Regular Session - April 17, 2018
2071
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 April 17, 2018
11 3:27 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR FRED AKSHAR, Acting President
19 FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
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21
22
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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, please rise
5 and repeat with me the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: In the
9 absence of clergy, may we please bow our heads in
10 a moment of silence.
11 (Whereupon, the assemblage respected
12 a moment of silence.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Reading
14 of the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Monday,
16 April 16th, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Sunday, April 15th,
18 was read and approved. On motion, Senate
19 adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Without
21 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 Messages from the Governor.
25 Reports of standing committees.
2073
1 Reports of select committees.
2 Communications and reports from
3 state officers.
4 Motions and resolutions.
5 Mr. Floor Leader.
6 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO:
7 Mr. President, I'd like to call up Senate Print
8 723, by Senator Ortt, recalled from the Assembly,
9 which is now at the desk.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
11 Secretary will read.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 507, by Senator Ortt, Senate Print 723, an act to
14 amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
15 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I now move to
16 reconsider the vote by which this bill was
17 passed.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
19 roll on reconsideration.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 50.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
23 is restored to third reading.
24 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I now offer
25 the following amendments.
2074
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
2 amendments are received.
3 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Also, on
4 page 16 I offer the following amendments to
5 Calendar 272, Senate Print 6101A, by
6 Senator Funke, and ask that said bill retain its
7 place on the Third Reading Calendar.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
9 amendments are received, and the bill shall
10 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
11 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: I now move to
12 adopt the Resolution Calendar, with the exception
13 of Resolution 4743.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: All in
15 favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar, with
16 the exception of Resolution 4743, signify by
17 saying aye.
18 (Response of "Aye.")
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Opposed,
20 nay.
21 (No response.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
23 Resolution Calendar is adopted.
24 Floor Leader.
25 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Now,
2075
1 Mr. President, could you please call on Senator
2 Boyle for a brief introduction.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
4 Boyle.
5 SENATOR BOYLE: Thank you,
6 Mr. President and my colleagues.
7 As many of you know, this is Turkish
8 Cultural Day in Albany. It's something we look
9 forward to. It's the 13th annual Turkish Day
10 here in Albany. It's an exciting tradition we
11 look forward to each year. It's a celebration of
12 Turkish culture and food. We have a reception
13 later on that many of you know about.
14 But we have some special guests here
15 for this day. The first one I'd like to
16 introduce is the president of the Turkish
17 Cultural Center in New York, Sadri Altinok.
18 Gentlemen, if you could you stand
19 up. Thank you.
20 Also Goksel Guven, director of the
21 Turkish Cultural Center in Brooklyn. Good to see
22 you.
23 Veysel Ucan, director of the Turkish
24 Cultural Center in Albany.
25 Mehmet Ali Tetik, director of the
2076
1 Turkish Cultural Center in Long Island, a friend.
2 Good to see you.
3 Suleyman Aydogan, coordinator of the
4 Turkish Cultural Center in New York.
5 And we have a special guest, Enes
6 Kanter. Enes, you'll note, is a little taller
7 than the rest. That's because Enes is the center
8 for the New York Knicks.
9 For those of who you are not sports
10 fans, Enes is I believe the best rebounder in the
11 league, an All-Star we root for every Knicks
12 game. It's been a tough season, but it's going
13 to be a better one next year, I hope we all know.
14 And I would point out that Enes is
15 fearless. He's fearless on the court and off of
16 the court. And when I say off the court, it's
17 not just talking trash with LeBron James.
18 (Laughter.)
19 SENATOR BOYLE: Enes is a
20 champion -- for those of you who know about the
21 situation in Turkey, the human rights abuses by
22 the regime there -- if you don't know, please
23 Google it. Thousands and thousands in prison,
24 lost their jobs and worse. And Enes speaks his
25 mind at great risk to his personal safety.
2077
1 As a matter of fact, he was
2 traveling in Europe a few years ago, you may
3 remember, and they revoked his passport. He was
4 stuck in an airport in Romania.
