Regular Session - March 22, 2023
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1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 March 22, 2023
11 3:19 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR ANDREW GOUNARDES, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
20
21
22
23
24
25
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT GOUNARDES: 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 GOUNARDES: Thank
9 you.
10 I ask -- now we will have an
11 invocation by His Eminence Archbishop
12 Elpidophoros of America, of the Greek Orthodox
13 Archdiocese.
14 ARCHBISHOP ELPIDOPHOROS: May we bow
15 our heads in prayer.
16 In the name of God, Who asks only
17 that we do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly in
18 the Divine Presence. Amen.
19 We give You thanks and praise,
20 O God, for gathering us together today to invoke
21 Your blessings and mercy upon this noble Senate
22 of New York State.
23 We humbly ask for Your beneficence
24 upon every member of this Senate, who earnestly
25 pursues the welfare of all citizens of the great
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1 State of New York.
2 We give You thanks and praise for
3 the recognition of the Greek War of Independence,
4 in the Declaration of March 2023 as Greek History
5 Month.
6 We ask Your special grace and wisdom
7 upon the Senate, as you blessed the wise King
8 Solomon. We beseech that You inspire their
9 vigilance for the people of the great State of
10 New York, as you inspired the Judge of Israel,
11 Deborah. And we ask that You grant them the
12 strength of the Judge Sampson, that they may
13 persevere in justice and righteousness all the
14 days of their service to the people.
15 Bless these lawgivers, that they may
16 ever render wholesome and right judgments for all
17 the citizenry, and thus render glory, reverence
18 and Honor to You, Who are the Source and
19 Foundation of the Law.
20 Amen.
21 (Response of "Amen.")
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Reading
23 of the Journal.
24 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Tuesday,
25 March 21, 2023, the Senate met pursuant to
1745
1 adjournment. The Journal of Monday, March 20,
2 2023, was read and approved. On motion, the
3 Senate adjourned.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Without
5 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
6 Presentation of petitions.
7 Messages from the Assembly.
8 Messages from the Governor.
9 Reports of standing committees.
10 Reports of select committees.
11 Communications and reports from
12 state officers.
13 Motions and resolutions.
14 Senator Gianaris.
15 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
16 Mr. President.
17 On behalf of Senator Stavisky, I
18 wish to call up Senate Print 1043, recalled from
19 the Assembly, which is now at the desk.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
21 Secretary will read.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 153, Senate Print 1043, by Senator Stavisky, an
24 act to amend the Education Law.
25 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to
1746
1 reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 52.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
7 is restored to its place on the Third Reading
8 Calendar.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: I offer the
10 following amendments.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
12 amendments are received, and the bill will retain
13 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
15 can we now move to previously adopted
16 Resolution 580, by the distinguished
17 Senator Gianaris, read its title only and
18 recognize me, please.
19 (Laughter.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Please
21 take up previously adopted Resolution 580, by the
22 incredibly distinguished Senator Gianaris, read
23 the resolution title only, and recognize
24 Senator Gianaris on the resolution.
25 The Secretary will read.
1747
1 THE SECRETARY: Senate Resolution
2 580, by Senator Gianaris, memorializing
3 Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 2023 as
4 Greek History Month in the State of New York, in
5 conjunction with the commemoration of the
6 202nd Anniversary of Greek Independence.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
8 Gianaris.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
10 Mr. President.
11 We just heard the invocation from
12 the leader of the Greek Orthodox Church in the
13 Americas, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros.
14 And that is an honor for those of us who are
15 members of the church and are of Hellenic
16 descent, and that in this body includes myself
17 and Senator Gounardes and Senator Skoufis, as
18 well as two members of the Assembly, who
19 collectively organized a luncheon earlier today
20 where we heard His Eminence give remarks.
21 We were also honored to be joined by
22 the Consul Generals of Greece, Konstantinos
23 Konstantinou, who is here with us in the chamber,
24 and of Cyprus, Michalis Firillas, who is also
25 with us today.
