Regular Session - April 5, 2022
1907
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 April 5, 2022
11 3:17 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR JAMAAL T. BAILEY, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
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25
1908
1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: 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 BAILEY: 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 BAILEY: The
14 reading of the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Monday,
16 April 4, 2022, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Sunday, April 3,
18 2022, was read and approved. On motion, the
19 Senate adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Without
21 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 Messages from the Governor.
25 Reports of standing committees.
1909
1 Reports of select committees.
2 Communications and reports from
3 state officers.
4 Motions and resolutions.
5 Senator Gianaris.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President, I
7 move to adopt the Resolution Calendar.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: All those
9 in favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar
10 please signify by saying aye.
11 (Response of "Aye.")
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Opposed,
13 nay.
14 (No response.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
16 Resolution Calendar is adopted.
17 Senator Gianaris.
18 SENATOR GIANARIS: We're going to
19 return to the Resolution Calendar a little bit
20 later, but for now let's take up the calendar.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
22 Secretary will read.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 90,
24 Senate Print 1138, by Senator Harckham, an act
25 authorizing the commissioner of general services
1910
1 to convey real property in Westchester County to
2 the County of Westchester.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: There is a
4 home-rule message at the desk.
5 Read the last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
7 act shall take effect immediately.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 576, Senate Print 6499, by Senator Hoylman, an
18 act to amend the Surrogate's Court Procedure Act.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 7. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
1911
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 576, those Senators voting in the
5 negative are Senators Borrello, Griffo, Helming,
6 Oberacker, O'Mara, Serino and Tedisco.
7 Ayes, 55. Nays, 7.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 584, Senate Print 554, by Senator May, an act to
12 amend the Elder Law and the Economic Development
13 Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
17 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
18 shall have become a law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
23 May to explain her vote.
24 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
25 Mr. President.
1912
1 I want to thank the leadership and
2 my colleagues for their support of this bill.
3 Encore entrepreneurship is about
4 helping people in their fifties and older who
5 want to start their own businesses. Often they
6 make this choice after encountering ageism in the
7 workplace. Many have business ideas that address
8 the needs of our growing population of seniors.
9 People in this age group bring a
10 lifetime of experience and a strong work ethic to
11 their entrepreneurial activities -- but they also
12 may experience barriers when it comes to entering
13 the competitive world of small business as a
14 senior.
15 Navigating rapid technological
16 change, understanding the ins and outs of
17 marketing in the digital age, or recruiting and
18 managing staff as hiring practices and work
19 expectations are in such flux -- these are all
20 areas where seniors may need additional support
21 to make their business ideas a success.
22 In the spirit of encouraging
23 entrepreneurship, of helping New Yorkers remain
24 productive later in life, of supporting good
25 ideas for small business development, and of
1913
1 combating age discrimination, I proudly vote aye.
2 Thank you.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
4 May to be recorded in the affirmative.
5 Announce the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 593, Senate Print 5938, by Senator Parker, an act
11 to amend the Mental Hygiene Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
22 Calendar Number 593, those Senators voting in the
23 negative are Senators O'Mara and Ortt.
24 Ayes, 60. Nays, 2.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
1914
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 629, Senate Print 252A, by Senator Thomas, an act
4 to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law and the
5 Public Officers Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
9 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
10 shall have become a law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
12 roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
15 the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
18 is passed.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 647, Senate Print 8267, by Senator Gaughran, an
21 act in relation to authorizing the assessor of
22 the Town of Huntington, County of Suffolk, to
23 accept from the Huntington Public Library an
24 application for exemption from real property
25 taxes.
1915
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
11 Calendar Number 647, voting in the negative:
12 Senators Akshar and O'Mara.
13 Ayes, 60. Nays, 2.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 653, Senate Print 2903A, by Senator Kavanagh, an
18 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
22 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
23 shall have become a law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
25 roll.