5 And we thank him for what he does
6 every day, on the court and off the court. Enes,
7 I hope you are a Knick for many years to come,
8 but more importantly, I hope you continue to
9 fight for human rights in Turkey and throughout
10 the world.
11 Thank you all for coming, gentlemen.
12 (Standing ovation.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR:
14 Gentlemen, we welcome you to the New York State
15 Senate. Thank you for all that you do on a daily
16 basis for our communities and your respective
17 communities. We extend all of the privileges of
18 this house to you.
19 It's my understanding, Senator
20 Boyle, that Mr. Kanter will be available for
21 photographs in the Lieutenant Governor's office,
22 is that right?
23 SENATOR BOYLE: Yes. Absolutely.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR:
25 Wonderful. Thank you.
2078
1 Floor Leader?
2 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Can we now
3 take up previously adopted Resolution 3379, by
4 Senator Little, read it in its entirety, and call
5 on Senator Little to speak.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
7 Secretary will read.
8 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
9 Resolution Number 3379, by Senator Little,
10 mourning the death of David Strader, longtime
11 National Hockey League broadcaster, distinguished
12 citizen and proud member of his Glens Falls
13 community.
14 "WHEREAS, It is the custom of this
15 Legislative Body to pay tribute to outstanding
16 individuals who distinguished themselves through
17 their exceptional careers, attaining
18 unprecedented success and the highest level of
19 personal achievement; and
20 "WHEREAS, It is with feelings of
21 great sorrow and deepest regret that this
22 Legislative Body records the passing of David
23 Strader, well-known National Hockey League (NHL)
24 announcer, distinguished citizen and proud member
25 of his community, noting the significance of the
2079
1 loss of a man with immense talent and an
2 indomitable spirit; and
3 "WHEREAS, David Strader of
4 Glens Falls, New York, died on Sunday, October 1,
5 2017, at the age of 62; and
6 "WHEREAS, Born on February 24, 1955,
7 in Glens Falls, New York, David was the son of
8 the late Earl and Mary (Hoague) Strader; and
9 "WHEREAS, David Strader was a 1973
10 graduate of Glens Falls High School, where he was
11 a member of the 1972-1973 basketball team that
12 won the Class A Section II title and was later
13 named to the Glens Falls High School Hall of
14 Fame; and
15 "WHEREAS, In 1977, David Strader
16 graduated magna cum laude from UMass Amherst with
17 a degree in communications studies, where he was
18 also a member of the JV basketball team; and
19 "WHEREAS, While working at the
20 student radio station, David Strader pursued his
21 passion as a play-by-play announcer for UMass
22 basketball games; and
23 "WHEREAS, David Strader was
24 fortunate that a broadcasting opportunity
25 presented itself in his hometown; he had never
2080
1 even seen a live hockey game when he took the job
2 as the first voice of the Adirondack Red Wings in
3 1979; he soon became a two-time recipient of the
4 New York State Broadcaster Association Award;
5 this was the start of his hockey broadcasting
6 career that would span 35-plus years, including
7 30-plus years covering the NHL; and
8 "WHEREAS, Throughout his esteemed
9 career, David Strader was a play-by-play
10 announcer for the Detroit Red Wings, ESPN,
11 Florida Panthers, Phoenix Coyotes, NBC Sports and
12 the Dallas Stars; he was recently awarded two new
13 Emmys for his call of the Dallas Stars vs. Tampa
14 Bay Lightning game which was played on February
15 18, 2017; and
16 "WHEREAS, David Strader was also the
17 voice of over 100 consecutive Stanley Cup Final
18 Games for NHL International television between
19 1997 and 2015; his career included calling the
20 first regular season NHL games played outside
21 North America when the NHL played two games in
22 Japan ahead of the 1998 Nagano Olympics; and
23 "WHEREAS, David called Olympic
24 hockey at the 2006 Torino and 2014 Sochi Winter
