Regular Session - June 12, 2017
3636
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 June 12, 2017
11 3:23 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR FRED AKSHAR, Acting President
19 FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
20
21
22
23
24
25
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: 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 AKSHAR: The
10 Reverend Thadeus Aravindathu is with us today to
11 give the invocation. He is pastor and
12 administrator of the Church of St. Boniface in
13 Wesley Hills, New York.
14 Pastor.
15 REVEREND ARAVINDATHU: Let us pray
16 the prayer by St. Francis of Assisi. This was
17 prayed 800 years ago. Let us pray.
18 Lord, make me a channel of Thy
19 peace. Where there is hatred, may I bring love.
20 Where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of
21 forgiveness. Where there is discord, I may
22 bring harmony. Where there is error, I may
23 bring truth. Where there is doubt, I may bring
24 faith. Where there is despair, I may bring
25 hope. Where there are shadows, I may bring
3638
1 light. Where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
2 Lord, grant that I may seek rather
3 to comfort than to be comforted, to understand
4 than to be understood, to love than to be loved.
5 For it is by self-forgetting that one finds
6 self. It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
7 It is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.
8 Amen.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
10 you, Pastor.
11 The reading of the Journal.
12 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Sunday,
13 June 11th, the Senate met pursuant to
14 adjournment. The Journal of Saturday,
15 June 10th, was read and approved. On motion,
16 Senate adjourned.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Without
18 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
19 Presentation of petitions.
20 Messages from the Assembly.
21 The Secretary will read.
22 THE SECRETARY: On page 10,
23 Senator Valesky moves to discharge, from the
24 Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill Number 4972A
25 and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill
3639
1 1078A, Third Reading Calendar 278.
2 On page 30, Senator Ortt moves to
3 discharge, from the Committee on Health,
4 Assembly Bill Number 5175A and substitute it for
5 the identical Senate Bill 1241A, Third Reading
6 Calendar 715.
7 On page 37, Senator Klein moves to
8 discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
9 Assembly Bill Number 5151B and substitute it for
10 the identical Senate Bill 2724B, Third Reading
11 Calendar 830.
12 And on page 85, Senator Montgomery
13 moves to discharge, from the Committee On Crime
14 Victims, Crime and Correction, Assembly Bill
15 Number 3053 and substitute it for the identical
16 Senate Bill 3982, Third Reading Calendar 1523.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
18 substitutions are so ordered.
19 Messages from the Governor.
20 Reports of standing committees.
21 Reports of select committees.
22 Communications and reports from
23 state officers.
24 Motions and resolutions.
25 Senator DeFrancisco.
3640
1 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Yeah, I'd
2 like to call up Print Number 1411, by Senator
3 Griffo, recalled from the Assembly, which is now
4 at the desk.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
6 Secretary will read the title of the bill.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 40,
8 by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 1411, an act to
9 amend the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit Law.
10 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I now move to
11 reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
13 roll on reconsideration.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 50.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
17 is restored to its place on the Third Reading
18 Calendar.
19 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I now offer
20 the following amendments.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
22 amendments are received, and the bill shall
23 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
24 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I'd now like
25 to call up Print Number 6243, by Senator Bonacic,
3641
1 recalled from the Assembly, which is now at the
2 desk.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
4 Secretary will read the title of the bill.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 1511, by Senator Bonacic, Senate Print 6243, an
7 act to amend the Tax Law.
8 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I move to
9 reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
11 roll on reconsideration.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 50.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
15 is restored to its place on the Third Reading
16 Calendar.
17 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I now offer
18 the following amendments.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
20 amendments are received, and the bill shall
21 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
22 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO:
23 Amendments are offered to the following Third
24 Reading Calendar bills:
25 By Senator Funke, page 24, Calendar
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1 Number 622, Senate Print 3724;
2 By Senator Robach, page 29, Calendar
3 Number 704, Senate Print 5397;
4 By Senator Larkin, page 35, Calendar
5 Number 796, Senate Print 5400;
6 By Senator Ortt, page 39, Calendar
7 Number 868, Senate Print 4825A;
8 By Senator Bonacic, page 56,
9 Calendar Number 1135, Senate Print 6180;
10 By Senator Golden, page 63, Calendar
11 Number 1253, Senate Print 6326;
12 By Senator Tedisco, page 65,
13 Calendar 1277, Senate Print 5394;
14 By Senator Tedisco, page 66,
15 Calendar Number 1284, Senate Print 5793;
16 By Senator Griffo, page 72, Calendar
17 Number 1356, Senate Print 6335;
18 By Senator Gallivan, page 81,
19 Calendar Number 1469, Senate Print 4329;
20 By Senator Bonacic, page 48,
21 Calendar Number 1038, Senate Print 988;
22 By Senator Seward, page 50, Calendar
23 Number 1078, Senate Print 4241.
24 I now move that these bills retain
25 their place on the order of third reading.
3643
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
2 DeFrancisco, the amendments are received and the
3 bills shall retain their place on the Third
4 Reading Calendar.
5 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Would you
6 please call on Senator Valesky.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
8 Valesky.
9 SENATOR VALESKY: Thank you,
10 Mr. President.
11 On behalf of Senator Alcantara, on
12 page 71 I offer the following amendments to
13 Calendar 1344, Senate Bill 5778, and ask that
14 said bill retain its place on the Third Reading
15 Calendar.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
17 amendments are received, and the bill shall
18 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
19 SENATOR VALESKY: And on behalf of
20 Senator Savino, on page 52 I offer the following
21 amendments to Calendar 1097, Senate Bill 6091,
22 and ask that said bill retain its place on the
23 Third Reading Calendar.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
25 amendments are received, and the bill shall
3644
1 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
2 Senator DeFrancisco.
3 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Can we now
4 take up previously adopted Resolution 2399, by
5 Senator Young, read the title only, and call on
6 Senator Young to speak.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
8 Secretary will read.
9 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
10 Resolution Number 2399, by Senator Young,
11 commending Lieutenant Liza-J Bobseine upon the
12 occasion of her designation as recipient of a
13 Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an
14 individual by the New York State Senate.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
16 Young.
17 SENATOR YOUNG: Thank you,
18 Mr. President. I want to thank you and my
19 colleagues for pausing in our deliberations and
20 allowing me to speak -- and I know Senator
21 Marchione will be speaking also -- on these two
22 resolutions that are before us. The first one is
23 for Liza-J Bobseine. The second one is for EnCon
24 Officer James Davey. But I want to give a
25 special introduction.
3645
1 This has a lot of significance for
2 the people of New York State, because we always
3 want to pause and honor those that serve us so
4 well. But it has a lot of personal significance
5 for me also, because I've had the privilege of
6 being dear friends with the Bobseine family for
7 probably about 17 or 18 years now. And I am so
8 proud of this family because they are so unique
9 and such great citizens of the State of New York.
10 And I'd like to make some
11 introductions of people who have joined us today.
12 First of all, we have Department of Environmental
13 Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos, who has
14 come. And I want to thank the commissioner for
15 helping set this up.
16 But also, Commissioner, I want to
17 thank you because I know that you care about your
18 EnCon officers very deeply, and I know that when
19 this incident occurred, you immediately went to
20 the hospital. So thank you for your dedication.
21 We also have been joined by retired
22 EnCon Captain Gary Bobseine and his wife Jan, who
23 are the parents of Lieutenant Liza-J Bobseine;
24 her sister, Katy Bobseine, who is here; and also
25 Polly Bobseine Albright, who also is a sister.
3646
1 And I want to point out that she also served --
2 and Senator Croci may be interested in this -- in
3 Special Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and was
4 2005 Airman of the Year for the entire country.
5 So very accomplished there too.
6 But she's brought along Ruger, who I
7 think has taken over the entire Senate. He's
8 4 years old. I expect him to be a future Senator
9 after he becomes a builder and -- what else,
10 Senator? A pilot. So in his spare time he'd
11 like to be a Senator also. But I'm glad that
12 Ruger could come.
13 We have Mr. and Mrs. Ken and Sharon
14 Davey, parents of EnCon Officer James Davey. And
15 welcome to you.
16 DEC officials are here today. We
17 have Chief of Staff Julie Tighe; Assistant
18 Commissioner Chris Ballantyne; Director Joe
19 Schneider; Major Scott Florence; Major George
20 Steele; Captain Tom Caifa. And also we have
21 someone who traveled -- two special people --
22 from Niagara County today, and that's retired
23 EnCon Officer Dick Lane and his wife Gretchen.
24 So welcome to you. We're so happy that you're
25 here.
3647
1 As this resolution title stated,
2 today we are humbly recognizing the bravery and
3 fearlessness of two remarkable public servants.
4 At approximately 5:20 p.m., a full
5 53 minutes after sunset on November 29, 2016,
6 Environmental Conservation Officer James Davey
7 and Lieutenant Liza-J Bobseine were investigating
8 a trespassing complaint and reports of illegal
9 hunting with shots fired.
10 During the course of their
11 investigation, the two officers came upon fresh
12 tire tracks in a field in the Town of Gallatin in
13 Columbia County. While walking through the field
14 under darkness, heavy fog and rain, Officers
15 Davey and Bobseine heard voices and decided to
16 approach the hunters.
17 Being a DEC officer offers a unique
18 challenge because in many cases such as this one,
19 the officers know that the person they are
20 approaching is likely armed and often a skilled
21 marksman -- and oftentimes it's in a very remote
22 area.
23 As the officers approached the
24 illegal hunters, a shot was fired from a .30-30
25 rifle. The bullet hit Officer Davey, resulting
3648
1 in significant damage to his pelvis and
2 associated blood vessels. Lieutenant Bobseine,
3 acting quickly, was able to apply a compress to
4 the significant wound. She maintained pressure
5 on the injury for more than one hour and called
6 for medical support.
7 Think about that. Pressure for more
8 than one hour. That's almost impossible to do.
9 But she rose to the occasion, and she did it.
10 While attending to Officer Davey,
11 Lieutenant Bobseine was also able to keep the
12 suspect under control a half-mile into the field.
13 Lieutenant Bobseine's swift response thankfully
14 prevented significant loss of blood that could
15 have otherwise cost Officer Davey his life.
16 Her actions were instrumental in the
17 apprehension of the shooter, Alan Blanchard, and
18 another suspect. Blanchard would later be
19 charged with second-degree assault after claiming
20 he mistook the officers for a deer.
21 Officer Davey underwent extensive
22 surgery at Mid-Hudson Hospital to repair damage
23 and was placed in the hospital's intensive care
24 unit in stable condition.
25 Following the incident, DEC
3649
1 Commissioner Seggos stated: "It's clear that if
2 it were not for her actions, Officer Davey would
3 not have survived. I commend the two officers
4 for their courage in the line of duty and thank
5 them for their dedicated service."
6 I just want to tell you a little bit
7 about Lieutenant Bobseine. She's a 10-year
8 veteran of the EnCon Police, a native of
9 Cattaraugus County, the 57th Senate District, and
10 comes from a long line of public servants. Her
11 father and grandfather were both State
12 Environmental Conservation officers, and her
13 brother Ike is currently serving as an EnCon
14 officer.
15 Remarkably, Lieutenant Bobseine is
16 also no stranger to lifesaving actions. In 2011,
17 while stationed on Long Island, Lieutenant
18 Bobseine was credited with saving the life of a
19 66-year-old woman who was sitting in her car in a
20 parking lot and had stopped breathing. For her
21 heroism, she was honored as Officer of the Year
22 by the New York State Rifle and Pistol
23 Association.
24 And prior to her service as an EnCon
25 officer, Lieutenant Bobseine was a forester with
3650
1 the DEC's Division of Land and Forests.
2 She holds a master's degree in
3 forestry from the SUNY Environmental Science and
4 Forestry School and was commissioned as a
5 lieutenant in 2013.
6 Also, for EnCon Officer Davey, he's
7 a 12-year veteran of the force, graduated from
8 DEC Basic Police Academy in 2005. He spent many
9 years on the Marine Enforcement Unit in New York
10 City, where he gained a reputation as an
11 excellent officer.
12 EnCon Officer Davey transferred to
13 Westchester and Putnam Counties in 2008, where he
14 expanded his role in public outreach and
15 education, becoming very familiar with local
16 sporting groups and often participating in their
17 events.
18 After relocating to Columbia County,
19 Officer Davey again enhanced his role in public
20 outreach and education, gaining recognition for
21 his assistance at the annual Columbia County
22 Veterans Pheasant Hunt, which is affiliated with
23 the Wounded Warriors Project.
