Regular Session - March 12, 2013

                                                                   965

 1               NEW YORK STATE SENATE

 2                          

 3                          

 4              THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD

 5                          

 6                          

 7                          

 8                          

 9                  ALBANY, NEW YORK

10                   March 12, 2013

11                     3:09 p.m.

12                          

13                          

14                  REGULAR SESSION

15  

16  

17  

18  SENATOR DIANE SAVINO, Acting President

19  FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary

20  

21  

22  

23  

24  

25  


                                                               966

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

 2                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

 3   Senate will please come to order.  

 4                I ask all those present to please 

 5   rise with me and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

 6                (Whereupon, the assemblage recited 

 7   the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.) 

 8                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Today's 

 9   invocation will be delivered by Pastor Eduardo 

10   Cordova, of Iglesia Evangelica Garifuna in 

11   Brooklyn.

12                PASTOR CORDOVA:   Let's remain 

13   standing and pray to the Almighty God.  

14                Heavenly Father Who art in heaven, 

15   hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come.  Father, 

16   we have come to this moment to this house, 

17   giving You the praise and honor due to Your name 

18   because You are the wonderful Counselor, the 

19   mighty God, the everlasting Father.  

20                Gracious Lord, we know everyone 

21   here this evening are part of Your kingdom, 

22   instituting the government of this world.  We 

23   pray, representing all of these Senators and 

24   legislators, all of those that have been 

25   appointed to serve You in this community, that 


                                                               967

 1   the purpose of God may be accomplished in each 

 2   one of them.  

 3                We pray, Father, that might we 

 4   flourish in the land of the brave, that we might 

 5   continue to enjoy prosperity and peace 

 6   throughout the land of America.  

 7                Gracious God, bless the efforts of 

 8   those that are here.  Bless everyone, bless 

 9   again all the people.  And may this very 

10   evening, Father, be memorable throughout our 

11   life, that we remember we were here to see and 

12   hear ourself how the government is run.  

13                Right now we commit ourselves unto 

14   Your hands, unto Your sheltering hands, that 

15   everything that we do, say, or think might be 

16   for Your glory and Your honor, because You are 

17   deserving praise.  

18                {Invocation in Garifuna.}  

19                Thank you.

20                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Thank 

21   you.  

22                (Applause from gallery.)

23                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Reading 

24   of the Journal.

25                THE SECRETARY:   In Senate, Monday, 


                                                               968

 1   March 11th, the Senate met pursuant to 

 2   adjournment.  The Journal of Sunday, March 10th, 

 3   was read and approved.  On motion, Senate 

 4   adjourned.

 5                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Without 

 6   objection, the Journal stands approved as read.

 7                Presentation of petitions.

 8                Messages from the Assembly.

 9                Messages from the Governor.

10                Reports of standing committees.

11                Reports of select committees.

12                Communications and reports from 

13   state officers.

14                Motions and resolutions.

15                Senator Libous.

16                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Thank you, 

17   Madam President.

18                Could we please adopt the 

19   Resolution Calendar with the exception of 

20   Resolutions 764, 779, and 790.

21                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   All in 

22   favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar with 

23   the exception of Resolutions 764, 779, and 790 

24   signify by saying aye.

25                (Response of "Aye.")


                                                               969

 1                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Opposed, 

 2   nay.

 3                (No response.)

 4                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

 5   Resolution Calendar is adopted.

 6                Senator Libous.

 7                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Thank you, 

 8   Madam President.  

 9                I believe there's a resolution by 

10   Senator Stewart-Cousins, Number 779, at the 

11   desk.  I ask that the resolution be read in its 

12   entirety and move for its immediate adoption.

13                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

14   Secretary will read.

15                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

16   Resolution Number 779, by Senator 

17   Stewart-Cousins, memorializing Governor Andrew 

18   M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2013 as Women's 

19   History Month in the State of New York 

20                "WHEREAS, March is Women's History 

21   Month; and 

22                "WHEREAS, March 8th is International 

23   Women's Day; and 

24                "WHEREAS, Each year New York State 

25   officially sets aside time to recognize the 


                                                               970

 1   unique contributions that women have made to 

 2   New York and its society; and 

 3                "WHEREAS, New York State has a 

 4   distinguished history of monumental achievements 

 5   in the area of women's rights; and 

 6                "WHEREAS, In 1826, New York State 

 7   opened one of the first public high schools for 

 8   girls, resulting in a future for women in which 

 9   they were no longer confined to the home, a 

10   future in which they were educated and able to 

11   use this education to better their social and 

12   economic status; and

13                "WHEREAS, In 1848 in New York, the 

14   first women's rights convention was held at 

15   Seneca Falls to secure for all women the right to 

16   vote; and 

17                "WHEREAS, In 1903, The Women's Trade 

18   Union League of New York was formed to represent 

19   working women, later becoming the nucleus for the 

20   International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union; and 

21                "WHEREAS, In 1918, one year after 

22   New York guaranteed women the right to vote in 

23   all elections, the first two women, Ida Sammis 

24   and Mary Lilly, were elected to the New York 

25   State Legislature; and 


                                                               971

 1                "WHEREAS, In 1967, Muriel Siebert 

 2   became the first woman to own a seat on the 

 3   New York Stock Exchange, opening the door for 

 4   women to gain positions of greater economic 

 5   power; and 

 6                "WHEREAS, In 1970, New York City was 

 7   the site of the first Women's Strike for 

 8   Equality, in which 50,000 people marched for 

 9   equal rights; and 

10                "WHEREAS, In 1968, New York State 

11   Assemblywoman Shirley Chisholm became the first 

12   black woman elected to Congress, and in 1972, she  

13   ran for President of the United States, another 

14   first for black women; and 

15                "WHEREAS, In 1983, New York State 

16   women legislators established the Legislative 

17   Women's Caucus to improve the participation of 

18   women in all areas of government, support issues 

19   that benefit women and provide a network of 

20   support for women in the State Legislature; and 

21                "WHEREAS, New York has been the home 

22   of many extraordinary women who have led society 

23   to a better future.  Elizabeth Cady Stanton and 

24   Susan B. Anthony led the campaign for women's 

25   suffrage; Sojourner Truth spoke out for the 


                                                               972

 1   abolition of slavery and for suffrage for women; 

 2   suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt became the first 

 3   president of the League of Women Voters; Emma 

 4    Willard opened the first endowed institution for 

 5   the education of women; Civil War surgeon 

 6   Dr. Mary E. Walker was the only woman ever 

 7   awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor; 

 8   Harriet Tubman was an abolitionist who led slaves 

 9   to freedom by way of the Underground Railroad.  

