Regular Session - February 10, 2020
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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 February 10, 2020
11 3:56 p.m.
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13
14 REGULAR SESSION
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17
18 SENATOR BRIAN A. BENJAMIN, 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 BENJAMIN: The
3 Senate will come to order.
4 I ask everyone present to please
5 rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: In the
9 absence of clergy, let us bow our heads in a
10 moment of silent reflection or prayer.
11 (Whereupon, the assemblage respected
12 a moment of silence.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Reading
14 of the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Sunday,
16 February 9, 2020, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Saturday,
18 February 8, 2020, was read and approved. On
19 motion, Senate adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: 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: Senator Bailey
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1 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
2 Assembly Bill Number 9060 and substitute it for
3 the identical Senate Bill 6944, Third Reading
4 Calendar 23.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
6 substitution is so ordered.
7 THE SECRETARY: Senator Gounardes
8 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
9 Assembly Bill Number 8983 and substitute it for
10 the identical Senate Bill 6967, Third Reading
11 Calendar 46.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
13 substitution is so ordered.
14 THE SECRETARY: Senator Salazar
15 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
16 Assembly Bill Number 9134 and substitute it for
17 the identical Senate Bill 7192, Third Reading
18 Calendar 116.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
20 substitution is so ordered.
21 THE SECRETARY: Senator Hoylman
22 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
23 Assembly Bill Number 9646 and substitute it for
24 the identical Senate Bill Number 7623, Third
25 Reading Calendar 322.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
2 substitution is so ordered.
3 Messages from the Governor.
4 Reports of standing committees.
5 Reports of select committees.
6 Communications and reports from
7 state officers.
8 Motions and resolutions.
9 Senator Gianaris.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
11 on behalf of Senator Sanders, I move to amend
12 Senate Bill 3851A by striking out the amendments
13 made on June 19th and restoring it to its
14 previous print number, 3851.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
16 amendments are received, and the bill shall
17 retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
18 Senator Gianaris.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
20 there's a privileged resolution at the desk.
21 Please read its title only and recognize Senator
22 Kennedy on the resolution.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
24 Secretary will read.
25 THE SECRETARY: Senate Resolution
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1 2662, by Senator Kennedy, memorializing Governor
2 Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim February 10, 2020, as
3 Canada Day in the State of New York.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
5 Kennedy on the resolution.
6 SENATOR KENNEDY: Thank you,
7 Mr. President.
8 It's a great privilege and honor of
9 mine today to welcome and honor the relationship
10 between the United States and Canada and to
11 recognize a few distinguished guests that we have
12 joining us here today on the Senate floor.
13 We have with us here today the
14 Acting Consul General of Canada in New York,
15 Khawar Nasim; the Quebec Delegate General,
16 Catherine Loubier; Ontario's Representative to
17 the United States, Ian Todd; Nada Jarjour, the
18 Quebec Delegate General; and Rachael Homewood,
19 the Senior Advisor to the Canadian Consulate,
20 along with Peter Rose, from the Quebec Government
21 Office in New York.
22 These distinguished leaders are here
23 with us to celebrate February 10, 2020, as
24 Canada Day here in the State of New York.
25 And as we all know, New York and
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1 Canada share deep economic, historic and cultural
2 ties, in addition to the largest bilateral
3 tourism industry in the United States.
4 Billions and billions of dollars are
5 exchanged between our two great countries and
6 uniquely between New York State and Canada every
7 single year. In vacation spending alone, there's
8 over $1.6 billion in money that's spent by over
9 5 million Canadians that visit the State of
10 New York each and every year.
11 This partnership has led to more
12 than 700 Canadian-owned companies putting down
13 roots and growing our economy right here in
14 New York State. These very companies are
15 responsible for creating hundreds and hundreds of
16 thousands of jobs here in New York. And with a
17 shared border measuring 444 miles in length and
18 17 international border crossings, our economies
19 are tightly linked.
20 Canada serves as New York's primary
21 export market, to the tune of $13.8 billion in
22 annual exports -- and that list is only expected
23 to grow in the years to come.
