Regular Session - April 8, 2025
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1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
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7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 April 8, 2025
11 4:03 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
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16
17
18 SENATOR JEREMY COONEY, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
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25
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
3 Senate 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 COONEY: Bishop
9 Victor A. Brown, of Mt. Sinai United Christian
10 Church, Inc., on Staten Island, New York, will
11 deliver today's invocation.
12 Bishop.
13 BISHOP BROWN: Let us pray.
14 Gracious and loving God, Creator and
15 Sustainer of this vast universe, from everlasting
16 to everlasting, You are God.
17 We pause in time and space to give
18 You thanks for the precious gift of life. You
19 purposed humanity to steward Your earth and to
20 live harmoniously with one another. You set up
21 governments as an arm of Your divine authority in
22 the human order.
23 To that end, we give You thanks for
24 every member of this legislative body. I
25 especially give You thanks for my State Senator
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1 of the 23rd District, the Honorable Jessica
2 Scarcella-Spanton, and my friend of long
3 standing, the Honorable Andrew Lanza.
4 We ask now, God, that You bless this
5 legislative body with wisdom, integrity, insight,
6 empathy and compassion, to give exemplary care
7 and governance over the citizens of the
8 Empire State.
9 We pray not only for our state but
10 for our nation. Restore stability to our
11 nation's political discourse. Restore commitment
12 to patriotism over and against partisan politics.
13 Bless us in our quest to preserve democracy and
14 as we collectively work toward that day wherein
15 we will truly be one nation, under God, with
16 liberty and justice for all.
17 Bless us today and in the days
18 ahead, we pray. Amen.
19 (Response of "Amen.")
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
21 you, Bishop.
22 Reading of the Journal.
23 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Monday,
24 April 7, 2025, the Senate met pursuant to
25 adjournment. The Journal of Friday, April 4,
1705
1 2025, was read and approved. On motion, the
2 Senate adjourned.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Without
4 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
5 Presentation of petitions.
6 Messages from the Assembly.
7 Messages from the Governor.
8 Reports of standing committees.
9 Reports of select committees.
10 Communications and reports from
11 state officers.
12 Motions and resolutions.
13 Senator Gianaris.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: Good afternoon,
15 Mr. President.
16 I move at this time to adopt the
17 Resolution Calendar, with the exception of
18 Resolution 753.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: All those
20 in favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar,
21 with the exception of Resolution 753, please
22 signify by saying aye.
23 (Response of "Aye.")
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Opposed,
25 nay.
1706
1 (No response.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
3 Resolution Calendar is adopted.
4 Senator Gianaris.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Before we get to
6 the resolutions, I have a motion here.
7 On behalf of Senator May, on page 31
8 I offer the following amendments to Calendar 622,
9 Senate Print 4574A, and ask that said bill retain
10 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
12 amendments are received, and the bill will retain
13 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
14 Senator Gianaris.
15 SENATOR GIANARIS: At this time
16 let's take up Resolution 753, by
17 Senator Sepúlveda, read that resolution's title,
18 and recognize Senator Sepúlveda.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
20 Secretary will read.
21 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 753, by
22 Senator Sepúlveda, commemorating Dominicans in
23 Albany, a celebratory event of empowerment, on
24 April 9, 2025.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
1707
1 Sepúlveda on the resolution.
2 SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: Thank you,
3 Mr. President, for allowing me to speak on this
4 resolution.
5 Today I came here to speak about a
6 resolution celebrating Dominicans in Albany, but
7 last night there was a terrible tragedy in the
8 capital of the country, where at last count
9 44 lives have been lost and about 140 people have
10 been injured. So rather than speaking about the
11 resolution, I'm going to speak about paying
12 tribute to the victims of the tragedy that
13 occurred at the Jet Set nightclub in
14 Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic.
15 This unfortunate incident has left a
16 deep wound in our community, and my heart is with
17 each and every one of the victims, their
18 families, and all those affected by this
19 devastating occurrence. From the bottom of my
20 heart, my solidarity and my prayers are with
21 those that have been affected.
22 This tragedy has deeply struck
23 here in New York and our beloved Dominican
24 Republic. What happened at Jet Set nightclub has
25 resulted in a devastating toll of at least
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1 44 individuals and its indescribable pain to many
2 families.
3 I want to extend my deepest
4 condolences to the victims, their families and
5 all those affected by this tragedy. And as a
6 citizen of the Dominican Republic, I understand
7 the pain caused by the loss of loved ones,
8 especially under these tragic circumstances.
9 Our nation mourns the departure of a
10 leading woman, an exemplary woman who was
11 committed to her community, who always worked
12 tirelessly for the well-being of other people,
13 the governor of Montecristi, my good friend
14 Nelsy Cruz, with whom I had the privilege of
15 sharing time in our delegation trip in August.
16 I know that such losses are a
17 tremendous blow not only to the people directly
18 involved, but to an entire nation, which today
19 feels united in pain but also in the hopes of
20 finding comfort and strength to move forward.
21 Lastly, I want to recognize and
22 acknowledge the distinguished members of the
23 Dominican community who have joined us.
24 We are joined by Ignacio Aracena, an
25 assemblyman and chair of the Committee on
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1 Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic
2 Congress; Ángel Alberto Encarnación, deputy
3 director of operations of the General Directorate
4 of Customs; and Raquel Elías Soriano Abreu, head
5 of the management department of the
6 General Directorate of Customs.
7 We welcome you, and we pray that we
8 all get together during this tragedy.
