Regular Session - March 3, 2004

    

 
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                           NEW YORK STATE SENATE





                          THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD









                             ALBANY, NEW YORK

                               March 3, 2004

                                11:06 a.m.





                              REGULAR SESSION







            SENATOR ELIZABETH O'C. LITTLE, Acting President

            STEVEN M. BOGGESS, Secretary















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                           P R O C E E D I N G S

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    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.)

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    In the

                 absence of clergy, may we bow our heads in a

                 moment of silence.

                            (Whereupon, the assemblage

                 respected a moment of silence.)

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Reading

                 of the Journal.

                            THE SECRETARY:    In Senate,

                 Tuesday, March 2, the Senate met pursuant to

                 adjournment.  The Journal of Monday, March 1,

                 was read and approved.  On motion, Senate

                 adjourned.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    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.

                            The Secretary will read.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Senator Libous,

                 from the Committee on Mental Health and

                 Developmental Disabilities, reports:

                            Senate Print 2182, by Senator

                 Libous, an act to amend the Mental Hygiene

                 Law;

                            2579, by Senator Libous, an act to

                 amend the Mental Hygiene Law;

                            3403, by Senator Libous, an act to

                 amend the Mental Hygiene Law;

                            4615, by Senator Libous, an act to

                 amend the Mental Health Law;

                            4794, by Senator Libous, an act to

                 amend the Mental Hygiene Law;

                            4835, by Senator Skelos, an act to

                 amend the Mental Hygiene Law;

                            And Senate Print 5076, by Senator

                 Libous, an act to amend the Mental Hygiene

                 Law.

                            Senator LaValle, from the Committee

                 on Higher Education, reports:

                            Senate Print 1413B, by Senator



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                 LaValle, an act to amend the Education Law;

                            1513, by Senator Maziarz, an act to

                 amend the Education Law;

                            5488, by Senator Maltese, an act to

                 amend the Education Law;

                            And Senate Print 5824, by Senator

                 Meier, an act to amend the Education Law.

                            All bills ordered direct to third

                 reading.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    All

                 bills reported direct to third reading.

                            Reports of select committees.

                            Communications and reports from

                 state officers.

                            Motions and resolutions.

                            Senator Seward.

                            SENATOR SEWARD:    Yes, Madam

                 President.  On behalf of Senator Kuhl, please

                 place a sponsor's star on Calendar Number 226.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    So

                 ordered.

                            Senator Skelos.

                            SENATOR SKELOS:    Madam President,

                 I believe there are substitutions at the desk,

                 if we could make them at this time.



                                                        835



                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Thank

                 you.  The Secretary will read.

                            THE SECRETARY:    On page 25,

                 Senator Morahan moves to discharge, from the

                 Committee on Aging, Assembly Bill Number 2822

                 and substitute it for the identical Senate

                 Bill Number 1348, Third Reading Calendar 360.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 substitution is ordered.

                            Senator Skelos.

                            SENATOR SKELOS:    Madam President,

                 I have a privileged resolution, 3722, at the

                 desk.  I ask that the title be read and move

                 for its immediate adoption.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 Secretary will read.

                            THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

                 Skelos, Legislative Resolution Number 3722,

                 commending Steven McDonald upon the occasion

                 of his designation for special honor by the

                 Friends of Mercy Medical Center at its 38th

                 Annual St. Patrick's Gentlemen's Dinner on

                 March 9, 2004.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 question is on the resolution.  All in favor



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                 signify by saying aye.

                            (Response of "Aye.")

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:

                 Opposed, nay.

                            (No response.)

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 resolution is adopted.

                            Senator Skelos.

                            SENATOR SKELOS:    Madam President,

                 there's a privileged resolution, 3721, by

                 Senator Sabini.  I ask that the title be read

                 and move for its immediate adoption.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 Secretary will read.

                            THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

                 Sabini, Legislative Resolution Number 3721,

                 congratulating John Jedzinak upon the occasion

                 of his receiving the distinguished rank of

                 Eagle Scout, the most prestigious of Scouting

                 honors, on Sunday, March 7, 2004.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 question is on the resolution.  All in favor

                 signify by saying aye.