10   In the 19th century, Elizabeth Blackwell and 

11   Belva Lockwood were the first women in the fields 

12   of medicine and law; pioneer birth control 

13   educator and advocate Margaret Sanger established  

14   a research center in New York City; Emma Goldman 

15   founded the Free Speech League, which led to the 

16   American Civil Liberties Union; humanitarian  

17   Eleanor Roosevelt served as United States 

18   Delegate to the United Nations; civil rights 

19   lawyer and New York State Senator Constance Baker  

20   Motley became the first black woman to sit on the 

21   U.S. District Court in New York; and so many more 

22   known and unknown women who championed rights and 

23   opportunity for all; and 

24                "WHEREAS, New York State has hosted 

25   many conventions, campaigns and events of the 


                                                               973

 1   women's rights movement, from the 1848 convention 

 2   at Seneca Falls to the 1999 Berkshire Conference 

 3   of Women Historians, which was held to improve 

 4   the status of women in history and in the 

 5   historical professions; and 

 6                "WHEREAS, Today, 47 women serve in 

 7   the New York State Legislature, holding 

 8   leadership positions in both houses and bringing 

 9   the diverse experiences of women into law and 

10   public policy; now, therefore, be it 

11                "RESOLVED, That this Legislative 

12   Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize 

13   Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2013 

14   as Women's History Month in the State of 

15   New York; and be it further 

16                "RESOLVED, That copies of this  

17   resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted  

18   to the Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the 

19   State of New York, and to the Legislative Women's 

20   Caucus of New York State."

21                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

22   Krueger.

23                SENATOR KRUEGER:   Thank you, 

24   Madam President.

25                I rise to speak on behalf of this 


                                                               974

 1   resolution today which commemorates Women's 

 2   History Month -- March -- and International 

 3   Women's Day, and to speak on what this resolution 

 4   means to me.

 5                This resolution that we just heard 

 6   recounts some of the monumental achievements 

 7   women have made in New York State's history -- 

 8   achievements for our state, for our country, and 

 9   our society as whole.  And they have been 

10   monumental.  

11                Some extraordinary women have blazed 

12   the trail for me, including my friend Andrea 

13   Stewart-Cousins, who's the first woman leader of 

14   any conference in the New York State Legislature, 

15   and for our fellow women legislators and all of 

16   New York's women.  

17                But we have much left to do.  

18   Consider:  This resolution recognizes the Women's 

19   Trade Union League of New York, formed in 1903, 

20   which became the nucleus of the International 

21   Ladies' Garment Worker's Union and helped advance 

22   the cause of fairness and economic justice at 

23   work.  They blazed a trail.  

24                This resolution also references the 

25   Women's Strike for Equality in 1970, in which 


                                                               975

 1   50,000 people marched for equal rights.  And yet 

 2   women still make an average of 80 cents or less 

 3   for every dollar earned by men in New York.  The 

 4   work's not done.

 5                This resolution recognizes Muriel 

 6   Siebert, the first woman to own a seat on the 

 7   New York Stock Exchange, breaking through a 

 8   crucial barrier and opening new opportunities for 

 9   women to gain positions of power and 

10   responsibility in our business community.  But 

11   women are still disproportionately represented in 

12   lower-wage jobs, and even today women still face 

13   harassment in the workplace, often without 

14   effective recourse under the laws of our state.  

15                This resolution recognizes the 

16   women's suffrage movement in New York, and its 

17   leaders, as well as the election and service of 

18   Ida Sammis and Mary Lilly, the first two women 

19   elected to the New York State Legislature.  But 

20   today, more than nine decades later, women make 

21   up less than a quarter of the State Legislature 

22   and less than 16 percent of the New York State 

23   Senate.

24                It is clear from the proud 

25   achievements and watershed moments recounted in 


                                                               976

 1   this resolution that we in New York State have a 

 2   heritage and a tradition of action and 

 3   involvement in the march towards equality.  But 

 4   it's equally clear that we have more work to do.  

 5   Women's History Month, International Women's Day, 

 6   and other moments that we take to recognize these 

 7   achievements aren't just about looking backward 

 8   to what we've accomplished.  They're about 

 9   looking at our present and recognizing the 

10   extraordinary achievements we're commemorating 

11   today, that they are incomplete; our work is not 

12   done.

13                We still need to achieve pay equity 

14   for women and eliminate the unjustifiably wide 

15   wage gap in our society.  We still need to end 

16   sexual harassment in all workplaces.  We still 

17   need to strengthen human trafficking laws to 

18   protect the women who are disproportionately the 

19   victims of this horrible international trade.  We 

20   still need to end family-status discrimination 

21   and source-of-income discrimination.

22                We still need to stop housing 

23   discrimination for victims of domestic violence.  

24   We still need to stop discrimination against 

25   pregnant women once and for all.  We still need 


                                                               977

 1   to strengthen our laws to protect victims of 

 2   domestic violence, to assure that our courts and 

 3   our police will be there to protect women and 

 4   children from too disproportionate an impact of 

 5   violence in their lives.  

 6                And we still need to protect women's 

 7   rights to make decisions about their healthcare 

 8   and their bodies by decisions made with their 

 9   families and their physicians, not government 

10   deciding for them.

11                And so our society has made 

12   tremendous progress, and today in this house we 

13   are recognizing New York's major contributions to 

14   this progress.  But hopefully today we also 

15   recognize, as our Governor, Andrew Cuomo has, 

16   that the work is not done.  And when we have 

17   passed this budget, I hope we will turn our 

18   attention directly to enacting Governor Cuomo's 

19   women's equality agenda and getting that much 

20   closer to finishing the work set out for us.

21                Thank you very much, 

22   Madam President.

23                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Thank 

24   you, Senator Krueger.

25                Are there any other members wishing 


                                                               978

 1   to be heard on the resolution?  

 2                Seeing none, the question is on the 

 3   resolution.  All in favor signify by saying aye.

 4                (Response of "Aye.")

 5                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Opposed, 

 6   nay.

 7                (No response.)

 8                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

 9   resolution is adopted.  

10                Senator Libous.

11                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Thank you, 

12   Madam President.

13                There's a previously adopted 

14   resolution by Senator Diaz, Number 713, at the 

15   desk.  And I ask that we read it in its entirety 

16   and call on Senator Diaz.

17                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

18   Secretary will read.

19                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

20   Resolution Number 713, by Senator Diaz, 

21   memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to declare 

22   March 11, 2013, to April 12, 2013, as 

23   Garifuna-American Heritage Month in the State of 

24   New York.  

25                "WHEREAS, It is the sense of this 


                                                               979

 1   Legislative Body to recognize and pay just 

 2   tribute to the cultural heritage of the ethnic 

 3   groups which comprise and contribute to the 

 4   richness and diversity of the community of the 

 5   State of New York; and 

 6                "WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, 

 7   and in keeping with its time-honored traditions, 

 8   it is the intent of this Legislative Body to 

 9   applaud and commemorate events which foster 

10   ethnic pride and exemplify the cultural diversity 

11   that represents and strengthens the spirit of the 

12   people and the State of New York; and 

13                "WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is 

14   justly proud to memorialize Governor Andrew M. 