9 I want to say a speech in Spanish
10 (delivering previous comments in Spanish).
11 I ask that we welcome our guests to
12 the chamber. Thank you.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
14 you, Senator.
15 Before we welcome our guests,
16 Senator Weber on the resolution.
17 SENATOR WEBER: Thank you,
18 Mr. President.
19 I want to thank Senator Sepúlveda
20 for bringing this very important Dominicans in
21 Albany resolution to the floor. But I do want to
22 pause and offer my prayers and condolences to all
23 of those families that are affected by the
24 Jet Set nightclub tragedy that happened last
25 night.
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1 As I've said here before, we have a
2 very big and vibrant Dominican community in
3 Haverstraw. I know people like Councilman Johnny
4 Ortiz, the first Dominican-born councilman in the
5 Town of Haverstraw, was looking forward to coming
6 to Albany tomorrow, as well as many other elected
7 officials from throughout the state.
8 But we know they all have heavy
9 hearts. They are all concerned about, you know,
10 their loved ones that may have been affected at
11 that nightclub.
12 So again, we want to just offer our
13 prayers and condolences to all the families, and
14 we look forward to seeing them at a future date.
15 Thank you, Mr. President.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
17 you, Senator.
18 Senator Bailey on the resolution.
19 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
20 Mr. President.
21 Thank you, Senator Sepúlveda, for
22 introducing this important resolution.
23 As has been said on this floor many
24 times, the Dominican community, the
25 largest-growing community in my home borough of
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1 the Bronx, is an incredibly important part of the
2 fabric not just of the borough, but of America.
3 And in days like today, we have to be one with
4 the Dominican community and take a moment to
5 pause for those in the Dominican Republic who are
6 affected by the Jet Set nightclub tragedy.
7 But those here who have family
8 members that they may not have spoken to, may not
9 be able to get in contact with, keep them in your
10 thoughts and in your prayers.
11 And we appreciate all that the
12 Dominican community does in our community. And
13 we were looking forward to it being a more
14 celebratory week here, but we appreciate and
15 celebrate the Dominican community all days at all
16 times.
17 And certainly at a later date I'm
18 sure we will have the festivities that are
19 deserving of this time, but in this time we make
20 sure we warn -- I do see my brothers from the
21 Assembly, Assemblymember Alvarez and
22 Assemblymember De Los Santos, so I just want to
23 thank them for being always presenté.
24 And I just want to say I vote aye on
25 the resolution, Mr. President. Thank you.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
2 you, Senator Bailey.
3 Senator Serrano on the resolution.
4 SENATOR SERRANO: Thank you very
5 much, Mr. President.
6 And I rise to echo the sentiments of
7 my colleagues who have all expressed sorrow for
8 the tragedy that has occurred in Santo Domingo.
9 Very grateful to my colleague Senator Sepúlveda
10 for bringing this resolution forth, and my
11 colleagues from the Assembly who are here with us
12 and our honored guests.
13 It truly is a tragedy -- a tragedy
14 not only for those affected directly on the
15 island, but for the Dominican community all
16 across America. And in New York and in our
17 districts and in the Bronx, an extremely
18 difficult time. I can imagine it is important
19 that all of us rally around and support those
20 grieving and in sorrow at this time.
21 So again, very grateful to
22 Senator Sepúlveda for his strong words. And
23 again, my condolences to all affected.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
25 you, Senator Serrano.
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1 Senator Myrie on the resolution.
2 SENATOR MYRIE: Thank you,
3 Mr. President.
4 I want to thank Senator Sepúlveda
5 for bringing this resolution, and my colleagues
6 in the Assembly that have joined us, and our
7 honored guests.
8 There is not much that you can say
9 to give comfort after a tragedy like this.
10 There's not a lot that can be done, sometimes,
11 after a tragedy like this. But there can be
12 comfort found in knowing that you are not alone,
13 and that we stand with you and that we are with
14 you.
15 New York City would not be New York
16 City without the Dominican community. It is part
17 of what gives us our sazón, our flavor. And in
18 this time of great tragedy, we will be with you.
19 We will stand with you.
20 So we are sorry. You are in our
21 prayers. And we will remain close in a time of
22 great tragedy.
23 Thank you, Mr. President.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
25 you, Senator Myrie.
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1 Senator Mayer on the resolution.
2 Senator Fernandez on the resolution.
3 SENATOR FERNANDEZ: Thank you,
4 Mr. President.
5 And thank you to Senator Sepúlveda.
6 It is truly an awfully ironic moment
7 that when we were supposed to be celebrating the
8 Dominican culture, our Dominican neighbors, now
9 we are in sorrow and hurting with our Dominican
10 family about the tragedy that did happen.
11 I want to extend my deepest
12 condolences, because this is a time that you
13 really don't know what will happen in the next
14 minute, in the next hour. In just the last three
15 hours, the number continued to climb about how
16 many casualties there were. And I can only
17 imagine the fear that those that have friends,
18 family, anybody that was there, near or far from
19 the location, is feeling right now.
20 So for this time, while we can't
21 celebrate, we are comforting. And I thank our
22 guests here, our Assemblymembers that are here,
23 for always wanting to make sure that we uplift
24 our Dominican community, that we recognize and
25 see them, and above all, especially today, that
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1 we love them and stand with them.
2 Thank you.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
4 you, Senator.