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1 This was a tradition that existed
2 many years ago, and then the pandemic and other
3 factors slowed it down. So I want to credit
4 Senator Gounardes and his team for doing a lot of
5 the work in reestablishing a day here at the
6 Capitol where we honor our heritage and remind
7 everyone of the contributions of the Greek people
8 to democracy and to the life and freedoms we have
9 here in the United States.
10 And this is a resolution we pass
11 every year here in this chamber. I'm honored to
12 be a child of immigrants from Greece. The --
13 it's a little bit of a joke, certainly in the
14 movies, that the Greeks take credit for
15 everything, but we do that because it's true.
16 (Laughter.)
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: And whether it's
18 democracy or science or mathematics or medicine,
19 you can take your pick, but the ancients had a
20 lot to do with where we are today. And it's
21 something that those of us who have that DNA --
22 including Senator Scarcella-Spanton, who's not
23 here, she has some of it -- are incredibly proud
24 of and work very hard to live up to those ideals
25 and those freedoms.
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1 So I want to thank my colleagues for
2 giving us the opportunity to spend a few minutes
3 in session today talking about this and the
4 importance of our history and our heritage to
5 New York. I want to thank His Eminence for
6 joining us. He's been here since last night;
7 many of us shared dinner with him last night.
8 And I know he visited already today with the
9 Governor and the leaders of the houses and many
10 of us over in the LOB at the luncheon.
11 So thank you to all who were
12 involved in this. Thank you for supporting the
13 Greek community here in New York.
14 And thank you, Mr. President, for
15 giving me a few minutes to discuss it.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
17 you, Senator Gianaris.
18 Senator Skoufis on the resolution.
19 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Thank you very
20 much, Mr. President.
21 First I want to thank Senator
22 Gianaris, Deputy Leader Gianaris, for introducing
23 the resolution, as well as my fellow
24 Greek-American legislator Senator Gounardes, who
25 played an instrumental role in organizing the
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1 events today and even last night, in general
2 partnership among our small but mighty
3 Greek-American caucus here in the State Senate.
4 And I assure all my colleagues who
5 are probably concerned about the remarks and the
6 length of the remarks that you're going to hear
7 from all of us Greek-Americans today that
8 cumulatively we will probably be a tenth of the
9 time that Tim Kennedy was yesterday --
10 (Laughter.)
11 SENATOR SKOUFIS: -- on Irish
12 Heritage Month --
13 (Laughter; applause.)
14 SENATOR SKOUFIS: -- and its
15 resolution.
16 (Laughter.)
17 SENATOR SKOUFIS: I'd also like to
18 particularly thank the archbishop for today's
19 invocation, for being here with us as we prepare
20 to celebrate Greek Independence Day and recognize
21 the contributions, many of which Senator Gianaris
22 outlined, from our Greek and Greek-American
23 brothers and sisters.
24 It really is an honor to be in His
25 Eminence's presence, and we're all grateful for
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1 his leadership, spiritual and otherwise.
2 I too am extremely proud of my Greek
3 heritage, Mr. President, and of the thousands of
4 Greek-Americans who live and work in the State of
5 New York.
6 And I'm delighted to highlight two
7 of these individuals. You know, Senator
8 Gianaris, as part of the celebration here in the
9 State Legislature, he has started his own
10 tradition in allowing us Greek-American
11 legislators to highlight one or a couple of our
12 constituents and honor them as part of these
13 proceedings.
14 And this year from my district I
15 have Andy and Popi Chronopoulos, who emigrated to
16 Highland Falls, a community in Orange County,
17 back in the 1960s. They brought with them
18 terrific Greek cuisine. They tirelessly ran an
19 amazing restaurant in the community, which really
20 served as a gathering place for over 37 years.
21 And to this day they remain staples
22 within our tight-knit Orange County community,
23 volunteering with local organizations, passing
24 their legacy of quiet generosity on to their two
25 sons and two grandkids.