15   Cuomo to declare March 11, 2013, to April 12,  

16   2013, as Garifuna-American Heritage Month in the 

17   State of New York; and 

18                "WHEREAS, Garifuna-American Heritage 

19   Month celebrates the great contributions of 

20   Garifuna-Americans to the fabric of New York, and  

21   pays tribute to the common culture and bonds of 

22   friendship that united the United States and the 

23   Garifuna countries; and 

24                "WHEREAS, Garifuna-American Heritage 

25   Month affirms the culture, identity and 


                                                               980

 1   self-esteem of a people; it celebrates a rich 

 2   heritage and illuminates Garifuna history and 

 3   tradition, as well as the spirit of an 

 4   indomitable people; and 

 5                "WHEREAS, In 1665, two Spanish ships 

 6   wrecked off the coast of Saint Vincent; and 

 7                "WHEREAS, The West African slaves 

 8   that escaped to the island eventually 

 9   intermarried with the Venezuelan Caribs and the 

10   Arawaks; and 

11                "WHEREAS, The new race of people, 

12   known as the Garifuna, grew strong and prosperous 

13   on the island; and 

14                "WHEREAS, In 1795, the Garifuna 

15   began the Second Carib War against the British.  

16   Battles raged throughout Saint Vincent over the 

17   next year, with both sides enduring heavy losses; 

18   and 

19                "WHEREAS, On June 10, 1796, the  

20   final battle commenced with the Garifuna and 

21   British, resulting in the Garifuna's surrender; 

22   and 

23                "WHEREAS, The surviving Caribs were 

24   exiled to the neighboring island of Balliceaux; 

25   and 


                                                               981

 1                "WHEREAS, On March 11, 1797, the 

 2   defeated Garifuna were loaded onto a convoy of 

 3   eight vessels and transported to Roatan, 

 4   Honduras, which arrived on April 12th of that 

 5   year; and 

 6                "WHEREAS, The Garifuna began to 

 7   migrate to the United States during the 1930s.  

 8   Today, New York City is home to the largest 

 9   Garifuna community outside of Central America; 

10   and 

11                "WHEREAS, The nurturing and 

12   promotion of Garifuna pride is at the center of 

13   the Garifuna coalition's community organizing  

14   initiative, to create awareness and appreciation 

15   of the Garifuna culture and its contribution to 

16   the culture and society of New York; and 

17                "WHEREAS, On May 18, 2001, the 

18   United Nations Educational, Scientific and 

19   Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed the  

20   Garifuna language, dance and music as a 

21   'Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage 

22   of Humanity'; and 

23                "WHEREAS, Garifuna-American Heritage 

24   Month provides an opportunity to recognize the 

25   significance of their contributions to the 


                                                               982

 1   quality and character of life and, through many 

 2   events and activities throughout the month, for 

 3   all people to gain a greater appreciation of 

 4   Garifuna history and traditions, and of the role 

 5   Garifuna-Americans have played and will continue 

 6   to play in our society; and 

 7                "WHEREAS, In 1823, William Henry 

 8   Brown, the first American playwright of African  

 9   descent, wrote 'The Drama of King Shotaway,' 

10   recognized as the first black drama of the 

11   American theater, which has as its subject the 

12   1795 Black Caribs' (Garifuna's) defense of the 

13   Island of Saint Vincent against colonization by 

14   the British.  Therefore, in its honor, the 

15   New York Garifuna community proudly launches the 

16   Garifuna-American Decennial 2013-2023; and 

17                "WHEREAS, Today, New Yorkers of 

18   Garifuna heritage such as Sara Logan, Rosemary   

19   Ordonez Jenkins, Mirtha Colon, Eleanor Cecelia 

20   Castillo-Bullock, James Lovell, Rosita Alvarez,  

21   Carlos Gamboa, Paula Castillo, Martin Bermudez  

22   and Jose Francisco Avila continue to recognize 

23   and honor the cultural practices of their 

24   ancestors; now, therefore, be it 

25                "RESOLVED, That this Legislative 


                                                               983

 1   Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize 

 2   Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to declare March 11, 

 3   2013, to April 12, 2013, as Garifuna-American 

 4   Heritage Month in the State of New  York; and be 

 5   it further 

 6                "RESOLVED, That a copy of this 

 7   resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to 

 8   the Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the  

 9   State of New York."

10                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

11   Diaz.

12                SENATOR DIAZ:   Thank you, 

13   Madam President.

14                Ladies and gentlemen, today is a 

15   very, very special day.  Today I'm honored to be 

16   the sponsor of this resolution and the third 

17   annual celebration of Garifuna Heritage Month 

18   here in the New York State Senate.  

19                Today, Madam President and ladies 

20   and gentlemen, I'm honored because I'm having the 

21   opportunity and the privilege granted to me by 

22   the distinguished leader of the Senate Majority, 

23   the Honorable Senator Dean Skelos, the Secretary 

24   of the Senate, Mr. Frank Patience, and the 

25   members of this body.  They have allowed me to 


                                                               984

 1   introduce this resolution.  

 2                And I am so honored and privileged 

 3   to have many members joining me as cosponsors of 

 4   such an important resolution.  Even 

 5   Assemblymember Marcos Crespo came all the way 

 6   from the Assembly chamber to join us.

 7                And I see Senator Rivera and I see 

 8   Senator Serrano, of the six Hispanic Senators, 

 9   here.  I don't see the rest of them.  But I 

10   appreciate their being here and joining me in 

11   welcoming the Garifuna community today.

12                Madam President and members of the 

13   Senate, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to 

14   welcome the delegation of more than 100 members 

15   of the Garifuna community who are sitting up 

16   there in the gallery and up here on this side.  

17   Welcome to the Senate.

18                (Applause from the gallery.)

19                SENATOR DIAZ:   This delegation is 

20   being presided by Mr. Jose Francisco Avila, 

21   president of the Garifuna Coalition USA; the 

22   Reverend Eduardo Cordova, pastor of the Iglesia 

23   Evangelica Garifuna, who gave the invocation; and 

24   the Reverend Luis Lorenzo and Reverend Joel 

25   Bauza.  


                                                               985

 1                (Applause from the gallery.)

 2                SENATOR DIAZ:   Ladies and 

 3   gentlemen, it is important for you to know that 

 4   the Garifuna community has been an integral part 

 5   of New York City and especially of Bronx County 

 6   for more than 80 years.  The Garifunas have been 

 7   coming to the United States of America in search 

 8   of better lives since 1930.  Their vitality, 

 9   their talent, and their commitment constitute 

10   tremendous resources for our state and our city.  

11                But, Madam President and ladies and 

12   gentlemen and my fellow Senators, you should know 

13   that it took a tragic incident, a fire, that took 

14   the lives of 87 people for the government 

15   institution to start paying attention to this 

16   great community.  On March 25, 1990, a social 

17   club in the Bronx called the Happy Land was set 

18   on fire, causing the death of many people and 

19   inflicting tremendous pain and suffering to the 

20   rest of the Garifuna community throughout the 

21   State of New York and throughout the whole 

22   world.  