24 He currently is assigned to patrol
25 Columbia County, acts as a Division of Criminal
3651
1 Justice Services certified police instructor, and
2 recently became a certified firearms instructor
3 for the DEC.
4 As you can see, Mr. President and my
5 colleagues, these two individuals really
6 exemplify the definition of heroism. They are
7 deserving of our utmost thanks and praise, and I
8 am proud to have sponsored, along with Senator
9 Marchione, Liberty Medal resolutions honoring
10 both courageous officers.
11 I thank them for their service to
12 our great state. And at this point I know that
13 Senator Marchione also would like to speak,
14 because these two officers currently reside in
15 her district in Columbia County.
16 So thank you, Mr. President.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
18 you, Senator Young.
19 Senator Marchione.
20 SENATOR MARCHIONE: Thank you,
21 Mr. President. It's my honor to stand and speak
22 on this resolution honoring Officer Davey and
23 Lieutenant Bobseine.
24 You know, I talked earlier with them
25 and I talked about the idea that when you come
3652
1 upon a hunter or you come upon someone in the
2 woods that's carrying a firearm, you don't
3 automatically become concerned about it because
4 that's what you come upon when you do the brave
5 work that they do.
6 But in this instance, things went
7 very bad and they went very bad quickly. And the
8 dedication and the expertise and the skills that
9 were used to save Officer Davey's life, I just am
10 in awe at the great job that Lieutenant Bobseine
11 did.
12 And I just want to say thank you to
13 her, thank you to the Environmental Conservation
14 officers who risk their lives every day out there
15 in the woods for us.
16 I want to also say thank you to the
17 commissioner for his care and concern for his
18 department -- not just his environmental
19 conservation officers, but all of his department
20 and all of the good work that they do for us.
21 It really is an honor to stand up
22 and to say thank you. You certainly both
23 exemplify a proud tradition of EnCon officers.
24 And it's a privilege to have this opportunity to
25 recognize and commend the bravery, the skill, and
3653
1 the dedication of both of my constituents, as
2 both of these individuals live within my district
3 and the incident occurred within the 43rd Senate
4 District.
5 Thank you, a very heartfelt thank
6 you for what you do for us.
7 Thank you, Mr. President.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
9 you, Senator Marchione.
10 Before we recognize our community
11 heroes, the Secretary will read previously
12 adopted Resolution Number 2398, by Senator Young,
13 title only.
14 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
15 Resolution Number 2398, by Senator Young,
16 commending Officer James Davey upon the occasion
17 of his designation as recipient of a Liberty
18 Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an
19 individual by the New York State Senate.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: To
21 Lieutenant Bobseine and Officer Davey, the
22 commissioner, as well as your families and the
23 DEC family, we congratulate you, we thank you for
24 being selfless public servants, and we welcome
25 you to the New York State Senate chamber. We
3654
1 extend all of the courtesies and the privileges
2 of this great house to you and to your families.
3 Ladies and gentlemen, please rise.
4 (Standing ovation.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
6 DeFrancisco.
7 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Could you
8 recognize Senator Flanagan for an important
9 introduction.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
11 Flanagan.
12 SENATOR FLANAGAN: Thank you,
13 Mr. President.
14 I'm elated to stand even for a brief
15 couple of moments to talk about a group that is
16 joining us physically in this part of the
17 chamber, our Japanese delegation.
18 I had a fantastic meeting this
19 morning with the entire contingent of folks who
20 are here. And I hope -- you know, you're going
21 to have to forgive me, given the fact that my
22 last name is Flanagan, I may not get it
23 absolutely correctly, but there's a whole
24 delegation. I want to welcome Ambassador
25 Takahashi and his entire group for being here in
3655
1 Albany today.
2 So when we think about the work that
3 we do, I had about a half an hour to 45 minutes
4 with the delegation to listen to who they are,
5 what they do, where they live -- Kawasaki,
6 Buffalo, all kinds of different things all across
7 the great State of New York.
8 They have a contingent -- and I
9 think I have my numbers correctly, or close to
10 it -- 33,000 jobs, $11 billion in investment in
11 the State of New York. They are amiable, they
12 are professional, they care very deeply about the
13 great State of New York.
14 And I believe that we should strive
15 to do everything we can to create an economic
16 development environment that inures to their
17 benefit, which works for the great people of the
18 State of New York. And I know they have Canon,
19 which happens to be down in the Senator
20 Marcellino and Senator Flanagan area out on
21 Long Island.
22 But Ambassador, to you and your
23 delegation, welcome. I hope you had a terrific
24 day here today. And we want to continue to
25 foster that relationship with you, and we only
3656
1 wish you the best. So we want to extend the
2 courtesies of the chamber to you and your
3 delegation.
4 Thank you.
5 (Standing ovation.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR:
7 Ambassador, to you and your delegation, we
8 welcome you to the New York State Senate. And on
9 behalf of Majority Leader Flanagan, we extend all
10 the privileges and courtesies of the house.
11 AMBASSADOR TAKAHASHI: Thank you
12 very much.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: You're
14 welcome.
15 Senator DeFrancisco.
16 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Yes, can you
17 recognize Senator Flanagan again, while taking up
18 previously adopted Resolution 2386. Read it in
19 its entirety, please.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
21 Secretary will read.
22 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
23 Resolution Number 2386, by Senator Flanagan,
24 commending Barbara Jones upon the occasion of her
25 appointment as Irish Ambassador to Mexico.
3657
1 "WHEREAS, It is the custom of this
2 Legislative Body to recognize and pay tribute to
3 certain individuals of high standard and
4 professionalism whose singular objective is given
5 to serving the advancement of democracy in the
6 world; and
7 "WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern,
8 and in full accord with its long-standing
9 traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud
10 to commend Barbara Jones upon the occasion of her
11 appointment as Irish Ambassador to Mexico; and
12 "WHEREAS, Recently, the United
13 States government has approved the appointment of
14 several overseas ambassadors; Barbara Jones, the
15 current Consul General in New York, will assume
16 the role of Irish Ambassador to Mexico, Colombia,
17 Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Peru
18 and Venezuela; and
19 "WHEREAS, Barbara Jones was born in
20 County Wexford, Ireland; she graduated with
21 degrees in both French and history from the
22 University College in Dublin, Ireland; she also
23 holds her post-graduate qualifications in
24 education from University College, and computer
25 Science from the National Institute of High
3658
1 Education from the University of Limerick; and
2 "WHEREAS, In September of 1983,
3 Barbara Jones began her distinguished career at
4 the Department of Foreign Affairs, working
5 primarily on Anglo-Irish and European Union
6 issues; and
7 "WHEREAS, From 1994-1997, Barbara
8 Jones served as Head of the Humanitarian Aid
9 policy; in this capacity, she traveled
10 extensively in Africa; her overseas postings
11 included assignments at the Consulate General of
12 Ireland in San Francisco from 1986-1990, the
13 Embassy at Luxembourg from 1991-1993, and as
14 Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Ireland
15 in London, where she managed political relations
16 and the Northern Ireland peace process; and
17 "WHEREAS, In September of 2012,
18 Barbara Jones was appointed Joint Secretary at
19 the British-Irish Intergovernmental Secretariat
20 in Belfast, Ireland; two years later, she was
21 named the Consul General of Ireland in New York;
22 and
23 "WHEREAS, Barbara Jones also served
24 in two additional government departments in
25 Dublin from 1997-2002; from 1999-2002, she served
3659
1 as both speechwriter and special advisor in the
2 Department of the Taoiseach; prior to holding
3 those two positions, she was seconded to the
4 Trade Section of the Department of Enterprise,
5 Trade and Employment, where she was instrumental
6 in writing and developing a new long-term
7 strategy for promoting Irish trade with both
8 China and Asia; and
9 "WHEREAS, With her throughout have
10 been her husband, Oliver O'Connor, and their
11 three children, Kilian, Tadhg, and Maeve, all of
12 whom have shown her love and support and rejoice
13 in her many achievements; and
14 "WHEREAS, It is the sense of this
15 Legislative Body that those who enhance the
16 quality of life in their community and have shown
17 a long and sustained commitment to the
18 maintenance of high standards in their
19 profession, certainly have earned the recognition
20 and applause of all the citizens of this great
21 Empire State; now, therefore, be it
22 "RESOLVED, That this Legislative
23 Body pause in its deliberations to commend
24 Barbara Jones upon the occasion of her
25 appointment as Irish Ambassador to Mexico, and to
3660
1 wish her great success in her new position; and
2 be it further
3 "RESOLVED, That a copy of this
4 resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to
5 Barbara Jones."
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
7 Flanagan on the resolution.
8 SENATOR FLANAGAN: Thank you,
9 Mr. President.
10 This is, I think, emblematic of the
11 fact that we are in the quintessential melting
12 pot here in the great State of New York. We have
13 our delegation, our Japanese delegation, our
14 ambassador from Ireland. And I want to extend
15 the courtesies of the house to a gentleman who is
16 a gentleman in every sense of the word, a true
17 leader in the New York State Assembly, and that's
18 Assemblyman Michael Cusick from Staten Island.
19 Mike, it's nice to see you here.
20 (Applause.)
21 SENATOR FLANAGAN: Also too,
22 Mr. President, if I may, I had a lovely
23 conversation with Ambassador Jones. And the
24 diversity of her portfolio is -- it's really
25 astounding. And she has been all over the world.
3661
1 I had a chance to meet with her in
2 New York City and was complimenting her on how
3 they run their office. It's simple, it's clean,
4 it's effective, everyone's nice, and they're
5 there to basically try and help people. And I
6 think she's done a superb job as an ambassador
7 for Ireland.
8 Now, I'm disheartened to say that
9 she accepted an ambassadorship to Mexico based on
10 the fact that we refused to make St. Patrick's
11 Day a state holiday.
12 (Laughter.)
13 SENATOR FLANAGAN: I don't know why
14 she feels that way, but nonetheless she has.
15 But her extensive background leads
16 me to believe that the people of Mexico and the
17 surrounding countries are going to be very well
18 served by her new position, her new tenure. And
19 I'm grateful to have the opportunity to just
20 speak on a resolution that we did pass
21 previously.
22 Ambassador, we wish you only the
23 best. We thank you for the work and services
24 that you provided here in the State of New York.
25 And the people of the other countries you're
3662
1 going to serve, they should be lucky to have you
2 as the steward on behalf of Ireland in their
3 countries.
4 Mr. President, if you would again
5 extended the courtesies of the chamber to
6 Ambassador Jones.
7 Thank you.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
9 you, Senator Flanagan.
10 Senator Kennedy.
11 SENATOR KENNEDY: Thank you,
12 Mr. President.
13 I too stand to honor this
14 extraordinary woman in our midst. Welcome back
15 to the Senate chamber, Ambassador. What an honor
16 it is for us to be in your presence.
17 Thank you for all that you've done
18 for our great state and the relationship that has
19 been built between New York and Ireland as well
20 as the United States and Ireland under your
21 leadership.
22 I have had the opportunity over the
23 course of the last couple of years to get to know
24 you personally. I have worked with you here in
25 Albany, down in New York City, out in Buffalo,
3663
1 and even over in Ireland. And I can attest to
2 the leadership that you have brought to the great
3 country of Ireland, now more unified than ever
4 before.
5 And now as you bring your esteemed
6 role as the ambassador to other parts of the
7 world, I can tell you that it's with the utmost
8 regard that the people of this great state will
9 honor you and your reputation, your legacy, and
10 your continued work on behalf of a grateful state
11 and nation here.
12 And we know that the best is yet to
13 come in the relationship between Ireland and
14 Mexico under your leadership, and we look forward
15 to your continued success and, quite frankly, our
16 continued work together. Because once you come
17 here to New York and you befriend so many
18 different people and have demonstrated a keen
19 ability to bring sides together that
20 unfortunately in the past have never worked
21 together, it is part of who you are and
22 unquestionably will continue to make this world a
23 better place.
24 So thank you for everything you've
25 done for all of us, and welcome back again. And
3664
1 congratulations on your next role.
2 Thank you.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR:
4 Assemblyman Cusick, welcome again.
5 Ambassador, congratulations on your
6 appointment. On behalf of the members of this
7 great house, we welcome you to the New York State
8 Senate chamber, and we extend all of the
9 privileges and the courtesies of this great
10 house.
11 Ladies and gentlemen, please
12 recognize the ambassador.
