Regular Session - February 24, 2025
662
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 February 24, 2025
11 4:33 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR SHELLEY B. MAYER, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
20
21
22
23
24
25
663
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: Reverend
9 Stephen Green, of the Greater Allen African
10 Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica, Queens,
11 New York, will deliver today's invocation.
12 Reverend.
13 REVEREND GREEN: I want to first
14 thank Senator James Sanders for this gracious
15 invitation, and Senator Leroy Comrie, and
16 Majority Leader Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins,
17 for this privilege to be able to stand here
18 today.
19 I am honored to be here today with
20 my lovely wife, First Lady Braea Tilford Green,
21 along with members of the Greater Allen Cathedral
22 of New York -- and one of our members who is no
23 stranger to this body, the first African-American
24 Majority Leader, Senator Malcolm Smith.
25 Let us pray.
664
1 (Applause.)
2 REVEREND GREEN: Let us pray.
3 Dear God, we are grateful for the
4 opportunity to gather in the hallowed halls of
5 this, the New York State Senate chambers, on this
6 historic day. We thank you for guiding and
7 protecting these 63 servant leaders who serve the
8 20 million citizens of the State of New York with
9 wisdom and grace.
10 We are honored that this chamber
11 remains a glimmer of hope in the midst of this
12 dark moment in our nation, as we fight to
13 preserve our democracy. We know that these
14 perilous times beckon for us to work together,
15 with radical love and action, as modeled in this
16 chamber, to counter the threats of fascism and
17 authoritarianism that is wreaking its head across
18 our country.
19 As we gather during this Black
20 History Month, we are reminded of the sacrifices
21 made by those who have come before us to foster a
22 new vision of society that honors and respects
23 the dignity of all human personality.
24 We remember New Yorkers like
25 abolitionists Harriet Tubman and
665
1 Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth, who
2 fought to end slavery.
3 We remember civil rights activists
4 like Bayard Rustin and Shirley Chisholm and
5 Malcolm X, who strategized to build a new
6 society.
7 We remember the freedom vision of
8 culture architects like Zora Neal Hurston,
9 Langston Hughes, and James Baldwin, who taught us
10 how to stand in the face of fear.
11 And now more than ever, we need the
12 freedom dreams of these love warriors to guide us
13 through so that children from Jamaica to
14 Jamestown, from Harlem to the Hudson Valley, and
15 from Brooklyn to Buffalo, will have a chance to
16 achieve the American dream.
17 May we always hold on to the power
18 of our faith to work together in the spirit of
19 Ubuntu -- I am because we are -- until every
20 New Yorker has access to excellent education,
21 guaranteed housing, quality healthcare, a clean
22 environment, and safe streets.
23 And when this becomes our reality,
24 when this becomes the priority of our legislative
25 agendas, then we will be able to sing:
666
1 Lift every voice and sing
2 Till earth and heaven ring
3 Ring with the harmonies of liberty
4 We will let our rejoicing rise
5 High as the listening skies
6 We will let it resound
7 Loud as the rolling sea
8 We will sing this song
9 Full of the faith that the dark past
10 has taught us
11 We will sing a song full of the hope
12 that the present has brought us
13 Facing the rising sun of our new day
14 begun
15 Let us march on until victory is
16 won.
17 Amen.
18 (Response of "Amen.")
19 (Applause from gallery.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Reading of
21 the Journal.
22 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Friday,
23 February 21, 2025, the Senate met pursuant to
24 adjournment. The Journal of Thursday,
25 February 20, 2025, was read and approved. On
667
1 motion, the Senate adjourned.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Without
3 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
4 Presentation of petitions.
5 Messages from the Assembly.
6 Messages from the Governor.
7 Reports of standing committees.
8 Reports of select committees.
9 Communications and reports from
10 state officers.
11 Motions and resolutions.
12 Senator Gianaris.
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: Good afternoon,
14 Madam President.
15 I wish to call up Senator Krueger's
16 bill, Print 1438, recalled from the Assembly,
17 which is now at the desk.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
19 Secretary will read.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 102, Senate Print 1438, by Senator Krueger, an
22 act to amend the Public Health Law.
23 SENATOR GIANARIS: I now move to
24 reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
668
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
5 is restored to its place on the Third Reading
6 Calendar.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: I offer the
8 following amendments.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
10 amendments are received, and the bill will retain
11 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
12 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please recognize
13 Senator Sanders for an introduction.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
15 Sanders for the purpose of an introduction.
16 SENATOR SANDERS: Thank you,
17 Madam President. Thank you.
18 I want to thank the leader.
19 I want to -- on behalf of
20 Senator Comrie and myself, I want to warmly
21 welcome Pastor Stephen Green and the parishioners
22 from the Allen -- from Greater Allen, of course,
23 the African Methodist Episcopalian Church, to
24 celebrate AME Day in Albany.
25 I appreciate that many of you have
669
1 traveled very far to get here. This is the
2 191st anniversary of the Greater Allen AME
3 Church, but the AME Church as a whole has a proud
4 history in America.
5 It's a history of faith over
6 resistance -- faith over failure, if you wish --
7 where they came into being because some people
8 hiding under the garb of Christianity did not
9 understand the unity of the human family, and
10 therefore the church was created. And that
11 started in 1834, and we are really proud of that.
12 In the 1840s, when most of the
13 nation was trying to decide where they would go,
14 this church was a leader in the Underground
15 Railroad. In fact, a church not far from here,
16 walking distance, was one of the stops of the
17 Underground Railroad, where they have a tunnel --
18 on Hamilton Street, they have a tunnel to the
19 river so that people could escape. So a real
20 impressive history here.
