Regular Session - January 8, 2001

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                           THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD









                              ALBANY, NEW YORK

                               January 8, 2001

                                  3:08 p.m.





                               REGULAR SESSION







                 LT. GOVERNOR MARY O. DONOHUE, President

                 STEVEN M. BOGGESS, Secretary



















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                            P R O C E E D I N G S

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The Senate will

                 come to order.

                             I ask everyone present to please

                 rise and repeat with me the Pledge of

                 Allegiance.

                             (Whereupon, the assemblage recited

                 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)

                             THE PRESIDENT:    In the absence of

                 clergy, may we bow our heads in a moment of

                 silence.

                             (Whereupon, the assemblage

                 respected a moment of silence.)

                             THE PRESIDENT:    Reading of the

                 Journal.

                             THE SECRETARY:    In Senate,

                 Friday, January 5th, the Senate met pursuant

                 to adjournment.  The Journal of Thursday,

                 January 4, was read and approved.  On motion,

                 Senate adjourned.

                             THE PRESIDENT:    Without

                 objection, the Journal stands approved as

                 read.

                             Presentation of petitions.

                             Messages from the Assembly.





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                             Messages from the Governor.

                             Reports of standing committees.

                             Reports of select committees.

                             Communications and reports from

                 state officers.

                             Motions and resolutions.

                             Senator Bruno.

                             SENATOR BRUNO:    Madam President,

                 I believe that there is a privileged

                 resolution by Senator Skelos.  I would ask

                 that it be read in its entirety and move for

                 its immediate adoption.

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The Secretary

                 will read.

                             THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

                 Skelos, Legislative Resolution Number 59,

                 mourning the death of Bishop James T. McHugh,

                 the third bishop of Rockville Centre,

                 New York.

                             "Whereas, It is the sense of this

                 Legislative Body to pay tribute to those

                 distinguished individuals who devote their

                 life's work and purposeful endeavors to the

                 ministry of others; and

                             "WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is





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                 moved to mourn the death of Bishop James T.

                 McHugh, the leader of Long Island's 1.4

                 million Catholics.  He died at his home in

                 Rockville Centre at the age of 68; and

                             "WHEREAS, Serving as the third

                 bishop of Rockville Centre, Bishop James

                 McHugh succeeded Bishop John R. McGann, who

                 retired after leading the diocese for more

                 than 23 years;

                             "Bishop James McHugh came to Long

                 Island in February 1999, after serving for 10

                 years as bishop in Camden, New Jersey, to

                 serve as coadjutor bishop, an auxiliary post

                 that identified him as the direct successor to

                 Bishop McGann;

                             "Bishop James McHugh served as a

                 staff member of the National Council of

                 Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C., which he

                 joined in 1965; and

                             "WHEREAS, In 1971 Bishop James

                 McHugh was appointed papal chamberlain by Pope

                 Paul VI and was elevated to the rank of

                 prelate of honor by Pope John Paul II, in

                 1986.  He had also served as a Vatican

                 delegate to several United Nations conferences





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                 on population;

                             "In his hometown of Orange,

                 New Jersey, Bishop James McHugh attended

                 St. Venantius School and Our Lady of the

                 Valley High School.  He went on to earn a

                 Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Languages

                 from Seton Hall University in South Orange,

                 New Jersey, and entered Immaculate Conception

                 Seminary in Darlington, New Jersey; and

                             "WHEREAS, He was ordained a priest

                 for the Archdiocese of Newark at Sacred Heart

                 Cathedral in 1957.  His first assignment was

                 as assistant pastor of Our Lady of Mount

                 Carmel Church, and then at Holy Trinity Church

                 in Fort Lee, New Jersey.  As a pastor, he

                 completed graduate work at Fordham University;

                             "Bishop James McHugh will be

                 remembered in the hearts of many as a

                 well-liked and respected cleric who was deeply

                 committed to his faith; and

                             "WHEREAS, This Legislative Body

                 understands the valuable contributions made by

                 Bishop James McHugh to the vitally important

                 religious life of the greater New York

                 community, and is now moved to acknowledge





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                 that record of outstanding service to his

                 Church and to all New Yorkers, as well; now,

                 therefore, be it

                             "RESOLVED, That this Legislative

                 Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the

                 death of Bishop James T. McHugh, the third

                 bishop of Rockville Centre, New York; and be

                 it further

                             "RESOLVED, That copies of this

                 Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted

                 to the family of Bishop James T. McHugh, and

                 to the Diocese of Rockville Centre."

