Regular Session - February 26, 2008

                                                            468



         1                 NEW YORK STATE SENATE

         2

         3

         4                THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD

         5

         6

         7

         8

         9                   ALBANY, NEW YORK

        10                   February 26, 2008

        11                       3:08 p.m.

        12

        13

        14                    REGULAR SESSION

        15

        16

        17

        18  SENATOR CARL L. MARCELLINO, Acting President

        19  STEVEN M. BOGGESS, Secretary

        20

        21

        22

        23

        24

        25



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

         2                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         3       Senate will come to order.

         4                  I ask everyone present to please

         5       rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

         6                  (Whereupon, the assemblage recited

         7       the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)

         8                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         9       Today to give the invocation we have

        10       Dr. Charles Jennings, pastor of the Ridgewood

        11       Bible Church in Lockport.

        12                  PASTOR JENNINGS:    Thank you for

        13       inviting me to this noble chamber.  May I

        14       invite you to join with me to approach the

        15       throne of heaven.

        16                  Almighty God, we thank You, Lord,

        17       that it is by Your design and Your purpose

        18       that You have created us for intimacy with

        19       You.  And Lord God, I'm amazed at such amazing

        20       grace, that You would want us to experience a

        21       relationship with You, the living creator.

        22                  And so, Father, I ask, Lord, that

        23       by Your mercy and grace You would work in our

        24       lives.  Father, draw us to learn more of Your

        25       love, Your great love for us, and learn to



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         1       love You more.

         2                  Almighty God, Creator, Father, I

         3       thank You, Lord, that You've also created us

         4       in Your image, that we can reflect even Your

         5       character in this world.  And I pray for all

         6       that are gathered in this room today that we

         7       might learn to reflect Your holiness, Your

         8       goodness, Your kindness, Your justice.

         9                  Father God, may we learn to love

        10       others, even one another, as You have loved

        11       us.  Almighty God, I thank You, King of the

        12       universe, that You have also created us to

        13       exercise dominion in this earth according to

        14       Your will.

        15                  And I ask for these Senators,

        16       Father God, that You would work in their lives

        17       to enable them, to empower them, to grant them

        18       wisdom, that they might exercise their

        19       legislative power and their governing

        20       abilities to accomplish Your purposes.

        21                  Father, You have revealed to us

        22       even through Your prophet Micah that You

        23       desire for us to do justly and to love mercy

        24       and to walk humbly with our God.

        25                  And so, Lord God, I ask, Father,



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         1       that You would work in a mighty way to lead

         2       these noble Senators to do justly.  O Father,

         3       I would pray, Lord, that You would also guide

         4       them to love mercy.  And O Father, may You

         5       draw them to walk humbly with You.

         6                  And so, Father, I ask that Your

         7       blessing would be upon them, their staff,

         8       their families and this great work that You

         9       have called them to.

        10                  For I ask this all in the great

        11       name of my savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

        12                  Amen.

        13                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    May

        14       we have the reading of the Journal, please.

        15                  THE SECRETARY:    In Senate,

        16       Monday, February 25, the Senate met pursuant

        17       to adjournment.  The Journal of Friday,

        18       February 22, was read and approved.  On

        19       motion, Senate adjourned.

        20                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        21       Hearing no objection, the Journal stands

        22       approved as read.

        23                  Presentation of petitions.

        24                  Messages from the Assembly.

        25                  Messages from the Governor.



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         1                  Reports of standing committees.

         2                  Reports of select committees.

         3                  Communications and reports from

         4       state officers.

         5                  Motions and resolutions.

         6                  Senator Skelos.

         7                  SENATOR SKELOS:    Mr. President, I

         8       believe there's a substitution at the desk, if

         9       we could make it at this time.

        10                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        11       Secretary will read the substitution.

        12                  THE SECRETARY:    On page 25,

        13       Senator Skelos moves to discharge, from the

        14       Committee on Codes, Assembly Bill Number 9480

        15       and substitute it for the identical Senate

        16       Bill Number 6499, Third Reading Calendar 322.

        17                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        18       Substitution ordered.

