the ability for, you know,
4 bondholders to be able to collect that debt,
5 aren't they going to have to compensate for that
6 by increasing the cost to these debtor nations?
7 SENATOR LIU: Well,
8 Madam President, the good Senator is trying to
9 imply that somehow the markets will correct for
10 that by demanding a higher rate of interest from
11 these nations that were not able to repay their
12 debt according to those strict terms.
13 But I would remind everyone,
14 Madam President, that the bond markets actually
15 have a correcting mechanism. And oftentimes that
16 is worked out through the restructuring of debt,
17 whether it be sovereign, whether it be corporate,
18 sometimes personal.
19 So there is a mechanism for working
20 this debt out without having to carve out
21 sovereign debt and sovereign debt only from the
22 protections of champerty.
23 SENATOR BORRELLO: Madam President,
24 on the bill.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
7012
1 Borrello on the bill.
2 SENATOR BORRELLO: So I think the
3 problem we see here is that we believe that this
4 type of business just has to be done here in
5 New York State, that there are no other options
6 and that these bondholders will just suck it up
7 and continue to do business here.
8 That's just not going to happen.
9 You know who knows that? Texas knows that.
10 That's why they're preparing for a bill like this
11 to be passed here in New York State, so they can
12 welcome with open arms those bondholders and the
13 debtor nations that are going to move their
14 business. You know, both sides.
15 You know, maybe a hundred years ago
16 that was the case here in New York State, but
17 it's not anymore. You know, we are chasing away
18 financial services out of New York State. We see
19 it every day. We hear it every day. J.P. Morgan
20 has more employees in Texas now than they do in
21 New York. Texas is building their own stock
22 exchange. They're going to eat our lunch.
23 And this is the most significant
24 portion of revenue, tax revenue, for New York
25 State, the financial services industry. And we
7013
1 are chasing it away day after day, year after
2 year, with bills like this.
3 Now, you might think you're doing
4 some kind of great justice for some foreign
5 nation, but keep in mind that these bondholders
6 are organizations, charitable organizations here
7 in New York State -- hospitals,
8 not-for-profits -- that are investing in these
9 bonds to get a better rate of return and still
10 being guaranteed that they're going to get that
11 rate of return.
12 And also, these countries that
13 borrow are doing so to do important critical
14 infrastructure. And if we chase this out of
15 New York, chances are they're going to go
16 somewhere else where maybe they're not going to
17 be able to get that debt -- to be able to get
18 those bonds to do all those important
19 infrastructure projects.
20 So I think it's going to do more
21 harm than good. But particularly it's going to
22 do harm to New York's financial industry, which
23 is a huge economic driver.
24 You know, one thing I've learned in
25 my six years here is we are really good at
7014
1 killing the golden goose here in New York State.
2 And here is one more meat cleaver to the golden
3 goose.
4 I'll be voting no.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
6 Martins, why do you rise?
7 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you,
8 Madam President.
9 On the bill briefly, and then
10 I'll have a few questions for the sponsor.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
12 Martins on the bill.
13 SENATOR MARTINS: So in the
14 exchange that we've had thus far, I think it's
15 important that we just clarify and sort of reset
16 a baseline.
17 The foreign countries that are
18 borrowing money aren't going to decide the
19 jurisdiction. They're not going to decide
20 between New York and Texas and choose New York.
21 The person or the group that's going to be
22 deciding where they're going to post this money
23 is the person lending the money.
24 The J.P. Morgans and the Citibanks
25 are going to decide which jurisdiction gives them
7015
1 the best advantage. In this $700 billion to
2 $1 trillion market, they're going to decide
3 whether they want to continue to do business in
4 New York or whether or not they want to take that
5 business to places like Texas or Delaware or the
6 U.K., which happen to be the alternatives to
7 New York right now in this industry.
8 Now, this could all be a passing
9 discussion for all of us. But understand how
10 many people in our communities and how many
11 people in this state rely on those jobs from that
12 nearly trillion dollars' worth of lending that
13 takes place using New York State laws, and it
14 impacts real people.
15 So the idea that some foreign
16 country is going to borrow money but they're
17 going to decide, not the bank that's lending the
18 money, I believe is misplaced, respectfully.
19 Second, the idea that we have these
20 poor countries. You know, we talk about the
21 1 percent here in this room a lot. Countries
22 aren't poor. Countries have resources. They
23 have access to capital. People in the countries,
24 in those countries may be poor, but the countries
25 themselves aren't.
7016
1 They're coming to New York now --
2 perhaps somewhere else -- and they're asking for
3 hundreds of millions of dollars in loans, maybe
4 billions of dollars in loans. And our financial
5 institutions, our banks, are putting the
6 resources together to lend them that money.
7 Now, understand the banks aren't
8 going into their pocket for this money. They're
9 selling bonds. Who owns those bonds? Who's
10 investing with them? Our pension funds. Our
11 New York State pension funds. Other state
12 pension funds. Our union pension funds. Our
13 hospitals, our financial institutions. They're
14 putting their money into backing up these loans
15 because they rely on the laws of the State of
16 New York to make sure that they're going to get
17 repaid.
