Regular Session - April 30, 2025
2214
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
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3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
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9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 April 30, 2025
11 11:43 a.m.
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13
14 REGULAR SESSION
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18 SENATOR SHELLEY B. MAYER, 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 MAYER: The Senate
3 will come to order.
4 I ask everyone to please rise and
5 recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: In the
9 absence of clergy, let us bow our heads in a
10 moment of silent reflection or prayer.
11 (Whereupon, the assemblage respected
12 a moment of silence.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Reading of
14 the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Tuesday,
16 April 29, 2025, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Monday, April 28,
18 2025, was read and approved. On motion, the
19 Senate adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Without
21 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 The Secretary will read.
25 THE SECRETARY: Senator Comrie
2216
1 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Rules,
2 Assembly Bill Number 6762 and substitute it for
3 the identical Senate Bill 7230, Third Reading
4 Calendar 690.
5 Senator Kavanagh moves to discharge,
6 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
7 Number 6869 and substitute it for the identical
8 Senate Bill 7320, Third Reading Calendar 691.
9 Senator Martinez moves to discharge,
10 from the Committee on Rules, Assembly Bill
11 Number 6763 and substitute it for the identical
12 Senate Bill 7526, Third Reading Calendar 692.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: So
14 ordered.
15 Messages from the Governor.
16 Reports of standing committees.
17 Reports of select committees.
18 Communications and reports from
19 state officers.
20 Motions and resolutions.
21 Senator Gianaris.
22 SENATOR GIANARIS: Good morning,
23 Madam President.
24 I'm going to take up this motion by
25 Senator Addabbo. On page 42 I offer the
2217
1 following amendments to Calendar Number 567,
2 Senate Print 5935, and ask that said bill retain
3 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
5 amendments are received, and the bill will retain
6 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
7 Senator Gianaris.
8 SENATOR GIANARIS: At this time
9 we're going to take up a very important
10 resolution, previously adopted Resolution 548, by
11 Senator Scarcella-Spanton. Please read that
12 resolution's title and recognize
13 Senator Scarcella-Spanton.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
15 Secretary will read.
16 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 548, by
17 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, celebrating the
18 courage and bravery of New York State's
19 Korean War Veterans and recognizing the men and
20 women who served with dignity and honor during
21 this historic time period at the Senate's
22 Korean War Veteran Celebration on April 30, 2025.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
24 Scarcella-Spanton on the resolution.
25 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
2218
1 you so much, Madam President.
2 It is an honor to be here today,
3 both as a Senator and as the chair of the
4 Veterans and Homeland Security and Military
5 Affairs Committee.
6 I want to thank our amazing
7 Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and all of
8 the staff, and of course Senator Mayer for making
9 this possible today, and all of my colleagues who
10 have our veterans up with us.
11 We're here today in recognition of
12 the strength, sacrifice and service of New York's
13 Korean War veterans. Though the Korean War is
14 often called "the forgotten war," its
15 significance has never been lost and it changed
16 the course of history. And every American who
17 enjoys the blessings of freedom owes a debt of
18 gratitude to veterans like you who defended our
19 freedom.
20 Seventy-two years ago, when war in
21 Korea ended, our veterans returned home to a
22 nation ready to move forward. But in doing so,
23 many overlooked the valiant efforts of those who
24 had served in the Korean War.
25 For far too long, your stories and
2219
1 sacrifices have been overshadowed by later
2 conflicts. Today we are here to correct that, to
3 make clear that your bravery and your
4 contributions will be honored and remembered not
5 just today, but for years to come.
6 Thank you for being here today, and
7 thank you for everything you have done to defend
8 our freedoms and protect our nation's values.
9 Thank you.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
11 Senator.
12 Senator Ashby on the resolution.
13 SENATOR ASHBY: Thank you,
14 Madam President.
15 I want to thank the sponsor of this
16 resolution for bringing it to the floor, and I
17 want to thank all of our Korean War veterans and
18 their families for being here with us today.
19 And when I think of our Korean War
20 veterans, I often think of how I learned how
21 ill-prepared and ill-equipped they were when they
22 went into country and the circumstances that they
23 had to endure -- the cold that they had to
24 endure, the enemy that they had to endure. And
25 then, when they came back, setting the standard
2220
1 of service for us -- not only for the Vietnam
2 veterans, but for veterans of later generations.
3 And they still continue to serve
4 today. Many of the veterans who are with us here
5 today are in their nineties, who are -- I think
6 some of them actually have birthdays coming up.
7 So on top of this resolution, I'd like to wish
8 them all a happy birthday.
9 I'd like to thank them for sharing
10 their time and efforts with us and for continuing
11 to set a higher standard for all of us to aspire
12 to.
13 I proudly vote aye.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
15 Senator Ashby.
16 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick on the
17 resolution.
18 SENATOR CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK:
19 Thank you, Madam President.
20 And as we just heard today, the
21 Korean War is the forgotten war. So thank you to
22 the sponsor for bringing this resolution to the
23 floor.
24 As the proud daughter of a
25 Korean War veteran, my father served in the
2221
1 United States Coast Guard. And we knew about the
2 significance of this war at home. And in many
3 ways we knew the impact that it had on so many
4 veterans who came home, and especially those who
5 did not.
6 I want to thank the sponsor because
7 we must continue to honor and commemorate those
8 who selflessly served our nation.
9 We need to ensure that they have a
10 platform to share their stories, their
11 experiences, and to help us know that they --
12 that those who are no longer with us, that we
13 always remember them.
14 To all of our guests who have taken
15 the time to be here, I'm so glad that you could
16 be here to know that there are people in this
17 state that honor you, that remember you and thank
18 you for your selfless service.
19 I proudly vote aye.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
21 Senator Mattera on the resolution.
22 SENATOR MATTERA: Thank you,
23 Madam President.
24 And I just would like to thank our
25 sponsor, Senator Scarcella-Spanton. And thank
2222
1 you so much for all you do for the veterans.