24 On top of that, Canada has a very
25 unique history with us, not only here in the
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1 State of New York but in the United States of
2 America. The millions and millions of immigrants
3 that came over hundreds of years ago to our
4 hemisphere from across the pond, many of them
5 could not get into our great country, were turned
6 away at the border for various reasons, including
7 disease. The country of Canada welcomed them.
8 Many of our ancestors made their way through
9 Canada, still live there today, and many came
10 down and ended up settling right here in the
11 United States and here in the great State of
12 New York.
13 So our histories are very much
14 linked, our cultures are very much linked,
15 whether we're talking about the great American
16 pastime of baseball, where people cross over the
17 border to see the Toronto Blue Jays or they come
18 over and visit the Buffalo Bills, the only
19 New York State football team --
20 (Laughter.)
21 SENATOR KENNEDY: -- or we are
22 sharing our rivalries, be it the Rangers or the
23 Islanders or of course the great Buffalo Sabres
24 organization, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the
25 Montreal Canadiens, and the list goes on and on.
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1 Our communities respect each other,
2 we love each other, and we share our economies
3 and our mutual histories and futures together.
4 So we welcome you with open arms.
5 Thank you so much for visiting us here today.
6 Thank you for celebrating Canada Day today here
7 in the State of New York. Please offer all
8 privileges of the house to our guests, and we
9 look forward to our relationship growing even
10 stronger in the years ahead.
11 Welcome, and thank you.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
13 Little on the resolution.
14 SENATOR LITTLE: Thank you,
15 Mr. President.
16 It's my honor to stand and to
17 welcome our neighbors but, more importantly, our
18 friends to the north. My district borders Canada
19 with Clinton County, Franklin County; the
20 Akwesasne Reservation is partly in Canada, partly
21 in the U.S.; and we are so intertwined.
22 The City of Plattsburgh has a huge
23 number of Canadian companies which are operating
24 in Plattsburgh, to the point that 15 percent of
25 the workforce in Plattsburgh goes to work every
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1 morning to a Canadian company who is operating in
2 Plattsburgh.
3 And we have companies throughout the
4 district: Kruger has two hydro plants, we have
5 Irving Tissue in Washington County, as well as
6 Bombardier, Nova Bus, and so many others.
7 So we have also, in athletics, one
8 of the most popular economic engines in the
9 Lake Placid area is CAN/AM Hockey, which is
10 operating every week. And you see youngsters
11 playing hockey, and a real international event
12 and tournament that goes on.
13 And just Friday night at our local
14 hockey team, the Adirondack Thunder, in
15 Glens Falls, the Queensbury Middle School sang
16 the Canadian National Anthem because we were
17 playing a Canadian team.
18 So it's a pleasure to have you here.
19 And I look forward to seeing you tonight at our
20 Canada reception, which they are having at 5:30,
21 and everyone is invited. So thank you very much
22 for being here, and thanks for being such a great
23 partner. Thank you.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
25 Griffo on the resolution.
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1 SENATOR GRIFFO: Thank you,
2 Mr. President.
3 I want to welcome our distinguished
4 guests today. And as another member of the
5 Senate who has the border of Canada with northern
6 New York, we do appreciate all of the goodwill
7 and all of the continued conversations that we
8 have together to ensure that we make both our
9 state and nation here in America, as well as the
10 provincial governments in the nation of Canada,
11 continue to be good partners.
12 And I just want to add something
13 today, and we continue looking forward to that
14 positive relationship moving forward. And
15 Senator Kennedy, you were very eloquent today,
16 but there was another Kennedy more eloquent than
17 you. And I just want to remember what President
18 John F. Kennedy once said: Geography has made us
19 neighbors. History has made us friends.
20 Economics has made us partners, and necessity has
21 made us allies. Those whom God has so joined
22 together, let no man put asunder.
23 God bless you, and welcome.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
25 Ritchie on the resolution.
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1 SENATOR RITCHIE: Thank you.
2 I'd just like to add my voice to
3 welcoming our neighbors. I actually do only live
4 a couple of miles from the border and have a
5 pretty regular trip across either the bridge on
6 Alex Bay or in Ogdensburg. And we spend a lot of
7 time there.
