Regular Session - March 5, 2019
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1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
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3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
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9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 March 5, 2019
11 3:34 p.m.
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13
14 REGULAR SESSION
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18 SENATOR SHELLEY MAYER, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The Senate
3 will come to order.
4 I ask everyone present to please
5 rise and repeat with me the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: In the
9 absence of clergy, I ask that everyone bow their
10 head in a moment of silent reflection or prayer.
11 (Whereupon, the assemblage respected
12 a moment of silence.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
14 reading of the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Monday,
16 March 4, 2019, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Sunday, March 3,
18 2019, was read and approved. On motion, Senate
19 adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Without
21 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 The Secretary will read.
25 THE SECRETARY: On page 13,
1325
1 Senator Myrie moves to discharge, from the
2 Committee on Elections, Assembly Bill 111 and
3 substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 3140,
4 Third Reading Calendar 163.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:
6 Substitution so ordered.
7 Messages from the Governor.
8 Reports of standing committees.
9 Reports of select committees.
10 Communications and reports from
11 state officers.
12 Motions and resolutions.
13 Senator Gianaris.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
15 Madam President.
16 On behalf of Senator Comrie, on
17 page 12 I offer the following amendments to
18 Calendar 149, Senate Print 1870A, and ask that
19 said bill retain its place on Third Reading
20 Calendar.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
22 amendments are received, and the bill shall
23 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
24 Senator Gianaris.
25 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
1326
1 I now move to adopt the Resolution Calendar, with
2 the exception of Resolution 595.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: All in
4 favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar, with
5 the exception of Resolution 595, please signify
6 by saying aye.
7 (Response of "Aye.")
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Opposed?
9 (No response.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
11 Resolution Calendar is adopted.
12 Senator Gianaris.
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
14 can we now please take up Senate Resolution 595,
15 by Leader Stewart-Cousins, read the resolution in
16 its entirety, and call on Senator Stavisky to be
17 heard.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
19 Secretary will read.
20 THE SECRETARY: Senate Resolution
21 Number 595, by Senator Stewart-Cousins,
22 memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to
23 proclaim March 2019 as Women's History Month in
24 the State of New York.
25 "WHEREAS, March is Women's History
1327
1 Month; and
2 "WHEREAS, March 8th is International
3 Women's Day; and
4 "WHEREAS, Each year New York State
5 officially sets aside time to recognize the
6 unique contributions that New York women have
7 made to New York State and beyond; and
8 "WHEREAS, New York State has a
9 distinguished history of monumental achievements
10 in the area of women's rights; and
11 "WHEREAS, In 1826, New York State
12 opened one of the first public high schools for
13 girls resulting in a future for women in which
14 they were no longer confined to the home, a
15 future in which they were educated and able to
16 use this education to better their social and
17 economic status; and
18 "WHEREAS, In 1848 in New York, the
19 first women's rights convention was held at
20 Seneca Falls to secure for all women the right to
21 vote; and
22 "WHEREAS, In 1903, the Women's Trade
23 Union League of New York was formed to represent
24 working women, later becoming the nucleus for the
25 International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union; and
1328
1 "WHEREAS, In 1917, New York
2 guaranteed women the right to vote in all
3 elections and in the following year the first two
4 women, Ida Sammis and Mary Lilly, were elected to
5 the New York State Legislature and became the
6 first women to then serve in 1919; and
7 "WHEREAS, In 1955, Bessie Buchanan
8 was the first African-American woman to serve in
9 the New York State Legislature; and
10 "WHEREAS, In 1967, Muriel Siebert
11 became the first woman to own a seat on the
12 New York Stock Exchange, opening the door for
13 women to gain positions of greater economic
14 power; and
15 "WHEREAS, In 1968, New York State
16 Assemblywoman Shirley Chisholm became the first
17 black woman elected to Congress and in 1972, she
18 ran for President of the United States, another
19 first for black women; and
20 "WHEREAS, In 1970, New York City was
21 the site of the first Women's Strike for
22 Equality, in which 50,000 people marched for
23 equal rights; and
24 "WHEREAS, In 1978, Olga Mendez
25 became the first Latina woman to serve in the
1329
1 New York State Legislature; and
2 "WHEREAS, In 1983, New York State
3 women legislators established the Legislative
4 Women's Caucus to improve the participation of
5 women in all areas of government, support issues
6 that benefit women and provide a network of
7 support for women in the State Legislature; and
8 "WHEREAS, In 2007, Ellen Young was
9 the first Asian-American woman to serve in the
10 New York State Legislature; and
11 "WHEREAS, In 2009, New Yorker Sonia
12 Sotomayor became the first Hispanic Justice
13 appointed to the United States Supreme Court; and
14 "WHEREAS, In 2015, New Yorker
15 Loretta Elizabeth Lynch was appointed as
16 Attorney General of the United States, becoming
17 the first African-American woman to serve in this
18 esteemed position; and
19 "WHEREAS, New York has been the home
20 of many extraordinary women who have led society
21 to a better future: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and
22 Susan B. Anthony led the campaign for women's
23 suffrage; Sojourner Truth spoke out for the
24 abolition of slavery and for suffrage for all
25 women; and
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1 "WHEREAS, Carrie Chapman Catt became
2 the first president of the League of Women
3 Voters; Emma Willard opened the first endowed
4 institution for the education of women; Civil War
5 surgeon Dr. Mary E. Walker was the only woman
6 ever awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor;
7 Harriet Tubman was an abolitionist who led slaves
8 to freedom by way of the Underground Railroad in
9 the 19th century; and
10 "WHEREAS, Elizabeth Blackwell and
11 Belva Lockwood were the first women in the fields
12 of medicine and law; pioneer birth control
13 educator and advocate Margaret Sanger established
14 a research center in New York City; and
15 "WHEREAS, Emma Goldman founded the
16 Free Speech League, which led to the American
17 Civil Liberties Union; humanitarian Eleanor
18 Roosevelt served as United States delegate to the
19 United Nations; and
20 "WHEREAS, New Yorker Edith Windsor
21 fought to expand marriage equality in the
22 United States prior to the Marriage Equality Act
23 of New York, which became law in 2011; and
24 "WHEREAS, Civil rights lawyer and
25 New York State Senator Constance Baker Motley
1331
1 became the first black woman to sit on the U.S.
2 District Court in New York, and there have been
3 so many more known and unknown women who
4 championed rights and opportunity for all; and
5 "WHEREAS, New York State has hosted
6 many conventions, campaigns and events of the
7 Women's Rights Movement, from the 1848 convention
8 at Seneca Falls to the 1999 Berkshire Conference
9 of Women Historians, which was held to improve
10 the status of women in history and in the
11 historical professions; and
12 "WHEREAS, 50 percent of statewide
13 elected officials are women, and for the first
14 time women are serving as Attorney General in the
15 State of New York; and
16 "WHEREAS, 2019 marks the 100th
17 anniversary of women serving in the New York
18 State Legislature; and
19 "WHEREAS, Today, 70 women serve in
20 the New York State Legislature, making up 33
21 percent of the seats, holding leadership
22 positions in both houses and bringing the diverse
23 experiences of women into law and public policy,
24 the largest class of women in the history of
25 New York; now, therefore, be it
1332
1 "RESOLVED, That this Legislative
2 Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize
3 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim March 2019,
4 as Women's History Month in the State of
5 New York; and be it further
6 "RESOLVED, That copies of this
7 resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to
8 the Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the
9 State of New York, and the Legislative Women's
10 Caucus of New York State."
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
12 Stavisky on the resolution.
13 SENATOR STAVISKY: Thank you.
14 And I particularly thank you,
15 Madam President, for presiding today. I think
16 it's appropriate that we have one of our women
17 presiding over the Senate, as has occurred in the
18 past.