21 On June 16, 2024, Reverend Stephen
22 A. Green was appointed senior pastor, and he
23 ushered in -- he is ushering in a new era of that
24 historic church. Of course he could not do this
25 alone. The First Lady, of course, doesn't walk
670
1 behind him, walks side by side with him, to
2 ensure that this is going to go the way it's
3 supposed to.
4 I know they have traveled long. I
5 have further words to say, but I will not say
6 them today. I look forward to coming to the
7 church to bring the resolution -- that we will
8 vote on, on another day here -- and present it to
9 the church.
10 I will come around to you in a
11 moment, but on behalf of all of my colleagues
12 here, we want to thank you for coming.
13 And Madam President, if you would
14 give the courtesies of the Senate, I would be
15 much obliged.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
17 Thank you very much, Senator Sanders.
18 To our guests from the Greater Allen
19 AME Church, Reverend Green and First Lady Green,
20 to Senator Malcolm Smith and our guests, we
21 welcome you on behalf of the Senate. We extend
22 all of the privileges and courtesies of the
23 house.
24 Please rise and be recognized.
25 (Standing ovation.)
671
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
2 Gianaris.
3 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
4 Madam President.
5 Let's take up previously adopted
6 Resolution 235, by Senator Sepúlveda, read that
7 resolution's title and recognize
8 Senator Sepúlveda.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
10 Secretary will read.
11 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 235, by
12 Senator Sepúlveda, commemorating the
13 181st Anniversary of the Independence of the
14 Dominican Republic to be celebrated on
15 February 27, 2025.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
17 Sepúlveda on the resolution.
18 SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: Thank you,
19 Madam President, for allowing me to present this
20 resolution.
21 To my colleagues and honored
22 distinguished guests, it's an honor for me to
23 welcome prominent Dominican personalities to the
24 State of New York here in the Senate to celebrate
25 Dominican Heritage Month.
672
1 I am deeply honored to stand before
2 you today to commemorate a significant event in
3 the history of the country, the 181st anniversary
4 of its national independence. This day not only
5 invites us to remember the sacrifices of our
6 national heroes, but also to renew our commitment
7 to the ideals of freedom, justice, sovereignty
8 that have inspired the creation of the
9 Dominican Republic.
10 More than a century and a half ago,
11 a brave group of Dominican patriots, guided by a
12 profound love for their homeland, fought to
13 defend their right to be free. Today we are
14 standing here thanks to the courage and
15 determination of such men as Juan Pablo Duarte,
16 Juan Isidro Pérez, Pedro Alejandro Pina, and
17 Félix María Ruiz. They, along with other heroes,
18 sowed the seeds of independence that would later
19 flourish in the Dominican Republic that we now
20 know.
21 I'm filled with pride when I see
22 how, over the years, Dominicans have shown an
23 unwavering tenacity and a unique ability to excel
24 in any corner of the new world, especially here
25 in New York, where in my district I have the
673
1 honor of representing one of the largest
2 communities of Dominicans in the city and in the
3 state.
4 The Dominican community in New York
5 has grown significantly over the decades. This
6 increase not only reflects the population growth
7 but also the consolidation of a very strong
8 Dominican identity and culture in the city.
9 According to the 2020 Census, there are
10 842,307 Dominicans in New York City, and they are
11 the second-largest ethnic group in our city after
12 non-Hispanic whites.
13 To commemorate this historic day, I
14 would like to recognize those who, through their
15 dedication, effort and passion, have witnessed
16 the transformative impact of their community.
17 Their work not only strengthens their cultural
18 identity, but also builds a bridge between the
19 Dominican community and the rest of our society.
20 Thanks to their efforts, our voice
21 is heard more strongly in all spheres of society.
22 Journalists, with their dedication, not only
23 inform but also aspire and educate, ensuring that
24 Dominican voices continue to be heard, traditions
25 are preserved, and new generations have a sense
674
1 of belonging and pride in their cultural
2 heritage.
3 Today I want to recognize several of
4 those leading Dominican figures: Dominican
5 journalists and members of the Dominican press.
6 We start with recognizing Violeta
7 Bastardo, who is a well-known journalist and
8 communicator recognized for her hard work and
9 dedication in the world of news. Since arriving
10 in New York in 2007, Violeta has shown unwavering
11 commitment to covering community news, politics
12 and culture, especially for the Hispanic
13 audience. She has become an influential figure
14 in the Hispanic media.
15 We're also going to recognize
16 today -- bear with me one second --
17 Ramon Tolentino, who is a journalist known for
18 his involvement in police investigations in the
19 neighborhoods of the Dominican capital. He has
20 worked in various media outlets, including
21 television, radio and digital platforms. On
22 "Esto No Es Radio," his approach seems to be to
23 generate relevant and up-to-date content for the
24 audience, with a direct, critical and uncensored
25 style.
675
1 Darling Burdiez is a journalist and
2 news anchor from the Dominican Republic with over
3 20 years of experience in journalism. She
4 currently works at Telemundo 47 New York, where
5 she presents the news at various times. Before
6 joining Telemundo, Ms. Burdiez worked at several
7 television and radio stations in the
8 Dominican Republic. Throughout her career, she
9 has received several awards, including an Emmy in
10 2020 for "Breaking News." She has also been
11 recognized for her contributions to
12 communications and has an active presence on
13 social media.
