Regular Session - May 5, 2025
2298
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
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9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 May 5, 2025
11 3:29 p.m.
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13
14 REGULAR SESSION
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16
17
18 SENATOR JAMAAL T. BAILEY, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
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25
2299
1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
3 Senate will come to order.
4 I ask everyone present to please
5 rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: 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 BAILEY: Reading
14 of the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Friday,
16 May 2, 2025, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Thursday, May 1,
18 2025, was read and approved. On motion, the
19 Senate adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: 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 Hinchey
2300
1 moves to discharge, from the Committee on Health,
2 Assembly Bill Number 6952 and substitute it for
3 the identical Senate Bill 6665, Senate Print 729.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: So
5 ordered.
6 Messages from the Governor.
7 Reports of standing committees.
8 Reports of select committees.
9 Communications and reports from
10 state officers.
11 Motions and resolutions.
12 Senator Gianaris.
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: Good afternoon,
14 Mr. President.
15 Amendments are offered to the
16 following Third Reading Calendar bills:
17 By Senator Hoylman-Sigal, page 35,
18 Calendar Number 761, Senate Print 4859;
19 Senator Harckham, page 49, Calendar
20 Number 880, Senate Print 7540;
21 And by Senator Martinez, page 30,
22 Calendar Number 712, Senate Print 7672.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
24 amendments are received, and the bills will
25 retain their place on the Third Reading Calendar.
2301
1 Senator Gianaris.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: I also wish to
3 call up the following bills, which were recalled
4 from the Assembly and are now at the desk:
5 Senate Print Numbers 4153 and 3236.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
7 Secretary will read.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 320, Senate Print 4153, by Senator Sanders, an
10 act to amend the General Business Law.
11 Calendar Number 454, Senate Print
12 3236, by Senator Cooney, an act to amend the
13 Education Law.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to
15 reconsider the vote by which these bills were
16 passed.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
18 roll on reconsideration.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 58.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bills
22 are restored to their place on the Third Reading
23 Calendar.
24 Senator Gianaris.
25 SENATOR GIANARIS: I offer the
2302
1 following amendments.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
3 amendments are received.
4 SENATOR GIANARIS: Moving on to
5 resolutions, let's take up previously adopted
6 Resolution 260, by Senator Scarcella-Spanton,
7 read that resolution's title, and recognize
8 Senator Scarcella-Spanton.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
10 Secretary will read.
11 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 260, by
12 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, commending Jose
13 Cristales upon the occasion of his designation as
14 a recipient of the Liberty Medal, the highest
15 honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York
16 State Senate.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
18 Scarcella-Spanton on the resolution.
19 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
20 you, Mr. President.
21 Yesterday, May 4th, marked
22 International Firefighters Day, a day to honor,
23 recognize and celebrate firefighters for their
24 service internationally, as well as to remember
25 firefighters who lost their lives during service.
2303
1 Today we are joined by four
2 New Yorkers who have served our city, state and
3 nation: U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant Nelson Paz,
4 U.S. Marshal David Vizhnay, Firefighter Andy
5 Huang, and Firefighter Jose Cristales, who I had
6 the privilege of awarding the New York State
7 Senate Liberty Medal last fall.
8 The New York State Liberty Medal is
9 the highest honor that can be bestowed by a
10 Senator and includes a resolution voted on by the
11 entire New York State Senate.
12 Criteria for receiving this medal
13 include taking heroic, extraordinary action in
14 service of others. That includes law enforcement
15 and first responders acting outside of their job
16 duties and going above and beyond the call of
17 duty. And last year, Jose did just that.
18 Jose, of Brighton Beach, is a member
19 of the FDNY. On July 11th, while off duty, he
20 heard a car accident outside of his home and ran
21 out to help. A 19-year-old girl was pinned under
22 an SUV and, due to his quick thinking, courage
23 and training, Jose saved her life.
