Regular Session - May 23, 2024
4318
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 May 23, 2024
11 11:46 a.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR SHELLEY B. MAYER, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
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21
22
23
24
25
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The Senate
3 will come to order.
4 I ask everyone to please rise and
5 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,
16 Wednesday, May 22, 2024, the Senate met pursuant
17 to adjournment. The Journal of Tuesday, May 21,
18 2024, was read and approved. On motion, the
19 Senate adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Without
21 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 The Secretary will read.
25 THE SECRETARY: Senator Thomas
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1 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Codes,
2 Assembly Bill Number 7495 and substitute it for
3 the identical Senate Bill 6239, Third Reading
4 Calendar 550.
5 Senator Gonzalez moves to discharge,
6 from the Committee on Transportation,
7 Assembly Bill Number 8029C and substitute it for
8 the identical Senate Bill 7647B, Third Reading
9 Calendar 603.
10 Senator Stewart-Cousins moves to
11 discharge, from the Committee on Cities 2,
12 Assembly Bill Number 9466 and substitute it for
13 the identical Senate Bill 8899, Third Reading
14 Calendar 1027.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: So
16 ordered.
17 Messages from the Governor.
18 Reports of standing committees.
19 Reports of select committees.
20 Communications and reports from
21 state officers.
22 Motions and resolutions.
23 Senator Gianaris.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Good morning,
25 Madam President.
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1 On behalf of Senator Gonzalez, on
2 page 66 I offer the following amendments to
3 Calendar 969, Senate Print 6803A, and ask that
4 said bill retain its place on the Third Reading
5 Calendar.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
7 amendments are received, and the bill will retain
8 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
9 Senator Gianaris.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: I also wish to
11 call up the following bills, which were recalled
12 from the Assembly and are now at the desk:
13 Senate 1001, 643D, and 8708.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
15 Secretary will read.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 898, Senate Print 8708, by Senator Rhoads, an act
18 in relation to authorizing the John Theissen
19 Children Foundation, Inc. to receive retroactive
20 real property tax exempt status.
21 Calendar Number 164, Senate Print
22 1001, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal, an act to amend
23 the Public Health Law.
24 Calendar Number 533, Senate Print
25 643D, by Senator Kavanagh, an act to amend the
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1 Environmental Conservation Law.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to
3 reconsider the vote by which these bills were
4 passed.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
6 Secretary will call the roll on reconsideration.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 52.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bills
10 are restored to their place on the Third Reading
11 Calendar.
12 SENATOR GIANARIS: I offer the
13 following amendments.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
15 amendments are received.
16 SENATOR GIANARIS: Can we now
17 recognize Senator Cooney for an introduction.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
19 Cooney for an introduction.
20 SENATOR COONEY: Good morning and
21 thank you, Madam President.
22 Today I want to take a moment and I
23 want to honor a legend in New York State and in
24 my home City of Rochester. Belen Colon devoted
25 her life to giving a voice to the voiceless.
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1 Whether it was civil rights, voting rights or
2 human rights, Belen was a true community hero.
3 It takes a special kind of
4 selflessness to commit oneself to the betterment
5 of their community, and nobody embodies that
6 selflessness better than Belen. The "Mayor of
7 North Clinton Avenue," Belen began organizing the
8 Latino movement in Rochester as soon as she
9 arrived from Puerto Rico. She was a role model
10 to so many, and we are truly indebted to her
11 work.
12 Belen sadly passed away at the age
13 of 84 just a couple of years ago, leaving behind
14 so many loving family, friends and community
15 members. A few of those family and community
16 members have joined us today here in the Senate,
17 including the vice president of the Monroe County
18 Legislature and her daughter, Mercedes
19 Vazquez-Simmons; Brittany Young; Matilda Cruz;
20 Ida Burgos; and Luis Sierra.
21 I want to thank those who made the
22 trip to Albany today to recognize Belen's
23 commitment to New York State. I'm so proud to
24 honor her legacy here in the New York State
25 Senate, and ask that you afford them our
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1 privileges.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: To our
3 guests, the family of Belen Colon and her guests
4 that are here, we welcome you on behalf of the
5 Senate. We extend to you the privileges and
6 courtesies of the house.
7 Please rise and be recognized.
8 (Standing ovation.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
10 Gianaris.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Next let's take
12 up previously adopted Resolution 2463, by
13 Senator May, read that resolution's title and
14 recognize Senator May.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
16 Secretary will read.
17 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 2463, by
18 Senator May, memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul
19 to proclaim May 22, 2024, as International Day
20 for Biological Diversity in the State of
21 New York.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
23 May on the resolution.
24 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
25 Madam President.
4325
1 Last year we were honored to have
2 Tadodaho Sid Hill of the Onondaga Nation share
3 with us a short version of the Haudenosaunee
4 Thanksgiving address.
5 The people of the Six Nations open
6 their meetings, large and small, with an
7 expression of gratitude to the multitude of
8 natural beings and forces without which we cannot
9 thrive -- the waters, the winds, the sun, moon,
10 plants, animals, soils and human beings that we
11 share the earth with.
12 They don't normally use the word
13 "biodiversity," but that's what they're talking
14 about: The idea that every creature and natural
15 system is interconnected and interdependent.
16 Biodiversity is under threat on our
17 beloved planet. As more and more species go
18 extinct, our ecosystems become less robust, less
19 resilient, and less healthy, not to mention less
20 beautiful and less awe-inspiring.
21 The good news is that humans are
22 getting the message. We are more aware of the
23 need to protect pollinators if we want to have
24 food, to protect wetlands and ocean buffers if we
25 want to survive storms, and to protect distant
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1 rainforests if we want to keep a livable
2 atmosphere.
