Regular Session - April 27, 1994

                                                                 
2940

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        10                       ALBANY, NEW YORK

        11                        April 27, 1994

        12                          11:15 a.m.

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        15                        REGULAR SESSION

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        19       SENATOR HUGH T. FARLEY, Acting President

        20       STEPHEN F. SLOAN, Secretary

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        23











                                                             
2941

         1                      P R O C E E D I N G S

         2                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Senate

         3       will come to order.

         4                      Please rise for the Pledge of

         5       Allegiance to the Flag.

         6                      (Whereupon, the Senate joined in

         7       the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)

         8                      Today, in the absence of clergy,

         9       we'll bow our heads for a moment of silent

        10       prayer.

        11                      (Whereupon, there was a moment of

        12       silence.)

        13                      The Secretary will begin by

        14       reading the Journal.

        15                      THE SECRETARY:  In Senate,

        16       Tuesday, April 26.  The Senate met pursuant to

        17       adjournment.  Senator Kuhl in the chair upon

        18       designation of the Temporary President.  Prayer

        19       by the Reverend Robert Hess of the Delmar Reform

        20       Church of Delmar, New York.  The Journal of

        21       Monday, April 25, was read and approved.  On

        22       motion, Senate adjourned.

        23                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Hearing











                                                             
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         1       no objection, the Journal stands approved as

         2       read.

         3                      The order of business:

         4                      Presentation of petitions.

         5                      Messages from the Assembly.

         6                      Messages from the Governor.

         7                      Reports of standing committees.

         8                      Reports of select committees.

         9                      Communications and reports from

        10       state officers.

        11                      Motions and resolutions.

        12                      Senator Johnson, do you have a

        13       motion?

        14                      SENATOR JOHNSON:  Mr. President.

        15       On behalf of Senator Trunzo, on page 22, I offer

        16       the following amendments to Calendar Number 586,

        17       Senate Print Number 7057, and ask the said bill

        18       retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.

        19                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Without

        20       objection, the bill will retain its place.

        21                      We have some substitutions,

        22       Senator Present.

        23                      Read the substitutions.











                                                             
2943

         1                      THE SECRETARY:  Senator Levy

         2       moves to discharge the Committee on

         3       Transportation from Assembly Bill Number 682A

         4       and substitute it for the identical Calendar

         5       Number 675.

         6                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:

         7       Substitution is ordered.

         8                      THE SECRETARY:  Senator Seward

         9       moves to discharge the Committee on Energy from

        10       Assembly Bill Number 7626 and substitute it for

        11       the identical Calendar Number 680.

        12                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:

        13       Substitution is ordered.

        14                      THE SECRETARY:  Senator Velella

        15       moves to discharge the Committee on Codes from

        16       Assembly Bill Number 4136 and substitute it for

        17       the identical Calendar Number 688.

        18                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:

        19       Substitution is ordered.

        20                      THE SECRETARY:  Senator Volker

        21       moves to discharge the Committee on Codes from

        22       Assembly Bill Number 6869 and substitute it for

        23       the identical Calendar Number 694.











                                                             
2944

         1                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:

         2       Substitution is ordered.

         3                      THE SECRETARY:  Senator Goodman

         4       moves to discharge the Committee on

         5       Investigations, Taxation, and Government

         6       Operations from Assembly Bill Number 6114C and

         7       substitute it for the identical Calendar Number

         8       709.

         9                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:

        10       Substitution is ordered.

        11                      Senator Present.

        12                      SENATOR PRESENT:  Will you

        13       recognize Senator Tully, please.

        14                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Senator

        15       Tully, you are recognized.

        16                      SENATOR TULLY:  Thank you, Mr.

        17       President.  I believe there is a privileged

        18       resolution at the desk.  I ask that it be read

        19       in its entirety.

        20                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Will

        21       the Secretary please read Senator Tully's

        22       privileged resolution in its entirety.

