Regular Session - April 27, 2026
3718
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 April 27, 2026
11 3:37 p.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR JEREMY COONEY, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
20
21
22
23
24
25
3719
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: 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 COONEY: Reading
14 of the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Friday,
16 April 24, 2026, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Thursday, April 23,
18 2026, was read and approved. On motion, the
19 Senate adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: 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 Zellner
3720
1 moves to discharge, from the Committee on
2 Local Government, Assembly Bill Number 10201 and
3 substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 9351,
4 Third Reading Calendar 669.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: So
6 ordered.
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 Amendments are offered to the
17 following Third Reading Calendar bills:
18 By Senator Kavanagh, page 16,
19 Calendar 226, Senate Print 2086;
20 By Senator May, page 17, Calendar
21 257, Senate Print 1129A.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
23 amendments are received, and the bills will
24 retain their place on the Third Reading Calendar.
25 Senator Gianaris.
3721
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: I also wish to
2 call up the following bills, which were recalled
3 from the Assembly and are now at the desk:
4 Senate Bills 1633A and 5067A.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
6 Secretary will read.
7 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
8 140, Senate Print 1633A, by Senator Fernandez, an
9 act to amend the Public Health Law.
10 Calendar Number 538, Senate Print
11 5067A, by Senator Sepúlveda, an act to amend the
12 Education Law.
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to
14 reconsider the votes by which these bills were
15 passed.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
17 Secretary will call the roll on reconsideration.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bills
21 are restored to their place on Third Reading
22 Calendar.
23 SENATOR GIANARIS: I offer the
24 following amendments.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
3722
1 amendments are received.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: There will now
3 be an immediate meeting of the Rules Committee in
4 Room 332.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: There
6 will be an immediate meeting of the
7 Rules Committee in Room 332.
8 SENATOR GIANARIS: The Senate will
9 stand at ease.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
11 Senate stands at ease.
12 (Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease
13 at 3:39 p.m.)
14 (Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at
15 3:43 p.m.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
17 Senate will return to order.
18 Senator Gianaris.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President, I
20 believe there's a Rules Committee report at the
21 desk. Can we please take that up.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
23 Secretary will read.
24 THE SECRETARY: Senator
25 Stewart-Cousins, from the Committee on Rules,
3723
1 reports the following bill:
2 Senate Print 10060, by
3 Senator Serrano, an act making appropriations for
4 the support of government.
5 The bill reports direct to third
6 reading.
7 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to accept
8 the Rules Committee report.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: All those
10 in favor of accepting the report of the
11 Rules Committee please signify by saying aye.
12 (Response of "Aye.")
13 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Opposed,
14 nay.
15 (No response.)
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
17 report of the Rules Committee is accepted.
18 Senator Gianaris.
19 SENATOR GIANARIS: Can we take up
20 the supplemental calendar, please.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
22 Secretary will read.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 823, Senate Print 10060, by Senator Serrano, an
25 act making appropriations for the support of
3724
1 government.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: Is there a
3 message of necessity and appropriation at the
4 desk?
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: There is
6 a message of necessity and appropriation at the
7 desk.
8 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to accept
9 that message.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: All those
11 in favor of accepting the message please signify
12 by saying aye.
13 (Response of "Aye.")
14 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Opposed,
15 nay.
16 (Response of "Nay.")
17 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
18 message is accepted. The bill is before the
19 house.
20 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Lay it
22 aside.
23 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
24 reading of the supplemental calendar.
25 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's go to the
3725
1 reading of the controversial supplemental
2 calendar.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
4 Secretary will ring the bell.
5 The Secretary will read.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 823, Senate Print 10060, by Senator Serrano, an
8 act making appropriations for the support of
9 government.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
11 O'Mara, why do you rise?
12 SENATOR O'MARA: Mr. President, I
13 was wondering if the sponsor of the budget
14 extender would answer a few questions.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
16 Serrano, do you yield?
17 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
19 sponsor yields.
20 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
21 Senator.
22 This is now our seventh budget
23 extender. We are now into April 27th, when the
24 budget was due April 1st.
25 Are we any closer today to having a
3726
1 finalized budget and the remaining nine budget
2 bills to get before us?
3 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
4 Mr. President.
5 We certainly are continuing to move
6 in the right direction. Discussions are ongoing,
7 as you know.
8 But this particular budget extender
9 before us, as you mentioned, is the seventh
10 budget extender. It does provide for the
11 operation of government until Thursday,
12 April 30th, although I suspect we may vote on a
13 new extender on Wednesday. And it does cover
14 $15.2 billion, which includes $2.5 billion in new
15 spending.