2 And, you know, and I know your
3 husband is a veteran, and God bless him and your
4 family.
5 But today is a very, very special
6 day for our Korean War veterans. And somebody
7 that's very special to me is my -- and I said
8 this last year, I think also too -- is my
9 Uncle Louie, which I have to mention that. In an
10 Italian family, you have an Uncle Louie.
11 And my Uncle Louie is at the
12 Vets Home at Stony Brook, which is the premier --
13 and I do say this, the premier home, vets home,
14 that everybody needs to show that, everyone needs
15 to understand how important that is for our
16 veterans.
17 And there's my Uncle Louie. There
18 he was, he had his motorized cart, and all of a
19 sudden Uncle Louie was running people's feet
20 over. And it was getting a little bit upsetting,
21 giving me a call and saying Uncle Louie -- you
22 know, and they took away his motorized cart. And
23 of course, there it is, he's calling the
24 Senator up, calling the Congressman up, and we
25 got a hearing for Uncle Louie. And it didn't go
2223
1 so well.
2 But to be honest with you, it's as
3 important that we -- our vets homes are looked at
4 in a certain way. And again, Fred Sganga,
5 I thank you so much for what you do for all of
6 our servicepeople that are there at the vets
7 home.
8 And when we do see our veterans and
9 you see those caps all the time, certain wars
10 that are on there, we make sure that we recognize
11 them and say thank you for your service. And one
12 thing that I always do is you always buy either a
13 cup of coffee or buy something to say thank you
14 so much for what you have done.
15 So today is a very, very special
16 day. I thank you so much for your service. And
17 it isn't the forgotten war, because I will never
18 forget it, and I appreciate you. Because I know,
19 God forbid, if we had a situation right now, you
20 guys would put that uniform right on again and do
21 it all over again.
22 Because that's how proud I am to be
23 here today to say thank you. God bless all of
24 our veterans, and especially God bless the
25 United States of America.
2224
1 Thank you.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
3 Senator.
4 Senator Hinchey on the resolution.
5 SENATOR HINCHEY: Thank you,
6 Madam President.
7 I rise to honor and welcome all of
8 our Korean War veterans who are here today, but
9 around our state, to say thank you. Thank you
10 for your service and for your sacrifice. And we
11 owe all of you an incredible debt.
12 I want to rise, though, and
13 specifically welcome two veterans who are here
14 from my district: Charlie Alecca and Ron Chrisey
15 from Kingston, both in their nineties, and who
16 are incredible community members, still serving
17 in our community in any way that they can.
18 And it's an absolute honor and a
19 privilege to know them and to welcome them to our
20 chamber and to the Capitol today. And I want to
21 say a big thank you.
22 Thank you to the leader for bringing
23 this resolution forward, in partnership with you,
24 Madam President, and of course the sponsor of the
25 resolution, Senator Scarcella-Spanton.
2225
1 This is a wonderful day, one I
2 always look forward to, and I'm proud to vote
3 aye. Thank you.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
5 Senator Fahy on the resolution.
6 SENATOR FAHY: Thank you.
7 Appreciate this opportunity as well.
8 I rise today to also recognize and
9 honor the profound contributions of these
10 Korean War veterans, to all of them. Again,
11 often referred to as "the forgotten war," they
12 are -- these veterans are anything but
13 forgettable. And it's just wonderful that we are
14 hosting them here today.
15 I think it's remarkable that 400,000
16 New Yorkers served in the Korean War -- 400,000.
17 I am incredibly honored that we have three
18 American heroes here in the 46th Senate District.
19 And I have three with me today, all three
20 veterans, all three still very active in the
21 community as well.
22 Let me start with Lou Picarazzi. If
23 you would, if you are able, Lou, please stand.
24 Lou was a staff sergeant in the
25 United States Air Force. He is a Selkirk native.
2226
1 And after serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1951
2 through 1955 -- during the war, of course, he
3 earned the rank of staff sergeant -- he was
4 recognized for his honorable military service
5 with the Good Conduct Award as well as the
6 National Defense Service Award -- and most
7 recently honored as Veteran of the Game by the
8 New York Yankees during one of the nationally
9 televised games in May of last year.
10 Thank you so much, Lou Picarazzi.
11 I also have Matt Mataraso -- sorry,
12 Mataraso, who was a corporal. Matt, if you would
13 please stand.
14 Matt was a corporal in the
15 2nd Amphibious Support Brigade with the
16 United States Army. He served selflessly, again,
17 in the Army during the war, and has built a
18 remarkable career since then with the
19 intersection of law, government and civic
20 service, and actually served for a number of
21 years as deputy counsel for the Speaker in the
22 New York State Assembly.
23 He's also served with distinction as
24 counsel for Pitta Bishop & Del Giorno, LLC, where
25 he has long represented clients across a broad
2227
1 range of sectors represented before the New York
2 State government. He was also a former chair of
3 the St. Rose Board.
4 And I think it just bears noting he
5 started early on his life as a foster child, yet
6 went on to continue to serve our community.
7 Thank you, Matt.
8 Finally, we have Frank English, who
9 served as a rifleman in the New York -- sorry, in
10 the United States Marines, served again with
11 distinction in H Company, 3rd Battalion,
12 1st Marines, and fought courageously in critical
13 battles including Hill 111, Boulder City, and
14 served on the frontlines right until the
15 ceasefire in 1953.
16 Frank is just one of nine Marines to
17 be featured in the book "In Combat in Korea:
18 Eighteen Veterans Remember the War." He is a
19 testament to our firsthand experiences of
20 sacrifice and valor in defense of our nation.
21 I would also be remiss if I didn't
22 mention an uncle, my late uncle Thomas Moriarty,
23 who also served in Korea.
24 But these three individuals
25 represent the best of our community as they
2228
1 defended our democracy on foreign soil during
2 some of the most difficult times. This is a
3 reminder that we see you, we honor you, we thank
4 you. And I think hosting this could not be more
5 important.