19 We've heard a lot of important
20 dates, a lot of important events that have
21 transpired, and to that we pay homage to our
22 foremothers -- our foreparents. There are some
23 other dates I think that are important, but one
24 that was mentioned here was the founding of what
25 was then called the Troy Female Seminary by
1333
1 Emma Willard, right across the river in Troy.
2 And Emma Willard said women are the
3 companions, not the satellites of men, and that
4 was said in 1819. Now, if she recognized it in
5 1819, 200 years ago, then I think society is
6 finally recognizing this as well.
7 But there are some other dates. You
8 mentioned the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848.
9 The fact that in 1917, women were permitted to
10 vote in New York State -- and it took another
11 three years until we passed the 19th Amendment
12 allowing women to vote throughout the country.
13 And two years later, two women are
14 elected to the New York State Assembly, one a
15 Democrat from New York and the other a Republican
16 from Suffolk County. But it wasn't until 1934
17 that Rhoda Fox Graves became the first Senator to
18 serve in the New York State Senate, and she was
19 from St. Lawrence County.
20 But to me, the most significant date
21 was in 2018, with the election of the first woman
22 Majority Leader in the New York State Senate:
23 Andrea Stewart-Cousins. That, to me, signifies
24 that people can serve the state regardless of
25 gender, regardless of ethnicity, of race, of
1334
1 religion, whatever. People choose to support
2 someone because of the quality of their work, not
3 what they look like.
4 And so we celebrate Women's History
5 Month this month, but quite frankly we ought to
6 be celebrating Women's History Month every month.
7 And it's not until Women's History Month is no
8 longer necessary that we will have achieved full
9 equality in this state.
10 So Madam President -- and I love
11 saying "Madam President" -- we're delighted to
12 see you presiding over a chamber filled with more
13 women than any other time in our history.
14 Thank you, Madam President.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
16 Senator Stavisky.
17 Senator Bailey on the resolution.
18 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
19 Madam President.
20 I rise today in support, in strong
21 support of this resolution. And I would be
22 remiss if I did not name our leader first and
23 foremost in the phenomenal women category here in
24 Women's History Month.
25 Madam President, it's great to see
1335
1 you presiding today.
2 I was very excited that we were in
3 the majority, not just to be able to do great
4 things, but because I'm in a permanent minority
5 in my house. You see, the majority of my house
6 is women, my wife Giamara and my daughters Giada
7 and Carina, they make up a veto-proof block of
8 votes in my house.
9 So women run my world. And they do
10 run the world, if you ask Beyoncé, because she
11 said famously, Who runs the world? Girls.
12 And women are leaders, they're
13 natural leaders. Not just Leader
14 Stewart-Cousins, a world-class leader in her own
15 right, able to shepherd this conference into
16 doing great things in the state, but my youngest
17 daughter, Carina.
18 Her name is Carina Veronica Maria
19 Bailey, and we call her Carina. But she's
20 decided that she's going to call herself Rina.
21 Everybody follows what Rina says. I refer to her
22 now as Rina. If she has the ability to lead at 2
23 years old, imagine the possibilities of what she
24 can do when she's 22, 32 or 42. Who knows if --
25 maybe she'll be the leader in this house one
1336
1 great day.
2 I'd like to thank my grandmothers,
3 Lena and Flora, for inspiring me as nurses -- not
4 just taking care of patients, but taking care of
5 me. My amazing mom, Elmertine, who always knew
6 better for me than I did. And there isn't much
7 else I can say about a mother's love.
8 And speaking of a mother's love,
9 there's no better woman right now in my life than
10 my wife Giamara, who is able to work a full-time
11 job as an incredible attorney and go home and
12 deal with two very energetic children after a
13 long work day while I'm up here doing the
14 people's business. And I salute her and I love
15 her every day for that, Madam President.
16 There's a -- I want to make sure I
17 name my aunts, or else they'll get mad at me. My
18 Aunts Esther, Sherry, Barbara, Andrea, Eleanor
19 and Michelle, thank you for everything that you
20 do. To my cousins -- I'm not going down that
21 rabbit hole, Madam President, there's way too
22 many of them, but I appreciate them all.
23 There was a hip-hop song a few years
24 back called "You Make Me Better." And there was
25 a theme that women inevitably make the lives of
1337
1 the men around them much better. And that's
2 certainly the case with me, Madam President.
3 There was a line that I'm going to
4 reference here that was very important. And the
5 individual, he said: "I'm going to need Coretta
6 Scott if I'm going to be king. I'm a movement by
7 myself, but I'm a force when we're together."
8 And that is true of the women in my life.
9 And to my wife Giamara, once again,
10 to conclude, I salute you. Thank you for what
11 you do.
12 And thank you, Madam President.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
14 Senator Bailey.
15 Senator May on the resolution.
16 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
17 Madam President.
18 Susan B. Anthony was mentioned,
19 and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, but I'd like to talk
20 about another woman who stands side by side with
21 them: Matilda Joslyn Gage, who was born in
22 Cicero, New York, just north of Syracuse.
23 She was one of the three mothers of
24 the women's rights movement and the movement for
25 women's suffrage, but she's often left out of the
1338
1 history books because she was a little too
2 radical for them and refused to compromise on a
3 lot of the different political issues that they
4 were willing to compromise on.
5 And so she is someone I admire
6 enormously. She was not only an advocate for
7 women's rights, she was -- her house was a
8 station on the Underground Railroad. She became
9 very close to a lot of Native American women.
10 She recognized that the Haudenosaunee women in
11 Central New York had an enormous amount of power
12 within their own communities and the
13 Haudenosaunee politics, and she took their
14 example as something that other women should
15 follow.
16 She was also the mother-in-law of
17 Frank Baum, who wrote the Oz books, and he
18 modeled his strong female heroine on his
19 mother-in-law.
20 So she had a great impact on women's
21 rights in the 19th century. The Matilda Joslyn
22 Gage Foundation now exists in my -- just near my
23 district, to advance leadership skills in young
24 women. And they have taken young women across
25 the world to learn about women's leadership.
1339
1 So I would like to add Matilda
2 Joslyn Gage to the illustrious names that were
3 mentioned in this resolution, and I support this
4 resolution wholeheartedly.
5 Thank you.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
7 Senator May.
8 The question is on the resolution.
9 All in favor signify by saying aye.
10 (Response of "Aye.")
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Opposed?
12 (No response.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
14 resolution is adopted.
15 Senator Gianaris.
16 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
17 at the request of Leader Stewart-Cousins, that
18 resolution is open for cosponsorship.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
20 resolution is open for cosponsorship. Should you
21 choose not to be a cosponsor of the resolution,
22 please notify the desk.
23 Senator Gianaris.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
25 just to inform my colleagues of the plan for the
1340
1 remainder of the day, we will be calling a
2 meeting of the Higher Education Committee and
3 then continue to dispatch the reading of the
4 calendar while that committee meeting is taking
5 place, after which the committee will produce a
6 resolution of Regents that we're going to take
7 up, as well as any controversial items off the
8 calendar.
9 So with that, can we please call an
10 immediate meeting of the Higher Education
11 Committee in Room 332 and then proceed to take up
12 the reading of the calendar.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There will
14 be an immediate meeting of the Higher Education
15 Committee in Room 332.
16 The Secretary will read.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 160, Senate Print 2300A, by Senator Kavanagh, an
19 act to amend the Election Law.