        23                      THE SECRETARY:  Legislative











                                                             
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         1       Resolution Number 3308, by Senator Tully,

         2       honoring the eight Regional Nurses of

         3       Distinction and commemorating the week of May 6

         4       through May 12, 1994, as "Nurses of Distinction"

         5       Week in the State of New York.

         6                      Whereas, the period between May 6

         7       through May 12, 1994, is Nurses Week in New York

         8       State.

         9                      The Nurses of New York have by

        10       their commitment to the improvement of the

        11       health and dignity of their fellow New Yorkers

        12       contributed significantly to the well being of

        13       the citizens of our state.

        14                      The New York State Legislature

        15       developed the Nurse of Distinction Award Program

        16       to pay tribute to New York State's registered

        17       professional nurses for their steadfast

        18       commitment and support of the health and

        19       betterment of fellow New Yorkers.

        20                      The outstanding achievements of

        21       thousands of our State's registered professional

        22       nurses have been acknowledged through the 1994

        23       Nurse of Distinction Award Program and 394











                                                             
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         1       distinctive nurses were nominated for the

         2       Award.

         3                      Eight Regional Nurses of

         4       Distinction were selected by nursing peers from

         5       throughout the state for their professional

         6       excellence and unequivocal dedication in support

         7       of the health and betterment of their fellow New

         8       Yorkers.

         9                      On Wednesday, April 27, 1994,

        10       eight regional nurses of distinction will visit

        11       in the chambers of the New York State Senate;

        12       now, therefore, be it

        13                      Resolved, That this Legislative

        14       Body pause to express its deep respect and

        15       appreciation to all of New York State's

        16       distinguished nurses and to recognize the unique

        17       contributions made by the eight Regional Nurses

        18       of Distinction:  Patricia A. Ames, Westchester

        19       County Medical Center, Valhalla; Constance

        20       Colter, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New

        21       Hyde Park; Margery A. Manly, New York City

        22       Department of Health, Manhattan; Darlene

        23       Paduano, University Medical Center, Stony Brook;











                                                             
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         1       Anne H. Skelly, University at Buffalo School of

         2       Nursing; Sherry Strammiello, Genesee Hospital

         3       Rochester; Gilberta M. Trani, Home Health

         4       Providers, Incorporated, Syracuse; and Patricia

         5       Waniewski of St. Peter's Hospital, Albany; and

         6       be it further

         7                      Resolved, That this Legislative

         8       Body seek to encourage statewide recognition of

         9       those valued nursing professionals serving our

        10       communities; and be it further

        11                      Resolved, That this Legislative

        12       Body pause in its deliberations to acknowledge

        13       the week of May 6 through May 12, 1994, as

        14       Nurses Week in New York State; and be it

        15       further

        16                  Resolved, That copies of this

        17       resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted

        18       to the eight 1994 New York State Legislature's

        19       Regional Nurses of Distinction with our pride

        20       and gratitude.

        21                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Senator

        22       Tully on the resolution.

        23                      SENATOR TULLY:  Thank you, Mr.











                                                             
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         1       President.  My colleagues.

         2                      This is the time of the year when

         3       two significant health-related happenings take

         4       place in our state.  The first is the

         5       commemoration of Nurses Week, and the second is

         6       the gathering of our professional nurses at the

         7       annual New York State Legislature's Nurse of

         8       Distinction Conference.

         9                      The conference culminates the

        10       Nurse of Distinction Award Program year, and

        11       this is the sixth year of our program.

        12                      I'm pleased to serve as

        13       Legislative Coordinator for the Nurse of

        14       Distinction Program and pleased also that 394

        15       health entities chose to join with the

        16       Legislature to honor the members of their staffs

        17       by nominating nurses for this recognition.

        18                      Our nominees represent a wide

        19       range of nursing specialties, clinical

        20       specialties and services, working in a variety

        21       of settings including hospitals, schools, state

        22       and community agencies, long-term and home care

        23       facilities, health maintenance organizations and











                                                             
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         1       industry.