23                Today, as the Senator representing 

24   the 32nd Senatorial District in Bronx County, it 

25   is an honor and a privilege for me to have this 


                                                               986

 1   huge delegation of Garifuna joining us in the 

 2   Senate chamber today.  

 3                In closing, Madam President, 

 4   Mr. President, again I would like to thank 

 5   Senator Dean Skelos and the Secretary of the 

 6   Senate, Mr. Frank Patience, for allowing me this 

 7   great honor of celebrating this historic event in 

 8   the New York State Senate.  

 9                To my colleagues, members of the 

10   Senate and staff, I am inviting you to join us at 

11   the reception at 5:00, or when this finishes, in 

12   the Meeting Room 2 and 3 to celebrate the 

13   Garifuna Night.  

14                And to the Garifuna delegation, 

15   thank you for accepting my invitation:  "Buiti 

16   Achúluruni.  Seremein Bini-noun búnguío."

17                (Cheers, applause from gallery.)

18                SENATOR DIAZ:   Madam President, I 

19   am Senator Ruben Diaz, and this is what you 

20   should know.

21                (Laughter; cheers from gallery.)

22                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Thank 

23   you, Senator Diaz.

24                Senator Rivera on the resolution.

25                SENATOR RIVERA:   Thank you, 


                                                               987

 1   Madam President.

 2                I will disappoint no one here when I 

 3   do not try to speak the Garifuna language.  So I 

 4   don't have anything written down, so I apologize 

 5   that I do not have a phrase ready for you.  

 6                But I will say this.  I am very 

 7   happy when Senator Diaz brings you folks up 

 8   here.  It has been three years since I have been 

 9   in the Senate and three years since I have seen 

10   you come from my district, most of you, up here 

11   to Albany.

12                As I remind folks when they come and 

13   visit me in my office, it is very easy for us to 

14   forget when we are surrounded by all these 

15   beautiful buildings, when we are surrounded by 

16   folks who are always trying to pull us in 

17   different directions, sometimes we forget who it 

18   is that we work for.  

19                So I am very happy every time that 

20   folks that live in my district who I see on a 

21   daily basis come up and remind us a little bit 

22   why we do this to begin with.

23                I am very, very proud to be 

24   representing so many folks in the Garifuna 

25   community.  I believe that when we're talking 


                                                               988

 1   about the greatness of New York State, certainly 

 2   the greatness of New York City and the greatness 

 3   of the Bronx, it is about diversity.  So when I 

 4   say that I represent the 33rd District, I can say 

 5   I represent African-Americans, Puerto Ricans, 

 6   Dominicans, Mexicans.  And I also represent a big 

 7   chunk of Garifuna.  

 8                You are always growing, and you will 

 9   continue to be a very important part of who we 

10   are in the Bronx and who are as a state.  So 

11   thank you for your addition to our wonderful 

12   borough, to our wonderful state.  

13                And I really wish that I had a 

14   phrase that I would be able to say like "Garifuna 

15   pa'lante" or something.

16                (Cheers, applause from the gallery.)

17                SENATOR RIVERA:   But since I don't, 

18   and I know some of you know a little Spanish:  

19   "Bienvenidos a Albany, Es un placer verlos y 

20   espero verlos pronto en el Bronx." 

21                Thank you, Madam President.  

22                (Applause from the gallery.)

23                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Thank 

24   you, Senator Rivera.

25                Senator Serrano on the resolution.


                                                               989

 1                SENATOR SERRANO:   Thank you.

 2                I'd like to thank Senator Diaz for 

 3   once again bringing the Garifuna community here 

 4   to celebrate, for this Senate chamber to 

 5   celebrate and recognize this growing community.  

 6                And I've been to an event that the 

 7   Senator had in the district in the Bronx where 

 8   there was a wonderful cultural celebration of the 

 9   Garifuna community, the music and dance.  And it 

10   really is something that everyone should know 

11   about.  

12                The cultural contributions of this 

13   community, while it is an emerging community, the 

14   cultural contributions are already huge.  And it 

15   is something that all of us should feel proud 

16   of.  The diversity that we have in the Bronx and 

17   throughout this state really speaks testament to 

18   what the Garifuna community brings to the table.

19                So with that, I'll conclude and 

20   thank the Senator and congratulate the wonderful 

21   community for being here.  

22                (Applause from the gallery.)

23                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

24   Espaillat on the resolution.

25                SENATOR ESPAILLAT:   Thank you, 


                                                               990

 1   Madam Speaker.

 2                I want to thank Senator Diaz.  You 

 3   know, the wonderful thing about Senator Diaz is 

 4   that one really never knows who he is.  Right?  

 5   One day he's Puerto Rican --

 6                (Laughter.)

 7                SENATOR ESPAILLAT:   -- today he's 

 8   Garifuna.  

 9                (Laughter; cheers from the gallery.)

10                SENATOR ESPAILLAT:   But I really 

11   believe, deep inside my heart, that he's from 

12   San Pedro de Macorís in the Dominican Republic.

13                (Laughter.)

14                SENATOR ESPAILLAT:   So I want to 

15   thank Senator Diaz for bringing the Garifuna 

16   people here to Albany.  

17                And we know of your rich history.  

18   And we know of your rich contributions to 

19   Honduras, but and also to the United States and 

20   particularly to the borough of the Bronx.  And we 

21   know that you are great New Yorkers and that you 

22   will continue to bring great things to this great 

23   state.  So I welcome you.  

24                And, you know, just so Senator Diaz 

25   feels a little bit jealous today, because 


                                                               991

 1   otherwise I will read about this in my 

 2   BlackBerry:  "Buiti guñoun." 

 3                (Applause, cheers from gallery.)

 4                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

 5   Adams on the resolution.  Try and top that.

 6                (Laughter.)

 7                SENATOR ADAMS:   I just want to 

 8   again also add my voice to thanking Senator 

 9   Diaz.  

10                Each year he brings this rich 

11   culture to Albany, and it's just our way of 

12   saying that the State of New York has a welcome 

13   mat for all groups.  This is your government as 

14   well, and we're proud to have you here.  

15                Out of the 100 visitors from the 

16   Garifuna community, Vilma, who is from my 

17   district.  We're happy to have you here.  So it's 

18   not only the Bronx, the Brooklyn -- the Brooklyn 

19   welcomes you.  The Brooklyn welcomes you.  

20                (Applause from the gallery.)

21                SENATOR ADAMS:   And no matter what 

22   the future holds in 2014, we're going to welcome 

23   you even more in the Borough of Brooklyn.  

24                Thank you very much 

25                (Applause from the gallery.)


                                                               992

 1                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

 2   Dilan on the resolution.

 3                SENATOR DILAN:   Thank you, 

 4   Madam President.  I just rise to congratulate 

 5   Senator Diaz for him raising the consciousness 

 6   level regarding your rich culture.  

 7                And I want to congratulate you.  And 

 8   I join Senator Adams in seeing you in Brooklyn 

 9   soon.  Thank you.  

