Regular Session - February 26, 2025
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1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
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4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
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9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 February 26, 2025
11 2:35 p.m.
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14 REGULAR SESSION
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18 SENATOR ROXANNE J. PERSAUD, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
3 Senate will come to order.
4 I ask everyone present to please
5 rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: 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 PERSAUD: Reading
14 of the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Tuesday,
16 February 25, 2025, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Monday, February 24,
18 2025, was read and approved. On motion, the
19 Senate adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Without
21 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 Messages from the Governor.
25 Reports of standing committees.
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1 Reports of select committees.
2 Communications and reports from
3 state officers.
4 Motions and resolutions.
5 Senator Liu.
6 SENATOR LIU: Madam President, on
7 page 27 I offer the following amendments to
8 Calendar Number 344, Senate Print Number 952, and
9 ask that the bill retain its place on
10 Third Reading Calendar.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
12 amendments are received, and the bill will retain
13 its place on Third Reading Calendar.
14 Senator Liu.
15 SENATOR LIU: Madam President,
16 please call on Senator Bailey for an
17 introduction.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
19 Bailey for an introduction.
20 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
21 Madam President.
22 On this uncharacteristically late
23 getaway-day session time, I just want to thank
24 these incredible scholars from AMSNY for sticking
25 with us and sticking with the program.
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1 Madam President, I rise today to
2 welcome an incredible group of students from the
3 AMSNY Scholars of Medicine and Science Program --
4 you can stand up, if you could, please. This is
5 very important that they see you.
6 The Scholars of Medicine and Science
7 Program supports students who have demonstrated a
8 commitment to improving health disparities and
9 health inequities through medicine, scientific
10 research and advocacy. They've been selected for
11 this program because they've overcome adversity
12 on their path to medicine, and we expect that
13 their lived experience will benefit their
14 practice of medicine and scientific research.
15 I'll get back to that in a second.
16 But I wanted to let you know that
17 these students have traveled here from various
18 medical schools throughout New York State -- from
19 the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical
20 Sciences at the University of Buffalo, the
21 Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook
22 University -- UA, SUNY Albany, we've got to get
23 one, man; Stony Brook is killing us -- SUNY
24 Upstate Medical University, Touro College of
25 Osteopathic Medicine, the Bronx Community Health
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1 Leaders Program at the Albert Einstein College of
2 Medicine; New York Medical College; and the
3 Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
4 And our conference has always
5 supported these important programs in diversity
6 in medicine. And in times when the word
7 "diversity" seems to be a buzzword for so many
8 things, we must continue to encourage diversity.
9 I said I would get back to something
10 in a second. I want to say thank you. I want to
11 say thank you for taking on a task because many
12 of you, much like me, come from households where
13 Robitussin, Vicks, ginger ale and saltine
14 crackers were the cure-all for everything.
15 (Laughter from balcony.)
16 SENATOR BAILEY: And that meant --
17 why? Why was that the cure-all for everything?
18 We laugh because it's part of who we are, because
19 it came from a fundamental distrust of the
20 medical system. Because we saw what happened
21 with heroes, that they're trying to take their
22 names away from the Tuskegee Airmen, they're
23 trying to take the names away from them now.
24 But, you know, the syphilis experiment and all of
25 these things. We had a large distrust of the
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1 medical system.
2 Because of folks like you taking on
3 that task to make sure you're rebuilding that
4 trust and repairing it, it's a big thing that
5 you're doing. "You can't be what you can't see"
6 has been said so many times in this chamber. It
7 has been said so many times by so many people.
8 But it is absolutely true. People in our
9 communities don't go to the doctor like they
10 should, because they don't believe in it.
11 So I just want to say thank you for
12 giving us something to believe in. It is proof
13 positive -- and I always want to lift up one of
14 my mentees from church: Emilio Woodstock was a
15 Diversity in Medicine scholar. That's my little
16 guy -- I shouldn't say my little guy, but that's
17 my mentee from way back in the day. And he is
18 proof positive that this program works, and so
19 are you.
20 So I want to say thank you for
21 having the patience to wait through. Hope you
22 enjoy the rest of the session.
23 And, Madam President, please extend
24 to them all of the privileges and courtesies of
25 this house for our future doctors, future
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1 healthcare changers and makers.
2 Thank you, Madam President.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Thank
4 you, Senator.
