MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022 3:03 P.M.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THE HOUSE WILL COME
TO ORDER.
IN THE ABSENCE OF CLERGY, AS WE PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF
SILENCE, LET US KEEP IN OUR THOUGHTS THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE OFFICERS
INVOLVED IN LAST CITY'S SHOOTINGS. WE HOPE THE RECOVERY OF OFFICER
WILBERT MORA, AND REMEMBER THE SACRIFICE OF OFFICER JASON RIVERA.
WE ALSO HOLD IN OUR THOUGHTS THEIR FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AND COLLEAGUES.
(WHEREUPON, A MOMENT OF SILENCE WAS OBSERVED.)
VISITORS ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE MEMBERS IN THE PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE.
(WHEREUPON, ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY LED VISITORS AND
MEMBERS IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.)
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
A QUORUM BEING PRESENT, THE CLERK WILL READ THE
JOURNAL OF SATURDAY, JANUARY 22ND.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MR. SPEAKER, I MOVE
THAT WE DISPENSE WITH THE FURTHER READING OF THE JOURNAL OF SATURDAY,
JANUARY THE 22ND AND ASK THAT THE SAME STAND APPROVED.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: WITHOUT OBJECTION, SO
ORDERED.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR.
SPEAKER. I WANT TO WELCOME ALL MY COLLEAGUES BACK TO OUR BEAUTIFUL
CHAMBERS. HAPPY MONDAY. FOR THE RECORD, I DID WATCH THE GAME
YESTERDAY. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GREAT GAME, ALL FOUR OF THEM. WELL, TWO
OF THEM THAT WERE GREAT GAMES, IT WAS KIND OF THE BEST FOOTBALL OF THE
SEASON. AND WHILE WE DIDN'T END UP THE WINNERS OF THE GAME, WE
DIDN'T REALLY LOSE EITHER BECAUSE IT WAS A GREAT GAME. I WANT TO END THAT
LITTLE BILLS TRIBUTE BY A QUOTE OF DR. KING IS, "THE ULTIMATE MEASURE OF
A MAN IS NOT WHERE HE STANDS IN THE MOMENT OF COMFORT AND
CONVENIENCE, BUT WHERE HE STANDS AT TIMES OF CHALLENGE AND
CONTROVERSY." AGAIN, MR. SPEAKER, REVEREND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING
EVER SHARING WORDS WITH US TODAY.
COLLEAGUES, MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR DESK A
MAIN CALENDAR. THERE ARE 19 NEW BILLS ON IT. AFTER THERE'S ANY
HOUSEKEEPING, MR. SPEAKER, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE UP RESOLUTIONS ON PAGE
3 AND THEN WE WILL TAKE UP A RULES CHANGE RESOLUTION, E493; THAT'LL BE
2
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
ON DEBATE, MR. SPEAKER. ONCE WE ARE COMPLETED WITH THE RULES
CHANGE, WE WILL THEN CONSENT NEW BILLS STARTING WITH CALENDAR NO. 291
WHICH IS ON PAGE 4. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE GOING -- WHERE WE'RE
GOING TODAY, MR. SPEAKER, THAT'S THE GENERAL OUTLINE. IF YOU DO HAVE
HOUSEKEEPING, NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, MS.
MAJORITY LEADER, AND WE DO HAVE HOUSEKEEPING.
ON A MOTION BY MR. BRAUNSTEIN, PAGE 60, CALENDAR
NO. 36, BILL NO. 355, AMENDMENTS ARE RECEIVED AND ADOPTED.
ON A MOTION BY MR. ABINANTI, PAGE 25, CALENDAR NO.
90, BILL NO. 2045, AMENDMENTS ARE RECEIVED AND ADOPTED.
ON A MOTION BY MS. RICHARDSON, PAGE 32, CALENDAR
NO. 124, BILL NO. A3366-A, AMENDMENTS ARE RECEIVED AND ADOPTED.
ON A MOTION BY MS. HYNDMAN, PAGE 48, CALENDAR
NO. 210, BILL NO. A6430-A, AMENDMENTS ARE RECEIVED AND ADOPTED.
PAGE 3, RESOLUTIONS, THE CLERK WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 489, PAULIN.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM JANUARY 23-29, 2022 AS CERTIFIED REGISTERED
NURSE ANESTHETIST WEEK IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION, ALL
THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTION IS
ADOPTED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 490, MR.
MAGNARELLI.
3
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM JANUARY 23-29, 2022 AS ENROLLED AGENT
WEEK IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION, ALL
THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTION IS
ADOPTED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 491, MS.
ROSENTHAL.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM JANUARY 24-28, 2022 AS DATA VACANCY --
PRIVACY AWARENESS WEEK IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION, ALL
THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTION IS
ADOPTED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 492, MR.
DURSO.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM JANUARY 2022 AS TECHNOLOGY MONTH IN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. DURSO ON THE
RESOLUTION.
MR. DURSO: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER, AND THANK
YOU TO THIS BODY FOR RECOGNIZING JANUARY AS TECHNOLOGY MONTH IN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK. CAN YOU IMAGINE OUR WORLD WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY?
EVERY DAY, TECHNOLOGY CHANGES OUR LIVES. LET'S FACE IT, TECHNOLOGY IS
4
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, WHETHER IT'S AGRICULTURE, HEALTH CARE,
EDUCATION, FOOD SERVICE INDUSTRY, SECURITY OR CONSTRUCTION. BECAUSE OF
TECHNOLOGY, OUR LIVES HAVE GOTTEN BETTER, AND IN SO MANY WAYS. AND
TECHNOLOGY HAS SAVED COUNTLESS LIVES, AND IT WILL SAVE SO MANY MORE IN
THE FUTURE.
BUT IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE MORE PATHWAYS
INTO TECHNOLOGY AND THE JOBS THAT COME WITH IT TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
BUT WE MUST ALSO NOT FORGET THAT WITH ALL GREAT INNOVATIONS IN
TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATIONS LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA ARE GREAT, BUT THEY CAN HAVE
A NEGATIVE EFFECT IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN SOCIETY TODAY. LET US NOT
FORGET THAT SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWS THOSE CHILDREN HOME. SOCIAL MEDIA
FOLLOWS KIDS FROM HOME, FROM SCHOOL; IT'S NOT A BULLY THAT YOU CAN
LEAVE AT SCHOOL AND GET AWAY FROM. THINGS THAT KIDS PUT ON SOCIAL
MEDIA WILL NEVER GO AWAY AND WILL FOLLOW THEM FOREVER. WE NEED TO
TEACH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT TECHNOLOGY IS WONDERFUL, BUT USED
INCORRECTLY CAN BE A DETRIMENT. WE NEED TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN AND NOT
TO LET THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA HURT THEM OR RAISE THEM.
I THANK THIS BODY FOR LETTING ME RECOGNIZE THAT
JANUARY IS TECHNOLOGY MONTH IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND THANK
YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: CERTAINLY. ON THE
RESOLUTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE
RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
RULES RESOLUTION NO. 493, THE CLERK WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 493, MRS.
5
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
PEOPLES-STOKES. AMENDING SECTION 6 OF RULE V AND SECTION 10 OF
RULE IV OF THE ASSEMBLY RULES, IN RELATION TO THE CONSIDERATION OF
BILLS.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: AN EXPLANATION IS
REQUESTED, MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. THIS RESOLUTION WILL PROVIDE FOR A ONE-TIME LIMIT OF 15
MINUTES PER MEMBER ON DEBATE. IT ALSO ALLOWS EACH LEADER OF THE
HOUSE OR THEIR DESIGNEE AN ADDITIONAL ONE-TIME 15 MINUTES TO SPEAK ON
THE BILL. THE TOTAL TIME TO SPEAK ON EACH BILL WILL BE LIMITED TO FIVE
HOURS, FOUR FOR DEBATE AND ONE FOR EXPLANATION OF ONE'S VOTE. THE TOTAL
TIME TO SPEAK ON CERTAIN RESOLUTIONS WOULD BE 30 MINUTES. THOSE
WOULD BE THE PRIVILEGED AND CALENDAR RESOLUTIONS, MR. SPEAKER.
MEMBERS WILL BE ABLE TO SUBMIT ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FOR OFFICIAL
RECORD ON LEGISLATION. SUCH COMMENTS WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE SAME
RULES AS OUR DECORUM IS ON THE FLOOR. MESSAGES OF NECESSITY WILL NO
LONGER BE NECESSARY TO BE APPROVED BY RULES COMMITTEE AS IT IS IN THE
SENATE.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, MRS.
PEOPLES-STOKES.
MR. RA.
MR. RA: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL THE
MAJORITY LEADER YIELD?
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES,
WILL YOU YIELD?
6
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YES, OF COURSE, MR.
SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES
YIELDS, SIR.
MR. RA: THANK YOU. SO A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN
WE ADOPTED TEMPORARY RULES RELATED TO THE COVID EMERGENCY IT WAS
STATED THAT GOING TO THE ONE 15-MINUTE ALLOWANCE TO SPEAK WAS FOR THE
PURPOSES OF KEEPING US ON THE FLOOR LESS TIME, KEEPING EVERYBODY SAFE.
SO WHY ARE WE MAKING THIS PERMANENT NOW?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THE DECISION TO CHANGE
THE RULES AGAIN, MR. RA, IS FOR THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SPEND
AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT ABOUT THE PIECE
OF LEGISLATION BEFORE US AND USING THE REMAINDER OF THAT TIME TO FOCUS
ON GETTING THE BILL PASSED AND GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT TO OUR
CONSTITUENTS.
MR. RA: WELL, I WOULD ARGUE WE'RE DOING THE
OPPOSITE OF THAT, BUT MY -- MY ONE OTHER QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THIS
RESOLUTION, YOU SAID THAT THE LEADER ON EITHER SIDE WOULD HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGNATE A SECOND 15-MINUTES. THE LANGUAGE OF THIS
SAYS THE FLOOR LEADER OF EACH CONFERENCE OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE MAY
BE GRANTED. IS IT YOUR INTENTION THAT THAT EXTRA 15 MINUTES IS ALWAYS
GIVEN TO EITHER SIDE?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YES, SIR.
MR. RA: THANK YOU.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: IF YOU ASK FOR IT, THAT
7
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
WOULD BE -- THAT IS MY INTENTION, THAT'S THE INTENTION OF THE RULE CHANGE.
MR. RA: THANK YOU, MADAM MAJORITY LEADER.
MR. SPEAKER, ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. RA: SO, A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN WE ADOPTED
THESE EMERGENCY RULES, MANY OF US ON OUR SIDE OF THE AISLE WERE --
WERE PRETTY ANNOYED WITH THEM, BUT IT WAS STATED THAT THEY WERE BEING
DONE BECAUSE THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY, WE HAD TO SPEND AS LITTLE TIME
AS POSSIBLE ON THE FLOOR. AND HERE WE ARE ALMOST TWO YEARS LATER
MAKING THAT PERMANENT. WE USED TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK FOR 15 MINUTES,
MAYBE ASK QUESTIONS OF THE SPONSOR, AND THEN STILL HAVE ANOTHER 15
MINUTES TO GO ON THE BILL. WE'RE COMPLETELY TAKING THAT AWAY TODAY.