25 Games, where he also called the Gold Medal Sled
2081
1 hockey game; and
2 "WHEREAS, One of his many career
3 highlights was calling the NHL's 2009 Winter
4 Classic at Wrigley Field in Chicago, but his two
5 biggest honors were recent; David Strader
6 received an Emmy Award, along with the rest of
7 the Dallas Stars TV crew, for their work on a
8 Stars 2016 playoff game against the Minnesota
9 Wild, and this June, it was announced he was the
10 recipient of the 2017 Foster Hewitt Memorial
11 Award for his outstanding contributions to the
12 field of broadcasting; moreover, he was inducted
13 into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in
14 November of 2017; and
15 "WHEREAS, In addition to all the
16 hockey he called throughout his distinguished
17 career, David Strader was happy when there was an
18 opportunity to return to his first love,
19 basketball; at ESPN, he called men's and women's
20 college hoops, WNBA and D League games; at NBC,
21 he also called men's college basketball as well
22 as basketball for the 2012 London Summer
23 Olympics; and
24 "WHEREAS, Although his career took
25 him to many different locations around the
2082
1 country, he always kept a home in his beloved
2 Glens Falls area; and
3 "WHEREAS, This exceptional man
4 distinguished himself in his profession and by
5 his sincere dedication and substantial
6 contribution to the welfare of his community; his
7 commitment to excellence, and his spirit of
8 humanity, carried over into all fields of
9 enterprise, including charitable and civic
10 endeavors; and
11 "WHEREAS, The most important event
12 of David Strader's life was on August 7, 1976,
13 when he married his high school sweetheart,
14 Colleen Casey; and
15 "WHEREAS, David Strader, who will be
16 remembered for his extraordinary sense of humor,
17 his one-liners, his silly song parodies and
18 always being the life of the party, enjoyed being
19 a member of the Glens Falls YMCA Noontime
20 Basketball League, playing golf, long bike rides,
21 and summers spent in Lake George on his boat with
22 family and friends; and
23 "WHEREAS, David Strader's greatest
24 source of happiness was his family; he was truly
25 a devoted husband, a loving father, a proud
2083
1 grandfather, and a man whose dedication to his
2 loved ones took precedence over all things; and
3 "WHEREAS, In addition to his
4 parents, David Strader was predeceased by his
5 in-laws, John and Jean (Fitzgerald) Casey; he is
6 survived by the love of his life and best friend,
7 his wife of 41 years, Colleen Strader; three
8 sons, Christopher (Karen) Strader, Trevor
9 Strader, and Casey (Dr. Mary) Strader; two
10 grandchildren, Sydney Strader and Charles
11 Strader; siblings, Dr. Steve (Becky) Strader,
12 Scott (Elizabeth) Strader, and Debbie (James)
13 Mazza; sister-in-law, Shawn (Peter) Woolford;
14 brother-in-law, Kevin (Mary Ann) Casey; and
15 numerous nieces and nephews and great-nieces and
16 great-nephews; as well as Colleen's wonderful
17 extended family, all of whom he was very close to
18 for more than 40 years; and
19 "WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic
20 spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion,
21 David Strader leaves behind a legacy which will
22 long endure the passage of time and will remain
23 as a comforting memory to all he served and
24 befriended; now, therefore, be it
25 "RESOLVED, That this Legislative
2084
1 Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the
2 death of David Strader, and to express its
3 deepest condolences to his family; and be it
4 further
5 "RESOLVED, That a copy of this
6 resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to
7 the family of David Strader."
8 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
9 Little on the resolution.
10 SENATOR LITTLE: Thank you,
11 Mr. President.
12 It's really a privilege and an honor
13 for me to have this resolution read into the
14 record for all of you to hear about and know a
15 little bit about David Strader, who is one of
16 Glens Falls, New York's certainly best and most
17 famous citizens.