3 The lesson of biodiversity is we
4 shouldn't be picking and choosing. We need to
5 respect and defend the whole kaleidoscope of
6 natural diversity, from the spectacular to the
7 microscopic, for their own sakes and ours.
8 I am proud to carry this resolution
9 declaring May 22nd Biological Diversity Day in
10 New York, and I vote aye.
11 Thank you.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
13 Senator May.
14 The resolution was previously
15 adopted on May 21st.
16 Senator Gianaris.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Next let's move
18 on to previously adopted Resolution 2239, by
19 Senator Ashby. Let's read that resolution's
20 title and recognize Senator Ashby.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
22 Secretary will read.
23 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 2239, by
24 Senator Ashby, recognizing the Patriot Guard
25 Riders of New York for their funeral escort
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1 services and flag lines for the memorials of
2 Chief Warrant Officer 2 Casey Frankoski and
3 Chief Warrant Officer 2 John Grassia III.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
5 Ashby on the resolution.
6 SENATOR ASHBY: Thank you,
7 Madam President, for allowing me to bring this
8 resolution to the floor and recognize the
9 Patriot Guard Riders for their Honor Missions in
10 March honoring the lives of Chief Warrant
11 Officer 2 Casey Frankoski and Chief Warrant
12 Officer 2 John Grassia III.
13 My time -- I mentioned to these
14 riders earlier my time and experiences being
15 involved in ceremonies for service members who
16 lost their lives mainly consisted of fallen
17 soldiers' ceremonies, downrange and small places
18 far from here.
19 And this was the first opportunity
20 that I had to be in a motorcade with the
21 Patriot Guard Riders and see the overwhelming
22 support of the Capitol District for these two
23 heroes.
24 And I want to thank you deeply for
25 what you continue to do, not only for these two
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1 heroes but for servicemen and -women and families
2 around our country and our state.
3 The Patriot Guard Riders were
4 founded in 2005 to shield families of fallen
5 heroes from those that would disrupt the services
6 of their loved ones. The organization has grown
7 to include thousands of members across all
8 50 states in the U.S. New York State, being
9 organized in 2006, became a nonprofit corporation
10 in 2010.
11 The mission of the Patriot Guard
12 Riders is to attend the funeral services and
13 stand flag lines for military members, veterans,
14 and first responders, as invited guests of the
15 family to show respect and gratitude for those
16 who served, as well as to support their families.
17 The organization's flag lines may be
18 present at airport arrivals, funeral homes,
19 churches, dignified transfers, and at burials or
20 internments.
21 Their countless endeavors also
22 include raising funds for Reach Across America
23 and, most importantly, organizing civilian
24 volunteers to place wreaths in national
25 cemeteries.
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1 Patriot Guard Riders of New York
2 supports the military veterans' Blue and Gold
3 Star families through its help on the Home Front
4 Program. This esteemed organization honors those
5 forgotten veterans who have no family to claim
6 their remains by securing a final resting place
7 and arranging for a full military funeral,
8 through its Veteran Recovery Program.
9 Madam President, on the floor with
10 me today is New York State Captain Bill Schaaf,
11 Assistant State Captain Ray Sestak, as well as
12 Paul Orzolek, Eugene Spicer and Martin Kaiser.
13 In the gallery we are joined with
14 Brett Larson, Shirley Gawlak, Barbara Ziarno,
15 Kathy Orzolek, and John Mercier.
16 Thank you for allowing me to bring
17 this resolution to the floor. Please recognize
18 them and afford them all the cordialities of the
19 house.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
21 Senator Ashby.
22 To our distinguished guests from the
23 Patriot Guard Riders of New York, we thank you
24 for your service. We thank you for all you have
25 done. We welcome you on behalf of the Senate.
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1 We extend to you the privileges and courtesies of
2 the house.
3 Please rise and be recognized.
4 (Standing ovation.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
6 resolution was previously adopted on April 16th.
7 Senator Gianaris.
8 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's stick with
9 Senator Ashby, and let's take up -- oh, I'm
10 sorry, Stec. Let's move on to Senator Stec,
11 previously adopted Resolution 2003, read its
12 title and recognize Senator Stec.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
14 Secretary will read.
15 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 2003, by
16 Senator Stec, congratulating the Glens Falls
17 High School Boys Varsity Basketball Team upon the
18 occasion of capturing the New York State Public
19 High School Athletic Association Basketball
20 Class A Championship on March 16, 2024.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
22 Stec on the resolution.
23 SENATOR STEC: Thank you,
24 Madam President.
25 And thank you for allowing me to
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1 introduce this fantastic state championship
2 basketball team that's with us here today.
3 Glens Falls has a storied past of a
4 lot of fantastic basketball teams, and certainly
5 this year's team will go down among them. They
6 finished the season with a perfect 27-and-0
7 record.
8 I had the great privilege and
9 excitement to be in the Glens Falls Civic Center,
10 sitting right behind the team bench, for their
11 semifinal and final games. Outstanding to have
12 that inside view and listen to the coaches
13 talking to the boys and keeping them focused and
14 motivated.
15 And they truly ran up the score a
16 little bit in the championship game. They
17 finished strong, just an absolutely impressive
18 victory.
19 Again, it's a double privilege that
20 it was a home game for the Black Bears, being in
21 the Glens Falls Civic Center, the Cool Insuring
22 Arena that's hosted many of our state
23 championship basketball games. Unfortunately,
24 they'll lose that for the next couple of years,
25 but hopefully the powers that be will realize the
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1 second time the error of their ways and return to
2 Glens Falls.
3 But in the meantime, boys and your
4 coaches, congratulations on behalf of our
5 community that we live and love in, the
6 Glens Falls area. Thank you for an exciting run
7 for all of us that live locally to be able to
8 watch this year. You know, a truly, truly
9 impressive finish.