18 Now, maybe they're not going to get
19 10, 20 percent return. Maybe they're getting 4
20 or 5 or 6 percent return. Unless they're a
21 default, Madam President, in the event that the
22 document will speak for itself. But they've
23 negotiated the terms. The country came here,
24 asked our banks to lend them money, and they lent
25 them the money on terms. And at some point they
7017
1 want to get repaid. That's all this is about.
2 Now, they're asking -- or this bill
3 would have us turn around and say, You know what,
4 if that bank can't get that country to repay the
5 loan -- for whatever reason, Madam President --
6 it doesn't speak to their financial capacity. It
7 doesn't speak to whether or not they have the
8 ability to. It doesn't speak to any of that.
9 It just says that if the bank
10 doesn't get the money repaid and has a hard time
11 doing so, and they choose to turn around and,
12 which oftentimes happens, unload that debt to
13 someone else -- maybe they decide they want to
14 get pennies on the dollar for that and they want
15 to move on. And that's the decision that is made
16 with regard to that, and they do that at arm's
17 length. That somehow the person who refused to
18 pay, the country, shouldn't have to honor their
19 original terms for repaying the loan if someone
20 else bought that debt.
21 Why? Why would we interfere with a
22 contract that was negotiated at arm's length?
23 Somehow, Madam President, are we saying that we
24 don't believe that our banks should be repaid?
25 We don't believe that bondholders, whether
7018
1 they're pension funds, whether they are
2 not-for-profits, they don't deserve to get the
3 benefit of the deal that they made?
4 Why? Because we're trying to --
5 what? What message are we sending to people?
6 That if you borrowed money relying on New York
7 State law, don't worry about it, you don't have
8 to pay it back?
9 How does that make any sense? How
10 does that put us in a better position? How does
11 protect our taxpayers? How does that protect our
12 jobs here in New York? And how does that protect
13 those companies who rely on New York State law,
14 our companies, our not-for-profits, our pension
15 funds who invest in these things and simply want
16 to get repaid? I don't know. But that's what
17 we're talking about here.
18 So with that, Madam President, I'd
19 ask the sponsor if he would yield for a few
20 questions.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
22 Liu, do you yield?
23 SENATOR LIU: Madam President, I
24 yield, although hesitatingly because of the
25 passion that Senator Martins has on this topic.
7019
1 (Laughter.)
2 SENATOR MARTINS: I apologize,
3 Senator Liu, Madam President.
4 I just wish that the sponsor were
5 here with us, because we've had these discussions
6 with Senator Krueger in the past. And certainly
7 I think that I would have enjoyed very much to
8 have this discussion with her.
9 But I would ask Senator Liu if he
10 would yield as well.
11 SENATOR LIU: Madam President, I
12 yield.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: He yields.
14 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you.
15 You know, Senator, I went on for a
16 bit. And so before I continue with my questions,
17 I know it's probably fair to ask you: You heard
18 what I had to say. Is there anything you would
19 add to anything I said with regard to my
20 description of this bill before we continue?
21 SENATOR LIU: Well, okay, yeah, a
22 few things.
23 You just talked about how these are
24 really wealthy entities even if they are a small
25 country. But they would have to subject
7020
1 themselves to the choice that their bank makes in
2 terms of the state or the set of laws that their
3 debt would be issued under? I don't think so.
4 I think a sovereign nation would
5 actually be able to choose the jurisdiction and
6 the set of laws that their debt would be issued
7 under.
8 Secondly, you know, we're talking
9 about distressed debt. Right? So it's not like
10 a country is entering a loan, borrowing money
11 with the intent of not paying it back. Everybody
12 who borrows money and finds a lender that is
13 willing to lend them money, they expect to pay it
14 back and the lenders expect to be paid back. It
15 is only afterwards, where certain circumstances
16 happen that makes that loan distressed, that it
17 becomes a topic of our discussion here.
18 And so what we're trying to do is
19 simply apply the doctrine of champerty, a
20 well-established doctrine, to say that that
21 applies to all debt, and that it should not be
22 specifically carved out under New York State law
23 when it applies to sovereign debt.
24 And I think the good Senator has
25 tried to argue that this somehow disrupts the
7021
1 bond markets because it may -- you know, it casts
2 into doubt any debt that might -- where the
3 debtor might simply decide "I don't want to pay
4 it back." And then the creditor has no recourse.
5 I don't think that's the case here.
6 The case is -- I think what's happening here is
7 that by removing this carveout -- which, again, I
8 find the origins to be questionable -- by
9 removing this carveout, we actually restore the
10 normal mechanisms of the capital markets. And
11 that these nations that are distressed when it
12 comes to repaying their loans have the ability to
13 renegotiate the terms. Which is what happens in
14 corporate loans and in personal loans.
15 Not my kind of personal loans,
16 because I'm not up there. But, I don't know,
17 maybe the Senator and his friends that have lots
18 of pied-à-terres around here.
19 (Laughter.)
20 SENATOR MARTINS: Through you,
21 Madam President, if the Senator would continue to
22 yield.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
24 continue to yield?
25 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do,
7022
1 Madam President.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
3 Senator yields.
4 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you.