        19                  Senator Skelos.

        20                  SENATOR SKELOS:    Mr. President,

        21       if we could adopt the Resolution Calendar,

        22       with the exception of Resolutions 4270, 4271,

        23       and 4366.

        24                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        25       question is on the adoption of the Resolution



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         1       Calendar, with the exception of Resolutions

         2       4270, 4271, and 4366.  All in favor signify by

         3       saying aye.

         4                  (Response of "Aye.")

         5                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         6       Opposed, nay.

         7                  (No response.)

         8                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         9       Resolution Calendar is adopted, with the

        10       exceptions that were mentioned by the Deputy

        11       Majority Leader.

        12                  Senator Skelos.

        13                  SENATOR SKELOS:    Mr. President,

        14       there's a resolution by Senator Thompson at

        15       the desk.  If we could have the title read,

        16       move for its immediate adoption, and Senator

        17       Thompson has offered it up for cosponsorship.

        18                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        19       Secretary will read.

        20                  THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

        21       Thompson, Legislative Resolution Number 4270,

        22       memorializing Governor Eliot Spitzer to

        23       proclaim March of 2008 as Red Cross Month in

        24       the State of New York.

        25                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    On



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         1       the resolution, all in favor signify by saying

         2       aye.

         3                  (Response of "Aye.")

         4                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         5       Opposed, nay.

         6                  (No response.)

         7                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         8       resolution is adopted.

         9                  And the resolution is open for

        10       cosponsorship by the usual procedure, that if

        11       anyone wishes not to be on it they should

        12       notify the desk.

        13                  Senator Skelos.

        14                  SENATOR SKELOS:    Mr. President,

        15       Senator Thompson has another resolution at the

        16       desk.  If we could have the title read, move

        17       for its immediate adoption, and open it up for

        18       cosponsorship.

        19                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        20       Secretary will read.

        21                  THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

        22       Thompson, Legislative Resolution Number 4271,

        23       recognizing March 8, 2008, as International

        24       Women's Day in the State of New York.

        25                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    On



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         1       the resolution, all in favor signify by saying

         2       aye.

         3                  (Response of "Aye.")

         4                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         5       Opposed, nay.

         6                  (No response.)

         7                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         8       resolution is adopted.

         9                  And again, the usual procedure.

        10       Anyone not wanting to be on the resolution

        11       please notify the desk.

        12                  Senator Skelos.

        13                  SENATOR SKELOS:    Mr. President,

        14       there's a resolution at the desk by Senator

        15       Volker.  If we could have the title read, move

        16       for its immediate adoption, and open it up for

        17       cosponsorship.

        18                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        19       Secretary will read.

        20                  THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

        21       Volker, Legislative Resolution Number 4366,

        22       memorializing Governor Eliot Spitzer to

        23       proclaim April 27 through May 3, 2008, as

        24       Municipal Clerks Week in the State of

        25       New York.



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         1                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    On

         2       the resolution, all in favor signify by saying

         3       aye.

         4                  (Response of "Aye.")

         5                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         6       Opposed, nay.

         7                  (No response.)

         8                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         9       resolution is adopted.

        10                  Again, anyone wishing not to be on

        11       this resolution please notify the desk.

        12                  Senator Skelos.

        13                  SENATOR SKELOS:    Mr. President,

        14       there's a resolution at the desk by Senator

        15       Griffo.  If we could have it read in its

        16       entirety and move for its immediate adoption.

        17                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        18       Secretary will please read the resolution.