5 Senator Cleare on the resolution.
6 SENATOR CLEARE: Thank you,
7 Mr. President.
8 I too rise to express my profound
9 sadness and condolences to all the families,
10 friends that are suffering right now. There are
11 many Dominican families in my district, and I
12 can't imagine what it is to be wondering right
13 now if their family is okay.
14 But as everyone else has stated,
15 they are in my prayers, both those who are in my
16 district, in New York City, in New York State, in
17 this country, and also definitely on the island.
18 And we are with you. And
19 especially to my colleagues who I work with all
20 the time, whatever we can do. You know, my
21 office is there, and I personally am there.
22 Thank you.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
24 you, Senator Cleare.
25 To our Assembly colleagues and to
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1 our guests, I welcome you on behalf of the
2 Senate. We extend to you the privileges and the
3 courtesies of this house.
4 Please rise and be recognized.
5 (Standing ovation.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
7 question is on the resolution. All in favor
8 signify by saying aye.
9 (Response of "Aye.")
10 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Opposed,
11 nay.
12 (No response.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
14 resolution is adopted.
15 Senator Gianaris.
16 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
17 let's move on to previously adopted
18 Resolution 595, by Senator Salazar, read that
19 resolution's title and recognize Senator Salazar.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
21 Secretary will read.
22 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 595, by
23 Senator Salazar, memorializing Governor
24 Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 6-12, 2025, as
25 Crime Victims' Rights Week in the State of
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1 New York.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
3 Salazar on the resolution.
4 SENATOR SALAZAR: Thank you,
5 Mr. President.
6 Crime victims and survivors do not
7 fit a single demographic or stereotype. Victims
8 and survivors are not a monolith but look like
9 any one of us in the chamber today and are
10 New Yorkers from all walks of life.
11 This resolution recognizes
12 Crime Victims' Rights Week in the State of
13 New York, together with the observance of
14 National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Recognizing
15 this week is an opportunity to emphasize a
16 holistic approach to achieving justice and
17 healing in our communities and, in turn,
18 preventing further harm from happening in the
19 first place.
20 Every single person who is
21 victimized by crime in this country deserves to
22 be treated with dignity and compassion. As
23 advocates for victims of violent crime and
24 gender-based violence will rightly remind us,
25 there is no such thing as a perfect victim.
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1 I myself have personally survived
2 violent crime in my life on more than one
3 occasion, and my experience is not unique. Every
4 year an estimated 22 million Americans are
5 directly impacted by crime, and each one of those
6 incidents further affects victims' families,
7 their friends, and their communities.
8 These experiences often leave a
9 lasting physical, psychological, emotional, even
10 financial impact on New Yorkers of all ages and
11 abilities, of all economic, racial and social
12 backgrounds. In 1984 the federal Victims of
13 Crime Act established the Crime Victims Fund to
14 seek to provide a permanent source of support for
15 crime victims' services and compensation.
16 Today thousands of victim assistance
17 programs provide help and support to child
18 victims of violence and sexual abuse, to stalking
19 victims, survivors of family -- of homicide
20 victims, victims of drunk driving crashes,
21 victims of domestic violence and sexual violence
22 and other forms of harm.
23 However, these services for crime
24 victims have been jeopardized by recent federal
25 cuts and funding freezes under the current
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1 administration which are being litigated. For a
2 victim or survivor of domestic violence, for
3 example, this funding could mean the difference
4 between having a roof over their head or getting
5 evicted, the difference between a crime victim
6 receiving support in a language they understand
7 or not having access to that help.
8 Those who do the critical work of
9 victim assistance constantly face new challenges
10 in our efforts to serve all victims and
11 survivors. Due to systemic inequality, some
12 victims are provided more attention and support
13 than others are. Many survivors have valid
14 reasons for not always trusting the criminal
15 legal system to help them, especially those whose
16 identities are marginalized in our society.
17 This includes a victim's immigration
18 status, individuals who have been involved in the
19 sex industry, individuals who are LGBTQ or
20 gender-nonconforming, and New Yorkers who have
21 survived violence at the hands of law enforcement
22 or public officers who have abused the public's
23 trust.
24 It is critical that we consider how
25 frequently those who have committed crimes were
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1 in fact previously victimized by crime
2 themselves. Harm frequently begets further harm.
3 If we are serious about supporting crime victims
4 and protecting our communities, we must act to
5 break these cycles of violence and harm.
6 New frameworks have been developed
7 to ensure availability of culturally relevant,
8 trauma-informed restorative services and
9 treatment to empower victims and survivors and to
10 assist communities in achieving safety for
11 everyone.
12 I'm grateful to all of my colleagues
13 in this chamber who are committed to these
14 innovative ways of ensuring that all crime
15 victims and survivors can be supported and
16 empowered to live freely and without fear.
17 Thank you, Mr. President.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
19 you, Senator Salazar.
20 Senator Murray on the resolution.
21 SENATOR MURRAY: Thank you,
22 Mr. President.
23 First let me start by thanking the
24 sponsor for bringing this forward, bringing this
25 resolution forward. While I agree with the
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1 resolution, I may disagree with some of the
2 language in the resolution. I do appreciate the
3 fact that you've brought this forward. And I
4 also want to say that I'm sincerely sorry for
5 what you've gone through in being a victim
6 yourself.