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1 I'm honored to share their brief
2 story as part of the annual Greek Independence
3 Day celebration here in the Senate.
4 My family, like so many other
5 immigrant families, came to this country seeking
6 a more promising future for themselves and their
7 next generations. And to that end, there's a
8 traditional Greek proverb that reads: A society
9 grows great when old men plant trees whose shade
10 they know they shall never sit in.
11 During World War II, when the Nazis
12 occupied Greece, the occupying forces stole the
13 food that was grown in farming communities like
14 the one which my family was from in the mountains
15 of western Greece, leading to widespread famine.
16 An estimated 300,000 Greeks died of that
17 starvation, including my grandmother's parents.
18 My yaya went from having two parents to being an
19 orphan in just a matter of weeks during that
20 period.
21 Years later, my grandparents made
22 the difficult decision to take my father and his
23 siblings to the United States. They settled in
24 Brooklyn. My papu's first job, which he enjoyed
25 until retirement, and he was very proud of, was
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1 at the Nathan's hot dog stand in Coney Island.
2 They arrived in America with next to
3 nothing but over decades worked hard to earn a
4 place in New York's working class. My father
5 went on to open a Greek deli in Bay Ridge, which
6 Senator Gounardes still gets his feta cheese
7 from.
8 In coming to the United States, like
9 to many other Greek-Americans, my family planted
10 trees for me and my generation of relatives, some
11 of whose shade indeed they themselves will never
12 sit in.
13 This resolution to recognize March
14 as Greek History Month in the State of New York
15 is a celebration of all who have come before us
16 and planted trees in their stead, advancing
17 contributions in democracy and science and
18 theater and philosophy and so many other aspects
19 of our day-to-day lives as Americans.
20 Now, as a father and a State Senator
21 representing over 300,000 New Yorkers, I don't
22 lose sight of the fact that it's now my turn to
23 help plant as many trees as I can for those that
24 come after me.
25 I want to leave you all with one
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1 last contribution from the Greeks that may be
2 less obvious, the Hippocratic oath, the guiding
3 principle our medical professionals still
4 subscribe to today.
5 Like the doctors who take this oath,
6 we as legislators have an obligation to do no
7 harm and to work each day to improve the lives of
8 New Yorkers from all backgrounds.
9 Thank you, Mr. President, and to all
10 my colleagues for the moment you've given me, and
11 Happy Greek Independence Day to all of us.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
13 you, Senator Skoufis.
14 Senator Gounardes on the resolution.
15 SENATOR GOUNARDES: Thank you,
16 Mr. President.
17 And I want to thank Senator Gianaris
18 and Senator Skoufis for their partnership and
19 support in allowing us to celebrate our heritage
20 and history today.
21 This year we're celebrating the
22 202nd anniversary of Greece's independence after
23 400 years of subjugation and slavery by the
24 Ottoman Empire.
25 On March 25th, 1821, revolutionary
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1 fighters gathered together with Metropolitan
2 Germanos in the Monastery of Agia Lavra, in the
3 village of Kalavryta -- which I think is where
4 Senator Gianaris's family is from -- and declared
5 the beginning of the revolution against Ottoman
6 oppression.
7 What followed was a seven-year war
8 that ended with the creation of the Hellenic
9 Republic, and would lead to the spread of
10 revolutionary fervor across the European
11 continent and would remake the world.
12 As a fourth-generation
13 Greek-American, I am proud of this history. I
14 think about the words of the Greek National
15 Anthem, the Hymn to Liberty, by Dionysios
16 Solomos.
17 "I shall always recognize you
18 By the dreadful sword you hold
19 As the Earth with searching vision
20 You survey with spirit bold
21 From the Greeks of old
22 Whose dying brought to life and
23 spirit free
24 Now with ancient valor rising
25 Let us hail you, O Liberty!"
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1 Every time I hear that anthem, I
2 swell with pride at the poem's conclusion, a
3 resounding ode to the price and cost of national
4 freedom.