        19                  THE SECRETARY:    By Senator

        20       Griffo, Legislative Resolution Number 4434,

        21       memorializing Governor Eliot Spitzer to

        22       proclaim February 26, 2008, as Spina Bifida

        23       Awareness and Prevention Day in the State of

        24       New York.

        25                  "WHEREAS, Spina bifida is a birth



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         1       defect that involves the incomplete

         2       development of the spinal cord or its

         3       coverings; and

         4                  "WHEREAS, Spina bifida occurs at

         5       the end of the first month of pregnancy; and

         6                  "WHEREAS, Neural tube defects are

         7       costly and can result in lifelong disabilities

         8       and death; and

         9                  "WHEREAS, There are many

        10       New Yorkers living with spina bifida for whom

        11       health and support services are critical to

        12       their well-being and improving their quality

        13       of life; and

        14                  "WHEREAS, Every year in the United

        15       States approximately 3,000 pregnancies are

        16       negatively impacted by neural tube defects;

        17       and

        18                  "WHEREAS, Folic acid is the single

        19       most effective weapon against spina bifida;

        20       and

        21                  "WHEREAS, January 7-13, 2008, was

        22       National Folic Acid Awareness Week; and

        23                  "WHEREAS, Studies have shown that

        24       taking folic acid decreases the risk of neural

        25       tube defects; and



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         1                  "WHEREAS, It is estimated that

         2       50 percent of all pregnancies are unplanned.

         3       Folic acid education can help women of

         4       childbearing age understand the benefits of

         5       taking a daily multivitamin to avoid these

         6       birth defects; and

         7                  "WHEREAS, Experts recommend that

         8       all women of childbearing age in the United

         9       States who are capable of becoming pregnant

        10       should consume 400 micrograms of folic acid

        11       per day for the purpose of reducing their risk

        12       of having a pregnancy affected with spina

        13       bifida; and

        14                  "WHEREAS, In 2003, 1,000 fewer

        15       babies were born with a serious birth defect

        16       of the brain and spine because of the

        17       B-vitamin folic acid; and

        18                  "WHEREAS, It is the sense of this

        19       Legislative Body to recognize this day in the

        20       State of New York to raise awareness regarding

        21       the challenges of living with spina bifida and

        22       steps that can be taken to prevent spina

        23       bifida; now, therefore, be it

        24                  "RESOLVED, That this Legislative

        25       Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize



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         1       Governor Eliot Spitzer to proclaim

         2       February 26, 2008, as Spina Bifida Awareness

         3       and Prevention Day in the State of New York;

         4       and be it further

         5                  "RESOLVED, That copies of this

         6       resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted

         7       to the Honorable Eliot Spitzer, Governor of

         8       the State of New York, and the Spina Bifida

         9       Association of Albany/Capital District of

        10       New York."

        11                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    To

        12       speak on the resolution, Senator Griffo.

        13                  SENATOR GRIFFO:    Thank you,

        14       Mr. President.

        15                  As I was approached by individuals

        16       involved with the fight against spina bifida,

        17       I found this very interesting and very

        18       challenging as we look at healthcare in

        19       general.

        20                  We always are concerned, as we look

        21       to wellness efforts, to provide education and

        22       awareness to specific issues and concerns

        23       related to health and wellness.  Also,

        24       prevention -- what type of undertakings can we

        25       enlist that will prevent, through examinations



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         1       or taking certain medication to help prevent

         2       certain activity or illness.  And beyond that,

         3       the most important element is the research

         4       that can be conducted so in the future we can

         5       prevent some of this.

         6                  The statistics were somewhat

         7       alarming in this particular case.  There are,

         8       in this country, over 65 million women of

         9       childbearing age.  Over 50 percent of the

        10       pregnancies are unplanned.

        11                  And this spina bifida can occur

        12       without any kind of indication.  It doesn't

        13       matter the family history.  There isn't

        14       anything that can truly tell anybody how to

        15       expect this.  So many families are so

        16       surprised when this diagnosis appears during

        17       the pregnancy.

        18                  So I think it's important, the

        19       recent research by the CDC shows that we have

        20       cases of over 70,000 people in the United

        21       States living with this birth defect and that

        22       by right now taking a multivitamin with

        23       B-vitamin with folic acid we can help prevent

        24       some of this during the early stages of

        25       pregnancy.