5 So, Senator, if a country is asked
6 to repay the loan on the terms that they agreed
7 to, this doesn't change this -- the idea that the
8 loan or the debt was sold to a third party
9 doesn't change the terms of the loan itself. You
10 agree, right?
11 SENATOR LIU: That's correct,
12 Madam President.
13 SENATOR MARTINS: So --
14 Madam President, through you, if the sponsor
15 would continue to yield.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
17 continue to yield?
18 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
20 Senator yields.
21 SENATOR MARTINS: So this process,
22 this bill would prevent someone who has a valid
23 deal, a contract on repayment terms, from being
24 able to require that other party to repay on
25 those terms simply because they bought the debt
7023
1 for less than it was actually worth. Isn't that
2 all we're doing here?
3 SENATOR LIU: Well, that's normally
4 the case except when it comes to a distressed
5 loan. Or a circumstance where the debtor is
6 simply unable to repay. And that is what the
7 doctrine of champerty always applied to.
8 But for some strange reason,
9 sovereign debt and only sovereign debt was carved
10 out from that protection about 20 years ago.
11 What this bill does is simply remove that
12 carveout so that the principle of champerty
13 applies to all loans.
14 SENATOR MARTINS: Madam President,
15 through you, if the Senator would continue to
16 yield.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
18 continue to yield?
19 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do,
20 Madam President.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
22 Liu yields.
23 SENATOR MARTINS: We've now used --
24 or you used the term "distressed debt" a few
25 times. And let's clarify that. We're talking
7024
1 about the word "distressed debt," but we're also
2 dealing with foreign countries.
3 Distressed debt in this context
4 doesn't mean their inability not -- to repay. It
5 means their refusal to repay. If they refuse to
6 repay, for whatever reason, is that what you
7 would consider to be distressed debt?
8 SENATOR LIU: Madam President, yes,
9 that's distressed debt. You know, borrowers and
10 debtors don't repudiate debt without knowing the
11 consequences. And there have been times, even in
12 modern history, where countries have decided they
13 don't want to pay the debt. And then they have
14 to suffer the consequences for generations to
15 come.
16 So this idea that a country would
17 simply say, We have lots of money but we're not
18 going to repay the debt, that doesn't happen in
19 real life.
20 What does happen, though, is a
21 country who is truly distressed, they can't repay
22 the loans, but through litigation -- simply
23 through litigation, not through construction of
24 value or some kind of value-added mechanism that
25 is increasing the value of the investment --
7025
1 through our courts and our courts only, only
2 because of that carveout that happened 20 years
3 ago, these what I would consider predators are
4 able to get, you know, 20 times the value of the
5 distressed debt that they or their partners
6 purchased for.
7 SENATOR MARTINS: Madam President,
8 through you, if the sponsor would continue to
9 yield.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
11 continue to yield?
12 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I do,
13 Madam President.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
15 Senator yields.
16 SENATOR MARTINS: You mentioned
17 20 times the value. I don't know where that
18 figure comes from.
19 But in reality, all the country is
20 being asked to do is to repay on the terms that
21 they agreed to repay. Right?
22 SENATOR LIU: So, Madam President,
23 I mean, the example that I cited was a case where
24 Paul Singer -- you may know the name -- was able
25 to recoup $58 million on a bond that -- or debt
7026
1 that he and whatever partners he may have had
2 purchased for $11 million. I apologize, I recall
3 that to be $3 million. But he purchased for
4 $11 million and was able to, simply through
5 litigation, get back $58 million.
6 Litigation, once again, that was
7 allowed only because of this carveout from the
8 protections of champerty that was enacted
9 20 years ago, which we're trying to reverse.
10 SENATOR MARTINS: Madam President,
11 just a few more questions, if the Senator would
12 indulge me.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
14 continue to yield?
15 SENATOR LIU: Yes, I'm happy to
16 indulge, and I yield.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
18 Senator is happy to yield.
19 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you,
20 Senator.
21 But even in your example, the
22 $58 million was what was they agreed to. It was
23 their deal. They agreed to repay the loan. And
24 in that circumstance, the fact that the bank sold
25 the debt to somebody else and decided to take a
7027
1 loss, that person still has a right to enforce
2 that contract, don't they?
3 SENATOR LIU: Banks, large
4 financial institutions, they make loans that they
5 take losses on every single day. That's made up
6 for by the overall interest rate that they charge
7 all of their borrowers. They expect a certain
8 proportion of defaults to occur.
9 So if that's what happens, that's
10 what happens. But that is taken care of in the
11 capital markets. We actually interfere with the
12 proper and orderly function of the capital
13 markets by giving this specific carveout.
14 And it -- again, not only is it
15 arbitrarily removing this particular type of debt
16 from the protections of champerty, but it also
17 disrupts how the capital markets, specifically
18 the bond markets, are supposed to operate, so
19 that our constituents -- pension members, people
20 who -- some of us who invest in IRAs -- so that
21 that normal and regular flow and operation of the
22 capital markets is not disturbed by this carveout
23 that we're trying to negate.
24 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you,
25 Madam President. Thank you, Senator.
7028
1 On the bill.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
3 Martins on the bill.
4 SENATOR MARTINS: So, look, I
5 appreciate the answers and I appreciate you
6 stepping in for Senator Krueger today. And we
7 all hope she's well.
