1946

 1                NEW YORK STATE SENATE

 2                          

 3                          

 4               THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD

 5                          

 6                          

 7                          

 8                          

 9                  ALBANY, NEW YORK

10                    April 6, 2022

11                     11:05 a.m.

12                          

13                          

14                   REGULAR SESSION

15  

16  

17  

18  SENATOR SHELLEY B. MAYER, Acting President

19  ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary

20  

21  

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24  

25  


                                                               1947

 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 recite 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, 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 MAYER:   Reading of 

14    the Journal.  

15                 THE SECRETARY:   In Senate, Tuesday, 

16    April 5, 2022, the Senate met pursuant to 

17    adjournment.  The Journal of Monday, April 4, 

18    2022, 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                 Messages from the Governor.  

25                 Reports of standing committees.  


                                                               1948

 1                 Reports of select committees.

 2                 Communications and reports from 

 3    state officers.

 4                 Motions and resolutions.

 5                 Senator Gianaris.

 6                 SENATOR GIANARIS:   Can we take up 

 7    the reading of the calendar, please.

 8                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   The 

 9    Secretary will read.

10                 THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 

11    501, Senate Print 973, by Senator Gaughran, an 

12    act to amend the Education Law.

13                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Read the 

14    last section.

15                 THE SECRETARY:   Section 2.  This 

16    act shall take effect on the first of July.

17                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Call the 

18    roll.

19                 (The Secretary called the roll.)

20                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Announce 

21    the results.

22                 THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 56.

23                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   The bill 

24    is passed.

25                 THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 


                                                               1949

 1    625, Senate Print 192, by Senator Thomas, an act 

 2    to amend the General Business Law.

 3                 SENATOR GIANARIS:   Lay it aside for 

 4    the day.

 5                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   The bill 

 6    is laid aside for the day.

 7                 THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 

 8    631, Senate Print 4733A, by Senator 

 9    Reichlin-Melnick, an act to amend the Vehicle and 

10    Traffic Law.  

11                 SENATOR GIANARIS:   Lay it aside for 

12    the day.

13                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   The bill 

14    is laid aside for the day.

15                 THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 

16    637, Senate Print 6871A, by Senator Harckham, an 

17    act to amend the Tax Law and the State Finance 

18    Law.

19                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Read the 

20    last section.

21                 THE SECRETARY:   Section 4.  This 

22    act shall take effect immediately.

23                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Call the 

24    roll.

25                 (The Secretary called the roll.)


                                                               1950

 1                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Senator 

 2    Serino to explain her vote.

 3                 SENATOR SERINO:   Thank you, 

 4    Madam President.  

 5                 I want to thank Senator Harckham 

 6    sincerely for not only bringing this bill to the 

 7    floor today, but for really being a real partner 

 8    in the fight against Lyme and tick-borne 

 9    diseases.  

10                 I always say that many of the issues 

11    that we deal with here really transcend politics, 

12    and combating the spread of Lyme and tick-borne 

13    diseases is an issue that's impacting every 

14    corner of our state, and it's certainly one that 

15    does transcend politics.  

16                 Lyme disease impacts thousands of 

17    New Yorkers every single year, with New York 

18    actually being home to the second-highest number 

19    of confirmed cases in the country.  Combating the 

20    spread of these diseases is going to really take 

21    committed partners at every level -- but most 

22    importantly, it's going to take real resources.

23                 This bill is an opportunity for 

24    New Yorkers themselves to play a role in 

25    supporting research, prevention and educational 


                                                               1951

 1    initiatives by donating through a tax credit 

 2    checkoff to a new fund that would be dedicated to 

 3    bolstering research in this field.  

 4                 And while this is an important step 

 5    to ensure that we are doing everything we can to 

 6    bolster resources for this cause, I would be 

 7    remiss if I didn't take the opportunity to point 

 8    out that the Governor's Executive Budget 

 9    proposal, and both the Assembly and the Senate 

10    one-house budget proposals, all failed to include 

11    any new funding to help prevent the spread of 

12    Lyme and tick-borne diseases.  

13                 And the reason I mention this is 

14    because, as of right now, most of the budget 

15    bills have not even been printed, so there's 

16    still time to do right by the thousands of 

17    New Yorkers who have suffered the very real 

18    impacts of these diseases by ensuring that the 

19    state's final budget includes at least 

20    $1.5 million for research, education and 

21    prevention initiatives.  

22                 One-point-five million dollars 

23    represents far less than even 1 percent of the 

24    Governor's overall budget proposal.  And this is 

25    pretty interesting:  In fact, it represents 


                                                               1952

 1    0.0007 percent of the overall Executive Budget 

 2    proposal.  So it's really a drop in the bucket to 

 3    help better protect New Yorkers against a very 

 4    real public health threat for generations to 

 5    come.

 6                 And I think if there's one thing the 

 7    COVID-19 pandemic has taught us, it's the 

 8    importance of prevention preparedness.  And when 

 9    it comes to Lyme and tick-borne diseases, we must 

10    do better on this front.  

11                 I am incredibly proud to have 

12    drafted this bill and to vote in support of it 

13    today, and I thank Senator Harckham and 

14    Senator Stewart-Cousins for bringing the bill 

15    before the house for a vote.

16                 So thank you, Madam President.  I 

17    vote aye.

18                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Senator 

19    Serino to be recorded in the affirmative.

20                 Announce the results.

21                 THE SECRETARY:   Ayes, 59.

22                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   The bill 

23    is passed.

24                 THE SECRETARY:   Calendar Number 

25    646, Senate Print 4614A, by Senator Kaplan, an 


                                                               1953

 1    act to authorize every governing body of an 

 2    assessing unit and every local assessor in 

 3    certain situations to accept a late application 

 4    for certain tax exemptions.

 5                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Read the 

 6    last section.

 7                 THE SECRETARY:   Section 2.  This 

 8    act shall take effect immediately.

 9                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Call the 

10    roll.

11                 (The Secretary called the roll.)

12                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   Announce 

13    the results.

14                 THE SECRETARY:   In relation to 

15    Calendar Number 646, voting in the negative:  

16    Senator Akshar.  

17                 Ayes, 58.  Nays, 1.

18                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   The bill 

19    is passed.

20                 Senator Gianaris, that completes the 

21    reading of today's calendar.

22                 SENATOR GIANARIS:   Is there any 

23    further business at the desk?

24                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   There is 

25    no further business at the desk.


                                                               1954

 1                 SENATOR GIANARIS:   Move to adjourn 

 2    until tomorrow, Thursday, April 7th, at 

 3    10:00 a.m.

 4                 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER:   On motion, 

 5    the Senate stands adjourned until Thursday, 

 6    April 7th, at 10:00 a.m. 

 7                 (Whereupon, the Senate adjourned at 

 8    11:10 a.m.)

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