10                (Applause from the gallery.)

11                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

12   Libous.

13                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Madam President, 

14   before we continue -- and if there's other 

15   speakers, I want them to -- I have to make a very 

16   important announcement for a quarter of, because 

17   there's conference committee meetings and I need 

18   to announce them.  And then we can come back.  

19                So hold your enthusiasm, we're 

20   enjoying it, don't go away.

21                At 3:45, if you're a member of 

22   Public Protection, Criminal Justice or Judiciary, 

23   you'll be meeting in Hearing Room A.  At 3:45, if 

24   you're on Environment, Agriculture or Housing, 

25   you'll be meeting in Hearing Room B.  At 3:45, if 


                                                               993

 1   you're on Higher Education, you'll be meeting in 

 2   Hearing Room C.

 3                At 4:45, Mental Hygiene in Hearing 

 4   Room A.  At 4:45, Transportation in Hearing Room 

 5   B.  At 4:45, Human Services and Labor in Hearing 

 6   Room C.  

 7                Today at 5 o'clock, General 

 8   Government/Local Assistance, Assembly Parlor.  

 9                At 11 a.m. tomorrow, Economic 

10   Development, Hearing Room A.; 11 a.m. tomorrow, 

11   Health in Hearing Room B.; 11:30 a.m. tomorrow, 

12   Education in Hearing Room C.

13                If you're not in the chamber, 

14   Rule 10 will work in your favor for your votes.  

15                And I apologize, Madam President.

16                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

17   Farley.

18                SENATOR FARLEY:   Not to correct the 

19   deputy leader, but let me just say General 

20   Government will be meeting at 5 o'clock in the 

21   Assembly Parlor.

22                SENATOR LIBOUS:   General Government 

23   will be meeting at 5 o'clock in the Assembly 

24   Parlor.  I stand corrected.

25                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Thank 


                                                               994

 1   you.

 2                Senator Squadron on the resolution.

 3                SENATOR SQUADRON:   Thank you, 

 4   Madam President.

 5                Look, New York City and the Bronx 

 6   are the place people from all over world come for 

 7   a new life and to be part of the greatest city on 

 8   earth.  And each one of you are part of that 

 9   great tradition.  

10                And this chamber is the place where 

11   Senator Diaz brings the world to be celebrated 

12   and have a little bit more fun than we normally 

13   do in the Legislature.  

14                So to all of you, thank you for 

15   being such a great part of the New York City 

16   community.  It's because of communities like the 

17   Garifuna community that we are as great a city as 

18   we are.  

19                And Senator Diaz, thank you for 

20   making sure that nowhere in the state can we 

21   forget it is a state built on diversity, on our 

22   immigrant experience, and on the greatest food 

23   and dance and culture anywhere in the world.  

24                So thank you all very much for being 

25   here.  Thank you.


                                                               995

 1                (Applause from gallery.)  

 2                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Thank 

 3   you.

 4                Are there any other members wishing 

 5   to be heard on the resolution?  

 6                Seeing none, this resolution was 

 7   previously adopted on March 7, 2013.  

 8                And we would like to welcome 

 9   citizens of the Garifuna community here today to 

10   the New York State Senate chamber.  Welcome.

11                (Applause.)

12                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

13   Libous.

14                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Madam President, I 

15   believe there's a resolution by Senator 

16   Stewart-Cousins, Number 790, at the desk.  I ask 

17   that you could read it in its entirety and then 

18   move for its immediate adoption.  

19                And we will then go to another 

20   resolution by Senator Stewart-Cousins, and then 

21   she will speak.

22                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

23   Secretary will read.

24                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

25   Resolution Number 790, by Senator 


                                                               996

 1   Stewart-Cousins, congratulating the New Rochelle 

 2   High School Varsity and Junior Varsity 

 3   Cheerleading Team upon the occasion of capturing 

 4   the 2013 National High School Cheerleading 

 5   Championship.

 6                (Applause from the galleries.)

 7                THE SECRETARY:   "WHEREAS, 

 8   Excellence and success in competitive sports can 

 9   be achieved only through strenuous practice, team 

10   play and team spirit, nurtured by dedicated 

11   coaching and strategic planning; and 

12                "WHEREAS, Athletic competition 

13   enhances the moral and physical development of 

14   the young people of this State, preparing them 

15   for the future by instilling in them the value of 

16   teamwork, encouraging a standard of healthy 

17   living, imparting a desire for success and 

18   developing a sense of fair play and competition; 

19   and

20                "WHEREAS, The New Rochelle High 

21   School Varsity and Junior Varsity Cheerleading  

22   Teams, the 'Dynamic Dozen,' captured the UCA 

23   National Cheerleading Championships in Orlando, 

24   Florida, competing against hundreds of teams 

25   throughout the United States; and


                                                               997

 1                "WHEREAS, The athletic talent 

 2   displayed by these teams is due in great part to 

 3   the efforts of Coaches Chrissy Stanionis and 

 4   Elaina Edwards, skilled and inspirational 

 5   mentors, respected for their ability to develop 

 6   potential into excellence; and 

 7                "WHEREAS, The teams' overall records 

 8   were exceptional, and the team members were 

 9   loyally and enthusiastically supported by family,  

10   fans, friends and the community at large; and 

11                "WHEREAS, The hallmarks of the 2013 

12   New Rochelle High School Varsity and Junior 

13   Varsity Cheerleading Teams, from the opening of 

14   the season to participation in the national 

15   championship competition, were an extraordinary 

16   combination of athletic ability, of good 

17   sportsmanship, of honor and of scholarship, 

18   demonstrating that these team players are second 

19   to none; and 

20                "WHEREAS, Athletically and 

21   academically, the New Rochelle High School 

22   Varsity and Junior Varsity Cheerleaders have 

23   proven themselves to be an unbeatable combination 

24   of talents, reflecting favorably on their school; 