8 The reality is the markets only work
9 when there's certainty and enforceability in
10 contracts. People repaying loans, the market
11 doesn't work and adjust because people decide,
12 I'm not paying, and therefore that's the right
13 thing -- somehow as if we're defaulting -- by
14 preventing people from being able to collect a
15 debt, we're actually doing a good thing.
16 Madam President, we had a discussion
17 a few moments ago about how, almost in a
18 disparaging way, that someone had to litigate.
19 My God, someone had to litigate in order to get
20 repaid.
21 Well, that's what happens when you
22 have a deal and you make an agreement, what
23 happens is if the other side reneges on that
24 deal, yeah, we go to court. We ask a judge to
25 actually make a decision on honoring the contract
7029
1 that was signed.
2 Contracts mean something, and they
3 have to continue to mean something here. The
4 idea that banks may factor in defaults on loans
5 as if it's a normal thing, I can tell you -- and
6 I think we all understand if we all go back and
7 take a look at it, there's been a history of
8 defaults, significant defaults in sovereign debt
9 over the years, to the point where they have
10 almost bankrupted the financial institutions that
11 actually issued the debt. Think Citibank, think
12 others. Look it up.
13 These are our banks. These are our
14 lenders. These are our investors. And yes, I
15 don't want to see our pension funds go without
16 getting repaid. They invested their money, not
17 saying, Hey, it's a foreign country, if they
18 don't repay us, that's okay; our members who
19 donated or contributed to their pensions, they
20 can make it up.
21 That's not how this works. Adding
22 uncertainty into the system is a mistake. And
23 for what? What are we achieving here? The
24 benefit goes completely outside the country
25 somewhere else. All the risk is here, to us, to
7030
1 our banks, to our residents who are employees who
2 make their -- earn their living in this industry,
3 to this place here that collects significant
4 taxes every year to pay for things that we all
5 love to spend on.
6 We just passed a budget last week.
7 We should all be too familiar with the ability to
8 spend money in this place. Well, that comes from
9 taxes, which comes from these transactions.
10 So I ask you, before you vote for
11 this, what's in it for us? What's in it for
12 New Yorkers? What's in it for our banks, our
13 financial institutions, our residents who are
14 employed in this industry? And what do we have
15 to gain other than -- what? I can't figure it
16 out. Maybe you can. Because we're going to be
17 voting on this in a few minutes.
18 Create the checklist. Check the
19 boxes. You'll agree with me it's a bad move. We
20 should all vote no.
21 Madam President, thank you.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
23 Senator Martins.
24 Senator Palumbo, why do you rise?
25 SENATOR PALUMBO: Thank you,
7031
1 Madam President.
2 On the bill, please.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
4 Palumbo on the bill.
5 SENATOR PALUMBO: Thank you.
6 And I want to align myself with the
7 comments from my colleagues Senators Martins and
8 Borrello.
9 But there's one other area or aspect
10 of this that particularly bothers me. And
11 Senator Krueger, who I have a lot of respect for,
12 and I've discussed this with her many, many
13 times -- we wish her well -- we understand or I
14 understand the reason for a bill like this. This
15 is about predatory lending, is what I've heard
16 her say before.
17 But in this situation I think it's
18 completely misguided. Because the concerns have
19 been over the years -- many, many bills that
20 we've had -- for the people who are on uneven or
21 the parties who are on unequal footing. A credit
22 card company and an everyday creditor trying to
23 make ends meet, the everyday Joe. Regardless of
24 what the consequences may be, the two parties
25 where you have a big conglomerate and you have
7032
1 the little guy who is not able to negotiate fair
2 terms.
3 And so the consequences be darned,
4 whatever it may be -- violating the contracts
5 clause, whatever it may be, we need to get
6 involved and fix those issues. And that's --
7 I've seen this over many, many years here in the
8 Legislature.
9 But this is a situation where you
10 have probably the most sophisticated parties, on
11 both sides, on the planet. They're hiring
12 law firms -- pick one. Davis Polk comes to mind.
13 I saw them in the news recently. But they're
14 hiring these huge law firms with very, very
15 high-powered, very well-trained and smart lawyers
16 on both sides. They're borrowing millions and
17 millions and millions of dollars, so I get the
18 general idea of the heart being in the right
19 place.
20 But all this is going to do -- and
21 again, in response to what my colleagues have
22 said, this is just very simple. This is a global
23 market. We're going to drive this business away,
24 like we so choose -- we choose to do so often
25 here in New York.
7033
1 Why would we make this business go
2 elsewhere? Because they can. These are
3 international deals where being in New York has
4 absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we
5 have such a wonderful place to live or that we
6 have the financial district that we have, because
7 that's moving elsewhere.
8 So the concerns are real, that this
9 is yet another business that's going to be driven
10 out of here and they're just going to continue
11 doing the exact same thing someplace else.
12 So if we think it makes us feel
13 good, this is not that situation where we have
14 predatory lending. This is not that situation
15 where we have unequal parties, not in equal
16 positions to properly make a deal and a contract
17 that they need to abide by.
