Regular Session - March 10, 2015
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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 March 10, 2015
11 5:11 p.m.
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14 REGULAR SESSION
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18 SENATOR THOMAS D. CROCI, 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 CROCI: The
3 Senate will come to order.
4 I ask everyone present to please
5 rise and repeat with me the Pledge of
6 Allegiance.
7 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
8 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: In the
10 absence of clergy, may please we bow our heads
11 in a moment of silence.
12 (Whereupon, the assemblage
13 respected a moment of silence.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: The
15 reading of the Journal.
16 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Monday,
17 March 9th, the Senate met pursuant to
18 adjournment. The Journal of Sunday, March 8th,
19 was read and approved. On motion, Senate
20 adjourned.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Without
22 objection, the Journal stands 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 Hannon.
7 SENATOR HANNON: Mr. President, I
8 believe Senator Gianaris has a motion.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Senator
10 Gianaris.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
12 on behalf of Senator Rivera, I move that the
13 following bill be discharged from its respective
14 committee and be recommitted with instructions
15 to strike the enacting clause: Senate Bill
16 2220.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: So
18 ordered.
19 Senator Hannon.
20 SENATOR HANNON: Mr. President,
21 I'd like now to move that we adopt the
22 Resolution Calendar, with the exception of
23 Resolution Number 910, by Senator Skelos.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: All in
25 favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar, with
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1 the exception of Resolution Number 910, signify
2 by saying aye.
3 (Response of "Aye.")
4 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Opposed,
5 nay.
6 (No response.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: The
8 Resolution Calendar is adopted.
9 SENATOR HANNON: I'd like to ask
10 you now to take up Resolution 910 and read it in
11 its entirety.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: The
13 Secretary will read.
14 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
15 Resolution Number 910, by Senators Skelos, Klein
16 and Stewart-Cousins, mourning the death of His
17 Eminence Cardinal Edward M. Egan, Archbishop
18 Emeritus of New York and noted spiritual leader.
19 "WHEREAS, It is with profound
20 sorrow that this Legislative Body, representing
21 the people of the State of New York, is moved
22 this day to pay tribute to a preeminent Catholic
23 leader of indomitable faith and dedication whose
24 purposeful life and accomplishments will forever
25 stand as a paradigm and inspiration for others;
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1 and
2 "WHEREAS, A truly sincere and
3 faithful shepherd of the Roman Catholic Church,
4 His Eminence Cardinal Edward M. Egan died on
5 Thursday, March 5, 2015, in Manhattan, at the age
6 of 82; and
7 "WHEREAS, Born in Oak Park,
8 Illinois, a Chicago suburb, on April 2, 1932,
9 Edward Michael Egan was the third of four
10 children to Thomas and Genevieve Costello Egan,
11 both devout Catholics; and
12 "WHEREAS, In 1943, young Edward
13 contracted polio; although he missed two years at
14 St. Giles Catholic School, he still managed to
15 graduate at the top of his class; and
16 "WHEREAS, In 1951, he graduated from
17 Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary in
18 Chicago; he continued his education and earned a
19 bachelor's degree in philosophy at St. Mary of
20 the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, illinois, before
21 completing four years of theological studies at
22 Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he
23 was ordained on December 15, 1957; and
24 "WHEREAS, Assigned to Holy Name
25 Cathedral in Chicago, Edward M. Egan taught
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1 convert classes and served as a hospital
2 chaplain; he then became the private secretary
3 to Cardinal Meyer, before being named Assistant
4 Chancellor of the Archdiocese; and
5 "WHEREAS, Edward M. Egan returned to
6 Rome in 1960, to attend Pontifical Gregorian
7 University; after four years, he earned his
8 Doctorate in Canon Law; and
9 "WHEREAS, Upon graduating, he went
10 back to Chicago to serve as Cardinal Cody's
11 secretary and later Co-Chancellor of the
12 Archdiocese, working on interfaith relations and
13 social concerns until 1971, when he once again
14 returned to Rome, this time staying until 1985;
15 and
16 "WHEREAS, While in Rome, he worked
17 as a law professor and later a judge of the