20 SENATOR GRIFFO: Lay it aside.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
22 will be laid aside.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 161, Senate Print 2333, by Senator Kavanagh, an
25 act to amend the Election Law.
1341
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
4 act shall take effect January 12, 2020.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
11 Calendar 161, those Senators recorded in the
12 negative are Senators Akshar, Funke, Gallivan,
13 Helming, O'Mara, Ranzenhofer and Ritchie.
14 Ayes, 51. Nays, 7.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 162, Senate Print 3134, by Senator Myrie, an act
19 to amend the Election Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
23 act shall take effect on the first of January
24 next succeeding the date on which it shall have
25 become a law.
1342
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
7 Calendar 162, those Senators recorded in the
8 negative are Senators Akshar, Amedore, Griffo,
9 O'Mara and Ranzenhofer.
10 Ayes, 53. Nays, 5.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar 163,
14 Assembly Bill Number 111, substituted earlier by
15 Assemblymember Buchwald, an act to amend the
16 Election Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect on the 15th of December
21 next succeeding the date on which it shall have
22 become a law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
1343
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 163, those Senators recorded in the
5 negative are Senators Akshar, Amedore, Flanagan,
6 Lanza and O'Mara.
7 Ayes, 53. Nays, 5.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 164, Senate Print 3145, by Senator Myrie, an act
12 to amend the Election Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
16 act shall take effect on the 15th of December
17 next succeeding the date on which it shall have
18 become a law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
25 Calendar 164, those Senators recorded in the
1344
1 negative are Senators Akshar and Amedore.
2 Ayes, 56. Nays, 2.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 165, Senate Print 3167, by Senator Myrie, an act
7 to amend the Election Law.
8 SENATOR GRIFFO: Lay it aside.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Lay it
10 aside.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 166, Senate Print 3697, by Senator Gounardes, an
13 act to amend the Election Law.
14 SENATOR GRIFFO: Lay it aside.
15 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside for
16 the day, please.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
18 will be laid aside for the day.
19 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
20 reading of today's calendar.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
22 I understand the Higher Education Committee is
23 wrapping up its business. Can we just stand at
24 ease for a few minutes while they return.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The Senate
1345
1 will stand at ease.
2 (Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease
3 at 3:34 p.m.)
4 (Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at
5 3:59 p.m.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
7 Senate will return to order.
8 Senator Gianaris.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
10 if we can return to motions and resolutions, I
11 believe there is a privileged resolution at the
12 desk.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Motions
14 and resolutions.
15 There is a privileged resolution at
16 the desk.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Can we take up
18 that resolution, read the title, and recognize
19 Senator Stavisky on the resolution.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
21 Secretary will read.
22 THE SECRETARY: Senator Mayer moves
23 to take up privileged Assembly Concurrent
24 Resolution Number 130, substitute it for the
25 identical Senate Concurrent Resolution 569, and
1346
1 move for its immediate adoption.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
3 substitution is so ordered.
4 The Secretary will read.
5 THE SECRETARY: Assembly Resolution
6 Number 130, by Assemblymember Benedetto,
7 Concurrent Resolution of the Senate and Assembly
8 providing for the election of four Regents of the
9 University of the State of New York.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
11 Stavisky on the resolution.
12 SENATOR STAVISKY: Thank you,
13 Mr. President.
14 For the past 235 years, New York
15 State has been electing Regents, going back to
16 the days of the early Regents with Alexander
17 Hamilton and John Jay. And their service as
18 Regents of the State of New York demonstrates the
19 uniqueness of how education policy is made in
20 New York State. I don't think there's anywhere
21 else in the country where the Regents are
22 selected and they select the Commissioner of
23 Education.
24 In fact, we're doing this today in a
25 concurrent resolution with the Assembly. And I
1347
1 was asked at the committee meeting when was the
2 last time it was done, and the answer is 2010 we
3 had a concurrent resolution.
4 And the education policy issues that
5 are so important are being put forth by four of
6 the Regents whom we selected -- they're
7 incumbents whom we selected just a few minutes
8 ago. And so we thank them for their service, we
9 thank the Regents.
10 And thank you, Mr. President.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
12 Mayer on the resolution.
13 SENATOR MAYER: Thank you,
14 Mr. President.
15 It's my honor to speak in favor of
16 this resolution to reappoint four distinguished
17 members of the Board of Regents that I have had
18 the opportunity to observe and in many cases work
19 with them over the years that I served in the
20 Assembly on the Education Committee: Wade
21 Norwood, Dr. James Cottrell, the Honorable
22 Josephine Victoria Finn, and Dr. Christine D.
23 Cea.
24 All four of these individuals serve
25 in a body that really matters to the students and
1348
1 parents of our state. I think some people forget
2 that educational policy is made by the Board of
3 Regents in a thoughtful and deliberative way.
4 They try their very best to achieve consensus. I
5 recommend that members actually attend their
6 meetings and hear the thoughtful conversations
7 they have about matters of educational policy,
8 governance, licensure, and the other issues that
9 are before the Board of Regents.
10 We're really very, very fortunate to
11 have a group of volunteers who put their years of
12 experience but, more important, their commitment
13 to our students and our parents and the sense
14 that New York deserves the highest-quality
15 education for every student in this state.
16 And I'm very proud that we're
17 putting forth this joint resolution with the
18 Assembly. I think it shows that we are prepared
19 to move ahead and ensure that the Regents have
20 the ability and our confidence to do their jobs
21 independently. Not to say that we won't
22 disagree -- and I know we have and we will.
23 But that being said, we are very
24 fortunate to have a body of Regents that are
25 committed to the people of this state to
1349
1 achieving the highest educational level. After
2 all, we all agree that education is the best path
3 to the middle class and we wish that every child
4 and every adult has all the skills they need in
5 order to succeed.
6 So I'm very pleased to speak on
7 behalf of this resolution, and I encourage all my
8 colleagues to vote in the affirmative.
9 Thank you.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
11 question is on the resolution.
12 The Secretary will call the roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
15 Announce the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
17 Assembly Resolution 130, those Senators recorded
18 in the negative are Senators Akshar, Amedore,
19 Antonacci, Flanagan, Gallivan, Helming, Jacobs,
20 Jordan, Lanza, O'Mara, Ortt, Ranzenhofer, Serino
21 and Tedisco. Also Senator Boyle.
22 Ayes, 45. Nays, 15.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
24 resolution is adopted.
25 Senator Gianaris.
1350
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
2 can we now proceed to take up the two bills that
3 were previously laid aside, starting with
4 Calendar 160, by Senator Kavanagh.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: We will
6 return to the controversial calendar.
7 The Secretary will ring the bell.
8 The Secretary will read.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 160, Senate Print 2300A, by Senator Kavanagh, an
11 act to amend the Election Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
13 Griffo, why do you rise?
14 SENATOR GRIFFO: Mr. President, I
15 believe there's an amendment at the desk. I
16 would waive the reading of that amendment and ask
17 that Senator Akshar be recognized for an
18 explanation.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Thank
20 you, Senator Griffo.
21 Upon review of the amendment, in
22 accordance with Rule 6, Section 4B, I rule it
23 nongermane and out of order at this time.
24 SENATOR GRIFFO: Accordingly,
25 Mr. President, I would appeal that ruling and ask
1351
1 that Senator Akshar be recognized.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
3 appeal has been made and recognized, and
4 Senator Akshar may be heard.
5 SENATOR AKSHAR: Mr. President,
6 thank you very much for your indulgence. I
7 appreciate it.