5 How fitting to reflect on these
6 words as we see the people of Ukraine fight for
7 the survival of their country and paying for
8 their liberty with their lives.
9 Today we are joined in the chamber
10 by representatives of both the Hellenic Republic
11 and the Republic of Cyprus, because the history
12 and destiny of the Greek and Cypriot people are
13 shared and linked together, and we thank the
14 Consuls General for being with us here today.
15 But it's not just the history of the
16 revolution and Greece's independence that I'm
17 proud to celebrate; it's the contributions of the
18 Greek-American community to our nation that are
19 also worthy of praise and celebration.
20 For the past 100-plus years, Greeks
21 have emigrated to the United States in search of
22 peace, stability, and a better life for
23 themselves and their families. They came to
24 escape the persecutions of the Ottoman Empire.
25 They came to be spared the devastations of
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1 World War I. They came to be saved from the
2 terrors of the Asia Minor Holocaust and the
3 burning of Smyrna. They came to be spared the
4 horrors of World War II. They came to find peace
5 during the Greek Civil War. They came to seek
6 safety and opportunity during the unrest of the
7 '60s and '70s.
8 For 100-plus years, Greeks have
9 sought out the light of freedom offered by
10 Lady Liberty and came to the United States in the
11 hopes of a better life.
12 When the United States adopted
13 immigration quotas in 1924 and would only accept
14 100 Greeks per year to come into this country --
15 and yet still our people came by the hundreds and
16 by the thousands and tens of thousands.
17 And let's not forget just how
18 unwanted Greeks were in this country. Greek
19 immigrants endured decades of harassment,
20 intimidation, discrimination, and violence -- all
21 because they looked different than other
22 Americans, spoke a different language from other
23 Americans, and took low-paying jobs away from
24 other Americans.
25 In fact, the Ku Klux Klan viewed
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1 Greek immigrants as a threat to the
2 United States. They attacked Greek businesses,
3 burned crosses on Greek lawns, encouraged doctors
4 to sterilize Greek women, and beat and even in
5 some cases murdered Greek immigrants.
6 It was not uncommon to see "No
7 Greeks Wanted" signs in store windows, or even to
8 see Greek men flogged for having dared to date a
9 "white" woman.
10 Greek immigrants were encouraged to
11 prove themselves of being equal to whites by
12 taking undesirable jobs such as building
13 railroads, cleaning sewage, laying pavement, and
14 working in factories.
15 And yet still our people came,
16 enduring injustice after injustice, all in the
17 hopes of living a better life here. They didn't
18 just come for themselves, but for their children
19 and their children's children.
20 They came here so that one day, a
21 hundred years later, 75 years later, 50 years
22 later, there could be three Greek-Americans
23 elected to serve their communities in a body as
24 august as the New York State Senate.
25 And so as we stand here today
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1 celebrating the 202nd anniversary of Greek
2 Independence and declare Greek History Month in
3 the State of New York, I am ever hopeful for the
4 future of our community here in America.
5 And this moment represents an
6 opportunity for reflection. At a time when
7 individuals across our country are being
8 subjected to violence, bigotry, and
9 discrimination because they come from different
10 countries, speak different languages, have
11 different customs, eat different foods, it's
12 incumbent upon those of us whose ancestors
13 endured similar treatment to stand up and condemn
14 the ugliness of racism wherever it rears its ugly
15 head.
16 That we remember the struggles of
17 our forefathers, and we open our hands and we
18 open our hearts to all those whose stories mirror
19 our own and embrace our fellow human beings as
20 true brothers and sisters.
21 It's with this spirit that I'm
22 particularly proud today that we're joined as
23 well by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of
24 America, the spiritual leader of the Greek
25 Orthodox Church in the United States.
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1 For some of my colleagues who may
2 not know, the Greek Orthodox Church in America
3 has long played an active role in the advancement
4 of civil, political, and human rights in this
5 country. The American Hellenic Educational
6 Progressive Association, better known as AHEPA,
7 was founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, to
8 counter the bigotry and racism of the KKK.