1916
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
5 Calendar 653, those Senators voting in the
6 negative are Senators Borrello, Griffo, Helming,
7 Jordan, Lanza, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rath and
8 Serino. Also Senators Tedisco and Palumbo.
9 Ayes, 50. Nays, 12.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 713, Senate Print 5237B, by Senator Gaughran, an
14 act to amend the Public Authorities Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
18 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
19 shall have become a law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
24 the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
1917
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
2 is passed.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 734, Senate Print 6172A, by Senator Hoylman, an
5 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
9 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
10 shall have become a law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
12 roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
15 the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
17 Calendar Number 734, voting in the negative:
18 Senator Oberacker.
19 Ayes, 61. Nays, 1.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 735, Senate Print 6510, by Senator Mannion, an
24 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
1918
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect immediately.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
8 Mannion to explain his vote.
9 SENATOR MANNION: Thank you,
10 Mr. President.
11 Big game hunting is a big part of
12 the heritage of New York State. It's an activity
13 that connects generations of New Yorkers to each
14 other and to the outdoors. This legislation is
15 about promoting economic activity. It's about
16 promoting conservation, and it's about promoting
17 the safe enjoyment of the outdoors with your
18 loved ones during the holiday season.
19 It's also about respecting hunters,
20 proper management of our wildlife resources, and
21 empowering localities to make their own decisions
22 regarding the value and safety of hosting holiday
23 activities, including a holiday hunt, in their
24 communities.
25 The hunting organizations and the
1919
1 local governments are some of the most supportive
2 of this legislation. The New York Bow Hunters
3 Association says, and I quote: The white tailed
4 deer population is exhausted by this point in the
5 winter. Continuing hunting pressure would be
6 detrimental to the deer population.
7 And in its support, the New York
8 Farm Bureau notes that New York State currently
9 has one of the longest deer seasons in the
10 country and that it is important for counties to
11 be able to promote their own winter economic
12 growth.
13 Holiday hunts can force snowmobile
14 trails to close and make hiking trails and the
15 woods more dangerous as more people venture
16 outdoors during this holiday time.
17 New York's natural resources must be
18 protected so they can be enjoyed by the public in
19 perpetuity. This legislation is in that spirit
20 and towards that goal.
21 And for those reasons, I vote in the
22 affirmative. Thank you, Mr. President.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
24 Mannion to be recorded in the affirmative.
25 Announce the results.
1920
1 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
2 Calendar 735, those Senators voting in the
3 negative are Senators Borrello, Gallivan, Griffo,
4 Helming, Lanza, Martucci, Oberacker, O'Mara,
5 Palumbo, Rath, Ritchie, Serino, Stec and Weik.
6 Also Senator Tedisco.
7 Ayes, 47. Nays, 15.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
9 is passed.
10 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
11 reading of today's calendar.
12 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's go back to
13 resolutions, Mr. President, and take up
14 previously adopted Resolution 2176, by
15 Senator Ryan, read its title, and recognize
16 Senator Ryan.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
18 Secretary will read.
19 THE SECRETARY: Senate Resolution
20 2176, by Senator Ryan, memorializing Governor
21 Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 3-9, 2022, as
22 Library Week in the State of New York.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
24 Ryan on the resolution.
25 SENATOR RYAN: Thank you,
1921
1 Mr. President.
2 You're not going to believe it, but
3 this week is the 64th Annual National Library
4 Week. First celebrated in 1958, it's a national
5 observance celebrated by the American Library
6 Association and libraries in every county across
7 the state and across the country in April.
8 It's a great opportunity to
9 highlight the value of our libraries and to
10 celebrate the hard work of the librarians and
11 librarian staffs who support our libraries across
12 the state and the country.
13 As a long-time supporter of our
14 state libraries, I have seen firsthand how
15 important libraries are to all New Yorkers.
16 They've always been important tools for promoting
17 literacy, and they still perform that function
18 today -- but boy, have they taken on many more
19 roles in our community since then.
20 So the theme of this year's National
21 Library Week is "Connecting with Your Library,"
22 and the operative word is "connecting." For
23 many years we thought about being connected with
24 libraries through books, but there's many more
25 connections now we add to our libraries --
1922
1 education programming, bringing members of the
2 communities in, and of course in the 21st century
3 we connect to our libraries with computers, with
4 the internet, technological resources that help
5 people apply for jobs, learn the English
6 language, and so much more.
