Regular Session - February 1, 2016
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1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
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3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
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9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 February 1, 2016
11 3:23 p.m.
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13
14 REGULAR SESSION
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18 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR KATHLEEN C. HOCHUL, President
19 FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 THE PRESIDENT: The Senate will
3 come to order.
4 I ask everyone present to please
5 rise and repeat with me the Pledge of
6 Allegiance.
7 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
8 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
9 THE PRESIDENT: Today the Reverend
10 Victor T. Hall is with us this afternoon to give
11 the invocation. He is the senior pastor of
12 Calvary Baptist Church, in Jamaica.
13 Reverend?
14 REVEREND HALL: Let us pray.
15 Dear God, our heavenly Father, in
16 whom we live, move and have our very being, this
17 is the day that You have made. We rejoice and
18 are glad in it.
19 We thank You for this august body
20 of men and women who deliberate in this room.
21 Father, I lift them before Your throne of grace.
22 I ask, O God, that You grant them
23 courage, the same courage that you gave to young
24 David when he stood before the giant Philistine.
25 Give them that same courage that will not wince
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1 and will not cower in the face of the giant task
2 before them.
3 I ask, Father, that You give to
4 them that passion and pursuit of justice that
5 You gave to the eighth-century Hebrew prophets
6 and that You gave to Martin and Mandela. May
7 they deliberate in justice, in truth, and in
8 righteousness.
9 And finally, Father, I ask that You
10 give them that same spirit of love which was in
11 Your holy server, Jesus Christ. Help them to
12 love each other, to love their neighbors, to
13 love even their enemies.
14 We ask these blessings in the name
15 of Your son, our savior, we pray.
16 Amen.
17 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
18 Reverend.
19 The reading of the Journal.
20 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Sunday,
21 January 31st, the Senate met pursuant to
22 adjournment. The Journal of Saturday,
23 January 30th, was read and approved. On motion,
24 Senate adjourned.
25 THE PRESIDENT: Without objection,
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1 the Journal stands approved as read.
2 Presentation of petitions.
3 Messages from the Assembly.
4 Messages from the Governor.
5 Reports of standing committees.
6 Reports of select committees.
7 Communications and reports from
8 state officers.
9 Motions and resolutions.
10 Mr. Floor Leader.
11 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Madam
12 President, I move that the following bills be
13 discharged from their respective committees and
14 be recommitted with instructions to strike the
15 enacting clause -- these are both Senator Golden
16 bills -- Senate Prints 1456 and 2269.
17 THE PRESIDENT: So ordered.
18 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I also move
19 that the following bill be discharged from its
20 respective committee and be recommitted with
21 instructions to strike the enacting clause.
22 It's Senator DeFrancisco's bill -- it must be a
23 terrific bill -- Senate Print 2932.
24 THE PRESIDENT: So ordered.
25 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Madam
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1 President, I wish to call up Senator Griffo's
2 bill, Print Number 2722B, recalled from the
3 Assembly, which is now at the desk.
4 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
5 read the title of the bill.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 6,
7 by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 2722B, an act to
8 amend the Legislative Law.
9 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I now move to
10 reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
11 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll on
12 reconsideration.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 45.
15 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Madam
16 President, I now offer the following amendments.
17 THE PRESIDENT: The amendments are
18 received, and the bill retains its place on the
19 Third Reading Calendar.
20 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Thank you.
21 I have one more, and that is I'd
22 like to call up Senator Lanza's bill, Print
23 Number 3709A, recalled from the Assembly, which
24 is now at the desk.
25 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary will
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1 read the title of the bill.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 52,
3 by Senator Lanza, Senate Print 3709A, an act to
4 amend the General Municipal Law.
5 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Madam
6 President, I now move to reconsider the vote by
7 which the bill was passed.
8 THE PRESIDENT: Call the roll on
9 reconsideration.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 45.
12 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I now offer
13 the following amendments.
14 THE PRESIDENT: The amendments are
15 received, and the bill retains its place on the
16 Third Reading Calendar.
17 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Thank you,
18 Madam President.
19 Would you now recognize Senator
20 Gianaris.
21 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Gianaris.
22 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you, Madam
23 President.
24 I'm tempted to ask, if that
25 aforementioned Senator DeFrancisco bill was so
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1 great, why the enacting clause was stricken. But
2 I'll spare us the explanation.
3 (Laughter.)