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         1                  I find that it is imperative that

         2       we as a state begin to partner with

         3       organizations who are trying to increase

         4       awareness and trying to educate and inform not

         5       only the medical profession but individuals,

         6       particularly of childbearing age, of the risks

         7       absorbed with spina bifida.

         8                  So today this is the beginning, to

         9       continue to raise awareness, to talk about the

        10       prevention techniques that can be utilized,

        11       and also that we continue to urge for a

        12       partnership in developing the research to try

        13       to help cure this.

        14                  And today in the west gallery we

        15       have a number of individuals who have been

        16       very involved from the Capital Region.  I want

        17       to introduce Karen Wentworth, who's the

        18       executive director of the Spina Bifida

        19       Association in Scotia.  The Gallagher family

        20       is here.  The Wyszomirski family is here.

        21                  But there are three people I want

        22       to really identify, three individuals who have

        23       had spina bifida and are living with spina

        24       bifida.  One is a young adult by the name of

        25       Shameka Andrews.  She has been Miss Wheelchair



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         1       New York for 2006, and she is from Albany.

         2       The other is Alexa Wyszomirski, from Colonie,

         3       and she has spina bifida.  And the youngster

         4       up there -- I met with all of these

         5       individuals earlier.  They're quite

         6       interesting people and have some interesting

         7       stories.  And I want to introduce also

         8       Madeline Gallagher, Matte Gallagher, who's up

         9       there too, up in the west gallery.

        10                  So we want to thank all of you for

        11       your efforts in continuing to help us educate,

        12       to prevent as much as possible, and to

        13       encourage research and partnership so we can

        14       prevent this from occurring to other families

        15       across this state.  So thank you very much.

        16                  Thank you, Mr. President.

        17                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        18       Senator Breslin, on the resolution.

        19                  SENATOR BRESLIN:    Thank you,

        20       Mr. President.

        21                  I salute you, Senator Griffo, for

        22       introducing this resolution and for giving us

        23       information about spina bifida.

        24                  As many of you may not know, spina

        25       bifida, there are more cases than muscular



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         1       dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and multiple

         2       sclerosis combined in this country.

         3                  And I look up and see members of

         4       the Gallagher family, a very prominent family

         5       in the Albany area that I've respected for

         6       many, many years.  And I commend you for your

         7       outreach work and your work to tell others how

         8       you can prepare before and during pregnancy to

         9       prevent this disease.

        10                  Thank you very much, Mr. President.

        11                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        12       Thank you, Senator.

        13                  Senator Stachowski.

        14                  SENATOR STACHOWSKI:    I too would

        15       like to rise and congratulate Senator Griffo

        16       on this resolution.

        17                  I have a friend that I used to

        18       share a house with when I was younger, after

        19       college.  And when he got married, his first

        20       daughter was born.  And we were all looking

        21       forward to it because he was 6-foot-6 and his

        22       wife was 6-foot-3.  And we thought even if

        23       it's a girl, it's going to be this great

        24       athlete.

        25                  And his daughter had spina bifida.



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         1       And they told him that she would be dead by

         2       the time she was eight months old.  And she

         3       just had her 30th birthday, and she's doing

         4       very well.

         5                  But in the course of that, I was

         6       involved with the Spina Bifida Association in

         7       Western New York, and they picked up a really

         8       high-profile board member whose husband's name

         9       is Scotty Bowman.  And they lived in Buffalo

        10       ever since he was a scout there.  And

        11       Mrs. Bowman got high profile for them, and

        12       they still do a lot of active work.

        13                  And I just wanted to commend you on

        14       your advocacy, and congratulations on being

        15       loving parents to a challenged child.

        16                  And I just again want to thank

        17       Senator Griffo for sponsoring this resolution

        18       and making more people aware of this health

        19       problem.

        20                  Thank you.

        21                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    Any

        22       other Senator wishing to be heard on this

        23       resolution?