14 Also I want to recognize several
15 other journalists who couldn't make it, and one
16 community activist, Nurys De Oleo, who is a
17 community leader and recognized for her work in
18 Manhattan and in the Bronx and in New York City.
19 I'd also like to recognize a
20 journalist, a very well-known journalist,
21 Alicia Ortega, from the Dominican Republic. She
22 is a news anchor and recognized for her massive
23 work in media, and she's a prominent figure in
24 investigative journalism and coverage on
25 political issues.
676
1 Lastly, I'd like to recognize
2 Julissa Céspedes, who is also a distinguished
3 Dominican journalist with 15 years of experience
4 in media. She has participated in the most
5 prestigious platforms alongside prominent
6 figures, covering high-profile national and
7 international events.
8 I'm going to ask my three
9 journalists that are here to stand so we can
10 recognize them.
11 Thank you, Madam President, for
12 giving them the recognition of the floor and for
13 allowing me to speak on this resolution. They
14 are Ramon Tolentino, Darling Burdiez and, last
15 but certainly not least, we have
16 Violeta Bastardo.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
18 Senator Sepúlveda. And we have additional
19 speakers, so you can sit.
20 (Laughter.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
22 Jackson on the resolution.
23 SENATOR JACKSON: Thank you,
24 Madam President.
25 My colleagues, I rise in order to
677
1 honor these individuals that have come to witness
2 democracy at its best here in New York State.
3 Knowing that my district, the
4 31st Senatorial District, outside of the
5 Dominican Republic is probably the most people
6 that live in Washington Heights, Inwood,
7 Marble Hill, and the Bronx, where Luis and I and
8 others of my colleagues represent many, many,
9 many people. But obviously Dominicans are the
10 highest number of people that I represent.
11 And in fact, approximately
12 67 percent of my district has individuals that
13 are basically Spanish-speaking, and the majority
14 of them are from the Dominican Republic.
15 But knowing that the journalists and
16 the media people are all over the place, they
17 definitely want to make sure that you hear the
18 news and see the news.
19 So I congratulate the three of them
20 for being here today: Ramon Tolentino,
21 congratulations. Alicia Ortega, good afternoon.
22 And Violeta Bastardo, good afternoon.
23 Congratulations, and welcome aboard.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
25 Senator Jackson.
678
1 Senator Bailey on the resolution.
2 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
3 Madam President.
4 Thank you, Senator Sepúlveda, for
5 introducing this important resolution and always
6 commemorating Dominican Independence Day.
7 I represent the Borough of the Bronx
8 and also the City of Mount Vernon. In both
9 areas, there is a large and burgeoning Dominican
10 population. As we've heard from
11 Senator Sepúlveda and many others, the
12 Dominican community in the Bronx is the
13 fastest-growing ethnic group in the borough.
14 Also in Westchester County, in the
15 City of Mount Vernon, let's also make sure that
16 we also recognize the Dominican community is
17 making large strides in that community as well.
18 And so it's really important for me
19 to recognize the community. Senator Sepúlveda
20 did not tell me about this resolution, or
21 otherwise I would have had my De Lo Mio's on, my
22 Nike Air Max 95 that say "De Lo Mio," which
23 means -- you know, it's loosely translated to
24 "One of Us."
25 And the warmth that I have felt from
679
1 the Dominican community is often personified in
2 that phrase, De Lo Mio. It is a very insular and
3 prideful statement that means that, you know,
4 when you move, you're like one of us and we make
5 these movements together.
6 So I just want to say
7 congratulations on 181 years of incredible -- you
8 know, incredible being. And I'm trying to find
9 the words; is it Dios, Patria y Libertad?
10 SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: There you go.
11 SENATOR BAILEY: So that comes from
12 memory. I just want to make sure that the
13 Dominican community knows that we are incredibly
14 proud of them and appreciative of them.
15 And I say thank you,
16 Madam President, and I proudly support this
17 resolution.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
19 Senator Bailey.
20 Senator Fernandez on the resolution.
21 SENATOR FERNANDEZ: Thank you,
22 Madam President.
23 And thank you, Senator Sepúlveda,
24 for this very important resolution.
25 A hundred and eighty-one years is
680
1 not an easy feat. And while I am not
2 Dominican -- no soy Dominicana -- the admiration
3 that I have for this community is so abundant.
4 The gratitude that I have for this community, as
5 a Latina in New York, is abundant. And I thank
6 them for their contributions, for the vibrancy of
7 the culture, for expanding into every corner of
8 the state.
9 Because I too represent a wonderful
10 district in the East Bronx and Southern
11 Westchester, and my Dominican community adds so
12 much beauty to it.
13 So for this day, Felicidades. And
14 thank you again for our journalists, for
15 reporting on the needed information that we have
16 to know, the hard topics, the ones that are not
17 easy to talk about or to defend. But you do it,
18 and you do it bravely, and I am incredibly
19 thankful.
20 So thank you.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
22 Senator Fernandez.
23 Senator Cleare on the resolution.
24 SENATOR CLEARE: Thank you,
25 Madam President.
681
1 Thank you, Senator Sepúlveda, for
2 bringing forth this very important resolution.
3 I think it is important that we
4 recognize all our communities in New York City
5 which contribute to the great mosaic, as it's
6 called. And the Dominican community has been a
7 fast and rapidly growing community contributing
8 so much to our food, to our music, and to the
9 culture in general.