16 And it will cover much of the same
17 as I mentioned in our last discussion. However,
18 we will cover payroll cost, which we didn't have
19 in our last extender; general state charges;
20 Department of Health and Medicaid, Special
21 Supplemental Nutrition, the WIC program; the
22 Department of Labor for payments in the
23 Employment Insurance Benefits program; Office of
24 People with Disabilities, Medicaid and
25 non-Medicaid services; and Department of
3727
1 Veterans' Services and homeless veterans'
2 services payments.
3 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
4 Senator.
5 Mr. President, if the Senator will
6 continue to yield.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Will the
8 Senator yield?
9 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
11 Senator yields.
12 SENATOR O'MARA: So since this
13 extender only takes us to Thursday, and you said
14 we may vote on it Wednesday, we don't anticipate
15 a final budget before Thursday.
16 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
17 Mr. President, I don't at this point. It's hard
18 to say.
19 But as I mentioned before, we are
20 certainly moving in the right direction. And I
21 really do feel that there is a sense of urgency
22 amongst all parties involved with this budget.
23 And I do -- I do believe that we are
24 certainly -- we will certainly start to close
25 down on some of the remaining issues of policy.
3728
1 But this extender before us doesn't
2 contain any of that. It is just to keep the
3 state budget -- the state government running for
4 the next few days.
5 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
6 Senator.
7 Mr. President, if the Senator will
8 continue to yield.
9 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Does the
10 sponsor yield?
11 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
13 sponsor yields.
14 SENATOR O'MARA: Through you,
15 Mr. President.
16 Senator, what -- you said we're
17 going to nail down the remaining policy items.
18 What policy items remain to be nailed down?
19 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
20 Mr. President, there are a number of policy items
21 that have been mentioned the press, and you've
22 mentioned them here on the floor.
23 Again, to -- I don't want to start
24 speculating on the movement on those right now,
25 but I do believe that we are on a course to
3729
1 resolve those and move forward with the budget.
2 SENATOR O'MARA: Through you,
3 Mr. President, if the Senator will continue to
4 yield.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Will the
6 sponsor yield?
7 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
9 Senator yields.
10 SENATOR O'MARA: What if any of
11 those remaining issues have been closed down in
12 the discussions?
13 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
14 Mr. President. At this point, none that I know
15 of.
16 However, with a budget of this
17 magnitude, with so many different moving parts
18 and so many priorities that affect New Yorkers
19 across our state, it is certainly a very complex
20 task, and it does take time.
21 It is -- we are beyond our due date.
22 However, I think it's more important to have a
23 budget that reflects those priorities and
24 specifically on the different issues that we are
25 grappling with. I don't have any additional
3730
1 updates.
2 SENATOR O'MARA: Through you,
3 Mr. President, if the Senator will continue to
4 yield.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Will the
6 sponsor yield?
7 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
9 sponsor yields.
10 SENATOR O'MARA: Senator, there's
11 been some disclosure in the media regarding
12 increased taxes for New York City, mainly the
13 pied-à-terre tax on second homes that has been
14 discussed as the Governor agreeing to do
15 something there.
16 The Mayor of New York City is out
17 saying we are taxing the rich, very forcefully in
18 his social media. What has been agreed to as far
19 as allowing New York City to increase taxes?
20 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
21 Mr. President. To my knowledge, all of these
22 topics are still open, they're still ongoing.
23 Proposals you'll hear about --
24 throughout the course of the negotiation you will
25 hear many different proposals, and we will
3731
1 grapple with them as a conference, as a Senate,
2 and all levels of government here.
3 But again, until we have a budget,
4 it is hard to say how any of these things will
5 move forward.
6 But as I mentioned before, I do
7 believe that we are in the process of closing
8 down many of the outstanding issues that are
9 holding us up. But again, it's an important
10 discussion. It's a discussion that has the
11 overarching concern of the people of New York to
12 ensure that we have the things that we need to
13 run a state.
14 And, you know, I feel very confident
15 that in the coming days we will be able to see I
16 think a clearer picture on that issue and many
17 others.
18 SENATOR O'MARA: Through you,
19 Mr. President, if the Senator will continue to
20 yield.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Will the
22 sponsor yield?
23 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
25 Senator yields.
3732
1 SENATOR O'MARA: Are -- with
2 regards to increased taxes, other than the
3 pied-à-terre tax, what other taxes are still
4 being considered for increases?
5 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
6 Mr. President. As I mentioned, Senator, the bill
7 before us does not engage in any of those policy
8 issues.
9 We have a very straight what's known
10 as a clean budget extender, which just allows for
11 the functioning of our state government as we
12 continue to grapple with that issue and any other
13 issues before our house or the Governor and the
14 Assembly.
15 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you.
16 Mr. President, if the Senator will
17 continue to yield.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Will the
19 sponsor yield?