        24                  Seeing none, all in favor of the

        25       resolution signify by saying aye.



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         1                  (Response of "Aye.")

         2                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         3       Opposed, nay.

         4                  (No response.)

         5                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         6       Hearing none, the resolution is adopted.

         7                  Senator Skelos.

         8                  SENATOR SKELOS:    If we could go

         9       to the noncontroversial reading of the

        10       calendar.

        11                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        12       Secretary will read the noncontroversial

        13       calendar.

        14                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

        15       186, by Senator DeFrancisco, Senate Print

        16       2063, an act to amend the Estates, Powers and

        17       Trusts Law, in relation to distribution.

        18                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        19       Read the last section.

        20                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

        21       act shall take effect on the first of January.

        22                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        23       Call the roll.

        24                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

        25                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 48.



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         1                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         2       bill is passed.

         3                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

         4       243, by Senator Fuschillo, Senate Print 5047,

         5       an act to amend the General Business Law and

         6       the Correction Law, in relation to the use of

         7       inmate labor.

         8                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         9       Read the last section.

        10                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 3.  This

        11       act shall take effect on the 90th day.

        12                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        13       Call the roll.

        14                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

        15                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 49.

        16                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        17       bill is passed.

        18                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

        19       272, by Senator Golden, Senate Print 1148, an

        20       act to amend the Executive Law, in relation to

        21       designating.

        22                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        23       Read the last section.

        24                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

        25       act shall take effect on the first of January.



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         1                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         2       Call the roll.

         3                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

         4                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 49.

         5                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         6       bill is passed.

         7                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

         8       275, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 1244, an

         9       act to amend the Education Law, in relation to

        10       inclusion.

        11                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        12       Read the last section.

        13                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 4.  This

        14       act shall take effect immediately.

        15                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        16       Call the roll.

        17                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

        18                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 49.

        19                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        20       bill is passed.

        21                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

        22       308, by Senator Skelos, Senate Print 432A, an

        23       act to amend the Penal Law, in relation to

        24       sexual assault.

        25                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:



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         1       Read the last section.

         2                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 4.  This

         3       act shall take effect on the first of

         4       November.

         5                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         6       Call the roll.

         7                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

         8                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 49.

         9                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        10       bill is passed.

        11                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

        12       310, by Senator Nozzolio, Senate Print 703C,

        13       an act to amend the Penal Law, in relation to

        14       adding.

        15                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        16       Read the last section.

        17                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 3.  This

        18       act shall take effect on the first of

        19       November.

        20                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        21       Call the roll.

        22                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

        23                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        24       Senator Nozzolio, to explain his vote.

        25                  SENATOR NOZZOLIO:    Thank you,



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         1       Mr. President.

         2                  Mr. President and my colleagues,

         3       the measure we have before us today is

         4       extremely important because the numbers of

         5       people affected are growing exponentially each

         6       day.  It's estimated that one in 15 children

         7       ages 10 to 17 have been threatened or harassed

         8       while they have been online.  That there is

         9       cyberbullying and cyberbullies that are

        10       praying on their peers and young people from

        11       across this nation.

        12                  One of those young courageous

        13       individuals, a young lady by the name of

        14       Alexandra Emanuel, from Auburn, New York,

        15       brought this issue to my attention, an issue

        16       that is confronting our communities in every

        17       corner of New York and is unfortunately seeing

        18       more and more children suffering across

        19       America.

        20                  This enhances the penalties for

        21       anyone who engages in cyberbullying.  Violence

        22       at any level, whether it be on the schoolyard

        23       or on the computer online, should not be

        24       tolerated.

        25                  And the ramifications of the



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         1       activity are enormous.  We've seen children

         2       engage in very destructive behavior as victims

         3       of cyberbullying.  Some have even committed

         4       suicide as a result of being harassed,

         5       continually harassed online.

         6                  This legislation draws the line.

         7       And I want to thank, again, Alex Emanuel for

         8       her courage in helping us move this issue

         9       forward.