AND THIS IS NO SMALL THING WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE A BUDGET PROCESS THAT'S JUST GETTING UNDERWAY. THERE
ARE PROVISIONS IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET THAT MODIFY THE VOTER
REGISTRATION DEADLINE, CREATE A NEW INDEPENDENT ETHICS ENTITY,
PROVISIONS THAT OVERRULE OUR LOCAL SUNY, IN ADDITION TO TENS OF BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS OF EDUCATION FUNDING, TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF HEALTH
CARE FUNDING DURING A PANDEMIC. JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, THE PROPOSED
BUDGET, PUBLIC PROTECTION AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT BILL HAS 28 PARTS;
THE ELFA BILL HAS 32 PARTS; THE HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE BILL HAS 43
PARTS; THE TED BILL, TRANSPORTATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HAS
58 PARTS; AND THE REVENUE BILL HAS 31 PARTS AND WE ARE GOING TO BE
EXPECTED TO HAVE ONE 15-MINUTE PERIOD TO TAKE A BILL WHICH, AS IT
8
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
ALWAYS IS IN THE PAST, YOU -- COME BEFORE US, THE PUBLIC HAVING NEVER
SEEN IT BEFORE UNTIL IT'S DEBATED ON THIS FLOOR.
NOW, THE LAST FEW WEEKS ONE OF THE BIG TOPICS OF
DISCUSSION FEDERALLY AND EVEN HERE HAVE BEEN VOTING RIGHTS, AND WE
GOT LECTURED LAST WEEK THAT BECAUSE WE WERE TRYING TO COMPLY WITH THE
PROVISIONS OF OUR STATE CONSTITUTION AND BECAUSE WE WERE NOT WILLING
TO GO AROUND WHAT THE VOTERS OF NEW YORK STATE DECIDED LAST YEAR,
WHICH WAS THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT NO-EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING, THAT WE
WERE TRYING TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM VOTING AND THE MAJORITY WAS JUST
TRYING TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE. WELL, WHAT GOOD IS IT FOR
PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO VOTE IF THE REPRESENTATIVES THEY ELECT COME HERE
AND THEN GET MUZZLED AND AREN'T ABLE TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF?
SO MY QUESTION TO ANYBODY, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO
ASSUME WHO'S GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, I'M
SURE THE VOTES ARE THERE, BUT MY QUESTION TO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO
ARE GOING TO VOTE ON IT IS WHAT ARE YOU HIDING BY FURTHER STYMYING OUR
DEBATE IN THIS HOUSE. TOO OFTEN ON BUDGET BILLS AND OTHER PIECES OF
LEGISLATION THAT COME BY MEANS OF MESSAGE OF NECESSITY, WHICH NOW
WE WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO AFFIRMATIVELY ACCEPT, THE WAY THE PUBLIC
FINDS OUT WHAT'S IN THEM IS BY QUESTIONS BEING ASKED ON THIS FLOOR.
SO THIS IS NO SMALL THING. THIS IS MAKING PERMANENT
TAKING ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND TAKING AWAY THEIR ABILITY TO ASK
QUESTIONS AND RAISE POINTS ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT.
HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO CALL OURSELVES THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE IF WE SHUT
OUT THE PEOPLE'S REPRESENTATIVES? SO I URGE EVERYONE IN THIS CHAMBER
9
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
TO REJECT THIS RULES CHANGE THAT WILL PERMANENTLY CHANGE THE
DELIBERATIVE NATURE OF THIS HOUSE. IT WILL CHANGE THE WAY WE DO THINGS
AND HAVE DONE THINGS FOR YEARS AND WILL MAKE SURE WE NEVER GO BACK
TO THE REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS THAT WE HAD PRIOR TO THE COVID
PANDEMIC. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, IT TAKES AWAY THE DELIBERATIVE
NATURE OF THIS BODY AND IT TAKES AWAY OUR ABILITY TO REPRESENT OUR
CONSTITUENTS. I WILL BE VOTING IN THE NEGATIVE AND I URGE MY COLLEAGUES
TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. WALCZYK.
MR. WALCZYK: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. WALCZYK: IN MARCH OF 2020 WE PASSED A
RESOLUTION THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THIS, THERE'S A KEY WORD THAT WAS
DIFFERENT, AND THAT WAS ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION E854. THE SPEAKER IN A
PRESS RELEASE THE DAY PRIOR SAID, DURING THESE EXTRAORDINARY
CIRCUMSTANCES. THE SAME MAJORITY LEADER THAT BRINGS THIS RESOLUTION
BEFORE US TODAY SAID IN THAT SAME PRESS RELEASE, THIS RESOLUTION GIVES
US THE ABILITY TO ADOPT A NEW REALITY DURING THIS PANDEMIC AND FUTURE
EMERGENCIES. AND WHEN ASKED BY MY GOOD COLLEAGUE FROM WESTERN
NEW YORK HERE, THE SAME MAJORITY LEADER ON THAT RESOLUTION AT THE
TIME WHEN PRESSED THROUGH AN OPEN DEBATE SAID, YES, THE RESOLUTION
SPECIFICALLY SAYS TEMPORARY. THAT WAS A LIE. THAT WAS A LIE. WE VOTED
10
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
AGAINST IT AT THE TIME. IT WASN'T ABOUT EMERGENCIES, IT WASN'T ABOUT
EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES. IT WAS ABOUT SILENCING THE VOICE OF THE
REPUBLICAN. YOU WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE PEOPLE NOT HAVE FAITH IN
OUR REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY AND OUR REPUBLIC? THERE'S BEEN A HUGE
PUSH ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS THESE DAYS, RIGHT? WELL, PEOPLE WILL GET REALLY
EXCITED TO GET TO THE POLLS AND VOTE FOR THEIR REPRESENTATIVE THAT CAN'T
EVEN SWING UP THEIR MICROPHONE AND BECAUSE IT WASN'T THEIR TURN THAT
DAY DEBATE ON THE BILL THAT MATTERED TO THEM. YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT
DISENFRANCHISEMENT? BREAK THE SYSTEM, BREAK OUR VOICE FIRST, THEN THE
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE TRULY WON'T MATTER. IT'S A STRATEGY, I DON'T THINK IT'S
GOING TO BRING ANY OF US CLOSER TOGETHER, AND IT WAS BASED ON A LIE IN
THE FIRST PLACE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REAPPORTIONMENT OF DISTRICTS AND
ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE. WHAT ABOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT? WHAT KIND
OF -- WHAT DOES THIS COMMUNICATE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK WHEN THIS BODY DOESN'T EVEN HOLD FREE DEBATE AND FREEDOM OF
SPEECH IN THEIR OWN HOUSE? WHAT KIND OF EXAMPLE ARE WE SETTING FOR
OUR KIDS ABOUT WHAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT MEANS IN THIS SOCIETY?
I KNOW WE LOVE QUOTES IN THIS BODY AND I'D LIKE TO
SHARE A COUPLE, MR. SPEAKER, ONE FROM THOMAS JEFFERSON, REASON --
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. WALCZYK, IF YOU
WOULD, PLEASE. THANK YOU.
MR. WALCZYK: A DEBATE FOR ANOTHER DAY.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: I KNOW IT'S HARD.
MR. WALCZYK: REASON AND FREE INQUIRY ARE THE
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
ONLY EFFECTUAL AGENTS AGAINST ERROR. I'D AGREE WITH MR. JEFFERSON, BUT
ANOTHER ONE: BUT SOMEWHERE I READ OF THE FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY.
SOMEWHERE I READ OF THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. AND THAT WAS DR. MARTIN
LUTHER KING, JR.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER, I WILL BE VOTING NO ON THIS
RESOLUTION. AND TO EVERY MEMBER THAT'S EVER WALKED INTO THIS
CHAMBER, BEEN ELECTED BY SOMEONE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, RAISED
THEIR RIGHT HAND AND SWORE AN OATH TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THIS STATE AND
OF THE UNITED STATES, I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO, AS WELL.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. TAGUE.
MR. TAGUE: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION, SIR.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. TAGUE: FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO SAY THAT
ENGAGING IN SPIRITED DEBATE AND DISCUSSION IS PRECISELY WHAT OUR
CONSTITUENTS SEND US HERE TO DO. WE ARE THE VOICES OF OUR PEOPLE,
SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE STATE, FACING INCREDIBLY
VARIED CIRCUMSTANCES IN THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES, WHO OTHERWISE
WOULD NOT BE HEARD IN A STATE WHOSE POLITICS ARE DOMINATED BY THE
INTEREST OF THOSE LIVING IN URBAN AND METROPOLITAN COMMUNITIES. TO
SPEAK AT THE LENGTH THROUGH THE STRUGGLES THEY FACE AND INFORM OUR
PEERS OF THEIR EXPECTATIONS AND EXPERIENCE IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE
MEANT TO GATHER HERE TO DO.
AND THIS RESOLUTION'S PRESENCE ON THE FLOOR SPEAKS
VOLUMES ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN LOST IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. UNDER ONE
12
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
PARTY RULE, THE PASSAGE OF BILLS HAS BECOME ALL BUT PREDETERMINED AND
OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO RUBBER STAMPING,
SELF-CONGRATULATORY SPECTACLES WHERE WE SNEAK PAST ONE ANOTHER
WITHOUT THE THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION OF EACH OTHER'S IDEAS. THIS
DELIBERATE CHAMBER HAS BECOME A PLACE TO GRANDSTAND, NOT TO DEBATE,
AND THIS RESOLUTION WILL ONLY FURTHER REDUCE THE ABILITY OF OUR
LEGISLATURE TO MEANINGLY COLLABORATE ON LEGISLATION THAT AFFECTS ALL
NEW YORKERS. WE ARE A BIG STATE AND IN ORDER TO MAKE ITS LAWS WORK
FOR EVERYONE WHO LIVE HERE, WE NEED TO HEAR ABOUT HOW A BILL WILL
AFFECT ALL OF US, FROM BUSINESS PEOPLE IN THE CITY TO FARMERS IN UPSTATE
NEW YORK. CRAFTING AND PASSING LEGISLATION THAT IS HELPFUL AND, MORE
IMPORTANTLY, NOT HARMFUL SHOULD NEVER BE A QUICK OR SIMPLE PROCESS.
BY PUTTING OUR PROPOSALS THROUGH THE RINGER OF DEBATE IN THIS CHAMBER,
WE HELP BRING THE LATE, DANGEROUS ELEMENTS OF LEGISLATION THAT COULD
END UP SERIOUSLY AFFECTING PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS IF PASSED. AND THERE
HAVE BEEN TOO MANY TIMES THROUGHOUT THIS LAST DECADE ALREADY WHEN
RUSHED BILLS HAVE COME IN WITH NUMEROUS CONSEQUENCES THAT WERE
EITHER UNFORESEEN OR NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
WITH THE IMPACT THESE POLICIES HAVE ON THE LIVES OF
US -- OF US ALL, THE LAST THING WE SHOULD BE DOING IS WORKING TO STIFLE,
STIFLE THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE OR THE VOICES OF THE LEGISLATORS
REPRESENTING REGIONS THAT DON'T CARRY THE POLITICAL WEIGHT OF OTHERS. AS
LAWMAKERS, IT SHOULD BE OUR DUTY AND OUR HONOR TO SAY ALL WE CAN SAY
ABOUT HOW OUR LAWS WILL IMPROVE OR JEOPARDIZE THE WELL-BEING OF ALL
THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT, AND WE SHOULD ALL HONOR THAT OBLIGATION
13
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
BY REJECTING THIS MEASURE.
MR. SPEAKER, MY GRANDFATHER WAS A WORLD WAR II
PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR, BATTLE OF THE BULGE, AND D-DAY. HE FOUGHT FOR
THAT FLAG THAT STANDS ABOVE YOU TO GIVE ALL OF US FREEDOM AND ALLOW US
TO BE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE. I REPRESENT 133,000 PEOPLE AND BY
TAKING TIME AWAY FROM ME DURING A DEBATE INFRINGES UPON THE RIGHTS OF
THOSE PEOPLE I REPRESENT. I, LIKE THE OTHER 149 MEMBERS OF THIS
LEGISLATION [SIC] GOT ELECTED TO DO A JOB FOR AND BY THE PEOPLE, THAT'S
WHAT I INTEND TO DO. THE PEOPLE WHERE I COME FROM DON'T WANT TO HEAR
THAT MY VOICE WASN'T HEARD, THEY WANT TO KNOW WHY IT WASN'T.