13 (Standing ovation.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
15 DeFrancisco.
16 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Can we now
17 take up privileged Resolution 2785, by Senator
18 Carlucci, title only, and call on Senator
19 Carlucci, please.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
21 Secretary will read.
22 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
23 Resolution Number 2785, by Senator Carlucci,
24 memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
25 proclaim August 2017 as Indian American Heritage
3665
1 Month in the State of New York.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
3 Carlucci.
4 SENATOR CARLUCCI: Thank you,
5 Mr. President.
6 It's an absolute honor and a
7 privilege to have this resolution before the
8 house today to proclaim August, this August, as
9 Indian American Heritage month.
10 This August is particularly special
11 because it will be celebrating India's
12 independence, its 70th anniversary, on
13 August 15th of this year.
14 And we're so privileged to have with
15 us in the gallery some members of Rockland County
16 and other areas as well that are with us today.
17 We have a great organization in Rockland County.
18 We've got such a vibrant and growing
19 Indian-American community. And we're honored to
20 have with us a good friend of mine and a partner
21 in government, Aney Paul. And Aney is actually
22 the first --
23 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
24 Carlucci, excuse me one second, please.
25 Can I have some order in the house,
3666
1 please.
2 Senator Carlucci.
3 SENATOR CARLUCCI: Thank you,
4 Mr. President.
5 And Aney Paul is the first female
6 Indian-American elected to a county legislature
7 in the State of New York. And she's a real honor
8 and a privilege to work with. We've worked
9 together on many initiatives.
10 But we're just honored to have this
11 resolution on the floor today. We celebrate it
12 each year in Rockland County with a parade, and
13 that's going to be August 19th this year. And we
14 invite anybody that would like to join us, that
15 parade grows and grows every year. So we're
16 looking to have an even bigger turnout this year.
17 But some interesting facts.
18 Actually, in New York State, we're the
19 second-largest population of Indian-Americans in
20 the United States. There's over 3 million
21 Indians living in the United States, with over
22 300,000 living here.
23 India -- we've taken a lot of cues
24 from -- is the world's largest democracy. In
25 fact, in their last parliamentarian elections,
3667
1 551 million people voted. So we think the
2 politics and government could be complex here in
3 Albany; I can't imagine what it's like in India
4 with all those different segments going on.
5 But again, Mr. President, it's just
6 an honor and a privilege to have my friends with
7 us here today to see us in action here in the
8 State Senate. We invite all of you to join us as
9 we march down the streets in Rockland County to
10 proclaim the 70th anniversary of India's
11 independence this August. And we are excited to
12 proclaim August as Indian American Heritage Month
13 in the State of New York.
14 Thank you, Mr. President.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
16 Carlucci, thank you.
17 All in favor of adopting privileged
18 Resolution Number 2785, by Senator Carlucci,
19 signify by saying aye.
20 (Response of "Aye.")
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Opposed,
22 nay.
23 (No response.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
25 resolution is adopted.
3668
1 Senator DeFrancisco.
2 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO:
3 Mr. President, can we now take up the
4 noncontroversial reading of the calendar.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
6 Secretary will read.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 74,
8 by Senator Carlucci, Print Senate Print 711, an
9 act to amend the Penal Law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
11 last section.
12 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
14 is laid aside.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 100, by Senator Felder, Senate Print 1110, an act
17 to amend the Education Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
19 last section.
20 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
22 is laid aside.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 278, substituted earlier by Member of the
25 Assembly Magee, Assembly Print 4972A, an act to
3669
1 amend the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
4 bill aside.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 339, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 4332, an
7 act authorizing.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: There is
9 a home-rule message at the desk.
10 The Secretary will read the last
11 section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
13 act shall take effect immediately.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
15 roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
18 the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 378, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 2980, an
24 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
25 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
3670
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
2 is laid aside.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 418, by Senator Little, Senate Print 5141, an act
5 to amend the Private Housing Finance Law.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
8 is laid aside.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 491, by Senator Alcantara, Senate Print 1342A, an
11 act to amend the Penal Law.
12 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
14 is laid aside.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 515, by Senator Ranzenhofer, Senate Print 3709,
17 an act to amend the Elder Law.
18 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
20 is laid aside.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 531, by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 2420B, an
23 act to amend the General Municipal Law.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
3671
1 is laid aside.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 566, by Senator Golden, Senate Print 5130, an act
4 to amend the Retirement and Social Security Law.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
7 is laid aside.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 579, by Senator Croci, Senate Print 5305A, an act
10 authorizing.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
12 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: For the day.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: That bill
14 is laid aside for the day.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 585, by Senator Savino, Senate Print 5429A, an
17 act to authorize.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Results.
3672
1 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
2 Calendar 585, those recorded in the negative are
3 Senators Akshar, Bonacic, O'Mara and Ranzenhofer.
4 Ayes, 59. Nays, 4.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
6 is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 609, by Senator Golden, Senate Print 1612, an act
9 to amend the Civil Service Law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
11 last section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
13 act shall take effect immediately.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
15 roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62. Nays, 1.
18 Senator DeFrancisco recorded in the negative.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 715, substituted earlier by Member of the
23 Assembly Gottfried, Assembly Print 5175A, an act
24 to amend the Social Services Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
3673
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect on the 180th day.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
8 the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 716, by Senator Hannon, Senate Print 2271, an act
14 to amend the Public Health Law.
15 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
17 bill aside.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 746, by Senator Avella, Senate Print 1971, an act
20 to amend the Executive Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
24 act shall take effect on the first of January.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
3674
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 747, by Senator Hannon, Senate Print 2243, an act
10 to amend the Executive Law.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
13 is laid aside.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 778, by Senator Klein, Senate Print 5664B, an act
16 to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
19 is laid aside.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 779, by Senator Murphy, Senate Print 4395, an act
22 to amend the Administrative Code of the City of
23 New York.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
3675
1 is laid aside.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 791, by Senator DeFrancisco, Senate Print 5007,
4 an act in relation to authorizing.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
7 is laid aside.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 793, by Senator Young, Senate Print 5244A, an act
10 to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect immediately.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 800, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 5558, an
25 act authorizing.
3676
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: There is
2 a home-rule message at the desk.
3 The Secretary will read the last
4 section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
8 roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
11 the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 803, by Senator DeFrancisco, Senate Print 5763,
17 an act to amend the General Municipal Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: There is
19 a home-rule message at the desk.
20 The Secretary will read the last
21 section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
23 act shall take effect immediately.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
25 roll.
3677
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
6 is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 808, by Senator Alcantara, Senate Print 5881B, an
9 act to amend the Administrative Code of the City
10 of New York.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
13 is laid aside.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 817, by Senator Larkin, Senate Print 5401, an act
16 to amend the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
19 is laid aside.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 830, substituted earlier by Member of the
22 Assembly Crespo, Assembly Print 5151B, an act to
23 amend the Education Law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
25 last section.
3678
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 851, by Senator Phillips, Senate Print 5843A, an
13 act to amend the Highway Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
25 is passed.
3679
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 866, by Senator LaValle, Senate Print 3177, an
3 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
4 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
6 bill aside.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 895, by Senator Bonacic, Senate Print 3898A, an
9 act to amend the Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and
10 Breeding Law.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
13 bill aside.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 931, by Senator Ritchie, Senate Print 728, an act
16 to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
19 bill aside.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 939, by Senator Marchione, Senate Print 5354, an
22 act to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
23 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Lay the bill
24 aside for the day, please.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
3680
1 will be laid aside for the day.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 951, by Senator Ortt, Senate Print 5681, an act
4 to require.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
6 last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
8 act shall take effect immediately.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
10 roll.
11 (The Secretary called the roll.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
13 the results.
14 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 954, by Senator Young, Senate Print 856, an act
19 to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
20 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
22 bill aside.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1008, by Senator Lanza, Senate Print 4062, an act
25 to amend the Tax Law.
3681
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
3 bill aside.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1030, by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 2730, an
6 act to amend the Penal Law.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
9 bill aside.
10 Calendar Number 1038 was amended
11 today, therefore it is high. It will be laid
12 aside for the day.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1045, by Senator Lanza, Senate Print 2634, an act
15 to amend the Tax Law.
16 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
18 bill aside.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 1046, by Senator Little, Senate Print 2645A, an
21 act to amend the Tax Law.
22 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
24 bill aside.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3682
1 1061, substituted earlier by Member of the
2 Assembly Lavine, Assembly Print 5950A, an act to
3 amend the Tax Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
7 act shall take effect immediately.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 1072, by Senator Lanza, Senate Print 5752, an act
18 to require.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3683
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 1080, by Senator Seward, Senate Print 4654, an
8 act to amend the Insurance Law.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
11 bill aside.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 1104, by Senator Ritchie, Senate Print 1404, an
14 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
18 act shall take effect immediately.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62. Nays, 1.
25 Senator Krueger recorded in the negative.
3684
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
2 is passed.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 1125, by Senator Young, Senate Print 547, an act
5 to amend the Social Services Law.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
8 bill aside.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 1264, by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 3746A, an
11 act to amend the Public Authorities Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 1265, by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 3906, an
3685
1 act to amend the Executive Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 1273, by Senator Gallivan, Senate Print 4509A, an
16 act to amend the Tax Law.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
19 bill aside.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1275, by Senator Murphy, Senate Print 4735A, an
22 act to amend the Executive Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3686
1 act shall take effect immediately.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 1285, by Senator Valesky, Senate Print 5903, an
12 act to amend the State Finance Law.
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
15 bill aside.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 1288, by Senator Ranzenhofer, Senate Print 2894,
18 an act to amend the Not-For-Profit Corporation
19 Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
23 act shall take effect immediately.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
25 roll.
3687
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
6 is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 1290, by Senator DeFrancisco, Senate Print 3506,
9 an act to amend the Public Authorities Law.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
12 bill aside.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1291, by Senator Lanza, Senate Print 3543A, an
15 act to amend the Public Authorities Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
19 act shall take effect on the 180th day.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
24 Krueger to explain her vote.
25 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you,
3688
1 Mr. President. To explain my vote no.
2 So this would be a bill that would
3 grant a 10 percent discount on New York City
4 water bills to senior citizens and veterans.
5 Well, we always like to do the right thing by
6 senior citizens and veterans. The catch is the
7 way the bill is written, since most people in
8 New York City live in multi-dwelling units,
9 apartment buildings, not single-family homes or
10 even two-family homes, it would be very confusing
11 how you'd define who the senior or the veteran is
12 to get the 10 percent deduction within the larger
13 water bill for a building that might have five
14 units or might have 500 units.
15 It also has no means testing at all.
16 So for example, while my constituents might be
17 thrilled, because I probably have more
18 billionaires and millionaires than any other
19 district in the City of New York or the State of
20 New York, I'm not sure that going home and
21 explaining we're voting for a bill to give
22 billionaires a 10 percent reduction because
23 they're over a certain age, but somebody else's
24 water bills are going to have to go up because we
25 gave billionaires of a certain age a 10 percent
3689
1 reduction -- I just don't, with all due respect,
2 think it's good public policy to draw a line
3 simply based on age, not need, when deciding
4 certain people pay less.
5 I really don't understand how we
6 would expect the City of New York to know the age
7 of every individual who lives within a building,
8 because the water bill would be for just the
9 building itself, in most cases, statistically.
10 And it would of course leave a hole
11 in the amount of money the City of New York
12 actually had available to meet its clean water
13 costs, without any other explanation other than
14 my assumption that we'd have to raise other
15 people's water bills to pay for this deduction.