         2                      These distinguished nurse

         3       nominees remind us, once again, how fortunate we

         4       are in this state to have such a dynamic force

         5       of health care providers meeting the challenge

         6       of health care in the '90s.

         7                      It is because of the challenges

         8       we have yet to face that I initiated this year a

         9       new component of the Nurse of Distinction Award

        10       program, the availability of eight $2,000

        11       continuing education grants.  Only those nurses

        12       nominated in the 1994 program may apply for the

        13       grants which will be awarded in September of

        14       this year.

        15                      On the Senate calendar today is

        16       the resolution just read, acknowledging the

        17       upcoming Nurses Week in New York State as well

        18       as the 394 nurses from throughout our state who

        19       are being honored at the Nurse of Distinction

        20       Conference.

        21                      Eight nurses have been chosen as

        22       Regional Nurses of Distinction, and I'd like to

        23       take the time now to introduce them to you in











                                                             
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         1       recognition of their own considerable

         2       accomplishments and as representatives of our

         3       outstanding New York State professional nurses.

         4                      I would ask you to stand so you

         5       can be recognized as I call your name:

         6                      From Long Island, Darlene

         7       Paduano, Nurse Manager of the Diabetes Center at

         8       the University Medical Center in Stony Brook.

         9                      (Applause.)

        10                      From Greater New York Region 2,

        11       which includes Kings and Queens Counties,

        12       Constance Colter, a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

        13       for the Division of Immunology at the Long

        14       Island Medical Center in New Hyde Park.

        15                      (Applause.)

        16                      And, Connie, later on, Senator

        17       Padavan is going to talk to you at the luncheon,

        18       and he is going to claim that Long Island Jewish

        19       Medical Center is in his district in New York

        20       City.  I read the address, New Hyde Park.

        21       That's in Nassau County, Senator Padavan.

        22                      From the Northern Metropolitan

        23       Region, Patricia Ames, a Clinical Nurse











                                                             
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         1       Specialist in the AIDS Management Program at the

         2       Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla.

         3                      (Applause.)

         4                      From the Northeastern Region,

         5       Patricia Waniewski, Manager of the Wellness

         6       Center at St. Peter's Hospital in Albany.

         7                      (Applause.)

         8                      From the Central New York Region,

         9       Gilberta Trani, Primary Nurse with the Home

        10       Health Providers in Syracuse.

        11                      (Applause.)

        12                      This lady retired and came back

        13       again.  That Gilberta is something very, very

        14       special.

        15                      From the Finger Lakes Region,

        16       Sherry Strammiello, Senior Infection Control

        17       Practitioner at the Genesee Hospital in

        18       Rochester.

        19                      (Applause.)

        20                      From that great Western New York

        21       Region, Anne Skelly, Clinical Assistant

        22       Professor from the University of Buffalo School

        23       of Nursing.











                                                             
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         1                      (Applause.)

         2                      Finally, from the Greater New

         3       York Region 1 which includes Richmond -- Staten

         4       Island, Senator Marchi -- New York, and Bronx

         5       Counties, the Director of School Children's

         6       Health Program at the New York City Department

         7       of Health and the 1994 New York State Nurse of

         8       Distinction, Margery Manly.

         9                      (Applause.)

        10                      Let's hear it for Margery.

        11                      (Applause.)

        12                      On behalf of the Legislature,

        13       congratulations to each of you and our deepest

        14       thanks for the excellent work you are doing to

        15       enhance the quality of life of our State's

        16       residents.

        17                      Thank you.

        18                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  On the

        19       resolution.  All in favor, please say aye.

        20                      (Response of "Aye.")

        21                      Those opposed, nay.

        22                      (There was no response.)

        23                      The resolution is unanimously











                                                             
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         1       adopted.

         2                      On behalf of the New York State

         3       Senate, let me say how proud we are of your

         4       profession and of you particularly.  We're

         5       grateful to have you here.