7 So I looked up the most important
8 word in this, and that is "victim." It says
9 "someone or something that has been hurt, damaged
10 or killed or has suffered either because of the
11 actions of someone or something else." In other
12 words, someone who did nothing wrong. They
13 started their day not knowing that maybe later
14 that day they would be a victim, possibly of a
15 violent crime, or a loved one who may lose a
16 loved one because they've become a victim and
17 they lose their life.
18 You know, we're passing this
19 resolution and it's full of great words and, as I
20 said, I appreciate the fact that we're
21 recognizing that it's National Crime Victims'
22 Rights Week. It's great to hear that. I just
23 wish we could see more help for the victims in
24 our actions.
25 They say actions speak louder than
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1 words. Well I'm not going to get into great
2 detail, because this is about the resolution, not
3 about particular bills. But today in one of our
4 committees we had a few bills that, I have to
5 tell you, frankly didn't seem very friendly to
6 crime victims. And I heard from some crime
7 victims who were hurt by it. They said, It feels
8 like we're being victimized again. Do you people
9 even care what we go through?
10 And that stuck with me. Do we? Do
11 we really listen to them?
12 So this past Sunday, as part of
13 National Crime Victims Week, all across the
14 state -- possibly all across the country -- they
15 hold vigils. And they had a vigil again this
16 year, and I go each year. But they had a vigil
17 this year in Port Jefferson, and I was there.
18 And it was for the parents and loved ones of
19 murdered crime victims.
20 And I've got to tell you: Sitting
21 there, it almost broke me a couple of times.
22 Both times happened while they were reading the
23 hundreds of names of the victims that were lost.
24 And what they would do is they'd break up the
25 list, so they had about 10 or 12 speakers. And
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1 each one of the speakers, when they would get up
2 on that list, was their family member or their
3 loved one.
4 And there was one particular husband
5 and wife that got up, and the husband was
6 standing silently beside her as she is reading
7 the names. And he wasn't saying a word, just
8 offering support for her. Right until they got
9 to his son's name, and he couldn't help himself.
10 He dove into the microphone to read off his son's
11 name and said "That was my son."
12 I believe his son died a decade or
13 two ago. It doesn't leave you. It doesn't --
14 the hurt, the pain, it doesn't leave them. See,
15 they got a life sentence. We talk about second
16 chances and things like this. Where's their
17 second chance? They don't get one. It's not
18 just the person that lost their life, it's their
19 loved ones, their family members, their spouses,
20 their children, grandchildren.
21 The second time it almost broke me
22 was during the name reading again. In 2014,
23 21-year-old Sarah Goode -- she was a constituent
24 of mine -- she had a 4-year-old daughter. And
25 she had just gone out that night, it was the
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1 first time in weeks that she'd had a chance to
2 actually go out with her friends and enjoy
3 themselves.
4 Well, later that night the enjoyment
5 ended because Dante Taylor decided he wanted to
6 attack her, rape her, beat her, leave her body
7 dead in the woods where her family members found
8 her about a week and a half, two weeks later.
9 And her daughter lost her mother
10 that night, but her daughter was there Sunday.
11 Her daughter's 15 years old now, and this is the
12 second time it almost broke me. She stood up
13 there as the names were read, and she leaned in.
14 And when she said her mother's name, she lost it.
15 She burst into tears. All of Sarah's sisters
16 were there too, the whole family.
17 To listen to these people and to
18 hear their stories and to feel the pain -- this
19 is about that we should be doing. So when we're
20 introducing this legislation for -- you know, to
21 help the criminals get their second chance, can
22 we please, please also think about the victims?
23 Can we make the victims' rights be more than one
24 week? Can we please do that?
25 Thank you.
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1 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
2 you, Senator.
3 Senator Webb on the resolution.
4 SENATOR WEBB: Thank you,
5 Mr. President.
6 I want to extend my appreciation to
7 Senator Salazar for continuing to bring forward
8 this important resolution.
9 One of the things I wanted to lift
10 up as the chair of Women's Issues in the Senate
11 is that we get a number of bills that look at
12 crime through the lens of domestic violence and
13 ways that as a Senate body we can continue to
14 make investments in ensuring that victims of
15 domestic violence are most certainly supported,
16 but most certainly can become survivors.
17 And with this resolution, while it
18 is calling to our attention -- and it is
19 important to have resolutions like this because
20 it helps to center us in the policy work that we
21 have a responsibility to do in this chamber. And
22 one of the many things that we have done and
23 continue to do is not only push for more
24 accountability but also ensure that there's
25 equity in our criminal justice system.
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1 But even more largely -- and this is
2 why I appreciate in resolution -- is that it
3 centers victims and their healing journey for
4 themselves and their families. And you are right
5 that when you are a victim of a crime or any
6 traumatic event, it just doesn't just simply
7 happen and then you move on. It is something
8 that stays with you.
9 And so I implore us that we continue
10 as a legislative body to not only continue to
11 explore policies that anchor us in
12 accountability, most certainly equity and healing
13 for victims of crime and their families.
14 And so in addition to that, that we
15 continue to make budgetary investments that also
16 center victims, survivors, and our communities at
17 large.
18 I want to thank Senator Salazar for
19 this resolution. I will be voting aye.
20 Thank you, Mr. President.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
22 you, Senator.
23 Senator Bailey on the resolution.
24 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
25 Mr. President.
1727
1 Senator Salazar, thank you very much
2 for this important resolution.