16 So everybody likes to reduce
17 everybody's taxes. I'm sure everybody
18 particularly likes to reduce senior citizens' and
19 veterans' taxes. But I have to say I don't
20 really think this is the right approach to this
21 issue, so I'll be voting no, Mr. President.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
23 Krueger to be recorded in the negative.
24 Announce the result.
25 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
3690
1 Calendar 1291, those recorded in the negative are
2 Senators Benjamin, Krueger and Montgomery.
3 Ayes, 60. Nays, 3.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 1300, by Senator Seward, Senate Print 421, an act
8 to amend the Penal Law.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
11 bill aside.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 1302, by Senator Squadron, Senate Print 499, an
14 act to amend the Penal Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
18 act shall take effect on the first of November.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
3691
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 1309, by Senator Helming, Senate Print 2572, an
4 act to amend the Penal Law.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
7 bill aside.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 1347, by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 2419, an
10 act to amend the Banking Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect on the 120th day.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 1383, by Senator Bonacic, Senate Print 1027, an
25 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
3692
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
3 bill aside.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 1390, by Senator Akshar, Senate Print 1248, an
6 act to amend the Judiciary Law.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
9 bill aside.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 1422, by Senator Helming, Senate Print 2505, an
12 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
16 act shall take effect immediately.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
18 roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
21 the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 63.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
24 is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3693
1 1424, by Senator Gallivan, Senate Print 2512, an
2 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
3 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
5 bill aside.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 1427, by Senator Helming, Senate Print 2566, an
8 act to amend the Penal Law.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay the bill
10 aside.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
12 bill aside.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 1481, by Senator Stavisky, Senate Print 5213, an
15 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
16 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Please lay
17 the bill aside.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
19 is laid aside.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1482, by Senator Stavisky, Senate Print 5220, an
22 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
23 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Lay the bill
24 aside.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
3694
1 is laid aside.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 1506, by Senator Flanagan, Senate Print 6567, an
4 act to amend the Education Law.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay that bill
6 aside.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
8 bill aside.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 1507, by Senator Flanagan, Senate Print 6568, an
11 act to amend the Education Law.
12 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
14 bill aside.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 1508, by Senator Flanagan, Senate Print 6569, an
17 act to amend the Education Law.
18 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
20 bill aside.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 1518, by Senator Bonacic, Senate Print 6561, an
23 act in relation to.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
3695
1 is laid aside.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 1523, substituted earlier by Member of the
4 Assembly Weprin, Assembly Print 3053, an act to
5 amend the Executive Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
7 last section.
8 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Lay it aside.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Lay the
10 bill aside.
11 Senator DeFrancisco, that completes
12 the noncontroversial reading of the calendar.
13 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Could we go
14 back to motions and resolutions, please.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Motions
16 and resolutions.
17 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Can we take
18 up previously adopted Resolution 2475, by Senator
19 Serino, read the title only, and call on Senator
20 Serino to speak.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
22 Secretary will read the title only.
23 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
24 Resolution 2475, by Senator Serino, memorializing
25 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim June 15,
3696
1 2017, as Elder Abuse Awareness Day in the State
2 of New York.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
4 Serino.
5 SENATOR SERINO: Thank you,
6 Mr. President.
7 I rise today as chair of the
8 Senate's Aging Committee in anticipation of World
9 Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
10 New York's seniors were born and
11 raised in a generation defined by industrious
12 independence, a generation where self-sufficiency
13 was valued above all else. Many of them
14 capitalized on that drive by spending their lives
15 building their nest eggs, making them targets for
16 abuse, abuse that too often happens at the hands
17 of the people our seniors know and trust the
18 most.
19 The result? For every known case of
20 elder abuse, recent reports estimate that at
21 least 20 cases actually go unreported. And
22 financial abuse costs New York's seniors
23 $1.5 billion each year. These statistics make it
24 painfully clear that we can and must do better.
25 This week, organizations around the
3697
1 world will pause on Thursday, June 15th, in
2 recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day,
3 to shine light on this critical issue.
4 I wanted to speak on this resolution
5 ahead of the day in hopes it would give my
6 colleagues here today some time to get involved.
7 I thank you for recognizing this initiative, and
8 I hope when you return to your districts on
9 Thursday that you will spread the word: There is
10 no excuse for elder abuse.
11 Thank you, Mr. President.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
13 you, Senator Serino.
14 Senator DeFrancisco.
15 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Can we now
16 take up previously adopted Resolution 2436, read
17 the title only, and call on Senator Hoylman.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
19 Secretary will read the title only.
20 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
21 Resolution Number 2436, by Senator Hoylman,
22 memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
23 proclaim May 12, 2017, as Myalgic
24 Encephalomyelitis Awareness Day in the State of
25 New York.
3698
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
2 Hoylman.
3 SENATOR HOYLMAN: Thank you,
4 Mr. President, for allowing me to speak on this
5 resolution memorializing the Governor to proclaim
6 May 12th as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, better
7 known and better pronounced as ME -- Awareness
8 Day in New York, which is in conjunction with
9 National ME Awareness Month in May.
10 I first learned about ME when a
11 friend and former constituent, Terri Wilder,
12 who's here in the gallery with us, reached out to
13 me and we discussed the condition that has been
14 plaguing her for decades. Terri was diagnosed
15 with ME in March of 2016, but she thinks she may
16 have had it since she was a teenager or even
17 younger.
18 ME is incredibly widespread and
19 incredibly misunderstood. A lot of us have heard
20 of ME by its prior name, which is chronic fatigue
21 syndrome, and it's a chronic, complex, systemic
22 neuroimmune condition that can profoundly limit
23 health and productivity of affected patients.
24 It's much more than just feeling tired. It can
25 include significant neurological and cognitive
3699
1 impairment and unrelenting and sometimes
2 debilitating pain.
3 Symptoms can get worse even from
4 just minimal exertion, and it severely impacts
5 people's lives. Fifty-four to 69 percent of
6 folks with ME are unemployed. At least
7 25 percent of them are bedridden or housebound
8 during their lifetime. And for moderate to
9 severe patients, living with ME has been compared
10 with Stage 4 cancer, advanced-stage AIDS, or
11 congestive heart failure. Imagine living with
12 that all of your life.
13 What's more troublesome is that
14 there are no FDA-approved treatments for ME.
15 That's even with as many as 2.5 million Americans
16 suffering from it, including 62,000 to 152,000
17 New Yorkers.
18 But sadly -- and this is another
19 distressing part of this condition -- many
20 individuals with ME are told by families and
21 friends or even doctors that their severe
22 conditions are imagined, leaving so many of them
23 misunderstood. And it's not unlike the stigma
24 that surrounds autism, or multiple sclerosis
25 decades ago, when these were derided as disorders
3700
1 of nerves and insecurity.
2 There is a dearth of healthcare and
3 social services for people with ME, and very few
4 medical providers here in the state trained to
5 provide care, plus little or no recognition of
6 the seriousness of this public health crisis.
7 Well, that's what we're trying to
8 change today with this resolution. I was happy
9 to bring this resolution forward even while the
10 National Institutes of Health is facing budget
11 cuts of up to $5.8 billion from the Trump
12 administration. We have to make the case here in
13 New York that we need to fund rare and
14 difficult-to-diagnose conditions like ME.
15 Again, Terri, thank you so much.
16 Terri is a long-time AIDS activist and has worked
17 with groups like ACT-UP. And professionally,
18 she's at the Mount Sinai Hospital, where she
19 trains medical professionals in issues
20 surrounding HIV-positive and transgender patient
21 care. So she knows how to activate a group and
22 get them energized for a cause, and that's what
23 she's doing here today with ME.
24 And I, finally, wanted to thank our
25 Health Commissioner, Dr. Zucker, for reaching out
3701
1 to me personally and commending the State Senate
2 for considering this important resolution in
3 bringing awareness to the cause of ME.
4 Thank you, Mr. President.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
6 you, Senator Hoylman.
7 Senator DeFrancisco.
8 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Yes, there
9 will be an immediate meeting of the Rules
10 Committee in Room 332.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: There is
12 an immediate meeting of the Rules Committee in
13 Room 332.
14 The Senate will stand at ease.
15 (Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease
16 at 4:19 p.m.)
17 (Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at
18 4:54 p.m.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
20 Senate will come to order.
21 Senator DeFrancisco.
22 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Is there a
23 Rules Committee report at the desk, please?
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Yes,
25 there is.
3702
1 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Will you
2 please have it read.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
4 Secretary will read.
5 THE SECRETARY: Senator Flanagan,
6 from the Committee on Rules, reports the
7 following bills:
8 Senate Print 307A, by Senator
9 Murphy, an act to amend the Executive Law;
10 Senate 381, by Senator Carlucci, an
11 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;
12 Senate 385, by Senator Robach, an
13 act to amend the Highway Law;
14 Senate 794A, by Senator Alcantara,
15 an act to amend the Education Law;
16 Senate 842B, by Senator Young, an
17 act to amend the Executive Law;
18 Senate 893, by Senator Amedore, an
19 act to establish;
20 Senate 1014, by Senator Robach, an
21 act to amend the Correction Law;
22 Senate 1186, by Senator Marcellino,
23 an act to amend the Executive Law;
24 Senate 1311, by Senator Marcellino,
25 an act relating to legalizing, validating,
3703
1 ratifying and confirming;
2 Senate 1348, by Senator Funke, an
3 act to amend Chapter 57 of the Laws of 2012;
4 Senate 1470, by Senator Ritchie, an
5 act to direct;
6 Senate 1650, by Senator Carlucci, an
7 act to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic
8 Preservation Law;
9 Senate 1910A, by Senator Ritchie, an
10 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;
11 Senate 2137A, by Senator Serino, an
12 act to amend the Social Services Law;
13 Senate 2154A, by Senator Serino, an
14 act to amend the Social Services Law;
15 Senate 2155A, by Senator Serino, an
16 act to amend the Elder Law;
17 Senate 2173, by Senator Serino, an
18 act to amend the Correction Law;
19 Senate 2550, by Senator LaValle, an
20 act to amend the Education Law;
21 Senate 2554, by Senator LaValle, an
22 act to amend the Education Law;
23 Senate 3421, by Senator Parker, an
24 act to amend the Social Services Law;
25 Senate 3879, by Senator Ranzenhofer,
3704
1 an act to amend the Executive Law;
2 Senate 3880, by Senator Ranzenhofer,
3 an act to amend the Environmental Conservation
4 Law;
5 Senate 3931, by Senator O'Mara, an
6 act to amend the Transportation Law;
7 Senate 3981A, by Senator Savino, an
8 act to amend the Social Services Law;
9 Senate 4059, by Senator Lanza, an
10 act to amend the Correction Law;
11 Senate 4135A, by Senator Savino, an
12 act to amend the Executive Law;
13 Senate 4423B, by Senator
14 DeFrancisco, an act to amend the Public Service
15 Law;
16 Senate 4833, by Senator Avella, an
17 act to amend the Social Services Law;
18 Senate 4909, by Senator Díaz, an act
19 to amend the Executive Law;
20 Senate 5059A, by Senator Valesky, an
21 act to amend the Abandoned Property Law;
22 Senate 5064A, by Senator
23 Ranzenhofer, an act to amend the Environmental
24 Conservation Law;
25 Senate 5222, by Senator Stavisky, an
3705
1 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law;
2 Senate 5269, by the Senate Committee
3 on Rules, an act to amend the Tax Law;
4 Senate 5270, by the Senate Committee
5 on Rules, an act to amend the Tax Law;
6 Senate 5271, by the Senate Committee
7 on Rules, an act to amend the Tax Law;
8 Senate 5359, by the Senate Committee
9 on Rules, an act to amend the Tax Law;
10 Senate 5415A, by Senator Serino, an
11 act to amend the Elder Law;
12 Senate 5494A, by Senator Gallivan,
13 an act to amend the Correction Law;
14 Senate 5641A, by Senator Croci, an
15 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law;
16 Senate 5680, by Senator Ortt, an act
17 to require;
18 Senate 5826, by the Senate Committee
19 on Rules, an act to amend the Tax Law;
20 Senate 5956, by the Senate Committee
21 on Rules, an act to amend the Tax Law;
22 Senate 5957, by the Senate Committee
23 on Rules, an act to amend the Tax Law;
24 Senate 5958, by the Senate Committee
25 on Rules, an act to amend the Real Property Law;
3706
1 Senate 5959, by the Senate Committee
2 on Rules, an act to amend the Tax Law;
3 Senate 5960, by the Senate Committee
4 on Rules, an act to amend the Tax Law;
5 Senate 6022, by Senator Serino, an
6 act to amend the Penal Law;
7 Senate 6081, by Senator Serino, an
8 act to amend Chapter 942 of the Laws of 1983;
9 Senate 6431A, by Senator Serino, an
10 act to amend the Retirement and Social Security
11 Law;
12 Senate 6459, by Senator DeFrancisco,
13 an act to expand;
14 Senate 6462, by Senator
15 Stewart-Cousins, an act to amend Chapter 118 of
16 the Laws of 1969;
17 Senate 6470A, by Senator Marcellino,
18 an act to amend the Navigation Law;
19 Senate 6514, by Senator Ritchie, an
20 act to amend the Local Finance Law;
21 Senate 6624, by Senator Seward, an
22 act to amend the Insurance Law;
23 Senate 6650, by Senator Serino, an
24 act to amend the Banking Law;
25 Senate 6651A, by Senator Flanagan,
3707
1 an act to amend the Public Authorities Law;
2 Senate 6659, by Senator Klein, an
3 act to amend the Tax Law;
4 Senate 6661, by Senator Hannon, an
5 act to amend the Public Health Law;
6 Senate 6662, by Senator Little, an
7 act to amend the Multiple Dwelling Law;
8 And Senate 6663, by Senator Ortt, an
9 act to amend the Insurance Law.