8 I do, on pretty much a daily basis,
9 check the parking lots to see how many of our
10 Canadian friends are there. And this afternoon
11 is a little special for us, because our Canadian
12 counterparts are going to be meeting at a city
13 council meeting in Ogdensburg. They've been
14 working on a project with us: The first bicycle
15 ferry back and forth from Ogdensburg to Prescott.
16 And we look forward to having that up and
17 running. I want to say I appreciate the
18 friendship.
19 And we talk about another country.
20 When you live so close to the border, we don't
21 see Canada as another country, we just see it as
22 an extension of our family and friends.
23 So welcome, glad to have you back,
24 and look forward to making my next trip over.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
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1 question is on the resolution.
2 All in favor signify by saying aye.
3 (Response of "Aye.")
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
5 Opposed?
6 (No response.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
8 resolution is adopted.
9 To our guests from Canada, I welcome
10 you on behalf of the Senate. We extend to you
11 all of the privileges and courtesies of this
12 house. Please rise and be recognized.
13 (Standing ovation.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
15 Gianaris.
16 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
17 at the request of Senator Kennedy, that
18 resolution is open for cosponsorship.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: 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: Can we now take
25 up the reading of the calendar, please.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
2 Secretary will read.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 23,
4 Assembly Print Number 9060, substituted earlier
5 by Assemblymember Wright, an act to amend the
6 Correction Law.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
8 the last section.
9 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
10 act shall take effect on the same date and in the
11 same manner as a chapter of the Laws of 2019.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
13 the roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
16 Senator Akshar to explain his vote.
17 SENATOR AKSHAR: Mr. President,
18 thank you.
19 When I come here on Monday morning,
20 when I drive up to Albany on Monday morning, I
21 ask myself, When will the madness ever stop?
22 First it was the disastrous bail
23 reform, then the discovery reform, now we've
24 suggested we're going to take away facial
25 recognition from the NYPD. We've suggested that
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1 we're going to offer elder parole. We've
2 suggested about repealing 50-A. This weekend an
3 attempted assassination on the NYPD. How do we
4 respond? We say now if you get a degree when
5 you're in prison, we will consider letting you
6 out early.
7 I for one am disgusted with the
8 message that this house continues to send to
9 law-abiding New Yorkers. And it's abundantly
10 clear what we're saying. We're saying, once
11 again, that this house is putting criminals
12 before law-abiding citizens.
13 Mr. President, I vote no.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
15 Senator Akshar to be recorded in the negative.
16 Senator Bailey to explain his vote.
17 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
18 Mr. President.
19 I must disagree with my esteemed
20 colleague across the aisle, as this is a
21 clarification on a chapter amendment that was
22 passed last year. And I didn't hear the same
23 energy on this bill, Mr. President, last year.
24 So for those reasons, I vote aye.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
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1 Bailey to be recorded in the affirmative.
2 Announce the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar Number 23, those Senators voting in the
5 negative are Senators Akshar, Amedore, Borrello,
6 Flanagan, Funke, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming,
7 Jacobs, Jordan, Lanza, Little, O'Mara, Ortt,
8 Ranzenhofer, Ritchie, Robach and Seward. Also
9 Senator Tedisco. Also Senator Boyle. Also
10 Senator Serino.
11 Ayes, 39. Nays, 21.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
13 bill is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 46,
15 Assembly Print Number 8983, substituted earlier
16 by Assemblymember Carroll, an act to amend the
17 Vehicle and Traffic Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
19 the last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
21 act shall take effect on the same date and in the
22 same manner as a chapter of the Laws of 2019.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
24 the roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
2 Announce the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
5 bill is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 56,
7 Senate Print 1054A, by Senator Persaud, an act to
8 amend the Penal Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
10 the last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
12 act shall take effect immediately.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