18 David Strader is -- we are joined
19 today by his family, who I will introduce in a
20 moment. But as you can see, he was very involved
21 in athletics. But as even a high schooler and
22 younger, he became passionate about this
23 play-by-play announcing role that he took and was
24 known to even do a play-by-play announcement of a
25 pickup basketball game, whether it was at
2085
1 Crandall Park or whether it was in someone's
2 driveway, to the amusement of everyone who was
3 playing with him.
4 At the University of Massachusetts
5 at Amherst, he was able to become the announcer
6 for the basketball team there. As a student he
7 began and was doing it full-time. And his first
8 job as an announcer was in 1979, when the
9 Adirondack Red Wings came to Glens Falls,
10 New York, and made Glens Falls a hockey town. He
11 was our first announcer and went on to announce
12 for the NHL, receive all kinds of awards, as were
13 mentioned -- Emmys and the Hall of Fame, the
14 Hockey Hall of Fame, which was the highlight of
15 it.
16 But I think one of the best
17 acknowledgments of David Strader was in
18 Glens Falls where we named the broadcast box, the
19 press box at the Civic Center, now called the
20 Cool Insurance Center. And that's where he
21 started, as an announcer for the Adirondack Red
22 wings, and it is now called the Strader Broadcast
23 Box. So the press box there, and we will always
24 be able to remember him by that.
25 We're joined today by his family.
2086
1 Just first to know that in 2016, during his first
2 season with the Dallas Stars, David was diagnosed
3 with a very rare form of bile duct cancer and
4 received the love and support of the entire NHL
5 in his work to recover and do research on this
6 disease before he passed away.
7 His family joins us today: His wife
8 Colleen, his sons Chris, Casey and Trevor. And
9 Karen, who is Chris's wife, is also here, as well
10 as his granddaughter Sydney. And his friends
11 Peggy Barrett and Sita, who are with us today.
12 But I want to tell you, I had the
13 privilege and honor of attending the funeral of
14 David Strader at the First Presbyterian Church in
15 Glens Falls. And his son Trevor is a tenor, an
16 opera singer -- he graduated from the Eastman
17 School of Music and does musical theater as well
18 in New York City. And Trevor sang at his
19 father's funeral. And his dad, by the way, was a
20 huge, huge Beatles fan. And I just really want
21 to say I will never, ever forget the ending of
22 this funeral, because Trevor stood there in front
23 of an absolutely full church and sang "Let It
24 Be," and that was the end of the funeral.
25 So it is my privilege to have them
2087
1 here today and to honor the memory of David
2 Strader. He will be truly missed, as he is by
3 his family, but also by our community in
4 Glens Falls and the region, as well as the NHL
5 community. So he certainly will never be
6 forgotten.
7 And thank you to all my colleagues
8 for allowing us to have this resolution here
9 today. Thank you. And thank you.
10 If the family would just stand for a
11 moment, I'd like to introduce them. Thank you
12 very much for being here.
13 (Standing ovation.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
15 you, Senator Little.
16 To the Strader family, on behalf of
17 a grateful state, we offer our deepest
18 condolences to you on the loss of your beloved
19 husband, father and grandfather. Clearly by the
20 words in that resolution, he was a distinguished
21 and well-respected man in your community.
22 We offer all of the privileges and
23 the courtesies of this great house to you all.
24 Thank you.
25 Mr. Floor Leader.
2088
1 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Yes, that
2 resolution is open for cosponsorship. If you'd
3 like to do so, please notify the desk.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
5 resolution is open for cosponsorship. If you'd
6 like to be a cosponsor, please notify the desk.