        10                  We have a way to go.  The New York

        11       State Assembly needs to follow our lead and

        12       enact this legislation.  It's my hope that

        13       with our leadership today in enacting this

        14       bill, we will see the Assembly follow suit

        15       soon after and protect the children of

        16       New York State.

        17                  Mr. President, I support this

        18       measure, and I'm urging my colleagues to do

        19       likewise.  And I appreciate their support.

        20                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        21       Senator Nozzolio will be recorded in the

        22       affirmative.

        23                  Please announce the results.

        24                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 52.  Nays,

        25       0.



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         1                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         2       bill is passed.

         3                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

         4       312, by Senator Little, Senate Print 1116B, an

         5       act to amend the Penal Law, in relation to

         6       providing.

         7                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         8       Read the last section.

         9                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 3.  This

        10       act shall take effect on the first of

        11       November.

        12                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        13       Call the roll.

        14                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

        15                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        16       Senator Little, to explain her vote.

        17                  SENATOR LITTLE:    Thank you,

        18       Mr. President.

        19                  This is a bill that I've sponsored

        20       for the past three years.  It has passed the

        21       Senate unanimously for the past two years.

        22                  It's a topic that received a great

        23       deal of attention last fall when there was a

        24       report made about the number of teachers and

        25       school employees having relationships with



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         1       students, inappropriate relationships with

         2       students within their school district.

         3                  We've also seen a lot of attention

         4       given to teachers who have had relationships

         5       with students who are under the age of 17, and

         6       that results in statutory rape.

         7                  What this bill does is this bill

         8       amends Section 130 of the Penal Law, which

         9       talks about client-patient relationships, and

        10       says that any teacher or employee or volunteer

        11       of a school district cannot have a sexual

        12       relationship with any student, full-time

        13       student of that school.

        14                  Now, it exempts anyone when there

        15       is less than a four-year differential or when

        16       two people are married.

        17                  But what we have seen happen -- and

        18       I have examples of this in my district -- is a

        19       teacher who has a relationship with a

        20       17-or-18-year-old student, and you cannot deny

        21       that that teacher holds something over, power

        22       over that student.

        23                  I've read in an affidavit --

        24                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        25       Excuse me, Senator.  If we could just keep it



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         1       down.  The stenographer is having trouble

         2       hearing.  Thank you.

         3                  Senator.

         4                  SENATOR LITTLE:    I've read in an

         5       affidavit where a teacher said they would not

         6       give a recommendation to that student in the

         7       class and for the college that they intended

         8       to go to.

         9                  So this is really a serious issue

        10       that happens to many students in New York

        11       State.  What happens after it becomes known is

        12       the teacher is usually released from that

        13       school, loses their job.  However, there is no

        14       real penalty here.

        15                  And in one case we found that the

        16       teacher had a relationship with a 17-year-old

        17       girl.  Three years before, he'd had a

        18       relationship with another 17-year-old-girl,

        19       and a few years before that he'd had another

        20       relationship with another 17-year-old.  The

        21       entire time, he was married.

        22                  So what this bill does is

        23       approaches that and makes a penalty out of any

        24       of these inappropriate relationships between a

        25       member of a school district -- an employee, a



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         1       volunteer -- and a full-time student of that

         2       district.

         3                  I vote aye, and I thank my

         4       colleagues for supporting this bill.

         5                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         6       Senator Little will be recorded in the

         7       affirmative.

         8                  Announce the results, please.

         9                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 55.  Nays,

        10       0.

        11                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        12       bill is passed.

        13                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

        14       316, by Senator Skelos, Senate Print 2374, an

        15       act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law, in

        16       relation to the statute of limitations.

        17                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        18       Read the last section.

        19                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

        20       act shall take effect immediately.

        21                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        22       Call the roll.

        23                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

        24                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        25       Senator DeFrancisco, to explain his vote.