18 Sacred Roman Rota, part of the Vatican's court
19 system, dealing with marriage annulments and
20 other issues; Edward M. Egan was one of just six
21 lawyers who reviewed Pope John Paul's Code of
22 Canon Law, some 1,750 doctrines governing the
23 church, which was promulgated in 1983; and
24 "WHEREAS, In 1985, Edward M. Egan
25 was named Auxiliary Bishop of New York and Vicar
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1 of Education for the Archdiocese under Cardinal
2 O'Connor; three years later, he was named Bishop
3 of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut, made
4 up of more than 80 parishes, a diverse population
5 of 360,000 Catholics and masses celebrated in 20
6 languages; and
7 "WHEREAS, On June 19, 2000, Edward
8 M. Egan was installed as the ninth Archbishop of
9 New York, the esteemed position he held for nine
10 years until his retirement in 2009; and
11 "WHEREAS, In addition, Archbishop
12 Edward M. Egan was elevated to the Cardinalate by
13 Pope John Paul II at the Consistory of
14 February 21, 2001, becoming the Cardinal-Priest
15 of both Saint John and Saint Paul; and
16 "WHEREAS, As Archbishop, Cardinal
17 Edward M. Egan was one of America's most familiar
18 Catholic leaders; he lived his life based on
19 principles and values of compassion, integrity,
20 justice and kindness; his empathy will continue
21 to serve as comfort to those seeking to make the
22 world a more loving and just place; and
23 "WHEREAS, Cardinal Edward M. Egan's
24 legacy will live forever, not only in the many,
25 many lives he touched, but in the good works he
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1 has left behind; he reached out to constituents,
2 visiting parishes, schools, hospitals, nursing
3 homes, daycare centers and other institutions;
4 furthermore, he wrote columns for Catholic
5 publications and hosted a weekly satellite radio
6 program on church and religious affairs; and
7 "WHEREAS, It is the sense of this
8 Legislative Body to celebrate the life of this
9 esteemed religious leader who accepted the
10 responsibilities of moral leadership and who
11 dedicated his life to serving others, and to
12 express its deepest condolences to His Eminence's
13 nieces and nephews; he will truly be missed by
14 all those he befriended and served; now,
15 therefore, be it
16 "RESOLVED, That this Legislative
17 Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the
18 death of His Eminence Cardinal Edward M. Egan,
19 Archbishop Emeritus of New York and noted
20 spiritual leader, as well as rejoice in his
21 life, noting his unremitting and compassionate
22 faith in his service to God, man and his
23 community; and be it further
24 "RESOLVED, That copies of this
25 resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to
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1 the family of His Eminence Cardinal Edward M.
2 Egan, and the Archdiocese of New York."
3 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Senator
4 Skelos.
5 SENATOR SKELOS: Thank you,
6 Mr. President. And congratulations on presiding
7 for the first time.
8 Today we join the Archdiocese of
9 New York City and Catholics throughout the world
10 in mourning a remarkable spiritual leader. His
11 Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan was a man of great
12 character who provided inspiration to people of
13 all faiths -- and I underline that, people of all
14 faiths.
15 While he was a native of Chicago, it
16 was here in New York we were able to witness
17 Cardinal Egan's ability to strengthen the
18 Catholic Church and the communities it serves.
19 And in particular, when I had the opportunity to
20 have lunch with him, his biggest concern was
21 making sure that our kids, especially in New York
22 City underserved communities, had the quality of
23 education that they deserve, whether it's in the
24 public school or in parochial schools.
25 Our city and state experienced many
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1 highs and lows during the nine years he served as
2 archbishop, but no day had more of an impact than
3 the terrorist attacks of September 11th.
4 Amidst the catastrophic loss of life
5 and the searching to make sense of something that
6 had been unthinkable, Cardinal Egan helped
7 console a country through prayer -- not just
8 New York City, not just New York State, the
9 entire country. He compassionately presided over
10 funeral after funeral, offered insights to help
11 us find peace in an uncertain time, and brought
12 our entire region closer together with faith.
13 It was through these personal
14 encounters that people were able to feel the true
15 warmth and kindness and his unending devotion to
16 God. Cardinal Egan was an extraordinary servant
17 of the Lord here on earth, and we are grateful
18 for the legacy he has gifted us.
19 While he was be dearly missed, we
20 should find solace in the newest journey, the
21 newest journey as he celebrates his exceptional
22 life with God in heaven.