9 We're also joined here by some of
10 the national leadership from AHEPA in the
11 gallery. It was our own Archbishop Iakovos who
12 joined Dr. King in Selma, attended the funeral of
13 Reverend James Reeb, and marched across the
14 Edmund Pettus Bridge in the fight for equality
15 for Black Americans.
16 And during the protests for racial
17 justice after the murder of George Floyd, it was
18 Archbishop Elpidophoros who was out there in the
19 streets, just as many of us were, marching to
20 support the movement for Black lives.
21 So, Mr. President, today, on
22 March 22nd, and with great pride and humility, I
23 thank my colleagues for their indulgence and for
24 their support of this resolution, and I wish all
25 Greeks and Phil-Hellenes everywhere a Happy Greek
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1 Independence Day.
2 Zhtw h Ellas!
3 Thank you.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
5 you, Senator Gounardes.
6 To our guests, I welcome you on
7 behalf of the Senate. We extend to you the
8 privileges and courtesies of this house.
9 Please rise and be recognized.
10 (Standing ovation.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
12 Serrano.
13 SENATOR SERRANO: Thank you,
14 Mr. President.
15 Let's please take up previously
16 adopted Resolution 210 --
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
18 Serrano, I'm sorry, point of order.
19 The resolution was previously
20 adopted on March 21st.
21 Senator Serrano.
22 SENATOR SERRANO: Okay. Let's take
23 up previously adopted Resolution 210, by
24 Senator Persaud, read the resolution title only,
25 and recognize Senator Persaud on the resolution.
1762
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
2 Secretary will read.
3 THE SECRETARY: Senate Resolution
4 210, by Senator Persaud, memorializing Governor
5 Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 22, 2023, as Doula
6 Day in the State of New York.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
8 Persaud on the resolution.
9 SENATOR PERSAUD: Thank you,
10 Mr. President.
11 March 22nd to 28th is a time to be
12 grateful for all that doulas provide. Doula
13 Celebration Day initially started on March 22,
14 2011, to mark spring's equinox, also meaning the
15 return of fertility in many different cultures.
16 Doulas are nonclinical personnel who
17 provide healthcare services to pregnant women
18 during, before and after pregnancy. They provide
19 individualized physical, emotional and
20 informational support, as well as advocacy, to
21 their clients.
22 Doula care is an evidence-based
23 practice that is associated with healthier birth
24 outcomes for both a pregnant person and their
25 newborn infant.
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1 And there's a lack of awareness,
2 resources and training that is important, in that
3 it's underserved.
4 A 2013 study found that doulas serve
5 as the pregnant person's advocate for empowering
6 them to make informed decisions for themselves
7 and their child. Continued support by doulas is
8 linked to significant reduction in childbirth
9 complications and cesarean births.
10 Doula services are also important
11 strategies in addressing the maternal health
12 crisis which was prioritized in the fiscal year
13 2023 President's budget. A 2022 issue brief by
14 the Office of Health Policy found that doulas can
15 mitigate racial inequity in maternal health
16 outcomes in communicating their client's needs
17 and assisting them in navigating the healthcare
18 and social sectors.
19 Doula services have proven to be an
20 effective strategy in addressing racial
21 disparities in maternal healthcare by reducing
22 severe maternal morbidity, and yet lack of
23 awareness and access to doula services contribute
24 to underserved communities.
25 A study showed that overall people
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1 who have continuous doula support services are
2 25 percent -- show a 25 percent decrease in
3 cesareans and an 8 percent increase in
4 spontaneous vaginal births, a 10 percent decrease
5 in the use of any medication for pain relief and
6 shortening labor by 41 minutes.
7 A 2021 report by the New York City
8 Department of Health found that doulas face
9 barriers to providing services in hospital
10 settings, such as requests to provide their
11 and/or certifications.