7 Floor Leader.
8 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Can we now
9 take up previously adopted Resolution 3128, by
10 Senator Helming, read it in its entirety, and
11 call upon Senator Helming to speak.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
13 Secretary will read.
14 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
15 Resolution Number 3128, by Senator Helming,
16 congratulating the Lansing High School Boys
17 Varsity Soccer Team and Coach Benjamin Parkes
18 upon the occasion of capturing the New York State
19 Public High School Athletic Association Class C
20 Championship.
21 "WHEREAS, Individual and team
22 championships are highly sought after in high
23 school sports; this Legislative Body commends
24 rare athletic achievements and pays special
25 recognition to those who pursue such excellence
2089
1 and become examples for the youth of this great
2 Empire State; and
3 "WHEREAS, Athletic competition helps
4 to enhance both the moral and physical
5 development of young athletes, preparing them for
6 the future by instilling in them the importance
7 of teamwork, encouraging a standard of healthy
8 living, and developing a sense of fair play and
9 competition; and
10 "WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is
11 justly proud to congratulate the Lansing
12 High School Boys Varsity Soccer Team and Coach
13 Benjamin Parkes upon the occasion of capturing
14 the New York State Public High School Athletic
15 Association Class C Championship on Sunday,
16 November 12, 2017, at Middletown High School; and
17 "WHEREAS, To the praise and applause
18 of their excited fans, the Bobcats defeated
19 Byron-Bergen High School in a 2-1 victory to win
20 the championship; and
21 "WHEREAS, Proudly donning the
22 school's colors of blue and gold, family,
23 friends, and the community at large loyally and
24 enthusiastically supported the Bobcats throughout
25 their journey as they ended their season with an
2090
1 impressive 20-2 overall record; and --
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Excuse me
3 for just a moment.
4 Can I have some order in the house,
5 please. Thank you.
6 THE SECRETARY: -- "WHEREAS, In a
7 sport such as soccer, which demands athletic
8 prowess, speed and agility, Head Coach Benjamin
9 Parkes and his expert coaching staff worked hard
10 to hone the skills of this championship team,
11 teaching these outstanding athletes lessons which
12 will prove invaluable both on and off the field;
13 and
14 "WHEREAS, Coach Benjamin Parkes,
15 Assistant Coaches Dave Schlesinger and Brian
16 Streb, and all of the outstanding athletes on the
17 Lansing High School Boys Varsity Soccer Team have
18 clearly utilized dedication, determination and
19 teamwork in providing a lasting contribution to
20 the spirit of excellence which is a tradition of
21 their school; now, therefore, be it
22 "RESOLVED, That this Legislative
23 Body pause in its deliberations to congratulate
24 the members of the Lansing High School Boys
25 Varsity Soccer Team: Jack Yahn, Langston
2091
1 Hopkins, Lansing Miller, James Blair, Mason
2 Edwards, Taylor Overton, Josh Zajac, Jason
3 Littlefair, Nic Whittaker, Nick Parkes, Darius
4 Desnoes, Erik Goehler, Jacob Williamson, Aidan
5 Hulsebosch, Matt Weil, Joe Besemer, Ethan Burt,
6 Trey McDonald, Ethan Zemanick, Quinn Page, Henry
7 Myers, George Taylor, John Rogers and Matthew
8 Kirkwood; Head Coach Benjamin Parkes; and
9 Assistant Coaches Dave Schlesinger and Brian
10 Streb, on their outstanding season and overall
11 team record; and be it further
12 "RESOLVED, That copies of this
13 resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to
14 the members of the Lansing High School Boys
15 Varsity Soccer Team, Head Coach Benjamin Parkes,
16 and Assistant Coaches Dave Schlesinger and Brian
17 Streb."
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
19 Helming on the resolution.
20 SENATOR HELMING: Thank you,
21 Mr. President.
22 I rise proudly today to congratulate
23 and acknowledge the Lansing Bobcats Boys Varsity
24 Soccer Team, their head coach, Benji Parkes, and
25 Assistant Coaches Dave Schlesinger, Brian Streb,
2092
1 Jamie Saroka, and Eric Stickel, on capturing the
2 2017 New York State Class C Soccer Championship.
3 This has to be one of the
4 best-looking teams that we've had here in the
5 Senate chambers. Just look at those beautiful
6 blue jackets and those bow ties. You guys look
7 outstanding.
8 (Comments off the record.)
9 SENATOR HELMING: Purchased with
10 funds from their Booster Clubs and other private
11 donations.