10 And I want to recognize the members
11 of the team, if I may just briefly: Jacob
12 Barber, Jake Burns, Kellen Driscoll,
13 Brody Holcomb, Oscar Lilac, Ralphael Maldonado,
14 Bryce McClenning, Cooper Nadler, Aiden Prunty,
15 Collin Woodell; Team Managers Claire Cygan and
16 Tyrell Gooden; and Head Coach Rob Girard and his
17 coaching staff Cam Girard, Sonny McTiernan,
18 Dan Hall, Jr., Stephen Zurlo, and Trent Girard,
19 and of course Athletic Director Shane Jones.
20 Again, thank you, Glens Falls
21 Black Bears, for being here today.
22 And, Madam President, if you would
23 please also join me in congratulating them and
24 extend to them the cordialities of the house.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
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1 Senator Stec.
2 To our guests from the Glens Falls
3 High School Boys Basketball Black Bears -- is
4 that right? What?
5 SENATOR STEC: Formerly the
6 Glens Falls Indians, and now the Glens Falls
7 Black Bears.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Okay, I
9 got it.
10 We welcome you on behalf of the
11 Senate. We extend to you all the privileges and
12 courtesies of the house. Congratulations on your
13 victory.
14 Please rise and be recognized.
15 (Standing ovation.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
17 resolution was previously adopted on March 26th.
18 Senator Gianaris.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's stick with
20 Stec.
21 (Laughter.)
22 SENATOR GIANARIS: Previously
23 adopted Resolution 2031, read its title, and
24 recognize Senator Stec.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
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1 Secretary will read.
2 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 2031, by
3 Senator Stec, congratulating Piper Dock upon the
4 occasion of winning the New York State Public
5 High School Athletic Association Slalom
6 Championship on February 26, 2024.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
8 Stec on the resolution.
9 SENATOR STEC: Thank you,
10 Madam President.
11 And thank you, Deputy Leader
12 Gianaris. I love hearing you say the phrase
13 "Stick with Stec" on the floor. I'm waiting to
14 hear "Stick with Stec" when we're on the active
15 list.
16 (Laughter.)
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: (Inaudible.)
18 SENATOR STEC: I'd like two
19 back-to-back, please.
20 But anyways, all kidding aside, more
21 Black Bears in attendance today. This time we're
22 celebrating a ski champion. And if you've never
23 heard the name of a skier -- Piper Dock, if
24 that's not the name of a skier, I don't know what
25 is.
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1 But Piper Dock finished the ski
2 championship, a state championship, also in the
3 45th Senate District -- not quite the home game
4 that her brother Black Bears had with the
5 basketball championship, but she was just up the
6 road, also in the Adirondacks, skiing at
7 Whiteface, which of course we all know and love,
8 and love to fund.
9 But she did a fantastic job. She's
10 joined today by her parents, Jeff and Alicia
11 Dock, and Jeff not only is her dad but Jeff is
12 also her coach.
13 Again, Piper, congratulations to you
14 on a fantastic ski season. I don't have an
15 appreciation for this number -- I mean, I can get
16 my head around 27-and-0 for a basketball team,
17 but her combined time in the state championship
18 was 1.38.98, which I assume is very fast,
19 apparently fast enough to be the state champion.
20 So, Piper, congratulations to you,
21 and thank you and your parents for everything
22 that you've done to bring honor to the
23 Glens Falls Black Bears. And thanks for coming
24 down today.
25 And Madam President, if you would
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1 also please extend the cordialities of the house
2 to Piper Dock, ski champion, and her mom and dad.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: To
4 Piper Dock, state champion, your mother and
5 father, we welcome you on behalf of the Senate.
6 We extend to you the privileges and courtesies of
7 the house.
8 Please rise and be recognized.
9 (Standing ovation.)
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
11 resolution was previously adopted on March 26th.
12 Senator Gianaris.
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: The resolutions'
14 sponsors would like to open them for
15 cosponsorship.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
17 resolutions are open for cosponsorship. Should
18 you choose not to be a cosponsor, please notify
19 the desk.
20 Senator Gianaris.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: There is a
22 report of the Finance Committee at the desk.
23 Let's take that up, please.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
25 Secretary will read.
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1 THE SECRETARY: Senator Krueger,
2 from the Committee on Finance, reports the
3 following nominations:
4 As commissioner of the Department of
5 Corrections and Community Supervision, Daniel F.
6 Martuscello III.
7 As a member of the State Commission
8 of Correction, Elizabeth A. Gaynes.
9 As a member of the Board of Visitors
10 of the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities
11 Services Office, Wendy J. Cheplick.
12 As members of the Justice Center
13 Advisory Council: Geno DeCondo, Kathleen
14 Gaffney-Babb, Michael A. Agovino and Ijaz Ahmad.
15 As members of the Board of Visitors
16 of the Home for Veterans and their Dependents at
17 Batavia: Daniel J. Burling, Laura A. Stradley,
18 and Richard G. Oleksyn.
19 As members of the Board of Visitors
20 of the Home for Veterans and their Dependents at
21 Montrose: Albert Zawiski, Susan Branam,
22 Daniel Griffin, and Katherine A. Ward-Buckley.
23 As members of the Board of Visitors
24 of the Home for Veterans and their Dependents at
25 Oxford: Cecelia D. Lange and Larry F. Bourque.
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1 As members of the Board of Visitors
2 of the Home for Veterans and their Dependents at
3 St. Albans: Ashton Stewart, Gregg Porter, and
4 Michael P. O'Kane.
5 As members of the Administrative
6 Review Board for Professional Medical Conduct:
7 Heidi B. Miller and Richard Milone.
8 As members of the Continuing Care
9 Retirement Community Council: Janet K. Schloat,
10 Michelle Gramoglia, and J. Brian Nealon.
11 As members of the Council on Human
12 Blood and Transfusion Services: Rachel C. Elder
13 and Philip L. McCarthy.