25   and 


                                                               998

 1                "WHEREAS, Coaches Chrissy Stanionis 

 2   and Elaina Edwards have done a superb job in 

 3   guiding, molding and inspiring the cheerleaders 

 4   toward their goals; and 

 5                "WHEREAS, Sports competition 

 6   instills the values of teamwork, pride and 

 7   accomplishment, and Coaches Chrissy Stanionis and  

 8   Elaina Edwards, and the 2013 New Rochelle High 

 9   School Varsity and Junior Varsity Cheerleading 

10   Teams' outstanding athletes have clearly made a 

11   contribution to the spirit of excellence which is 

12   a tradition of their school; now, therefore, be 

13   it 

14                "RESOLVED, That this Legislative 

15   Body pause in its deliberations to congratulate 

16   the 2013 New Rochelle High School Varsity and 

17   Junior Varsity Cheerleading Teams, their 

18   members -- Varsity:  Denitra Alexander, Ashley 

19   Codrington, Awa Dia, Ciera Ferrera, Taylor 

20   Giacco, Tye Gomez, Kaiya Harrell, Janay Key, 

21   Nadine Pabon, Courtney O'Connell, Alejandra Toro, 

22   Andrea Valencia, and Salina Webson; JV:  Akira 

23   Allen, Kiemara Amos, Jillian Banks, Lauren Barry, 

24   Kharisma Black, Alicia Bruno, Cybill Charles, 

25   Alyssa Cimino, Dymond Crews, Saavedra Dessesaure, 


                                                               999

 1   Erica Ferrara, Natice Jackson, Maria Jaramillo, 

 2   Brandee Martin, Marissa Miceli, Kayla Morrow,  

 3   Diana Perez, Tiffany Povia, Andrea Restrepro, 

 4   Jessica Roberts, Essence Slater, and Adiya 

 5   Tiabo -- Coaches Chrissy Stanionis and Elaina  

 6   Edwards, and Assistant Coach EJ Vitez, on their  

 7   outstanding season, overall team record and 

 8   national championships; and be it further 

 9                "RESOLVED, That copies of this 

10   resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to 

11   the New Rochelle High School Varsity and Junior  

12   Varsity Cheerleading Teams; Coaches Elaina 

13   Edwards and Chrissy Stanionis; and Assistant 

14   Coach EJ Vitez."

15                (Applause.)

16                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

17   question is on the resolution.  All in favor 

18   signify by saying aye.

19                (Response of "Aye.")

20                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Opposed, 

21   nay.

22                (No response.)

23                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

24   resolution is adopted.

25                Senator Libous.


                                                               1000

 1                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Thank you, 

 2   Madam President.  

 3                I believe there's a resolution at 

 4   the desk by Senator Stewart-Cousins, Number 764.  

 5   May we have it read in its entirety and, before 

 6   we adopt it, please call on Leader Cousins.

 7                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

 8   Secretary will read.

 9                THE SECRETARY:   Legislative 

10   Resolution Number 764, by Senator 

11   Stewart-Cousins, congratulating the New Rochelle 

12   Varsity Football Team and Coach Lou DiRienzo upon 

13   the occasion of capturing the New York State 

14   Class AA Championship."  

15                "WHEREAS, Excellence and success in 

16   competitive sports can be achieved only through 

17   strenuous practice, team play and team spirit, 

18   nurtured by dedicated coaching and strategic 

19   planning; and 

20                "WHEREAS, Athletic competition 

21   enhances the moral and physical development of 

22   the young people of this state, preparing them 

23   for the future by instilling in them the value of 

24   teamwork, encouraging a standard of healthy 

25   living, imparting a desire for success and 


                                                               1001

 1   developing a sense of fair play and competition; 

 2   and 

 3                "WHEREAS, The New Rochelle Huguenots 

 4   captured their second New York State Class AA 

 5   Football title by defeating Orchard Park by a 

 6   score of 34-6 at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, 

 7   New York, on November 24, 2012; and 

 8                "WHEREAS, The athletic talent 

 9   displayed by this team is due in great part to 

10   the efforts of Coach Lou DiRienzo, a skilled and  

11   inspirational tutor, respected for his ability to 

12   develop potential into excellence; and 

13                "WHEREAS, The team, finishing the 

14   season with an impressive 11-1 record, were 

15   loyally and enthusiastically supported by family, 

16   fans, friends and the community at large; and 

17                "WHEREAS, The hallmarks of the 

18   New Rochelle Varsity Football Team, from the 

19   opening game of the season to participation in 

20   the  championship, were a brotherhood of athletic 

21   ability, of good sportsmanship, of honor and of 

22   scholarship, demonstrating that these team 

23   players are second to none; and 

24                "WHEREAS, Athletically and 

25   academically, the team members have proven 


                                                               1002

 1   themselves to be an unbeatable combination of 

 2   talents, reflecting favorably on their school; 

 3   and 

 4                "WHEREAS, Coach Lou DiRienzo has 

 5   done a superb job in guiding, molding and 

 6   inspiring the team members toward their goals; 

 7   and 

 8                "WHEREAS, Sports competition 

 9   instills the values of teamwork, pride and 

10   accomplishment, and Coach Lou DiRienzo and all of 

11   the outstanding athletes have clearly made a 

12   contribution to the spirit of excellence which is 

13   a tradition of their school; now, therefore, be 

14   it 

15                "RESOLVED, That this Legislative 

16   Body pause in its deliberations to congratulate 

17   the New Rochelle Varsity Football Team; its 

18   members:  Keimon Barrow, Terrence Holden, Jason 

19   Ceneus, Wjhante Holden, Gavin Harley, Khalil  

20   Edney, Ahmad Encarnacion, Tajmir Anderson, Joseph 

21   Clarke, Jr., Nas Sinkfeld-Shelton, David Hudson, 

22   Max Diamond, Cameron White, Tyrique Rideau, Mario 

23   Pierre, Charlie Anthony, Jon Forrest, Conlan 

24   Thompson, Kyvon Campbell, Carmine Giordano, 

25   Marlon Riley, Amir Sharif, Tariq Leadbetter, 


                                                               1003

 1   Shayne Forbes, Bryce Davis, Edwyn Johnson, 

 2   Brandon Trotta, Steven Noake, Enrique Valencia, 

 3   Perri Chandler, Cory Holder, Kevin Darden, Will 

 4   Clark, Ray Ganley, Anthony Williams, Charles 

 5   Ortiz, Justin Douglas, Kyrel Stevenson, Vincent 

 6   David, Ronak Kenia, Max Theobalds, Jasper 

 7   Baskerville, Ryan Pryor, Demetrius Rodriquez and 

 8   Jack Stern; Head Coach Lou DiRienzo; and 

 9   Assistant Coaches Greg Foster, Rich Tassello, 

10   Keith Fagan, Brian Violante, Phil Spivack, 

11   Ray Rhett, Tom Drago, and Theo Washington on 

12   their outstanding season and overall team record; 

13   and be it further 

14                "RESOLVED, That copies of this 

15   resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to 

16   the New Rochelle Varsity Football Team, Coach Lou 

17   DiRienzo, and the Assistant Coaches."

18                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

19   Stewart-Cousins.

20                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   Thank 

21   you, Madam President.

22                I rise to congratulate some 

23   outstanding athletes and just extraordinary young 

24   people who grace our chambers today.  You've 

25   heard two resolutions.  I want you to be clear 


                                                               1004

 1   that it is because out of New Rochelle, which is 

 2   called "the Queen City," in the chamber today we 

 3   have the cheerleaders who are national 

 4   champions -- this is the varsity and junior 

 5   varsity.  

 6                Can you stand up, ladies?

 7                (Applause.)

 8                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   This is 

 9   the "Dynamic Dozen" who, again, competed against 

10   hundreds of teams.  We've all seen or maybe seen 

11   "Bring It On" and all these extraordinary plays 

12   and shows, and we know what cheerleaders are 

13   like.  But these are our national champions.  

14                Thank you so much.

15                (Applause.)

16                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   I'd love 

17   for them to do the "One New Ro" cheer.  Can we 

18   let them just do "New Ro"?