24 The level of foresight and heroism
25 is not something you see every day and
2304
1 underscores why our firefighters are called
2 New York's bravest. Jose's actions not only
3 impacted one life, but highlighted what it means
4 to be a New Yorker and a firefighter.
5 Jose had exemplified FDNY's values,
6 training, teamwork and heroism. And to all of
7 our firefighters, I do come from a family of
8 firefighters. My uncle, I think we discussed, he
9 passed away from 9/11 related cancer. So it's
10 near and dear to my heart, and it's especially
11 important to have you here today.
12 I cannot think of anyone more
13 deserving of this honor than Jose, Nelson, David,
14 and Andy. We welcome you to the State Capitol.
15 Wherever your service lies, thank you for
16 answering the call to duty and going above and
17 beyond to keep us safe.
18 I'm very proud to bring this
19 resolution to the floor.
20 Thank you.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: To our
22 incredibly brave and heroic guests, I welcome you
23 on behalf of the Senate. I extend to you all the
24 privileges and courtesies of this house.
25 Please rise and be recognized.
2305
1 (Standing ovation.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
3 resolution was adopted on January 28th.
4 Senator Gianaris.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Next up is
6 previously adopted Resolution 849, by
7 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick. Read its title
8 and recognize Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
10 Secretary will read.
11 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 849, by
12 Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, memorializing
13 Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim July 2025 as
14 Juvenile Arthritis Month in the State of
15 New York.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
17 Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick on the resolution.
18 SENATOR CANZONERI-FITZPATRICK:
19 Thank you, Mr. President.
20 I proudly rise today in support of
21 the resolution declaring July 2025 as
22 Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month here in the
23 State of New York.
24 Everyone knows someone who has
25 arthritis, yet we always think of it as those who
2306
1 are elderly that have this affliction. However,
2 many people don't realize that arthritis does not
3 discriminate by age. It does impact children.
4 And today I want to share the story
5 of one young brave girl from my community who
6 lives with that reality every day.
7 I'd like to introduce Molly Talbot
8 to Albany. Molly is a 15-year-old student at
9 Frank Cary high school in Franklin Square. Molly
10 suffered a broken ankle playing softball, and
11 when she returned to the field, even with braces
12 and tape, her pain continued. After limping
13 across the stage for her elementary school
14 graduation, her parents knew that something
15 needed to be done.
16 Her knees were swollen and after an
17 MRI, she was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic
18 arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease that
19 affects nearly 300,000 children across the
20 United States.
21 Molly didn't choose this journey,
22 but she faces it with courage and strength beyond
23 her years.
24 Juvenile arthritis is often
25 misunderstood and underdiagnosed. There is
2307
1 currently no cure, only treatments to manage
2 symptoms and slow progression.
3 And for Molly and so many others,
4 that means a lifelong road filled with doctors'
5 visits, medication and uncertainty.
6 It's an invisible disease. So many
7 people say to her: You don't look sick. But of
8 course she feels the pain and suffers with this
9 disease every day.
10 Rather than resigning herself to
11 suffering in silence, Molly has turned this
12 disorder into passion and advocacy, raising
13 awareness of juvenile arthritis, as well as
14 raising funds for the Arthritis Foundation
15 through a car wash that she held at her dad's
16 volunteer fire department.
17 I also want to recognize her dear
18 parents, John and Deborah Talbot, who have become
19 tireless advocates not just for their daughter
20 but for every family facing this disease and
21 silent battle.
22 Like so many other parents, they
23 never expected their child's vocabulary at such a
24 young age to include arthritis. But they've
25 turned their challenge into purpose.
2308
1 So today let's make Molly and others
2 like her know we see you, we support you, and we
3 will stand with you.
4 I'm proud to bring this resolution
5 to the floor. I urge my colleagues to join me in
6 supporting this resolution. And I ask you,
7 Mr. President, to welcome our guests to the
8 Senate and extend to them all the courtesies and
9 privileges of this house.
10 Thank you.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
12 you, Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.