SO I ASK ALL, ALL OF YOU IN THIS CHAMBER, REPUBLICAN,
DEMOCRAT, INDEPENDENT, STAND UP FOR THAT FLAG, THE FREEDOM AND THE
PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE US. INSIST ON ALL OF US HAVING AN EQUAL TIME TO
DEBATE THE BILLS AND TO BE ABLE TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT COME FROM
WHERE WE COME FROM. GOD BLESS AMERICA. VOTE NO ON THIS RESOLUTION.
MS. WALSH: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
MA'AM.
MS. WALSH: SO I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN MY -- MY
BRIEF COMMENTS, BECAUSE WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES EACH, WITH A QUOTE.
THE QUOTE IS, "OUR LIVES BEGIN TO END THE DAY WE BECOME SILENT ABOUT
THE THINGS THAT MATTER." AND THAT'S MARTIN LUTHER KING. THIS
RESOLUTION OFFERS PERMANENT CHANGES WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION. AS MR. RA
STATED, SOME BILLS ARE COMPLEX, MANY BILLS ARE COMPLEX, OMNIBUS.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
THINK OF THE BUDGET BILLS, THINK OF US TRYING TO ADDRESS BUDGET BILLS
WITH MULTIPLE PARTS TO THEM, STILL WARM OFF THE PRINTERS WHEN WE'RE
BRIEFED ON THEM AND THEN ASKED TO GO IN AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 15
MINUTES EACH TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO ADDRESS THOSE BUDGET BILLS, TO A BUDGET
THAT'S DEVELOPED ESSENTIALLY IN DARKNESS. THIS IS EQUIVALENT TO DOING
AWAY WITH THE FILIBUSTER WHERE ALL THAT ARGUMENT IS GOING ON AT THE
NATIONAL LEVEL, THIS IS -- THAT'S WHAT THIS IS RIGHT HERE. THIS ISN'T
DEMOCRACY. THIS IS NOT AN ADEQUATE REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE THAT
WE ARE ALL ELECTED TO REPRESENT.
THE WORD STIFLE WAS USED BEFORE. IT STIFLES THE
PRINCIPAL OPPOSITION. WE ARE 150 DIVERSE MEMBERS FROM 150 DIVERSE
DISTRICTS. THIS WILL LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO BE THE PRINCIPAL OPPOSITION.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE STOOD HERE ON OUR SIDE OF THE AISLE AND
ARGUED ABOUT BILLS AND THEN WE COME BACK AND WE SEE THE CHAPTER
AMENDMENT, THE CHAPTER AMENDMENT THAT REFLECTS THE EXACT DEBATE THAT
WE BROUGHT TO THE FLOOR. WE SERVE A PURPOSE. WE SERVE A PURPOSE AND
THIS IS GOING TO REALLY HURT OUR ABILITY TO DO OUR JOB AND TO REPRESENT THE
PEOPLE THAT PUT US HERE. IT'S OFFENSIVE. THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, BUT
THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE OR THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER,
THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ECHO CHAMBER. THERE WILL BE NO DIFFERING
OPINIONS ALLOWED.
YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, THAT'S
A BUNCH OF LIP SERVICE BECAUSE THIS HURTS TRANSPARENCY. THIS HURTS THIS
BODY, THIS HURTS OUR WORK, AND THIS HURTS THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE ELECTED
US. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS IS BEING OFFERED ON THE FLOOR TODAY AND I
15
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
HOPE, I HOPE THAT THIS WILL BE VOTED DOWN. I OBVIOUSLY WILL BE NOT
SUPPORTING IT, AND I DO HOPE THAT NO MATTER WHAT LETTER IS AFTER YOUR
NAME THAT YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR GOAL IS IN THIS ASSEMBLY
CHAMBER AND YOU VOTE NO AGAINST THESE CHANGES.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. ANGELINO.
MR. ANGELINO: MR. SPEAKER, ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. ANGELINO: THANK YOU. AS LITTLE AS FIVE YEARS
AGO, I HAD NO IDEA, NO INTENTIONS AND ACTUALLY NO DESIRE TO EVEN BE A
MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY. AFTER THE 2019 BAIL REFORM WHICH COINCIDED
WITH MY RETIREMENT AS A POLICE CHIEF, THE ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENED IN THIS
ROOM AND ACROSS THE BUILDING PROPELLED ME TO THIS POSITION, PROPELLED
ME TO THIS POSITION AHEAD OF FOUR OTHERS WHO CHALLENGED ME. AND IT
WAS BECAUSE I PROMISED THAT I WOULD BE THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE OF THE
122ND DISTRICT. THAT DISTRICT'S ENORMOUS AND I TRAVEL AND SPEAK TO A LOT
OF PEOPLE, COUNTLESS NUMBERS OF CONSTITUENTS I'VE MADE THAT PROMISE
THAT I WOULD BE THEIR VOICE IN ALBANY, AND I HAVE DOCUMENTED ALMOST
30,000 MILES TRAVELING ACROSS THAT DISTRICT.
THERE ARE TIMES THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH CONSTITUENTS
ABOUT CONCERNS. THEY -- THEY READ THE LEGISLATION, THEY'RE WORRIED
ABOUT IT AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT THEIR VOICE ACTUALLY CAME OUT
OF MY MOUTH ON THIS FLOOR AND I ECHOED THEIR CONCERNS TO COLLEAGUES
DURING DEBATE, OR ALSO WHEN I WAS ON THE BILL. THERE'S BEEN TIMES
WHEN I SAT ON THIS FLOOR LOOKING ACROSS DURING DEBATE, LISTENING
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
INTENTLY, THAT I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF THE 150 MEMBERS
AND THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH ONE OF US REPRESENTS. I HOPE THAT
THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT PEOPLE HAVE LISTENED TO ME AND LEARNED
ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT TAKE PLACE IN MY RURAL AREA. BUT I KNOW I
HAVE LEARNED A LOT AND BY STIFLING ME, IT'S TAKING AWAY THAT VOICE OF THE
133,000 PEOPLE I REPRESENT. AND IT'S -- IT'S JUST UNFATHOMABLE THAT
WE'RE DOING THIS.
I ONLY LEARNED ABOUT THIS A MATTER OF MINUTES AGO THAT
WE WERE CHANGING THESE RULES, AND AS I WALKED HERE AND CONTEMPLATED
IT, I REALIZED THE GRAVITY OF WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE'RE TAKING AWAY
THE PEOPLE'S VOICE IN THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE AND WE'RE LIMITING THE AMOUNT
OF TRANSPARENCY TO MY CONSTITUENTS BY DOING THIS. I DON'T KNOW HOW
MANY TIMES I'VE LISTENED TO COLLEAGUES ON MY SIDE OF THE AISLE ASK THE
QUESTIONS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE AND HAVING THE PEOPLE ON THE
OTHER SIDE REALIZE THEY MAY HAVE ERRED WHEN THEY WERE WRITING THEIR
LEGISLATION AND, LO AND BEHOLD, THE NEXT TIME AROUND WE FIND OUT THERE'S
BEEN AN AMENDMENT THAT INCLUDES THE EXACT QUESTIONS THAT MY
COLLEAGUES ASKED.
MY -- BY LIMITING MY ABILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS IS
HARMFUL TO THE 133,000 PEOPLE I REPRESENT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS
HAPPENING IN THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE AND I WOULD URGE ALL OF MY
COLLEAGUES IN THIS ROOM, IN THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE OF THE NEW YORK STATE
ASSEMBLY, TO VOTE NO ON THIS AND JOIN ME IN VOTING THIS DOWN. THANK
YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. BYRNE.
17
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MR. BYRNE: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER, TO EXPLAIN
MY VOTE. YOU KNOW, JUST TO GO DOWN MEMORY LANE, A COUPLE YEARS AGO
BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC, BEFORE ALL THESE RESTRICTIONS, BEFORE THIS
TEMPORARY CHANGE IN OUR RULES ON HOW WE VOTED, I REMEMBER
PARTNERING WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE TO HAVE A
ROBUST DEBATE TO PROTECT OUR SAFETY IN HOSPITALS. MY COLLEAGUES FROM
WESTCHESTER STOOD UP PROUDLY, THEY USED TWO ROUNDS OF 15 MINUTES TO
DEBATE SOMETHING FIERCELY, TIRELESSLY TO PROTECT THEIR DISTRICT. IT
WORKED. THAT BILL WAS AMENDED, IT DIDN'T COME BACK FROM THE SENATE.
IT WORKED BECAUSE THEY WERE PASSIONATE AND THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR
THEIR DISTRICT. THAT WAS YOUR MEMBERS. THOSE WERE DEMOCRAT
MEMBERS. THIS ISN'T JUST DISENFRANCHISING THE MINORITY, IT'S
DISENFRANCHISING THE VOICE OF EVERY SINGLE MEMBER IN THIS CHAMBER.
NO MEMBER SHALL SPEAK MORE THAN ONCE ON ANY BILL OR
AMENDMENT. OUR STATE'S BUDGET LAST YEAR WAS $212 BILLION, THE
EXECUTIVE'S PROPOSED AT $216 BILLION. I'VE DEBATED BUDGETS. LAST TIME
I TRIED TO GO THROUGH IN, LIKE, A SUPER FAST MOTION JUST TO GO THROUGH THE
HEALTH BUDGET, COULDN'T GET TO EVERYTHING WE WANTED. A LOT OF
IMPORTANT CHANGES, THINGS THAT AFFECT OUR LOCAL COUNTY HEALTH
DEPARTMENTS, VARIOUS CHARITIES THAT DO GOD'S WORK HELPING PEOPLE WITH
LESSER NEEDS. THIS IS A TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE TO HOW THE MEMBERS
OF THE ASSEMBLY WILL CONDUCT THEIR BUSINESS AND VOTE. IT
DISENFRANCHISES EACH AND EVERY MEMBER, MAJORITY OR MINORITY, THE
SPEAKER, MAJORITY LEADER, MINORITY LEADER. IT LIMITS OUR VOICE, IT
LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO DO OUR JOB AND BECAUSE OF IT, MILLIONS OF NEW
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
YORKERS WILL HAVE THEIR VOICE WEAKENED.
I VOTE NO AND I ASK ALL MY COLLEAGUES AND EVERY
COLLEAGUE THAT HAS EVER GONE TO 15 MINUTES AND HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN
AND TOLD TO SIT DOWN, I THINK THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO VOTE NO.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. REILLY.
MR. REILLY: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. REILLY: RULES, RULES THAT PROBABLY HAVE TO BE
FOLLOWED NOW IN THIS CHAMBER. WE HAVE A LOT OF RULES IN THIS
CHAMBER THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. THERE ARE RULES IN PLACE WHEN THE
STATE OF THE STATE WAS GIVEN BY THE GOVERNOR TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAD
YOUR MASK ON. THE GOVERNOR STOOD IN THIS CHAMBER WITHOUT A MASK
ON TO SPEAK. IT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE THAT I THINK WE ALL HAVE TO TAKE INTO
ACCOUNT HERE.
IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE RULES, LET'S HAVE AN OPEN
DISCUSSION ABOUT THEM BEFORE THEY GET PRESENTED. YOU KNOW, THE MASK
IS KILLING ME TALKING HERE, I'M FOLLOWING THE RULE. EVERY BIT OF MY FIBER
WANTS TO RIP IT OFF BECAUSE MY GLASSES ARE FOGGING UP. BUT LET'S GET ON
THIS RESOLUTION, WHAT HAPPENS IF I'M DEBATING AND THEN ANOTHER
COLLEAGUE DECIDES TO DEBATE AND IT REFRESHES MY MEMORY ABOUT
SOMETHING I FORGOT TO BRING UP, OR DURING ANOTHER DEBATE SOMETHING
COMES UP AND IT'S A VALID POINT TO RAISE. WE NOW MISS THAT
OPPORTUNITY. THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK MISS THAT OPPORTUNITY. ALL OUR
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
CONSTITUENTS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY HAVE AN R, A D, AN I, A C OR
NOTHING, WE ARE FAILING THEM IF WE DON'T ALLOW THEIR VOICES TO BE HEARD.