20 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
22 sponsor yields.
23 SENATOR O'MARA: Senator, with
24 regard to the open issue of the auto insurance
25 reforms, it was reported last week that the
3733
1 Governor had backed away from her position on
2 changes to joint and several liability. Can you
3 tell us where we stand on that issue and the auto
4 insurance reforms altogether?
5 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
6 Mr. President. No, I don't have any additional
7 update on that issue.
8 But again, that is just one of the
9 several policy issues that we continue to grapple
10 with as we look to shut down this budget.
11 And again, it will be in the best
12 interests of New Yorkers. I don't have any
13 additional updates on than.
14 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you.
15 Mr. President, if the Senator will
16 continue to yield.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Will the
18 sponsor yield?
19 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
21 sponsor yields.
22 SENATOR O'MARA: If the Governor is
23 backing away from the joint and several liability
24 aspect of the insurance reform, that seems to me
25 to be the -- the biggest impact of that was going
3734
1 to be to lower costs for municipalities, for --
2 the MTA in particular has been discussed that
3 that was going to be significant relief for them.
4 So, I mean, can you tell us is there
5 an agreement to not do anything on joint and
6 several liability at this point?
7 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
8 Mr. President. As I've mentioned before,
9 Senator O'Mara, the bill before us does not cover
10 any of those policy issues. So I would be
11 speaking out of turn if I was to try to speculate
12 and give you any additional data, because it --
13 it could be different later today.
14 So I really would refrain from that
15 level of speculation for myself, and ensuring
16 that we sort of stick to the issue at hand, which
17 is the seventh budget extender, which will bring
18 us through April 30th.
19 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
20 Senator.
21 Mr. President, if the Senator will
22 continue to yield.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Will the
24 sponsor yield?
25 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
3735
1 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
2 sponsor yields.
3 SENATOR O'MARA: So, Senator, would
4 you say that the Mayor of New York City is ahead
5 of himself when he's out there saying we are
6 increasing taxes on the rich?
7 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
8 Mr. President. As I mentioned before, the bill
9 before us deals with the budget extender. I
10 certainly will not speculate on the other moving
11 parts and components of the negotiation for the
12 state budget.
13 As I've mentioned several times,
14 this is a very complex ordeal, and certainly
15 everyone has a -- I think the best interests of
16 all New Yorkers at heart, and they're fighting
17 for those points of view. And I think that's a
18 wonderful thing.
19 And as we continue to grapple with
20 that, and before we get into those further
21 discussions, I certainly would love for us to
22 vote on this extender that we have in front of
23 us.
24 SENATOR O'MARA: Through you,
25 Mr. President, if the Senator will continue to
3736
1 yield.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Will the
3 sponsor yield?
4 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
6 sponsor yields.
7 SENATOR O'MARA: We'll get to
8 voting on this at some point, Senator.
9 But, you know, I continue to stress
10 the importance of informing the public, informing
11 the citizens of New York of where this budget
12 stands and what progress is being made, what
13 issues are being discussed, and what aspects of
14 those issues have been agreed to or not agreed
15 to.
16 So don't you think it's important as
17 part of this process that we inform the public
18 where we are on these issues?
19 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
20 Mr. President. Yes, Senator, I do. I certainly
21 believe in that, and I think that that is
22 happening.
23 The leaders involved with this
24 budget have been very open and transparent about
25 where they are on different issues. And I
3737
1 certainly have been hearing about them in the
2 press, and we've been talking about them as a
3 conference. And we have been conveying those to
4 our constituents when we go back home.
5 And that is certainly part of this
6 process, and it is part of how our democracy
7 works here in the State of New York.
8 However, before I was to get into a
9 deeper speculation on some of these issues that
10 we don't have any final concrete language on, I
11 would prefer to talk about what's in this
12 extender, which I think provides for a good
13 amount of funding that is necessary to ensure for
14 payroll and for veterans' services and so on.
15 And I think that is pretty much all
16 I can give you right now that's concrete.
17 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
18 Senator.
19 Mr. President, if the Senator will
20 continue to yield.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Will the
22 sponsor yield?
23 SENATOR SERRANO: Yes.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
25 sponsor yields.
3738
1 SENATOR O'MARA: Senator, let's
2 move on from the policy issues to dollars, which
3 is really what this budget is about, some
4 260-billion-plus of taxpayer dollars we're
5 talking about.
6 Have there been -- has there been a
7 final agreement on how large this budget is going
8 to be? And are there table targets for our
9 budget conference committees to get back together
10 and work on?
11 SENATOR SERRANO: Through you,
12 Mr. President. No, Senator, unfortunately we
13 don't have that at this time. But we are
14 continuing to move in that direction.
