Regular Session - February 15, 2012
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1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
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4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
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9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 February 15, 2012
11 10:08 a.m.
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14 REGULAR SESSION
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18 SENATOR JOSEPH A. GRIFFO, Acting President
19 FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
3 Senate will come to order.
4 I ask all present to please rise
5 and join with me as we recite the Pledge of
6 Allegiance to our Flag.
7 (Whereupon, the assemblage
8 recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the
9 Flag.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: In
11 the absence of clergy, may I ask all to bow
12 their heads in a moment of silent reflection.
13 (Whereupon, the assemblage
14 respected a moment of silence.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
16 reading of the Journal.
17 THE SECRETARY: In Senate,
18 Tuesday, February 14th, the Senate met
19 pursuant to adjournment. The Journal of
20 Monday, February 13th, was read and
21 approved. On motion, Senate adjourned.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:
23 Without objection, the Journal stands
24 approved as read.
25 Presentation of petitions.
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1 Messages from the Assembly.
2 Messages from the Governor.
3 Reports of standing committees.
4 Reports of select committees.
5 Communications and reports from
6 state officers.
7 Motions and resolutions.
8 Senator Libous.
9 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
10 on behalf of Senator Gallivan, on page 12 I
11 offer the following amendments to Calendar
12 Number 168, Senate Print 5557, and ask that
13 said the bill will retain its place on the
14 Third Reading Calendar.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
16 amendments are accepted, and the bill will
17 retain its place on the Third Reading
18 Calendar.
19 Senator Libous.
20 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
21 Mr. President.
22 At this time could we please
23 adopt the Resolution Calendar, with the
24 exception of Resolution Number 3205.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: At
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1 this time we will have a vote on the
2 Resolution Calendar, with the exception of
3 Resolution 3205. All in favor of adopting the
4 Resolution Calendar signify by saying aye.
5 (Response of "Aye.")
6 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:
7 Opposed?
8 (No response.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
10 Resolution Calendar is adopted.
11 Senator Libous.
12 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
13 I believe there's a resolution at the desk by
14 Senator Smith, Number 3205. Could we please
15 have it read in its entirety and move for its
16 adoption, please.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
18 Secretary will read.
19 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
20 Resolution Number 3205, by Senator Smith,
21 mourning the death of Dora H. Young,
22 distinguished citizen and devoted member of
23 her community.
24 "WHEREAS, It is the custom of
25 this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
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1 citizens of the State of New York whose
2 lifework and civic endeavor serve to enhance
3 the quality of life in their communities and
4 the great State of New York; and whereas Dora
5 H. Young of St. Albans, Addisleigh Park,
6 New York, died on Saturday, August 20, 2011,
7 at the age of 89; and
8 "WHEREAS, The daughter of the
9 late William and Blanche Bess, Dora H. Young
10 was born on October 20, 1921, in
11 Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and
12 "WHEREAS, Dora H. Young married
13 the love of her life, Evie Young, Jr., in
14 1949, and shortly after, they moved to
15 Addisleigh Park, New York; and
16 "WHEREAS, Dora H. Young was a
17 homemaker. She was committed to helping
18 others, and thus began her legacy of community
19 service; and
20 "WHEREAS, Dora H. Young's
21 commitment to excellence, and her spirit of
22 humanity, carried over into all fields of
23 enterprise, including charitable and civic
24 endeavors; and
25 "WHEREAS, A long-time resident of
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1 St. Albans, Dora H. Young served as Deputy
2 Clerk for Queens County; and
3 "WHEREAS, Dora H. Young was in
4 the forefront of successful efforts in Queens
5 to elect, respectively, the first black
6 Assemblyman, State Senator, Judge,
7 City Councilman, and Congressman; and
8 "WHEREAS, Moreover, Dora H. Young
9 was the chairperson of the Education Action
10 Program for Social Concern in St. Albans and
11 was one of the founders of the Guy R. Brewer
12 Learning Center in Hollis; and
13 "WHEREAS, This remarkable woman
14 was associated with numerous organizations,
15 such as the Addisleigh Park Civic Association,
16 the 113th and 103rd Precinct Councils, the
17 Jamaica Branch NAACP, the Queens Women's
18 Political Caucus, One Hundred Black Women,
19 Southern Queens Park Association Board,
20 Southeast Queens Contractors Association
21 Training Program, The Cancer Crusade, the
22 Selective Service Board and the Queens
23 Division, United States Negro College Fund,
24 and the Greater Queens Chapter of The Links,
25 Inc.; and
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1 "WHEREAS, An active member of