13 To our guests, Ms. Talbot, we salute
14 you and applaud you for your perseverance in the
15 face of adversity.
16 I welcome you on behalf of the
17 Senate. We extend to you all of the privileges
18 and courtesies of this house.
19 Please rise and be recognized.
20 (Standing ovation.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
22 resolution was adopted on April 29th.
23 Senator Gianaris.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
25 let's open today's resolutions for cosponsorship,
2309
1 please.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
3 resolutions are open for cosponsorship. Should
4 you choose not to be a cosponsor, please notify
5 the desk.
6 Senator Gianaris.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's take up
8 the calendar.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
10 Secretary will read.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 110, Senate Print 557, by Senator Krueger, an act
13 to amend the Executive Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
25 is passed.
2310
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 111, Senate Print 616, by Senator Stavisky, an
3 act to amend the Executive Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
7 act shall take effect on the first of January.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
15 is passed.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 181, Senate Print 1664, by Senator Harckham, an
18 act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
20 last section.
21 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
22 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
23 shall have become a law.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
25 roll.
2311
1 (The Secretary called the roll.)
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
3 the results.
4 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
6 is passed.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 452, Senate Print 3071A, by Senator Sanders, an
9 act to amend the Education Law.
10 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Lay it
12 aside.
13 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
14 724, Senate Print 1056, by Senator Serrano, an
15 act to amend the Social Services Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
19 act shall take effect on the 60th day after it
20 shall have become a law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
25 the results.
2312
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 729, Assembly Bill Number 6952, by
6 Assemblymember Barrett, an act to amend the
7 Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
18 Calendar 729, voting in the negative:
19 Senator Martinez.
20 Ayes, 58. Nays, 1.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 732, Senate Print 2257, by Senator Comrie, an act
25 to amend the Social Services Law.
2313
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
4 act shall take effect immediately.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
6 roll.
7 (The Secretary called the roll.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
9 the results.
10 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
11 Calendar 732, voting in the negative are
12 Senators Borrello, Gallivan, Griffo, Lanza,
13 Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt,
14 Palumbo, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik.
15 Ayes, 44. Nays, 15.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
17 is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 753, Senate Print 2279, by Senator Webb, an act
20 to amend the Tax Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
24 act shall take effect on the first day of a sales
25 tax quarterly period.
2314
1 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
2 roll.
3 (The Secretary called the roll.)
4 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
5 Webb to explain her vote.
6 SENATOR WEBB: Thank you,
7 Mr. President.
8 I rise to explain my vote on this
9 bill. In this chamber we often talk about the
10 challenges that our students in K-12 face with
11 regards to having access to food, and we fund --
12 and I'm very proud of that -- expanding access to
13 food in our K-12 schools.
14 However, this continues to be a
15 challenge beyond K-12 and is certainly
16 exemplified in our college campuses across the
17 state.
18 And so what this legislation is
19 rooted in is this simple but powerful truth that
20 no college student in New York should ever have
21 to choose between going to class or going hungry.
22 This bill makes a small but
23 meaningful change. It excludes food sold to
24 students using approved donation programs, such
25 as donated meal points or designated food funds,
2315
1 from being subjected to sales tax. It may seem
2 technical, but the goal is clear: To remove a
3 financial barrier that should never have existed
4 in the first place.
5 Mr. President, across our SUNY and
6 CUNY campuses too many students -- bright
7 hardworking young people -- are experiencing food
8 insecurity. Many are skipping meals, relying on
9 food pantries, or choosing between basic
10 necessities in order to remain enrolled and
11 succeed.
12 Organizations like Swipe Out Hunger
13 and campus-led meal share programs have stepped
14 up to fill this gap. They collect and
15 redistribute unused meal swipes or meal dollars
16 to students that are in need. These solutions
17 are student-led, campus-driven, and most
18 certainly rooted in compassion.