12 The presence of a doula can empower
13 a pregnant person to make informed decisions and
14 facilitate communication with their healthcare
15 providers. They also provide support and peace
16 of mind for caring for birthing persons.
17 Over the past few years, my
18 colleague in the Assembly and I have been
19 advocating for additional -- for doula services
20 to be covered as a medical service. So today, as
21 we're celebrating doulas, I ask my colleagues to
22 continue to support us as we're asking for doula
23 services to be covered and for doulas to be
24 compensated the way they should be compensated
25 for the medical services that they provide --
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1 essential medical services that many people of
2 many cultures look to outside of a hospital
3 setting.
4 So again, today is Doula Recognition
5 Day, and I ask you again, please support us as we
6 are fighting to have doulas recognized for the
7 important work that they do for those
8 childbearing folks.
9 Thank you, Mr. President.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
11 you, Senator Persaud.
12 Senator Brouk on the resolution.
13 SENATOR BROUK: Thank you,
14 Mr. President.
15 And I also want to thank
16 Senator Persaud for her leadership in introducing
17 this resolution each year to recognize doula care
18 not just in New York but, as she stated, around
19 the world.
20 And it's hard to top that, because
21 it was so comprehensive. But simply put, doula
22 care saves lives. You all have heard it before.
23 Doula care saves mothers' lives and babies'
24 lives. And I'm so proud of the work that this
25 house has done to address the maternal mortality
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1 crisis specifically as it relates to supporting
2 doula care.
3 As Senator Persaud said, doulas are
4 especially skilled at interrupting harm that may
5 take place towards a birthing parent during the
6 birthing process. And they are essential in
7 making sure that the voices of our birthing
8 parents are heard and considered throughout that
9 process.
10 And as we sit here as legislators in
11 the State of New York, where Black women are
12 five times more likely to die in giving birth --
13 and in a country where it is the most dangerous
14 place in the developed world to give birth, we
15 cannot afford to overlook the benefit that doulas
16 and doula care can provide for our birthing
17 people.
18 That's why this house has hosted
19 public hearings. That's why in this house's
20 one-house budget we included an expansion of
21 Medicaid to cover doula care at an equitable
22 rate, as Senator Persaud pointed out. And that's
23 why I'm proud to stand here and show my support
24 for all of the work that we are doing in this
25 house.
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1 And I want to end with the exciting
2 moment we're in of having so many mothers and
3 women -- dare I say probably the most this
4 chamber has ever seen. And not only that, but
5 people who have experienced doula care and who
6 can speak on the importance of this type of care
7 and be the voice for so many birthing people who
8 do not have the privilege of sitting in our
9 seats.
10 So I hope that this Legislature will
11 continue to put forward these types of policies
12 putting mothers and their babies first.
13 Thank you.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
15 you, Senator Brouk.
16 The resolution was previously
17 adopted on January 18th.
18 Senator Serrano.
19 SENATOR SERRANO: Thank you,
20 Mr. President.
21 Let's please take up previously
22 adopted Resolution 543, by Senator Hinchey, read
23 the resolution in title only, and recognize
24 Senator Hinchey on the resolution.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
1768
1 Secretary will read.
2 THE SECRETARY: Senate Resolution
3 543, by Senator Hinchey, commending New York
4 Maple Producers during the Annual Maple Weekends
5 on March 18-19, 2023, and March 25-26, 2023.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
7 Hinchey on the resolution.
8 SENATOR HINCHEY: Thank you,
9 Mr. President.
10 The celebration of maple started as
11 single day, Maple Sunday, in 1995, and over the
12 last 27 years has grown to expand to four days
13 over two weekends: This year, March 18th and
14 19th and our upcoming weekend, March 25th and
15 26th.