3 I believe that if you have two
4 candles and they're both burning, they can both
5 burn brightly without attempting to extinguish
6 the other.
7 I think that in this house, in this
8 chamber specifically, we have shown that whether
9 it be through legislation like the second bill on
10 the active list, sponsored by me, or the number
11 of other legislative matters sponsored by other
12 members of this house, that we certainly center
13 victims.
14 Senator Murray is 100 percent
15 correct that of the candle burning, in that,
16 we're not looking to extinguish the memory of
17 anyone. As a matter of fact, these folks live
18 on. Family members of mine have been the victims
19 of crime, friends, constituents. I don't say it
20 in a flippant way at all.
21 I think that we can live in a world
22 where we can appreciate that we're trying to make
23 the world a better place for everybody, and at
24 the same time center victims. There doesn't have
25 to be blame laid. There doesn't have to be
1728
1 fingers pointed. We can live in a world that the
2 majority of it is gray.
3 When we come down to binary
4 conversations about it's either this or that, we
5 do each other a disservice. We shouldn't be
6 doing each other a disservice during an important
7 week, a week that quite frankly -- again, you're
8 right, Senator Murray, in that we need more than
9 a week. People think about their lost loved ones
10 every single day.
11 We can walk and chew gum at the same
12 time, Mr. President. We can continue to fund
13 record funding in budgets that we vote for,
14 consistent for victims time and time again. And
15 we can continue to go into communities and have
16 vigils for people that we've lost. We can do
17 both at the same time. Let's not make it an
18 arbitrary choice.
19 Thank you, Senator Salazar, for this
20 resolution.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
22 you, Senator Bailey.
23 The resolution was adopted on
24 April 2nd.
25 Senator Gianaris.
1729
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
2 now let's move on to previously adopted
3 Resolution 547, by Senator Scarcella-Spanton,
4 read that resolution's title and call on
5 Senator Scarcella-Spanton.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
7 Secretary will read.
8 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 547, by
9 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, memorializing
10 Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 9, 2025,
11 as Yellow Ribbon Day in the State of New York.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
13 Scarcella-Spanton on the resolution.
14 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
15 you, Mr. President.
16 I rise today in recognition of
17 National Yellow Ribbon Day here in New York
18 State, a day for all Americans to honor and
19 celebrate our active-duty service members and
20 their families.
21 As part of a military family myself,
22 I know firsthand the sacrifices made by our
23 military families -- the holidays spent apart,
24 the birthdays missed, and the constant worry.
25 But I also know the pride that comes along with
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1 serving this country, the sense of purpose, honor
2 and duty that makes it all worth it.
3 This commemoration is not just about
4 the historical significance of the yellow ribbon
5 but what the yellow ribbon represents today: The
6 strength, resilience, and commitment of our
7 troops around the world, and the families waiting
8 for their safe return. Let this day serve as a
9 reminder of their service, and may we always
10 honor their immense sacrifices made in defense of
11 our liberties.
12 I'd like to especially acknowledge
13 my husband Josh, who deployed when our daughter
14 Emily was just 10 days old -- so I do know how
15 important it is to recognize those families.
16 Today over 1.3 million active-duty service
17 members and more than 800,000 reservists stand
18 ready to protect our nation. We owe them and
19 their families a profound debt of gratitude.
20 Thank you, and I proudly vote aye.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
22 you, Senator.
23 The resolution was adopted on
24 March 25th.
25 Senator Gianaris.
1731
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Next up is
2 previously adopted Resolution 149, by
3 Senator May. Please read the title of that
4 resolution and call on Senator May.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
6 Secretary will read.
7 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 149, by
8 Senator May, commemorating the 250th Anniversary
9 of the Battles of Lexington and Concord on
10 April 19, 2025, and recognizing their impact on
11 the history of New York State.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
13 May on the resolution.
14 SENATOR MAY: Thank you,
15 Mr. President. I want to thank the Majority
16 Leader and my colleagues for supporting this
17 resolution.
18 And I want to take you back
19 250 years this month, to April 19, 1775. In the
20 early hours of the night, a Boston silversmith
21 named Paul Revere, joined by William Dawes and
22 Samuel Prescott, rode out northwest from Boston
23 to warn people of the countryside that the
24 British army was on the march. At five in the
25 morning the column of Redcoats arrived in
1732
1 Lexington Center, and there was a skirmish on the
2 town green that left nine people dead.
3 The British marched on to Concord,
4 and at the bridge over the Concord River, they
5 were met by some 400 armed minutemen who opened
6 fire and drove the British into retreat. Poet
7 and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson described the
8 scene:
9 "By the rude bridge that arched the
10 flood,
11 "Its flag to April's breeze
12 unfurled,
13 "Here once the embattled farmers
14 stood,
15 "And fired the shot heard round the
16 world."
17 It took about three days for news of
18 these battles to reach New York City. But when
19 it did, it had a seismic effect. New York had
20 been the lone holdout among the 13 colonies when
21 it came to opposing British rule. The New York
22 General Assembly had not agreed to the
23 conclusions of the First Continental Congress and
24 did not want to send delegates to the second one.
25 But when word of the rout of the
1733
1 British soldiers arrived, it galvanized
2 opposition to British rule in New York. Many in
3 the city rushed to join militias themselves,
4 including students from Kings College, one
5 Alexander Hamilton among them, who joined a
6 militia called the Hearts of Oak.