10 So I congratulate all of today's
11 honorees, the people who are being recognized and
12 those who did not make it here today. And of
13 course you do report the news, and that's so
14 important to all of our communities, to make sure
15 that they get that information correctly.
16 So thank you again, and thank you,
17 Senator Sepúlveda.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
19 Senator Cleare.
20 Senator Weber on the resolution.
21 SENATOR WEBER: Thank you.
22 And thank you to the sponsor,
23 Senator Sepúlveda, for this very important
24 resolution, a great resolution that you bring
25 forward every year.
682
1 You know, as you know and as I've
2 spoken in the past, I have a -- my father
3 remarried when my parents divorced. My father is
4 married to a Dominican woman from Bani, so it's
5 an island that I visited many times as a child.
6 So it's great to take that knowledge of the
7 island and actually be a Senator in
8 Rockland County, where we have a large, growing
9 Dominican community right there in Haverstraw, a
10 community that has great leaders like
11 Johnny Ortiz and Ramon Lopez. We have
12 Ramon Soto, who writes for El Sol magazine, who's
13 also up there in Haverstraw as well.
14 So it's great to really all
15 celebrate the Dominican community. We're going
16 to have a flag -- I think a Dominican
17 flag-raising ceremony in Haverstraw on Thursday
18 that I'll be back to as well.
19 So congratulations and thank you for
20 bringing this resolution forward as always.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
22 Senator Weber.
23 Senator Hoylman-Sigal on the
24 resolution.
25 SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL: Thank you,
683
1 Madam President.
2 I want to thank Senator Sepúlveda
3 for recognizing these individuals, which I'd like
4 to point out is so important because community
5 and local news is more important than ever.
6 Because of the consolidation of
7 major news outlets across our country, it's
8 crucial that New Yorkers, that members of
9 different communities are able to access news
10 that informs them, because they're not getting it
11 elsewhere. And we need to support our local and
12 community news.
13 So thank you, Senator Sepúlveda.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
15 To our guests, distinguished
16 journalists representing the Dominican Republic
17 and the community, I welcome you on behalf of the
18 Senate. We extend to you the privileges and
19 courtesies of the house.
20 Please rise and be recognized.
21 (Standing ovation.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
23 resolution was previously adopted on
24 January 22nd.
25 Senator Gianaris.
684
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
2 Senator Sepúlveda would like to open that
3 resolution up for cosponsorship.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
5 resolution is open for cosponsorship. Should you
6 choose not to be a cosponsor on the resolution,
7 please notify the desk.
8 Senator Gianaris.
9 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please take up
10 the reading of the calendar.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
12 Secretary will read.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number 94,
14 Senate Print 820, by Senator Hinchey, an act to
15 amend the Real Property Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 28. This
19 act shall take effect immediately.
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: In relation to
685
1 Calendar 94, those Senators voting in the
2 negative are Senators Borrello,
3 Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Cooney, Gallivan,
4 Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martinez, Mattera,
5 Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Skoufis, Stec,
6 Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.
7 Ayes, 41. Nays, 19.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 119, Senate Print 1610, by Senator Harckham, an
12 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
16 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
17 shall have become a law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
24 Calendar 119, voting in the negative:
25 Senator Walczyk.
686
1 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
3 is passed.
4 Can we have a little order.
5 Thank you.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 123, Senate Print 29, by Senator Harckham, an act
8 to amend the Public Health 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: Announce
18 the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 124, Senate Print 195, by Senator Martinez, an
24 act to amend the Public Health Law.
25 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
687
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
2 is laid aside.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 197, Senate Print 2324, by Senator Comrie, an act
5 to amend the Public Authorities Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
9 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
10 shall have become a law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
12 roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
15 the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
18 is passed.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 223, Senate Print 378, by Senator Brouk, an act
21 to amend the Education Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
23 last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
25 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
688
1 shall have become a law.
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: Ayes, 60.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 226, Senate Print 3029, by Senator Stavisky, an
12 act to amend the Education Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
16 act shall take effect two years after it shall
17 have become a law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
25 is passed.
689
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 233, Senate Print 661, by Senator Gianaris, an
3 act to amend the Insurance Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
7 act shall take effect on the first of January.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 236, Senate Print 52, by Senator Liu, an act to
18 amend the Tax Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
22 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
23 shall have become a law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
25 roll.
690
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
5 Calendar 236, voting in the negative:
6 Senator Walczyk.
7 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 266, Senate Print Number 2069, by
12 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the
13 Executive Law.
14 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
16 is laid aside.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 277, Senate Print 1057, by Senator Serrano, an
19 act to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic
20 Preservation Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
24 act shall take effect on the first of January.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
691
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
6 Calendar 277, voting in the negative are
7 Senators Helming and Walczyk.
8 Ayes, 58. Nays, 2.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 283, Senate Print 1991, by Senator Sanders, an
13 act to amend the Banking Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
25 is passed.
692
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 284, Senate Print 2027, by Senator Sanders, an
3 act to amend the Banking Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
7 act shall take effect immediately.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 288, Senate Print 417, by Senator Gianaris, an
18 act to amend the Election Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
22 act shall take effect immediately.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
24 roll.
25 (The Secretary called the roll.)
693
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
4 Calendar 288, voting in the negative:
5 Senator Ortt. Also Senator Gallivan.
6 Ayes, 58. Nays, 2.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 301, Senate Print 1186, by Senator Addabbo, an
11 act to amend the Highway Law.
12 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
14 is laid aside.