BECAUSE THAT'S OUR JOB HERE. AND ALL I COULD SAY IS, HOW MANY TIMES --
OR THE QUESTION IS ASKED HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE ACTUALLY HAD THAT
MUCH OF A DEBATE WHERE WE WENT INTO OVER FIVE, SIX, SEVEN HOURS?
AND THE BILL THAT WE DID DO THAT ON DESERVED TO HAVE THE LIGHT SHINED
ON THEM. THAT'S THE PROBLEM HERE, THAT IF WE DON'T SHINE THE LIGHT THEN
WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE TRULY THE RIGHT THING. AND YES, IT'S A SAVE IN
TIME, I HAVE TWO MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS LEFT, I WILL YIELD THEM BACK.
THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. GANDOLFO.
MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION, PLEASE.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. GANDOLFO: THERE ARE 150 MEMBERS OF THIS
HOUSE, EACH DULY-ELECTED TO COME HERE AND SPEAK FOR ROUGHLY 130,000
NEW YORKERS ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO THEM, BECAUSE EVERY
SINGLE THING WE DO HERE IMPACTS THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF NEW YORKERS
WHETHER YOU'RE RICH, POOR, MIDDLE-CLASS, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR RACE IS.
EVERYTHING DONE HERE DESERVES TO BE THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED. WE SHOULD
BE DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES MORE, NOT LESS. THIS IS THE LEGISLATURE THAT
BROUGHT BAIL REFORM, WHICH HAS BEEN A TOTAL DISASTER FOR OUR STATE. WE
PASSED BUDGETS THAT INCLUDE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
20
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
WHY ARE WE LIMITING DEBATE? IT'S BECAUSE YOU DO NOT WANT THE
OPPOSITION SHINING THE LIGHT ON WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CAPITOL OF NEW
YORK.
SO INSTEAD OF TAPPING THE DEBATE TIME AT 15 MINUTES
PER PERSON, FOUR HOURS TOTAL, WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE A MORE LIVELY,
PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION. HOW CAN ANY MEMBER OF THIS BODY GO HOME TO
THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND WHEN ASKED, WHY DIDN'T YOU BRING UP THIS POINT
ON THAT BILL, OR WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING, AND YOUR RESPONSE IS
THEN, WELL, I WASN'T ALLOWED TO SPEAK, YOU KNOW, TOO MANY PEOPLE HAD
SPOKEN BEFORE ME, SORRY. THE MAJORITY JUST WANTED TO RAM THROUGH
THEIR AGENDA. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY, MR. SPEAKER.
I'M VOTING NO ON THIS AND I ENCOURAGE EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THIS
CHAMBER WHO CARES ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. LAWLER.
MR. LAWLER: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AND I DO
WANT TO RECOGNIZE YOUR COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF TODAY'S SESSION.
I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE
TODAY THAT WE'RE DEBATING IS A JOKE. IT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT AND THIS
BODY SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITSELF.
WE ARE ALL ELECTED IN OUR OWN RIGHT. I WASN'T ELECTED
BY THE SPEAKER OR THE MAJORITY LEADER. I WAS ELECTED BY THE
CONSTITUENTS WHO I REPRESENT. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO OUR LEGISLATIVE
LEADERS, YOU WERE ELECTED TO YOUR POSITIONS BY US, BY THIS BODY. WE
21
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
ARE NOT HERE TO DO YOUR BIDDING, WE ARE HERE ON BEHALF OF OUR
CONSTITUENTS AND TO DO THEIR BIDDING.
WE TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT THE NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY.
THIS ISN'T TRANSPARENT. THESE RULES ARE AN ABSOLUTE JOKE. RULE VIII OF
THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY EXEMPTS US FROM FOIL. THE FACT THAT
WE ARE LIMITING DEBATE AND TRYING TO SILENCE OPPOSITION, AND TO MY
COLLEAGUES ON THE LEFT, LET'S BE VERY CLEAR, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT SILENCING
THE MINORITY. THIS IS ABOUT SILENCING OPPOSITION WITHIN YOUR OWN
PARTY. ALL OF YOU PROGRESSIVES, SELF-INVENTED SOCIALISTS, BE VERY CLEAR,
THIS IS VERY MUCH AIMED AT YOU, TOO. AND IT'S -- IT'S WRONG. THIS IS NOT
HOW WE SHOULD BE GOVERNING. SO MANY TIMES I'VE HEARD IN THIS
CHAMBER, COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE SAY, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE
COMMITTEE PROCESS. WELL, THE DIRTY LITTLE JOKE IS THERE IS NO COMMITTEE
PROCESS. IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN A RUBBER STAMP. THE HYSTERIA THAT
ENSUES WHEN SOMEBODY VOTES AGAINST A BILL IN COMMITTEE IS LAUGHABLE.
LAST YEAR WE OVERRODE A VOTE IN THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE WHEN THE
CHAIRMAN TRIED TO STIFLE A BILL THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE HOLOCAUST TO BE
TAUGHT IN OUR SCHOOLS. GIVE ME A BREAK. WE ARE THE LOYAL OPPOSITION,
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT, AND PART OF OUR JOB IS TO POINT OUT THE
PROBLEMS WITH LEGISLATION. IF THAT WAS A TRUE COMMITTEE PROCESS, OKAY,
I COULD ACCEPT MAYBE SOME LIMITATION ON DEBATE, BUT THERE ISN'T. THIS
IS OUR OPPORTUNITY AS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS TO RAISE CONCERN, TO RAISE
ISSUES THAT MATTER TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
I SAID WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE THAT I WOULD BE UP HERE
EVERY DAY DEBATING THESE BILLS, DEBATING THESE ISSUES, THAT I WILL BE A
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
VOICE FOR MY DISTRICT. IT'S A 2-1 DEMOCRATIC DISTRICT. YOU KNOW WHY I
GOT ELECTED? BECAUSE MY PREDECESSOR WAS A POTTED PLANT, THAT'S WHY.
AND I SAID I WOULD NOT DO THAT. I DON'T CARE IF I GET REDISTRICTED INTO
NEW JERSEY. I DON'T CARE IF I'M ONLY HERE ONE TERM. I WILL BE PROUD OF
THE FACT THAT I STOOD UP AND SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE NONSENSE THAT COMES
OUT OF THIS CHAMBER. NOW, I VOTED WITH THE SPEAKER 83 PERCENT OF THE
TIME LAST YEAR, 83 PERCENT AS A REPUBLICAN. IT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN
MY CONFERENCE. BUT ON THE 17 PERCENT THAT I DISAGREED WITH HIM, IT
MATTERED TO DEBATE THOSE BILLS. IT MATTERED TO POINT OUT THE PROBLEMS.
SO I SAY TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, LEFT OR RIGHT, THIS IS
YOUR ONE OPPORTUNITY, YOUR ONE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK UP AND TO HAVE
YOUR VOICE HEARD FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS, NOT FOR YOUR LEGISLATIVE
LEADERS, NOT FOR YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, BUT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO PUT YOU
HERE AND WHO ARE PAYING YOUR SALARY. AND I'LL JUST LEAVE YOU WITH THIS:
COULD YOU IMAGINE THE OUTRAGE ON THE PAGES OF THE NEW YORK TIMES
OR ON TWITTER IF THIS WAS DONE IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA? OR THE STATE OF
TEXAS? OR THE STATE OF FLORIDA? I GUARANTEE YOU IF I LOOKED AT THE
TWITTER FEEDS OF EVERY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE LEFT, THEY WOULD BE
SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS. SO YOU KNOW WHAT? DO IT FOR YOUR
OWN CONSTITUENTS AND YOUR OWN STATE INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT WHAT
THEY'RE DOING IN GEORGIA, WORRY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. VOTE NO.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. SMULLEN.
MR. SMULLEN: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL THE
MEMBER FROM THE 141ST ASSEMBLY DISTRICT PLEASE YIELD FOR A FEW
QUESTIONS? MADAM MAJORITY LEADER?
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: OF COURSE I WILL.
MR. SMULLEN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT. THE DIALOG TO ME IS VERY IMPORTANT. REPRESENTING THE
118TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE MOHAWK VALLEY AND THE
WESTERN PART OF THE ADIRONDACKS, THE LARGEST ASSEMBLY DISTRICT IN NEW
YORK STATE BY SQUARE MILES, BUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE. AND MY
VOICE OUGHT TO BE HEARD ON BEHALF OF MY PEOPLE IN THIS ASSEMBLY. AND
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DISCUSS A COUPLE, AND I KNOW I'VE
ONLY GOT A FEW MINUTES HERE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT FIVE MINUTES FOR
RESOLUTIONS, BUT THE -- THE CLAUSE IN THE RESOLUTION THAT SAYS WHEN
TWO-THIRDS OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT AUTHORIZE IT, MORE TIME CAN BE --
CAN BE ALLOTTED. IS THAT PEOPLE THAT'S TWO-THIRDS PRESENT IS ON THE FLOOR
SO IF WE ALL VOTED TWO-THIRDS, THERE'S MORE REPUBLICANS HERE THAN
DEMOCRATS, WOULD THAT CARRY THE VOTE ON THE FLOOR?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: SO THE RESOLUTION BEFORE
US TODAY TO CHANGE THE RULES WILL ALLOW FOR EACH LEADER TO DECIDE, THAT
WOULD BE THE LEADERS ON THE FLOOR, MR. GOODELL AND MYSELF, IF
SOMEONE NEEDS AN ADDITIONAL 15 MINUTES, THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED THAT.
MR. SMULLEN: BUT THE TWO-THIRDS PROVISIONS I
THINK IS -- IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE WOULD GET OUR
COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE TO GET TO THAT TWO-THIRDS NUMBER
TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. IS THAT JUST MEMBERS PRESENT OR CAN THEY BE PRESENT
-- I KNOW NOW YOU HAVE TO BE HERE IN PERSON TO SPEAK, WILL THAT BE THE
PROCESS GOING FORWARD?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: SIR, THE RESOLUTION BEFORE
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
US TODAY IS LITERALLY ALLOWING FOR MEMBERS TO HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 15
MINUTES SHOULD THAT DECISION BE MADE BY THE LEADERSHIP.
MR. SMULLEN: OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.
MR. SMULLEN: BECAUSE MY -- MY CONCERN HERE IS
HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK ON BUDGET BILLS THAT ARE OFTEN BROUGHT UNDER
MESSAGES OF NECESSITY, AND THOSE BILLS, AS ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES HAS
MENTIONED, ARE OFTEN NOT PROVIDED UNTIL THEY ARE ACTUALLY BROUGHT OUT
ONTO THE FLOOR. AND THEN THE LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT WE WANT BROUGHT
OUT, AND MANY OF THESE THINGS IN THE BUDGET ARE -- ARE POLICY PROVISIONS
WHICH DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH BUDGETING, BUT THEY'RE --
THEY'RE POLICY THAT'S BROUGHT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
NIGHT SORT OF THING AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO MAKE OUR -- OUR PEOPLE'S
POSITION KNOWN WHEN THERE'S ONLY 15 MINUTES AND WE'RE DOING THESE
REPETITIVE BILLS. BECAUSE THE WAY I'M READING THIS, FIVE HOURS AND WE'RE
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH A FORM OF CLOTURE TO LIMIT THE DEBATE.