8 To say I'm shocked would be a lie,
9 but I am quite frankly a little confused as to
10 why you've ruled that way. I'm certainly not
11 seeking, by way of this amendment, to change any
12 of the language; I'm simply trying to find a way
13 to pay for the proposal.
14 So the hostile amendment in regards
15 to the bill-in-chief on the Voter Friendly Ballot
16 Act would do two things. Number one, it would
17 establish a New York State early voting and voter
18 friendly ballot act fund in the joint custody of
19 the State Comptroller and the Commissioner of
20 Taxation and Finance, which would consist of all
21 revenues received from the Abandoned Property
22 Fund.
23 And number two, it would provide for
24 payments to Boards of Elections from such funds
25 so as to pay for the cost of early voting as well
1352
1 as any personal or capital costs incurred as a
2 result of compliance with the provisions of this
3 bill-in-chief.
4 The amendment is clearly germane to
5 the bill-in-chief, as it would provide a specific
6 source and mechanism of funding to local
7 governments to pay for these enormous unfunded
8 mandates that continue to come from this house.
9 And those unfunded mandates are contained in both
10 the bill-in-chief as well as the early voting
11 program.
12 By its very terms, the bill-in-chief
13 would make wholesale amendments to Article 7 of
14 the Election Law, to require local Boards of
15 Elections, in a stated effort to improve the
16 readability and administration of special,
17 primary and general elections and the ballots and
18 mechanisms under which such elections are
19 conducted.
20 Without this amendment, the
21 bill-in-chief would again impose a large and
22 significant unfunded mandate upon counties and
23 the Board of Elections. This amendment would
24 address this problem by requiring state funding
25 to localities for the impact of its provisions.
1353
1 It is for those reasons that this bill is
2 incredibly germane.
3 And I am encouraging my colleagues
4 on the other side of the aisle to vote with me
5 and ensure that we are paying for the things
6 which we believe to be appropriate.
7 Thank you, Mr. President.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Thank
9 you, Senator Akshar.
10 I want to remind the house that the
11 vote is on the procedures of the house and the
12 ruling of the chair.
13 Those in favor of overruling the
14 chair signify by saying aye.
15 SENATOR GRIFFO: Show of hands,
16 please.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: A show
18 of hands has been requested and so ordered.
19 (Show of hands.)
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 21.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
22 ruling of the chair stands, and the bill-in-chief
23 is before the house.
24 Senator Gianaris.
25 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
1354
1 without objection, can we restore this bill to
2 the noncontroversial calendar and take it up.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Without
4 objection, so ordered.
5 Read the last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 17. This
7 act shall take effect immediately.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
9 the roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
12 Senator Akshar to explain his vote.
13 SENATOR AKSHAR: Thank you,
14 Mr. President.
15 You know, I can't help but think of
16 a conversation on the floor of the Senate that
17 Senator Myrie and I had about another elections
18 bill, and we talked specifically about the
19 importance of that bill and not only how it was
20 going to impact everyday New Yorkers, but more
21 importantly that it was going to be the will of
22 this body to ensure that we were appropriately
23 funding these reforms that we're making to the
24 election system.
25 And sadly, what we're seeing again
1355
1 today is becoming a pattern of this house, which
2 makes it even more disappointing that the members
3 of the Majority voted against the amendment which
4 sought to provide funding for this.
5 I'm not suggesting for a moment that
6 we shouldn't be advancing this particular issue.
7 I'm suggesting that we should pay for it. Just
8 like we should pay for early voting, just like we
9 should pay for what's before us now.
10 I think we have a significant
11 problem, not only in this house but in this
12 state, in which elected officials put forth
13 policy that we think is good for everyday
14 New Yorkers, good for local governments, and we
15 force it down their throat. We mandate that they
16 to have to go a certain direction, we mandate
17 that they have to do certain things, but we don't
18 pay for it. And I think that we should all be
19 ashamed of ourselves when we do things like that.
20 It's for that reason and many others
21 I'm voting no.
22 Thank you, Mr. President.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
24 Akshar to be recorded in the negative.
25 Senator Kavanagh to explain his
1356
1 vote.
2 SENATOR KAVANAGH: Thank you,
3 Mr. President.
4 This bill today is once again part
5 of a number of bills that we are taking up that
6 really add to this house's already great record
7 of moving forward decisively to strengthen our
8 democracy.
9 This bill, far from the comments of
10 my esteemed colleague from the other side of the
11 aisle, is not a new set of mandates on
12 localities. Rather, it is a comprehensive reform
13 of a set of confusing and conflicting mandates
14 that are already in the Election Law.
15 The Election Law has numerous
16 provisions that have piled up over time that
17 specify how ballots need to be designed and
18 printed and reviewed and certified before voters
19 can use them. Many of those provisions are in
20 conflict; many of them are difficult to
21 implement; and indeed, many of them include
22 specific mandates that localities have to follow
23 in order to make ballots that comply with state
24 law.
25 This bill provides greater
1357
1 flexibility for localities, it provides greater
2 usability for voters, and especially in places
3 like New York, where a great many races might be
4 on the same ballot, where there may be a great
5 many languages on the same ballot. It has been a
6 very big problem in our state that people go to
7 the polls trying to exercise this most basic of
8 rights in our democracy and they are confused by
9 a document that any reasonable person would say
10 is confusing.
11 This cleans this up. It's a big
12 step forward. We've worked for many years to get
13 this right. This bill was carried on the other
14 side of the aisle for a number of years by our
15 former colleague Senator Golden. It is a great
16 day that we're moving it forward.
17 And I join my colleagues on both
18 sides of the aisle in recognizing the need to
19 continue to fund the administration of elections.
20 This bill doesn't add any particular new
21 obligations, but I've joined many in saying we
22 should be funding through the budget process
23 early voting and some other provisions that have
24 been and will be before us before the end of the
25 session.
1358
1 But I vote in the affirmative.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
3 Kavanagh to be recorded in the affirmative.
4 Announce the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
6 Calendar 160, those Senators recorded in the
7 negative are Senators Akshar, Amedore, Antonacci,
8 Boyle, Flanagan, Funke, Gallivan, Griffo,
9 Helming, Jacobs, Jordan, Lanza, LaValle, O'Mara,
10 Ortt, Ritchie, Robach, Serino, Seward and
11 Tedisco.
12 Ayes, 40. Nays, 20.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
14 bill is passed.
15 The Secretary will read Calendar
16 Number 165, controversial.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 165, Senate Print 3167, by Senator Myrie, an act
19 to amend the Election Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
21 Griffo, why do you rise?
22 SENATOR GRIFFO: Mr. President, I
23 believe there's an amendment at the desk. I
24 waive the reading of that amendment and ask that
25 you call upon Senator Ranzenhofer for an
1359
1 explanation.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Thank
3 you, Senator Griffo.
4 Upon review of the amendment, in
5 accordance with Rule 6, Section 4B, I rule it
6 nongermane and out of order at this time.
7 SENATOR GRIFFO: Accordingly,
8 Mr. President, I appeal that ruling and ask that
9 you recognize Senator Ranzenhofer to be heard.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
11 appeal has been made and recognized, and
12 Senator Ranzenhofer may be heard.
13 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Thank you,
14 Mr. President.
15 This amendment is germane to the
16 bill-in-chief because it proposes to amend the
17 same sections of Election Law and both the
18 bill-in-chief and the amendment deal with
19 government participant contributions.