15 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
16 Senator.
17 On the bill, Mr. President.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
19 O'Mara on the bill.
20 SENATOR O'MARA: I certainly concur
21 with the Senator that these are important issues
22 that we need to work out. But I believe it's
23 equally important, as I continue to say on these
24 budget extenders, that the public be engaged, the
25 public be made aware of what's going on.
3739
1 And despite the assertions that have
2 been made, there is no clarity on these very
3 significant issues of increasing taxes, the
4 CLCPA, auto insurance reform, streamlining SEQR,
5 the New York for All -- issues that nobody knows
6 where they stand. There's been nothing clear in
7 the media. There's been nothing clear or
8 anything at all given to us here in any of these
9 budget-extender discussions we've had.
10 And that's -- it's no way to run a
11 government. The citizens of New York deserve
12 better. They deserve clarity. They deserve time
13 to digest and provide us with input on these
14 issues as these matters progress, as they get
15 nailed down, as I'm sure one or two of these
16 probably are.
17 What's wrong with letting the public
18 know where we are on that so that they can let us
19 know what they think about it, so that we will
20 then know how to vote on it?
21 Thank you, Mr. President.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Are there
23 any other Senators wishing to be heard?
24 Seeing and hearing none, debate is
25 now closed.
3740
1 Senator Gianaris.
2 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
3 we've agreed to restore this bill to the
4 noncontroversial calendar.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
6 has been restored to the noncontroversial
7 calendar.
8 The Secretary will read the last
9 section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 15. 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: In relation to
18 Calendar 823, voting in the negative:
19 Senator Weik.
20 Ayes, 56. Nays, 1.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
22 is passed.
23 Senator Gianaris.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Let's at this
25 time recognize Senator Hinchey for an
3741
1 introduction, please.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
3 Hinchey for an introduction.
4 SENATOR HINCHEY: Thank you,
5 Mr. President.
6 I have moved, surprise! But that's
7 because the group of students who are here today
8 are incredibly important and I want to make sure
9 I can see them while I speak to them.
10 Mr. President, I proudly rise to
11 recognize a remarkable group of students from my
12 district who are here representing the Catskills
13 Teen Suicide Prevention Team.
14 Our country is facing a profound
15 youth mental health crisis. Today, about one in
16 five adolescents has a diagnosed mental or
17 behavioral health condition, and suicide is the
18 second-leading cause of death for teens.
19 In the second year of the pandemic,
20 ER visits for mental health issues rose 7 percent
21 overall, and 22 percent for teen girls. And in
22 communities like ours, especially rural areas
23 like Greene County, accessing the help and care
24 you need can be incredibly difficult.
25 The magnitude of this crisis,
3742
1 however, has not intimidated these students.
2 Instead, it's inspired them to step up for their
3 peers and show a level of compassion and support
4 that can genuinely save a person's life.
5 The Catskills Teen Suicide
6 Prevention Team uses educational and interactive
7 lessons that help fellow students recognize
8 warning signs of distress and know where to turn
9 for help.
10 Their impact has stretched beyond
11 their school. They've presented at state
12 conferences, launched support programs in other
13 schools, and come here to the Capitol to advocate
14 directly with their representatives about why
15 mental health support is so critical.
16 They were invited by the
17 Greene County Department of Health and
18 Columbia Memorial Hospital to participate in a
19 suicide prevention workgroup.
20 A few weeks ago I had a great
21 meeting with these students, and I was struck by
22 their clarity and their wisdom. They came with
23 concrete solutions. They talked about the need
24 for supplemental training for teachers and school
25 staff so they can recognize signs of emotional
3743
1 distress in students before they even enter a
2 classroom; expanding school-based mental health
3 training programs that empower students to help
4 one another; and investing in first responder
5 mental health, because they recognize that the
6 safety of our communities depends on the wellness
7 of those who protect it.
8 In this chamber we know that mental
9 health is healthcare. And for the first time,
10 that fact is finally breaking through into the
11 broader public conversation. That shift is a
12 product of advocates like these students from
13 Catskills who refuse to let this crisis remain in
14 the shadows.
15 To the students who are joining us
16 today -- Iana Browne, Aaron Cousins, Bella Kenny,
17 Abby Meyers, Ella Near, Matigan Cramer,
18 Louise Kieraldo, Zoey Osterhoudt,
19 Nathaly Santos -- and their chaperones,
20 Colleen Clancy and Stacy Collier -- thank you for
21 fighting for this issue.
22 It is so important, and it needs to
23 be heard. Your voices are a powerful force for
24 positive change, and it's making a bigger
25 difference than you may even know.
3744
1 So, Mr. President, please welcome
2 our guests and extend them all the courtesies and
3 privileges of this chamber.