7 Within a few weeks, there was a new
8 body, the New York Provincial Congress, that was
9 pro-independence, and it formed to replace the
10 New York General Assembly. And a hundred
11 prominent New Yorkers signed a document seeking,
12 quote, the salvation of the rights and liberties
13 of America.
14 Within weeks of these battles,
15 New York was at the center of a full-blown war
16 for American independence. And the map of our
17 state is inscribed with the names of those who
18 signed that document or fought bravely in that
19 war, like Sackett, DeLancey, Van Cortlandt,
20 Tappen, Hamilton, Herkimer and van Rensselaer.
21 I grew up in Lexington,
22 Massachusetts, just a stone's throw from what is
23 now known as the Battle Green. We had to
24 memorize Emerson's poem in school, and every year
25 on April 19th we celebrated a school holiday
1734
1 known as Patriots Day.
2 We called those early rebels against
3 the British patriots -- not because they stood up
4 to a global superpower, not even because they
5 opposed an aging, addled despot propped up by
6 fabulous wealth who believed God had anointed him
7 to rule over a third of the globe. The real
8 reason we celebrated them as patriots was because
9 of what they were fighting for. They were
10 fighting to stop being subjects and become
11 citizens of a citizen-led country governed by the
12 rule of law.
13 The framers of the Constitution
14 never mentioned the word "patriot" or
15 "patriotism" in that document, but they made
16 clear that a citizen-led democracy required
17 citizen patriots to make, improve and uphold the
18 law. They provided in the Constitution for
19 citizens to vote, to serve on juries, to run for
20 office, and hold elected officials accountable.
21 But there are also unwritten
22 expectations of citizen patriots in a democracy.
23 We are expected to accept the verdict of a jury
24 or judge or the outcome of an election, even if
25 it doesn't go our way. We are expected to
1735
1 tolerate freedom of speech, freedom of religion,
2 freedom of the press even if we strongly disagree
3 with what is being said or professed.
4 It is this kind of patriotism that
5 is most under threat in America today. We keep
6 hearing from the very highest levels of our
7 government that following a judge's order or
8 accepting an election defeat is somehow a sign of
9 weakness, when in fact these are signs of respect
10 for the democratic process and for our country.
11 They are the keystones that allow the soaring
12 edifice of our democracy to stay standing.
13 As we mark the 250th anniversary of
14 the first Patriots Day and honor those first
15 American patriots, I hope we can recommit
16 ourselves to the kind of patriotism that makes it
17 possible for us to remain citizens and not become
18 subjects once again.
19 I vote aye.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
21 you, Senator May.
22 The resolution was adopted on
23 April 2nd.
24 Senator Gianaris.
25 SENATOR GIANARIS: Next up is
1736
1 previously adopted Resolution 573, by
2 Senator Palumbo. Please read that resolution's
3 title and call on Senator Palumbo.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
5 Secretary will read.
6 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 573, by
7 Senator Palumbo, honoring New York State first
8 responders for their valiant efforts in combating
9 the brush fires in Suffolk County, Long Island.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
11 Murray on the resolution.
12 SENATOR MURRAY: Thank you,
13 Mr. President. Yes, me again.
14 I'm not going to go back 250 years,
15 but I'll go back 30. It was the afternoon of
16 August 21st of 1995 when the first fire broke
17 out. It was in the North Shore community of
18 Rocky Point in Suffolk County. That eventually
19 spread into multiple fires that stretched down to
20 Middle Island and took a couple of days to
21 extinguish.
22 Then Governor Pataki had come down
23 to Long Island because at the time Long Island
24 was in the midst of a drought that had been going
25 on for weeks. Everyone breathed a sigh of
1737
1 relief; the fire was out, they thought the worst
2 was over. But little did they know that the
3 nightmare had just begun.
4 In the early afternoon of
5 August 24th, an alarm went out for a fire
6 adjacent to the grounds of Suffolk Community
7 College in Eastport -- a fire that would be known
8 as the 1995 Sunrise Wildfire and would burn
9 thousands of acres all across the east end of
10 Long Island. And a fire that took thousands of
11 firefighters to battle. It was the largest
12 mutual aid call in New York State history,
13 sending nearly 180 fire departments from Suffolk
14 and Nassau. And for the first time in history,
15 the New York City Fire Department sent 10 engines
16 and two battalion chiefs and a field
17 communications unit out.
18 Eventually, over the four-day-long
19 battle, there were firefighters and equipment
20 from the New York State Forest Rangers, the
21 National Guard. They came from Ohio, from
22 Maryland, New Jersey, Maine and the U.S. Forest
23 Service. And eventually even five 20-member
24 crews of the famed Hotshots were flown in from
25 the West Coast.
1738
1 Why do I bring this up? Roughly one
2 month ago today we thought we might have a repeat
3 of that nightmare as four small fires broke out
4 and eventually became one massive fire being fed
5 by hundreds and thousands of downed trees
6 throughout the Pine Barrens. Winds at the time
7 were gusting up to 40 and 50 miles per hour.
8 Mutual aid calls went out again, and as many as
9 80 fire departments and 10 EMS units responded
10 from Suffolk and Nassau counties.
11 But this time it was different.
12 Local elected officials stepped up, and help was
13 sent by Governor Hochul. But it was the response
14 of our volunteers that prevented what could have
15 easily turned into a deadly disaster.