10 All bills reported direct to third
11 reading.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
13 DeFrancisco.
14 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Move to
15 accept the report of the Rules Committee.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: All in
17 favor of accepting the report of the Rules
18 Committee, signify by saying aye.
19 (Response of "Aye.")
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Opposed,
21 nay.
22 (No response.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
24 report is accepted.
25 Senator DeFrancisco.
3708
1 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: One moment,
2 please.
3 Can we call up the first bill on the
4 controversial calendar, please -- namely,
5 Calendar Number 74.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
7 Secretary will ring the bell.
8 The Secretary will read.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 74,
10 by Senator Carlucci, Senate Print 711, an act to
11 amend the Penal Law.
12 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Can we remain
13 at ease for a moment before the debate begins.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
15 Senate will stand at ease.
16 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Would you
17 please lay that bill aside?
18 We're trying to get some movement in
19 the process, but that will not give us any.
20 (Laughter.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Calendar
22 Number 74 will be laid aside.
23 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Lay it aside,
24 and if we could go to Calendar 808.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
3709
1 Secretary will read.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 808, by Senator Alcantara, Senate Print 5881B, an
4 act to amend the Administrative Code of the City
5 of New York.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
7 Parker, why do you rise?
8 SENATOR PARKER: On the bill.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
10 Parker on the bill.
11 SENATOR PARKER: Thank you,
12 Mr. President. Actually, Mr. President, could
13 I -- will the sponsor yield for some questions?
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
15 sponsor yield for a question?
16 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
18 sponsor yields.
19 SENATOR PARKER: Thank you.
20 Through you, Mr. President, thank you, Senator
21 Alcantara.
22 Will the sponsor please explain the
23 bill?
24 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Sure.
25 The bill will require the City of
3710
1 New York retroactively to apply SCRIE and DRIE
2 benefits dating back to the original day of
3 eligibility for such benefits in the case where
4 the individual made a late application.
5 The individual rent will be frozen
6 prospectively of an application at the rate that
7 the individual was paying at the original date of
8 eligibility for the SCRIE/DRIE benefits.
9 The lookback period will be capped
10 at a minimum of two years. For individuals that
11 apply more than two years after becoming
12 eligible, they will receive the maximum of the
13 two years lookback when determining the rent
14 freeze.
15 SENATOR PARKER: Mr. President,
16 through you, will the sponsor continue to yield.
17 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
19 Alcantara, do you continue to yield?
20 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
22 sponsor yields.
23 SENATOR PARKER: Senator Alcantara
24 -- through you, Mr. President -- who would
25 benefit from this bill?
3711
1 SENATOR ALCANTARA: It would be
2 senior citizens that because they probably forgot
3 the application, or for those of us that are --
4 it would just be senior citizens that would
5 benefit from this.
6 SENATOR PARKER: Mr. President,
7 through you, will the sponsor continue to yield
8 to a question?
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
10 sponsor continue to yield?
11 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
13 sponsor yields.
14 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
15 Mr. President. Senator, how would this rent cap
16 rollback impact property owners? And who would
17 have to pay for the SCRIE candidate -- for the
18 back rent payments?
19 SENATOR ALCANTARA: The SCRIE/DRIE
20 would hold the landlord harmless.
21 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
22 Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield
23 for questions?
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
25 sponsor continue to yield?
3712
1 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
3 sponsor yields.
4 SENATOR PARKER: So who will pay
5 the back payments that have not been paid under
6 this program? I know the property owners are
7 held harmless, but I was wondering who will pay
8 the back payments.
9 SENATOR ALCANTARA: There's no back
10 payment. What it means is that your rent would
11 be what it was two years from the day you
12 qualified for it.
13 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
14 Mr. President. First let me thank the sponsor
15 for her patience on my questions. But will
16 she --
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: On the
18 bill, Senator Parker?
19 SENATOR PARKER: No. Will she
20 continue to yield for a question?
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
22 sponsor continue to yield?
23 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
25 sponsor yields.
3713
1 SENATOR PARKER: Thank you.
2 Through you, Mr. President. Who would reimburse
3 property owners for the overpayment of property
4 taxes?
5 SENATOR ALCANTARA: The bill has
6 nothing to do with the taxes. It just speaks to
7 the rent freeze.
8 SENATOR PARKER: Mr. President,
9 Through you, will the sponsor continue to yield
10 for a question?
11 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
13 sponsor continue to yield?
14 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
16 sponsor yields.
17 SENATOR PARKER: Who would be for
18 finding eligible seniors who have not filed for
19 SCRIE but who are qualified and within the
20 two-year window?
21 SENATOR ALCANTARA: They don't have
22 to actively do it. For example, when a senior
23 citizen goes to a place to apply, if they
24 qualified two years back, they would
25 retroactively apply it to them two years back.
3714
1 SENATOR PARKER: Mr. President,
2 through you, will the sponsor continue to yield
3 for a question?
4 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
5 sponsor continue to yield?
6 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
8 sponsor yields.
9 SENATOR PARKER: Thank you,
10 Mr. President. Through you.
11 Senator, why are there seniors who
12 have not filed for SCRIE?
13 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Because they
14 don't know. Like for example in my district,
15 more than 50 percent of seniors that qualify have
16 not applied. It could be due to a language
17 barrier, outreach on behalf of the city.
18 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
19 Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield
20 for a question?
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
22 sponsor continue to yield?
23 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
25 sponsor yields.
3715
1 SENATOR PARKER: Senator, what are
2 we doing if in fact the problem is in part a
3 language barrier? And certainly I have the same
4 issue, not just with Spanish-speaking seniors in
5 my district, but also a very large Haitian-
6 Creole-speaking population. Who is responsible
7 for bridging that language gap?
8 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Well, when I
9 spoke about the language issue, I was not just
10 referring to Spanish. It's whatever language --
11 for example, if somebody is in a mostly Chinese
12 neighborhood, I would imagine that it's Cantonese
13 and Mandarin.
14 It would be -- can you repeat your
15 question again, please?
16 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
17 Mr. President. The question is who's responsible
18 for making sure that that language barrier is
19 actually bridged?
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
21 sponsor continue to yield for a question?
22 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Correct.
23 The administrating agency is
24 responsible.
25 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
3716
1 Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to
2 yield for a question?
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
4 sponsor continue to yield for a question?
5 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
7 sponsor yields.
8 SENATOR PARKER: How many seniors
9 do we believe that this affects statewide?
10 SENATOR ALCANTARA: I'm not sure.
11 The comptroller office for the city didn't give
12 us a number.
13 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
14 Mr. President, does the sponsor continue to yield
15 for a question?
16 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Will the
17 sponsor continue to yield for a question?
18 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
20 sponsor yields.
21 SENATOR PARKER: Senator, how much
22 do we believe that this bill -- this SCRIE
23 rollback act, how much is this going to cost the
24 State of New York?
25 SENATOR ALCANTARA: The
3717
1 comptroller's office didn't give us an estimate,
2 but they will get back to us.
3 SENATOR PARKER: Mr. President,
4 through you, will the sponsor continue to yield
5 for a question?
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
7 sponsor continue to yield for a question?
8 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
10 sponsor yields.
11 SENATOR PARKER: Senator, so are
12 you to have the Senate understand that we are
13 proceeding with this bill and we're asked to vote
14 on this bill without a proper fiscal analysis of
15 the impact of this legislation on the State of
16 New York?
17 SENATOR ALCANTARA: There is no
18 cost to the State of New York.
19 SENATOR PARKER: Okay. Through
20 you, Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to
21 yield for a question?
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
23 sponsor continue to yield for a question?
24 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
3718
1 sponsor yields.
2 SENATOR PARKER: If there's no cost
3 to the State of New York, where does the money
4 come from in order to kind of look back and bring
5 these people into the program who weren't in the
6 program currently? Are you indicating that
7 there's extra money in the SCRIE program?
8 SENATOR ALCANTARA: It would be a
9 loss of revenue to the City of New York to make
10 up for the program.
11 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
12 Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield
13 for a question?
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
15 sponsor continue to yield for a question?
16 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
18 sponsor yields.
19 SENATOR PARKER: Senator, then how
20 much would this bill cost the City of New York?
21 SENATOR ALCANTARA: The city hasn't
22 gotten back to us with an estimate.
23 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
24 Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield
25 for a question?
3719
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
2 sponsor yield for a question?
3 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
5 sponsor yields.
6 SENATOR PARKER: Thank you,
7 Senator.
8 This sounds a little redundant, but
9 then so we're going to, again, go forward with
10 passing a bill which we don't understand the --
11 we don't understand the economic impact of this
12 bill on the City of New York, and yet we're going
13 to take -- are you asking us to take a vote on it
14 without understanding that?
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
16 Parker, are you on the bill?
17 SENATOR PARKER: No, I'm not on the
18 bill, I'm asking a question, through you,
19 Mr. President, about what -- if we don't know --
20 I'm being told that we don't know the economic
21 impact on the city. And so yet we're -- I'm
22 asking the Senator if she still wants us to vote
23 yes on a bill in which we don't know the economic
24 impact to the City of New York.
25 SENATOR ALCANTARA: We don't know
3720
1 the economic impact on the City of New York. But
2 I do know the economic impact that would have on
3 seniors in any district that can hardly afford to
4 live in the City of New York. And I know what
5 that would do with somebody who is living on food
6 stamps and who can hardly afford to still stay in
7 the City of New York.
8 SENATOR PARKER: Mr. President,
9 through you, will the sponsor continue to yield
10 for a question?
11 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
12 sponsor yield for a question?
13 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
15 sponsor yields.
16 SENATOR PARKER: Senator, does this
17 bill impact senior citizens outside of the City
18 of New York?
19 SENATOR ALCANTARA: No, just the
20 City of New York.
21 SENATOR PARKER: Mr. President,
22 through you, will the sponsor continue to yield
23 for a question?
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
25 sponsor yield for a question?
3721
1 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
3 sponsor yields.
4 SENATOR PARKER: Senator -- through
5 you, Mr. President, Senator, why doesn't this
6 bill impact seniors throughout the State of
7 New York?
8 SENATOR ALCANTARA: The city --
9 because most of the -- in my district, for
10 example, that's where the rent studies have been
11 done that even seniors, people living on a $15 an
12 hour minimum wage cannot afford to live in the
13 City of New York. The cost to live in places
14 outside of New York is way cheaper than to stay
15 in the city.
16 SENATOR PARKER: Mr. President,
17 through you, will the sponsor continue to yield
18 for a question?
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
20 sponsor continue to yield for a question?
21 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
23 sponsor yields.
24 SENATOR PARKER: Senator, do we
25 have any idea on the methodologies that the
3722
1 agency that will be implementing the SCRIE
2 program in the City of New York -- I'm assuming
3 that the New York City Department of Aging --
4 what modalities and techniques they'll be using
5 to get these seniors that they have currently not
6 included in the program, to get them now to be
7 included in the program?
8 SENATOR ALCANTARA: It's the
9 Department of Finance that would be
10 administrating the program.
11 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
12 Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield
13 for a question?
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
15 sponsor yield for another question?
16 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
18 sponsor yields.
19 SENATOR PARKER: Senator, thank you
20 again for your patience.
21 So the Department of Finance. Do we
22 know what the Department of Finance will do in
23 order to get these qualifying seniors who had not
24 to this point registered for SCRIE, what they
25 will do now differently to make them now register
3723
1 for the rollback program?
2 SENATOR ALCANTARA: The Department
3 of Finance reviews the applications, and they
4 will know on the person's birthday whether or not
5 they qualify for this program.
6 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
7 Mr. President, will the sponsor continue to yield
8 for a question?
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Does the
10 sponsor continue to yield for a question?
11 SENATOR ALCANTARA: Yes.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
13 sponsor yields.