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         1                  SENATOR DeFRANCISCO:    Yes, I'm

         2       going to vote aye on this legislation, but I

         3       just want to put on the record that when there

         4       is further negotiations on this type of bill,

         5       which I'm in favor of -- namely, to keep open

         6       a case and extend the statute of limitations

         7       when DNA evidence is found at the scene and

         8       there's no match, simply because there's no

         9       match in the system at that point -- the

        10       objectionable part that I hope will be

        11       corrected is the fact that under the other two

        12       examples of where the statute of limitations

        13       is extended -- namely, where the

        14       identification of an individual is

        15       continuously known but they couldn't find him,

        16       or the person was continuously out of the

        17       jurisdiction -- on each of those they said, at

        18       the outside, it's extended by five additional

        19       years beyond the normal statute of

        20       limitations.

        21                  That is not the case in this new

        22       category where DNA evidence is found at the

        23       scene.  I think there should be an outside

        24       limit -- although there should be an extension

        25       of time to try to find the perpetrator, there



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         1       ought to be some definite outside limit than

         2       infinity.

         3                  So hopefully when this goes

         4       further, we would have some kind of limit in

         5       that legislation.

         6                  I vote aye.

         7                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         8       Senator DeFrancisco will be recorded in the

         9       affirmative.

        10                  Announce the results, please.

        11                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 54.  Nays,

        12       1.  Senator Duane recorded in the negative.

        13                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        14       bill is passed.

        15                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

        16       318, by Senator Lanza, Senate Print 4053, an

        17       act to amend the Penal Law, in relation to

        18       making Internet impersonation a crime.

        19                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        20       Read the last section.

        21                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

        22       act shall take effect on the first of

        23       November.

        24                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        25       Call the roll.



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         1                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

         2                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 55.

         3                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         4       bill is passed.

         5                  THE SECRETARY:    Calendar Number

         6       322, substituted earlier today by Member of

         7       the Assembly Lentol, Assembly Print Number

         8       9480, an act to amend the Penal Law, in

         9       relation to aggravated harassment.

        10                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        11       Read the last section.

        12                  THE SECRETARY:    Section 2.  This

        13       act shall take effect on the first of

        14       November.

        15                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        16       Call the roll.

        17                  (The Secretary called the roll.)

        18                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        19       Senator Skelos, to explain his vote.

        20                  SENATOR SKELOS:    Mr. President,

        21       this legislation that passed the Senate last

        22       year -- and hopefully the Assembly will pass

        23       it this year -- would make it a crime of

        24       aggravated harassment if a person displays a

        25       noose with the intent to harass, annoy,



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         1       threaten or alarm another individual.

         2                  This would be similar to what

         3       exists in the Penal Law right now concerning

         4       the display of swastikas or burning a cross.

         5                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

         6       Senator Skelos will be recorded in the

         7       affirmative.

         8                  Senator Skelos.

         9                  SENATOR SKELOS:    I apologize, the

        10       Assembly did pass the bill this year.  Not

        11       last year.  They have passed it.  So hopefully

        12       now I'll amend my statement and say I hope the

        13       Governor signs the bill.

        14                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:

        15       Your amended statement is accepted.  You'll

        16       still be recorded in the affirmative, sir.

        17                  Announce the results.

        18                  THE SECRETARY:    Ayes, 55.  Nays,

        19       0.

        20                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

        21       bill is passed.

        22                  Senator Skelos, that completes the

        23       calendar.

        24                  SENATOR SKELOS:    Mr. President,

        25       is there any further business at the desk?



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         1                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    The

         2       desk is clear, sir.

         3                  SENATOR SKELOS:    There being

         4       none, I move we stand adjourned until

         5       Wednesday, February 27th, at 11:00 a.m.

         6                  ACTING PRESIDENT MARCELLINO:    On

         7       motion, the Senate will stand adjourned until

         8       Wednesday, February 27th, at 11:00 a.m.

         9                  (Whereupon, at 3:36 p.m., the

        10       Senate adjourned.)

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