6 I also want to note that I hope we
7 will continue to stand united against some of the
8 cuts that we are seeing at the Veterans
9 Administration, and not allow their service -- as
10 well as all veterans' service -- to slip into the
11 shadows of history. That we continue to show
12 them the reverence and the respect that they so
13 deserve.
14 Thank you, Madam Speaker.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
16 Senator Fahy.
17 Senator Tedisco on the resolution.
18 SENATOR TEDISCO: Thank you,
19 Madam President.
20 I want to thank the sponsor of this
21 resolution and her leadership, Senator Spanton,
22 on the Veterans Committee, for bringing this out.
23 And our leader from our side of the aisle over
24 here, Senator Ashby, for the great job he does
25 standing up for our veterans.
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1 As we today stand in support and
2 show our appreciation to the Korean veterans who
3 kept our freedom and liberty and sacrificed
4 tremendously for all of us here and around the
5 world, I think we're reminded of all our veterans
6 and we remember them today also.
7 I'm very proud to welcome here to
8 the Senate chambers one of my veterans from my
9 44th Senatorial District, Paul O'Keefe. He's
10 here with his daughter Diane.
11 And we have in Saratoga County a
12 Deceased Veterans Ceremony quite often, maybe
13 once or twice a month. And as many as I can
14 make, I try to make. But I can tell you every
15 single one of those I make, Paul is there to
16 support his deceased veterans and to stand there
17 and show honor for them.
18 And I'm proud to say he was inducted
19 into the Hall of Fame here in the New York State
20 Senate, and I was the one who put in his
21 introduction to have that happen. And we're
22 proud to have you in the documentation of being
23 in the New York State Senate Hall of Fame.
24 Congratulations to you, and
25 congratulations to all the veterans here today,
2230
1 and we appreciate your service and sacrifice.
2 Thank you, Madam President.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
4 Senator Tedisco.
5 Senator Bailey on the resolution.
6 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
7 Madam President.
8 I just wanted to rise and thank the
9 sponsor, Senator Scarcella-Spanton, for this
10 incredible resolution. This is something that we
11 should make sure we continue to do and give folks
12 the flowers that they deserve while they are
13 still able to smell the fragrance.
14 I just wanted to thank you all for
15 giving me a perspective-changing moment today.
16 Often in life it is the small things that move
17 large mountains. And having conversations with
18 the vets, people who gave everything to people
19 that they don't know -- and in the "Forgotten
20 War," the year that it ended was the beginning of
21 possibly me, because my father was born in '53.
22 And so it's something that I always thought
23 about, that year, and what conflicts and what
24 makes people move.
25 But the reason why I talk about that
2231
1 perspective is I was having conversations with
2 the vets, and I was a little frustrated because
3 of the results of a professional basketball
4 contest last night.
5 (Laughter.)
6 SENATOR BAILEY: But then I
7 realized that folks like you went into rough
8 terrain -- you weren't worried about the score.
9 You weren't worried about who was playing what or
10 what was happening. You worried about red, white
11 and blue. That's what you were worried about.
12 And so sometimes it's kind of like
13 you need something to shift your perspective from
14 things that are rather trivial to people that
15 gave everything. So I just want to say thank you
16 for giving everything. And you deserve
17 everything.
18 I appreciate your service. And to
19 Rifleman English, you are very smart, you married
20 a woman from the Bronx. Big shout out to you.
21 (Laughter.)
22 SENATOR BAILEY: I see you throwing
23 up the X all day {gesturing}, you know how we do?
24 I just want to take this time that
25 we should always make sure that when we can, if
2232
1 you see somebody that served, it doesn't cost you
2 a cent to say thank you. And if you want to be
3 like Senator Mattera, you can buy him a cup of
4 coffee. And quite frankly, they deserve more
5 than that. It doesn't cost you a cent to simply
6 say those two words: Thank you.
7 And I thank you, Madam President. I
8 vote aye.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
10 Senator Bailey.
11 Senator Borrello on the resolution.
12 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
13 Madam President.
14 And thank you to the sponsor for
15 this bill. We have several Korean War veterans
16 in the 57th Senate District. And I want to thank
17 those that are here today. Thank you so much for
18 your service, your sacrifice. And thank you for
19 being here to be recognized.
20 But I want to speak specifically
21 about one particular Korean War veteran who
22 happens to also be my cousin -- and a
23 constituent -- Peter Carlo. You may have heard
24 his name. He is a member of the -- inducted into
25 the Senate Hall of Fame himself. Peter had not
2233
1 only brave service in the military and in the
2 Korean War, but he came home to have a successful
3 career and pay back to his community over and
4 over again.
5 If there was a place that did not
6 have an American flag, Peter Carlo made sure they
7 got one. And it didn't matter if it was the
8 grave of a soldier or a public or private
9 building, a school, a park -- Peter Carlo went
10 and bought those flags, delivered them, and made
11 sure they were maintained across the 57th Senate
12 District, particularly in the Jamestown, New York
13 area.
14 A selfless man to this day in his
15 nineties, still worried about making sure those
16 flags get out and get delivered.
17 So to Peter Carlo, thank you for
18 your service. God bless him, God bless our
19 veterans, and God bless the United States of
20 America.
21 Thank you. I vote aye.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
23 Senator Stavisky on the resolution.
24 SENATOR STAVISKY: Thank you,
25 Madam President.
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1 And thank you to all of the veterans
2 of the Korean American War.
3 In 2019 I was privileged to visit
4 Korea, and one of highlights was visiting the
5 museum dedicated to the Korean American War --
6 what we call the Korean American War. And I came
7 away with a feeling -- they were so grateful to
8 America. I can't begin to tell you how on the
9 street people would stop us -- there were two of
10 us. Obviously we were visitors. And the
11 gratitude that we felt, the warmth and
12 acceptance.