20 While the bill-in-chief deals with
21 state government contracts, this amendment would
22 include state, county and local government
23 contracts. While I applaud the sponsor for
24 applying these restrictions to businesses and
25 individuals seeking a state government contract,
1360
1 I do not think the appearance of inappropriate
2 behavior only relates to state contracts.
3 Additionally, this amendment would
4 take the restricted participation contribution
5 period from six months after a contract is
6 awarded to one year. By expanding the restricted
7 participation contribution period, this amendment
8 would help quell public cynicism and distrust of
9 the process of how public bodies make decisions.
10 This amendment would help strengthen
11 the proposed legislation and bring public trust
12 to the government procurement process.
13 Finally, the one-year prohibition is
14 the identical bill to one passed last year, and
15 to weaken the bill shows that the Senate is
16 backtracking from where it stood on this position
17 last year. I would ask my colleagues to vote in
18 favor of the amendment.
19 Thank you, Mr. President.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Thank
21 you, Senator.
22 I want to remind the house that the
23 vote is on the procedures of the house and the
24 ruling of the chair.
25 Those in favor of overruling the
1361
1 chair signify by saying aye.
2 SENATOR GRIFFO: Show of hands,
3 Mr. President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: A show
5 of hands has been requested and so ordered.
6 (Show of hands.)
7 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 20.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
9 ruling of the chair stands, and the bill-in-chief
10 is before the house.
11 Senator Ranzenhofer.
12 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Thank you,
13 Mr. President.
14 Would the sponsor of the bill
15 entertain a few questions?
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Will
17 the sponsor yield?
18 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
20 sponsor yields.
21 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Thank you,
22 Mr. President.
23 Can you explain why local
24 governments are not included in this legislation?
25 SENATOR MYRIE: Mr. President, the
1362
1 State Legislature, it is my understanding, is
2 responsible for restoring faith in state
3 government. That is what this bill proposes to
4 do. And we urge our colleagues today to help
5 restore the public's trust in state government.
6 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
7 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
8 yield.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Will
10 the sponsor yield?
11 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
13 sponsor yields.
14 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Last year
15 this Legislature, in a bipartisan fashion, passed
16 legislation where local governments were included
17 where this Senate took the position that it was
18 important to apply this law all across the board
19 to all levels of government.
20 Can you explain why the Senator --
21 at least your bill, why you feel this year it's
22 important to backtrack from the previous position
23 taken by the Senate where previously we thought
24 that these anti-corruption measures which were
25 good for the state were also good for the local
1363
1 government, why this year it's important that
2 this bill be passed and we not include local
3 governments?
4 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
5 Mr. President, I would disagree with the premise
6 that this bill is a step back.
7 In fact, I think this bill is a step
8 forward. The previously considered bill would
9 still allow for 15 percent contributions by
10 vendors with business before the state. This
11 bill that we are considering today bans
12 contributions in its totality.
13 I argue that that is a step forward
14 and not a step back. And I believe that my
15 esteemed colleague is arguing for 15 percent more
16 quid for 15 percent more quo. We are proposing
17 today that it be a total ban, no quid, no quo.
18 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Can you
19 explain why the bill last year actually
20 provided --
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
22 Senator -- Senator Ranzenhofer --
23 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: I'm sorry,
24 Mr. President, if the sponsor would continue to
25 yield.
1364
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
2 the sponsor yield?
3 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
5 sponsor yields.
6 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Not to
7 retrace history, but can you explain the
8 legislation that is out there and before us,
9 which was passed last year and which exists this
10 year, which is exactly identical to yours with no
11 quid, no quo, but applies across the board?
12 SENATOR MYRIE: Mr. President, I'm
13 not sure I understand if there's a question.
14 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Will the
15 sponsor continue to yield?
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
17 the sponsor yield?
18 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
20 sponsor yields.
21 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Would you
22 like the question repeated? I'm not sure what
23 you didn't understand.
24 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, can you please
25 repeat the question. Through you, Mr. President.
1365
1 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Okay. There
2 is legislation that exists which has identical
3 legislation to yours which provides for zero
4 contributions, which is sitting out there and
5 which was passed by this body. Can you explain
6 why that legislation you feel should not apply to
7 local governments?
8 SENATOR MYRIE: Mr. President, if I
9 understand what my colleague is asking me, it is
10 a request to explain another piece of legislation
11 that is not being considered before the body
12 today.
13 We are considering S3167. I believe
14 very strongly in this bill, and I am happy to
15 answer questions on this bill.
16 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Do you think
17 it -- through you, Mr. President, do you think
18 that it is acceptable to --
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
20 Senator, I have to ask the sponsor if he's
21 willing to yield.
22 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: If you would,
23 please.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Will
25 the sponsor yield?
1366
1 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
3 sponsor yields.
4 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Based on the
5 answer that was just given, do you feel that it
6 would be appropriate in your analogy of quid pro
7 quo to have 100 percent quid for 100 percent quo
8 in New York City, in Syracuse, in Rochester?
9 SENATOR MYRIE: Mr. President,
10 again, this bill addresses the state governmental
11 entities that have authority over granting
12 contracts. But since my esteemed colleague has
13 brought up New York City, New York City is
14 actually a model for what we are trying to do
15 today. And New York City restricts the
16 contributions of people with business before the
17 city, and this is a step in that direction.
18 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
19 Mr. President, if the sponsor would continue to
20 yield.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
22 the sponsor yield?
23 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
25 sponsor yields.
1367
1 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Speaking of
2 the state governmental entity or entities that
3 you just referenced, and I know throughout your
4 legislation on page 1 and page 2, can you please
5 provide me with what you mean by state
6 governmental entities or entity?
7 SENATOR MYRIE: The bill calls --
8 the bill prohibits contributions from those
9 seeking contracts with the state, and the state
10 governmental entities are the ones that have
11 authority to authorize and grant that contract.
12 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
13 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
14 yield.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
16 the sponsor yield?
17 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
19 sponsor yields.
20 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So I'm glad
21 you brought up authority, and I know you
22 referenced that in your legislation. Can you
23 tell me what it means and can you define for an
24 officeholder to have authority over a
25 governmental entity?
1368
1 SENATOR MYRIE: The authority to
2 grant the contract. Through you, Mr. President.
3 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: If the
4 sponsor would continue to yield.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
6 the sponsor yield?
7 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
9 sponsor yields.
10 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So does that
11 mean that the Governor would have authority over
12 all state agencies?
13 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
14 Mr. President, that is correct.
15 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: And if the
16 sponsor will continue to yield.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
18 the sponsor yield?
19 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
21 sponsor yields.
22 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Does it also
23 mean that the Governor has authority over all
24 public authorities?
25 SENATOR MYRIE: I missed the last
1369
1 part of that, I'm sorry.
2 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Does the
3 Governor have authority over all public
4 authorities?
5 SENATOR MYRIE: The Governor has
6 authority over executive state agencies.
7 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So through
8 you, Mr. President, are you saying that then the
9 Governor would not have authority over the public
10 authorities?
11 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
12 Mr. President, my understanding is that a public
13 authority is not a state agency.
14 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So would --
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
16 Ranzenhofer.
17 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Yes, under --
18 through you, Mr. President. So under your bill.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
20 Ranzenhofer, you have to ask me --
21 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Through you,
22 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
23 yield.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
25 the sponsor yield?
1370
1 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
3 sponsor yields.
4 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So is there
5 any prohibition, then, against making a
6 contribution to a public authority? Or for
7 business with a public authority.
8 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
9 Mr. President, if I could get clarification on
10 the question. It's unclear to me whether my
11 colleague is suggesting that a public authority
12 not under the auspice and authority of the
13 Governor would be subject to this prohibition.
14 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Through you,
15 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
16 yield, I'll try to explain that.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
18 the sponsor yield?