7 During the pandemic we discovered
8 how important this work is to New Yorkers. In
9 providing internet access to the library, it
10 really has made libraries a vital resource for
11 many workers working remotely, learning remotely,
12 taking medical appointments remotely. Their
13 ability to bridge the digital divide has been a
14 crucial resource to underserved communities.
15 And as chair of the Libraries
16 Committee, I'm honored to introduce this
17 resolution recognizing April 3rd to April 9th as
18 the 64th Annual Library Week in New York State,
19 and I look forward to commemorating this week by
20 recognizing the outstanding librarians throughout
21 the state.
22 Thank you, Mr. President.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
24 you, Senator Ryan.
25 Senator Harckham on the resolution.
1923
1 SENATOR HARCKHAM: Thank you,
2 Mr. President.
3 I would like to thank my colleague
4 Senator Ryan for providing this resolution.
5 And I too would like to take a
6 moment to thank our librarians and all those who
7 work and volunteer in libraries for all they do.
8 As Senator Ryan so aptly mentioned,
9 for so many years libraries were centers of
10 literacy and to promote art and culture and
11 reading. And today they're so much more. In my
12 district they're places for after-school
13 tutoring, they're places for people who do not
14 have access to computers to learn computer
15 skills, to be more employable, to access job
16 boards that they may not have computers at home.
17 And of course for the broadband
18 deserts that we talk about and we work so hard in
19 this chamber. I have both urban broadband
20 deserts and I have rural broadband deserts in my
21 district, and it's a great place for students and
22 others to come in order to get their work done.
23 You know, we have had -- during
24 power outages, our parking lots of our libraries
25 are filled with folks trying to get broadband.
1924
1 After hours, students are in the parking lots
2 trying to get broadband. Some of our libraries
3 have extended hours so students who don't have
4 broadband at home can get broadband access.
5 So libraries have become much more
6 important to the fabric not just of our
7 communities, where they will always be, but to
8 the fabric of our economy and our education
9 system.
10 So I want to thank Senator Ryan for
11 bringing this resolution. I thank all
12 librarians. And I vote aye.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
14 you, Senator Harckham.
15 Senator Jackson on the resolution.
16 SENATOR JACKSON: Thank you,
17 Mr. President.
18 I rise this afternoon in order to
19 support the resolution. But I thank my colleague
20 Senator Ryan for the resolution to proclaim
21 April 3rd to April 9th as National Library Week
22 in our state.
23 National Library Week is a time to
24 celebrate our nation's libraries and library
25 workers' contributions, and promote library use
1925
1 and support across the country and our state.
2 After all, we've all dashed to the
3 library to borrow our favorite book. We all have
4 had to visit a library to study. And we've spent
5 endless hours reviewing for exams, borrowing
6 textbooks, and reading free journals in the
7 library.
8 Do you remember all of that? Well,
9 do you remember that feeling of getting a
10 brand-new library card? I do. Of course that
11 was many decades ago.
12 (Laughter.)
13 SENATOR JACKSON: The libraries
14 have such a special place in the hearts of all
15 New Yorkers. Libraries are a place where
16 communities connect to books, to classes, things
17 like broadband, computer programs, movies,
18 video games, and a safe haven for many of the
19 children after school. And we know that.
20 But most important, libraries
21 connect us to one another. A great example of
22 this happened in Northern Manhattan, part of my
23 district, Inwood, that I represent, before I was
24 elected to office, when I joined a grassroots
25 movement to save the Inwood Library in 2017.
1926
1 That library united folks from different
2 backgrounds with the sole purpose of protecting
3 our library -- a powerful experience indeed.
4 Today U.S. libraries face many, many
5 challenges besides funding, and yet they continue
6 finding innovative ways to meet the needs of our
7 communities. Yet library staff in every state
8 face an unprecedented number of attempts to ban
9 books.
10 The American Library Association's
11 Office of Intellectual Freedom tracked
12 729 challenges to library, school and university
13 materials and services in 2021, resulting in
14 1,597 individual book challenges or removals.
15 Most targeted books were about Black or
16 LGBTQIA+ persons.
17 And because of this, we must support
18 our libraries today more than ever, allowing all
19 of us to read and understand each other better,
20 to read to be able to embrace and celebrate
21 diversity, to read and explore the possibility of
22 a better world, one of inclusion.