4 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
5 I move that the following bills be discharged
6 from their respective committees and be
7 recommitted with instructions to strike the
8 enacting clause, on behalf of Senator Comrie:
9 Senate Bills 5465, 5555, and 6544.
10 THE PRESIDENT: So ordered.
11 Mr. Floor Leader.
12 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Madam
13 President, there will be an immediate meeting of
14 the Rules Committee in Room 332.
15 THE PRESIDENT: Immediate meeting
16 of the Rules Committee in Room 332 of the
17 Capitol.
18 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Thank you.
19 THE PRESIDENT: The Senate will
20 stand at ease.
21 (Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease
22 at 3:29 p.m.)
23 (Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at
24 3:46 p.m.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The Senate
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1 will come to order.
2 Senator DeFrancisco.
3 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Could we
4 please return to reports of standing committees
5 for a report of the Rules Committee.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Reports of
7 standing committees.
8 The Secretary will read.
9 THE SECRETARY: Senator Flanagan,
10 from the Committee on Rules, reports the
11 following bills:
12 Senate Print 851, by Senator Klein,
13 an act to amend the Social Services Law;
14 Senate 5949A, by Senator Griffo, an
15 act to amend the General Business Law;
16 And Senate 6601, by Senator Seward,
17 an act to amend the Insurance Law.
18 All bills reported direct to third
19 reading.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Senator
21 DeFrancisco.
22 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I move to
23 accept the report of the Rules Committee.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: All in
25 favor of accepting the report of the Rules
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1 Committee signify by saying aye.
2 (Response of "Aye.")
3 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Opposed,
4 nay.
5 (No response.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The report
7 is accepted.
8 Senator DeFrancisco.
9 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Can we now go
10 to today's calendar and do the noncontroversial
11 reading.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The
13 Secretary will read.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 46,
15 by Senator Golden, Senate Print 1996, an act to
16 amend the Public Officers Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Announce
25 the result.
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1 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
2 Calendar 46, those recorded in the negative are
3 Senators Hamilton, Hassell-Thompson, Hoylman,
4 Krueger, Montgomery, Parker, Perkins, Persaud,
5 Rivera and Squadron.
6 Ayes, 51. Nays, 10.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 48,
10 by Senator Lanza, Senate Print 3731A, an act to
11 amend the Tax Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The bill
21 is passed.
22 Senator DeFrancisco.
23 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: That
24 completes the noncontroversial reading?
25 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: That does
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1 complete the noncontroversial reading of the
2 calendar.
3 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Okay. Can we
4 now go to Senate Supplemental Calendar Number 7A
5 and please do the noncontroversial reading.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The
7 Secretary will read.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 84,
9 by Senator Klein, Senate Print 851, an act to
10 amend the Social Services Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect on the 180th day.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Senator
19 Klein to explain his vote.
20 SENATOR KLEIN: Thank you,
21 Mr. President.
22 This is a common-sense approach to
23 making sure that our families -- especially our
24 children -- who are residing in family homeless
25 shelters are protected from dangerous sexual
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1 predators.
2 What this legislation does is
3 prohibits the placing of any Level 2 or Level 3
4 sex offender in any temporary emergency housing
5 or homeless shelter that houses families with
6 children.
7 Unfortunately, I've passed this bill
8 probably for the last three years in the Senate,
9 and it hasn't been taken up by the Assembly.
10 Last year we found that there were
11 11 dangerous sexual predators living in family
12 shelters in New York City. Most of these
13 individuals were already convicted and served
14 long sentences for actual sexual abuse of minors.
15 Unfortunately, even though I was
16 assured last year by the mayor of the City of
17 New York that they were going to take care of
18 this problem, we found that five of the same
19 dangerous sexual predators that were found living
20 in these family shelters last year are still
21 there this year.
22 So I think the only way we're
23 finally going to fix this problem is to pass this
24 legislation.
25 I do want to say a special thank you
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1 to Senator Comrie. We were together over the
2 summer at a shelter in his district, a family
3 shelter, that unfortunately housed dangerous
4 sexual predators. Also Senator Peralta.
5 So this is a piece of legislation
6 which I think impacts us greatly if we're really
7 serious about making sure that dangerous sexual
8 predators aren't living in homeless shelters with
9 children.
10 I vote yes, Mr. President.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Announce
12 the result.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 85,
17 by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 5949A, an act to
18 amend the General Business Law.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The bill
21 is laid aside.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 86,
23 by Senator Seward, Senate Print 6601, an act to
24 amend the Insurance Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Read the
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1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect on the same date and in the
4 same manner as a chapter of the Laws of 2015.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The bill
10 is passed.