AND JUST -- MR. SPEAKER, ON THE RESOLUTION, SO I MAY -- MAY FINISH.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. SMULLEN: CLOTURE, OR CLOSURE, INFORMALLY A
GUILLOTINE, IS A MOTION OR PROCESS IN PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE AIMED AT
BRINGING DEBATE TO A QUICK END. THE CLOTURE PROCEDURE ORIGINATED IN
THE FRENCH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, THAT WAS DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
WHEN THEY WERE ACTUALLY GUILLOTINE -- GUILLOTINING PEOPLE, FROM WHOM
THE NAME WAS TAKEN. IT'S FRENCH FOR THE ACT OF TERMINATING SOMETHING
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
AND IT WAS INTRODUCED INTO ENGLAND IN THE PARLIAMENT IN THE U.K. TO
OVERCOME THE OBSTRUCTIONISM OF THE IRISH PARLIAMENTARIAN PARTY AND
WAS MADE PERMANENT IN 1887, AND FROM THERE IT CAME TO OUR UNITED
STATES SENATE WHERE WE KNOW THE TERM.
WELL, WE'VE NEVER HAD CLOTURE BEFORE HERE IN THE
LIMITING OF THE DEBATE IN THIS BODY, AND I THINK OVERALL THAT HAS BEEN A
GOOD THING. LOOKING AT THE -- OUR COMMITTEE SYSTEM, HOW WE BRING
BILLS OUT, HOW WE DO CHAPTER AMENDMENTS, ABOUT HOW WE MAKE THINGS
BETTER FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS, IN MY CASE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION COMMITTEE, CHAPTER AMENDMENTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT,
COMMITTEE PROCESS IS IMPORTANT, BUT THE FLOOR DEBATE IS WHERE YOU CAN
ACTUALLY GET THE GOVERNOR'S EAR TO PERHAPS TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT A BILL.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND WE'RE GOING TO REDUCE IT AND WE'RE
GOING TO LIMIT IT TO FIVE HOURS, THAT'S GOING TO PRESSURIZE, PARTICULARLY
DURING THE BUDGET SEASON, OUR PROCESS HERE IN THE ASSEMBLY. AND IT'S
GOING TO CAUSE NOT ONLY A LOT OF INTERNAL CONSTERNATION, WHETHER IT'S
FROM THE REPUBLICANS OR FROM THE PROGRESSIVES OR WHOMEVER, BUT IT'S
GOING TO CAUSE A LOT, A LOT OF CONFUSION AMONGST THE PEOPLE.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WALKER, WHY DO
YOU RISE?
MS. WALKER: WILL THE GENTLEMAN YIELD FOR A FEW
QUESTIONS?
MR. SMULLEN: MOST CERTAINLY, MS. WALKER.
THANK YOU.
MS. WALKER: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE HEARING
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
YOUR HISTORY LESSONS (INAUDIBLE/MIC NOT ON) -- WITH RESPECT -- I
APPRECIATE YOUR HISTORY WITH RESPECT TO CLOTURE. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER
HISTORY WITH RESPECT TO LEGISLATIVE PROCEEDINGS WHICH INVOLVES
FILIBUSTER. AND THE DEFINITION THAT I READ FOR FILIBUSTER IS IT'S A POLITICAL
PROCEDURE IN WHICH ONE OR MORE MEMBERS OF A LEGISLATIVE BODY
PROLONGS DEBATE ON PROPOSED LEGISLATION SO AS TO DELAY OR ENTIRELY
PREVENT ITS PASSAGE. IT IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS TALKING A BILL TO
DEATH AND IT IS CHARACTERIZED AS A FORM OF OBSTRUCTION IN A LEGISLATURE
OR OTHER DECISION-MAKING BODY. ARE YOU AWARE --
MR. SMULLEN: MOST CERTAINLY.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MS. WALKER, YOU --
YOU -- YOU USED HIS LAST TIME TO ASK THE QUESTION.
MS. WALKER: I'M SORRY, SIR.
MR. SMULLEN: YOU FILIBUSTERED ME.
(LAUGHTER)
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: YOU JUST ELIMINATED
HIS OPPORTUNITY.
(LAUGHTER)
MR. SMULLEN: MR. SPEAKER, MAY I SUM UP,
PLEASE?
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: PLEASE SUM.
MR. SMULLEN: I THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION
BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO NOT DO IS TO GO INTO FILIBUSTERING. IF YOU
GIVE US ENOUGH TIME TO -- TO BRING THE -- THE ISSUES OUT, TO MAKE THINGS
BETTER, THEN WE WON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE TACTICS OF WHAT HAPPENS IN, SAY,
27
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
LIKE THE UNITED STATES SENATE WITH THE FILIBUSTER AND ALL THE NEGATIVE
CONSEQUENCES THAT GO ALONG WITH IT.
SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS THAT MY COLLEAGUES EVERYWHERE
IN THE BODY, WE AGREE THAT WE ASSEMBLE, WE'RE ALL EQUAL AS A -- ONE OF
150 MEMBERS ON THE FLOOR AND THAT WE GET, WITH FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WE
GET TO REPRESENT OUR PEOPLE IN ALL THESE ISSUES OF THE DAY THAT ARE
BROUGHT BEFORE US. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. SALKA.
MR. SALKA: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
YOU KNOW, IT'S PROTOCOL HERE WHEN WE OPEN UP
SESSION TO SAY A PRAYER, OR TO BOW OUR HEADS. SOMETIMES WE'LL LISTEN
TO CLERGY THAT'S HERE, MANY TIMES WITHOUT SO IT'S UP TO US TO BE ABLE TO
CONTEMPLATE IN OUR MINDS WHY WE'RE HERE. AND I ALWAYS ASK THE GREAT
-- THE GREAT ONE, I CALL HIM, TO GIVE ME THE GUIDANCE TO HAVE A PROPER
VOTE, TO HAVE THE WISDOM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS IN THE
BEST INTERESTS OF THE 130,000 PEOPLE I REPRESENT.
SO INVARIABLY, I ALWAYS ASK MYSELF WHY ARE WE HERE.
WE'RE OBVIOUSLY HERE TO REPRESENT THOSE PEOPLE. WE'RE OBVIOUSLY HERE
TO BE A CONDUIT. WE'RE HERE TO BE, AS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, THEIR
VOICE IN THIS GREAT CHAMBERS. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT UNLIMITED DEBATE
IS SOMETHING THAT'S POSSIBLE -- NOT POSSIBLE, OBVIOUSLY NOT JUST FOR THE
SAKE OF TIME, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS IS WHAT I CALL A
MODIFIED GAG ORDER. THIS IS NOT ALLOWING REPRESENTATIVES WHO HAVE
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
BEEN ELECTED BY THE MAJORITY OF THEIR VOTERS IN THEIR DISTRICT TO REPRESENT
THEIR VOICES IN THIS CHAMBER. AND THIS IS CONTRARY TO WHY WE'RE HERE.
AND I GUESS THE QUESTION IS THIS, TO WHY? ARE WE
MAKING THESE CHAMBERS SAFER? I DON'T THINK SO. ARE WE MAKING THESE
CHAMBERS MORE EFFICIENT? I'D HAVE TO SAY NO. ARE WE HERE REALLY
REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK BY LIMITING THE
AMOUNT OF DISCUSSION, THE AMOUNT OF ROBUST DEBATE, WHAT THIS
DEMOCRACY IS BASED ON, THE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, FREE SPEECH GUARANTEED
BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT. ARE WE REALLY PERTAINING TO THOSE TRUE
VALUES? ARE WE REALLY ADHERING TO THOSE TRUE VALUES? AND I'D HAVE TO
SAY NO. AS WE GET INTO COMPLICATED ISSUES LIKE HEALTH CARE AND
EDUCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE, TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT CAN BE
DEBATED ON THOSE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES IS JUST PLAIN WRONG. IT'S
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND IT'S CONTRARY TO WHAT THIS BODY STANDS FOR.
NOW, AMERICA DIDN'T TAKE FIVE MINUTES TO FORM, IT
DIDN'T TAKE 15 MINUTES TO FORM, IT DIDN'T TAKE 30 MINUTES TO FORM. IT
TOOK HUNDREDS OF YEARS TO DEVELOP THIS DEMOCRACY AND ESSENTIALLY
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE WITH THIS RESOLUTION IS WE'RE TRYING TO
UNDERMINE THAT TIME THAT'S NEEDED TO DEBATE THE ISSUES THAT ARE SO
IMPORTANT TO MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF THAT DEMOCRACY, TO MAKE SURE
THAT THIS COUNTRY REMAINS FREE, THAT WE HAVE ROBUST DIALOG, THAT
REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE CAN LOOK AT EACH OTHER,
MOST OF THE TIME BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, OBVIOUSLY, BUT WE CAN LOOK AT
EACH OTHER AND WE CAN REALLY FIGURE THE BEST WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THE
BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION BECAUSE THIS
RESOLUTION FLIES IN THE FACE OF A FREE DEMOCRACY. IT FLIES IN THE FACE OF
FREE SPEECH, AND IT FLIES IN THE FACE OF WHY WE'RE HERE AS A BODY TO
DEBATE AN ISSUE, DEBATE THE ISSUES AND TO MAKE SURE WE DO WHAT'S IN THE
BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MS. MILLER.
MS. MILLER: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
MA'AM.
MS. MILLER: YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I WAS
TAUGHT A BASIC PRINCIPAL, TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WOULD WANT THEM TO
TREAT YOU. AND CAN I ASK YOU HONESTLY, IF YOU'RE TRULY HONEST WITH
YOURSELF, IF OUR ROLES WERE REVERSED FOR JUST THIS DAY FOR THIS RULE, WOULD
YOU WANT THIS IMPOSED ON YOU? WE WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT ALL OF
OUR CONSTITUENTS, ALL OF THEM, DESPITE WHATEVER PARTY THEY'RE FROM.
LIMITING OUR ONLY ABILITY TO DISAGREE WITH CERTAIN LEGISLATION IS
SILENCING THE VOICES OF THE NEW YORK STATE RESIDENTS.
I HAVE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M WATCHING THIS ON ZOOM.
A LOT OF OUR MEMBERS, I CAN SEE WHILE WE'RE DEBATING THIS, WE DON'T
EVEN HAVE THE RESPECT OF MANY OF YOUR ATTENTION. THEY'RE NOT EVEN
INTERESTED IN WHAT WE'RE SAYING DEBATING THIS RULES CHANGE. THEY'RE
TALKING ON THE PHONE, THEY'RE TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE. THIS IS NOT
30
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
DEMOCRACY. SHAME ON THE MAJORITY. I AM -- I AM DEEPLY
DISAPPOINTED. YOU'RE SILENCING NEW YORK STATE RESIDENTS.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. LEMONDES.
MR. LEMONDES: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. LEMONDES: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I, LIKE SO
MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, AM WORRIED ABOUT THIS. I -- I THINK IT'S A -- IT'S
A CHILLING AFFECT, IT'S AN ATTACK ON INHERENT RIGHTS. IT'S A RULE CHANGE, OF
COURSE, BUT NOT ONE THAT BENEFITS ANY CITIZEN OF NEW YORK STATE. I
SPECIFICALLY BELIEVE IT'S AN INFRINGEMENT ON THE FIRST AMENDMENT. AND
FOR THE 133,000 PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT, THEY DON'T WANT ME STIFLED. I
AM THEIR VOICE IN THIS HOUSE, AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR
VOICE IS HEARD.