14 As members of the Health Equity
15 Council: Alberto Cardelle, John R. Pamplin,
16 Mario R. Ortiz, Sara A. Boerenko, Mill Etienne,
17 and Raul Vazquez.
18 As members of the Public Health and
19 Health Planning Council: Lindsay Farrell,
20 Marcus Friedrich, Michelle T. Mazzacco,
21 Stanfort J. Perry, Wendy C. Wilcox, Jeffrey A.
22 Kraut, Lawrence E. Eisenstein, Gary E. Kalkut,
23 Scott P. LaRue, Harvey Lawrence, Ann F. Monroe,
24 and Mario R. Ortiz.
25 And as a member of the State Camp
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1 Safety Advisory Council, Michael R. Clarke.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to accept
3 the report of the Finance Committee, and ask that
4 you recognize Senator Krueger.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: All those
6 in favor of accepting the report of the
7 Finance Committee signify by saying aye.
8 (Response of "Aye.")
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Opposed,
10 nay.
11 (No response.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The report
13 of the Finance Committee is accepted.
14 Senator Krueger on the nominations.
15 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you,
16 Madam President.
17 So we just heard an extraordinarily
18 long list of people that have been nominated by
19 the Governor and confirmed.
20 Just to clarify, the vast
21 majority -- really, after the first two -- are
22 people who are being confirmed to various
23 commissions and councils and planning councils
24 and review boards that are critically important
25 to ensure the best agencies and work that can be
4340
1 done for the State of New York. But those are
2 unpaid positions, primarily volunteer, sometimes
3 with per diems.
4 We are greatly appreciative that
5 people like this, very often in professional
6 positions themselves, are willing to give of
7 their time and their commitment to their issues,
8 that they agree to serve in these positions. So
9 we don't want to give them short shrift, and we
10 definitely appreciate all the work that they are
11 willing to do on behalf of the 20 million
12 New Yorkers.
13 But I am going to highlight the two
14 nominees that are being confirmed today to
15 commissioner positions and paid positions. One
16 is Elizabeth Gaynes, State Commission of
17 Correction.
18 And she I think will have several
19 people speaking on her behalf, and so I'm just
20 very delighted that she is joining this
21 Commission of Correction.
22 And she is well-known for her work
23 in reentry programs on behalf of the people of
24 New York for decades and decades.
25 But also for the nomination and
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1 confirmation of Daniel Martuscello III to be the
2 commissioner of the Department of Corrections and
3 Community Supervision, what we often call DOCCS.
4 I want to recognize first that he is
5 joined here today by his mother, Victoria; his
6 sister Katherine; his brother, Nicholas; and his
7 sister Victoria. We double-checked; you have two
8 Victorias in the family. And a baby with one of
9 the Victorias, very adorable.
10 So I want to just quickly say if
11 anybody hasn't seen his resume -- and he went
12 through an in-depth hearing process with multiple
13 committees. He reached out and met with many of
14 us individually before. And if you look at his
15 vitae, you would think he started as a young
16 child with DOCCS. I didn't think we hired young
17 children. But in fact he has been with the
18 agency I believe 27 years, in pretty much every
19 position you would think such a large agency
20 could have.
21 And I say that because I think it
22 reflects on the fact that all of us who did have
23 the chance to meet with him and interview him
24 privately or in the hearing process, there wasn't
25 a question asked that he couldn't answer. And he
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1 wasn't looking at notes. And he gave answers to
2 very difficult questions. And he laid out a
3 vision for leading the agency, and leading the
4 agency in some cases in different directions than
5 it has been led before.
6 And he left everyone, at least in
7 our conference, after meeting with him and
8 talking to him, with the belief that there really
9 couldn't be a better candidate to be the
10 commissioner of DOCCS.
11 And so I'm very proud to be able to
12 urge everyone to vote for him, as well as Liz
13 Gaynes, as well as everyone on the list.
14 But since every Senator understands
15 how complicated the issues are within the DOCCS
16 system, both for ensuring the protection and
17 safety of people in our community and believing
18 that people who are ending up being incarcerated
19 are treated humanely and with respect within the
20 incarceration system and, perhaps most important
21 for them, see an opportunity upon leaving --
22 because the vast majority of people who go into
23 our prisons do in fact get out and come back into
24 our communities -- understanding what role the
25 Department of Corrections can play in helping
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1 people learn new skills, deal with the perhaps
2 devils in them that got them there in the first
3 place, confront new opportunities for themselves
4 when they leave.
5 And I truly believe that we are
6 going to see significant improvements in how
7 DOCCS handles things and how they will work with
8 our communities and everyone in them.
9 So I'm going to allow others to
10 speak now, and just close by saying I do hope
11 everyone will vote yes today.
12 Thank you, Madam President.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
14 Senator Krueger.
15 Senator Salazar on the nominations.
16 SENATOR SALAZAR: Thank you,
17 Madam President.
18 I rise to express my strong support
19 for the confirmation of Elizabeth -- Liz --
20 Gaynes as a member of the New York State
21 Commission of Correction.
22 As chair of the Senate's Committee
23 on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, an
24 important focus among others is to ensure that
25 individuals incarcerated in New York State are
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1 treated with respect and dignity, are safe, and
2 that the correctional facilities are accountable
3 and abide by the laws that we pass.