18 And if, God forbid, there's a
19 problem or a breach or a nonpayment event, you go
20 to guns: You file a lawsuit, and it gets
21 resolved through the judicial process. Which is
22 what happens in business every single day.
23 So I understand the intent of this
24 bill. I think it is an absolutely terrible idea.
25 I encourage my colleagues to vote no. We're once
7034
1 again, as I said, just sending jobs and business
2 elsewhere that should remain in this state.
3 Thank you very much,
4 Madam President.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Are there
6 any other Senators wishing to be heard?
7 Seeing and hearing none, debate is
8 closed.
9 Senator Gianaris.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
11 we've agreed to restore this bill to the
12 noncontroversial calendar.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: By
14 consent, the bill has been restored to the
15 noncontroversial calendar.
16 Read the last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
18 act shall take effect immediately.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
23 Rivera to explain his vote.
24 SENATOR RIVERA: Thank you,
25 Madam President.
7035
1 I will be voting in the affirmative
2 on this piece of legislation.
3 There's a lot of terminology that
4 might be thrown around, and I know it was
5 confusing to me the first time I heard it. But
6 for my colleagues, champerty -- (reading)
7 champerty doctrine prohibits the purchase of
8 securities or other financial instruments for the
9 sole purpose of litigation.
10 And what this bill simply does --
11 there were a lot of flights of fancy that
12 happened on the other side of the aisle. I'll
13 let them do it. But the fact is, the reality is
14 that there are vultures and predators, there are
15 financial entities that are making their mark,
16 that are making their money off of killing the
17 economies of other countries. And they're doing
18 it on purpose, because they can.
19 And so what we're doing here is just
20 simply changing the state law back to the way it
21 was 25 years ago.
22 I repeat once again, the champerty
23 doctrine prohibits the purchase of securities or
24 other financial instruments for the sole purpose
25 of litigation. This bill simply reestablishes
7036
1 it. And I am proud to be voting in the
2 affirmative for it.
3 Thank you, Madam President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
5 Rivera to be recorded in the affirmative.
6 Are there any other Senators wishing
7 to be heard?
8 Seeing and hearing none, Senator Liu
9 to close.
10 SENATOR LIU: Thank you,
11 Madam President.
12 I agree with Senator Rivera, his
13 explanation of champerty.
14 Again, it's a very old doctrine that
15 simply says that when somebody buys debt, not
16 expecting that debt to be -- ever to be repaid or
17 gain in value, but simply to make money off of
18 the litigation of that debt, that's something
19 that's disallowed.
20 Now, you could argue, Well, lawyers
21 can do whatever they want, or plaintiffs and
22 defendants can do whatever they want. But that
23 doctrine of champerty applies to the fact that we
24 don't think people should profit off of
25 distressed debt simply by litigation.
7037
1 And this bill seeks to remove the
2 carveout of sovereign debt from the protection of
3 champerty. If we were going to go by the
4 arguments of the opponents of this bill, maybe it
5 shouldn't just be sovereign debt that's carved
6 out because they're such sophisticated investors.
7 Why don't we then start carving out, you know,
8 mergers and acquisitions loans that value over
9 $1 billion. I mean, you've got very
10 sophisticated people there too. Maybe those
11 people, those major corporations, should also be
12 carved out from the protections of champerty.
13 What this bill tries to do is to
14 preserve this doctrine, this important doctrine
15 which has its roots in protecting people -- not
16 necessarily foreign governments or large
17 corporations, but people -- from these usurious
18 and exploitative practices. That's what
19 champerty was supposed to protect against,
20 against frivolous lawsuits.
21 And that's what this bill would do.
22 It would restore the overall definition of
23 champerty without these specific carveouts.
24 Which again, looking back at the inception of
25 those carveouts, I find the intent and the
7038
1 characters involved questionable.
2 Now, Senator Krueger has been
3 pushing this bill for a long time, and we've
4 passed this bill in this body. Senator Krueger
5 has worked with JPMorganChase to craft this bill.
6 She's gotten the support of the Partnership for
7 New York City, which is kind of like the
8 representative in New York City of all the major
9 corporations. She's gotten the support of
10 T. Rowe, which is one of the major holders of
11 this kind of debt.
12 And so this is well thought out.
13 This is not something that is not backed by the
14 corporate sector, the investment banking world.
15 And moreover, when this carveout was legislated
16 some 20 years ago, there were major institutions
17 that opposed the carveout -- institutions like
18 the Bank of New York, institutions like the
19 New York Insurance Association and other major
20 players in the financial markets.
21 So I think it's perfectly reasonable
22 to once again remove this carveout that was
23 enacted in an ill-advised manner and restore the
24 meaning of champerty that then extends to all of
25 our constituents and prevents this kind of
7039
1 needless and wasteful litigation that not only
2 disrupts the ability of foreign nations to
3 restructure their debt in an orderly manner, but
4 also prevents the disruption that this kind of
5 litigation exacts on the financial markets.