         6                      Senator Tully that was an

         7       outstanding resolution, and everybody in the

         8       Senate is so proud of our nurses in New York

         9       State, and what you do for our health care and

        10       best wishes to you.  Come back and visit us

        11       again.

        12                      Thank you very much.

        13                      Senator Present.

        14                      Senator Gold.

        15                      SENATOR GOLD:  Thank you, Mr.

        16       President.  On behalf of Senator Kruger, I

        17       believe there is a privileged resolution at the

        18       desk.  Can we handle that?

        19                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Read

        20       the title of Senator Kruger's resolution.

        21                      THE SECRETARY:  Legislative

        22       Resolution, by Senator Kruger, commending John

        23       T. Torrente, Past President, upon the occasion











                                                             
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         1       of his designation for special honor by the

         2       Kiwanis Club of Sheepshead Bay, Thursday, April

         3       28, 1994.

         4                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  On the

         5       resolution.  All in favor, please say aye.

         6                      (Response of "Aye.")

         7                      Those opposed, nay.

         8                      (There was no response.)

         9                      The resolution is adopted.

        10                      Senator Present.

        11                      SENATOR PRESENT:  Mr. President.

        12       I believe Senator Marino has a privileged

        13       resolution.  I ask that it be read in its

        14       entirety.

        15                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  This is

        16       the resolution for President Nixon.  The

        17       Secretary will read Senator Marino's resolution

        18       in its entirety.

        19                      SENATOR COOK:  Mr. President.

        20                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Senator

        21       Cook.

        22                      SENATOR COOK:  Will you please

        23       call for order.











                                                             
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         1                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  I'm

         2       sorry?

         3                      SENATOR COOK:  Will you please

         4       call for special attention.

         5                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Yes.  I

         6       am going to ask -- this is a very serious

         7       resolution for our President that just passed

         8       away, and I would ask that there be a little

         9       order in the chamber.

        10                      Thank you, Senator Cook.  Your

        11       point is well taken.

        12                      Secretary will read the

        13       resolution.

        14                      THE SECRETARY:  Legislative

        15       Resolution, by Senators Marino, Marchi, Maltese,

        16       and other members of the Senate, expressing

        17       sincerest sorrow upon the occasion of the death

        18       of the Honorable Richard Milhous Nixon, the 37th

        19       President of the United States.

        20                      Whereas, in the course of the

        21       evolving development of this Beloved Nation, if

        22       the ingredients of shared concern and responsive

        23       endeavor combined in the symmetry of commitment











                                                             
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         1       to principle, there have emerged among the

         2       distinguished administrations of the United

         3       States certain leaders who warrant special

         4       commemoration.

         5                      It is the sense of this

         6       Legislative Body to express sincerest sorrow

         7       upon the occasion of the death of an American

         8       President of such magnanimous conduct and

         9       bearing, Richard M. Nixon, commemorating, in

        10       turn, his enduring achievements.

        11                      Richard M. Nixon entered public

        12       life, after serving as a naval officer in World

        13       War II, as a representative of the United States

        14       Congress from California from 1947 to 1950.

        15                      He continued his public service

        16       by representing the State of California as a

        17       United States Senator from 1950 to 1953.

        18                      Richard M. Nixon joined President

        19       Dwight D. Eisenhower as his Vice-President and

        20       served with distinction from 1953 to 1961.

        21                      It has become increasingly

        22       apparent that President Nixon's administration

        23       marks a watershed in the history of our nation,











                                                             
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         1       that his leadership and his resilience have

         2       given renewed definition to those very

         3       principles of freedom upon which this Nation was

         4       first founded.

         5                      In 1968, Richard M. Nixon was

         6       elected 37th President of the United States;

         7       four years later, he won a second term in one of

         8       the largest landslides on record.

         9                      In the vital area of foreign

        10       policy, President Nixon's achievements have been

        11       unparalleled:  He literally opened the door to

        12       United States relations with Communist China;

        13       through his personal initiative, he ended

        14       decades of silence and paved the way for future

        15       negotiations with what was then the second

        16       largest Communist power in the world.