4 The Commission of Correction
5 has limited oversight responsibilities relating
6 to state correctional facilities, but the primary
7 work of the SCOC relates to the oversight of
8 local jails and police lockups. These are the
9 entry point for many people in the correctional
10 system. They house individuals convicted of
11 misdemeanors, people convicted of felonies who
12 may be heading to state prison, large populations
13 of individuals who have not been convicted of any
14 charge and are being held pending trial.
15 These facilities are run by county
16 sheriffs in counties outside of New York City, of
17 course, by local police departments, and in
18 New York City by NYCDOC.
19 Many observers have concluded that
20 the SCOC has not fully carried out its mission
21 over a period of many years, and one result of
22 that is the ongoing crisis in the jails on
23 Rikers Island.
24 However, I am proud to support
25 Liz Gaynes in becoming a member of the
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1 commission, as her lifework for more than
2 50 years has been to make jails and prisons more
3 humane and safe, to hold those who run such
4 facilities accountable.
5 I also learned that when Ms. Gaynes
6 began law school at Syracuse University College
7 of Law, she was at the time one of only five
8 women enrolled in the entire law school.
9 She went on to become the leader of
10 the Osborne Association for close to 40 years.
11 Liz led that organization into becoming a leading
12 provider of family-focused services and programs
13 for New York's correctional facilities.
14 Liz Gaynes is a leading national and
15 internationally recognized expert on conditions
16 of confinement, on how to establish programs that
17 assist incarcerated individuals and their
18 families, on how to create meaningful and
19 successful reentry programs, and on how to hold
20 correctional agencies accountable.
21 Liz recently led the effort to
22 convince New York State to turn over a closed
23 prison in the Bronx to create the new
24 Fulton Community Reentry Center, which recently
25 opened and provides innovative transitional
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1 reentry housing for 140 people after they're
2 released from New York's prisons.
3 Liz is a leader and a visionary.
4 She also has shown, through 50-plus years of
5 work, her dedication and ability to make
6 meaningful change happen, which is critically
7 needed in the SCOC.
8 I look forward to working with Liz
9 in her new capacity and to seeing the positive
10 impact on our correctional system of having a
11 person with her knowledge, her experience, her
12 care and dedication in the role as a member of
13 the New York State Commission of Correction.
14 I vote in the affirmative on
15 Ms. Gaynes' nomination as well as the nomination
16 of Acting Commissioner Martuscello.
17 Thank you.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
19 Senator Salazar.
20 Senator Bailey on the nominations.
21 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
22 Madam President.
23 I want to thank the Governor for
24 these nominations. And a number of qualified
25 individuals; I want to make sure I specifically
4347
1 lift up the name of Commissioner -- soon-to-be-
2 Commissioner Martuscello, acting commissioner
3 currently.
4 His work has been impressive. And
5 it's important, you know, when you've done
6 multiple jobs within an administration, you know
7 how those jobs can be done, most importantly how
8 they should be done. And Commissioner
9 Martuscello has done so many jobs within DOCCS --
10 as Senator Krueger alluded to, I don't know at
11 what age he started working there -- but he's
12 done them incredibly well.
13 And he came down to the district,
14 spoke about a number of positions, reentry
15 conversations. But there was something striking
16 that really came to me, and it's always said
17 those who are closest to the pain are closest to
18 the solution. So when my friend Eddie Gibbs, the
19 first formerly incarcerated member of the
20 State Legislature, not only said that Dan is a
21 good guy, but he's that guy, I take that
22 seriously.
23 And so with that, I look forward to
24 continuing to work with you. I look forward to
25 making sure that our correctional system is truly
4348
1 rehabilitative and that we understand that no
2 human is disposable. And I think that the work
3 that you've done in terms of creating a pathway,
4 pilot programs for SNAP, so that individuals that
5 are being released from incarceration can
6 actually eat when they leave. A novel concept,
7 Madam President. And that they no longer suffer
8 from isolation, making sure that they are able to
9 have contact with each other.
10 So I appreciate the work that you've
11 done, and I think that when we get started
12 we'll as a Legislature, as a State Senate under
13 the leadership of Andrea Stewart-Cousins, we can
14 and will and definitely will continue to be in
15 great contact with you, but we look forward to
16 the continued work. And I will proudly vote aye
17 on the nomination.
18 Thank you, Madam President.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
20 Senator Bailey.
21 Senator Rivera on the nominations.
22 SENATOR RIVERA: Thank you,
23 Madam President.
24 I also stand to vote in the
25 affirmative on both of these nominations.
4349
1 Briefly, on Commissioner
2 Martuscello -- acting commissioner, soon to be
3 commissioner -- as we've had conversations over
4 the last couple of months, I've definitely come
5 to learn more about the vision that he has for
6 the agency. And as much issues as I've had with
7 the agency over the years, I think it is
8 incredibly important to have somebody that
9 obviously recognizes how the agency functions,
10 because he's been in there for so long, but has a
11 vision of doing things a little bit differently.
12 I believe, as I've said many times
13 on the floor of the Senate, Madam President,
14 nobody should be judged by the worst thing that
15 they have ever done. And we should -- and
16 considering that most of the people who are
17 incarcerated are going to return to our
18 communities, then we should make sure to have a
19 corrections system that actually facilitates that
20 and makes sure that these folks are ready to come
21 back.
22 And I do believe that the
23 commissioner will do his best to push the agency
24 in that direction, and I thank him for it.
25 But I also want to just speak
4350
1 briefly about my good friend Liz Gaynes. When I
2 was first elected to the Senate in 2010, I was
3 the ranking member on the Crime Victims, Crime
4 and Corrections Committee. And as I knew a
5 little bit about criminal justice, but certainly
6 not that much as a policy thing, I had started to
7 meet with a lot of organizations and individuals
8 that knew a lot more about it than I did. And
9 one of the first folks that I met was Liz.