23 Thank you, Mr. President.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Senator
25 Valesky.
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1 SENATOR VALESKY: Yes, thank you,
2 Mr. President.
3 I'm pleased to join Senator Skelos
4 today in offering some thoughts in regard to the
5 passing of Edward Cardinal Egan. And I offer
6 these comments on behalf of Senator Klein and the
7 other members of the Senate Independent
8 Democratic Conference.
9 First, my deepest sympathies and
10 condolences go out to the family of Edward
11 Cardinal Egan, those serving the Archdiocese of
12 New York, as well as the greater New York
13 Catholic community.
14 For many during this time of
15 mourning, recurring thoughts and fond memories
16 come up, and rightfully so. Cardinal Egan served
17 New York with distinction, with honor and with
18 grace, and it is only fitting that we take this
19 time to recognize his leadership. He was not
20 only a man of noble, steadfast faith, but a true
21 spiritual leader whom we remember today with
22 respect and admiration.
23 There perhaps is no greater example
24 in recent years of an individual in such an
25 esteemed position of faith who was, by all
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1 accounts, a living example of the teachings that
2 he shared. Cardinal Egan was known for his
3 grace, his kindness and his integrity. He lived
4 the teachings of his church and at every turn in
5 his life joyfully shared those teachings with
6 others.
7 His legacy and works as the Cardinal
8 Archbishop of New York are many and well-known.
9 He was a fighting advocate for the benefits of
10 Catholic education and was no stranger here in
11 Albany, where he made his case for a fair share
12 of funding for the schools he represented.
13 And as Senator Skelos indicated, in
14 the days and months after September 11th he
15 served as a true shepherd to his devastated
16 flock, and he guided and tended to those
17 suffering with the greatest level of compassion.
18 And he worked throughout his tenure
19 to ensure that the archdiocese continued to grow
20 and to flourish. There is perhaps no greater
21 gift a man of his stature can leave those he
22 served than the lessons and legacy of his work.
23 And as we mourn the passing of Cardinal Egan,
24 those lessons and the legacy of that work will no
25 doubt live on through the Catholic Church in
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1 New York and its flock.
2 Thank you.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Senator
4 Latimer.
5 SENATOR LATIMER: Thank you,
6 Mr. President.
7 I rise for a word about His Eminence
8 Edward Cardinal Egan.
9 As a parishioner myself in the
10 archdiocese of New York, I had the opportunity
11 not only to meet Cardinal Egan but to see his
12 work over his tenure as cardinal for that
13 archdiocese.
14 And we all saw, those of us in the
15 Catholic community, his strong will, his
16 toughness, his smartness, and in his tenure,
17 which was a difficult economic time for the
18 archdiocese, for churches and schools, his
19 ability to make tough decisions as a businessman
20 would, but at the same time to do it a loving way
21 as a clergyman would.
22 On Ash Wednesday, every Catholic
23 receives ashes and the priest, when he puts the
24 ashes on your forehead, says "Remember, man, that
25 thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return."
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1 So it is to the dust that he has returned, except
2 that it is also written that he will be welcomed
3 into the company of the Lord in heaven. "Well
4 done, thou good and faithful servant."
5 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Senator
6 Hannon.
7 SENATOR HANNON: Is there any
8 further business at the desk?
9 Oh, excuse me, we have to adopt the
10 resolution.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: The
12 question is on the resolution. All in favor
13 signify by saying aye.
14 (Response of "Aye.")
15 SENATOR HANNON: Could we stand and
16 show our sign of adoption of the resolution?
17 (Whereupon, the assemblage rose.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: On the
19 reason, all in favor signify by saying aye.
20 (Response of "Aye.")
21 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Opposed,
22 nay.
23 (No response.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: The
25 resolution is adopted.
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1 Senator Hannon.
2 SENATOR HANNON: Is there any
3 further business at the desk, Mr. President?
4 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: There is
5 none.
6 SENATOR HANNON: How about if we
7 ask everybody if they'd like to cosponsor the
8 resolution.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Senator
10 Hannon, the resolution will remain open for
11 anyone wishing to cosponsor.
12 SENATOR HANNON: I would actually
13 suggest that we presume that everybody will be on
14 the resolution unless they so object.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: Anyone
16 wishing not to be on the resolution will make
17 note to the Secretary.
18 SENATOR HANNON: All right, now we
19 can check for business. Anything further?
20 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: No. There
21 being no further business --
22 SENATOR HANNON: -- I move we
23 adjourn until tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11th, at
24 3:00 p.m.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT CROCI: On motion,
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1 the Senate stands adjourned until Wednesday,
2 March 11th, at 3:00 p.m.
3 (Whereupon, at 5:26 p.m., the Senate
4 adjourned.)
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