13 And I'm here today to -- I was
14 delighted to see my long-time friend
15 Matt Mataraso is here. He has served in
16 government. That's how I met him many, many
17 years ago. He worked with my husband. Matt has
18 had such a great, great career of service to the
19 people of our state.
20 And Matt, we hope that next year --
21 same time next year, how's that?
22 And to all of our veterans, we thank
23 you.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
25 Senator Stavisky.
2235
1 Senator Chan on the resolution.
2 SENATOR CHAN: Thank you,
3 Madam President.
4 When I walked onto the Senate floor
5 today, I spotted my veterans immediately. I want
6 to thank Senator Scarcella-Spanton for bringing
7 forth this resolution, my neighboring district in
8 South Brooklyn and Staten Island.
9 It brings tears to my eyes and joy
10 to my heart to see my fellow veterans here today
11 with us. I want to thank you for your service.
12 Me being a U.S. Marine myself, I instantly just
13 spotted my jarheads. Only a Marine can call
14 another Marine a jarhead. Anybody else who calls
15 us a jarhead, it's a fight. And Marines know
16 that.
17 (Laughter.)
18 SENATOR CHAN: Not too many people
19 know what it feels like to lug a Browning machine
20 gun on your shoulders, all hundred pounds of it,
21 and run a hundred yards across the jungle or the
22 flight line or the desert. You guys know what
23 that feels like.
24 And I want to thank each and every
25 one of you. And I'm glad to see each and every
2236
1 one of you still in fighting shape. And I know
2 you'll continue to defend this country.
3 I personally thank you very much.
4 Stay strong.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
6 Senator Chan.
7 Senator Gallivan on the resolution.
8 SENATOR GALLIVAN: Thank you,
9 Madam President.
10 I too rise to honor and thank our
11 Korean War veterans -- those that are here today,
12 those of course that are no longer with us. The
13 sponsor, Senator Scarcella-Spanton, for bringing
14 this resolution forward.
15 And also to remember and honor
16 former Senator Colonel Bill Larkin, who not
17 everybody in the chamber was honored to be able
18 to serve with. I sat next to Colonel Larkin for
19 eight years, over there (pointing). Senator
20 Harckham now sits in the legendary seat. Kind of
21 fitting that he's from the Hudson Valley as well.
22 But Colonel Larkin, for those that
23 knew him, know what a special human being he was.
24 He gave a lifetime of service. He lied about his
25 age to enter the service initially and serve in
2237
1 World War Two. Then as a young lieutenant in the
2 Korean War he volunteered to lead an all-Black
3 contingent when many people would not do that
4 back -- many people did not do that,
5 unfortunately, back then.
6 Some of you might remember his
7 service. The career military, how he went on and
8 protected Martin Luther King during his famous
9 march.
10 He left the military, served as a
11 town supervisor, served here for many, many
12 years. Never forgot his military background.
13 And like so many Korean veterans and others,
14 continued his lifetime of service. And in
15 sitting next to him the one thing that I take is
16 a lifetime supply of Purple Heart Museum lapel
17 pins that many of you have.
18 But what was significant about that
19 was his role in helping to establish the
20 Purple Heart Museum.
21 As with all of our Korean War
22 veterans, he certainly is worth remembering. And
23 I sure hope that we never forget. I know I
24 won't.
25 Thank you, Madam President.
2238
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
2 Senator Addabbo on the resolution.
3 SENATOR ADDABBO: Thank you,
4 Madam President.
5 Good afternoon, everyone. And I too
6 want to thank the resolution sponsor,
7 Senator Scarcella-Spanton.
8 And I want to echo the sentiments of
9 appreciation from my colleagues thanking all
10 Korean War veterans here with us today.
11 And, as we approach Memorial Day,
12 those that have made the ultimate sacrifice.
13 Thank you to all Korean veterans.
14 But I am going to give a shout out
15 to one of my most beloved Korean veterans in my
16 district, a person who is no stranger to this
17 chamber because he served in the Senate for
18 20 years, and that's Senator Maltese. And I want
19 to thank Senator Maltese for not only his service
20 as a veteran, a Korean War veteran, but his
21 continued activism in the district today.
22 Senator Maltese and I are friends,
23 and I'm proud to call him a friend. So to my
24 constituent, our beloved Senator Maltese, I want
25 to say thank you.
2239
1 To all our Korean War veterans,
2 thank you very much for your commitment and
3 dedication. God bless you all.
4 Thank you, Madam President.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
6 Senator Addabbo.
7 Senator Jackson on the resolution.
8 SENATOR JACKSON: Thank you,
9 Madam President.
10 My colleagues, I rise to thank the
11 Korean War veterans. And I only know really one.
12 The former Congressmember Charles Rangel, from
13 Harlem, was a Korean War veteran.
14 And he -- when he spoke about, you
15 know, his service in the communities, he always
16 brought that up. And he went to college after
17 that and became an attorney. And that's -- you
18 know, to me, was a life of giving and sharing and
19 looking after people, especially now.
20 So -- and I say to all of you --
21 you're in your nineties, he's still alive in his
22 nineties -- promote peace wherever we go in order
23 to bring about people coming together and not,
24 you know, reverting to, you know, fights and wars
25 and things like that. Because you survived that,
2240
1 but many, many people have not survived. And
2 some are still suffering as a result of that.
3 So I say to you in peace, you know,
4 please enjoy your day, enjoy your days here on
5 earth. We -- we as State Senators are here to
6 say to you that we're here to help you and to
7 thank you for your service serving the country
8 that you live in.
9 So with that, I say thank you.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
11 Senator Jackson.
12 Senator Krueger on the resolution.
13 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you very
14 much, Madam President.
15 You know, I was reminded of an
16 experience after hearing my colleagues remind us
17 about the histories of Senator Larkin and
18 Senator Maltese right here in the Senate. I had
19 the privilege of serving with both of them.