10 And during that conversation I
11 remember just getting a sense that this was
12 somebody who had a long knowledge of how the
13 system works, a sense of what we need to do to
14 make it different, and also a sense of how to,
15 within the confines of a messed-up system, do the
16 best that we can to serve the people who are in
17 it, not only the individuals who are incarcerated
18 but certainly their families.
19 Since then, and I'm glad that
20 Senator Salazar mentioned this, there is one
21 thing that we did very early in our relationship
22 together, in our career together, was to find the
23 Fulton Correctional Facility, to then transform
24 it -- it was her idea, Madam President, back in
25 2011 or 2012, to transform it into a reentry
4351
1 center.
2 And just a few months ago -- and
3 Acting Commissioner Martuscello was there -- we
4 had the chance to go inside what was once a
5 depressing work release facility and instead
6 turned into a reentry center that's the first of
7 its kind in the country, that will welcome folks
8 coming back into the community in a place that
9 they can actually get all services in one place,
10 and make sure that these folks transition back
11 into fully productive members of society. And
12 the vision of how that came to be was from Liz.
13 And besides that, there are so many
14 times when I've learned so much from her over the
15 years. She's somebody who is incredibly
16 knowledgeable, incredibly kind, but she can be a
17 pain sometimes when she needs to be. And that's
18 one of the things that I've really loved about
19 her.
20 And the fact that the Governor has
21 sent us this nomination, I just want to thank the
22 Governor for doing that. Because she served many
23 years as the leader of the Osborne Society.
24 Recognizing that the Osborne Society needed to
25 have new leadership, she actually stepped down,
4352
1 still with all of her capacities, all of her --
2 she could still be there, she could still be
3 running that place, but she decided to step back,
4 to let a woman of color lead the organization, to
5 now being led by a man of color.
6 And this is something that now in
7 her retirement, we needed for her to -- you know,
8 to find something for her to do. Because I know
9 that she was just enjoying too many pina
10 coladas -- no, actually she was still working,
11 working incredibly hard, and this will just give
12 her even more purpose.
13 So I just -- I wanted to take all
14 that time because I have such a great admiration,
15 love and respect for the Honorable -- now she's
16 going to be honorable, which is, you know, a
17 little difficult for her to kind of comprehend.
18 Now she's going to be a commissioner, she's going
19 to be the Honorable Liz Gaynes.
20 But for me, she will always be my
21 friend. I adore you, my friend. Congratulations
22 on this.
23 And I vote in the affirmative.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
25 Senator Rivera.
4353
1 Senator Harckham on the nominations.
2 SENATOR HARCKHAM: Thank you very
3 much, Madam President.
4 First, a point of personal
5 privilege, if I may. I want to congratulate
6 Justin Kirby, who is the young man who is
7 standing next to you as you are furiously
8 signing. Just two weeks ago he was a session
9 assistant doing an amazing job in our office, and
10 now he's doing an amazing job on the Senate desk.
11 So congratulations, great to see you there.
12 I too join my colleagues to first
13 thank the Governor for this great set of
14 nominees, and I too rise to speak on
15 Commissioner Martuscello. Soon to be
16 Commissioner Martuscello. Momentarily to be
17 Commissioner Martuscello.
18 I have worked with him about some --
19 a number of issues back to when we first began
20 integrating medication-assisted treatment into
21 our correctional facilities, dealing with a few
22 issues of constituents. And I consider
23 incarcerated individuals in my district to be
24 constituents.
25 He has been very responsive, very
4354
1 helpful. And as you mentioned earlier today,
2 Madam President, the Town of Bedford Prison
3 Advisory Committee and the work that he's done on
4 that -- and that's just but one community
5 throughout the state -- and he's certainly been
6 to more of those meetings than I have.
7 So just his responsiveness is really
8 impressive. And we as Senators, both publicly
9 and privately, acknowledge there are very
10 responsive agencies, very responsive
11 commissioners, and some who are not so. And this
12 commissioner will fall to the front of the former
13 category.
14 And I believe the challenges we face
15 as we go forward working with DOCCS, this is a
16 very, very positive sign, to have somebody who's
17 responsive and willing to engage on a regular
18 basis.
19 So I am fully on board. I will be
20 voting aye. And congratulations to all the
21 nominees.
22 Thank you.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
24 May on the nominations.
25 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
4355
1 Madam President.
2 I want to join my colleagues in
3 congratulating Commissioner Martuscello and
4 welcoming him.
5 As the Senator from Auburn, also
6 known as Prison City, I look forward to working
7 together with you on behalf of both the employees
8 and the incarcerated individuals who are my
9 constituents.
10 It is a remarkable facility, a
11 historic building, but desperately in need of
12 modernization. And I hope we can work together
13 to get better working conditions and living
14 conditions for the people of my district.
15 Thank you.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
17 Senator May.
18 The question is on the nominations.
19 Call the roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: In relation to the
24 nominations, those Senators voting in the
25 negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello,
4356
1 Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming,
2 Lanza, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt,
3 Palumbo, Ramos, Rhoads, Rolison, Tedisco, Weber
4 and Weik.
5 Ayes, 37. Nays, 19.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
7 nominees are confirmed.
8 Let me congratulate Commissioner
9 Daniel Martuscello, commissioner of DOCCS, and
10 Elizabeth Gaynes, member of the State Commission
11 of Correction.