11 Senator DeFrancisco.
12 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Could we now
13 do the controversial reading of the supplemental
14 calendar, please.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The
16 Secretary will ring the bell.
17 The Secretary will read.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 85,
19 by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 5949A, an act to
20 amend the General Business Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Senator
22 Krueger to speak on the bill.
23 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you,
24 Mr. President.
25 I've been in budget hearings and I
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1 haven't been here in a while, so it's nice to see
2 everyone.
3 And I am standing here today to yet
4 again explain why I oppose New York State
5 legalizing commercial MMA. There are parts of
6 this bill, as I have said in previous years, that
7 are an improvement. I think the state must
8 regulate amateur bouts, and right now some of the
9 worst atrocities that go on go on in the amateur
10 categories, where young children are
11 participating, there are no standards for what
12 fights are, and they take place all over the
13 state.
14 But I continue to voice my objection
15 to New York State choosing to legalize and
16 endorse commercial MMA, or caged fighting.
17 Research continues to come in that it's violent,
18 dangerous, causes traumatic brain injury. While
19 we still don't have enough years to evaluate the
20 long-term damage that is done to the fighters,
21 it's irrefutable, through research, that they are
22 doing severe damage to themselves and others in
23 these caged fights because of the type of hits
24 they give, they take, the chokeholds.
25 And frankly, I continue to be
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1 opposed to New York State approving, endorsing
2 this kind of violent behavior between people.
3 The message it sends to young people is wrong.
4 The message it sends to people about the
5 acceptance of violence in our culture is wrong.
6 The damage that is done is real. I know we can't
7 legislate no one ever watching, because I can
8 turn on a TV and find mixed martial arts showing
9 in many other locations, from other locations on
10 our TV sets.
11 What I was hoping was New York State
12 could be the perhaps one rational state, as other
13 states realized they had made mistakes and
14 reversed themselves. I don't think that's going
15 to happen. I'm going to lose this vote today,
16 and perhaps this year we'll finally get this bill
17 passed in both houses and signed, although I hope
18 not.
19 I hope not because I'm perfectly
20 happy to stand here year in, year out, pointing
21 out the facts to the people of New York State and
22 to my colleagues that this is a brutal and
23 dangerous sport that sends the wrong messages to
24 our young people, our teenagers, that the
25 athletes participating, as much as they may
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1 believe these are great jobs for themselves, are
2 not necessarily educated about the long-term
3 damage they're doing to themselves. I don't
4 believe that the insurance package included in
5 this bill will in any way be adequate to address
6 the health issues of fighters down the line.
7 I guess I hope that if we finally
8 get a bill passed, we can turn to our State
9 Athletic Association and urge them to be very,
10 very, very restrictive and cautious about what
11 they do allow to happen in New York State.
12 I would prefer that we not legalize.
13 But if we do, I am going to hold the State
14 Athletic Association accountable for hopefully
15 having the most protective and restrictive
16 regulations in this country to ensure less damage
17 from MMA when it comes to our shores.
18 I vote no. Thank you,
19 Mr. President.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Thank you,
21 Senator Krueger.
22 Senator Hoylman on the bill.
23 SENATOR HOYLMAN: Thank you,
24 Mr. President. On the bill.
25 I concur with my colleague. You
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1 know, this bill has been to the floor so many
2 times, I feel like we've been beaten into
3 submission, which I guess is a misplaced
4 metaphor, but apt on some level, given what we're
5 discussing.
6 You know, there are a number of
7 reasons why we should be scrutinizing this bill
8 very closely. The concerns about the message it
9 sends to our population, the concerns about the
10 way the UFC, the major organizing entity, has
11 depicted some members of our community in their
12 advertising and marketing.
13 But I'm going to focus on the fact
14 that we still don't have adequate protections for
15 the MMA fighters. It's something I've been
16 speaking about for a number of years. We have an
17 injury compensation fund for horse jockeys, but
18 we don't have it for MMA fighters. And the
19 science I think would show that you're more
20 likely to get injured in a UFC ring than riding a
21 horse.
22 But I'll also say that there's a big
23 Hollywood movie out about the issue I'm most
24 concerned about: CTE, the brain injuries caused
25 by mixed martial arts and other sports. And the
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1 movie, starring Will Smith -- maybe you've seen
2 it -- tells the story of a physician who found
3 that the NFL for decades covered up the impact of
4 CTE on NFL players. And that resulted in a
5 $1 billion settlement very recently among NFL
6 players, their family members and loved ones.