20 And we would fight about some
21 issues. And one day Senator Larkin got pretty
22 mad at me about something, and I responded:
23 Well, you know, Senator Larkin, when we send our
24 young men and women off to war to fight, it's so
25 that you and I get to stand here and argue and
2241
1 debate about what are the right laws for this
2 state. And so they're all correlated, and we are
3 on the same side.
4 And afterwards Senator Larkin and I
5 sat down and had a wonderful conversation, and I
6 want to say we became friends when we were here.
7 And so because of that memory of him
8 today, I thought I would reference for all of you
9 here representing so many people who fought in
10 the Korean War, including my uncle, Stuart
11 Krueger, who would have loved to be here but he
12 passed away about a year and a half ago. Or I
13 would have made him be here.
14 That when we do what we do every
15 day -- and sometimes we're not on the same side
16 of the issues, and sometimes we even get a little
17 angry at each other -- we're able to do this
18 because we have democracy. And when we ask our
19 young people to go to war, it's to fight for that
20 right of democracy. And I think it's so critical
21 for us to never forget that.
22 Thank you, Madam President.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
24 Senator Krueger.
25 Leader Stewart-Cousins to close.
2242
1 SENATOR STEWART-COUSINS: Thank you
2 so much, Madam President.
3 And I too rise to honor our
4 Korean War veterans. And listening to my
5 colleagues -- and certainly thank you to Senator
6 Scarcella-Spanton for making sure that this gets
7 done, for your leadership in our Veterans
8 Committee. And this is our third year of doing
9 this. And I so appreciate what you're doing.
10 And of course, Senator Ashby, you as
11 well. Thank you for being a great partner in
12 making sure that we honor our veterans of all
13 stripes wherever they are.
14 I also was heartened to hear the
15 names of Senator Maltese, as people honored his
16 service, and of course my good friend also
17 Senator Bill Larkin, who made us I think better
18 every day for the kinds of values that he made
19 sure to articulate when we were in this chamber.
20 And also to our Congressman Charlie
21 Rangel, who broke so many barriers and again is
22 thriving, you know, in -- right now. Still
23 influential. And part of I'm sure his vigor and
24 his resilience is because of the service to his
25 country.
2243
1 And when we talk about these
2 historic figures, I wanted to make sure that I
3 honor my veteran, or my constituent,
4 Randy Jurgensen.
5 Randy, would you please stand? He's
6 accompanied by his beautiful wife.
7 And Randy, we saved you for last
8 because when we talk about history, things don't
9 happen for no reason. And this celebration that
10 began in 2023 was the brainchild of this
11 Korean War veteran from my district,
12 Randy Jurgensen.
13 Senator Shelley Mayer brought Randy
14 and others to my office because Randy, who
15 currently serves as the vice commander of
16 Chapter 3, New York City, the Military Order of
17 Purple Heart -- when Senator Mayer brought Randy,
18 it was because he saw that the state recognizes
19 veterans, that we have a Vietnam War Day. And he
20 said, "What are we doing for the Korean War
21 veterans?"
22 And he put together veterans and
23 showed that there was a constituency for this.
24 But we did not have to be convinced. We
25 understood our obligation and made the promise
2244
1 that day that this war, which was the, quote,
2 unquote, forgotten war, would not be forgotten in
3 this chamber.
4 And although the numbers of veterans
5 have dwindled, we continue to celebrate the
6 sacrifice that you made on behalf of this
7 country. And I would not want this day to end
8 without people recognizing that it was you who
9 made sure that this day happens.
10 I am so happy that you came to
11 Senator Mayer and that she, you know, decided
12 that this was important enough to bring to my
13 attention. And this is your history in this
14 chamber.
15 So thank you so much. Thank you,
16 you know, for continuing to make the trek up
17 here. And as you know, we will meet you wherever
18 we can in our various districts. But even though
19 the numbers of war veterans, Korean War veterans,
20 you know, continue to dwindle, we will continue
21 to not forget the Korean War in this chamber as
22 long as I have the privilege to lead it.
23 So thank you. Thank you so much,
24 Madam President.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
2245
1 Thank you, Leader.
2 To our distinguished guests,
3 veterans of the Korean War, we welcome you so
4 sincerely on behalf of the Senate. We extend to
5 you the privileges and courtesies of this house.
6 Please rise, if you're able, and be
7 recognized. Thank you.
8 (Extended standing ovation.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
10 Gianaris.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
12 Madam President.
13 Thank you again to our very special
14 guests for joining us today.
15 We're going to stick with
16 Senator Scarcella-Spanton. Let's take up
17 previously adopted Resolution 549, read its title
18 and recognize Senator Scarcella-Spanton once
19 again.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
21 Secretary will read.
22 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 549, by
23 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, memorializing
24 Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 2025 as
25 the Month of the Military Child in the State of
2246
1 New York.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
3 Scarcella-Spanton on the resolution.
4 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
5 you, Madam President.
6 And thank you to all my colleagues
7 for joining me in memorializing April as the
8 Month of the Military Child in the State of
9 New York.
10 And it's a very appropriate day to
11 be doing it while we're here with our Korean War
12 veterans, celebrating them. Because I'm sure you
13 have all had family that you had to leave behind
14 on your own deployments as well.
15 As the mother of two military
16 children, Emily and Jack, I know firsthand that
17 this life comes with constant change.
18 Specifically, my daughter, Emily, who was only
19 two weeks old when my husband deployed to
20 Afghanistan for the second time.
21 When we think of our military and
22 the tremendous sacrifices made by those on active
23 duty, we often overlook the sacrifices made by
24 their families, especially their children. They
25 face challenges unique to their lives as a part
2247
1 of a military family, whether it's enduring
2 frequent moves or coping with the deployment of a
3 parent, and everything that comes between and
4 after that. They shoulder the stress of having a
5 loved one in harm's way, and show remarkable
6 courage.
7 That is why it is so important to
8 take the time to recognize their strength,
9 resilience and contributions to our country.