12 (Standing ovation.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
14 Gianaris.
15 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please take up
16 the reading of the calendar.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
18 Secretary will read.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 244, Senate Print 5865, by Senator Murray, an act
21 in relation to authorizing the assessor of the
22 Town of Brookhaven to accept from the Post-Morrow
23 Foundation, Inc. an application for exemption
24 from real property taxes.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
4357
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
3 act shall take effect immediately.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
8 the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 410, Senate Print 4321, by Senator Lanza, an act
14 to amend the Mental Hygiene Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
18 act shall take effect on the 60th day after it
19 shall have become a law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
24 the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
4358
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
2 is passed.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 442, Senate Print 8323, by Senator Ramos, an act
5 to amend the Workers' Compensation Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
14 Ramos to explain her vote.
15 SENATOR RAMOS: Thank you,
16 Madam President.
17 Last wednesday the Labor Committee
18 held its first-ever Workers' Comp oversight
19 hearing. And I want to thank Senators Fernandez,
20 Jackson, Rhoads and Martins for participating in
21 that hearing with me. I'm hoping that this
22 becomes an annual occurrence.
23 You know, for five hours my
24 colleagues and I heard from stakeholders in this
25 complicated and opaque industry. In addition to
4359
1 NYSIF and the Workers' Comp commissioner, we
2 heard from attorneys, labor, pharmacists, doctors
3 and, most importantly, injured workers and their
4 loved ones.
5 Today I want to point to the
6 testimony of Mrs. Barbara Miller, who spoke to
7 exactly why we need this legislation.
8 Mrs. Miller is the caretaker for her husband, who
9 was a self-employed electrician. Mr. Miller
10 suffered a traumatic brain injury at work that
11 completely changed his and his family's life.
12 The experience of trying to navigate
13 workers' comp, finding doctors, fighting with
14 insurance providers, and trying to get answers
15 from workers' comp left them feeling frustrated,
16 hopeless and like their rights and dignity had
17 been violated.
18 With this bill, we are making a
19 simple and obvious fix that will make a world of
20 difference. Because believe it or not, attorneys
21 for injured workers are not currently allowed to
22 communicate directly with their client's doctors.
23 This creates delays and opportunities for
24 miscommunication that can have devastating
25 consequences.
4360
1 I dedicate this bill to Mr. and
2 Mrs. Miller and all the injured workers who
3 bravely shared their stories with the
4 Labor Committee.
5 I vote aye.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
7 Ramos to be recorded in the affirmative.
8 Announce the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
10 Calendar 442, those Senators voting in the
11 negative are Senators Borrello,
12 Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Griffo, Helming, Murray,
13 O'Mara and Weik.
14 Ayes, 49. Nays, 7.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 496, Senate Print 5262, by Senator Sanders, an
19 act to amend the Administrative Code of the City
20 of New York.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
24 act shall take effect immediately.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4361
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 550, Assembly Bill Number 7495, by
10 Assemblymember Lavine, an act to amend the
11 Criminal Procedure Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
22 Calendar 550, voting in the negative:
23 Senator Stec.
24 Ayes, 55. Nays, 1.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4362
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 573, Senate Print 2731A, by Senator Sanders, an
4 act to amend the Insurance Law and the
5 Vehicle and Traffic Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
17 is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 603, Assembly Bill Number 8029C, by
20 Assemblymember Epstein, an act directing the
21 Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the
22 New York City Transit Authority to rename the
23 23rd Street subway station.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
25 last section.
4363
1 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
2 act shall take effect immediately.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
9 Calendar 603, voting in the negative:
10 Senator Krueger.
11 Ayes, 55. Nays, 1.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 653, Senate Print 1050B, by Senator Cooney, an
16 act to amend the Education Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
25 the results.
4364
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 656, Senate Print 5635A, by Senator Webb, an act
6 to amend the Education Law and the Public Health
7 Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 6. This
11 act shall take effect one year after it shall
12 have become a law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
17 Webb to explain her vote.
18 SENATOR WEBB: Thank you,
19 Madam President.
20 This legislation lifts up our
21 continued efforts to address challenges around
22 getting access to care. And in this case, this
23 legislation is specifically dealing with
24 contraceptive care.
25 Over 25,000 women throughout
4365
1 New York live in what's called contraceptive
2 deserts, which means they lack access to single
3 clinics offering the full range of
4 contraceptives. As a result, some women must
5 cross county lines to receive the contraceptive
6 of their choice.
7 These barriers to access place
8 additional burdens on women and families
9 struggling to make ends meet. Sixty percent of
10 women who are of reproductive age currently are
11 using a contraceptive method. It is clear that
12 access to contraception is a public health
13 concern.
14 The Depo-Provera shot is a hormonal
15 contraceptive injection that must be
16 administered -- or received every three months.
17 In New York it must be given by your healthcare
18 provider. This is an unnecessary barrier keeping
19 women from the contraceptive of their choice.
20 This bill will allow pharmacists to
21 carry out scripts given by physicians allowing
22 women to receive their hormonal injections from
23 either their local pharmacist or their doctor's
24 office every three months.
25 Pharmacies are convenient locations
4366
1 for accessing birth control, given their
2 prevalence in communities and their flexible
3 hours. Pharmacists must comply with training
4 requirements. They also, as part of this
5 legislation, will have to provide and assess
6 self-screening risk-assessment questionnaires to
7 patients and also provide other relevant
8 information.
9 This legislation will help to remove
10 barriers to access for marginalized communities
11 of young people, rural communities, and other
12 individuals who have historically experienced
13 barriers to reproductive and contraceptive care.
14 I want to thank the Majority Leader
15 for bringing this legislation to the floor. I
16 vote aye and encourage my colleagues to do the
17 same.
18 Thank you, Madam President.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
20 Webb to be recorded in the affirmative.
21 Announce the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
23 Calendar 656, those Senators voting in the
24 negative are Senators Borrello,
25 Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Gallivan, Griffo, Lanza,
4367
1 Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt and
2 Stec. Also Senator Tedisco.
3 Ayes, 44. Nays, 12.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 684, Senate Print 7937, by Senator Harckham,
8 an act to amend the Correction Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: 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 MAYER: Call the
15 roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
18 Harckham to explain his vote.
19 SENATOR HARCKHAM: Thank you very
20 much, Madam President.