4 We are so proud of you.
5 Thank you so much.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
7 you, Senator Hinchey.
8 To our guests, I welcome you on
9 behalf of the Senate. We extend to you the
10 privileges and courtesies of this house. Please
11 rise and be recognized.
12 (Standing ovation.)
13 SENATOR GIANARIS: Now please
14 recognize Senator Scarcella-Spanton for another
15 introduction.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
17 Scarcella-Spanton for an introduction.
18 SENATOR SCARCELLA-SPANTON: Thank
19 you, Mr. President.
20 And it is my honor to have such
21 truly wonderful guests here with us today.
22 I will start with our amazing
23 Commissioner of the New York City Department of
24 Veterans' Services, and my constituent and fellow
25 Staten Islander, Commissioner Yesenia Mata, as
3745
1 well as Nicole Orlando, from her team, who make
2 sure that veterans are transitioning and getting
3 their benefits that they need when they get out
4 of service.
5 And also it is my pleasure and most
6 important to have the commissioner here to
7 witness and hear about the amazing work that the
8 Blue Star Families do.
9 Today we have Erica Newhouse, the
10 executive director of the nonprofit New York
11 State Chapter of Blue Star Families, as well as
12 Darlene O'Rourke, here with us today.
13 Across New York and the nation,
14 Blue Star Families has become one of the most
15 trusted voices for servicemembers, veterans and
16 their loved ones, continuing to raise awareness
17 of the challenges that servicemembers and their
18 families face.
19 In November, I had the great
20 privilege of being invited to one of the events
21 that Blue Star Families puts together. They
22 actually took a bunch of spouses to New York City
23 to take them out to lunch and treat them to a
24 movie premiere for a Lifetime movie, which was
25 one of my favorite events to take part in.
3746
1 They do this across the district.
2 I have the privilege and honor of
3 representing both Fort Hamilton and
4 Fort Wadsworth. I think of my own time as a
5 military spouse back in 2011, 2012; I was in
6 Fort Carson. And to see the work that is now
7 being done for these families really touches my
8 heart.
9 And I can say it's so important.
10 They make sure that these spouses and their
11 families have their food needs taken care of.
12 They connect them with resources for childcare.
13 They make sure that they have events for the
14 families and make sure that those spouses are
15 never forgotten.
16 Between navigating access to social
17 services, they also get them job opportunities
18 and assistance for the whole family.
19 And I am so grateful that the
20 Blue Star Families has a presence in both of the
21 areas of my district. And they were even up in
22 Fort Drum today, listening to those military
23 families. So they really do do it all.
24 It's especially meaningful to have
25 them here today in April, which is both
3747
1 Yellow Ribbon Month and the Month of the
2 Military Child.
3 So to Erica and the entire Blue Star
4 Families team, on behalf of myself and all of our
5 state's military families, thank you so much for
6 the work that you do.
7 And to Commissioner Mata and her
8 team, thank you so much for the work that you do
9 as well.
10 It is truly my pleasure to welcome
11 you to our state's Capitol.
12 Mr. President, if you could welcome
13 our guests.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
15 you, Senator.
16 To our guests, I welcome you on
17 behalf of the Senate. We extend to you the
18 privileges and courtesies of this house.
19 Please rise and be recognized.
20 (Standing ovation.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
22 Gianaris.
23 SENATOR GIANARIS: At this time
24 let's take up previously adopted Resolution 1293,
25 by Senator Mayer, read that resolution's title
3748
1 and call on Senator Mayer, please.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
3 Secretary will read.
4 THE SECRETARY: Resolution 1293, by
5 Senator Mayer, commending Armando Gramajo and
6 Shayla Gramajo upon the occasion of their
7 designation as recipients of the Liberty Medal,
8 the highest honor bestowed upon individuals by
9 the State of New York.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
11 Mayer on the resolution.
12 SENATOR MAYER: Thank you,
13 Mr. President.
14 I rise today with great humility to
15 introduce two incredibly brave and inspiring
16 people from my district, in the City of
17 White Plains, whom I am deeply proud to have here
18 in Albany and to award them with our highest
19 medal, the New York State Liberty Medal, the
20 first time in my Senate career to be able to
21 acknowledge such extraordinary heroes.
22 It is my honor to introduce them:
23 Armando Gramajo and his daughter Shayla Gramajo,
24 who were presented with the medals earlier today,
25 with the leader, here in the chamber.
3749
1 In May of 2024, Armando Gramajo was
2 in his driveway working on his car when he heard
3 a woman screaming for help. When he went to see
4 what was happening, he saw a man attacking her
5 with a knife.
6 Armando, a Guatemalan army veteran,
7 called out a command for the man to stop.