2 St. Benedict the Moor Roman Catholic Church,
3 Dora Young always found time to answer the
4 letters of little children at Christmas in her
5 role as Santa Claus's Secretary; and
6 "WHEREAS, Dora H. Young is
7 survived by one brother, Howard C. Bess; two
8 stepbrothers, Lewis Richardson and Lloyd
9 Richardson; one stepsister, Joy Carter; two
10 sisters-in-law, Ursula Thaxton and Gertrude
11 Bess, nieces Brenda Carr, Lameka Parker, Kecia
12 Pickney and Kathy Tracy; and nephews Howard L.
13 Bess, David Tracy and Michael Tracy; and
14 "WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic
15 spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion,
16 Dora H. Young leaves behind a legacy which
17 will long endure the passage of time and will
18 remain as a comforting memory to all she
19 served and befriended; now, therefore, be it
20 "RESOLVED, That this Legislative
21 Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the
22 death of Dora H. Young, distinguished citizen
23 and devoted member of her community; and be it
24 further
25 "RESOLVED, That a copy of this
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1 resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted
2 to the family of Dora H. Young."
3 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:
4 Senator Smith.
5 SENATOR SMITH: Thank you very
6 much, Mr. President. Thank you, colleagues.
7 Last month we celebrated Martin
8 Luther King's birthday, and one of the things
9 that was expressed on the floor of the Senate
10 a number of times was the importance of
11 courage. This young lady, Dora H. Young, is a
12 person who has displayed much courage over her
13 lifetime, and I rise today to pay tribute to
14 her.
15 Dora Young was a young lady who
16 served as district leader in Queens, New York,
17 for over 40 years. She was a trailblazer in
18 what she has done on behalf of the political
19 scene in Queens. She was one of the first
20 architects of electing an African-American
21 male to the City Council in Queens. She one
22 of the architects to elect the first
23 African-American Assemblyperson in Queens.
24 She was also an architect to elect the first
25 African-American State Senator, as well as a
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1 Congressperson and a judge.
2 In addition to what she has done
3 on the political front, being part of one of
4 the largest and most powerful political clubs
5 in the City of New York, Dora Young was also
6 an ambassador for women empowerment. As one
7 who served as the first female City Clerk in
8 the Borough of Queens, she also was the first
9 Deputy County Leader in Queens and at one
10 point served as the Acting County Chair of the
11 Queens Democratic Party. Again, the first
12 African-American woman to do so.
13 As you heard the resolution read,
14 there were a number of things that she was
15 involved with in the Queens area -- NAACP,
16 The Links. A young lady who has epitomized
17 the importance of family.
18 More importantly to me, Dora
19 Young was like a political mother. She was
20 one who advised me and who gave me direction
21 as to what and what not to do.
22 She is someone who will always be
23 remembered -- a member of the St. Benedict the
24 Moor Church, a very involved Catholic, and
25 someone who was loved and who continues to be
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1 loved.
2 It is my pleasure, Mr. President,
3 to stand on this floor today and pay tribute
4 to this trailblazer, this young lady who
5 displayed and is the epitome of courage.
6 Thank you, Mr. President.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: Thank
8 you, Senator Smith.
9 The question is on the
10 resolution. All in favor signify by saying
11 aye.
12 (Response of "Aye.")
13 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:
14 Opposed?
15 (No response.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: The
17 resolution is adopted.
18 Senator Libous.
19 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
20 Senator Smith would like to open the
21 resolution up for all members. And if any
22 member wishes not to be on the resolution,
23 they could let the desk know, please.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:
25 Senator Libous, the resolution, as requested
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1 by Senator Smith, will be open for
2 cosponsorship. And if you wish to be a
3 cosponsor, at this point in time you would
4 notify the desk.
5 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
6 at this time, in consultation with Senator
7 Sampson, I want to hand up the following
8 committee assignments and ask that such
9 assignments be filed in the Journal.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO:
11 Received and so ordered.
12 Senator Libous.
13 SENATOR LIBOUS: Mr. President,
14 is there any further business at the desk?
15 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: There
16 is no further business, Senator Libous.
17 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
18 Mr. President.
19 There being no further business,
20 I move that we adjourn until Wednesday,
21 February 29th, at 3:00 p.m., intervening days
22 being legislative days.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT GRIFFO: On
24 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
25 Wednesday, February 29th, at 3:00 p.m.,
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1 intervening days being legislative days.
2 Senate adjourned.
3 (Whereupon, at 10:17 a.m., the
4 Senate adjourned.)
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