THIS STIFLES FREE DEBATE. AND IN ORDER TO SOLVE
PROBLEMS, NO MATTER WHETHER IT'S A SIMPLE PROBLEM OR A COMPLEX
PROBLEM, YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN. THAT REQUIRES RESPECT. AND
THEN FROM THAT, YOU HAVE FREE DEBATES. AND THEN HOPEFULLY AFTER THAT,
YOU CAN LAND ON A GOOD SOLUTION, OR THE BEST ONE FOR THE MOST AMOUNT
OF PEOPLE. WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO INTERACT, WE CAN'T SOLVE PROBLEMS ON
THE -- FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR CONSTITUENTS IN AN OPTIMAL WAY. I WILL VOTE
NO ON THIS BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT'S AN INFRINGEMENT ON THE FIRST
AMENDMENT. I BELIEVE IT STIFLES THE PROFESSIONAL INTERACTION WHICH WE
WERE ALL ELECTED TO PERFORM AND THAT THE PEOPLE'S VOICE NEED TO BE
31
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
HEARD -- PEOPLE'S VOICES NEED TO BE HEARD THROUGH US. THEY CANNOT
WITH THIS LEGISLATION. FOR THAT REASON, I WILL VOTE NO AND I ASK EVERY
SINGLE COLLEAGUE TO CONSIDER THE SAME AND VOTE NO WITH ME. THANK
YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU.
MR. DURSO.
MR. DURSO: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. DURSO: MR. SPEAKER, ON THIS RESOLUTION I HAVE
FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK. I PROMISE YOU I WILL NOT TAKE UP ALL THAT TIME.
ALSO ON -- NORMALLY, WE HAVE TWO 15-MINUTE TIME PERIODS TO SPEAK. I
CAN GUARANTEE YOU RIGHT NOW I WOULD NEVER USE THAT WHOLE 30 MINUTES,
THAT'S JUST ME, BUT I HAVE THE OPTION TO DO IT. I HAVE THE OPTION TO HAVE
THE VOICES HEARD OF MY CONSTITUENTS. THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. IT'S
PRETTY QUIET, THERE'S NOT MANY PEOPLE IN HERE RIGHT NOW, INCLUDING OUR
OWN LEGISLATORS. NOW, THEY'RE ON ZOOM, THEY'RE IN THEIR OFFICES
BECAUSE WE'RE LIMITED IN THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT WE CAN HAVE IN THIS
ROOM AT ONE TIME. UP IN THE RAFTERS, THERE'S NO ONE HERE. OUT IN THE
HALLWAYS, IN THE LOB, THERE'S -- NOBODY'S HERE, NOBODY'S VOICES RIGHT
NOW DUE TO COVID ARE BEING HEARD. SO OUR CONSTITUENTS COME TO US
WITH THEIR ISSUES, WITH THEIR PROBLEMS, WITH THEIR CONCERNS. AND WE
ARE THEIR VOICES HERE IN THE LEGISLATURE. AND TO LIMIT OUR VOICES FOR
OUR CONSTITUENTS IS A PROBLEM.
32
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
I WAS ELECTED TO THIS OFFICE BY MY CONSTITUENTS, LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE HERE, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT LETTER COMES AFTER YOUR NAME,
TO REPRESENT THEM AND THEIR NEEDS NO MATTER WHAT PARTY THEY ARE, BUT BY
SILENCING US, BY SILENCING ANY MEMBER IN THIS LEGISLATURE, YOU ARE
SILENCING ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WE ALL REPRESENT. LIMITING OUR TIME FROM
30 MINUTES TO 15 MINUTES MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL TO A LOT AND
AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I PROMISE YOU, MR. SPEAKER, I'LL MORE THAN LIKELY
NEVER USE THAT 30 MINUTES, BUT IT'S THERE IN CASE. IT'S THERE IN CASE THERE
IS A BILL THAT WE ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT, A BILL THAT AFFECTS OUR AREA,
AFFECTS OUR CONSTITUENTS, AFFECTS THE PEOPLE THAT WE CARE ABOUT. THOSE
ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED US TO REPRESENT THEM. I WAS ELECTED BY
130,000 PEOPLE. NOT EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT VOTED FOR ME WAS A
REPUBLICAN. I REPRESENT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN MY DISTRICT THE SAME
AND I DO WITH PRIDE, BUT BY LIMITING OUR VOICES, YOU ARE LIMITING THE
VOICES OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE REPRESENT. I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE HERE
SHOULD VOTE YES FOR THAT. YOU'RE VOTING YES TO LIMIT THE VOICES OF ALL
OUR CONSTITUENTS IN THIS BODY. SO I ASK EVERYONE TO VOTE NO. THANK
YOU, SIR.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU.
MS. BYRNES.
MS. BYRNES: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. MAY I BE
HEARD ON THE RESOLUTION?
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: SPEAK ON THE
RESOLUTION, MA'AM.
MS. BYRNES: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
OPPORTUNITY. I DON'T THINK HE'S HERE NOW, BUT I KNOW MR. HEASTIE WAS
HERE EARLIER, I WISH HE HAD STAYED AND WAS STILL IN THE ROOM. IN THIS
BODY, THE DEMOCRATS OUTNUMBER THE REPUBLICANS 107 TO 43. WE HAVE
NO ABILITY TO STOP A BILL ONCE IT GETS TO THE FLOOR. BUT, IT'S BEEN POINTED
OUT BEFORE, WE CAN AT LEAST RAISE IMPORTANT ISSUES. WE CAN RAISE
CONCERNS AND A LOT OF THOSE BEAR FRUIT WHEN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
MAKES DECISIONS WHETHER OR NOT TO SIGN A BILL OR VETO A BILL. SO THERE IS
PURPOSE.
I TELL MY CONSTITUENTS IF THEY'RE ELECTING ME, EVEN
THOUGH I CANNOT AFFECT POLICY IN THIS STATE BECAUSE I WILL BE THEIR VOICE.
I'LL BE THE VOICE FOR MY REGION IN UPSTATE NEW YORK STATE. I WILL BE
THEIR VOICE. AND I REPRESENT OVER 30,000 REGISTERED DEMOCRATS. WE
ALL REPRESENT ABOUT 133,000 PEOPLE, MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN. MANY
OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE DEMOCRATS AND THEY SENT ME HERE ALSO TO BE
THEIR VOICE FOR OUR REGION, WHICH MAY HAVE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT
ISSUES FOR REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS THAN IT DOES IN OTHER PLACES IN
THE STATE. BUT THEY WERE UNITED IN SENDING ME HERE. IF THIS RESOLUTION
PASSES, THIS WILL NO LONGER BE THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. SILENCING
OPPOSITION AND SILENCING AND LIMITING DEBATE IS THE ANTITHESIS TO
DEMOCRACY.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU.
MR. MANKTELOW.
MR. MANKTELOW: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
WOULD THE MADAM FLOOR LEADER YIELD FOR A COUPLE QUESTIONS, PLEASE?
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MADAM MAJORITY
34
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
LEADER, WILL YOU YIELD?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YES, I WILL, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THE MAJORITY LEADER
YIELDS, SIR.
MR. MANKTELOW: THANK YOU MR. SPEAKER, AND
THANK YOU, MADAM. GOOD TO SEE YOU HERE AND MY CONDOLENCES ON THE
BUFFALO BILLS NOT --
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: NO CONDOLENCES
NECESSARY, IT WAS A GREAT GAME.
MR. MANKTELOW: SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT
I'VE BEEN -- WE HAVE LISTENED TO ALREADY IS THERE ARE 150 MEMBERS ON
THIS FLOOR. IF WE'RE ONLY ALLOWED FOUR HOURS OF DEBATE AND EACH ONE OF
THOSE MEMBERS TAKES 15 MINUTES, WHO CHOOSES THE 16 MEMBERS THAT
ARE GOING TO DEBATE?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: I THINK THAT WOULD BE UP
TO THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBER IF THEY CHOOSE TO DEBATE.
MR. MANKTELOW: SO IS IT -- IS IT GOING TO BE
DONE ON WHO PUSHES THE BUTTON FIRST?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE UP
TO THE MEMBER IF THEY CHOOSE TO DEBATE. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WANT TO
SAY THAT MOST OF YOUR COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE BEEN DEBATING THE
RESOLUTION BEFORE US TODAY HAVE NOT EVEN USED THE FIVE MINUTES THAT'S
ALLOTTED TO THEM.
MR. MANKTELOW: NO, NO; I UNDERSTAND THAT.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: OKAY.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MR. MANKTELOW: BUT THANK YOU. BUT ON SOME
OF THE BILLS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THIS -- IN THIS CHAMBERS, THE
VACCINE BILL, THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT, ALL THOSE BILLS, COULD YOU
IMAGINE ONLY 16 MEMBERS BEING ABLE TO DEBATE?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: SOMETIMES THAT'S ALL IT
TAKES, COLLEAGUE.
MR. MANKTELOW: I'M SORRY?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: SOMETIMES THAT'S ALL IT
TAKES AND OUR RESPECTIVE COLLEAGUES CAN -- CAN NOTICE THAT AND SEE THAT
AND CHOOSE NOT TO INSIST ON HAVING 15 MINUTES OR FIVE MINUTES OR THREE
MINUTES. I MEAN, I'LL HONESTLY SAY I REPRESENT 130,000 PEOPLE, TOO, AND
A LOT OF THEM WATCH THIS ALL THE TIME AND THEY WANT TO KNOW WHY IS IT
TAKING EVERYBODY SO LONG TO SAY THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN?
AND I SAID IT'S ABOUT DEBATE AND IT'S IMPORTANT, AND I FEEL THAT IT'S
IMPORTANT, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S ABOUT DEBATE AND SOMETIMES IT'S ABOUT
GRANDSTANDING.
MR. MANKTELOW: OKAY.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: I'D RATHER STAY ON THE
DEBATE.
MR. MANKTELOW: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM
FLOOR LEADER.
MR. SPEAKER, ON THE BILL.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE BILL, SIR.
MR. MANKTELOW: AS THE MADAM LEADER JUST
STATED, SOMETIMES WE HEAR IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER ON THIS
36
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
FLOOR, ESPECIALLY DURING DEBATES. BUT I CAN TELL YOU WHAT, THAT'S WHERE I
LEARN, THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF US LEARN. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE
WORD DISCRIMINATION. I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR. SO IF THIS GOES THROUGH AND THE RESIDENTS IN MY DISTRICT, AS WELL
AS EVERY DISTRICT, HOW ARE WE GOING TO STIFLE THOSE MINORITY RESIDENTS?
HOW IS IT FATHOMABLE THAT ON THIS FLOOR WE TALK ABOUT THE VOICES NEED
TO BE HEARD, WE TALK ABOUT THE RIGHT THAT THEY HAVE TO VOTE. THEY HAVE
A RIGHT TO BE HEARD HERE THROUGH THEIR ELECTED OFFICIAL. I DON'T CARE
WHAT PART OF THE STATE YOU'RE FROM, I DON'T CARE WHAT MINORITY WE'RE
LOOKING AT. THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE HEARD. AND FOR EVERYTHING I HAVE
HEARD HERE FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS ABOUT REPRESENTATION AND ABOUT
HELPING MEMBERS OF MINORITIES, OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, IN MY DISTRICT
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT AWAY BECAUSE IF I DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
DEBATE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO -- THAT THESE MEMBERS
KNOW IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS BACK IN MY DISTRICT, HOW IS
THAT FAIR?
I JUST -- THIS IS -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS. AND AS I
SAID, I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH. WHEN WE VOTE HERE, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT
THE MEMBERS OF OUR DISTRICT, IT'S ABOUT ALL OF THEM, WHETHER IT'S THE ONES
THAT ARE SITTING AT THESE CHAIRS, THE ONES UP IN FRONT OF THE SPEAKER'S
PODIUM, THE STAFF IN THE BACK, WHEN WE VOTE, WE VOTE FOR EACH ONE OF
YOU. WHEN WE SPEAK, WE SPEAK FOR EACH ONE OF YOU AS WELL. DO YOU
WANT YOUR VOICES TO BE HEARD OR NOT? THIS IS WHAT THIS BILL WILL DO.