16 Maple is one of New York's
17 fastest-growing specialty crops, and we rank as
18 the second-largest maple producer in the country,
19 only second to Vermont. We have the largest
20 resource of tappable trees, and so we could be
21 number one if we did some work to open up our
22 state forests to maple tapping, something I know
23 is important to the industry and also safe for
24 our trees. We could be number one, but we will
25 settle happily for number two.
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1 We have more than 2,000 maple sugar
2 makers in New York, and some of these farms have
3 been producing continually for over 200 years.
4 As the New York State Maple Producers Association
5 says, this is agritourism at its best, these
6 maple weekends. You can see how maple is
7 collected, you can help tap a tree, you see sap
8 collection, you see the boiling process, and of
9 course my favorite -- everyone's favorite -- you
10 get to taste the products.
11 There are some incredible events
12 happening across our state this coming weekend,
13 and I encourage all of our colleagues to check
14 them out. There are a few across the 41st --
15 Maple Leaf Sugaring in Ghent, in Columbia County;
16 New Beginnings Farmstead in Kingston;
17 Platte Creek Maple Farm in Saugerties, and a host
18 of others.
19 I guarantee you, no matter where you
20 live, there is one near you, and I encourage
21 everyone to celebrate Maple Weekend and support
22 our farmers and the farming communities that
23 provide us with the delicious goods that we all
24 love to enjoy.
25 I'm really proud to celebrate
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1 Maple Weekend. Thank you to all of my
2 colleagues.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
4 you, Senator Hinchey.
5 Senator Borrello on the resolution.
6 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
7 Mr. President.
8 I want to join Senator Hinchey in
9 welcoming everyone to Maple Weekend this coming
10 weekend. You can go to MapleWeekend.com to find
11 out locations near you.
12 I had the privilege last year of
13 ceremonially tapping the first tree at Sprague's
14 Maple Farms, where Randy Sprague handed me a tool
15 that his grandfather actually used -- and that
16 was a lot of pressure, to make sure I didn't
17 screw it up. But thankfully I did not, and the
18 tool survived my tree tapping.
19 But this year -- or last year,
20 New York State produced a record 845,000 gallons
21 of maple syrup. That's a record, and we
22 hopefully will see more of that.
23 We have innovative folks here. I
24 met with them at their farms throughout New York
25 State, and even in my office here this session,
1771
1 to talk about the innovation that they are doing,
2 the new markets that they're looking for. Things
3 like maple bourbon and other things that are
4 going to help expand the market and the
5 uniqueness of New York's maple industry.
6 So I'd like to have everyone join
7 and celebrate the great maple industry here in
8 New York State, number two in the nation, as
9 Senator Hinchey mentioned. And hope that you all
10 have a great opportunity to get out and celebrate
11 Maple Weekend.
12 Thank you, Mr. President.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
14 you, Senator Borrello.
15 The resolution was previously
16 adopted on March 15th.
17 Senator Serrano.
18 SENATOR SERRANO: Thank you.
19 At the request of the sponsors, the
20 resolutions are open for cosponsorship.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
22 resolutions are open for cosponsorship. Should
23 you choose not to be a cosponsor on the
24 resolutions, please notify the desk.
25 Senator Serrano.
1772
1 SENATOR SERRANO: Thank you.
2 Let's please take up the reading of
3 the calendar.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
5 Secretary will read.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 184, Senate Print 147A, by Senator Gianaris, an
8 act to amend the Public Health Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
10 last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
12 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
13 shall have become a law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
15 roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
18 the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
20 Calendar Number 184, voting in the negative:
21 Senator Walczyk.
22 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
24 is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
1773
1 208, Senate Print 1054, by Senator Hinchey, an
2 act to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
4 last section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
6 act shall take effect immediately.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
8 roll.