19 However, this legislation won't
20 solve student hunger overnight, but it is part of
21 a broader commitment, a commitment to treat food
22 security on college campuses as a serious policy
23 issue. This is also a commitment to make sure
24 that higher education is more equitable, not just
25 in tuition but in the basic dignity of being able
2316
1 to learn without being hungry.
2 I vote aye and encourage my
3 colleagues to do the same.
4 Thank you, Mr. President.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
6 Webb to be recorded in the affirmative.
7 Announce the results.
8 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
10 is passed.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 780, Senate Print 608, by Senator Comrie, an act
13 to amend the Public Authorities Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect on the first of January.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
25 is passed.
2317
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 886, Senate Print 1911A, by Senator Rivera, an
3 act to amend the Public Health Law.
4 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Lay it aside for
6 the day, please.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
8 will be laid aside for the day.
9 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
10 reading of today's calendar.
11 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's move on to
12 the controversial calendar, please.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
14 Secretary will ring the bell.
15 The Secretary will read.
16 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
17 452, Senate Print 3071A, by Senator Sanders, an
18 act to amend the Education Law.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
20 Rhoads, why do you rise?
21 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
22 Mr. President. I would hope that Senator Sanders
23 might be willing to answer a couple of questions.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Will the
25 sponsor yield?
2318
1 SENATOR SANDERS: Absolutely.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
3 sponsor yields.
4 SENATOR RHOADS: Senator Sanders,
5 good afternoon.
6 SENATOR SANDERS: Good afternoon,
7 sir.
8 SENATOR RHOADS: I want to thank
9 you for sponsoring this bill.
10 Just -- could you briefly explain
11 the purpose of the bill.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Yes.
13 Through you, Mr. President, yes.
14 First I want to take you back to a
15 young man in my district, Cameron Brown, who was
16 7 years old, who had a horrible bus accident.
17 Getting off his school bus, he was pinned and
18 killed in a horrible school bus accident.
19 So I think that we need to keep real
20 things in mind, real people. And his family and
21 families like his should always be remembered as
22 we are remembering them now.
23 We also should have a way of looking
24 at not just that accident, but any type of
25 accidents. How do we ensure that we don't have
2319
1 this tragedy ever again? One of the best ways is
2 to bring everyone together, bring the best
3 experts that we have, put them in a room, give
4 them enough time, and find ways to make sure that
5 young Cameron Brown, 7 years old, will never --
6 that will never be repeated, hopefully.
7 And that is the genesis of this
8 bill, and that's exactly what we're trying to do.
9 And with your help, we're going to do it. You're
10 going to help us make it better, I believe.
11 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
12 Senator.
13 Will the sponsor yield?
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Will the
15 sponsor yield?
16 SENATOR SANDERS: Absolutely.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
18 sponsor yields.
19 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
20 Senator Sanders. It's certainly a laudable goal.
21 My understanding is that the bill
22 requires the creation of a task force which will
23 be charged to review existing state laws,
24 regulations and programs that address school bus
25 safety, and then make recommendations for
2320
1 improvements to those laws. Is that correct?
2 SENATOR SANDERS: Through you,
3 Mr. President, absolutely. We should bring the
4 best people together that we can find, the best
5 minds on this, and come to a resolution.
6 SENATOR RHOADS: And will the
7 sponsor continue to yield?
8 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Will the
9 sponsor yield?
10 SENATOR SANDERS: Absolutely.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
12 sponsor yields.
13 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you.
14 Through you, Mr. President.
15 Would that also -- would the task
16 force also address any existing state laws,
17 regulations or programs that impact school bus
18 safety? In other words, using the terminology
19 "address," does that solely mean pieces of
20 legislation already in existence that attempt to
21 address the issue of school bus safety? Or will
22 they have the chance to broaden that scope to any
23 issue that would impact school bus safety?
24 SENATOR SANDERS: Through you,
25 Mr. President. We should not restrict such a
2321
1 panel to anything of this nature. They should
2 be -- they should use their best discretion.
3 If we're bringing the best experts
4 that we have in the state together, we should not
5 say: You can only look at this and not look at
6 that.