HOW ON EARTH IS THIS A GOOD THING? HOW ON EARTH WILL THIS HELP ALL OF
NEW YORK MOVE FORWARD? HOW WILL WE EVER COMPETE IN THE WORLD?
37
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
HOW WILL WE BE THE EMPIRE STATE AGAIN?
SO I'M ASKING ALL MEMBERS, I'M NOT GOING TO TALK
ABOUT AISLES, PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS, PLEASE VOTE NO. THIS IS NOT A GOOD
BILL. AND THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. GIGLIO.
MR. GIGLIO: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. GIGLIO: THANK YOU AGAIN. YOU KNOW, I HAVE
BEEN A HERE A LONG TIME NOW AND EVERY TIME I WALK OVER FROM THE LOB
INTO THE CAPITOL AND THESE CHAMBERS, I THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT
HAVE COME BEFORE US AND HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE NOW. AND WE
LIKE TO TALK IN THIS CHAMBER A LOT ABOUT HOW NEW YORK WAS A LEADER
AND THAT WE LED THE WAY IN THE NATION. AND A LOT OF THAT HISTORY IS TRUE.
SO AS I SIT HERE TODAY AND LISTEN TO THIS -- THIS DEBATE, I ASK MYSELF
WHERE ARE WE GOING AND WHY? AND I REALLY CAN'T COME UP WITH A GOOD
ANSWER. BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE US MADE TOUGH DECISIONS
ON THIS FLOOR DEBATING THEM. THE PEOPLE THAT OCCUPY THESE CHAMBERS,
THAT OCCUPY THESE SEATS ARE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THE FUTURE AND IT'S
VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
SO THOSE THAT HAVE CAME BEFORE US CREATED ALL OF THIS,
THIS GREAT NEW YORK STATE. AND I WONDER TO MYSELF, WHY WOULD WE
CHANGE IT THAT MUCH? IT GETS TEDIOUS IN HERE, NO DOUBT; NO DOUBT IT GETS
38
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
VERY TEDIOUS SOMETIMES AND YOU WONDER, AGAIN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHY SOMEBODY WOULD BRING UP THIS KIND OF RULE, BUT I ALSO KNOW IT'S
NOT A GOOD RULE BECAUSE WHAT WE LEARN ON THESE FLOORS -- WHEN I WALK
INTO THESE CHAMBERS, A LOT OF TIMES I HAVEN'T MADE DECISIONS ABOUT THE
BILLS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE -- BE BEFORE US. I MAKE THEM AFTER I HEAR
THE DEBATE AND THEY MAKE GOOD JUDGMENT. SOMETIMES I MAKE THEM
AFTER THE MAJORITY LEADER CLOSES WITH SOME WISDOM, OR SOMEBODY ELSE
CLOSES, OR WHEN THE SPEAKER COMES OUT AND WE OPEN SESSION AND WE
OPEN IT WITH ALL THAT HOPE. I DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANY OF THAT. I WANT TO
STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE PEOPLE THAT CAME BEFORE US. I WANT THOSE
NOW TO WORK VERY HARD FOR THOSE WHO COME AFTER US AND STAND ON OUR
SHOULDERS AND WE CAN BE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT HAPPENS HERE IN THESE
CHAMBERS. AND I AM PROUD OF IT AND I AM PROUD TO SERVE AND I AM
PROUD TO SIT IN THIS SEAT. AND I ASK FOR EVERYBODY THAT COMES FROM NOW
ON AND THAT COMES AFTER US, THEY GET THE SAME OPPORTUNITY THAT I HAVE
BEEN GOD GIVEN AND THANKFUL TO HAVE.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. MILLER.
MR. MILLER: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. MILLER: I HAVE SAT HERE AND I HAVE LISTENED TO
THIS DEBATE FOR AN HOUR OR SO RIGHT NOW. AND I THINK ONE THING THAT'S
39
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
BEEN SAID, MY COLLEAGUE TO MY RIGHT WHO JUST SAID IT, I'M GOING TO SAY IT
A LITTLE DIFFERENT WAY. I'M ONE MEMBER WHO IS ONE OF 150 WHO
REPRESENTS 19.2 MILLION PEOPLE, AND WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS FOR 19.2
MILLION PEOPLE HERE IN THIS CHAMBERS. AND I DON'T CARE HOW LONG IT
TAKES FOR US TO DEBATE A BILL, TALK ABOUT A BILL, ARGUE ABOUT A BILL, THOSE
19.2 MILLION PEOPLE DESERVE EVERY MOMENT WE CAN GIVE THEM.
I'M JUST GOING TO USE MY ENGINEER BACKGROUND FOR A
LITTLE WHILE HERE. YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO ALBANY, SOMEBODY
ASKED ME WHAT I DID. I TOLD THEM I WAS AN ENGINEER. THEY SAID, YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO FIT VERY WELL HERE. WELL, I THINK I FIT VERY WELL HERE AND
I'M VERY PROUD OF BEING AN ENGINEER, AND I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF BEING
AN ASSEMBLYMEMBER. BUT THE FIRST THING WE DO IS A ROOT CAUSE
ANALYSIS. OKAY, SO OUR ROOT CAUSE IS ONE ROUND OF 15 MINUTE DEBATE
AND CAN'T DO THAT WITH ANOTHER 15 MINUTE DEBATE. THAT'S AN ISSUE. AND
THEN WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH A CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN. SO WE START
ASKING OURSELVES SOME QUESTIONS: WHAT ARE WE HERE FOR IF NOT TO
DEBATE AND DISCUSS CRUCIAL LEGISLATION? IT TAKES TIME AND WE NEED TO
GIVE EACH PIECE OF LEGISLATION AS MUCH TIME AS WE CAN.
THIS IS HOW WE ALL COME TOGETHER, TO DEBATE AND
DISCUSSION. LEARNING TAKES PLACE THROUGH INFORMED DEBATE AND
DISCUSSION WHICH LEADS TO A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THESE VAST TOPICS.
NEW YORK IS INCREDIBLY DIVERSE, FROM URBAN, RURAL, A HEALTHY, LONG
DEBATE IS CRUCIAL TO GET BOTH SIDES LISTENING TO ONE ANOTHER AND GET ALL
THE VIEWPOINTS, FACTS AND INFORMATION TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.
I REPRESENT THE 101ST ASSEMBLY DISTRICT, AND IT'S
40
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
PROBABLY ONE OF THE LONGEST DISTRICTS IN NEW YORK STATE, IF NOT THE
MOST DIVERSE. I GO FROM NEW HARTFORD, NEW YORK WHICH IS IN THE
MOHAWK VALLEY UP BY UTICA ALL THE WAY TO ORANGETOWN. NOW, ALL THAT
WAY, I GO THROUGH MANY, MANY REGIONS AND WE TALK -- AND WE HAVE
DIFFERENT ISSUES. I SIT HERE WHEN WE'RE HERE IN THIS CHAMBERS OR IF I'M
HOME VIRTUALLY AND I LISTEN TO EVERY DEBATE THAT TAKES PLACE. AND I
LISTEN TO THE POINTS THAT ARE MADE AND THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE -- THAT ARE
ASKED AND ANSWERED. WE NEED TO GIVE THOSE 19.2 MILLION PEOPLE THEIR
JUST DUE ON THIS FLOOR. AND I URGE EVERYONE TO VOTE AGAINST THIS
RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. ASHBY.
MR. ASHBY: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WILL THE
MAJORITY LEADER YIELD?
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES,
WILL YOU YIELD?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YES, MR. SPEAKER, IT
WOULD BE MY PLEASURE.
MR. ASHBY: THANK YOU. MADAM MAJORITY LEADER,
WOULD YOU SAY THAT SOME OF THE DEBATES THAT WE HAVE IN HERE CAN YIELD
SOME POSITIVE CHANGES TO THE LEGISLATION THAT'S BEST?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YES; YEAH, I DO.
MR. ASHBY: WOULD YOU SAY THAT LIMITING DEBATE
COULD ALSO LIMIT POSITIVE CHANGES TO THE LEGISLATION THAT IS PASSED HERE?
41
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: NO, I WOULD NOT AGREE
WITH THAT. I NOTICE THAT MANY OF THE SAME PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WE
PASS ON REGULAR BASIS YEAR AFTER YEAR, OR HOWEVER MUCH AFTER THE SENATE
GETS DONE AN HOUR OR TWO, AND THEY DEBATE, TOO. SO SOMETIMES DEBATE
IS NECESSARY TO BE EXTENSIVE, BUT I DON'T THINK THIS WILL BE NECESSARY TO
DEBATES MORE EXTENSIVE THAN 15 MINUTES PER PERSON.
MR. ASHBY: SO JUST THINKING BACK TO THE
LIMITATIONS THAT WE'VE SEEN DURING COVID AND DURING THE MANY
CHANGES THAT THIS CHAMBER HAS SEEN DURING THAT TIME AND OUR ABILITY TO
DEBATE THAT'S BEEN LIMITED, AND THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN
BROUGHT UP THAT'S BEEN LIMITED, AND OUR ABILITY TO SPEAK THAT'S BEEN
LIMITED, YOU DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANY POSSIBILITY THAT THINGS HAVE
BEEN LOST ON THE PEOPLE OF NEW YORK BECAUSE OF THESE LIMITATIONS?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: ACTUALLY AGAIN, SIR, I
DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S BEEN ANYTHING LOST AT ALL. I THINK PROBABLY
ONCE THESE RULES WERE PUT INTO EFFECT THERE WAS NOT TV TIME LIKE IT IS
NOW, THERE'S NOT SOCIAL MEDIA TIME LIKE IT IS NOW. THERE WAS NOT A/V
EQUIPMENT SITTING IN AND AROUND OUR CHAMBERS. THERE WAS NOT ACCESS
TO INDEPENDENT AND INDIVIDUAL RADIO AND TV IN THE CAPITOL THAT
MEMBERS HAVE THE AVAILABILITY TO USE ON A REGULAR BASIS TO
COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR CONSTITUENCY. SO YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU
KNOW WHAT, SOMETIMES TIMES CHANGE AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE
WITH THOSE TIMES TO ALLOW US TO GET THROUGH THE SAME NUMBER OF PIECES
OF LEGISLATION THAT WE CAN GET THROUGH DURING THE COURSE OF A YEAR THAT
WILL PROVIDE ADDED VALUE TO THE CONSTITUENCY THAT WE ALL SERVE.
42
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MR. ASHBY: AND THOSE MEASURES ARE SO IMPORTANT
THAT THEY NEED TO BE MADE PERMANENT, NOT LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER
CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO DURING THIS PANDEMIC
WHERE THEY'VE HAD SUNSET CLAUSES AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOW MAKING IT
PERMANENTS CHANGES TO HERE. I JUST -- I -- I THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THAT
HAVE HAPPENED AND THE TALK OF OVERREACH ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE,
RIGHT, PAST ADMINISTRATIONS WHAT THEY'VE DONE, AND HOW SOMETHING LIKE
THAT SEEMS TO RESEMBLE THAT TYPE OF OVERREACH. IT SEEMS TO RESEMBLE
THAT TYPE OF ATTITUDE WHERE, WE MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU HAVE
TO SAY, WE'RE JUST GOING TO TRY AND PUSH THIS THROUGH.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: WELL, THAT'S THE FURTHEST
THING FROM MY MINDSET, COLLEAGUE. I AM INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU HAVE TO
SAY.