9 (The Secretary called the roll.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
11 the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 463, Senate Print 151, by Senator Gianaris, an
17 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law and the
18 Civil Practice Law and Rules.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
1774
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 463, those Senators voting in the
5 negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Felder,
6 Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martins,
7 Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt,
8 Palumbo, Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk,
9 Weber and Weik.
10 Ayes, 40. Nays, 21.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 487, Senate Print 4467A, by Senator Mayer, an act
15 to amend the Executive Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 2 --
19 SENATOR SERRANO: Lay it aside for
20 the day, please.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
22 will be laid aside for the day.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 488, Senate Print 4742, by Senator Cooney, an act
25 to amend the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.
1775
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section --
4 SENATOR SERRANO: Lay the bill
5 aside for the day, please.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Lay the
7 bill aside for the day.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 493, Senate Print 5262, by Senator Sanders, an
10 act to amend the Administrative Code of the City
11 of New York.
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: Ayes, 61.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 494, Senate Print 1296, by Senator Sanders, an
1776
1 act to amend the Elder Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 501, Senate Print 4516, by Senator Fernandez, an
16 act to amend the General Obligations Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
25 Fernandez to explain her vote.
1777
1 SENATOR FERNANDEZ: Thank you,
2 Mr. President.
3 Targets of assault and
4 discrimination are often required to sign NDAs,
5 nondisclosure agreements, in order to receive
6 compensation for the harm that they have
7 experienced. These agreements frequently include
8 language requiring victims to pay immense fines
9 if they violate the agreement. This forces
10 victims to choose between staying silent or
11 pursuing justice at a huge financial cost.
12 This bill prevents NDAs from
13 including liquidated damages in cases of
14 harassment and discrimination, so victims are not
15 deterred from coming forward with their stories.
16 No one should be intimidated or silenced, and
17 this bill will protect them from coming forward
18 if they're ever a victim of harassment or
19 discrimination.
20 Thank you. I vote in the
21 affirmative.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
23 Fernandez to be recorded in the affirmative.
24 Announce the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
1778
1 Calendar 501, those Senators voting in the
2 negative are Senators Lanza, O'Mara and Walczyk.
3 Ayes, 58. Nays, 3.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 511, Senate Print 5186, by Senator Mayer, an act
8 to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
10 last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
12 act shall take effect immediately.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
17 the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 512, Senate Print 259, by Senator Serrano, an act
23 to amend the Education Law and the Public Health
24 Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
1779
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. 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 Serrano to explain his vote.
9 SENATOR SERRANO: Thank you.
10 This bill will require cultural
11 awareness and competence training for medical
12 professionals.
13 The communities that I represent in
14 East Harlem and the South Bronx -- and indeed
15 many other communities throughout the State of
16 New York -- suffer from disproportionate health
17 disparities, racial health disparities, continued
18 health disparities when it comes to maternal
19 health.
20 And I believe that this additional
21 training, this cultural competency training, will
22 ensure that there's better lines of communication
23 between medical professionals and the communities
24 that they represent. And in turn, this will
25 create better health outcomes, which will be
1780
1 great for the residents of New York and the
2 entire State of New York.
3 So I'm hopeful that my colleagues
4 will support this legislation. It's extremely
5 important that we deal with and find different
6 ways to address the health disparities in our
7 community.
8 Thank you. And I vote aye.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
10 Serrano to be recorded in the affirmative.
11 Announce the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
13 Calendar Number 512, those Senators voting in the
14 negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Gallivan,
15 Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Mattera, Murray,
16 Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads,
17 Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
18 Also Senator Felder.
19 Ayes, 41. Nays, 20.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 513, Senate Print 1669, by Senator Addabbo, an
24 act to amend the Education Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
1781
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
3 act shall take effect on the first of July.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
8 the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
11 is passed.
12 Senator Serrano, that completes the
13 reading of today's calendar.
14 SENATOR SERRANO: Is there any
15 further business at the desk?
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: There is
17 no further business at the desk.
18 SENATOR SERRANO: I move that we
19 adjourn until Thursday, March 23rd, at 11:00 a.m.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: On
21 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
22 Thursday, March 23rd, at 11:00 a.m.
23 (Whereupon, at 3:54 p.m., the Senate
24 adjourned.)
25