23 Let's not forget that the first
24 National Library Week was observed, as my
25 colleague said, in 1958 because many were
1927
1 concerned that Americans were reading less. The
2 theme was "Wake Up and Read," a message I believe
3 we all greatly appreciate today.
4 Lastly, to all the librarians who
5 continue to help our children, young adults and
6 seniors, on their behalf I thank you for
7 everything that you do. And I am proud to stand
8 here today to support this resolution to proclaim
9 National Library Week in New York State.
10 And I vote aye, Mr. President.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
12 you, Senator Jackson.
13 Senator Jordan on the resolution.
14 SENATOR JORDAN: Mr. President and
15 my colleagues, I'm proud to speak on the
16 resolution before us brought by my colleague and
17 chair of our Senate Libraries Committee, Senator
18 Ryan.
19 As the ranking member of our Senate
20 Libraries Committee, as one of the founders of
21 our fantastic Clifton Park-Halfmoon Public
22 Library, and as a director of the Clifton
23 Park-Halfmoon Library Foundation -- and as a
24 lifelong advocate of libraries, literacy and
25 learning -- I'm happy to strongly support this
1928
1 resolution memorializing the Governor to proclaim
2 April 3rd through the 9th as Library Week here in
3 New York State, in conjunction with the
4 observance of National Library Week.
5 This week in particular marks a
6 terrific time to reflect on the vital role that
7 our excellent public libraries play, along with
8 our fantastic, dedicated librarians and library
9 workers. This year marks the 64th anniversary of
10 National Library Week, a celebration and
11 recognition sponsored by the American Library
12 Association and libraries nationwide.
13 Libraries give us so much more and
14 contribute to our special quality of life with so
15 much more than just books. They're beloved
16 centers of creativity, places that inspire,
17 lighting the spark of imagination and fanning the
18 flame of curiosity, adventure, understanding and
19 a sense of wonder for exploring our larger world
20 and beyond.
21 As the times have changed, so too
22 have our tremendous public libraries, as they now
23 do more than ever before. Our public libraries
24 help connect communities with technology and
25 continue assisting countless families, students
1929
1 and individuals in closing the digital divide.
2 Libraries also sponsor classes,
3 workshops, resume assistance, help job seekers,
4 hold creativity classes, provide family-friendly
5 entertainment and resources for small businesses,
6 and are the world-class centers for true,
7 credible research and so much more.
8 Most of all, our public libraries
9 are welcoming, essential community resources that
10 help support and strengthen all New Yorkers.
11 I'll close with a quote about
12 libraries by Sidney Sheldon that says it all:
13 "Libraries store the energy that fuels the
14 imagination. They open up windows to the world
15 and inspire us to explore and achieve and
16 contribute to improving our quality of life."
17 Many thanks to all of our excellent
18 public libraries and to our still dedicated
19 librarians. Thank you for all you do.
20 I'm proud to support this
21 resolution. Thank you, Mr. President.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
23 you, Senator Jordan.
24 Senator Borrello on the resolution.
25 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
1930
1 Mr. President.
2 I rise to also support Library Week.
3 I'd like to thank Senator Ryan for his
4 sponsorship of this resolution.
5 You know, I think despite all that
6 we've said and how wonderful our libraries are,
7 we still have a challenge out there. The
8 challenge is often people think of libraries as
9 just a place where books are. But they are so
10 much more. And as everyone has so elquently --
11 elquently -- I can't even say the word --
12 (Laughter.)
13 SENATOR BORRELLO: -- eloquently
14 spoken about that, I want to focus on the fact
15 that during the pandemic we really did realize
16 how vital our libraries were. We realized how
17 essential our librarians were. They were, too,
18 essential workers.
19 During the pandemic when people
20 couldn't get access to things like the internet,
21 the libraries were there for them. When they had
22 trouble navigating things like how to fill out an
23 unemployment insurance form, or fill out the
24 endless paperwork to get some pandemic relief
25 money for their business, our libraries were
1931
1 there to help them.
2 This is an essential service that is
3 often overlooked because many times, as a veteran
4 of local government, library funding is one of
5 the first things on the chopping block when
6 things get tough. And we need to make sure that
7 never happens, because they are essential.