15 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
16 reading of today's calendar.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's move to
18 the controversial calendar, please.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
20 Secretary will ring the bell.
21 The Secretary will read.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 124, Senate Print 195, by Senator Martinez, an
24 act to amend the Public Health Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
694
1 Lanza, why do you rise?
2 SENATOR LANZA: Madam President, I
3 believe there's an amendment at the desk. I
4 waive the reading of that amendment and ask that
5 you recognize Senator Helming.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
7 Senator Lanza.
8 Upon review of the amendment, in
9 accordance with Rule 6, Section 4B, I rule it
10 nongermane and out of order.
11 SENATOR LANZA: Accordingly,
12 Madam President, I appeal the ruling of the chair
13 and ask that Senator Helming be heard on that
14 appeal.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The appeal
16 has been made and recognized, and Senator Helming
17 may be heard.
18 SENATOR HELMING: Thank you,
19 Madam President.
20 I rise to appeal the ruling of the
21 chair. The proposed amendment that I have before
22 this body is germane to the bill at hand. Both
23 bills relate to preventing the spread of certain
24 contraband. The bill at hand addresses the
25 spread of contraband among youth and within our
695
1 schools, while the amendment I put forward will
2 prevent the spread of dangerous contraband among
3 incarcerated individuals, our corrections
4 officers, civilians, and even visitors to our
5 state correctional facilities.
6 And I want to point out something
7 that is really important to me, and that's that
8 those visitors to our correctional facilities
9 include young children. So I do think that the
10 bill is germane.
11 As corrections officers continue to
12 protest in response to the unsafe conditions
13 within our correctional facilities, it's beyond
14 time for us to address the ongoing threat that
15 prison contraband poses to everyone.
16 We continue to read, report after
17 report, about the hospitalizations due to the
18 exposure of dangerous substances and weapons that
19 are being introduced and spread throughout our
20 state-run correctional facilities.
21 To me, these reports make it quite
22 clear that DOCCS and the state leaders have
23 failed to provide the tools necessary to keep
24 dangerous contraband out of state correctional
25 facilities.
696
1 But today, with the amendment that
2 I've put forward, this body has an opportunity to
3 make a difference by making the changes needed to
4 ensure the safety of everyone, everyone within
5 our state correctional facilities.
6 This amendment will help eliminate
7 dangerous contraband by requiring the use of
8 narcotics -- by requiring the use of narcotics
9 detecting canine patrols outside of every prison,
10 establishing a secure vendor mail program, and
11 allowing DOCCS facilities to deny entry to any
12 person who refuses to pass through a body
13 scanner.
14 And, Madam President, what is very
15 appalling to me is that these body scanners are
16 already present and available for use in many of
17 our facilities. When I tell people that these
18 body scanners are currently optional, they cannot
19 believe that that's true.
20 New York State continues to face
21 unprecedented challenges within the walls of our
22 prisons because of deplorable conditions and
23 horrible policies like the HALT Act. We again
24 have an opportunity today to begin to resolve the
25 current crisis by coming together and
697
1 implementing commonsense policy like the
2 contraband screening amendment before this body.
3 But we need to act now, before it's
4 too late. Everyone is depending on us, whether
5 it's the incarcerated individuals, the civilians
6 who visit or work there, and our corrections
7 officers.
8 For these reasons and many more,
9 Madam President, I ask you to please reconsider
10 your decision.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
12 Senator.
13 I want to remind the house that the
14 vote is on the procedures of the house and the
15 ruling of the chair.
16 Those in favor of overruling the
17 chair, signify by saying aye.
18 (Response of "Aye.")
19 SENATOR LANZA: Request a show of
20 hands.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: A show of
22 hands has been requested and so ordered.
23 Announce the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 22.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The ruling
698
1 of the chair stands, and the bill-in-chief is
2 before the house.
3 Read the last section.
4 No, excuse me one minute.
5 Senator Gianaris.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
7 we've agreed to restore this bill to the
8 noncontroversial calendar.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
10 is restored to the noncontroversial calendar.
11 Read the last section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
13 act shall take effect immediately.
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, 60.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
21 is passed.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 266, Senate Print Number 2069, by
24 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the
25 Executive Law.
699
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
2 Lanza, why do you rise?
3 SENATOR LANZA: Madam President, I
4 believe there's an amendment at the desk. I
5 waive the reading of that amendment and ask that
6 you recognize Senator Stec.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
8 Senator Lanza.
9 Upon review of the amendment, in
10 accordance with Rule 6, Section 4B, I rule it
11 nongermane and out of order at this time.
12 SENATOR LANZA: Accordingly,
13 Madam President, I appeal the ruling of the chair
14 and ask that Senator Stec be heard on the appeal.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The appeal
16 has been made and recognized, and Senator Stec
17 may be heard.
18 SENATOR STEC: Thank you,
19 Madam President.
20 I rise to appeal the ruling of the
21 chair. The proposed amendment is germane to the
22 bill at hand, which relates to disaster
23 preparedness. And HALT has eroded conditions
24 within our prisons, preventing DOCCS from
25 adequately preparing for and responding to
700
1 disasters within prisons, including the current
2 disaster we're witnessing which has led us to
3 these strikes.
4 Since the HALT Act went into effect
5 in March 2022, correction officers of the state
6 have been facing the horrors created by this law
7 every day. In the two years since it took
8 effect, state prisons have seen a 32 percent
9 increase in assaults on staff, from 1,473 to
10 1,938.