6 I vote yes, Madam President.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
8 Liu to be recorded in the affirmative.
9 Announce the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
11 Calendar 1199, voting in the negative are
12 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
13 Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martins,
14 Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt,
15 Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk,
16 Weber and Weik.
17 Ayes, 39. Nays, 22.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1303, Senate Print 10210, by Senator Bynoe, an
22 act to amend the Correction Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
24 Lanza, why do you rise?
25 SENATOR LANZA: Madam President, I
7040
1 believe there's an amendment at the desk. I
2 waive the reading of that amendment and ask that
3 you recognize Senator Rhoads.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
5 Senator Lanza.
6 Upon review of the amendment, in
7 accordance with Rule 6, Section 4B, I rule it
8 nongermane and out of order.
9 SENATOR LANZA: Accordingly,
10 Madam President, I appeal the ruling of the chair
11 and ask that Senator Rhoads be heard on that
12 appeal.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The appeal
14 has been made and recognized, and Senator Rhoads
15 may be heard.
16 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
17 Madam President. I rise obviously to appeal the
18 ruling of the chair.
19 This legislation is certainly
20 well-intentioned. The idea behind the
21 legislation is to make sure that we're pairing up
22 the victims of crimes with the opportunity to get
23 the services that they need.
24 However, there's a large gap in the
25 legislation which would be solved by the
7041
1 amendment that's sitting at the desk, which seeks
2 to accomplish the very same thing.
3 The issue with the bill-in-chief is
4 the fact that while DOCCS is going to be
5 required, the Office of Victim Services is going
6 to be required to get in contact with every
7 victim of a crime upon their conviction, there's
8 two issues with that.
9 One, DOCCS would only be notified
10 that a victim -- would only be notified of the
11 commission of the crime when that person is
12 actually placed into their custody. And what
13 that means is that if someone's convicted of a
14 crime that never winds up in a state prison,
15 DOCCS wouldn't even know about the crime, about
16 the convicted person, or about the victim.
17 Also, the services that are provided
18 are incredibly limited. The amendment that I'm
19 offering, which is my bill, S7296, is actually an
20 expansion of something that both Senator Bynoe
21 and I were involved in as members of the
22 Nassau County Legislature way back in an earlier
23 time.
24 That would actually -- we created in
25 Nassau County the Office of Crime Victim
7042
1 Advocate, and this seeks to do the same thing on
2 a statewide basis. And this becomes evenly more
3 prescient in light of the 2019 bail laws and
4 discovery reforms that were passed by this body
5 and the one down the hall.
6 What that did was actually created
7 instances where the victims of crime actually in
8 many instances view themselves as being victims
9 of crime a second time. Because under those laws
10 criminal defendants and defense attorneys were
11 provided unprecedented access, in some instances
12 to victims themselves.
13 If a crime was committed inside a
14 victim's home, the criminal defendant and their
15 attorney would have access to the victim's home,
16 they would have access to the victim's families,
17 if that were the case.
18 And the Office of Crime Victim
19 Advocate was there not just to provide an
20 informational list of services that are
21 available, but was actually there to provide
22 legal representation to the victim of a crime.
23 The second issue with regard to the
24 bill-in-chief is the fact that this only occurs
25 after there's a conviction. The Office of Crime
7043
1 Victim Advocate, statewide Crime Victim Advocate,
2 would be in contact with the victim of the crime
3 at the time the crime is actually committed and
4 at the time an arrest is made. This way, victims
5 get immediate access to the services that they
6 need, not after there's already been a criminal
7 trial, after there's been a conviction. The
8 victim is the victim right away, regardless of
9 whether there's an ultimate conviction of a
10 crime.
11 So the idea here under the
12 amendment -- and it is certainly germane to the
13 underlying bill because it deals with the same
14 issue. The idea behind the amendment is that it
15 expands the services that are provided by the
16 Office of Victim Services and actually provides
17 them with an advocate. The criminal defendant
18 has their counsel, the state has its counsel to
19 represent the interests of the people. This
20 would actually provide who will provide legal
21 representation to the victim of the crime to
22 ensure that their rights are protected.
23 They'll provide legal representation
24 to victims and witnesses of crimes, legal
25 assistance with victim compensation applications,
7044
1 information on legal rights and protections
2 regarding the criminal justice process, and will
3 assist victims in submitting motions,
4 applications for protective orders, comments and
5 statements to courts and to parole boards.
6 This -- while the underlying bill is
7 well-intentioned, this amendment that we're
8 offering completes the package. One, it doesn't
9 just deal with victims of crimes after there's
10 been a conviction, it deals with the victims of
11 crimes and provides them assistance right away.
12 But secondly, it actually provides a
13 complete wraparound service to that victim that
14 would actually provide comprehensive relief to
15 the victim to make sure that their rights are
16 protected in this process.
17 So Madam President and members of
18 this body, I would certainly hope that you would
19 support our appeal of the ruling of the chair and
20 would allow this more comprehensive and, in my
21 view, better bill to replace the bill-in-chief.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
23 Senator.
24 I want to remind the house that the
25 vote is on the procedures of the house and the
7045
1 ruling of the chair.
2 Those in favor of overruling the
3 chair, signify by saying aye.
4 (Response of "Aye.")
5 SENATOR LANZA: Show of hands.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: A show of
7 hands has been requested and so ordered.
8 Announce the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 22.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The ruling
11 of the chair stands, and the bill-in-chief is
12 before the house.