16 Today I'd like to recognize, along
17 with my colleague Senator Palumbo -- it happened
18 in both of our districts, actually -- and we want
19 to sincerely, sincerely thank all of those first
20 responders who dropped everything, responded
21 immediately, and no doubt saved life and limb.
22 We were honored and blessed to have
23 such incredible men and women who were ready,
24 willing and able to help at a moment's notice. I
25 ask you all to please join me in honoring and
1739
1 recognizing these outstanding heroes.
2 Thank you, Mr. President.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
4 you, Senator Murray.
5 Senator Palumbo on the resolution.
6 SENATOR PALUMBO: Thank you,
7 Mr. President.
8 And I deferred to my colleague, the
9 cosponsor of this resolution, because he did all
10 that legwork on the history of the prior fire
11 that was also in Senate District 1.
12 This is something that unfortunately
13 is relatively common when you see two fires
14 within 30 years, because we have the Central Pine
15 Barrens out on Eastern Long Island. That area,
16 those pine barrens, are crucial to our way of
17 life. We have a sole-source aquifer that we
18 drink from, and that's the filter that filters
19 the water that we drink every day.
20 So it is critical that we maintain
21 the Central Pine Barrens in its pristine form, so
22 these fires can be so devastating to us on many,
23 many levels. And on that fateful day on
24 March 8th, at the end of the fire, all told, it
25 was over 700 acres that were devastated by this
1740
1 fire. It was two miles by two and-a-half miles.
2 And I was walking in a St. Patrick's
3 Day parade about eight to 10 miles away, a mile
4 from my house. So when these folks responded --
5 and that included, for over two days, the
6 combined efforts of the New York National Guard
7 at the 106 Rescue Wing in Westhampton, New York
8 State Police, the Suffolk County Police, various
9 other state agencies, and all the volunteer fire
10 departments and EMS from across Nassau and
11 Suffolk County -- they ultimately were able to
12 diminish this blaze with only a handful of homes
13 being destroyed. That could have completely been
14 as devastating as the fire from 30 years ago, or
15 even worse.
16 So we do want to just express that
17 our volunteers -- and they are just that. They
18 protect life and property, which is in my opinion
19 the ultimate community service. They leave their
20 families -- and it was a Saturday. They gave up
21 a weekend to protect us all, for those of us who
22 can put our heads on the pillow at night knowing
23 that they're going to roll out of bed, walk
24 toward the danger, and keep us safe.
25 So, Mr. President, I was going to
1741
1 read all of the departments --
2 (Laughter.)
3 SENATOR PALUMBO: -- but my
4 colleagues advised against it, because we have a
5 very busy day and a lot of work to do. So I just
6 want to say thank you to our volunteers, all of
7 them, who serve the greater good and do what they
8 do every day for us for totally selfless
9 purposes.
10 Thank you, Mr. President. And I
11 proudly vote aye.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
13 you, Senator Palumbo.
14 The resolution was adopted on
15 April 2nd.
16 Senator Gianaris.
17 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
18 today's resolutions are open for cosponsorship.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
20 resolutions are open for cosponsorship. Should
21 you choose not to be a cosponsor on the
22 resolutions, please notify the desk.
23 Senator Gianaris.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please take up
25 the calendar.
1742
1 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
2 Secretary will read.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 179, Senate Print 1285A, by Senator Persaud, an
5 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
9 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
10 shall have become a law.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
12 roll.
13 (The Secretary called the roll.)
14 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
15 the results.
16 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
18 is passed.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 180, Senate Print 1652, by Senator Bailey, an act
21 to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
23 last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
25 act shall take effect on the first of October.
1743
1 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 231, Senate Print 364, by Senator Gianaris, an
11 act to amend the Insurance Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
16 shall have become a law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
18 roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
21 the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
23 Calendar 231, voting in the negative:
24 Senator Walczyk.
25 Ayes, 61. Nays, 1.
1744
1 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
2 is passed.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 276, Senate Print 115A, by Senator Cleare, an act
5 to amend the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar 276, voting in the negative are
17 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
18 Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Murray,
19 Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco,
20 Walczyk and Weik.
21 Ayes, 46. Nays, 16.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 311, Senate Print 3735, by Senator Mayer, an act
1745
1 to amend the Education Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 320, Senate Print 4153, by Senator Sanders, an
16 act to amend the General Business Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
20 act shall take effect on the 120th day after it
21 shall have become a law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
1746
1 Sanders to explain his vote.
2 SENATOR SANDERS: Thank you,
3 Mr. President.
4 I stand in favor of a very simple
5 proposition, that American currency should be
6 accepted in America. Sounds strange. This is
7 the same country that is telling other countries
8 that if you do not accept our currency, we're
9 going to have trade sanctions on you.
10 And yet in the great State of
11 New York there are places where an American
12 citizen can take legal currency, go into a store,
13 and be refused to -- for their purchase.
14 This is unacceptable. This policy
15 discriminates against the less affluent and other
16 Americans. We have a chance to do something
17 about it in New York State. In fact, we should.
18 We should say that, yes, stores have -- are
19 trying to use credit cards and debit cards and
20 other things to speed up the process, to do many
21 different things. And those things are good;
22 we're not against that.
23 But we should stand and say that the
24 American people will accept American currency in
25 America. That way we can hold it for the rest of
1747
1 the world and say if you're going to accept the
2 greenback all over the world, let's start in our
3 own backyard.