14 the roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
17 Announce the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
19 Calendar Number 56, voting in the negative:
20 Senator Ranzenhofer.
21 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
23 bill is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 111, Senate Print 7187, by Senator Kaplan, an act
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1 to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
3 the last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect on the same date and in the
6 same manner as a chapter of the Laws of 2019.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
8 the roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
11 Announce the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
14 bill is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 116, Assembly Print Number 9134, substituted
17 earlier by Assemblymember Lavine, an act to amend
18 the Public Health Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
20 the last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
24 the roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
2 Announce the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
5 bill is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 122, Senate Print 2494, by Senator Serrano, an
8 act to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic
9 Preservation Law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
11 the last section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
13 act shall take effect immediately.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
15 the roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
18 Announce the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
21 bill is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 139, Senate Print 5723, by Senator Jackson, an
24 act to amend the Administrative Code of the City
25 of New York.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
2 the last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
6 the roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
9 Announce the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
11 Senator Felder voting in the negative.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
13 bill is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 147, Senate Print 5574, by Senator Sepúlveda, an
16 act to amend the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
18 the last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
20 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
21 shall have become a law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
23 the roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
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1 Announce the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
4 bill is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 156, Senate Print 4661, by Senator Kaminsky, an
7 act to amend the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
9 the last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 7. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
13 the roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
16 Announce the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
19 bill is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 162, Senate Print 2174, by Senator Bailey, an act
22 to amend the Social Services Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
24 the last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
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1 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
2 shall have become a law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
4 the roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
7 Announce the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
10 bill is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 163, Senate Print 3041, by Senator Sanders, an
13 act to amend the Social Services Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
15 the last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
18 shall have become a law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
20 the roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
23 Announce the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
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1 bill is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 178, Senate Print 4188, by Senator Kennedy, an
4 act to amend the Banking Law.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
6 the last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
8 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
9 shall have become a law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
11 the roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
14 Announce the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar Number 178, those Senators voting in the
17 negative are Senators Borrello, Flanagan, Jacobs,
18 Jordan, O'Mara, Ortt and Seward.
19 Ayes, 54. Nays, 7.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
21 bill is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 179, Senate Print 7063, by Senator Little, an act
24 to amend the Real Property Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
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1 the last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect on the same date and in the
4 same manner as a chapter of the Laws of 2019.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
6 the roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
9 Announce the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
12 bill is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 180, Senate Print 3872A, by Senator Carlucci, an
15 act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
17 the last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
19 act shall take effect immediately.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
21 the roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
24 Carlucci to explain his vote.
25 SENATOR CARLUCCI: Thank you,
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1 Mr. President.
2 As we've seen from recent reports,
3 the senior population in the United States within
4 the next 30 years is expected to double. This
5 legislation that we have before us today will
6 help to break down the silos that exist between
7 the Department of Health, between Mental Health
8 and the home care services that exist.
9 We have to make sure that as our
10 seniors are aging, as all of us are aging, that
11 we're able to meet the challenges of our time.
12 We have to make sure that we are working together
13 between agencies, between Mental Health and home
14 care providers, to provide the most
15 comprehensive, patient-centered service possible.
16 This will lead to better outcomes, as we all
17 know.
18 And this is an effort to be
19 proactive instead of reactive, to really show an
20 example of what's possible in treating people
21 living with mental illness, treating them at home
22 and making sure they can live as productive and
23 independent lives as possible.
24 So, Mr. President, I'll be
25 supporting this legislation, and I want to thank
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1 my colleagues for doing the same.
2 Thank you.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
4 Carlucci to be recorded in the affirmative.
5 Announce the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
8 bill is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 322, Assembly Print Number 9646, substituted
11 earlier by Assemblymember Magnarelli, an act to
12 amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Read
14 the last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
16 act shall take effect on the same date and in the
17 same manner as a chapter of the Laws of 2020.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Call
19 the roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
22 Announce the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
25 bill is passed.
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1 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
2 reading of today's calendar.
3 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
4 can we now go back to motions and resolutions and
5 take up previously adopted Resolution 2713, by
6 Senator Harckham, read it in its entirety, and
7 recognize Senator Harckham.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
9 Secretary will read.
10 THE SECRETARY: Senate Resolution
11 2713, by Senator Harckham, mourning the death of
12 Judith Johnson, prominent educator, distinguished
13 citizen, and devoted member of her community.