10 There's a reason why the dandelion is the symbol
11 for military children. They can put down roots
12 almost anywhere, and they're incredibly
13 resilient. That is exactly what our military
14 children across the United States do every day.
15 I'm proud to be an advocate for my
16 children and for all military children, including
17 Senator Ashby's children, Senator Walczyk's
18 children. I know both of you know this
19 firsthand, and your families.
20 On behalf of my family and
21 especially my daughter, Emily, and the millions
22 of families serving around the world, I'm proud
23 to vote aye.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
25 Senator.
2248
1 The resolution was previously
2 adopted on March 25th.
3 Senator Gianaris.
4 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
5 let's take up previously adopted Resolution 127,
6 by Senator Persaud, read that resolution's title
7 and recognize Senator Persaud.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
9 Secretary will read.
10 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 127, by
11 Senator Persaud, memorializing Governor Kathy
12 Hochul to proclaim April 30, 2025, as Denim Day
13 in the State of New York.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
15 Persaud on the resolution.
16 SENATOR PERSAUD: Thank you,
17 Madam President.
18 Today we come together to recognize
19 Denim Day -- and no, I'm not wearing denim
20 today -- here in the State of New York, an annual
21 day of action held in April, on a Wednesday in
22 April, during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
23 Sexual Assault Awareness Month is a
24 time dedicated to shedding light on the reality
25 of sexual violence and supporting survivors, and
2249
1 pushing for further {inaudible} in prevention,
2 education and justice.
3 Sexual assault affects people of
4 every gender, age, race and background in the
5 United States. Someone is sexually assaulted
6 every 68 seconds. Someone is sexually assaulted
7 every 68 seconds. Yet far too often, survivors
8 face shame, blame and silence instead of support.
9 The time has come for us to change
10 that. You might be wondering, why do we say
11 Denim Day? Why denim? And the story behind
12 Denim Day begins in the 1990s, in the Italian
13 Supreme Court's ruling that shocked the world and
14 made this day into reality.
15 A rape conviction was overturned
16 because the court argued that the victim's tight
17 denim implied consent, that because her denim was
18 so tight it suggested she might have had to help
19 in removing her denim.
20 So in protest, the next day the
21 women in the Italian parliament wore jeans to
22 work. It was a bold act of solidarity, something
23 that we all should do when we see injustice --
24 come together and act in solidarity.
25 From that moment on, Denim Day was
2250
1 born. What started as a local protest is now
2 celebrated and acknowledged globally. We must
3 continue to fight against sexual violence. Today
4 Denim Day is the longest-running sexual violence
5 prevention and education campaign in history, and
6 it invites students, businesses, elected
7 officials like us, and everyday people, to wear
8 denim.
9 So if you don't have -- you're not
10 wearing denim now, before the day is over, if you
11 have the opportunity to put on a piece of denim
12 and take a picture and post it and show
13 solidarity to those victims of sexual violence.
14 And tell them that they are not alone, we are
15 their voices also.
16 Wearing jeans on this day may seem
17 like a small gesture, but it sends a powerful
18 message. It tells survivors that we stand with
19 them. Again, we are telling them they are not
20 alone. We challenge the culture that normalizes
21 sexual violence. Even in 2025, some people think
22 it's no big deal that there's sexual violence
23 occurring. We must put an end to this.
24 We must commit to education. When
25 we go visit our schools, when we walk around our
2251
1 communities, we must continue to teach the young
2 people that sexual violence is unacceptable. We
3 must tell them that not because someone is
4 wearing something that you see as sexually
5 attractive it means that it gives you the right
6 to invade their space. We must tell them that
7 sexual violence in any form is, again,
8 unacceptable.
9 When we tell them this, it goes --
10 we are sending a message to them that tells them
11 that if they do this, we will hold them
12 accountable.
13 Anyone who thinks that sexual
14 violence against any person, any gender, any sex,
15 any race, is acceptable, I think you're on the
16 wrong planet. This is not the place for sexual
17 violence. We must all come together and say
18 sexual violence in any form will never be
19 tolerated. It is time that we put an end to it.
20 And the more we amplify our voices
21 and let others hear us as legislators saying to
22 the public that sexual violence is unacceptable
23 and we will stand with survivors any day to show
24 that they are not alone -- that's a powerful
25 message.
2252
1 I encourage my colleagues to
2 continue doing so. When you see it, call it out.
3 When you have the opportunity to teach others,
4 please do so. Sexual violence is unacceptable.
5 And that's the bottom line.
6 So on this Denim Day, again, I
7 encourage you, please, speak up against sexual
8 violence.
9 I vote aye. Thank you.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
11 Senator Persaud.
12 Senator Bailey on the resolution.
13 SENATOR BAILEY: Thank you,
14 Madam President.
15 I don't know what I'm supposed to do
16 after that, Senator Persaud. I am grateful for
17 that.
18 Unfortunately, yesterday, I decided
19 to wear denim yesterday. I missed the memo. But
20 it's never about missing the memo. It's about
21 the little things, as I spoke about in the prior
22 resolution.
23 And maybe it doesn't seem like much
24 to wear a denim item of clothing, but if one
25 person sees that post, if one person sees that
2253
1 you're in solidarity, that may change their frame
2 of mind and they are comforted.
3 I just want to thank Senator Persaud
4 for this really important resolution because it
5 does do something that I think we can all agree
6 on. It recognizes that survivors need support.
7 It recognizes also that sexual violence in any
8 shape, form or fashion is completely
9 unacceptable.
10 I want to be very clear that no
11 matter what clothing anyone is wearing, that
12 never -- that's not assent. That is not consent.
13 It is not -- that does not mean that a woman or a
14 man or anybody else wants to be violated because
15 they are wearing a certain item of clothing.
16 It does not invite you into their
17 personal space. It does not invite you to their
18 party. It doesn't invite you to anything about
19 them. It is all about consent and respect for
20 others. And respecting others is denouncing
21 sexual violence in any form. In any place, any
22 time.