7 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
8 Senator.
9 Will the sponsor continue to yield?
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Will the
11 sponsor yield?
12 SENATOR SANDERS: Absolutely.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
14 sponsor yields.
15 SENATOR RHOADS: Through you,
16 Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Sanders.
17 As has been discussed several times
18 on the floor, there are some issues with regard
19 to the state's existing electric school bus
20 mandate and potential safety issues that may
21 exist with respect to electric buses.
22 Would this task force be able -- be
23 empowered to take a look and make recommendations
24 with respect to the electric bus mandate as well?
25 SENATOR SANDERS: Through you,
2322
1 Mr. President. This task force, which of course
2 will include one Republican, should come up with
3 their own ideas on what they should look at.
4 We should not tell them, these
5 experts, what we want them to look at to make the
6 matters of our children's safety. They should be
7 empowered to have the freedom to make the best
8 decisions in the interests of the children.
9 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you very
10 much for that answer, Senator Sanders. Thank you
11 for yielding to my questions.
12 I'd like to go on the bill, if I
13 could.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
15 Rhoads on the bill.
16 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
17 Mr. President.
18 I raised the issue of the state
19 school bus mandate because it is rapidly
20 approaching. In fact, by June 1st of 2027,
21 school districts and bus companies throughout the
22 state will only be able to purchase electric
23 school buses. And obviously that's designed to
24 try and improve the overall environment, reduce
25 our carbon footprint, which of course is a
2323
1 laudable goal. However, it presents numerous
2 safety challenges which have been well
3 documented.
4 In Government Technology, their
5 edition of March 1st of 2024, the director of the
6 New York Association for Pupil Transportation
7 stated that 20 out of 100 -- 20 percent -- of
8 electric school buses are out of service on any
9 given day.
10 That presents a safety concern,
11 obviously, because if an electric bus breaks down
12 while they have students on that bus, we now have
13 concerns not only about how to get pupils to and
14 from where they have to go, but how to do so
15 safely.
16 And so I was very happy,
17 Senator Sanders, that you indicated that the
18 task force would have the flexibility to be able
19 to take a look at that.
20 In addition, we have School
21 Transportation News, in which it's stated that
22 lithium-ion batteries, which is a general term
23 for batteries classified by their cathode
24 chemistry, have been linked to numerous fires
25 because of their tendency to spontaneously
2324
1 combust if damaged or stored improperly; burn
2 hotter than other fires; defy attempts to
3 extinguish them with water due to stranded energy
4 in damaged batteries; and reignite after a fire
5 has been extinguished because stranded energy
6 morphs into runaway energy.
7 They normally consist of large packs
8 of cells. Failure of one of those cells will
9 very rapidly spread to the surrounding cells
10 until all of the batteries in the pack are in
11 thermal runaway.
12 The batteries also emit explosive
13 hydrogen gases prior to and during thermal
14 runaway, which accelerates the fire very rapidly.
15 My concern, as I've expressed on the
16 floor before, is that if you have an electric
17 school bus, you are literally putting students
18 either underneath, because they may be stored in
19 the ceiling, or above those giant electric
20 battery cells that can spontaneously combust and
21 spread rapidly.
22 So I hope one of the things that the
23 task force will look at are the dangers of those
24 electric buses and how we can safely evacuate
25 students in the limited amount of time that we
2325
1 would have. And I hope they would consider
2 recommendations which would certainly delay, if
3 not eliminate entirely, the electric bus mandate
4 for safety concerns, separate and apart from our
5 concerns about the cost of $20 billion estimated
6 that will be borne by our school districts and by
7 bus companies throughout the state.
8 Thank you, Mr. President.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Thank
10 you, Senator Rhoads.
11 Are there any other Senators wishing
12 to be heard?
13 Seeing and hearing none, debate is
14 closed. The Secretary will ring the bell.
15 Read the last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
22 Harckham to explain his vote.
23 SENATOR HARCKHAM: Thank you very
24 much, Mr. President.