8 In rural communities like mine,
9 they're critically important. They are true
10 community centers where important things happen
11 and people get -- people who are often very
12 desperate for help get the help and guidance that
13 they need.
14 So, Mr. President, I proudly support
15 this and vote aye. Thank you.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
17 you, Senator Borrello.
18 Senator Hinchey on the resolution.
19 SENATOR HINCHEY: Thank you,
20 Mr. President.
21 And I want to thank the sponsor,
22 Senator Ryan, for bringing this resolution
23 forward.
24 Equal access to information is one
25 of the great things that sets our country apart
1932
1 from so many others across the world. And that
2 is exactly what our public libraries and our
3 libraries provide. And yet they often do not get
4 the due or the attention or the recognition that
5 they're owed and that we should, especially in
6 upstate and rural communities like the ones that
7 I represent. With more than five counties, we
8 have a lot of incredible libraries that are quite
9 literally the lifeline for so many people in our
10 communities.
11 Of course they provide literacy
12 options and books and incredible escapism to
13 places that some people may never be able to
14 travel themselves. But they're also, as has been
15 said today eloquently by my colleague Senator
16 Harckham, they became such a lifeline for
17 broadband during this pandemic. In our rural
18 areas where we have some deep, deep broadband
19 deserts, people had to decide if they could go to
20 work or go to school. People had to sit outside
21 these libraries and be able to actually do their
22 work or learn, continue their education, or be
23 able to look for that next job when they may have
24 gotten laid off over the pandemic.
25 These are services that are offered
1933
1 almost nowhere else except for the parking lots
2 of our libraries. For instance, the library in
3 Cairo, a very rural town in Greene County, that
4 library has become a community hub. They do food
5 drives, they do book drives. They actually offer
6 community college courses at the library because
7 the community college is over the river. They've
8 become a real epicenter of community work.
9 And those in Tannersville, the
10 library in Guilderland -- which just went through
11 an incredible renovation -- has made it a point
12 to make sure that they're welcoming new Americans
13 and immigrants and anyone moving into the
14 community that's new, to be a welcoming space for
15 people and providing them access to things that
16 they may not have had in the place where they
17 came from.
18 Our libraries are so profoundly
19 important. And again, they do not get the
20 recognition that they are often owed. And so
21 having this week is an incredibly special and
22 important week to make sure that we are paying
23 our respects to the volunteers and the library
24 workers who do this really important work in
25 communities across our state.
1934
1 So thank you, Senator Ryan, for
2 bringing this resolution forward, and I proudly
3 vote aye.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
5 you, Senator Hinchey.
6 Senator May on the resolution.
7 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
8 Mr. President.
9 I am very glad to speak about our
10 great libraries in this state and to thank
11 Senator Ryan for bringing this resolution
12 forward.
13 Free public libraries were invented
14 in America about 200 years ago. Over the last
15 few decades, we have seen in this country a
16 massive effort to privatize everything, from
17 schools to parks to water systems. Libraries
18 face pressure too. I, for one, will continue to
19 fight against predatory library pricing for
20 ebooks from major corporate publishers.
21 But in general, libraries have
22 bucked the privatization trend and continue to
23 serve every community in the most egalitarian way
24 possible.
25 Local libraries and countywide
1935
1 library systems aren't just resources for books
2 and digital items. As we've heard, they are
3 gathering places for community groups. They
4 provide access to lawyers and tax professionals.
5 They host maker spaces, meeting groups and
6 children's story times. Rural families
7 struggling to manage remote schooling over the
8 last two years have depended on libraries for
9 internet connection.
10 For people struggling with
11 homelessness, libraries provide a place to use a
12 bathroom or to sit in a comfortable chair for a
13 few hours.
14 I'm proud that my library system
15 just decided to abolish late fees. They're
16 forgoing $280,000 in fines to eliminate what is a
17 real barrier to many children and people of very
18 limited means, and to assure access to all
19 members of the community.
20 This is the library ideal: Serving
21 the principles that democracy depends on an
22 educated populace and that books and information
23 should be available to all.
24 I vote aye.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
1936
1 you, Senator May.