19 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
21 sponsor yields.
22 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Okay. So if
23 an individual or a contractor or somebody was
24 seeking to do business with the Dormitory
25 Authority for some sort of project, would it be
1371
1 permissible to make a donation to the Governor
2 for someone seeking to do that type of work?
3 SENATOR MYRIE: It depends.
4 Through you, Mr. President.
5 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: If the
6 sponsor will continue to yield.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
8 the sponsor yield?
9 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
11 sponsor yields.
12 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Can the
13 sponsor explain what it depends on and how we
14 give notice and clarity to the public about which
15 donations are permissible when you're looking to
16 do business with the Dormitory Authority and when
17 it's not permissible to make a contribution when
18 you're looking to do business with the Dormitory
19 Authority?
20 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
21 Mr. President. If this contract is one in which
22 the Governor has authority to approve or
23 disapprove, this prohibition would apply. If
24 that is not the case, this prohibition would not
25 apply.
1372
1 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: And through
2 you, Mr. President, that's what I'm trying to get
3 clarity on. So I'm just giving you an example --
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
5 Ranzenhofer, are you asking the sponsor to yield?
6 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: You read my
7 mind.
8 (Laughter.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
10 the sponsor yield?
11 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
13 sponsor yields.
14 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: I apologize,
15 Mr. President.
16 So in order to try to bring clarity
17 to the situation, I'm giving you the specific
18 example of the Dormitory Authority. I could give
19 you the example of the State Construction Fund.
20 Can you tell me if in either of those situations
21 if a person or an entity or a contractor is
22 seeking to do business with either of those
23 groups, is it permissible to make a donation to
24 the Governor's campaign committee?
25 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
1373
1 Mr. President, the -- whether or not in this
2 particular instance the prohibition would apply I
3 think is a valid question. But I would remind my
4 colleague that this -- the penalty that would be
5 put on the contributor, on the vendor, is one
6 made after they have evinced intent to circumvent
7 the law.
8 So in the instance where this person
9 may have contributed, unclear whether or not they
10 could, they would not be penalized under this
11 law.
12 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Through you,
13 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
14 yield.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
16 the sponsor yield?
17 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
19 sponsor yields.
20 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So reading
21 this legislation, how does somebody know whether
22 or not they can make a contribution if they are
23 looking to do business with the Dormitory
24 Authority?
25 SENATOR MYRIE: Apologies, sir.
1374
1 Can you repeat the question?
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Repeat
3 it.
4 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Do I have to
5 go through you?
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: No, no,
7 he's clarifying.
8 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Okay. If
9 somebody -- if a person or an entity or a
10 contractor is looking to do business with the
11 Dormitory Authority, how do they know whether or
12 not they can make a contribution?
13 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
14 Mr. President, the State Board of Elections can
15 promulgate guidance on this particular issue.
16 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Through you,
17 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
18 yield.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
20 the sponsor yield?
21 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
23 sponsor yields.
24 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: In your
25 legislation, does this legislation then authorize
1375
1 the State Board of Elections to promulgate rules
2 and regulations to deal with this legislation?
3 SENATOR MYRIE: This bill does not
4 specifically -- through you, Mr. President, does
5 not specifically authorize the State Board of
6 Elections to do so, but the State Board of
7 Elections, as its own -- under its own force
8 could do so.
9 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
10 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
11 yield.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
13 the sponsor yield?.
14 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
16 sponsor yields.
17 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Senator
18 Myrie, can you tell me that by virtue of the
19 Governor having appointment authority -- in other
20 words, being able to make appointments to a
21 public authority or to a board -- does that give
22 him the authority to control that organization
23 and therefore one could not make political
24 contributions since he has the authority of
25 appointment?
1376
1 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
2 Mr. President, the bill is specifically
3 addressing the authority over the procurement
4 process.
5 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
6 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
7 yield.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
9 the sponsor yield?
10 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
12 sponsor yields.
13 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Can you tell
14 me under your bill whether or not a member of the
15 Senate or an Assemblymember has authority over
16 any particular agencies?
17 SENATOR MYRIE: Members of the
18 Senate or the State Legislature in general do not
19 have authority over the procurement process.
20 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So there is
21 no -- through you, Mr. President, if the sponsor
22 will continue to yield.
23 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
25 sponsor yields.
1377
1 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So under this
2 particular legislation, there is no prohibition
3 from a member of the public, an individual
4 contractor, whatever, for making political
5 contributions to Senators or Assemblymembers if
6 they are looking to procure state business; is
7 that correct?
8 SENATOR MYRIE: The bill addresses
9 the members of the Senate and the Assembly, and
10 it states that if the Senate or the Assembly were
11 to procure, then the vendor would be prohibited
12 from giving.
13 Outside of that circumstance, yes,
14 they would be allowed to contribute to the
15 members of the Legislature.
16 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
17 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
18 yield.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
20 the sponsor yield?
21 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
23 sponsor yields.
24 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So, Senator
25 Myrie, let me ask you this question. We are now
1378
1 going through the budget process, and in the
2 budget process there are a lot of things -- you
3 know, it's a hundred and -- a very, very hefty
4 budget. Is there any prohibition for an entity
5 looking to do business with the state through the
6 budget process for making campaign contributions
7 to the Governor, to a Senator, or to an
8 Assemblymember?
9 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
10 Mr. President, the bill specifically requests the
11 request for proposal process. It is a
12 prohibition when that RFP has been issued. And
13 after that RFP has been closed, the bill narrowly
14 addresses the RFP process.
15 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
16 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
17 yield.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
19 the sponsor yield?
20 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
22 sponsor yields.
23 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So under this
24 bill, from what I hear you saying, it is then
25 appropriate for an entity -- again, a person or
1379
1 corporation -- to make a political contribution
2 to an Assemblymember, to a Senator, or to the
3 Governor if they are looking to do business with
4 the state through the budget process as opposed
5 to through the procurement process? Would that
6 be fair statement?
7 SENATOR MYRIE: I would not speak
8 to whether or not it is appropriate, but it is
9 allowed.
10 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Okay. So
11 through you, Mr. President.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Will
13 the sponsor continue to yield?
14 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
16 sponsor yields.
17 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So just so
18 I'm clear, political contributions to the
19 Governor, Senators and Assembly are legal under
20 your bill if they're looking to do business with
21 the state through the budget process?
22 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
23 Mr. President, this bill addresses the
24 procurement process and that only.
25 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Through you,
1380
1 Mr. President.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Will
3 the sponsor yield?
4 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
6 sponsor yields.
7 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So there is
8 no prohibition for that with the -- with looking
9 to do business through the budget, is that
10 correct?
11 SENATOR MYRIE: Mr. President, the
12 bill before the floor does not address this.
13 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Okay. And
14 just one other thing I wanted to clarify in terms
15 of --
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
17 Ranzenhofer, are you asking --
18 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: If the
19 sponsor of course would continue to yield.
20 Through you, Mr. President.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
22 the sponsor yield?
23 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
25 sponsor yields.
1381
1 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Thank you.
2 So also with the items of
3 legislation -- we passed a number of bills today,
4 and every day we're here we pass bills. If an
5 entity is looking to do business with the state
6 with respect to legislation, there's no
7 prohibition in this particular bill which bans
8 political contributions to the Governor, to
9 members of the Senate, to members of the Assembly
10 for legislation; is that correct?
11 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
12 Mr. President, this bill does not address the
13 scenario specifically outlined by my colleague.