12 This is a fantastic victory, not
13 only for the Boys Soccer players but also for the
14 entire Lansing community. School Superintendent
15 Chris Pettograsso, Athletic Director Stuart Dean,
16 the Lansing Sports Boosters, and everyone who has
17 supported the team over the last year.
18 It takes a truly special commitment,
19 a special sacrifice and a special belief in one
20 another to achieve greatness and success at the
21 highest level. These young men bought into that
22 message, and they bought into Coach Parkes' plan
23 to get them there.
24 Vince Lombardi once said: If we
25 chase perfection, we can catch excellence.
2093
1 And that is what exactly what this Bobcats team
2 accomplished this season.
3 The Bobcats finished their season
4 near perfect, with a 20-2 record and a
5 come-from-behind storybook ending. Five minutes
6 into the second overtime session, senior
7 midfielder Nick Parkes sent a low shot into the
8 left corner of the net to defeat Byron-Bergen 2-1
9 in the New York State championship. This is the
10 first state championship for Lansing Boys Soccer
11 and only the third ever for the Lansing Bobcats.
12 They've previously won state championships in
13 baseball in 2012 and in girls basketball in 2001.
14 However, there is something
15 especially inspiring about this soccer
16 championship. Last year the team and community
17 lost their beloved head coach of 20 seasons,
18 Adam Heck. Coach Heck passed in his sleep during
19 an overnight preseason trip with the team. He
20 was 42 years old.
21 It was truly incredible to see the
22 entire school and the community rally around this
23 team after Coach Heck's passing and support them
24 in their journey to the state championship.
25 Players and coaches dedicated this championship
2094
1 and their extraordinary season to Coach Heck.
2 I stand here today and I couldn't be
3 prouder to recognize all 24 of you, Coach Parkes
4 and the assistant coaches. You have undoubtedly
5 inspired an entire community in your journey to
6 overcome such a heartbreaking loss. As state
7 championships, you serve as role models to your
8 peers and will forever represent a spirit of
9 excellence in Lansing.
10 I wish you all continued success in
11 the future, both inside the classroom and on the
12 sports field. On behalf of the entire Lansing
13 community, this chamber, and the entire State of
14 New York, I'd like to congratulate you on an
15 incredible ending to a remarkable season. Go
16 Bobcats!
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
18 you, Senator Helming.
19 (Standing ovation.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
21 Seward wishes to be heard.
22 SENATOR SEWARD: Yes, thank you,
23 Mr. President.
24 When I was first elected to the
25 Senate, and for many years thereafter, Lansing
2095
1 was part of my Senate --
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Just a
3 little order, please. Thank you.
4 Senator Seward.
5 SENATOR SEWARD: -- Lansing was
6 previously part of my Senate district. And my
7 current district, we're neighbors, we border. I
8 have Groton and Dryden, which is in your
9 neighborhood -- probably a couple of teams you
10 may have beaten along the way on your path to the
11 state championship.
12 But I want to rise and join Senator
13 Helming and all the members of the Senate in
14 congratulating this Lansing Boys Soccer Team for
15 an outstanding season. The state champions. And
16 I would agree with Senator Helming, this group of
17 young men looks pretty sharp on and off the
18 soccer field.
19 And so I just want to rise as a
20 former Senator representing Lansing. I just want
21 to say congratulations, best wishes. All of
22 Tompkins County and the entire region is very,
23 very proud of you.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: To the
25 team, congratulations. We welcome you to the
2096
1 New York State Senate.
2 Again, congratulations on all of
3 your accomplishments. And we too extend all of
4 the courtesies and the privileges of this great
5 house to the team and to all your coaches and
6 your family. Thank you.
7 Mr. Floor Leader.
8 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: This
9 resolution is also open for cosponsorship.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
11 resolution is open for cosponsorship. If you'd
12 like to be a cosponsor, please notify the desk.