7 And I hope that the UFC understands
8 that they're going into this business with their
9 eyes wide open. We know what the impact of CTE
10 is on -- we know that it can cause dementia,
11 Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and other
12 neurological conditions. We know that a study by
13 the American Journal of Sports Medicine showed
14 that knockouts during MMA fights result in a
15 higher rate of brain trauma than knockouts in
16 similar sports. And a separate study we know
17 shows that MMA fighters -- the correlation
18 between the number of years fighting and reduced
19 brain functionality.
20 So we don't have the excuse that the
21 NFL had in making certain that the participants
22 of mixed martial arts are protected. So while I
23 appreciate the fact that the bill has been
24 modified to include a study, and there is more
25 money available for certain health protections,
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1 that's only when the fighter's actually in the
2 ring. I'm concerned, Mr. President, about years
3 later, when the fighter will show -- as the
4 studies have shown -- the impact of CTE in what
5 he or she does at that point.
6 I'll close on this. Just last week
7 an autopsy performed on a former New York Giants
8 safety, Tyler Sash, confirmed that he was
9 suffering from CTE at the time of his death at
10 age 27 -- 27 -- due to an accidental overdose of
11 pain medication.
12 We're seeing this in more and more
13 sports. I think we should, Mr. President, be
14 amending this bill to lay the framework -- if
15 we're going to legalize professional mixed
16 martial arts, we should have an injury
17 compensation fund to make certain that the
18 fighters are well cared for and looked after
19 years after they retire from the ring.
20 So I'll be voting in the negative.
21 Thank you.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Senators
23 Hoylman and Krueger to be recorded in the
24 negative.
25 Senator Kennedy.
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1 SENATOR KENNEDY: Thank you,
2 Mr. President.
3 I stand in support of this bill
4 today. I want to thank the bill's sponsor for
5 moving this once again in a very expeditious
6 manner through the process on this side of the
7 chamber. I think it's extremely important that
8 we get out in front of this.
9 This is a sport where some of the
10 best athletes in the entire world take part.
11 They take part everywhere in the United States.
12 Forty-nine states in this great nation have mixed
13 martial arts legalized and regulated. Canada has
14 it legalized and regulated. Mexico, legalized
15 and regulated. New York State is the only place
16 in the entire nation -- I'm sorry, in North
17 America, New York State is the only place in
18 North America where mixed martial arts is not
19 legal and regulated.
20 That has to change. And the message
21 that we're sending today does just that. It
22 begins to move this in the right direction once
23 again.
24 Time after time we hear these
25 compelling arguments about the economic impact
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1 that legalizing and regulating mixed martial arts
2 will have in the State of New York. And those
3 numbers are profound. Tens of millions of
4 dollars, in particular, pouring into upstate
5 New York, into Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse,
6 Albany and everywhere in between. And of course
7 New York City.
8 People pouring across the borders
9 from other states, other countries, by the tens
10 of thousands to attend these events, bringing
11 with them that economic activity that we are all
12 working to enhance here in the State of New York.
13 Filling our bars, filling our restaurants,
14 filling our hotels, filling our sports arenas.
15 Selling them out one after another, putting
16 New York State on the center of the map across
17 the globe.
18 I'd love to attend a legal,
19 regulated mixed martial arts event at First
20 Niagara Center. I know that it will bring in
21 tens of thousands of people into the great City
22 of Buffalo. I know that it will pour millions of
23 dollars into the local economy. And right now
24 we're missing out, and that has to change.
25 I think one of the most compelling
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1 arguments that I've seen thus far, in the five
2 years that we've voted on this since I've been
3 here -- this being the sixth since I've been
4 here, and I know that this is the seventh year in
5 a row -- one of the most compelling arguments
6 I've seen was last week from Chris Weidman, a
7 New Yorker, a Long Island resident, and a UFC
8 mixed martial arts champion. Here's a guy, a
9 world-class athlete at the top of his game, and
10 he can't fight for the crown in the Empire State,
11 the great State of New York? That is
12 unconscionable. That needs to change.
13 We want to see Chris Weidman fight
14 in the State of New York, we want to see people
15 like Ronda Rousey, who's come back here over and
16 over again, fight back here in the State of
17 New York. Holly Home, we want to see her fight.
18 The great Tim Kennedy --
19 (Laughter.)
20 SENATOR KENNEDY: The fighter Tim
21 Kennedy. We want to see the fighter, UFC fighter
22 Tim Kennedy. I don't know what's so funny about
23 that.
24 (Laughter.)
25 SENATOR KENNEDY: Mr. President,
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1 I'm honored to stand on this floor and support
2 such an idea that, to me, makes more sense,
3 figuratively and literally, than any other bill
4 focused on economic development that we've
5 championed thus far this year and over the course
6 of the last several years. To me, this is a
7 no-brainer, and it needs to move forward.