14 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Okay. Thank
15 you.
16 Can you explain --
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
18 Ranzenhofer, are you asking the sponsor to yield?
19 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: You think I
20 forgot, don't you? You think I forgot.
21 (Laughter.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Will
23 the sponsor yield?
24 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
1382
1 sponsor yields.
2 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Can the
3 sponsor explain how he came up with the six-month
4 time frame to restrict vendor contributions?
5 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
6 Mr. President, I'm happy to do so.
7 In 2016 Governor Cuomo stated: "I
8 will order my campaign and my party not to accept
9 campaign contributions from companies once a
10 request for proposals has been announced and for
11 six months following the conclusion for the
12 winner."
13 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: If the
14 sponsor will continue to yield for another
15 question.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
17 the sponsor yield?
18 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
20 sponsor yields.
21 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Under
22 your bill, is it permissible for someone who is
23 looking to do business with the state to make a
24 political contribution to the state party or
25 county committee?
1383
1 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
2 Mr. President, they are allowed to contribute to
3 the state party or the state committee but not if
4 they are doing so in a way to avoid this law and
5 then have that contribution passed on to the
6 office holder with authority over the contract.
7 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
8 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
9 yield.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
11 the sponsor yield?
12 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
14 sponsor yields.
15 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Thank you for
16 your answer, Senator.
17 Can you just tell me where in the
18 bill it says that?
19 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
20 Mr. President, in Section 1 --
21 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: What page,
22 please?
23 SENATOR MYRIE: First page.
24 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: What line?
25 SENATOR MYRIE: I'm getting to
1384
1 that.
2 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Thank you.
3 Through you, Mr. President, of
4 course.
5 SENATOR MYRIE: Section 1, line 15.
6 It says, "It shall further be unlawful, pursuant
7 to Section 14-120 of this article, to make
8 contributions to political committees not
9 authorized or operationally controlled by the
10 officeholder or candidate for the purpose of
11 transferring a contribution to the officeholder's
12 or candidate's authorized political committees or
13 political committees they exert operational
14 control over."
15 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
16 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
17 yield.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
19 the sponsor yield?
20 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
22 sponsor yields.
23 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: For one of my
24 final questions, very often -- you know, we are
25 all aware we are in a legislative and political
1385
1 body, whether it be at the state level or the
2 county level. At the state level, the Governor
3 controls the state party. At the county level,
4 very often a county executive or mayor controls
5 the local party.
6 How under your bill do you separate
7 that when transfers are fungible, they're easily
8 made -- you know, how is it defined whether or
9 not -- you know, for instance, a Governor or a
10 county executive is or is not in control of the
11 state party committee or the county party
12 committee so that a contribution could be made to
13 the party committee and then be used by the party
14 committee to make a donation to the Governor or
15 the Senator or the county executive?
16 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
17 Mr. President, in the scenario described, if I
18 understand it correctly, in the scenario
19 described by my colleague I think the State Board
20 of Elections, who is charged with enforcing this,
21 is the chief enforcement counsel, would make a
22 factual finding.
23 As I have mentioned earlier, the
24 penalty for this is imposed after there has been
25 evidence of intent to circumvent that law, and
1386
1 this is a factual finding that would be made by
2 the chief enforcement counsel of the State Board
3 of Elections.
4 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: And
5 Mr. President, one final question, if the sponsor
6 will continue to yield.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Does
8 the sponsor yield?
9 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
11 sponsor yields.
12 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So speaking
13 of the enforcement, you indicated how it is
14 enforced. Once this happens and it's determined
15 by the chief officer of the Board of Elections,
16 how do they actually go enforcing the penalties
17 that are set forth in this particular piece of
18 legislation?
19 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
20 Mr. President, either through a special
21 proceeding or a civil action.
22 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Through you,
23 just a clarification. Through you,
24 Mr. President, if the sponsor will continue to
25 yield.
1387
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Will
2 the sponsor yield?
3 SENATOR MYRIE: Yes, Mr. President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
5 sponsor yields.
6 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: So I
7 understand the action and the special proceeding.
8 But once there's a determination made, how does
9 the enforcement officer then -- if there's a
10 finding like, yes, you did this, how does the
11 enforcement officer actually get the money back
12 or do whatever has to be done to remedy the
13 situation?
14 SENATOR MYRIE: Through you,
15 Mr. President, there's a judgment ordered by the
16 court.
17 SENATOR RANZENHOFER:
18 Mr. President, thank you. And I want to thank
19 the sponsor for his colloquy.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Are
21 there any other Senators wishing to be heard?
22 Seeing and hearing none, the debate
23 is closed.
24 The Secretary will ring the bell.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
1388
1 the last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
3 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
4 shall have become a law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
6 the roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
9 Metzger to explain her vote.
10 SENATOR METZGER: Thank you,
11 Mr. President.
12 New York State's campaign finance
13 system has had an incredibly corrosive effect on
14 our democratic institutions in this state. And
15 if we had to list all of the elected officials
16 who have been embroiled in corruption scandals,
17 we would be here all night long.
18 So this is the session where we take
19 a stand and say no more. Earlier in this session
20 we closed the LLC loophole, which was a huge step
21 forward, and today we take another giant step
22 forward by prohibiting companies who want to do
23 business with our state from making donations to
24 the people who make those decisions.
25 So I am incredibly proud to vote aye
1389
1 and support the sponsorship by my colleague and
2 friend Senator Myrie, who has really been a
3 leader and is so committed to a government by and
4 for the people.
5 This is a great start. We have more
6 to do. But we are moving forward rapidly.
7 Thank you.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
9 Metzger to be recorded in the affirmative.
10 Senator Ortt to explain his vote.
11 SENATOR ORTT: Thank you,
12 Mr. President.
13 I will be supporting this
14 legislation. But I couldn't help but notice that
15 while I certainly think the intent of this
16 legislation is good -- it's an intent that
17 everyone here should concern themselves with,
18 restoring faith in our state government, as the
19 sponsor has stated. But there seemed to be an
20 omission when I was thinking about the sponsor's
21 answers to our colleague Senator Ranzenhofer's
22 questions, that public sector unions are not also
23 subjected to this.
24 If you think about the answers and
25 the logic, they have -- they're going to the
1390
1 Governor, he oversees their budget negotiations,
2 their contracts, they're here lobbying members on
3 legislation that directly impacts them. And yet
4 they will be allowed to continue to give
5 unfettered.
6 And I just think that if we're
7 really talking about and being sincere, then
8 maybe that's an omission that could be looked at.
9 I'm not going to hold my breath, but I'm just
10 going to make the suggestion.
11 But I will be supporting the bill.
12 I vote aye.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
14 Ortt to be recorded in the affirmative.
15 Senator Carlucci to explain his
16 vote.
17 SENATOR CARLUCCI: Thank you,
18 Mr. President.
19 I too want to thank Senator Myrie
20 and all the supporters of this legislation to
21 really start to do something to stop the
22 pay-to-play culture, to make sure that we're
23 restoring the public's trust in our government.
24 That's the most important thing that we can do
25 this legislative session.
1391
1 So as my colleagues have said, this
2 is a start, this is a step in the right
3 direction. But we have to do everything possible
4 to root out corruption wherever it exists, to
5 stop the bad behaviors, the unethical behavior
6 that might happen. And that's what this
7 legislation does. It ends the pay to play, and
8 it sets us on the right path to make sure we're
9 restoring the public's trust and rooting out
10 corruption wherever it exists.
11 So thank you to all my colleagues
12 for supporting this legislation, and I
13 enthusiastically support it as well.