        17                      While committed to a policy of

        18       strong national defense, President Nixon,

        19       nevertheless, in 1972, entered into the first

        20       significant arms limitation with what was then

        21       the Soviet Union.

        22                      In 1970, the Nixon administration

        23       helped desegregate more schools in the South











                                                             
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         1       than any of its predecessors.

         2                      On the domestic front, President

         3       Nixon made significant contributions calling for

         4       welfare and health care reforms and advocating a

         5       clean environment.

         6                      President Richard M. Nixon at

         7       great personal cost and effort won his way

         8       painfully back from the Watergate affair to a

         9       position of respected elder statesman, political

        10       analyst and author.

        11                      The very viability of democratic

        12       procedure, the most paradigmatic attribute of

        13       its sovereignty, remains an unswerving

        14       commitment to freedom, to those balanced

        15       principles of individual endeavor and shared

        16       concern which constitute the essence of

        17       democratic governments.

        18                      This is the legacy of President

        19       Richard M. Nixon that this beloved nation should

        20       evolve in a manner constant with the dreams and

        21       aspirations of our forefathers, of those who, at

        22       the price of great suffering, first enunciated

        23       the ultimate end and purpose of our American











                                                             
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         1       experience.

         2                      For future generations of

         3       Americans, there is no substitute, no

         4       alternative to the full implementation of that

         5       prerogative, namely, President Nixon's

         6       insistence that the discretionary power and

         7       inherent in governance be weighed in favor of

         8       the individual, in favor of the people of this

         9       Beloved Nation.

        10                      This Legislative Body is greatly

        11       moved to acknowledge the unique and enduring

        12       contributions of this President, of this

        13       American leader who so valiantly gave renewed

        14       hope to the American people and, indeed, to the

        15       nations of our world; now, therefore, be it

        16                      Resolved, That this Legislative

        17       Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate

        18       the life and career of the 37th President of the

        19       United States, the Honorable Richard Milhous

        20       Nixon, fully confident that his personal courage

        21       and his love for the American people vindicate

        22       and yet sustain an indomitable spirit; and be it

        23       further











                                                             
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         1                      Resolved, That a copy this

         2       resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted

         3       to the family of Richard M. Nixon, 37th

         4       President of the United States.

         5                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  On the

         6       resolution.  All in favor, please say aye.

         7                      (Response of "Aye.")

         8                      Those opposed, nay.

         9                      (There was no response.)

        10                      The resolution is unanimously

        11       adopted.

        12                      Senator Present.

        13                      SENATOR PRESENT:  Mr. President.

        14       May I suggest that all members of the Senate be

        15       part of that resolution except for those who

        16       decline; and if they do, notify the desk.

        17                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Yes.

        18       All members of the Senate will be sponsors of

        19       the Nixon resolution.  If you choose not to be,

        20       please notify the desk.

        21                      Senator Present.

        22                      SENATOR PRESENT:  Mr. President.

        23       I would like to informed members that when we











                                                             
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         1       adjourn today's session, we will do so in memory

         2       of Richard M. Nixon, 37th President of the

         3       United States.

         4                      Mr. President.  There being no

         5       further business, I move that we adjourn until

         6       Monday, May 2, 1:00 p.m., intervening days being

         7       legislative days.  Members should be advised

         8       that they are subject to the call of the

         9       Majority Leader for session upon 24 hours

        10       notice.

        11                      ACTING PRESIDENT FARLEY:  Also,

        12       Senator Present, there will be a 21-gun salute

        13       on the steps of the Capitol at 11:45 for the

        14       late President Nixon.

        15                      The Senate will stand adjourned

        16       until Monday at the regular hour -- 1:00

        17       o'clock, I'm sorry.  That's 1:00 o'clock on

        18       Monday, intervening legislative days.  All

        19       members are subject to the call of the Majority

        20       Leaders.

        21                      (Whereupon, at 11:35 a.m., Senate

        22       adjourned.)

        23