19                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Sure.

20                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   Ladies, 

21   stand up.  Stand up.  No pompoms, just -- madam 

22   President, may they?  Thank you.  

23                Give us our "New Ro," please.  

24                (Cheerleading teams chanted from the 

25   gallery; applause.) 


                                                               1005

 1                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   Perfect.  

 2                And you see how spontaneous they are 

 3   and how excited they are.  And you can imagine, 

 4   without, you know, their pompoms or anything -- 

 5   no space, I didn't bring them down here -- but 

 6   you can imagine what they did on the national 

 7   scene to win, win, to be number one in the nation 

 8   in cheerleading.  

 9                So this brings us now to the people 

10   they cheer on.  Gentlemen, will you please rise?

11                (Applause.)

12                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   Now, I am 

13   sorry that so many of my colleagues are involved 

14   in other things.  Obviously, we have budget.  But 

15   these are our state champions, Class AA.  But 

16   there are a lot of people who would be in this 

17   chamber whose teams have met these young men.  

18   And they're all probably great players, but this 

19   football team, the Huguenots, number one for two 

20   years in a row.  Two years in a row.

21                Now, they come from New Rochelle 

22   High School.  And New Rochelle High School, you 

23   might know, is the home high school of a Super 

24   Bowl hero, Ray Rice.  And you all watched the 

25   Ravens win the Super Bowl?  He came out of 


                                                               1006

 1   New Rochelle High School.  

 2                And these gentlemen, who are 

 3   accompanied by their coach, Lou DiRienzo -- Lou, 

 4   will you wave?  There's Lou.

 5                (Applause.)

 6                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   Lou, who 

 7   will instills pride, who instills a sense of 

 8   responsibility, teamwork.  

 9                They don't quit until they get the 

10   job done.  They know it's not all about winning, 

11   it's about building character and being 

12   responsible.  And yes, they are scholars, and 

13   yes, they do win.  Most of them are on their way 

14   to college.  

15                Also accompanying them is the 

16   athletic director, Steven Young.  

17                (Applause.)

18                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   And the 

19   assistant football coaches Greg Foster and 

20   Ray Rhett.

21                (Applause.)

22                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   Now, I 

23   didn't mention, because of the cheerleading -- 

24   I'm so sorry -- where is Chrissy Stanionis?  

25   Chrissy, who is the head cheerleading coach.  


                                                               1007

 1   She's here too.

 2                (Applause.)

 3                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   I wanted 

 4   to bring them here so that they could see us and 

 5   we could see them.  And to let them know that 

 6   because you are national champions, because you 

 7   are state champions, you represent all of us.  

 8   And we are extremely proud of what you have done 

 9   and what you continue to do.  You are true 

10   leaders.

11                So thank you so much for coming.  

12   And I'd like all of you to sit down for a moment 

13   because I'd like Khalil to stay standing.

14                Here is Khalil.  I had to give him 

15   a -- because this is a man who, like so many of 

16   them, you know, doesn't even stay in one lane.  

17   He's good in more than one lane.  I don't know if 

18   you seen the viral video of the basketball game 

19   with New Rochelle against Mount Vernon.  And 

20   there was a kid who had, I guess, sort of thought 

21   that Mount Vernon was going to win -- I'm sorry 

22   my Mount Vernon colleagues aren't here -- he 

23   thought Mount Vernon was going to win and kind of 

24   tossed up the ball in the last seconds.  There 

25   was this young man, Khalil Edney, who grabbed 


                                                               1008

 1   what was supposed to be a throwaway ball and shot 

 2   the basket from how many feet, 60?  Sixty feet.  

 3                That video has gone viral with him 

 4   sort of just saying, oh, well, why not?  And it 

 5   went in, and they won the game in the last 

 6   seconds.

 7                (Applause.)

 8                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   Thank 

 9   you, Khalil.  

10                So I thought it was extraordinary 

11   because not only is he great in football, but he 

12   does this too.  And that's -- and that's, I 

13   think, what all of this represents and certainly 

14   what they represent.  They stay with it, they 

15   win.  And even in those last moments when you 

16   think you don't have any hope at all, you just 

17   try, you do your best.  And every once in a 

18   while, miracles actually happen.  

19                So again, thank you so much for 

20   coming up to visit our chambers.  We are proud of 

21   you.  Continued success.  Thank you.

22                (Applause.)

23                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

24   Latimer on the resolutions.

25                SENATOR LATIMER:   Madam President, 


                                                               1009

 1   there's not much else to say after Senator 

 2   Stewart-Cousins said it all.  But I do want to 

 3   associate my comments with her to praise the 

 4   terrific young men and young women of 

 5   New Rochelle who have achieved so much.  

 6                And as Khalil has said heard me say 

 7   this before, I co-represent New Rochelle with 

 8   Senator Stewart-Cousins, but I am a graduate of 

 9   Mount Vernon High School.  So he made me both 

10   happy and heartbroken with one shot.  

11                Congratulations, Huguenots.

12                (Applause.)

13                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

14   Marcellino on the resolution.

15                SENATOR MARCELLINO:   Madam 

16   President, on the resolution.  

17                It's a pleasure to stand up and 

18   applaud and give accolades to young people who 

19   are doing the right thing and doing good things 

20   and representing their families and their 

21   communities with pride.  

22                Too often we read in here and see in 

23   the media about young people getting into 

24   trouble, doing all kinds of things that they 

25   shouldn't be doing.  But here we have a situation 


                                                               1010

 1   where the majority is finally speaking, where we 

 2   hear about the majority of the young people in 

 3   this country, in this state, and in this world 

 4   who do the right thing -- who go to school, get 

 5   an education, listen to their families, raise 

 6   good families, become good citizens and become 

 7   good people.  

 8                These are the kids we should be 

 9   applauding.  These are the kids we should be 

10   seeing on the front pages of the newspapers.  Not 

11   the ones who get in trouble, but kids who do the 

12   right thing.

13                (Applause.)

14                SENATOR MARCELLINO:   And make 

15   60-foot shots, I like that one.  That's 

16   fantastic.  That's a symbol.  That means I don't 

17   give up, I never quit.  

18                And ladies and gentlemen, never, 

19   ever quit.  You've got it in your heart, you can 

20   go in this great country as far as you want to 

21   go.  You can be whatever you want to be.  You are 

22   the only one who can limit yourself.  So don't 

23   put any limits on yourself.  Go as far as you can 

24   go and as far as you want.  You'll be a pleasure 

25   to your parents.  


                                                               1011

 1                And we're pleased and proud to have 

 2   you here in the New York State Senate.  God bless 

 3   you all.

 4                (Applause.)

 5                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Thank 

 6   you.

 7                Are there any other Senators wishing 

 8   to be heard on the resolution?  

 9                Seeing none, the question is on the 

10   resolution.  All those in favor signify by saying 

11   aye.

12                (Response of "Aye.")

13                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Opposed, 

14   nay.