14 "WHEREAS, It is the custom of this
15 Legislative Body to pay tribute to citizens of
16 the State of New York whose lifework and civic
17 endeavors served to enhance the quality of life
18 in their communities and the great State of
19 New York; and
20 "WHEREAS, Judith Johnson of
21 New Hempstead, New York, died on Tuesday, October
22 22, 2019, at the age of 80; and
23 "WHEREAS, Starting her career as a
24 teacher in the New York City schools, Judith
25 Johnson went on to serve in administrative roles
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1 for the Mamaroneck, Southern Westchester BOCES,
2 Nyack, and White Plains school systems; and
3 "WHEREAS, Judith Johnson's
4 immaculate career included a tenure in the
5 United States Department of Education under
6 President Bill Clinton, first serving as Deputy
7 Assistant Secretary and later as the Acting
8 Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary
9 Education; and
10 "WHEREAS, Following this endeavor,
11 Judith Johnson returned to New York State and
12 served as Superintendent of Peekskill Schools
13 from 2001 to 2011, and Interim Superintendent of
14 Mount Vernon Schools from 2012 to 2014; and
15 "WHEREAS, In 2008, Judith Johnson
16 was named New York State School Superintendent of
17 the Year, making her the first African-American
18 to receive this auspicious award from the
19 New York State Council of School Superintendents;
20 and
21 "WHEREAS, Furthermore, in 2015,
22 Judith Johnson was inducted into the Rockland
23 County Civil Rights Hall of Fame; that same year,
24 she was chosen by legislative leaders to
25 represent the 9th Judicial District on the Board
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1 of Regents, which creates educational policy; and
2 "WHEREAS, A true pillar in her
3 community, Judith Johnson was often seen at
4 schools, nonprofits, and community events; this
5 extraordinary woman truly cared about the life
6 and well-being of all the students and families
7 she came in contact with; and
8 "WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic
9 spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion,
10 Judith Johnson leaves behind a legacy which will
11 long endure the passage of time and will remain
12 as a comforting memory to all she served and
13 befriended; now, therefore, be it
14 "RESOLVED, That this Legislative
15 Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the
16 death of Judith Johnson, prominent educator,
17 distinguished citizen, and devoted member of her
18 community, and to acknowledge all the work she
19 did over her illustrious career to nurture the
20 hearts and minds of young New Yorkers in the
21 Lower Hudson Valley; and be it further
22 "RESOLVED, That a copy of this
23 resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to
24 the family of Judith Johnson."
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
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1 Harckham on the resolution.
2 SENATOR HARCKHAM: Thank you,
3 Mr. President.
4 It's fitting that today we are
5 passing this resolution for Regent Judith
6 Johnson, as tonight at 5:00 the Board of Regents
7 will be holding a tribute in her honor at the
8 State Museum, to which many of you have been
9 invited and will be attending.
10 Although she resided technically in
11 Rockland County, we like to claim her in
12 Westchester County because much of her storied
13 career happened in Westchester.
14 But whether she lived in Rockland or
15 served in Westchester, her legacy of helping
16 children and putting children first really
17 impacted every child in this state. And Judith
18 Johnson believed that every child had a right to
19 an equal education regardless of the zip code
20 from which they came. She fought tirelessly for
21 funding for every child to get a sound education,
22 and yet she also believed that the community
23 which that child came from needed to surround all
24 of the children, to help support them as they
25 strove for that education.
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1 Now, she had a varied career. But
2 she started as a teacher, as an administrator,
3 and she served prominent positions in White
4 Plains, in Mount Vernon, and in my home city, the
5 Peekskill School District, where she was a
6 superintendent for 10 years. And in 2008, she
7 was named the New York State Superintendent of
8 the Year, the first African-American in the
9 history of that award to win that award.
10 So upon her passing, you know, we
11 need to remember her legacy. Her son was on his
12 way here, which is why I thank everyone for
13 holding this. He's not quite here, but we'll
14 give him this resolution this evening.
15 But her legacy is a lasting one and
16 a powerful one. She leaves big shoes to be
17 filled. I know there are interviews underway,
18 and thanks to Chairwoman Mayer for taking up
19 those efforts. But she left a great legacy, and
20 we are all better off and our children are better
21 off for her service to the State of New York.
22 Thank you, Mr. President.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
24 Carlucci on the resolution.
25 SENATOR CARLUCCI: Thank you,
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1 Mr. President.