11 Inmate-on-inmate assault has
12 increased a whopping 81 percent, from 1,489 to
13 2,697. This is the direct result of the HALT
14 Act, which has deprived corrections officers of
15 the essential tool they need to keep correctional
16 facilities safe: The ability to remove and
17 segregate those violent inmates who assault
18 others, including their fellow inmates.
19 Prior to HALT, violent and
20 disruptive inmates could be segregated for a
21 period of time deemed appropriate. Under HALT,
22 an inmate can't spend more than three consecutive
23 days in segregate confinement, and longer than
24 six total within a 30-day period. Only in
25 extreme cases can those time frames be expanded
701
1 up to 15 consecutive days, or 20 total days in a
2 60 day period.
3 This has led to a severe staffing
4 crisis within our prisons. Corrections officers
5 are leaving at alarming rates because of the
6 deplorable and unsafe conditions within prisons.
7 COs are an important part of our law
8 enforcement community. They risk their lives to
9 keep inmates safe, keep prisons orderly, and
10 protect the surrounding communities from the
11 danger that lies within prisons.
12 But we can't keep or recruit
13 corrections officers because of the disastrous
14 policies enacted by this Majority.
15 The instability and danger has led
16 us to where we are now: COs at nearly every
17 correctional facility in the state have gone on
18 strike, finally standing up to oppose the
19 inhumane conditions they have been forced to
20 endure because of the HALT Act. And all they're
21 asking for is the ability to work in a safe
22 environment where inmates know they can face
23 consequences for their actions and can be
24 separated when they pose a risk to the facility.
25 In recent days, I've -- as many of
702
1 us have, I've had the opportunity -- and I've
2 taken it -- to visit our corrections facilities.
3 And we all recall that HALT, 21 years or younger,
4 55 years or older, are not eligible. So older
5 inmates are using younger inmates, who are not
6 subject to HALT, to commit their assaults that
7 they want committed on behalf of them, so no one
8 faces any repercussions.
9 Inmates, including Honor Block
10 inmates, have told me personally over the years
11 that they've felt safer before HALT -- let me
12 repeat that. I've had inmates, including Honor
13 Block inmates, tell me that they felt safe prior
14 to HALT, that special housing and RRU have more
15 freedoms, more time out of the cell, more time
16 with the tablet -- and insert here "phone,"
17 because that's what the tablet is -- than the
18 general population or people on Honor Block.
19 HALT has incentivized bad, violent,
20 disruptive, dangerous behavior in our prisons.
21 Not just to staff -- some might be more concerned
22 for staff -- but also for inmates -- some might
23 be more concerned for the inmates.
24 I have seven remaining facilities in
25 my Senate district, more than anybody else. I've
703
1 seen video of these assaults, I've talked to the
2 COs with the injuries -- broken eye sockets,
3 broken bones, lacerations. There are no
4 consequences for these attacks. There is no
5 deterrent.
6 Inmates have stated that they've
7 decided to punch, quote, the first staff member
8 they encountered, just to get back into SHU, to
9 have more time with the tablet, more time having
10 people serve them and bring them stuff, more time
11 out of their cell than people in the general
12 population.
13 It's no wonder that our recruitment
14 and retention have plummeted, and that has
15 resulted in mandatory overtime, routinely forced
16 24- or 36-hour shifts. Dangerous. We monitor
17 how long a truck driver can drive on the road
18 before they have to have rest. You're asking --
19 you are requiring, your State Department of
20 Corrections and Supervision is requiring our
21 state employees to work well past 24 hours
22 routinely.
23 Some of these guys make triple their
24 salary in overtime. Think about the math there,
25 how much time they have to work in order to earn
704
1 that kind of salary.
2 New York State, as a $250 billion
3 corporation and employer, has a duty to provide a
4 safe work environment for all of our employees.
5 Where is the Department of Labor? They'd be all
6 over any other employer for forcing employees to
7 work 24-hour shifts routinely.
8 This strike has not been about
9 asking for more money. It's about having a work
10 environment free of having feces thrown at you --
11 how many of you would tolerate that in your work
12 environment? What would DOL say if any other
13 employer had that kind of work conditions?
14 They want to be able to work where
15 they're not routinely assaulted at work. We have
16 special protections that we voted for, for retail
17 workers and for transit workers. But where are
18 the basic protections from assault for our
19 workers that are in our correctional facilities?
20 This strike has been about not being
21 forced to work 24 to 36 hours straight routinely
22 without notice, which is unsafe and unfair to
23 them and their families.
24 And it's also about their exposure
25 to chemicals, the drugs and poisons. These
705
1 aren't just drugs that are being smuggled in as
2 contraband. This is rat poison put in with wasp
3 killer and you name it. They don't have tests
4 for this stuff yet.
5 And in my district just a couple of
6 weeks ago, Madam President, 25 staff members --
7 not just NYSCOPBA members, nurses, civilian
8 staff -- 25 in one night at Upstate Correctional
9 had to be taken to the emergency room because
10 they were exposed to something. DOCCS never
11 figured out what it was. Some people actually
12 had the audacity to suggest that it was all in
13 their heads because somehow people that work in a
14 prison were stressed out by seeing somebody
15 overdose. Overdoses are a routine occurrence in
16 our prisons. As a matter of fact, just the other
17 day, last week when I was at Adirondack
18 Correctional talking to the folks outside there,
19 two inmates left the facility because an inmate
20 had been exposed to something and a nurse had
21 been exposed to something.