13 Senator Rhoads, why do you rise?
14 SENATOR RHOADS: First off, I'm
15 shocked, Madam President.
16 (Laughter.)
17 SENATOR RHOADS: But I was hoping
18 that the sponsor would yield to a question.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
20 Bynoe, do you yield?
21 SENATOR BYNOE: Through you,
22 Madam President, yes, I yield.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
24 Senator yields.
25 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you.
7046
1 Through you, Madam President.
2 Senator Bynoe, thank you for
3 bringing forward the legislation. I certainly
4 understand the intent.
5 Am I correct in my understanding as
6 to the details of the bill that DOCCS and the
7 Office of Victim Services is supposed to be in
8 contact, after the conviction of a crime, with
9 the victim of that crime to provide a listing of
10 services that are offered?
11 SENATOR BYNOE: Through you,
12 Madam President, you are correct. The Office of
13 Victim Assistance is primarily in contact with
14 individuals who are inmates or incarcerated at
15 DOCCS.
16 This bill is offered for the express
17 purpose of being able to be in support of those
18 who are in contact with DOCCS, not county jails.
19 With some of the statements that you made
20 regarding those who would not have been in
21 contact with DOCCS would then be in contact with
22 county jails and supported through services like
23 you mentioned that we provide in Nassau County.
24 SENATOR RHOADS: Will the sponsor
25 continue to yield?
7047
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
2 continue to yield?
3 SENATOR BYNOE: Yes.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
5 Senator yields.
6 SENATOR RHOADS: I believe you just
7 indicated that there is a provision in this bill
8 that county facilities would be required to
9 contact victims?
10 If I'm incorrect in that
11 understanding -- through you, Madam President, of
12 course. If I'm incorrect in that understanding,
13 how would the State Office of Victim Services or
14 Victim Assistance even know about the existence
15 of lower-level offenses that would not fall under
16 their jurisdiction?
17 SENATOR BYNOE: Through you,
18 Madam President. I did not state that they would
19 know if they were not in custody or care of
20 DOCCS. Only if they're in custody or care of
21 DOCCS would OVA step into that role.
22 However, New York State has
23 Victim Services that would assist for all crime
24 victims throughout the state no matter whether
25 they were involved with the custody or care of
7048
1 DOCCS or at a county jail.
2 SENATOR RHOADS: Would the sponsor
3 continue to yield?
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
5 continue to yield?
6 SENATOR BYNOE: Yes.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
8 Senator yields.
9 SENATOR RHOADS: Through you,
10 Madam President. Then am I correct in my
11 understanding, though, that the victims of
12 lower-level crimes that would never come to the
13 attention of DOCCS -- who would actually notify
14 the victims of those lower-level crimes of the
15 services that are available to them?
16 SENATOR BYNOE: New York State
17 Victim Services. That's a separate entity that
18 is funded in the state budget at $6.2 million for
19 the purpose of providing services to all crime
20 victims.
21 This bill serves to ensure that
22 victims of the most egregious crimes are provided
23 services through the Office of Victim Assistance.
24 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
25 Senator Bynoe.
7049
1 Briefly on the bill.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
3 Rhoads on the bill.
4 SENATOR RHOADS: Again, I thank
5 Senator Bynoe for the legislation and for the
6 discussion. Though I do still believe that it
7 leaves a significant gap.
8 While this legislation is an
9 excellent first step, there is a more
10 comprehensive approach which I hope in next
11 year's session, if we are all here, that we have
12 the ability to address at that time.
13 Thank you, Madam President.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
15 Are there any other Senators wishing
16 to be heard?
17 Seeing and hearing none, debate is
18 closed. The Secretary will ring the bell.
19 Senator Gianaris.
20 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
21 we have agreed to restore this bill to the
22 noncontroversial calendar.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: By
24 consent, the bill has been restored to the
25 noncontroversial calendar.
7050
1 Read the last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect immediately.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
8 Bynoe to explain her vote.
9 SENATOR BYNOE: Thank you,
10 Madam President.
11 I just want to indicate on the
12 record a point of clarification.
13 It's $62.8 million that we provide
14 to the Office of Victim Services to support crime
15 victims across the state. Additionally, we
16 provide $325 million to local municipalities for
17 the purpose of them creating their own victim
18 services, tailored to the needs of their
19 communities.
20 And so this bill, again, serves to
21 just provide additional support to those who have
22 been a part of a crime that was highly egregious
23 and DOCCS is responsible for the care and custody
24 in that case.
25 Thank you very much,
7051
1 Madam President. I vote yes.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
3 Bynoe to be recorded in the affirmative.
4 Senator Martins to explain his vote.
5 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you,
6 Madam President.
7 I rise to vote aye to support the
8 legislation. I want to thank Senator Bynoe for
9 the legislation.
10 Frankly, I don't care who's going to
11 be administering this effort. If we're putting
12 aside resources, it's going to help victims and
13 victims' families dealing with issues of crime.
14 Whether it's DOCCS or somebody else, if we give
15 them the resources and they're going to help
16 victims and victims' families, I'm in, I vote
17 aye.