14 SENATOR PARKER: Senator, once they
15 actually have reviewed the applications and they
16 have figured out that there are X number of
17 senior citizens in the City of New York who are
18 eligible for the SCRIE program and have not
19 applied for the program within the last two
20 years, what will they be specifically -- do you
21 know what they'll specifically be doing in order
22 to now get them to register for this rollback
23 program?
24 SENATOR ALCANTARA: The Department
25 of Finance would be calculating. They don't have
3724
1 to tell people to enroll in the program. And
2 they would do it -- people -- their rent is
3 calculated as an individual applies.
4 SENATOR PARKER: Thank you,
5 Senator.
6 Mr. President, on the bill.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
8 Parker on the bill.
9 SENATOR PARKER: First let me thank
10 Senator Alcantara for her advocacy and for her
11 leadership on this important issue. Certainly
12 there's a great deal of support and sympathy and
13 empathy around the issues concerning seniors in
14 the State of New York.
15 I've said before and I'll repeat it
16 again that, you know, in the 21st District that I
17 represent -- which is part of Canarsie and part
18 of Flatlands, but principally East Flatbush and
19 Flatbush, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Windsor Terrace
20 and Park Slope -- I actually represent the
21 largest number of senior citizens than any other
22 Senate district in the State of New York.
23 And I know just firsthand from my
24 experience with my own parents about what it took
25 to maintain a home and raise children and do all
3725
1 the things that life requires on -- you know, on
2 the incomes that people have and just trying to
3 scrape to survive.
4 I think that Senator Alcantara has
5 come forward with a great idea in the context of,
6 you know, making sure that we have legislation
7 that addresses the issues that our senior
8 citizens are facing, particularly as it relates
9 to rents in the City of New York.
10 Some of you may know that in
11 Brooklyn, the largest not just borough but the
12 largest county, not just in the State of New York
13 but really the largest county by population in
14 the entire country, we have a very, very large
15 senior citizen population. Unfortunately, that
16 senior citizen population is shrinking. And that
17 senior population is shrinking to a large degree
18 because there's literally no place for them to
19 live.
20 That what's happening with the
21 great land giveaway that Mayor Bloomberg
22 orchestrated during his 12 years in occupation of
23 City Hall in the City of New York -- what we saw
24 was large swaths of land, you know, given away
25 willy-nilly to his developer friends really in
3726
1 exchange for nothing for the city. No agreements
2 around rent regulations, no agreements around
3 affordable housing, no agreements around housing
4 for seniors, no agreements around housing for
5 veterans, no agreements around housing for the
6 disabled.
7 And so simply what we have is a
8 flood of market-rate housing that has gone up,
9 you know, unfettered and indiscriminately and
10 without any concern for the most vulnerable
11 populations in our great borough.
12 The City of New York is the largest
13 city in the country. If Brooklyn was its own
14 city, as it once was prior to 1850, we would be
15 the fourth largest city in the entire country
16 after the City of New York -- after the rest of
17 the City of New York, LA, and then Chicago. And
18 we're only about 10,000 people less than what
19 they have in Chicago.
20 And as you can imagine, in a city
21 that's almost 3 million strong -- this is
22 Brooklyn, we're talking about Brooklyn being a
23 city of 3 million strong -- proportionately the
24 numbers of senior citizens that we have in the
25 Borough of Brooklyn is actually very, very large.
3727
1 I don't have an exact number, but on average the
2 senior population is approximately 30 percent of
3 the entire population nationally. Right? And
4 you see that same number almost worldwide.
5 That number actually thankfully is
6 growing. I'm actually in a -- I'm actually, you
7 know, an aspiring senior citizen myself.
8 (Laughter.)
9 SENATOR PARKER: An aspiring senior
10 citizen hoping to be able to live my golden years
11 in the place that I was born and raised and the
12 place that I call home.
13 But, you know, again, as I mentioned
14 before, in the City of New York oftentimes the
15 cost of living is going up and the chance of
16 living is going down. And so this is a good bill
17 in that it provides an ability for some of our
18 senior citizens to age in place.
19 It is disheartening when you see
20 developments come in with market rates, with just
21 market rates, and they then raise the rents of
22 the housing available in that community, and
23 everybody starts raising their rents because of
24 that new building. And that then pushes out
25 families on low incomes. Families on middle
3728
1 incomes, right? In fact, if you're a poor family
2 in the City of New York, you are more likely to
3 have options that a middle-class family doesn't
4 have.
5 If you're a teacher married to a
6 police officer, where do you live in the City of
7 New York? There's almost no place for you to
8 live. If you're a firefighter married to a
9 nurse, where do you live? Right?
10 And so certainly that has a
11 deleterious impact on our senior population,
12 which thankfully is growing because of technology
13 and things like medicine, you know, access to
14 health insurance, access to more modern health
15 facilities, more understanding of a wellness
16 model versus a sickness model. You know,
17 certainly we want to thank Obamacare for keeping
18 our seniors who might have had preexisting
19 conditions, you know, well and strong. Everybody
20 unfortunately does not have the state medical
21 insurance that we all enjoy here, and so we need
22 to continue to do more for our seniors.
23 And so as our senior population
24 grows, with the pressure and the stress on our
25 housing in the State of New York, particularly in
3729
1 places like New York City and in Brooklyn where I
2 represent, it becomes increasingly more important
3 to have options for our senior citizens.
4 Many times these senior citizens are
5 part of what we refer to as the hidden homeless.
6 What do we call the hidden homeless? The hidden
7 homeless are people who really can't afford to
8 live anywhere and would be out on the street if
9 it wasn't for the mercy and the love of family
10 members, oftentimes a child, a grandchild, a
11 niece, a nephew -- somebody who will take the
12 senior citizens in, even though that senior would
13 not have any place to live if they did not have,
14 you know, anyplace else to go.
15 You know, even neighbors now are
16 taking in nonfamilial senior citizens from the
17 community to make sure that they are not just
18 housed but they're able to, to some degree, be
19 housed in place. That they are not ripped away
20 from the bosom of the communities they've lived
21 in for 20 and 30 and 40 years.
22 That could be -- we could imagine,
23 Mr. President, how disconcerting it may be for
24 someone in their 70s or 80s or even 90s who have
25 been living in a place maybe 50 years, maybe
3730
1 60 years, to all of a sudden not be able to
2 afford the place that they have been living. Not
3 to know where the corner store is. Not to be
4 able to walk to the park. Not to be able to go
5 to a senior citizens center that is in the
6 community in which they know the executive
7 director and the other seniors there, where
8 they've built not just family but community.
9 But too often, Mr. President, that
10 is the story that we are running into, is case
11 after case after case where senior citizens in
12 the State of New York who cannot afford their
13 housing circumstance are cast out into the
14 street, and oftentimes are forced to go live with
15 somebody else, sometimes even in another state.
16 And that certainly is not I think what these
17 folks who have given so much to our communities
18 and so much to our families deserve.
19 I don't remember, and I'd ask the
20 sponsor and others to correct me if I'm wrong
21 about this, but I don't remember any public
22 hearings on this matter. I think that we ought
23 to be talking about public hearings. Not just
24 talking about them, I think that it would be a
25 good idea to have public hearings. I would
3731
1 certainly sit through all of the testimony given
2 at a public hearing on such an important issue as
3 relates to seniors and housing in the State of
4 New York.
5 And I know that although today we're
6 just talking about New York City, I am sure that
7 there are seniors in need of housing across the
8 great State of New York. I'm sure in places as
9 well as from Buffalo to Rochester, from Syracuse
10 to Albany, that there are in fact places in which
11 senior citizens are having a hard time making
12 their way.
13 I'm sure in some of the more rural
14 places as well, senior citizens, you know, are
15 having problems not just simply with the rents.
16 Because this is just a part of it. Rent is just
17 a part of it. You know, water bills are going
18 up. Energy bills are going up. Right? Property
19 taxes are going up. Right?
20 And so in that context, where do our
21 seniors go? Where do we provide a place for our
22 seniors, particularly when they want to age in
23 place? Why should they, just because they have
24 retired and they have developed more experience
25 and, you know, maybe a little bit more gray hair,
3732
1 that they should be ripped out of the comforts of
2 the home that they've known for decades and be
3 cast into a new circumstance? That shouldn't be
4 the fate of people who have given so much, who
5 have paved the way for us to be at this place and
6 this time, that have literally suckled us in
7 their bosoms and helped us become the adults that
8 we are here today.
9 We should be doing everything we can
10 to make sure that the senior citizens in the
11 State of New York have an ability to keep their
12 homes. And I think a good first step would be a
13 SCRIE public hearing -- maybe a series of public
14 hearings. You know, we could have one in
15 Brooklyn and one in Albany, one in Buffalo, one
16 in Albany -- I mean, sorry, one in Syracuse.
17 Certainly we'll have one in Washington Heights,
18 in Inwood. You know, the Rockaways, I hear,
19 would like to have that conversation. We want to
20 do one in Utica. You know, the senior population
21 in Utica certainly deserves no less protection
22 around the issues of housing than any other
23 place.
24 And so I think that this kind of
25 conversation becomes the backbone of good
3733
1 legislation. All of us could be more informed.
2 They say that legislators -- you know, our
3 knowledge is a mile wide and an inch deep. Our
4 seniors should be a place that we are able to not
5 just get a mile wide, but we should be a mile
6 deep on senior issues and make sure that we're
7 doing the best that we can.
8 And certainly housing is a great
9 place to start. Why do I say that? I'm glad you
10 asked.
11 (Laughter.)
12 SENATOR PARKER: Housing is an
13 important place to start because in public
14 policy, one of the things we talk about are
15 externalities. That is, if you do something --
16 think about dropping a pebble into a pond. You
17 see the ripples that go out, right? That pebble
18 doesn't just affect that one spot in which it
19 entered the river or the -- sorry -- the pond.
20 The pond. Let me keep my metaphors straight,
21 thank you.
22 Right? The pebble doesn't just
23 affect the place in which the pebble entered the
24 pond, but the ripples also affect the entire
25 pond.
3734
1 When you talk about public policy
2 externalities, the things that we do in Albany --
3 always think about every time we pass a bill or
4 don't pass a bill, every time we bring a bill to
5 the floor or don't bring a bill to the floor,
6 that is like dropping another pebble into the
7 pond of the State of New York. And we're having
8 impacts that ripple across the entire state.
9 In this particular case, the
10 externalities around housing are greater than
11 just simply having a place to lay your head and
12 shelter from the rain and the cold or the heat.
13 Housing becomes the basis of good healthcare.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
15 DeFrancisco, why do you rise?
16 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Would the
17 Senator yield to a question?
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
19 Parker, will you yield for a question?
20 SENATOR PARKER: Yes.
21 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: In order for
22 me to better understand your argument, can you
23 tell me, are you for or against this bill?
24 SENATOR PARKER: I'm for the bill,
25 Mr. President, through you.
3735
1 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Would the
2 Senator yield to another question?
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator,
4 will you yield for another question?
5 SENATOR PARKER: Yes.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
7 Senator yields.
8 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: So you're not
9 concerned about the economic impact on the City
10 of New York any longer?
11 SENATOR PARKER: Through you,
12 Mr. President, I'm absolutely concerned for the
13 impact on the City of New York.
14 I do think that when we talk about
15 seniors and housing, the question is not how much
16 it costs, the question is what will it cost us if
17 we don't in fact protect our seniors. I can't,
18 you know, stand here representing the community I
19 represent, with the largest population of seniors
20 of any Senate district in the State of New York,
21 and not vote for a bill that is going to protect
22 our seniors.
23 However, I do know that the senior
24 citizens of my district, as well as the senior
25 citizens of the State of New York, are very
3736
1 interested in not just the economic impact, but
2 to understand why we do this.
3 If I can proceed back on the bill,
4 Mr. President.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
6 Parker on the bill.
7 SENATOR PARKER: That as we go
8 forward and look at the externalities of housing,
9 that one of those things is about housing itself,
10 which is the primary impact. Then you have a
11 secondary cause, which is health. Seniors with
12 better housing experience better health, period.
13 That's not me talking. If you check, the
14 Department of Health on both the city, state, and
15 the federal level will tell you that, the
16 Department of Aging will tell you that, that the
17 quality -- and not just having housing, but
18 having good-quality housing is critical for the
19 longevity of our senior citizen population.
20 Again, being an aspiring senior
21 citizen, I'm looking for longevity. You know, we
22 start talking about, you know, the fountain of
23 youth, we can literally here in the State of
24 New York in Albany create the fountain of youth
25 by in fact investing in our senior citizens.