4 Thank you, Mr. President. And thank
5 you for all those who are in favor of Americans
6 using American currency.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
8 Sanders to be recorded in the affirmative.
9 Senator Krueger to explain her vote.
10 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you,
11 Mr. President.
12 I want to thank Senator Sanders for
13 bringing this bill to us. I don't know about in
14 your districts, but in my district there are
15 stores that have big signs: You will be charged
16 an additional 3 percent if you're using a credit
17 card.
18 Now, I know why they're doing it,
19 because they're getting hit with a 3 percent
20 charge from the credit card company. But
21 imagine, we're going to actually allow a
22 situation where people won't be able to use cash
23 and will be forced to pay an additional 3 percent
24 to buy products? I think that's outrageous.
25 And we all talk about affordability
1748
1 and we all talk about the increasing costs of
2 everything. Come on, folks, let people buy
3 products with money.
4 So thank you, Senator Sanders. I
5 vote yes.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
7 Krueger to be recorded in the affirmative.
8 Announce the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
10 Calendar 320, voting in the negative are
11 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Gallivan,
12 Helming, Oberacker, Scarcella-Spanton, Stec and
13 Walczyk.
14 Ayes, 55. Nays, 7.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 340, Senate Print 2481, by Senator Parker, an act
19 directing the New York State Energy Research and
20 Development Authority to study the feasibility of
21 creating, storing and transferring hydrogen
22 energy to residential and commercial structures.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
1749
1 act shall take effect immediately.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 351, Senate Print 3807, by Senator Hoylman-Sigal,
12 an act to amend the General Obligations Law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
14 last section.
15 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
16 act shall take effect immediately.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
18 roll.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
21 the results.
22 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
23 Calendar 351, voting in the negative are
24 Senators Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
25 Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Mattera,
1750
1 Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec,
2 Tedisco, Walczyk and Weik.
3 Ayes, 46. Nays, 16.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 358, Senate Print 630, by Senator Stavisky, an
8 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
10 last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
12 act shall take effect immediately.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
17 the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
19 Calendar 358, voting in the negative:
20 Senator Brisport.
21 Ayes, 61. Nays, 1.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 360, Senate Print 2273, by Senator Krueger, an
1751
1 act to amend the Penal Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect on the first of November.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
12 Calendar 360, voting in the negative:
13 Senator Brisport.
14 Ayes, 61. Nays, 1.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 393, Senate Print 252, by Senator Martinez, an
19 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
23 act shall take effect immediately.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
25 roll.
1752
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
5 Calendar 393, voting in the negative are
6 Senators Lanza, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Stec and
7 Walczyk.
8 Ayes, 56. Nays, 6.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 397, Senate Print 3629A, by Senator Fernandez, an
13 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect December 31, 2026.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
24 Calendar 397, voting in the negative are
25 Senators Borrello, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming,
1753
1 Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Stec, Walczyk and Weik.
2 Ayes, 52. Nays, 10.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 400, Senate Print 5014, by Senator Sepúlveda, an
7 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
11 act shall take effect one year after it shall
12 have become a law.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
17 the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
19 Calendar 400, voting in the negative are
20 Senators Borrello, Griffo, Oberacker, O'Mara,
21 Ortt, Stec and Walczyk. Also Senator Gallivan.
22 Ayes, 54. Nays, 8.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
24 is passed.
25 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
1754
1 571, Senate Print 197, by Senator Martinez, an
2 act to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
4 last section.
5 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
6 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
7 shall have become a law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
14 Calendar 571, voting in the negative:
15 Senator Brisport.
16 Ayes, 61. Nays, 1.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
18 is passed.
19 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
20 572, Senate Print 703, by Senator Krueger, an act
21 to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
23 last section.
24 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
25 act shall take effect immediately.
1755
1 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
5 Borrello to explain his vote.
6 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
7 Mr. President.
8 I want to thank the sponsor for this
9 bill and all of the bills that are relating to
10 animal cruelty.
11 According to the FBI, those that
12 torture animals, abuse animals, have a high
13 correlation to also human-on-human violence.
14 This is a proven statistic. And you can see the
15 long list of serial killers and mass
16 murderers that started their evil careers by
17 torturing animals.
18 So this is hopefully a way not just
19 to protect our furry friends, but also to ensure
20 that evil people don't go further down the road.
21 So strengthening this law and certainly making it
22 more of a penalty is a good start.
23 Thank you.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
25 Borrello to be recorded in the affirmative.
1756
1 Announce the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 576, Senate Print 1784, by Senator Hinchey, an
7 act to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 577, Senate Print 3026, by Senator Gianaris, an
22 act to amend the Agriculture and Markets Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
1757
1 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
2 shall have become a law.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
4 roll.
5 (The Secretary called the roll.)
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
7 the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 62.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 615, Senate Print 3158, by Senator Skoufis, an
13 act to amend the Penal Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
18 shall have become a law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
25 Calendar 615, voting in the negative:
1758
1 Senator Brisport.
2 Ayes, 61. Nays, 1.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
4 is passed.
5 Senator Serrano, that completes the
6 reading of today's calendar.
7 SENATOR SERRANO: Is there any
8 further business at the desk?
9 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: There is
10 no further business at the desk.
11 SENATOR SERRANO: I move to adjourn
12 until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 9th, at
13 11:00 a.m.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: On
15 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
16 Wednesday, April 9th, at 11:00 a.m.
17 (Whereupon, at 5:01 p.m., the Senate
18 adjourned.)
19
20
21
22
23
24
25