14 Thank you, Mr. President.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
16 Carlucci to be recorded in the affirmative.
17 Senator Ranzenhofer to explain his
18 vote.
19 SENATOR RANZENHOFER: Thank you,
20 Mr. President. I too will be supporting this
21 legislation.
22 One of the things that has
23 happened -- and, you know, all you have to do is
24 open up the newspapers and read about the
25 corruption trials, what took place in -- as a
1392
1 result of what took place in Syracuse, New York.
2 You read about the corruption trials as a result
3 of what took place in Buffalo, New York. You
4 read about the corruption trials about what took
5 place down in White Plains in the downstate area.
6 And, you know, it's not satisfactory to say,
7 well, we're not going to do anything about it.
8 And I do want to commend Senator
9 Myrie for taking the first step here and
10 introducing some pay-to-play legislation.
11 I was not happy with all the answers
12 and the fact that it doesn't apply across the
13 board. I was not happy with the fact that it
14 didn't apply, for instance, to the state budget
15 process with the legislation.
16 But what I am happy with is that
17 this does today send the message that we are at
18 least addressing the issue and taking a first
19 step to ending pay to play in New York. I'm
20 hoping that this is the first piece of
21 legislation rather than the last piece of
22 legislation.
23 And I will be supporting this bill
24 today, and I vote aye.
25 Thank you, Mr. President.
1393
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
2 Ranzenhofer to be recorded in the affirmative.
3 Senator Krueger to explain her vote.
4 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you very
5 much, Mr. President.
6 I also want to thank Senator Myrie
7 for bringing this to the floor. It's not really
8 the first step, since we actually had done the
9 LLC loophole closing earlier in the year. But I
10 agree with my colleagues, there's more to do.
11 I just want to clarify why this is
12 so important. Of course when you look at the
13 government of the State of New York and how much
14 of the public's money ends up actually being
15 spent through contracts through procurement of
16 the executive agencies, we understand why it's so
17 critical to make sure that those decisions are
18 being made on the basis of the best bidder for
19 that work and not because of any relationship
20 those bidders might have with an executive or
21 anyone else in elected office.
22 The reason I think that this bill is
23 exactly the right bill is because we in the
24 Senate don't actually have a role in the RFP
25 process of state money. But there was a point
1394
1 brought up, I believe, by one of my colleagues
2 that, Well, what if they're trying to get to us
3 do something in the budget or getting us to pass
4 a piece of legislation because it will be good
5 for their business, shouldn't that be in the
6 bill?
7 And I'd like to just for the record
8 point out we already have laws against that. It
9 is absolutely illegal to sell your vote on a bill
10 because somebody has offered you any kind of
11 financial incentive. It's absolutely illegal to
12 direct what your vote is within a budget document
13 because of financial considerations for yourself
14 in campaign funds or any other way.
15 So I'm always big on strengthening
16 the laws and protections to try to change the
17 culture of pay to play in this state, but I did
18 not want it to go overlooked when that question
19 was asked, that we're not ignoring that issue,
20 that issue is clear in law already.
21 I vote yes, Mr. President. Thank
22 you.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
24 Krueger to be recorded in the affirmative.
25 Senator Antonacci to explain his
1395
1 vote.
2 SENATOR ANTONACCI: Thank you,
3 Mr. President.
4 As a local county official, as a
5 comptroller, it was my obligation to look at
6 procurement documents and look at bidding
7 documents. And I think that while this is a
8 fresh start, we must come back and spread this
9 law to local government. There are hundreds if
10 not billions of dollars spent in local
11 government, and I think that applying this type
12 of provision to local government will bring more
13 confidence in government.
14 I'm ashamed to say that one of the
15 cases that we talked about today came out of
16 Syracuse, New York, so I have seen fraud and
17 corruption firsthand.
18 And lastly, I am cynical when we
19 talk about appointing authorities and having a
20 governor or an executive who may appoint a member
21 to a board or authority. Again, I think it
22 should apply to all of those, not only agencies
23 but boards and authorities.
24 I will be voting in the affirmative,
25 but I hope we will come back for more work.
1396
1 Thank you.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
3 Antonacci to be recorded in the affirmative.
4 Senator May to explain her vote.
5 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
6 Mr. President.
7 My colleague mentioned Syracuse, and
8 my hometown of Syracuse has seen this pay to play
9 up close and personal, and it has poisoned the
10 relationship between citizens and our government.
11 Many of us ran for office this year specifically
12 to restore that kind of faith in our government
13 among the citizenry.
14 And so I'm very grateful to
15 Senator Myrie for bringing this bill forward and
16 to my colleagues for supporting it, and I
17 enthusiastically vote yes.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
19 May to be recorded in the affirmative.
20 Senator Myrie to explain his vote.
21 SENATOR MYRIE: Thank you,
22 Mr. President.
23 And I'd like to thank my colleagues
24 on the other side for the questioning and the
25 discussion and for supporting this bill.
1397
1 You know, there has been in our
2 public lexicon a lot of talk lately about public
3 polls and public policy and how that affects
4 economic development. I think we've had pretty
5 robust conversations about what New Yorkers want
6 their government to do for them. But today I
7 think we are going to vote on something that the
8 overwhelming majority of folks in New York have
9 very little appetite for, and that is corruption
10 in state government.
11 According to the Pew Research
12 Center, 18 percent of Americans have trust in
13 their government. And right here in New York, a
14 2016 Siena poll found that 97 percent of
15 New Yorkers want their state lawmakers to pass
16 laws to stop corruption in government --
17 97 percent. Nothing polls that high.
18 And it's a resounding message to
19 everyone in this chamber here today that the
20 pay-to-play culture in Albany must come to an
21 end.
22 I believe, like my colleagues have
23 very eloquently stated, that this is a step in
24 that direction. If you are bidding on a state
25 contract, you should not be able to grease the
1398
1 wheels by filling the coffers of officials with
2 authority over that contract.
3 And conversely, if you are an
4 official with authority over that contract, you
5 should not be able to raise money amongst those
6 entities that can benefit from lucrative
7 contracts.
8 It is corruption or the appearance
9 of corruption in its purest form: Some quid for
10 the campaign, some quo in the contract.
11 And I know we often engage in
12 hypotheticals in this chamber, but when it comes
13 to corruption in Albany, we have an ample supply
14 of real-life examples. So it is time that we
15 show the people of New York that we are serious
16 about restoring faith in our government.
17 I'd like to thank Assemblymember
18 David Buchwald in the Assembly, who has sponsored
19 this legislation and who has been a champion on
20 this issue for many years.
21 And I'd like to thank my colleagues
22 again and urge your support in a step to restore
23 faith in government.
24 Thank you.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
1399
1 Myrie to be recorded in the affirmative.
2 Announce the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
4 Absent from voting: Senator Young.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
6 bill is passed.
7 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
8 reading of the controversial calendar.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
10 if we could return to motions for a moment.
11 On behalf of Senator Skoufis, on
12 page 14 I offer the following amendments to
13 Calendar 174, Senate Print 2959, and ask that
14 said bill retain its place on the Third Reading
15 Calendar.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
17 amendments are received, and the bill shall
18 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: With that,
20 Mr. President, is there any further business at
21 the desk?
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: There
23 is no further business at the desk.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: In that case I
25 move to adjourn until tomorrow, Wednesday,
1400
1 March 6th, at 3:00 p.m.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: On
3 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
4 Wednesday, March 6th, at 3:00 p.m.
5 (Whereupon, at 5:02 p.m., the Senate
6 adjourned.)
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