2 Senator Brooks on the resolution.
3 SENATOR BROOKS: Thank you,
4 Mr. President.
5 Thank you, Senator Ryan, for
6 introducing this resolution.
7 For me, libraries go way back --
8 back not quite to the 1800s, and we didn't bring
9 our horse to the library --
10 (Laughter.)
11 SENATOR BROOKS: -- but we date
12 back to the time when, going to school, most of
13 us didn't have an encyclopedia at home. And
14 after school, everybody ended up at the library
15 pulling all the encyclopedias, doing the research
16 that they had to do. And you saw the library
17 back then as a source to help you educate
18 yourself.
19 The role of the library has changed
20 so much in the last few years. In dealing with
21 the various library directors -- and I meet with
22 them every couple of months, and they're really
23 enthusiastic about what they do. But they also
24 talk about the concerns they have: How many
25 people walk in with various problems because they
1937
1 don't trust any other level of government to get
2 the right information. And on a cold day, people
3 who don't have any shelter show up at the
4 library. Or a rainy day, they show up at the
5 library.
6 One of the things we did with the
7 county at one time, we made arrangements for some
8 of the social workers from the county to come to
9 the libraries on certain days to help people,
10 because they saw the library as a center to get
11 help.
12 You look at the library -- I get a
13 kick out of my library. I know the local library
14 director. I generally give him a hard time. But
15 my granddaughter started going to the library for
16 a book-reading program, and they didn't know who
17 she was. And the coloring books that we have,
18 there were some of those at the library. So she
19 flips the page out that they were giving out to
20 the kids, she looks at it and goes "Grandpa, the
21 picture!" And they all look.
22 But she built such a love for
23 reading in the library. And she got to the point
24 that she was taking five and six books out and
25 finishing them in a week's time because of what
1938
1 was instilled there.
2 So the libraries, for so many of us,
3 were that cornerstone, our thirst for learning
4 that carried through.
5 As has been mentioned here, the
6 libraries have changed their role. In many of
7 the communities that I represent, computers at
8 home are something they don't have. They go to
9 the library to use that after school. In some
10 communities they go to the library after school
11 because that's a safe place.
12 The folks that operate the libraries
13 are very dedicated people who understand their
14 expanding role -- serving our seniors, serving
15 the children, serving people with disabilities,
16 serving people that don't have. They do a great
17 job.
18 I think something that was mentioned
19 here, the electronic books -- we've really got
20 for monitor what's happening with those in terms
21 of expense. That's one of their number-one
22 concerns.
23 And I think all of us hear from our
24 local libraries that they need money to do work
25 on their buildings. They've gone a long, long
1939
1 time. So we've got to dedicate that.
2 But at the end of the day, I think
3 the library is one of the best assets we have in
4 our communities. The folks that work in those
5 libraries are dedicated and concerned about the
6 community. And we bring so many programs through
7 the library to people in the community that
8 otherwise wouldn't have anything.
9 So I thank Senator Ryan for
10 providing this resolution, and I thank everybody
11 in this state associated with libraries for what
12 they do for their communities.
13 Thank you, Mr. President.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
15 you, Senator Brooks.
16 Senator Boyle on the resolution.
17 SENATOR BOYLE: Thank you,
18 Mr. President, on the resolution.
19 I'd like to thank the sponsor,
20 Senator Ryan, our ranker Senator Jordan, for this
21 resolution.
22 With the advent of the digital age,
23 I was a little concerned about what was going to
24 happen to our libraries, and can gladly report
25 that they're stronger and more vibrant than
1940
1 ever -- true, as we said, community centers,
2 activity centers.
3 I spend a lot of time in libraries.
4 My office, we do about 55 programs a year. And
5 the vast majority of them are held in our
6 libraries. Blood drives, coat drives. You name
7 it, we do it. They're always there.
8 And I'm amazed, when I go to these
9 libraries in the 4th Senate District, about
10 something new that's always happening. Walking
11 by a room, what's going on there? That's virtual
12 reality. What's going on there? Karaoke. A
13 soundproofed room, but karaoke is going on in our
14 libraries. It's not just books, it's so many
15 more active and community-based, family-based
16 activities.