3737
1 That's the real fountain.
2 You know, but if we do want an
3 exploratory committee to Florida to actually look
4 for the original one, I'm happy to participate in
5 that committee as well for a couple of weeks.
6 But in the meantime, we ought to be doing public
7 hearings that examine these externalities.
8 We also know that in the context of
9 senior citizens, if they're living longer, they
10 also, many of them, have a lot more disposable
11 income. That disposable income goes to undergird
12 families that they may be supporting. New York
13 City being a large mecca of immigrants, those
14 seniors also have a significant impact on
15 remittances that go to other countries,
16 particularly Caribbean countries. Right? Places
17 that are represented in my district and Senator
18 Alcantara's district, like the Dominican
19 Republic, like Haiti, like Jamaica, like
20 Trinidad, like Barbados, places like Guyana.
21 Right?
22 And so, you know, providing housing
23 and making sure that those senior citizens in our
24 communities are able to age in place helps them
25 with their healthcare, helps them in the context
3738
1 of their personal happiness, helps them with
2 their ability to help their families
3 economically, continues to actually broaden out
4 in the context of helping people in other
5 countries and their families here that may or may
6 not be either in New York City proper, New York
7 State, or the country, right, because they're in
8 fact supporting families wherever they are.
9 We also find that senior citizens
10 who are allowed to age in place are safer. They
11 have a connection to the community. They have
12 not just family members, oftentimes, but many
13 times neighbors and community organizations that
14 know where they are, know who they are, look in
15 on them, and are able to protect them from
16 dangers. And there's a significant issue in
17 terms of people preying on our senior citizens,
18 and that's certainly a concern.
19 I think that we need to go further
20 in the context of, you know, public hearings --
21 not just looking at externalities, but looking at
22 other areas in which SCRIE can be applied. What
23 do I mean by that? We might want to even lower
24 the age of the members in terms of SCRIE, because
25 we're having so many people being pushed out.
3739
1 This bill is a great bill because it
2 looks forward, right -- sorry, it looks back.
3 Right? But we ought to be looking forward and
4 saying, where is our next population? So many of
5 or seniors are actually retiring early. Why?
6 Sometimes because they belong to great bargaining
7 units. Sometimes because, you know, they simply
8 are being pushed out of their companies earlier.
9 Right? And so they're being -- they're out in
10 the world on fixed incomes earlier than they had
11 been 10, 20, 30 years ago.
12 And so we ought to be at least
13 examining that, getting the data, Mr. President,
14 and having public hearings to kind of talk about
15 where we are with our senior citizen population
16 as it relates to housing.
17 We really ought to be also joining
18 this in the context of, again, public protection
19 to make sure that as we are looking at SCRIE that
20 we're looking at our ability to build senior
21 housing, period. I have not seen a bill the
22 entire session that in fact addresses the issues
23 of senior housing specifically as a program. We
24 passed 421-a, like it or love it. We passed some
25 other bills as relates to, you know, providing
3740
1 housing for certain groups. But, you know,
2 where's our 421-a for seniors?
3 Where's everybody stepping forward
4 to say we need to take care of those who took
5 care of so much for us and build housing
6 facilities in the City of New York and other
7 places that need them for senior citizens.
8 Right? That we haven't provided enough of an
9 economic incentive here in the State of New York
10 for our senior citizens who are trying to age and
11 again, you know, age in place.
12 And so that doesn't necessarily mean
13 that we have to take them out of the community.
14 But maybe as we are looking at where there is,
15 you know, lots open, that we ought to be looking
16 in those places.
17 During the budget process the
18 Governor, in a great stroke of vision, created
19 the Vital Brooklyn program in which he is
20 building around 3,000 units of housing. And I
21 commend the Governor for that very appropriate
22 use of state funds. You know, I'm arguing to him
23 that a large portion of those 3,000 units, at
24 least a third of it, should be used just for
25 seniors. Senior citizens really ought to not
3741
1 just get a third, but they ought to get the first
2 third.
3 That we ought to be looking at where
4 our senior citizens are and making sure that they
5 have appropriate housing, safe housing,
6 comfortable housing, affordable housing so that
7 they can continue to live in our great city, in
8 the great borough of Brooklyn, but again
9 throughout the state.
10 So again, even though this bill
11 specifically speaks to New York City, I do
12 certainly recognize and want to acknowledge in my
13 comments that every place from Buffalo to
14 Brookhaven, from Binghamton to Utica, all are
15 getting, you know, the senior housing that they
16 need. I think that it's critically important
17 that we do that, but we also do that within the
18 context of a process that makes sense.
19 We don't nearly have enough
20 information about what our seniors are going
21 through. So when we have this public hearing, we
22 ought to bring in not just people who are experts
23 on housing, not just people who are experts on
24 the budget, but we ought to bring forward people
25 who are actual senior citizens, people who are
3742
1 actually in our communities. We need to hear
2 from them. We need to hear their stories. We
3 need to understand what they're going through
4 every single day so that we can properly address
5 their issues here in this august chamber.
6 I think that it's important that we
7 work together. You know, we have differences in
8 this chamber -- upstate, downstate, you know,
9 eastern part of the state, western part of the
10 state, Hudson Valley, Long Island, urban areas,
11 rural areas, suburbs, exurbs, hinterlands -- I
12 know some people liked my use of the word
13 hinterlands in the last debate. But, you know,
14 we have all of these regions here in the State of
15 New York.
16 But there's not one of those areas
17 that is without senior citizens, not one in which
18 senior citizens fail to be an important part of
19 the vitality and the vibrancy of these varied
20 communities which we all represent proudly here
21 in the State Senate.
22 And so, Mr. President, I'm asking us
23 to come forward and to have public hearings and
24 to bring forward a real important conversation
25 that has not been had yet. In most countries
3743
1 outside of the United States, being a senior
2 citizen is an exalted position. To have somebody
3 whose hair is white, someone who has some years
4 under their belt. Usually, you know, in other
5 places they don't really call them seniors, they
6 actually call them elders. Right? They become
7 an important fabric, not just in the body politic
8 within those particular nations, but they also
9 become a part of the actual governance. Right?
10 And so that when you look at, you
11 know, the traditional community governing
12 structures, there are not really a lot of young
13 people. They don't have these young
14 whippersnappers like Senator Bailey here. A lot
15 of them -- most of the time they are people of
16 advanced age, people who have had some years
17 under their belts, some people who have worked
18 and had families and had children and have gone
19 through the full circle of life, if we can call
20 it that, and have -- and are ready to contribute.
21 We really ought to bring forward a
22 bill -- and let me while I'm here, if Senator
23 Alcantara will humor me, I'd like to offer a
24 friendly amendment to this bill that would add a
25 statewide council of elders to the State of
3744
1 New York, a set of senior citizens that will help
2 advise us on every single aspect of every single
3 state policy that we do. I think in a bit of a
4 reversal, we'll have seven people on the board;
5 the Governor will get to pick three, the
6 Legislature will pick four.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator,
8 could you have an offline conversation with the
9 sponsor about your suggestion and come back to
10 the bill, please.
11 SENATOR PARKER: I certainly will.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
13 you, sir.
14 SENATOR PARKER: I will certainly
15 talk offline with Senator Alcantara about the
16 amendment. If the bill doesn't pass today, then
17 we'll have an opportunity. If not, maybe we'll
18 do a stand-alone bill.
19 Mr. President, may I continue on the
20 bill?
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Go ahead.
22 SENATOR PARKER: Thank you very
23 much, Mr. President.
24 I think that as relates to the
25 specific bill, our lookback date is a good period
3745
1 of time, but I frankly think that we ought to be
2 looking back longer. I think we ought to be
3 looking back five years. Why do I say that we
4 should be looking back five years? I'm glad you
5 asked.
6 When you look at a two-year time
7 period, that is a very short amount of time for a
8 senior citizen who may not have known that they
9 were in a program and may have just caught up to
10 the fact that there was a great benefit within
11 the context of SCRIE for them to avail themselves
12 of. And so here they are, you know, 25 months,
13 26 months out, and they've just missed it.
14 I think a five-year period is a more
15 reasonable amount of time to make sure that we
16 avail -- that senior citizens have the ability to
17 avail themselves of this important program.
18 Again, nothing is more important, even in places
19 like Staten Island, than having good affordable
20 housing for our senior citizens. And so we want
21 to make sure that we give them every single
22 opportunity to participate in this program.
23 It seems to me that if we're rolling
24 back and we're looking at this and there's so
25 many senior citizens who aren't availing
3746
1 themselves of this program, there must be money
2 left in the program. And I'm looking forward to
3 hearing the comptroller's report on how much
4 we're spending each year on SCRIE, how much money
5 is available, left. What is happening with all
6 this extra SCRIE money? Is it going into
7 unclaimed funds? Can senior citizens look
8 back -- maybe this is another way for us to
9 address the bill, is to have an ability for
10 senior citizens to address this in the context of
11 unclaimed funds through the New York State
12 Comptroller's office and be able to draw the
13 money down that way in order to pay for their
14 rent.
15 Regardless of how we do it, it's
16 critical that we make sure that we provide every
17 opportunity for the senior citizens in our
18 community to participate in this important
19 program. I think that we have a long time to
20 think about this, as we have about six days left
21 in the session. We can, you know, withdraw this
22 bill now, make some of the amendments, you know,
23 schedule some public hearings and maybe bring it
24 back in five or six days. Certainly it becomes
25 an option for us in the context of a process that
3747
1 makes sense for our senior citizens.
2 We haven't even invited senior
3 citizens to the gallery today to in fact see this
4 auspicious occasion. I'm certainly sure that
5 they would love to have been here to participate
6 in the revelry around passing a bill that was so
7 important for their communities.
8 I'm sure that almost every member of
9 this body could stand up and talk about senior
10 citizens who are important in their communities,
11 whether they're members of their community boards
12 or members of their precinct councils. You know,
13 we have senior citizens who obviously lead our
14 block associations, our civic associations, our
15 tenant associations.
16 You know, I had even a senior --
17 I've had actually two seniors win Senior of the
18 Year from the State Department of the Aging. One
19 of my favorites, Ms. Hazel Foster, a great, great
20 lady, lives on East 25th Street. Which has, by
21 the way, parenthetically, been named Greenest
22 Block in Brooklyn over 10 times. But that
23 Greenest Block in Brooklyn happens exactly
24 because of Ms. Hazel Foster, one of our senior
25 citizens who steadfastly works with other members
3748
1 on the block to make sure their lawns are
2 properly taken care of and the plants, flowers --
3 she actually is what they called a master
4 composter. I didn't even know we had this.
5 We have a great program at the
6 Brooklyn Botanical Gardens -- which by the way is
7 also in my district, the 21st District in
8 Brooklyn, in which they have composting classes.
9 She has not only gone to these composting
10 classes, she has become a master of those
11 composting classes and goes around the district
12 teaching people how to compost.
13 Composting is not very easy. It's
14 not as easy as it sounds. It takes a lot of hard
15 work. But this senior citizen, Hazel Foster in
16 my district, has really, you know, made that part
17 of her life's work to beautify our community.
18 This just is one example of somebody
19 who's contributed. And I was so proud to
20 celebrate her when she was named Senior of the
21 Year by the New York State Office of Aging.
22 Also I had a great young man -- I'm
23 going to call him a young man, because when I
24 came up and heard he had won Senior of the Year
25 by the Department of Aging in the state, George
3749
1 Tate -- and Mr. George Tate is going to be very
2 embarrassed that I mentioned his name on the
3 floor of the Senate. He's a very, very humble
4 man. I kind of fancy myself after him.
5 (Laughter.)
6 SENATOR PARKER: You know, Mr. Tate
7 is a father and a grandfather. His wife Donna is
8 a teacher. You know, he's given a great deal.
9 To this day he is a member of the community
10 board, a member of his block association, a
11 member of the precinct council. I don't think
12 there's any major, you know, civic activity that
13 we're doing in Flatbush or East Flatbush that
14 Mr. George Tate is not engaged in in some way.
15 But he's not a loud voice, he's
16 really quiet hands. You know, sometimes there's
17 loud voices but we also need, Brian, those quiet
18 hands. You need people to put their hands to it
19 and make it work. Right? Because we know that
20 it's the -- when you pray, you've got to move
21 your feet. Some people are praying loud and
22 praying hard, but they're not moving their feet
23 the way they need to be. Right?