5 To our guests, I welcome you on
6 behalf of the Senate. We extend to you the
7 privileges and courtesies of this house.
8 Please remain standing to be
9 recognized.
10 (Standing ovation.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
12 Liu.
13 SENATOR LIU: Madam President,
14 please take up the reading of the calendar.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The
16 Secretary will read.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 117, Senate Print 678A, by Senator Martinez, an
19 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
23 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
24 shall have become a law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
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1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 126, Senate Print 555, by Senator Krueger, an act
10 to amend the Public Health Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
14 act shall take effect immediately.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 176, Senate Print 524, by Senator Mayer, an act
25 to amend the Penal Law.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
11 Calendar Number 176, voting in the negative are
12 Senators Brisport and Skoufis.
13 Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
15 is passed.
16 Senators, can you take it outside,
17 please. Thank you.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 224, Senate Print 553, by Senator Liu, an act to
20 amend the Education Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
24 act shall take effect immediately.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
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1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 225, Senate Print 620, by Senator Stavisky, an
10 act to amend the Education Law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
12 last section.
13 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
14 act shall take effect immediately.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
19 the results.
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 237, Senate Print 315, by Senator Skoufis, an act
25 to amend the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
12 is passed.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 298, Senate Print 936, by Senator Gonzalez, an
15 act directing a state agency telework report.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
19 act shall take effect immediately.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
24 Gonzalez to explain her vote.
25 SENATOR GONZALEZ: Thank you,
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1 Madam President.
2 I introduced this bill because
3 New York's healthcare system is in crisis.
4 Hospitals are closing across our state, and
5 services being cut as remaining hospitals
6 struggle to stay open.
7 I represent Mount Sinai Beth Israel,
8 which just this week announced that it will be
9 closing on March 26th. But this issue isn't
10 specific to my district. From SUNY Downstate to
11 St. Vincent's, Columbia-Greene Medical Center,
12 Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, to Long Island
13 City -- to Long Island College Hospital and more,
14 there have been an increasing number of stressed
15 hospitals, hospital closures, and service cuts.
16 Now more than ever, we must protect
17 our hospitals and healthcare access, and we must
18 start by understanding the current landscape of
19 healthcare across our state. This bill will make
20 sure that data on community healthcare access is
21 publicly available and used by the Department of
22 Health to establish stressed healthcare zones.
23 It will also help in prioritizing
24 funding for these zones, and underserved
25 communities, and prevent closures that leave
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1 communities without access to life-saving care.
2 This data would have been critical
3 in my own district, because when we close or
4 propose to close a hospital, it should be clear
5 what the impact will be on nearby hospitals and
6 certainly on the communities that are involved.
7 So with that, I want to thank this
8 body for voting on this bill, and I vote
9 enthusiastically in the affirmative.
10 Thank you, Madam President.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Senator
12 Gonzalez to be recorded in the affirmative.
13 Announce the results.
14 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
15 Calendar 298, voting in the negative are
16 Senators Griffo, Ortt, Walczyk and Weik.
17 Ayes, 57. Nays, 4.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 302, Senate Print 1284, by Senator Persaud, an
22 act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 6. This
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1 act shall take effect one year after it shall
2 have become a law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 354, Senate Print 2633, by Senator Gonzalez, an
13 act to direct the Department of Health to
14 complete a report on the impact of hospital
15 closures on healthcare access in New York.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
19 act shall take effect immediately.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
21 roll.
22 (The Secretary called the roll.)
23 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
24 the results.
25 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
2 is passed.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 356, Senate Print 3393, by Senator Gounardes, an
5 act to amend the Education Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
9 act shall take effect on the 60th day after it
10 shall have become a law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Call the
12 roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: Announce
15 the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
17 Calendar Number 356, voting in the negative:
18 Senator Walczyk.
19 Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: The bill
21 is passed.
22 Senator Liu, that completes the
23 reading of today's calendar.
24 SENATOR LIU: Madam President, is
25 there any further business at the desk?
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: There is
2 no further business at the desk.
3 SENATOR LIU: I move to adjourn
4 until Monday, March 3rd, at 3:00 p.m., with the
5 intervening days being legislative days.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT PERSAUD: On
7 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until Monday,
8 March 3rd, at 3:00 p.m., with intervening days
9 being legislative days.
10 (Whereupon, at 2:45 p.m., the Senate
11 adjourned.)
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