8 Fortunately, the attacker did. Armando ran to
9 get his daughter, Shayla, who was a physician
10 assistant student at the time. Shayla rushed to
11 the woman, who we now know was Carolina, who is
12 joining us here today, and began providing
13 lifesaving aid.
14 The attack had begun a few blocks
15 away inside Carolina's home. After returning
16 home from work, Carolina's husband became enraged
17 that she was texting a male colleague. He went
18 to the kitchen, retrieved a knife, and began
19 attacking her.
20 During the struggle, Carolina was
21 stabbed several times, including in her hands, as
22 she tried to defend herself. Her brave daughter,
23 Mariana, who is also here with us, began jumping
24 on her father's back to try to get him to stop.
25 When her attacker went to find
3750
1 another weapon, Carolina was able to use that
2 moment to escape.
3 As Shayla provided aid, emergency
4 responders arrived and rushed Carolina into
5 surgery. She sustained 35 stab wounds, but
6 miraculously and thankfully survived.
7 The man was arrested, convicted of
8 attempted murder, and was sentenced in
9 State Supreme Court and is serving time.
10 Throughout the legal process,
11 Carolina demonstrated extraordinary courage and
12 testified against her attacker. The case was
13 investigated by the White Plains Police
14 Department, prosecuted by two prosecutors here
15 today, the Domestic Violence Bureau Chief of the
16 Westchester County DA's Office, Joyce Miller, and
17 Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Kontos,
18 under the direction of Westchester County
19 District Attorney Susan Cacace, who joined us
20 earlier today.
21 I am deeply grateful and quite awed
22 for the heroism, quick thinking, kindness and
23 fearlessness of Armando and Shayla that allowed
24 Carolina to survive and to thrive.
25 I thank you all, Armando, Shayla,
3751
1 Carolina and Mariana, for your immense and
2 unimaginable bravery.
3 I would also like to thank the
4 Westchester County DA's office for trying this
5 case and ensuring justice was served.
6 Special thanks to Hannah Kirk of my
7 staff for helping coordinate this extraordinary
8 opportunity for them to join us, and their entire
9 family.
10 Please join me in recognizing the
11 family as well. Our grandmother, Antonia
12 Gramajo, who is here with us -- might I say,
13 age 95, who came here today to celebrate this
14 beautiful honor. The family: Sheny Gramajo,
15 Jimmy Gramajo, Anthony Barrios, Brendi Gramajo,
16 Yurini Gramajo, Olmitan Gramajo, and of course
17 our Liberty Medal recipients -- Armando Gramajo,
18 Shayla Gramajo -- Carolina Osorno,
19 Mariana Osorno, as I mentioned, and Assistant DA
20 Alexandra Kontos and Joyce Miller.
21 Please acknowledge all of them that
22 are here today. Please extend to them the
23 cordialities of the house. We're deeply, deeply
24 grateful to have them and to honor them and to
25 ensure that they get the recognition they deserve
3752
1 for their acts of bravery.
2 Thank you, Mr. President.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
4 you, Senator Mayer.
5 On behalf of a grateful state, I
6 welcome you on behalf of the State Senate. We
7 extend to you the privileges and courtesies of
8 this house.
9 Please rise and be recognized.
10 (Extended standing ovation.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
12 resolution was adopted on January 13th.
13 Senator Gianaris.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
15 Senator Mayer would like to open that resolution
16 for cosponsorship.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
18 resolution is open for cosponsorship. Should you
19 choose not to be a cosponsor, please notify the
20 desk.
21 Senator Gianaris.
22 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please take up
23 the reading of the calendar at this time.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
25 Secretary will read.
3753
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 124, Senate Print 4576A, by Senator Skoufis, an
3 act to amend the New York State Urban Development
4 Corporation Act.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Before we
6 proceed, just a little order in the house,
7 please. Thank you.
8 Read the last section.
9 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
10 act shall take effect immediately.
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: In relation to
17 Calendar 124, voting in the negative are
18 Senators Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Martins
19 and Palumbo.
20 Ayes, 53. Nays, 4.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 275, Senate Print 4470C, by Senator Mayer, an act
25 to amend the Executive Law.
3754
1 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
2 last section.
3 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
4 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
5 shall have become a law.
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 275, voting in the negative are
13 Senators Brisport, Griffo, Oberacker, Ortt and
14 Weik.
15 Ayes, 52. Nays, 5.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
17 is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 381, Senate Print 7718A, by Senator Harckham, an
20 act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
22 last section.
23 THE SECRETARY: Section 5. This
24 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
25 shall have become a law.
3755
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: In relation to
7 Calendar 381, voting in the negative are
8 Senators Gallivan, Griffo and Oberacker.
9 Ayes, 54. Nays, 3.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
11 is passed.