2 I want to thank Senator Harckham for
3 putting forward this important resolution.
4 And I was just so honored and
5 privileged to get to know Regent Judith Johnson.
6 Before she became our Regent, she helped us on a
7 consistent basis in finding a way forward in the
8 East Ramapo School District. Judith Johnson
9 lived in the East Ramapo School District and was
10 a constituent of mine, and we were just so
11 blessed and fortunate to have her as part of our
12 team.
13 Before, she had the resume that
14 anyone would dream of in education, and her
15 experience in the White House, working under
16 President Clinton, and her time as superintendent
17 in Mount Vernon, as the previous speaker had
18 mentioned. But what was most fitting was she
19 spent the time. She listened. And she used her
20 expertise for such great good things.
21 We have a long road ahead of us when
22 it comes to fixing education policy in this
23 state, and particularly for the districts that I
24 represent like East Ramapo, like Ossining, that
25 we've been left so far behind with the changing
669
1 dynamic in our community. And Judith Johnson got
2 that and understood that and said, Hey, we're in
3 the 21st century. We're dealing with situations
4 that we haven't before, and our education policy
5 has to keep up. And she fought and pushed and
6 pulled to really drag our education policy into
7 the 21st century.
8 And I'm just so grateful to her
9 legacy, to the work that she did, the work that
10 is not mentioned in the resolutions -- the
11 tireless -- the lengthy hours that she spent, the
12 going to the board meetings and on the side to
13 work with us to craft legislation, whether it was
14 the monitor in the East Ramapo School District or
15 spin-up legislation for the East Ramapo School
16 District, thinking of creative ways, things that
17 hadn't been done before, but ways that we could
18 move forward and make sure that all of our
19 children got the best education possible.
20 So it's just humbling to be here and
21 speak on the resolution to honor and commemorate
22 the life of Judith Johnson. It's a legacy that
23 won't be forgotten in Rockland County. And I'm
24 hopeful it's a legacy that inspires so many
25 throughout the State of New York.
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1 So I want to thank my colleagues for
2 taking up this resolution. Thank you,
3 Mr. President.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: Senator
5 Mayer on the resolution.
6 SENATOR MAYER: Thank you,
7 Mr. President.
8 It's truly an honor to speak about
9 the legacy of Judith Johnson, Regent and many
10 other things.
11 I want to thank my colleague Senator
12 Harckham for bringing this to the floor, and to
13 the Board of Regents for celebrating her tonight.
14 You know, there were some
15 characteristics of Judith Johnson that I think
16 are frequently forgotten. First of all, she was
17 incredibly courageous and forward-thinking. She
18 did not hesitate to question and to criticize,
19 but she did it in a most loving way. She came to
20 every meeting thoroughly prepared, every speech
21 had written remarks prepared. She had done her
22 homework. But she always asked the question:
23 What is fair, what is just, how can we do better?
24 And she did it in the most positive way.
25 All of us could learn a lesson from
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1 her leadership in that regard. She viewed us as
2 on the path to justice, but it wasn't going to
3 happen right away. And really she was a role
4 model in that respect.
5 Also she was -- her commitment to
6 equity and justice was the most dominant theme of
7 her life, whether in East Ramapo, coming to
8 Yonkers, Ossining, the City of New York -- every
9 place she went, she cared about every child and
10 she exhibited it in the most personal way. She
11 got joy out of every child. And you could see
12 that when she went to schools.
13 She loved going to schools and
14 seeing children. It was the experience of
15 children that motivated her. She cared less
16 about the adults and more about the children.
17 Finally, something that she did is
18 that she talked about arts and music everywhere
19 she went in school, she talked about the changing
20 of her own life through exposure as a young girl
21 in New York City to art and music. And it just
22 carried her through the day.
23 It's a tremendous loss. And as we
24 interviewed Regent candidates last week, it was
25 clear, her shoes will not be filled. She was
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1 really larger than life in the most human and
2 loving way, a way that showed that she cared
3 about children.
4 So it's fitting that we honor her,
5 but also we should not forget her, because she
6 had a lesson to teach us and we need to carry it
7 on. May her memory be a blessing.