21 First I want to thank the
22 Majority Leader for bringing this legislation
23 forward.
24 I want to thank Senator Salazar for
25 her care in shepherding this through her
4368
1 committee and her amazing job that she does as
2 chair of that committee.
3 It's appropriate that the
4 commissioner of Corrections and Community
5 Supervision was just here, because this bill
6 would require him to make water-testing results
7 known of correctional facilities to both the
8 incarcerated individuals and the staff who work
9 there.
10 And the reason this is so important,
11 there's a study that was done: More than a
12 million incarcerated individuals are at risk for
13 exposure to PFAS in their water. That doesn't
14 include the staff who work there, uniform and
15 civilian, as well as those in the surrounding
16 community. So this is also a bellwether for
17 surrounding communities.
18 So I appreciate all involved for
19 getting this bill to the floor. This will
20 protect public health. It will protect the
21 health of the staff and of incarcerated
22 individuals.
23 And I vote aye. Thank you very
24 much.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
4369
1 Harckham to be recorded in the affirmative.
2 Announce the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 684, voting in the negative:
5 Senator Ortt.
6 Ayes, 55. Nays, 1.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 800, Senate Print 5896, by Senator Breslin, an
11 act to amend the Insurance Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 950, Senate Print 6424C, by Senator Persaud, an
4370
1 act to amend the Social Services Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 966, Senate Print 1316A, by Senator Parker, an
16 act to amend the Public Service Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect immediately.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
25 the results.
4371
1 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
2 Calendar 966, voting in the negative are
3 Senators Borrello, Oberacker, Ortt and Stec.
4 Ayes, 52. Nays, 4.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
6 is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 1027, Assembly Bill Number 9466, by
9 Assemblymember Pretlow, an act to amend the
10 Local Finance Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There is a
12 home-rule message at the desk.
13 Read the last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 1057, Senate Print 8602, by Senator Ramos, an act
4372
1 to amend the Labor Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
10 Ramos to explain her vote.
11 SENATOR RAMOS: Thank you.
12 In 2021, minor league players came
13 to me to share their stories. These players,
14 many of them immigrants, were working two to
15 three jobs, sleeping on airport floors, and
16 earning less than minimum wage, hoping the
17 struggle would one day pay off.
18 I helped broker a meeting between
19 these players and the owner of my hometown team,
20 the Mets. And in September 2022, the minor
21 leaguers officially joined the Major League
22 Baseball Players Association and started
23 negotiating their very first contract.
24 I'm proud to say that this
25 legislation is the final checkmark in that
4373
1 contract negotiation. These minor league players
2 lifted 5,500 players out of extreme poverty. And
3 I'm so proud to say that they courageously
4 stepped up, and now we're seeing the results.
5 Ninety-nine percent of the players
6 voted to ratify a tentative contract that nearly
7 doubled base pay, earned them pay for spring
8 training -- which they had previously been doing
9 for free -- and grants the players just-cause
10 provisions. These workers now have a collective
11 voice that allows them to focus on the game we
12 love.
13 I vote aye.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
15 Ramos to be recorded in the affirmative.
16 Announce the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 1089, Senate Print 4340, by Senator Sepúlveda, an
22 act to amend the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4374
1 act shall take effect immediately.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
8 Calendar Number 1089, those Senators voting in
9 the negative are Senators Borrello,
10 Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Griffo, Lanza, Murray,
11 Oberacker, O'Mara, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco and
12 Weik.
13 Ayes, 45. Nays, 11.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 1095, Senate Print 7517, by Senator Sepúlveda, an
18 act to amend the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4375
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 1115, Senate Print 6584C, by Senator Gianaris, an
8 act to amend the Executive Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
10 last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
12 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
13 shall have become a law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
15 roll.
16 (The Secretary called the roll.)
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
18 the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 1125, Senate Print 1156, by Senator Skoufis,
24 an act to amend the General Municipal Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
4376
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
3 act shall take effect immediately.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
8 the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 1139, Senate Print 9250, by Senator Serrano, an
14 act to amend Chapter 138 of the Laws of 1998.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
18 act shall take effect immediately.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4377
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 1145, Senate Print 8781A, by Senator Cooney, an
4 act to amend the General Municipal Law.
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: Ayes, 56.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 1222, Senate Print 9163A, by Senator Breslin, an
19 act authorizing the Praise Tabernacle Church of
20 God to receive retroactive real property tax
21 exempt status.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
23 last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
25 act shall take effect immediately.
4378
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
7 Calendar 1222, voting in the negative:
8 Senator O'Mara.
9 Ayes, 55. Nays, 1.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 1224, Senate Print 9486, by Senator Thomas, an
14 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
18 act shall take effect immediately.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4379
1 is passed.
2 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
3 reading of today's calendar.
4 SENATOR GIANARIS: Returning to
5 motions, on behalf of Senator Kavanagh, on
6 page 77 I offer the following amendments to
7 Calendar 1105, Senate 2960, and ask that said
8 bill retain its place on Third Reading Calendar.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
10 amendments are received, and the bills will
11 retain their place on the Third Reading Calendar.
12 Senator Gianaris.
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: Is there any
14 further business at the desk?
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There is
16 no further business at the desk.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to adjourn
18 until Tuesday, May 28th, at 3:00 p.m., with the
19 intervening days being legislative days.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: On motion,
21 the Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday,
22 May 28th, at 3:00 p.m., with the intervening days
23 being legislative days.
24 (Whereupon, at 12:41 p.m., the
25 Senate adjourned.)