23 So Senator Persaud said it all. I
24 just want to reiterate that I stand in strong
25 support of this resolution. And yes, you know,
2254
1 after the close, if I get a chance to change into
2 some denim -- I don't know what I brought, I
3 don't know what I packed, Madam President. But
4 if I find some denim, I'll certainly put it on in
5 support of a survivor and all the survivors and
6 anybody that has experienced this type of
7 violence.
8 I proudly vote aye, Madam President.
9 Thank you.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
11 Senator Bailey.
12 Senator Palumbo on the resolution.
13 SENATOR PALUMBO: Thank you,
14 Madam President.
15 And I just wanted to echo the
16 comments of my colleagues and thank the sponsor
17 for bringing this to the floor. I actually was
18 unfamiliar with Denim Day and what it meant until
19 I heard those profound words.
20 And when I read the resolution, to
21 see that within 30 years, less than 30 years ago,
22 the Italian Supreme Court suggested that a rape
23 victim was asking for it based upon the clothes
24 she was wearing is appalling.
25 So the fact that we bring this to
2255
1 the floor in this august body and bring attention
2 to this is extremely important.
3 So I just -- without reiterating it,
4 as I said, I do certainly -- I'd like to
5 associate myself with their comments, because
6 they really are very appropriate.
7 I'm proud to vote aye, and I really
8 thank the sponsor for bringing this to our
9 attention.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you.
11 Senator Murray on the resolution.
12 SENATOR MURRAY: Thank you,
13 Madam President.
14 And I'd like to echo my colleagues
15 in saying to Senator Persaud: Thank you. Thank
16 you so much.
17 That story is shocking and yet not,
18 because it feels like we're still not there. And
19 having a day like this, and taking that small
20 step, as you said, of just showing solidarity,
21 doing something as simple as wearing denim and
22 showing that we're all together, men, women
23 alike, standing together to say it is not
24 acceptable, it is never acceptable.
25 But again, that's a prime example of
2256
1 how the crime victims, the victims always seem to
2 be the forgotten ones. So I'm proud to join with
3 you. As soon as we leave here, I'm finding
4 anything denim, and it will be on and I'll send a
5 picture and we'll post it or whatever we have to
6 do.
7 But thank you so much for doing
8 this. It is so important. I proudly vote aye.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
10 Senator Murray.
11 The resolution was previously
12 adopted on January 14th.
13 Senator Gianaris.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
15 let's move on to previously adopted
16 Resolution 594, by Senator Ashby, read that
17 resolution's title and recognize Senator Ashby.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
19 Secretary will read.
20 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 594, by
21 Senator Ashby, congratulating Carman Bogle for
22 her ceaseless dedication as mayor of the Village
23 Cambridge, New York.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
25 Ashby on the resolution.
2257
1 SENATOR ASHBY: Thank you,
2 Madam President.
3 I rise today to congratulate and
4 thank Mayor Carman Bogle for her 10 years of
5 dedication and selfless service as mayor of the
6 village or town of Cambridge, and really for
7 demonstrating what is capable at the local level
8 in terms of leadership, overcoming so many
9 obstacles, so many endeavors that she's been
10 through, and really serving as a mentor to me in
11 some ways.
12 Coming into state government in
13 2018, Mayor Bogle was one of the first people
14 that I met in elected office and was able to
15 share success stories at the village level. And
16 parts of her life and challenges that she has had
17 to overcome are amazing.
18 And whether it was putting in a new
19 firehouse, storm recovery from a microburst,
20 guiding her village through COVID, all while
21 continuing to be a mother to her children, a wife
22 to her husband. And it's just remarkable what
23 she's been able to do in her time, 10 years as
24 mayor in the Village of Cambridge.
25 Joining us today in the gallery are
2258
1 Carman's mother Mary, husband Scott, children
2 Austin, Angel, Garrett and Gabby, who I've all
3 gotten to know.
4 And joining us on the floor with her
5 is her grandfather, Charles Gaiotti, who is also
6 a United States Marine Corps veteran of the
7 Korean War.
8 And it's no doubt relevant to many
9 of the other resolutions that we've talked about
10 today, where Mayor Bogle may have found her
11 inspiration to serve. And where that sacrifice
12 and commitment to making our region, our area,
13 our village a better place, where that stems
14 from.
15 I proudly vote aye. Thank you.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Thank you,
17 Senator Ashby.
18 To Mayor Bogle and your family, we
19 welcome you on behalf of the Senate. We honor
20 your service, your years of dedication.
21 Congratulations. Please rise and be
22 recognized.
23 (Standing ovation.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
25 resolution was previously adopted on April 8th.
2259
1 Senator Gianaris.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
3 at the request of the sponsors, the resolutions
4 we took up today are open for cosponsorship.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
6 resolutions are open for cosponsorship. Should
7 you choose not to be a cosponsor, please notify
8 the desk.
9 Senator Gianaris.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: I have a motion
11 here. On behalf of Senator Skoufis, on page 50,
12 I offer the following amendments to Calendar 676,
13 Senate Print 1694, and ask that said bill retain
14 its place on Third Reading Calendar.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
16 amendments are received, and the bill will retain
17 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
18 Senator Gianaris.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's take up
20 the calendar now, please.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
22 Secretary shall read.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 524, Senate Print 559, by Senator Krueger, an act
25 to amend the Election Law.
2260
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
9 Borrello to explain his vote.
10 SENATOR BORRELLO: Thank you,
11 Madam President.
12 I think it's a laudable goal to pay
13 our poll workers more money. It's certainly a
14 long day, and many of them are elderly. But
15 unfortunately this bill comes with no funding.
16 And as a 10-year veteran of county
17 government, I can tell you that our boards of
18 elections work on a shoestring budget in most
19 cases and really do need the financial support
20 to -- really to absorb this very large increase.
21 So I'll be voting no. Thank you.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
23 Borrello to be recorded in the negative.
24 Announce the results.
25 Senator Krueger to explain her vote.
2261
1 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you. I
2 just want to clarify.