17 We have a brand-new library in the
18 4th Senate District, Bayport-Blue Point. Two
19 community leaders, Ronny Devine and Councilman
20 Neil Foley, were active in creating this
21 beautiful new library. So the future is wide
22 open. Cannot thank them enough.
23 And just politically speaking, to my
24 colleagues, when we were -- when the Republicans
25 were in the majority, we put a lot, a lot of
1941
1 money in libraries. We were champions for
2 libraries. And to tell the new majority, put
3 your money in libraries. Because you know when
4 you get a member item and you give it to a school
5 district, they're going to say: Is that all?
6 Libraries thank you for $5,000,
7 $10,000. It's manna from heaven. They need it,
8 they use it, and it's great for our communities.
9 I vote in favor.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
11 you, Senator Boyle.
12 Senator Cooney on the resolution.
13 SENATOR COONEY: Thank you,
14 Mr. President.
15 You and I are about the same age, so
16 it's a little strange to be able to say this, but
17 about 30 years ago I started my first job. And I
18 walked into the then Highland Branch Library, now
19 Frederick Douglass Library, it's part of the
20 Rochester Public Library System. I served as a
21 page, where I actually used to take books right
22 on a cart and put them back on the shelf and
23 shelve them again.
24 Libraries have come a long way, and
25 many of the Senators here today have talked about
1942
1 that. And so I'm so grateful to Senator Ryan for
2 his leadership on the Libraries Committee. And
3 thank you, Senator Ryan, for also coming to
4 Rochester and seeing some of our libraries during
5 the off-session.
6 Libraries have changed. And so
7 Senator Jordan said they've become career
8 centers. Today's libraries are about resume
9 writing and helping people access employment
10 opportunities.
11 As my friend and colleague Senator
12 Hinchey talked about, it's an opportunity for the
13 new American community to access some of the
14 services that we have in this great country and
15 to prepare for their own citizenship tests.
16 And for me, libraries are a gateway
17 to where we want to go as an economic future for
18 New York State. So we talk a lot about what are
19 those new emerging industries in New York that we
20 can help prepare young people for the next
21 generation of jobs -- digital gaming, video
22 production. Not something that you normally
23 think about in terms of libraries, but you do in
24 the Monroe Public Library System. You do in your
25 library systems across New York State.
1943
1 And so I'm grateful for our
2 librarians who came from Monroe County and
3 Greater Rochester, from the Greece Library
4 System, from the Strong Museum, to be with us
5 here today.
6 And I want to thank all of our
7 librarians and my former bosses, who allowed me
8 to have a career in public services.
9 Thank you.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
11 you, Senator Cooney.
12 Senator Serino on the resolution.
13 SENATOR SERINO: Thank you,
14 Mr. President.
15 You know, Senator Brooks, you said
16 it so well. You know, when you talk about our
17 stories from when we were a kid and remembering
18 our libraries.
19 And I have to tell you, our
20 libraries are so integral to our communities.
21 And I think about being a single mom when I
22 didn't have a lot of money and it was just -- it
23 was great to be able to go to the library. And
24 looking at our -- what's going on now in our
25 world today too, people that don't -- they're
1944
1 struggling, they go to the libraries, they use
2 their broadband.
3 The seniors that need to -- want to
4 have some communication and socialization,
5 whether they're knitting or playing games. But
6 our libraries have so much to offer.
7 So, Senator Ryan, thank you for
8 moving this resolution forward. And also a huge
9 thank you to all of our librarians and libraries.
10 They have been such an integral part, especially
11 through COVID. It's been wonderful.
12 So thank you.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
14 you, Senator Serino.
15 The resolution was previously
16 adopted on March 29th.
17 Senator Gianaris.
18 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
19 Mr. President.
20 I feel compelled to state for the
21 record that you are in fact younger than
22 Senator Cooney.
23 (Laughter.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
25 record shall reflect, Senator Gianaris. So
1945
1 ordered.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: Is there any
3 further business at the desk?
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: There is
5 no further business at the desk.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to adjourn
7 until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 6th, at
8 11:00 a.m.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: On
10 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
11 Wednesday, April 6th, at 11:00 a.m.
12 (Whereupon, at 3:54 p.m., the Senate
13 adjourned.)
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