18 Thank you, Senator Bynoe.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
20 Martins to be recorded in the affirmative.
21 Senator Salazar to explain her vote.
22 SENATOR SALAZAR: Thank you,
23 Madam President.
24 I just want to thank Senator Bynoe
25 for sponsoring this important legislation and add
7052
1 that in addition to DOCCS' OVA, of course OVS
2 exists to serve crime victims and survivors and
3 uses federal funding to contract with the victim
4 assistance programs across the state,
5 administering over $100 million in federal
6 funding for that victim assistance.
7 You don't have to have any
8 interaction with DOCCS, for example, in order to
9 benefit from that existing funding.
10 And I also just want to say that I'm
11 grateful that this body has continued to
12 prioritize the needs of crime victims even while,
13 under the current federal administration, grants
14 that support this work have been cut to the tune
15 of tens of millions of dollars. New York doesn't
16 accept that, and as a state and as a state
17 legislature, we respond by continuing to
18 prioritize crime victims and ensure that they are
19 served.
20 And really appreciate Senator Bynoe
21 taking the step to ensure that crime victims
22 actually know about the services that are
23 available to them.
24 I vote aye.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
7053
1 Salazar to be recorded in the affirmative.
2 Announce the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
5 is passed.
6 Senator Gianaris.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
8 we now have one remaining resolution. Please
9 take up Resolution 2138, by Senator Griffo, read
10 its title and recognize Senator Griffo.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
12 Secretary will read.
13 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 2138, by
14 Senator Griffo, congratulating Cardinal Timothy
15 Dolan upon the occasion of celebrating the
16 50th anniversary of his ordination to the
17 priesthood.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
19 Griffo on the resolution.
20 SENATOR GRIFFO: Thank you,
21 Madam President.
22 This resolution celebrates and
23 recognizes a remarkable milestone and man on the
24 50th anniversary of Timothy Cardinal Dolan's
25 ordination to the priesthood.
7054
1 For five decades Cardinal Dolan, who
2 now serves as Archbishop Emeritus, after leading
3 the Archdiocese of New York for more than
4 16 years, has faithfully served with humility,
5 compassion, and an unwavering dedication to
6 supporting others.
7 He was made cardinal by Pope Leo
8 XVI. Born in St. Louis, came from Milwaukee to
9 New York. He demonstrated throughout his
10 priesthood exceptional leadership, pastoral care,
11 teacher to many. And he has remained a strong
12 advocate for the dignity of every person.
13 He is no stranger to this chamber.
14 He has been here often. Cardinal Dolan is known
15 for his signature Irish humor, jovial
16 personality, and a deep belief that joy is
17 central to spiritual life. He frequently uses
18 self-deprecation and wit to connect with people,
19 to break the ice, and to share his faith.
20 His ultimate favorite baseball team
21 is the St. Louis Cardinals, a fandom he held
22 since childhood. But because of his time here
23 serving as Archbishop of New York, he became a
24 strong follower of the Mets and the Yankees. And
25 hopefully the Yankees have a special place in his
7055
1 heart.
2 He also has a passion for baseball
3 memorabilia, including baseball caps and signed
4 baseballs. One baseball was signed actually by
5 the St. Louis Cardinal great legend Stan Musial,
6 and it was inscribed "One Cardinal to another."
7 By using his warmth, his optimism,
8 and the ability to connect with individuals of
9 all walks of life, Cardinal Dolan has brought
10 hope and encouragement to people of all
11 backgrounds -- not to just those within the
12 Catholic Church, but the broader community as
13 well.
14 There's no doubt that Cardinal Dolan
15 has touched countless lives. He has provided
16 sturdy and steady leadership during times of
17 celebration and challenge throughout his ministry
18 and throughout his life.
19 This Golden Jubilee is an
20 opportunity for all of us, regardless of our
21 faith, to recognize all of the lives in the
22 communities that Cardinal Dolan has inspired,
23 comforted and guided through the course of his
24 ministry.
25 Madam President, many of us have had
7056
1 the honor and the privilege to get to know
2 Cardinal Dolan. And as a result, I think it is
3 fitting for this body to extend our heartfelt
4 congratulations and best wishes to him as he
5 celebrates 50 years of priesthood.
6 May he continue to be blessed with
7 good health, strength, and wisdom in the many
8 years ahead.
9 Thank you, Madam President.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
11 The question is on the resolution.
12 All those in favor please signify by saying aye.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Opposed,
14 nay.
15 (Response of "Nay.")
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
17 resolution is adopted.
18 Senator Gianaris.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
20 the sponsors of today's resolutions would like to
21 open them for cosponsorship.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
23 resolutions are open for cosponsorship.
24 Should you choose not to be a
25 cosponsor, please notify the desk.
7057
1 Senator Gianaris.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: Is there any
3 further business at the desk?
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There is
5 no further business at the desk.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: It's going to be
7 an early start tomorrow because we're going to
8 begin with some committee meetings at the
9 beginning of the day and then proceed with party
10 conferences and session from there.
11 So I move to adjourn until tomorrow,
12 Wednesday, June 3rd, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: On motion,
14 the Senate stands adjourned until Wednesday,
15 June 3rd, at 9:00 a.m.
16 (Whereupon, at 8:33 p.m., the Senate
17 adjourned.)
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