3 This only applies to New York City.
4 It would not apply to the rest of the counties so
5 I respect my colleagues' decisions to vote no and
6 to raise concerns about the financial cost for
7 their boards of election, but this bill is
8 specific to New York City Board of Election
9 workers.
10 Thank you, Madam President. I
11 support my bill.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
13 Krueger to be recorded in the affirmative.
14 Announce the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
16 Calendar 524, voting in the negative are
17 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Gallivan, Griffo,
18 Helming, Lanza, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt,
19 Stec and Walczyk. Also Senator Tedisco. Also
20 Senator Weik.
21 Ayes, 46. Nays, 14.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 563, Senate Print 600A, by Senator Hinchey, an
2262
1 act to amend the General Municipal Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 8. This
5 act shall take effect on the first of January.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
12 Calendar 563, voting in the negative:
13 Senator Walczyk.
14 Ayes, 59. Nays, 1.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
16 is passed.
17 (Pause.)
18 THE SECRETARY: Sorry. In relation
19 to Calendar 563, voting in the negative are
20 Senators Helming, O'Mara, Ortt and Walczyk.
21 Ayes, 56. Nays, 4.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 582, Senate Print 6256, by Senator Skoufis, an
2263
1 act to amend the Highway Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
10 Oberacker to explain his vote.
11 SENATOR OBERACKER: Thank you,
12 Madam President.
13 As a former town supervisor and
14 county legislator that was in charge of our
15 public works, I can't say thank you enough for a
16 bill such as this that allows our highway
17 superintendents the autonomy to be able to take
18 care of the roads.
19 As the 51st Senate District, which I
20 like to refer to as the second-largest Senate
21 district -- although Senator Stec and I go back
22 and forth as to who would be the first, or the
23 largest. Senator Walczyk will probably throw in
24 there someplace, I'm sure.
25 But as the second largest, traveling
2264
1 well over 47,000 miles last year in my district
2 alone, the roads are extremely important. And
3 this will allow our highway supers to not only
4 take care of but to plan accordingly.
5 I think it's one of the -- it's
6 great to see a bill come by that I think we all
7 can agree with, and I will proudly, proudly,
8 Madam President, vote aye.
9 Thank you.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
11 Oberacker to be recorded in the affirmative.
12 Announce the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 594, Senate Print 5089, by Senator Sepúlveda, an
18 act to amend the Real Property 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.)
2265
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
2 the results.
3 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
5 is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 626, Senate Print Number 6274, by
8 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the
9 Private Housing Finance Law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
11 last section.
12 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
13 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
14 shall have become a law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
16 roll.
17 (The Secretary called the roll.)
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
19 Scarcella-Spanton to explain her vote.
20 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
21 you, Madam President.
22 The Affordable Homeownership
23 Development Program is specifically tailored to
24 help families achieve the dream of owning a home.
25 Its impact has been seen statewide. It has
2266
1 helped countless New Yorkers create better
2 futures for themselves and their families through
3 homeownership.
4 By extending eligibility to veterans
5 with service-related injuries, we are taking a
6 huge step forward in honoring their service,
7 making sure they have access to the stability,
8 independence and sense of community that they
9 deserve.
10 Stable, affordable housing plays
11 such an important role in a veteran's successful
12 transition back to civilian life. It provides a
13 strong foundation, freedom from the stress of
14 moving from home to home while renting, and
15 allows our veterans to rebuild their lives more
16 quickly and seamlessly.
17 This bill is a tangible way to give
18 back to those who have given up so much in the
19 name of serving our country, strengthening our
20 commitment to fighting for our veterans just as
21 they have always fought for us.
22 Between having a VA loan from the
23 federal government and seeing what they do at the
24 federal level, and now looking at ways that we
25 can help fill the gaps at the state level, I'm
2267
1 really proud to be supporting this and passing
2 this.
3 I want to give a special thanks to
4 Senator Kavanagh, who worked with me on drafting
5 this bill, and all of my colleagues for support
6 in passing it today.
7 Thank you, and I proudly vote aye.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
9 Scarcella-Spanton to be recorded in the
10 affirmative.
11 Announce the results.
12 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
14 is passed.
15 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
16 652, Senate Print 6870, by Senator Comrie, an act
17 to amend the Education Law.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
19 last section.
20 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
21 act shall take effect immediately.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
2268
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 665, Senate Print Number 5400, by
7 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the
8 Navigation Law.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
10 last section.
11 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
12 act shall take effect immediately.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
14 roll.
15 (The Secretary called the roll.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
17 the results.
18 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
20 is passed.
21 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
22 690, Assembly Bill Number 6762, by
23 Assemblymember Woerner, an act to amend the
24 Abandoned Property Law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
2269
1 last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 8. This
3 act shall take effect on the first of July.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
8 the results.
9 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 691, Assembly Bill Number 6869, by Assemblymember
14 Alvarez, an act to amend the Executive Law.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
16 last section.
17 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
18 act shall take effect immediately.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
20 roll.
21 (The Secretary called the roll.)
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
23 the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 60.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
2270
1 is passed.
2 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
3 692, Assembly Bill Number 6763, by
4 Assemblymember Jones, an act in relation to
5 enacting the Private Activity Bond Allocation Act
6 of 2025.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
8 last section.
9 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
10 act shall take effect immediately.
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 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
20 reading of today's calendar.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: Thank you,
22 Madam President.
23 Let me remind my Majority colleagues
24 that we'll be going back into conference upon the
25 adjournment of session.
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1 And with that, is there any further
2 business at the desk?
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There is
4 no further business at the desk.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: I move to
6 adjourn until tomorrow, Thursday, May 1st, at
7 11:00 a.m.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: On motion,
9 the Senate stands adjourned until Thursday,
10 May 1st, at 11:00 a.m.
11 (Whereupon, at 12:40 p.m., the
12 Senate adjourned.)
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