8 Thank you, Mr. President.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
10 Senator Bailey on the resolution.
11 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
12 Mr. President.
13 I thank Senator Harckham as well for
14 introducing this very important resolution about
15 somebody who was a giant in the educational
16 community, and her name resonated far beyond the
17 district that she represented.
18 On the Sunday of her services that
19 were up in Rockland, I happened to be attending a
20 church service a few blocks from where I grew up
21 on 227th Street in the Bronx. And it was
22 mentioned that somebody was going to go to -- we
23 were going to go to her services, and the room
24 quieted down. Many of these folks from the
25 Bronx, many of these folks from Lower Westchester
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1 County all knew about Judith Johnson and the
2 indelible impact that she had on education.
3 As a Bronx boy, I didn't really
4 fully understand her greatness until I sat down
5 with her one day, sat down with her and
6 Dr. Hamilton, the Mount Vernon superintendent,
7 one day. She had an incredible recall, an
8 incredible ability to talk about educational
9 policy -- not just in terms of theoretical, but
10 she could really break it down. She understood
11 where Mount Vernon was in the direction that she
12 wanted it to go. And she was incredibly
13 passionate about the students, everything that
14 Senator Mayer said.
15 She spoke about the transformation
16 of Thornton High School to have a more profound
17 effort on music and the arts in the City of
18 Mount Vernon, and she was very proud about that.
19 And she had so many things that she wanted to do.
20 And every time I saw her, it was
21 when I was visiting a school and she was visiting
22 the school too. She wasn't just a Regent in
23 name, she was a Regent in action. And not
24 inaction, she was in action. Mr. President, she
25 was in every possible school. And I felt that at
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1 some times she was kind of checking up on me,
2 because we'd always be at the same school at the
3 same time.
4 But I am grateful for what she did
5 and the legacy that she will leave, in that she
6 makes sure that we understand that education is
7 first, second and last for our children.
8 Thank you, Mr. President.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN:
10 Senator Skoufis on the resolution.
11 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Thank you,
12 Mr. President.
13 And I too want to express my
14 gratitude to Senator Harckham for bringing some
15 attention to what is -- or who is one of the most
16 remarkable people that I've encountered in my
17 eight years here in the State Legislature.
18 And, you know, much has been made,
19 rightfully so, about Judith Johnson's resume, her
20 experience. I was part of the Hudson Valley
21 delegation that interviewed her and many others
22 when she was first seeking appointment. And
23 seeing her resume, it is second to none -- anyone
24 that has ever applied to the Board of Regents,
25 second to none, the vast set of experience that
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1 she brought to this job.
2 But that's not what I want to focus
3 on. What I want to focus on is the fact that
4 Judith Johnson is someone, once she got
5 appointed, was someone who lived and breathed
6 every moment on behalf of the students in this
7 state. There are some Regents -- all of whom are
8 good people, but some Regents who have other
9 jobs, other commitments, other focuses. Judith
10 Johnson, this is what she did all day, every day,
11 40, 50, 60 hours a week. I'd spend entire days
12 with her in my district.
13 This is someone whose shoes cannot
14 be filled. We have great applicants who are
15 coming to fill this seat that she filled for a
16 number of years, but there is no one who can fill
17 the shoes of Judith Johnson. She will be greatly
18 missed. Her mark that she has left on this state
19 is indelible.
20 And I am very fortunate to have
21 counted her as a friend and a colleague on behalf
22 of education and the children in this state.
23 Thank you, Mr. President.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
25 resolution was previously adopted on
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1 February 4th.
2 Senator Gianaris.
3 SENATOR GIANARIS: At the request
4 of Senator Harckham, that resolution is also open
5 for cosponsorship.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: The
7 resolution is open for cosponsorship. Should you
8 choose not to be a cosponsor of the resolution,
9 please notify the desk.
10 Senator Gianaris.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
12 is there any further business at the desk?
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: There
14 is no further business at the desk.
15 SENATOR GIANARIS: I move to
16 adjourn until tomorrow, Tuesday, February 11th,
17 at 3:00 p.m.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BENJAMIN: On
19 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
20 Tuesday, February 11th, at 3:00 p.m.
21 (Whereupon, at 4:30 p.m., the Senate
22 adjourned.)
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