8 I vote aye.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Thank you,
10 Senator Kennedy.
11 Senator Sanders on the bill.
12 SENATOR SANDERS: Thank you, sir.
13 Mr. President, I have previously
14 been against this bill for many of the reasons
15 that my esteemed colleague Senator Hoylman has
16 mentioned. And I do believe that the arguments
17 and proposals that the Senator has raised are
18 quite profound and we would do well to make sure
19 that they are incorporated. I think that the
20 safety provisions and the funds that he has
21 spoken of bringing together would do not just the
22 state but the fighters a world of good.
23 But I'm also thinking that this
24 sport is taking place in the shadows right now,
25 that it's not being regulated, that there are
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1 people doing this all over. And there's no talk
2 of regulations and there's no talk of helping
3 them.
4 And I'm hoping that perhaps if we
5 can regulate this sport, if we can talk about
6 paddings and helmets and things that should be
7 taking place, we can do something better for
8 them. The argument that, A, that this is taking
9 place already and that New York State is the only
10 state in the Union that is not doing this, I must
11 admit is compelling to me. It is perhaps with a
12 heavy heart that I'm going to agree that we
13 should do these things, but agree we must.
14 Thank you. I'm going to vote yes on
15 this issue.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Thank you,
17 Senator Sanders.
18 Are there any other members wishing
19 to be heard?
20 Seeing none, debate is closed. The
21 Secretary will ring the bell.
22 Read the last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 11. This
24 act shall take effect on the first day of the
25 first month next succeeding the 120th day after
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1 it shall have become a law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Senator
6 Griffo to explain his vote.
7 SENATOR GRIFFO: Thank you,
8 Mr. President.
9 I respect different perspectives
10 that have been voiced here today, and I want to
11 extend my appreciation for all those who are
12 supporting the bill this year, the seventh time
13 that this has come before this house. And we
14 continue to grow the support, not only in this
15 chamber, but across the State of New York.
16 I think the importance of this bill,
17 though, is not only the economic benefit that the
18 State of New York and communities across the
19 state will receive, and also the opportunity for
20 athletes to participate in their own state, but
21 beyond that, this bill has become a better bill
22 in a lot of ways. It not only makes necessary
23 improvements for protections, both from
24 healthcare and medical supervision, but it also
25 codifies additional sports. We have not changed
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1 some of the statutes relative to boxing in this
2 state since 1920.
3 So in this bill there are a number
4 of things to regulate the mixed martial arts, the
5 boxing profession. And I think as a result of
6 everything put in here, giving to the New York
7 State Athletic Commission that opportunity to
8 regulate -- and we believe and have confidence in
9 the athletic commission -- that we will be a
10 state where the participants and the spectators
11 will have a safe experience, a better experience,
12 because of all the provisions in this bill.
13 I am hopeful that the Assembly
14 Speaker will allow this bill to come up for a
15 vote this year. I think it deserves that in that
16 chamber after seven years, and I am hopeful we
17 will see that vote. I appreciate that the
18 Governor has recognized this significance and has
19 joined in now to support this effort through
20 inclusion in the budget.
21 So again, to all of you, thank you
22 for your support. And hopefully this fall we
23 will see the first -- we will see activity across
24 the state, but I think this fall in New York
25 City, in Madison Square Garden, you may get that
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1 premier match, the mecca of all sports.
2 And I want to again thank everyone
3 for their support here today, particularly those
4 who have turned around to see the improvements
5 that have been made and what this can mean to the
6 State of New York.
7 I will be voting aye, Mr. President.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: Senator
9 Griffo to be recorded in the affirmative.
10 Announce the result.
11 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
12 Calendar 85, those recorded in the negative are
13 Senators Bonacic, Breslin, Díaz, Felder, Hoylman,
14 Krueger, Lanza, Larkin, LaValle, Marcellino,
15 Montgomery, Perkins, Savino and Young.
16 Ayes, 48. Nays, 14.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: The bill
18 is passed.
19 Senator DeFrancisco, that completes
20 the controversial reading of the supplemental
21 calendar.
22 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Is there any
23 further business at the desk?
24 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: There is
25 not.
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1 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: That being
2 the case, we are adjourned until Tuesday,
3 February 2nd, at 11:00 a.m.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT FUNKE: On motion,
5 the Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday,
6 February 2nd, at 11:00 a.m.
7 (Whereupon, at 4:13 p.m., the Senate
8 adjourned.)
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