12 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
13 460, Senate Print Number 2070, by
14 Senator Scarcella-Spanton, an act to amend the
15 Veterans' Services Law.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
17 last section.
18 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
19 act shall take effect on the 180th day after it
20 shall have become a law.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
22 roll.
23 (The Secretary called the roll.)
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
25 the results.
3756
1 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
3 is passed.
4 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
5 468, Senate Print 5177, by Senator Comrie, an act
6 to amend the Executive Law.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
8 last section.
9 THE SECRETARY: Section 6. This
10 act shall take effect immediately.
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: In relation to
17 Calendar 468, voting in the negative are
18 Senators Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Gallivan, Griffo,
19 Oberacker, Rhoads, Tedisco and Walczyk.
20 Ayes, 50. Nays, 7.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
22 is passed.
23 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
24 575, Senate Print 2122A, by Senator Fahy, an act
25 to amend the Real Property Actions and
3757
1 Proceedings Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
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 575, voting in the negative are
13 Senators Chan and Oberacker.
14 Ayes, 55. Nays, 2.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
16 is passed.
17 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
18 641, Senate Print 8622, by Senator Brouk, an act
19 to amend the Public Health Law.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
21 last section.
22 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
23 act shall take effect on the 30th day after it
24 shall have become a law.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
3758
1 roll.
2 (The Secretary called the roll.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
4 the results.
5 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
7 is passed.
8 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
9 669, Senate Print Number 10201, by
10 Assemblymember McMahon, an act to amend the
11 Village Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
13 last section.
14 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
15 act shall take effect immediately.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Call the
17 roll.
18 (The Secretary called the roll.)
19 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
20 the results.
21 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 59.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
23 Gianaris.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
25 let's put our hands together for Senator
3759
1 Zellner's first bill to pass the Senate.
2 (Standing ovation.)
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY:
4 Congratulations, Senator Jeremy Zellner.
5 The bill is passed.
6 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
7 708, Senate Print 913, by Senator Kavanagh, an
8 act to amend the Social Services 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 708, voting in the negative:
20 Senator Walczyk.
21 Ayes, 58. Nays, 1.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
23 is passed.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 709, Senate Print 2022, by Senator Cooney, an act
3760
1 to amend the Social Services Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
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, 59.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The bill
13 is passed.
14 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
15 reading of today's calendar.
16 SENATOR GIANARIS: Mr. President,
17 we neglected to call on Senator Mayer to explain
18 her vote on Calendar 275.
19 By consent, if we could just give
20 her that opportunity now, please.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
22 Mayer to explain her vote.
23 SENATOR MAYER: Thank you,
24 Mr. President. I rise on S4470C, DJ's Law.
25 DJ's Law, which requires training
3761
1 for police officers on discharging a firearm at a
2 moving vehicle and requires the Municipal Police
3 Training Council to develop and disseminate
4 written policies and procedures for the use of
5 force.
6 This bill was prompted because on
7 October 7, 2010, Danroy "DJ" Henry, a 20-year-old
8 from Massachusetts who played football for
9 Pace University in Westchester, was shot and
10 killed by a Pleasantville police officer as he
11 drove through a parking lot after Pace
12 University's homecoming football game.
13 DJ was out celebrating with his
14 teammates after the game when a fight, unrelated
15 to him and his friends, broke out in a bar.
16 Police asked DJ, who was parked in a
17 fire lane out front, to move his car. As
18 directed, he began to drive away when an officer
19 shot DJ through the windshield, saying later he
20 feared for his life.
21 DJ's friends and witnesses said he
22 wasn't trying to hit the officer but was just
23 trying to leave as directed.
24 After he was shot, DJ was pulled
25 from his car, and he and his friends were put in
3762
1 handcuffs. He died en route to the hospital.
2 DJ's parents, Dan and Angela Henry,
3 who had come down to watch him play and then
4 headed back to Massachusetts after the game, got
5 a phone call that night with the worst message,
6 that their son had been shot and killed.
7 His family searched for answers and
8 for justice for their son. In 2023, the
9 Westchester County District Attorney released a
10 report on the police shooting of Danroy Henry and
11 concluded that DJ's death could have been avoided
12 if better protocols were in place.
13 Then-DA Mimi Rocah called on state
14 and county lawmakers to propose legislation like
15 this requiring specific training for law
16 enforcement about best practices in different
17 moving vehicle situations.
18 The U.S. Department of Justice and
19 the New York City Police Department both have
20 use-of-force policies that specifically address
21 the discharge of firearms in moving vehicles.
22 New York State's model policy on the use of force
23 does not.