24 So we got hands, we got feet, and
25 now you can get some stuff actually done in your
3750
1 community. And I think George Tate is one of
2 those people who helps us get things done. He's
3 particularly active with helping our young
4 people. He certainly sees the importance for
5 intergenerational activities. Without housing
6 for our seniors, how do we in fact talk about
7 intergenerational programming. Right?
8 And so, you know, we just celebrated
9 Gun Violence Awareness Month. Right? How much
10 less gun violence would we have in the State of
11 New York if we had more intergenerational
12 programs in which our senior citizens were
13 engaging day to day, minute to minute, hour to
14 hour with our young people to give them that
15 steady hand that they need, to make sure that the
16 word of encouragement to finish school was there,
17 to give them ideas about, you know, alternatives
18 to violence, to give them some ideas about how to
19 move with their career path.
20 I know that some of the seniors in
21 my community have been a guide and a steady hand
22 for me as I have one or two times strayed off the
23 path. You know, they gently -- well, sometimes
24 not too gently --
25 (Laughter.)
3751
1 SENATOR PARKER: -- but sometimes
2 just gently push me back onto the straight and
3 narrow. Even some of the more -- I'm not going
4 to call them senior citizens, but the senior
5 members of this august body here have had their
6 hand in that development.
7 And so, you know, this bill becomes
8 important because we need that kind of work. And
9 certainly one of my constituents, former
10 senior -- last year's Senior of the Year, George
11 Tate, is one of those hands that certainly works
12 with our young people very directly, but also is
13 oftentimes finding public policy ideas and civic
14 activities that engage our young people more.
15 We certainly want to see a lot more
16 work by senior citizens. We think that this is
17 going to happen not just because of this bill,
18 but certainly if we take up my idea of hearings
19 on the issues of SCRIE and then using that as a
20 kind of conduit to talk about some of these other
21 issues, that we'll be surprised at how many
22 issues are connected and how well we can work
23 together on these things of commonality.
24 Because certainly I know that there
25 is nobody in this chamber who does not want to
3752
1 see our senior citizens doing better, don't want
2 to -- you know, everybody wants to see them
3 having an opportunity to live someplace that's
4 safe, that is protected, someplace where they are
5 able to continue to contribute to their last --
6 you know, till they don't want to contribute
7 anymore. Not because we're forcing them out;
8 because they decided that they no longer wanted
9 to contribute.
10 I always think of, when I deal with
11 senior issues, my own grandmother, Fanny Mae
12 Olds, Fanny Mae Galloway Olds. We used to
13 lovingly refer to her as "Mother." And Mother,
14 she actually I think was in Senator Velmanette
15 Montgomery's district over in Kings Walk. Is
16 that your district? Kings Walk, yeah. In the
17 Kings housing, yeah.
18 And she was a faithful member of the
19 Cornerstone Baptist Church on Lewis and Madison
20 Avenue -- Madison Street, sorry, in Brooklyn,
21 New York. She was a praying woman, and she was
22 somebody who made sure that the family, you know,
23 really stayed together. She had 10 children.
24 She was one of 12 herself, coming
25 from a place call Fentress, Virginia. Moved from
3753
1 Fentress when she was a young woman to Norfolk,
2 Virginia, in a little town outside of Norfolk
3 called Campostella, where she met my grandfather,
4 Julius Butler Olds.
5 And together they brought forth a
6 family of 10 children, and my mother was the
7 second of those children. They came to New York
8 in -- I want to say in the 1940s, 1944 or so. My
9 mother was 10 or 12 at the time. And so she
10 really lived on Madison Street, and then she
11 actually took care of my aunts and uncles before
12 my grandmother, this wonderful senior citizen,
13 you know, came up.
14 But even then housing was important.
15 And they stayed with one of my grandmother's
16 friends for a little while. My grandmother came
17 up here, was a member of 32BJ. Used to clean
18 people's houses. She was a domestic in Virginia,
19 came here and did a lot of that domestic work
20 here, and late in her life worked in a bank where
21 she actually used to clean this one bank top to
22 bottom every night. And that was her job. I
23 used to ask her for samples from the bank; she
24 never brought none.
25 (Laughter.)
3754
1 SENATOR PARKER: But I know that
2 she worked hard and was very proud of her family.
3 She raised all of her children in the Cornerstone
4 Baptist Church, where actually my mother and
5 father met, met at the church, sometime -- I
6 don't know. I always asked them how long they
7 were married; they used to tell me forever. I
8 didn't know what that really meant. But
9 apparently they knew each other a very, very long
10 time.
11 But my grandmother was an acolyte of
12 the great Dr. Sandy F. Ray. Lewis Avenue is now
13 co-named Sandy F. Ray Boulevard. Those of you
14 who are familiar with Brooklyn would know Sandy
15 F. Ray, a man of great esteem, also a senior
16 citizen. And one of the things that the
17 Cornerstone Baptist Church always did was take
18 care of its parishioners. And housing was one of
19 the issues that they continued to talk about.
20 Even under the great leadership now of Reverend
21 Lawrence Aker III, they continue to talk about
22 housing as being an important part of their
23 mission, not just for all of their parishioners
24 but also for their senior citizens, understanding
25 that the backbone of many particularly black
3755
1 churches are seniors, and particularly senior
2 women.
3 And we know just statistically that
4 women outlive men. And so statistically, when we
5 talk about senior populations, we're talking
6 about older women who are oftentimes alone or
7 sometimes, you know, even if they're estranged
8 from their families, again, dealing with all of
9 these struggles.
10 My grandmother was one of these
11 women, who luckily we had one of my cousins -- my
12 cousin Towana Washington went and lived with my
13 grandmother when she was very young, just --
14 really just so my grandmother would have
15 something to do, give her some company, get her
16 involved.
17 You know, we shouldn't be putting
18 our elders out to pasture just simply because
19 they no longer work in the traditional economy
20 anymore. That we need to be finding better
21 opportunities to incorporate the senior citizens,
22 the elders in our communities, these people in
23 their golden years that have pearls of wisdom.
24 We ought to be incorporating them into the things
25 that we do every single day. And so we ought
3756
1 to -- you know, that's an example again I got
2 from my grandmother, Fanny Mae Galloway Olds.
3 Who again, you know, I would not be here if it
4 wasn't for her example. I wouldn't be here and
5 have an opportunity to address you in this
6 important body if it wasn't for her sacrifice and
7 her work and all the things that she instilled
8 into my mother and myself.
9 And so I'm sure we all have our
10 stories. In fact, I want to encourage my
11 colleagues one by one this afternoon to stand up
12 and talk about your grandparents and talk about
13 their impact on your life. I think that would be
14 an important -- I think that would be an addition
15 to this great conversation that we're having here
16 this afternoon, because I think that only by
17 understanding these myriad of stories -- they add
18 to the tapestry of the diversity that we have
19 here in the great State of New York and our
20 understanding of our legislative missions here.
21 I certainly want to continue to have
22 this conversation, Mr. President, but for now I'm
23 going to pause in the interest of giving some of
24 my colleagues an opportunity to share their
25 vignettes. Thank you.
3757
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
2 you, Senator Parker.
3 Senator Díaz --
4 SENATOR DÍAZ: Thank you,
5 Mr. President.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: -- why do
7 you rise?
8 SENATOR DÍAZ: On the bill.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
10 Díaz on the bill.
11 SENATOR DÍAZ: I'm trying to -- no,
12 Mr. President, I am not planning to equalize the
13 time that my colleague took.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: I thank
15 you on behalf of everyone in the room.
16 (Laughter.)
17 SENATOR DÍAZ: Yes, and I think
18 that my colleague has proven to be better than
19 Senator Liz Krueger in speaking for a long time.
20 Ms. Krueger, there's a new champion in the house.
21 SENATOR KRUEGER: You're exactly
22 right.
23 SENATOR DÍAZ: So you're no longer
24 the champion.
25 Mr. President, on the bill, I'm
3758
1 standing here today to congratulate my colleague
2 Marisol Alcantara.
3 I am a senior citizen, 74 years old.
4 I have always been -- since I got elected, I have
5 always been trying to get in the Senior Citizen
6 Committee. When I was in the City Council I was
7 the chairman of the Senior Citizen Committee, and
8 here in Albany I've always been in the Senior
9 Citizen Committee.
10 Because in my district that I
11 represent, I serve 22 senior citizen centers, and
12 I know the problems they're facing -- rent, some
13 of them have to decide if they eat or pay rent,
14 if they buy their medicine or die, or if they
15 have to pay their utilities. So they have no
16 money to live.
17 When Marisol Alcantara, Senator
18 Alcantara comes here and presents a law like
19 that, a piece of legislation to be helpful to the
20 seniors, to go retroactive, I have to tip my hat
21 to Senator Alcantara. I have to tip my hat to
22 her and congratulate her, because that -- we
23 serve black and Hispanic senior citizens in our
24 districts. The majority of our districts are
25 black and Hispanic senior citizens. And we know
3759
1 how -- the things that they're going through. We
2 know how are they -- how they suffer every day.
3 So if we could help them to go
4 retroactive two years at least in SCRIE, I think
5 that is something very dignified. And we
6 shouldn't be asking what will be the financial
7 consequences to the city. We shouldn't be asking
8 those kinds of questions. Senior citizens have
9 given all their lives for our city and our state.
10 Senior citizens have worked hard.
11 Now we all, as Democrats, we always
12 say that we Democrats are the champions of the
13 poor and the needy. So we have one Democrat
14 here, Marisol Alcantara, championing for the
15 needy and the senior citizens.
16 So, Mr. President and ladies and
17 gentlemen, I'm proud to vote yes and I'm proud to
18 congratulate Marisol Alcantara on this
19 magnificent, beautiful, excellent piece of
20 legislation. Thank you very much.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
22 you, Senator Díaz.
23 Senator Rivera.
24 SENATOR RIVERA: Mr. President, I
25 only stand to talk for just a few minutes about
3760
1 how great this program is.
2 SCRIE and DRIE not only -- you
3 forgot DRIE, Senator Parker. SCRIE is actually
4 one of the golden standards as far as public
5 policy is concerned. We do it in our office all
6 the time, we have dozens of seniors who sign up.
7 I'm very thankful to Senator
8 Alcantara for bringing this to the floor, and I'm
9 voting in the affirmative.
10 Thank you, Mr. President.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
12 you, Senator Rivera.
13 Senator Bailey.
14 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
15 Mr. President. I will speak briefly on this.
16 I want to speak to what Senator
17 Alcantara said earlier about awareness. And I
18 think this is an excellent bill, Senator. I
19 think that what we should be doing is making sure
20 that -- you said, I think, less than half of the
21 seniors in the district that are eligible don't
22 apply. So I think that we need to make sure that
23 we're making more of an effort to reach more
24 seniors that are eligible for this great program.
25 I vote in the affirmative,
3761
1 Mr. President.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
3 Hamilton.
4 SENATOR HAMILTON: I just want to
5 commend State Senator Alcantara for this bill.
6 It's a fabulous bill.
7 In my office, full-time and
8 part-time employees have training in DRIE and
9 SCRIE. At least once a week I have a senior
10 coming into my office crying because they can't
11 pay their rent. And a lot of times SCRIE and
12 DRIE is the difference between someone having
13 money for food or not eating a particular week.
14 So it's a great idea. It's a great
15 law. You know, my office, we have so many senior
16 citizens coming in I have to bring in Brooklyn
17 Legal Services to handle the volume of seniors
18 who are feeling the crunch for housing in Central
19 Brooklyn.
20 So we need to do more for our
21 seniors in their golden years, and I think this
22 is a great bill. And I'm sure Senator Alcantara
23 will introduce more great bills for our seniors.
24 Thank you. I'm voting yes.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Seeing no
3762
1 other members wishing to be heard, the debate is
2 closed.
3 The Secretary will ring the bell.
4 Read the last section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
8 roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
11 the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
13 Absent from voting: Senators Hannon
14 and Larkin.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
16 is passed.
17 Senator Flanagan.
18 SENATOR FLANAGAN: Mr. President,
19 any of the bills that are on the calendar, lay
20 them aside for the balance of the day.
21 Is there any further business before
22 the house?
23 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: There is
24 no further business at the desk.
25 SENATOR FLANAGAN: We will
3763
1 reconvene tomorrow in session at 12:00 clock.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: On
3 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
4 Tuesday, June 13th, at 12:00 p.m.
5 (Whereupon, at 6:07 p.m., the Senate
6 adjourned.)
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