22 There's a major contraband crisis in
23 our facilities. As has been mentioned
24 previously, we bought $13 million worth of
25 personal body scanners, the same ones that you
706
1 would use in the TSA. If you want to get on a
2 plane in the United States of America, a
3 commercial jet, you're going to get on -- in that
4 body scanner or you're not getting on that plane,
5 period.
6 But, however, we already bought
7 these in the 2023 budget, but we made them
8 optional for visitors and we made them optional
9 for inmates. And we have contact visitation,
10 where they're sharing food bags and touching each
11 other, and that's where a lot of this contraband
12 is being passed. And they're exposing each other
13 and our staff to God knows what poisons. Body
14 scanners should be mandatory.
15 Likewise, our secure vendor program
16 is an absolute joke in this state. Anyone with
17 an Amazon box can ship something in, posing as
18 Amazon, and any unscrupulous person that wants to
19 create an LLC in order to ship drugs into our
20 facilities, they can do it as a third-party
21 vendor through Amazon or Walmart.
22 It's a joke. We don't have to
23 reinvent the wheel. We have the tools to do
24 this. If we're serious about our inmates' safety
25 and we're serious about our staffs' safety, then
707
1 we're going to fix the contraband problem, we're
2 going to fix the body scanner problem, we're
3 going to fix the secure vendor problem. But most
4 importantly, we are going to repeal HALT.
5 Since its implementation, HALT has
6 been a disaster for both staff and for our
7 inmates. And, Madam President, for these reasons
8 I strongly urge you to -- for the love of God --
9 reconsider your ruling and repeal HALT.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
11 Senator.
12 I want to remind the house the vote
13 is on the procedures of the house and the ruling
14 of the chair.
15 Those in favor of overruling the
16 chair, signify by saying aye.
17 (Response of "Aye.")
18 SENATOR LANZA: Show of hands.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: A show of
20 hands has been requested and so ordered.
21 Announce the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 22.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The ruling
24 of the chair stands, and the bill-in-chief is
25 before the house.
708
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
2 we've also agreed to restore this bill to the
3 noncontroversial calendar.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
5 has been restored to the noncontroversial
6 calendar.
7 Read the last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
9 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
10 shall have become a law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
12 roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
15 the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
18 is passed.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 301, Senate Print 1186, by Senator Addabbo, an
21 act to amend the Highway Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
23 Lanza, why do you rise?
24 SENATOR LANZA: Madam President, I
25 believe there's an amendment at the desk. I
709
1 waive the reading of that amendment and ask that
2 you recognize Senator Martins.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
4 Senator Lanza.
5 Upon review of the amendment, in
6 accordance with Rule 6, Section 4B, I rule it
7 nongermane and out of order at this time.
8 SENATOR LANZA: Accordingly,
9 Madam President, I appeal the ruling of the chair
10 and ask that you recognize Senator Martins on the
11 appeal.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The appeal
13 has been made and recognized, and Senator Martins
14 may be heard.
15 SENATOR MARTINS: Thank you,
16 Madam President.
17 I am hopeful the third time is a
18 charm this afternoon. But hope springs eternal.
19 Madam President, I rise to appeal
20 the ruling of the chair. The proposed amendment
21 is germane, as the bill at hand deals with
22 construction, congestion and safety on the City
23 of New York streets, and the amendment I have
24 brought today also deals with a program that
25 claims to remedy vehicle safety and traffic
710
1 safety in New York City -- specifically,
2 Madam President, in Manhattan south
3 of 60th Street.
4 I think we've all seen the impact
5 that congestion pricing has had on our local
6 communities. Those of us who live in the
7 suburbs, whether it's in Nassau or
8 Suffolk County, or those of us who live in the
9 suburbs, Madam President, north of New York City
10 in Westchester, Orange, Dutchess and
11 Rockland counties, or those who live in the
12 outer boroughs -- the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens,
13 Staten Island -- we've all heard from our
14 constituents on the impacts that congestion
15 pricing has had on our communities.
16 The congestion pricing plan has been
17 deemed unlawful by the federal government,
18 Madam President, and the Governor has refused to
19 comply and turn off the tolls while so many
20 New Yorkers bear the financial burden of the MTA.
21 There are serious reservations by the people of
22 New York, especially those in the MTA region and
23 in many of our communities, and we've heard it
24 all too often on both sides of the aisle.
25 In fact, Madam President, there was
711
1 a pause made to this entire program because of
2 the outcry that came from the communities. And
3 the reason that that pause was put in place was
4 because, yes, people recognized -- and many
5 people in this chamber recognized, on the
6 record -- how devastating it would be to our
7 communities. And then lo and behold, in late
8 November of this last year, after an election in
9 early November, the Governor decided to press
10 "play." And I did not hear nor did anyone else
11 hear from anyone in this chamber with regard to
12 those reservations that had been voiced before.
13 So here's our opportunity, with the
14 help of my dear colleague Senator Addabbo and the
15 bill that he has offered, to allow the
16 opportunity for us to rectify this mistake and to
17 send a message to our communities that we're
18 going to prioritize them.
19 There is no plan to assist or exempt
20 first responders, Madam President, and other
21 essential workers with congestion pricing,
22 despite their irregular hours and imminent need
23 in the city. Small trucks operating in the
24 congestion zone are charged $14.40 and large
25 trucks are charged $21.60, with a significant
712
1 impact on our building trades, those who go into
2 New York City just to do work.
3 They can't -- we can't expect them
4 to go into the city and carry their tools on the
5 Long Island Rail Road with them, or the materials
6 that they need to actually do their job. And yet
7 we're imposing this tax on them.