13 Floor Leader.
14 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Could we now
15 take up Resolution 4743, by Senator Hannon, read
16 the title only, and call on Senator Hannon to
17 speak.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
19 Secretary will read.
20 THE SECRETARY: Legislative
21 Resolution Number 4743, by Senator Hannon,
22 memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
23 proclaim April 2018 as Sexual Assault Awareness
24 Month in the State of New York.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Senator
2097
1 Hannon.
2 SENATOR HANNON: Mr. President, in
3 calling on the Governor to have April designated
4 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month brings a
5 certain note of seriousness that we don't usually
6 always have with resolutions.
7 Sexual assault harms our entire
8 community. Statistics show that once every
9 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.
10 And with the resolution today, I
11 just wanted to recall that what we have done on a
12 bipartisan basis in this chamber is to deal with
13 the crime of rape, deal with the enforcement of
14 the penalties that are attached to the statutes
15 of the State of New York.
16 This year in this budget we adopted
17 a 20-year maintenance of rape kits. We still
18 have to get the agreement of the Executive as to
19 where the location of those rape kits will be.
20 But certainly it's a significant improvement over
21 the 30 days of the current statute and the five
22 years that the Governor had originally proposed.
23 We've also in prior years, 2016,
24 required that all kits sent to law enforcement be
25 timely tested, in order that any type of serial
2098
1 perpetrators would ultimately be detected and
2 caught.
3 We have established a safe
4 telemedicine program this year to ensure that
5 hospitals can connect with providers trained to
6 provide forensic exams to the proper treatment of
7 victims. And we've said that all the rape
8 exams are going to be free from charge, not
9 subject to insurance coverage.
10 So we still need to do the Sexual
11 Assault Survivor Bill of Rights, but we need to
12 continue to move so that we protect all of our
13 citizens, obviously especially women, who are 98
14 percent of the sexual assault victims.
15 With that, I urge the adoption of
16 this resolution.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Thank
18 you, Senator Hannon.
19 The question is on the resolution.
20 All in favor signify by saying aye.
21 (Response of "Aye.")
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Opposed,
23 nay.
24 (No response.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
2099
1 resolution is adopted.
2 Mr. Floor Leader.
3 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: This
4 resolution is also open for cosponsorship.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
6 resolution is open for cosponsorship. If you'd
7 like to be a cosponsor, please notify the desk.
8 Floor Leader.
9 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Can we now
10 take up the noncontroversial reading of the
11 calendar.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The
13 Secretary will read.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 218, by Senator Griffo, Senate Print 3153, an act
16 to amend the General Business Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
25 the results.
2100
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
2 Senator Montgomery recorded in the negative.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 247, by Senator Amedore, Senate Print 898, an act
7 to amend the Mental Hygiene Law.
8 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Lay the bill
9 aside for the day, please.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
11 will be laid aside for the day.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 295, by Senator Ortt, Senate Print 397B, an act
14 to amend the Education 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, 59. Nays, 1.
25 Senator DeFrancisco recorded in the negative.
2101
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
2 is passed.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 554, by Senator Ritchie, Senate Print 7838A, an
5 act to amend the Education Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
17 is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 657, by Senator Serino, Senate Print 6431A, an
20 act to amend the Retirement and Social Security
21 Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
23 last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
25 act shall take effect immediately.
2102
1 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 689, by Senator Lanza, Senate Print 2637A, an act
11 to amend the Education 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, 60.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 729, by Senator Golden, Senate Print 4420A, an
2103
1 act to amend the Insurance Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 9. This
5 act shall take effect on the 270th day.
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, 59. Nays, 1.
12 Senator DeFrancisco recorded in the negative.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: The bill
14 is passed.
15 Senator DeFrancisco, that completes
16 the noncontroversial reading of the calendar.
17 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Is there any
18 further business at the desk?
19 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: No
20 further business.
21 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: In that case,
22 I move to adjourn until Wednesday, April 18, at
23 11:00 a.m.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT AKSHAR: On
25 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
2104
1 Wednesday, April 18th, at 11:00 a.m.
2 (Whereupon, at 3:59 p.m., the Senate
3 adjourned.)
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