                             THE PRESIDENT:    Senator Skelos.

                             SENATOR SKELOS:    Madam President,

                 although this resolution mourns the death of

                 Bishop James McHugh, I would rather celebrate

                 his life, who was the third bishop of the

                 Diocese of Rockville Centre.

                             As the leader of Long Island's

                 Catholic community and throughout his career,

                 Bishop McHugh provided a strong and steady

                 voice for the Church and a deep, unwavering

                 commitment to his faith, his beliefs, and to

                 his parishioners.  With his passing, Long

                 Island has lost a wonderful friend and leader.





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                             Today I am introducing this

                 resolution to honor and remember Bishop James

                 McHugh, truly a man of great hope and a man of

                 the people.  And I'd like to open up the

                 resolution for sponsorship.

                             And, Senator Bruno, if any member

                 does not wish to go on it, perhaps they could

                 notify the desk.

                             SENATOR BRUNO:    Thank you.

                             THE PRESIDENT:    Any members who

                 do not wish to be sponsors of this resolution,

                 please notify the desk.

                             The question is on the resolution.

                 All in favor signify by saying aye.

                             (Response of "Aye.")

                             THE PRESIDENT:    Opposed, nay.

                             (No response.)

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The resolution is

                 adopted.

                             Senator Bruno.

                             SENATOR BRUNO:    Madam President,

                 I believe there is another privileged

                 resolution at the desk, by Senator Nozzolio.

                 We would ask that the title be read and move

                 for its immediate adoption.





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                             THE PRESIDENT:    The Secretary

                 will read.

                             THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

                 Nozzolio, Legislative Resolution Number 60,

                 congratulating the Webster Girls Varsity

                 Soccer Team and Coach Kent Brown on their

                 outstanding season and overall team record.

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The question is

                 on the resolution.  All in favor signify by

                 saying aye.

                             (Response of "Aye.")

                             THE PRESIDENT:    Opposed, nay.

                             (No response.)

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The resolution is

                 adopted.

                             Senator Bruno.

                             SENATOR BRUNO:    Madam President,

                 I believe there is another privileged

                 resolution, by Senator Johnson.  I would ask

                 that the title be read and move for its

                 immediate adoption.

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The Secretary

                 will read.

                             THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

                 Johnson, Legislative Resolution Number 61,





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                 honoring the Amityville Memorial High School

                 Football Team upon the occasion of being

                 awarded the Rutgers Trophy for the eighth time

                 in the school's history.

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The question is

                 on the resolution.  All in favor signify by

                 saying aye.

                             (Response of "Aye.")

                             THE PRESIDENT:    Opposed, nay.

                             (No response.)

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The resolution is

                 adopted.

                             Senator Bruno.

                             SENATOR BRUNO:    Madam President,

                 I believe there is another privileged

                 resolution, by Senator Fuschillo.  I would ask

                 that the title be read and move for its

                 immediate adoption.

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The Secretary

                 will read.

                             THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

                 Fuschillo, Legislative Resolution Number 62,

                 congratulating the Freeport High School

                 Football Team upon the occasion of capturing

                 the Class I Long Island Football Championship





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                 for 2000.

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The question is

                 on the resolution.  All in favor signify by

                 saying aye.

                             (Response of "Aye.")

                             THE PRESIDENT:    Opposed, nay.

                             (No response.)

                             THE PRESIDENT:    The resolution is

                 adopted.

                             Senator Bruno.

                             SENATOR BRUNO:    Madam President,

                 is there any other business that is at the

                 desk that you feel should be called to our

                 attention?

                             THE PRESIDENT:    No, there is not,

                 Senator.

                             SENATOR BRUNO:    There is not.

                             There being no further business to

                 come before the Senate, we would recommend

                 that we stand adjourned until tomorrow,

                 Tuesday, January 9, at 11:00 a.m.

                             Thank you, Madam President.

                             THE PRESIDENT:    On motion, the

                 Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday,

                 February 9, 11:00 a.m.





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                             (Whereupon, at 3:16 p.m., the

                 Senate adjourned.)