24 This bill would require New York's
25 policy to include best practices and guidance,
3763
1 ensuring that departments have consistent
2 policies and officers are fully and consistently
3 trained on how to handle incidents involving
4 moving vehicles.
5 I'd like to particularly thank
6 Jay Gerace, chief of the Colonie Police
7 Department, who reached out to me and provided
8 thoughtful feedback on the bill.
9 This bill is supported by DJ Henry's
10 parents, Angela and Danroy Henry, Sr., and the
11 foundation they began to honor his life. It is
12 also supported by Roc Nation and its
13 philanthropic and social impact division
14 Team Roc, which wrote that the bill represents a
15 meaningful and necessary step forward, ensuring
16 that New York's law enforcement officers are
17 equipped with the training, policies, and best
18 practices needed for greater public safety.
19 Passing this bill would serve as a
20 direct and meaningful tribute to DJ Henry. This
21 bill will protect the safety of drivers,
22 passengers, bystanders, and officers in
23 circumstances such as the one that resulted in
24 the terrible death of DJ Henry.
25 I thank my colleagues for
3764
1 cosponsoring this bill, which is passing in the
2 Assembly as well. I urge my colleagues to vote
3 yes.
4 And thank you for honoring DJ's
5 memory by passing this bill.
6 I vote aye.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Senator
8 Mayer to be to be recorded in the affirmative.
9 Senator Gianaris.
10 SENATOR GIANARIS: At this point
11 let's take up the report of the Finance Committee
12 which is at the desk.
13 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
14 Secretary will read.
15 THE SECRETARY: Senator Krueger,
16 from the Committee on Finance, reports the
17 following nomination.
18 As a member of the Metropolitan
19 Transportation Authority: Blanca Lopez.
20 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to accept
21 the report of the Finance Committee and ask that
22 you then recognize Senator Mayer to speak on the
23 nomination.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: All those
25 in favor of accepting the report of the
3765
1 Finance Committee, please signify by saying aye.
2 (Response of "Aye.")
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Opposed,
4 nay.
5 (Response of "Nay.")
6 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
7 report of the Finance Committee is accepted.
8 Senator Mayer on the nomination.
9 SENATOR MAYER: Thank you,
10 Mr. President.
11 I proudly rise to support the
12 nomination of Blanca P. Lopez, on the
13 recommendation of Westchester County Executive
14 Ken Jenkins, to continue to fill a seat on the
15 MTA Board.
16 Ms. Lopez has served with
17 distinction on the board already, as the nominee
18 of the prior county executive, George Latimer.
19 And we had the opportunity to have a fulsome
20 discussion with her about her role as an MTA
21 trustee.
22 She is taking it extremely
23 seriously. She is greatly knowledgeable on the
24 substance. I know you were there, Mr. President.
25 Everyone was very impressed with her ability to
3766
1 articulate the challenging circumstances that
2 confront the MTA, to be an advocate for riders,
3 workers and the system itself, and to understand
4 the MTA continues to be the lifeblood of not only
5 New York City but the suburbs.
6 Ms. Lopez lives in Port Chester,
7 part of my district. She's been an active
8 participant in community life for many years,
9 both as a member of the PTA, as an assistant to
10 the county executive, serving on volunteer
11 boards.
12 She's exactly the kind of person
13 that we want to represent us on the MTA. She
14 already co-chairs several important committees of
15 the MTA Board.
16 I urge my colleagues to vote again
17 for her to serve on the board. She will do us
18 proud. And we are very, very proud to support
19 her nomination.
20 Thank you, Mr. President.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
22 you, Senator Mayer.
23 Senator Harckham on the nomination.
24 SENATOR HARCKHAM: Thank you very
25 much, Mr. President.
3767
1 I rise because I have worked with
2 Ms. Lopez for two decades, and she has been
3 nothing short of a consummate professional and
4 dynamic leader at every opportunity that we have
5 worked together.
6 I could not recommend her nomination
7 strongly enough. I'm proud to vote aye.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Thank
9 you, Senator Harckham.
10 The question is on the nomination.
11 Call the roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: In relation to the
16 nomination, voting in the negative are
17 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick,
18 Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Martinez,
19 Martins, Mattera, Murray, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo,
20 Rhoads, Rolison, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk and
21 Weber.
22 Ayes, 38. Nays, 21.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: The
24 nominee is confirmed.
25 Senator Gianaris.
3768
1 SENATOR GIANARIS: Is there any
2 further business at the desk?
3 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: There is
4 no further business at the desk.
5 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to adjourn
6 until tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28th, at 3:00 p.m.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT COONEY: On
8 motion, the Senate stands adjourned until
9 Tuesday, April 28th, at 3:00 p.m.
10 (Whereupon, at 4:25 p.m., the Senate
11 adjourned.)
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