                            (Response of "Aye.")

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:



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                 Opposed, nay.

                            (No response.)

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 resolution is adopted.

                            Senator Skelos.

                            SENATOR SKELOS:    Madam President,

                 if we could go to the noncontroversial reading

                 of the calendar.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 Secretary will read.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 28, by Senator Johnson, Senate Print 3782B, an

                 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law, in

                 relation to authorizing.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 3.  This

                 act shall take effect on the 180th day.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 40.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number



                                                        838



                 70, by Senator Farley, Senate Print 3425, an

                 act to amend the Banking Law, in relation to

                 the requirement for licensure to make mortgage

                 loans.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 3.  This

                 act shall take effect on the first of January.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 40.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 115, by Senator Skelos, Senate Print 1735A, an

                 act to amend the Highway Law, in relation to

                 ratifying and confirming certain actions.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

                 act shall take effect immediately.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)



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                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 40.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 134, by Senator Volker, Senate Print 237, an

                 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law, in

                 relation to fingerprinting persons.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

                 act shall take effect on the first of

                 November.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 41.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 156, by Senator Velella, Senate Print 5970A,

                 an act to amend the Labor Law, in relation to

                 state apprenticeship.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This



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                 act shall take effect on the 90th day.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Senator

                 Stachowski, to explain his vote.

                            SENATOR STACHOWSKI:    Madam

                 President, to explain my vote.

                            Although this bill has a lot of

                 good provisions in it, one glaring weakness is

                 that there's no Minority Leader appointment to

                 the training council.  And so that because of

                 that glaring omission, it would be a better

                 bill if they had Minority participation.

                            But it's not enough to stop me from

                 voting for it; I just wanted to point that out

                 to everybody in the chamber.

                            Thank you.  I vote aye.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Thank

                 you.  You will be recorded in the affirmative.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 42.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 190, by Senator Maltese, Senate Print 3276A,



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                 an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law,

                 in relation to authorizing.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

                 act shall take effect on the 120th day.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 42.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 236, by Senator Kuhl, Senate Print 2309, an

                 act to amend the General Municipal Law, in

                 relation to the powers and duties.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    There

                 is a home-rule message at the desk.

                            Read the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

                 act shall take effect immediately.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 44.



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                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 239, by Senator Little, Senate Print 5113, an

                 act to amend the Local Finance Law, in

                 relation to the sale of bonds to the New York

                 State Environmental Facilities Corporation.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

                 act shall take effect immediately.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 44.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 240, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 5524, an

                 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law, in

                 relation to a special equalization rate.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

                 act shall take effect immediately.



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                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 46.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 252, by Senator Larkin, Senate Print 5934, an

                 act to amend the Highway Law, in relation to

                 designating a portion of the state highway

                 system.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 3.  This

                 act shall take effect immediately.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 46.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

                 293, by Senator Marchi, Senate Print 3418A, an

                 act to amend the Not-for-Profit Corporation

                 Law, in relation to authorizing.



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                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Read

                 the last section.

                            THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

                 act shall take effect January 1, 2005.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Call

                 the roll.

                            (The Secretary called the roll.)

                            THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 47.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    The

                 bill is passed.

                            Senator Skelos, that completes the

                 reading of the calendar.

                            SENATOR SKELOS:    Madam President,

                 would you please recognize Senator Montgomery.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Senator

                 Montgomery.

                            SENATOR MONTGOMERY:    Yes, Madam

                 President.  I would like unanimous consent to

                 be recorded in the negative on Calendar 134.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Without

                 objection.

                            SENATOR MONTGOMERY:    Thank you.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    Senator

                 Skelos.

                            SENATOR SKELOS:    Is there any



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                 housekeeping at the desk?

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    No,

                 there is not, Senator.

                            SENATOR SKELOS:    There being no

                 further business to come before the Senate, I

                 move we stand adjourned until Monday,

                 March 8th, at 3:00 p.m., intervening days

                 being legislative days.

                            ACTING PRESIDENT LITTLE:    On

                 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until

                 Monday, March 8th, at 3:00 p.m., intervening

                 days being legislative days.

                            (Whereupon, at 11:16 a.m., the

                 Senate adjourned.)