8 The MTA has not addressed their
9 losses or inability to stop fare evasion,
10 Madam President, to this day. They recognize
11 that the MTA loses close to a billion dollars a
12 year because people simply choose not to pay the
13 fare on the subway, in our New York City buses.
14 And as we all know, the projected
15 revenue from congestion pricing is just under a
16 billion dollars. And so if the MTA leadership
17 took the opportunity to merely enforce the fares
18 that they have on the books, there is no reason
19 why people from our communities should be paying
20 $9 or more because someone has been allowed to
21 consistently avoid paying their fare.
22 So, Madam President, the amendment I
23 have brought today will ensure that congestion
24 pricing is repealed and will ensure that the MTA
25 is audited to ensure that the MTA and mass
713
1 transit continues to be sustainable for our
2 communities in the downstate region.
3 And we have all recognized that the
4 lifeblood of our state runs through mass transit
5 and through the MTA. And for the sake of
6 preserving mass transit and the MTA, let's all
7 agree. Let's appeal -- let's repeal congestion
8 pricing, and let's ensure that the MTA is audited
9 once and for all to recover all of those losses.
10 Our residents deserve better,
11 Madam President, and for those reasons I strongly
12 urge you to reconsider your ruling.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
14 Senator Martins.
15 I want to remind the house the vote
16 is on the procedures of the house and the ruling
17 of the chair.
18 Those in favor of overruling the
19 chair, signify by saying aye.
20 (Response of "Aye.")
21 SENATOR LANZA: Show of hands.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: A show of
23 hands has been requested and so ordered.
24 Announce the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 22.
714
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The ruling
2 of the chair stands, and the bill-in-chief is
3 before the house.
4 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
5 we have also agreed to restore this bill to the
6 noncontroversial calendar.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: This bill
8 has been restored to the noncontroversial
9 calendar.
10 Read the 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: Announce
18 the results.
19 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
20 Calendar 301, voting in the negative:
21 Senator Walczyk.
22 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
24 is passed.
25 Senator Gianaris.
715
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
2 please recognize Senator Webb for a special
3 introduction.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
5 Webb for an introduction.
6 SENATOR WEBB: Thank you,
7 Madam President.
8 I wanted to acknowledge that we will
9 be taking up a resolution that is memorializing
10 Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim February 24th
11 as Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Day
12 in the State of New York.
13 I want to thank our Senate Majority
14 Leader, Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, for her
15 continued leadership on this important issue.
16 We know -- and we talk about this in
17 our chamber and most certainly actively advance
18 policies around domestic violence. It is a
19 crisis that knows no boundaries. It affects
20 individuals regardless of race, gender, sexual
21 orientation, zip code or socioeconomic status.
22 It is not just a private matter. It is a public
23 health issue, an economic issue, and most of all
24 a human rights issue that impacts families,
25 communities, and our entire state.
716
1 Every minute 24 people in the
2 United States become victims of domestic
3 violence, sexual assault, or stalking. That is
4 more than 12 million people every year. And
5 that's our neighbors, our friends, our coworkers
6 and our loved ones.
7 We also know that domestic violence
8 disproportionately impacts Black women, LGBTQ+
9 individuals, Native women, and communities of
10 color. Systemic barriers, such as lack of access
11 to resources and institutional racism, compound
12 the danger that these survivors face.
13 Madam President, I want to at this
14 time acknowledge some distinguished guests that
15 we have in our chamber. I am honored that
16 advocates from the New York State Coalition
17 Against Domestic Violence have joined us today,
18 including the director of public policy and
19 advocacy, Joan Gerhardt. Also along with Joan is
20 Connie Neal, Heather Campbell, Shannon Wong,
21 Lorien Castelle, Jen Clark, Lauren Pence,
22 Ashley Amidon, Abigail Murat, Esmeralda Pena,
23 Jess Schafroth and Amanda Cavanaugh.
24 We thank all of the advocates and
25 volunteers at NYSCADV for your tireless efforts
717
1 to provide not only training and technical
2 assistance for local domestic violence programs
3 across our state, but you also work with our
4 communities to change our culture into one that
5 doesn't condone violence, that in fact advocates
6 for policies to make sure that survivors across
7 our state are provided with the support that they
8 need to get safe and to heal and to ultimately
9 thrive.
10 And with that, Madam President, I
11 ask that we welcome these amazing advocates to
12 our chamber and extend the privileges of our
13 house. Thank you.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you
15 very much.
16 To our guests from the New York
17 State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, we
18 welcome you to our chamber. Thank you for being
19 present here today.
20 Please rise and be recognized.
21 (Standing ovation.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
23 Gianaris, that completes the reading of today's
24 calendar.
25 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
718
1 Madam President. One final bit of business.
2 On behalf of Majority Leader
3 Stewart-Cousins, in consultation with
4 Senator Ortt, I hand up the following committee
5 assignment of the Minority Conference and ask
6 that it be filed in the Journal.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The handup
8 is received and shall be filed in the Journal.
9 Senator Gianaris.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: Is there any
11 further business at the desk?
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There is
13 no further business at the desk.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: I move to
15 adjourn until tomorrow, Tuesday, February 25th,
16 at 3:00 p.m.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: On motion,
18 the Senate stands adjourned until tomorrow,
19 Tuesday, February 25th, at 3:00 p.m.
20 (Whereupon, at 5:25 p.m., the Senate
21 adjourned.)
22
23
24
25