15                (No response.)

16                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

17   resolution is adopted.  Thank you, Senator 

18   Stewart-Cousins.

19                Senator Libous.  

20                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Thank you, 

21   Madam President.  

22                Senator Stewart-Cousins, I just want 

23   you to know that the cheer was given with 

24   unanimous consent.

25                SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS:   Thank you 


                                                               1012

 1   so much.  Thank you so much.  I appreciate that.

 2                SENATOR LIBOUS:   At this time could 

 3   you call on Senator DeFrancisco for the purposes 

 4   of an announcement.

 5                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

 6   DeFrancisco.

 7                SENATOR DeFRANCISCO:   Thank you, 

 8   Madam President.  

 9                I just would like to welcome a group 

10   of nice young ladies, one of which is my 

11   granddaughter, and you can figure out which one.  

12   This is a group of Girl Scouts from Troop 1970 

13   from Guilderland, New York, right around the 

14   corner.  

15                And you see how well-behaved they 

16   are?  They're just well-behaved.  They're doing 

17   wonderful things.  And they wanted to see how 

18   government works.  And it's nice to see them be 

19   able to observe a functional government, and 

20   we're very proud of that as well.

21                So thank you, Madam President.

22                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Thank 

23   you, Senator DeFrancisco.

24                (Applause.)

25                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 


                                                               1013

 1   DeFrancisco, did they bring cookies?

 2                SENATOR DeFRANCISCO:   No, I have 

 3   cookies up there.

 4                (Laughter.)

 5                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

 6   Libous.

 7                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Thank you, 

 8   Madam President.  

 9                At this time could we have the 

10   noncontroversial reading of the calendar.

11                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The 

12   Secretary will proceed with the reading of the 

13   noncontroversial calendar.

14                THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 24, 

15   by Senator Maziarz, Senate Print 1111, an act to 

16   amend the Public Authorities Law.

17                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Read the 

18   last section.

19                THE SECRETARY:   Section 2.  This 

20   act shall take effect immediately.

21                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Call the 

22   roll.

23                (The Secretary called the roll.)

24                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Announce 

25   the results.


                                                               1014

 1                THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 60.

 2                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The bill 

 3   is passed.

 4                THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 48, 

 5   by Senator Libous, Senate Print 2119, an act to 

 6   amend Chapter 413 of the Laws of 2012.

 7                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   There is 

 8   a home-rule message at the desk.

 9                Read the last section.

10                THE SECRETARY:   Section 2.  This 

11   act shall take effect immediately.

12                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Call the 

13   roll.

14                (The Secretary called the roll.)

15                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Announce 

16   the results.

17                THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 60.

18                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The bill 

19   is passed.

20                THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 71, 

21   by Senator Libous, Senate Print 1910, an act to 

22   amend the Town Law.

23                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Read the 

24   last section.

25                THE SECRETARY:   Section 3.  This 


                                                               1015

 1   act shall take effect immediately.

 2                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Call the 

 3   roll.

 4                (The Secretary called the roll.)

 5                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Announce 

 6   the results.

 7                THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 60.

 8                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The bill 

 9   is passed.

10                THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 

11   130, by Senator Hannon, Senate Print 2942, an act 

12   to amend the Penal Law.

13                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Read the 

14   last section.

15                THE SECRETARY:   Section 10.  This 

16   act shall take effect on the 90th day.

17                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Call the 

18   roll.

19                (The Secretary called the roll.)

20                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Announce 

21   the results.

22                THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 60.

23                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The bill 

24   is passed.

25                THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 


                                                               1016

 1   132, by Senator Larkin, Senate Print 283, an act 

 2   to amend the Penal Law.

 3                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Read the 

 4   last section.

 5                THE SECRETARY:   Section 7.  This 

 6   act shall take effect on the 180th day.

 7                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Call the 

 8   roll.

 9                (The Secretary called the roll.)

10                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Announce 

11   the results.

12                THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 59.  Nays, 

13   1.  Senator Montgomery recorded in the negative.

14                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The bill 

15   is passed.

16                THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 

17   134, by Senator Fuschillo, Senate Print 745, an 

18   act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

19                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Read the 

20   last section.

21                THE SECRETARY:   Section 2.  This 

22   act shall take effect immediately.

23                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Call the 

24   roll.

25                (The Secretary called the roll.)


                                                               1017

 1                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Announce 

 2   the results.

 3                THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 60.

 4                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The bill 

 5   is passed.

 6                THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 

 7   136, by Senator Maziarz, Senate Print 1095, an 

 8   act to amend the Highway Law.

 9                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Read the 

10   last section.

11                THE SECRETARY:   Section 2.  This 

12   act shall take effect immediately.

13                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Call the 

14   roll.

15                (The Secretary called the roll.)

16                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Announce 

17   the results.

18                THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 60.

19                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The bill 

20   is passed.

21                THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 

22   151, by Senator Young, Senate Print 2677, an act 

23   to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.

24                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Read the 

25   last section.


                                                               1018

 1                THE SECRETARY:   Section 4.  This 

 2   act shall take effect immediately.

 3                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Call the 

 4   roll.

 5                (The Secretary called the roll.)

 6                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Announce 

 7   the results.

 8                THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 60.

 9                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The bill 

10   is passed.

11                THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 

12   152, by Senator --

13                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Lay it aside for 

14   the day, please. 

15                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   The bill 

16   is laid aside for the day.

17                Senator Libous, that completes the 

18   reading of the noncontroversial calendar.

19                SENATOR LIBOUS:   Madam President, 

20   is there any further business at the desk?  

21                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   There is 

22   no further business -- oh.  I recognize Senator 

23   Farley for an announcement.

24                SENATOR FARLEY:   Madam President, 

25   I'd like to pay acknowledgment and tribute to one 


                                                               1019

 1   of the rising stars in this chamber.  Today is a 

 2   very important day for him.  It's the birthday of 

 3   Senator Andrew Lanza, right over here.

 4                (Applause.)

 5                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Happy 

 6   birthday, Senator Lanza.

 7                SENATOR LIBOUS:   I don't know where 

 8   you got the rising-star thing from, but happy 

 9   birthday.

10                (Laughter.)

11                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Senator 

12   Libous.

13                SENATOR LIBOUS:   I already asked if 

14   there was any further business at the desk, and 

15   Senator Lanza's birthday was the further 

16   business, that's correct.

17                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   Right.  

18   There is no further business at the desk, 

19   Senator Libous.

20                SENATOR LIBOUS:   There being no 

21   further business, Madam President, the Senate 

22   stands adjourned until Wednesday, March 13th, at 

23   3:00 p.m.

24                ACTING PRESIDENT SAVINO:   There 

25   being no further business before the Senate, on 


                                                               1020

 1   motion, the Senate stands adjourned until 

 2   Wednesday, March 13th, at 3:00 p.m.

 3                (Whereupon, at 4:05 p.m., the Senate 

 4   adjourned.)

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