25 I want to thank the sponsor for
2326
1 bringing this bill to the floor.
2 I also just want to address some
3 comments that were made. That, you know, the
4 constant fearmongering that goes on in this
5 chamber about clean energy and zero-emissions
6 transportation -- the simple fact is that not
7 only on a numerical basis but on a per-capita
8 basis, there are far more carbon-based fires,
9 petroleum, gasoline and diesel fires, whether
10 it's been personal vehicles or school buses, than
11 electric vehicles.
12 And if we want to talk about the
13 danger to students on buses, the danger to
14 students on gasoline and diesel buses is they
15 breathe 19 times more harmful pollutants than
16 folks not on the buses. That is a danger.
17 So having said that, off topic, I
18 vote aye. Thank you.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
20 Harckham to be recorded in the affirmative.
21 Senator Sanders to explain his vote.
22 SENATOR SANDERS: Thank you,
23 Mr. President.
24 I thank my colleague for raising
25 worthy issues that need to be discussed, and of
2327
1 course Senator Harckham with his varied insights.
2 I again want to draw attention to
3 young Cameron Brown, who perished in 2019. And
4 we want to say to his family and to all other
5 families that we as a body hear you and feel the
6 grief that you still have. And we're trying our
7 best to make it a better world, to make it a
8 safer, better world. And that's a collective
9 sentiment by this entire group.
10 In terms of the bill itself, I think
11 that by empowering our best minds, the best minds
12 that we can find on an issue, and not handcuffing
13 them but believing in science and believing that
14 good people can come together and think of the
15 best interests and the wisest interests. And I
16 think that we can get to a higher place.
17 So, Mr. President, I thank all of
18 the speakers before me, and I vote yes on this
19 issue.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
21 Sanders to be recorded in the affirmative.
22 Senator Rhoads to explain his vote.
23 SENATOR RHOADS: Thank you,
24 Mr. President.
25 Again, I want to thank
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1 Senator Sanders for bringing forward this
2 legislation. Of course I will be voting aye.
3 Just to briefly respond to my
4 colleague Senator Harckham's comments. He's
5 quite correct. The reason that he's correct is
6 because there are nine times more diesel and
7 gas-powered vehicles in existence than there are
8 electric vehicles. Of course there are going to
9 be more diesel and gas fires as a result when you
10 have a 90 percent advantage.
11 The simple reality is that by
12 percentage, the electric vehicles and the damage
13 that can be caused by an electric vehicle fire is
14 so much more intense, it can spread so much more
15 rapidly, and therefore is so much more dangerous,
16 particularly when we're putting our students on
17 those buses. It has to be considered by this
18 task force.
19 And again, Mr. President, I proudly
20 vote aye for this legislation.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Senator
22 Rhoads to be recorded in the affirmative.
23 Announce the results.
24 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 61.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The bill
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1 is passed.
2 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
3 reading of today's controversial calendar.
4 SENATOR GIANARIS: Going back to
5 motions for moment, on behalf of Senator Salazar,
6 on page 13 I offer the following amendments to
7 Calendar 383, Senate Print 2666, and ask that
8 said bill retain its place on the Third Reading
9 Calendar.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: The
11 amendments are received, and the bill will retain
12 its place on the Third Reading Calendar.
13 Senator Gianaris.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let me remind my
15 Majority colleagues that upon session adjourning,
16 we will return for a continuation of a lengthy
17 conference in Room 332.
18 With that, is there any further
19 business at the desk?
20 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: Majority
21 conference in Room 332, a lengthy one.
22 And there is no further business at
23 the desk.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: I move to
25 adjourn until tomorrow, Tuesday, May 6th, at
2330
1 11:00 a.m.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT BAILEY: On
3 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
4 Tuesday, May 6th, at 11:00 a.m.
5 Go New York, Go New York, Go!
6 (Whereupon, at 3:56 p.m., the Senate
7 adjourned.)
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