MR. ASHBY: WELL, I -- I APPRECIATE THAT. I ALSO
THINK OF ALL THE BILLS FANS LAST NIGHT, RIGHT, YOU BEING ONE OF THEM,
MYSELF BEING ONE OF THEM, WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN GRATEFUL FOR AN
OPPORTUNITY TO REPLY, BUT THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO, WERE THEY? I THINK THEY
CALLED IT SUDDEN DEATH, RIGHT, AND IT SEEMS TO RESEMBLE A LITTLE BIT WHAT'S
GOING ON HERE IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE LIMITING DEBATE AND LIMITING THE
ABILITY OF THINGS TO COME THROUGH, WOULD YOU -- COULD YOU SEE THE
SIMILARITY THERE?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: ACTUALLY, THEY DID HAVE
AN OVERTIME, BUT THAT TIME FRAME, AS WELL, AND RULES, WHOEVER MAKES
THE FIRST SCORE, THE GAME IS OVER.
MR. ASHBY: AND THAT'S JUST A FOOTBALL GAME,
43
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MADAM MAJORITY LEADER, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: IT'S JUST A GAME WHICH
WE ALL ENJOYED, AND I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY
SHOULD BE FEELING BAD HERE TODAY, BUT I WILL SAY THAT I HAVE BEEN CALLED
A LIAR TODAY, OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE HAS BEEN CALLED A POTTED PLANT, AND
THIS IS ALL IN THE INTEREST OF DEBATE? THIS IS NOT DEBATE IN MANY CASES.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE GO THROUGH ON A REGULAR BASIS, IT'S
GRANDSTANDING.
MR. ASHBY: I DON'T THINK I'M GRANDSTANDING HERE,
MADAM MAJORITY LEADER. I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER
MY QUESTIONS AND FOR THE DEBATE.
MR. SPEAKER, ON THE BILL BRIEFLY.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE BILL, SIR.
MR. ASHBY: MR. SPEAKER, I -- I KNOW THAT THE
COMPARISON OF A FOOTBALL GAME VERSUS WHAT WE DO HERE IN NEW YORK
STATE MAY NOT BE THE BEST COMPARISON, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF
BILLS FANS OUT THERE HURTING RIGHT NOW WHO MAY BE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH
THAT. BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY IN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT DOING HERE IN NEW YORK STATE AND WHAT WE'VE ALL GONE THROUGH OVER
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS OF HOW WE'VE ALL BEEN LIMITED IN OUR CAPACITY
IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, AND NOW AGAIN. NOT JUST US HERE IN THE
CHAMBER ARE WE GOING TO BE LIMITED, WE ARE GOING TO BE LIMITING OUR
CONSTITUENTS, AT LEAST THE ONES WHO ARE CHOOSING TO STAY HERE IN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MR. GALLAHAN.
MR. GALLAHAN: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. GALLAHAN: THANK YOU. I WAS ELECTED IN
NOVEMBER OF 2020 TO REPRESENT THE 133,000 CONSTITUENTS OF MINE IN
THE 131ST DISTRICT, AS 149 OTHER MEMBERS WERE ALSO ELECTED AT THAT
SAME TIME. COMING HERE FROM A BACKGROUND OF MANY YEARS IN SALES,
11 YEARS AS A -- AS A TOWN SUPERVISOR, IT WAS ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO ME TO
SURROUND MYSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE SMARTER THAN ME SO THAT THEY
COULD GET THE JOB DONE SO THAT I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORK SO HARD. THAT'S
WHAT BUSINESS DOES. AND PART OF THAT IS LETTING YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR
YOUR -- YOUR -- YOUR -- YOUR REPORTS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I CAME DOWN HERE, I HAD THE FURTHEST THING FROM
KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE I NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON
UNTIL I CAME HERE AND HAD TO ASK MY -- MY COLLEAGUES HERE WHAT WAS
GOING ON BECAUSE NOTHING WAS EVER TOLD AHEAD OF TIME, AND I'LL GIVE
YOU AN EXAMPLE. A FEW FRIDAYS AGO, A FEW MONTHS AGO I WAS
ENTERTAINING AT MY HOME AND -- AND ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS THAT WAS
THERE CAME UP TO ME ON HER CELL PHONE AND SAID, JEFF, WHAT'S THIS? I
SAID, OH, THAT'S A MASK MANDATE FROM OUR GOVERNOR, OUR TRANSPARENT
GOVERNOR. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AND IT HAPPENED ON THIS --
ON THIS RESOLUTION TODAY. I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS UNTIL I WALKED IN
THE BUILDING THIS MORNING. I'M NOT A LITTLE GUY, BUT YOU COULD HAVE
45
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
KNOCKED ME OVER WITH A FEATHER.
IF THIS RESOLUTION WERE TO PASS, THERE'S A DISTINCT
POSSIBILITY THAT I MIGHT NOT GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEBATE A BILL OR A
RESOLUTION WITH THE TIME RESTRAINTS THAT ARE PROPOSED. THIS WOULD
PRECLUDE 133,000 CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT FROM HAVING THEIR VOICES
HEARD. THEY WOULDN'T BE REPRESENTED ON THAT BILL OR THAT RESOLUTION, AS
WELL AS MANY OTHER DISTRICTS, NOT JUST MINE. THIS -- IS THIS WHAT YOU
CALL REPRESENTATION? ABSOLUTELY NOT. YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED? A
GAG ORDER. ALL VIEWS AND CONCERNS SHOULD BE HEARD. ALL
ASSEMBLYMEMBERS SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEBATE ON THIS
FLOOR. APPARENTLY, MANY MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY BODY, THEY DON'T
CARE ABOUT RESIDENTS OR OPINIONS OR VIEWS ARE, EITHER POSITIVE OR
NEGATIVE PERTAINING TO THESE ISSUES AT HAND.
MR. SPEAKER, I'M IN THE NEGATIVE ON THIS RESOLUTION AS
IN MY OPINION, ALL ASSEMBLYMEMBERS AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS SHOULD
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD ON ALL BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS HERE IN THE
ASSEMBLY CHAMBER. THANK YOU, SIR.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU.
MR. BROWN.
MR. BROWN: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. BROWN: MR. SPEAKER, TODAY I RISE ON BEHALF OF
THE 130,000 CONSTITUENTS FROM LONG ISLAND WHO HAVE EVERY RIGHT, JUST
46
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
LIKE EVERY OTHER MEMBER OF THIS HOUSE, HAS A RIGHT TO BE HEARD. NOW,
I'VE ONLY BEEN IN OFFICE FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I
HAVE NOT SEEN MANY BILLS THAT HAVE EVEN COME CLOSE TO THE LIMIT. MY
UNDERSTANDING IS THE SAFE ACT, MEDICAL MARIHUANA, AND THE
MARIHUANA BILL THAT WE DEBATED LAST YEAR WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAME
CLOSE. BUT THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO RISE AND SPEAK OUT, I -- TO USE THE
WORD, MR. SPEAKER, I'M OFFENDED. I'M OFFENDED BECAUSE I KNOW FOR A
FACT THAT THE LEADER OF OUR CONFERENCE WAS NEVER, EVER SPOKEN TO
ABOUT THIS RULE CHANGE UNTIL IT WAS PROPOSED. WAS THERE EVER AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR COMPROMISE? WAS THERE EVER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A
DISCUSSION? NO, NONE. THIS IS ONE-PARTY RULE RUN AMUCK. THIS IS
ABOUT POWER. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO JUSTIFICATION, AND THE JUSTIFICATION
I HEARD EARLIER ABOUT THE FILIBUSTER RULES IS NONSENSE. THE FILIBUSTER
RULES OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE DON'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO HERE. EVERY
MEMBER HAS A RIGHT TO VOTE, NO MEMBER HAS THE ABILITY TO STOP A VOTE IN
THIS CHAMBER, THE PEOPLE'S CHAMBER. BUT YET, THAT'S THE EXPLANATION
WE HEARD. EVERYONE HAS EQUAL TIME FOR EQUAL VOTES. ONE HUNDRED AND
FIFTY PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO STAND UP AND SPEAK FOR 15 MINUTES AND AN
EQUAL RIGHT IF THEY WANT TO SPEAK FOR AN ADDITIONAL 15 MINUTES. THIS
WILL HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT, THIS IS DESIGNED TO HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT,
THIS IS TO STIFLE DEBATE AND NOTHING MORE.
I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF
THIS HOUSE THAT MAY NOT BE AWARE, BUT I APPEAR OFTEN IN FRONT OF PUBLIC
FORUMS AND OUR OWN STATE, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, THE GOVERNOR HERSELF
AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS PROMULGATED RULES FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS,
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
AND THE RULES SAY THERE'S NO LIMIT ON THE AMOUNT OF DEBATE. THERE IS,
HOWEVER, LIMITS ON SPEAKERS TO SPEAK FOR TWO TO THREE MINUTES, BUT
THERE'S NO OVERRIDING RULE ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME. AND THE REASON FOR
THAT IS BECAUSE IN THE DISCOURSE IS WHERE COMPROMISE COMES IN. IN THE
DISCOURSE BETWEEN PEOPLE, RATIONAL PEOPLE, THERE IS AN EXCHANGE OF
IDEAS, THE MUTUAL EXCHANGE OF IDEAS.
I'M GOING TO READ YOU THE DEFINITION OF THE
MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS IF I CAN FIND IT ON MY PHONE, AND IT SAYS, THE
MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS: THE CONCEPT THAT WITHIN A SOCIETY DIFFERENT
(INAUDIBLE) CAN FREELY COMPETE WITH ONE ANOTHER IN AN OPEN,
TRANSPARENT, PUBLIC DISCOURSE INSTEAD OF BEING CENSORED BY THE
GOVERNMENT OR SOME PART OF SOCIETY. IF THAT DOESN'T APPLY HERE, MR.
SPEAKER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES. THERE'S 19 MILLION NEW YORKERS, 19
MILLION PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE HEARD AND MANY TIMES, MY
UNDERSTANDING IN THE SHORT TIME I'VE BEEN HERE AND DURING THE DEBATE,
WE BRING UP VERY GOOD IDEAS, IDEAS THAT THE GOVERNOR LISTENS TO THAT ARE
MADE IN A FORM OF AMENDMENTS TO BILLS THAT ARE LATER TAKEN UP BY THIS
HOUSE, AND THE BILLS ARE OF TRUTH. AND THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE
EXERCISE. THIS RESOLUTION BEFORE US TODAY IS UN-AMERICAN, IT'S
AUTHORITARIAN, AND IT'S UNDEMOCRATIC. IT'S A JOKE AND I VOTE NO. THANK
YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. SIMPSON.
MR. SIMPSON: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE RESOLUTION.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. SIMPSON: THE MERITS OF WORKING IN THE SPIRIT
OF COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION IS BORNE OUT OF THE IDEA THAT WHEN WE
COME TOGETHER AND SHARE WITH ONE ANOTHER A DIVERSE SET OF IDEAS ON A
GIVEN SUBJECT, WE WILL FIND COMMON GROUND SOLUTIONS THAT BETTER
REPRESENT US ALL. WHAT IS DISHEARTENING TO ME THE MOST ABOUT THIS
RESOLUTION IS NOT THAT THIS SIGNIFICANTLY DEFLATES THAT VERY SPIRIT, IT IS THAT
THIS RESOLUTION IS A SECOND STEP IN DEFLATING THE SPIRIT OF CIVIL DISCOURSE
HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. WHAT BEGAN AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE IS
NOW BEING MADE PERMANENT UNDER THE GUISE OF HAVING MORE TIME TO
GET MORE INFORMATION TO OUR CONSTITUENTS.
I COME FROM A DISTRICT WHO JUST LAST WEEK, ONE OF THE
COUNTIES ADDED AN ADDITIONAL MONTHLY COUNTY BOARD MEETING
SPECIFICALLY FOR MORE DEBATE AND MORE DISCUSSION, MORE TRANSPARENCY;
QUITE THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO TODAY. I THINK THEY HAVE IT
RIGHT, MORE DEBATE, MORE DISCUSSION LEADS TO BETTER DECISIONS, BETTER
DECISIONS FOR THE NEW YORKERS THAT WE REPRESENT. I HAVE THE
UNFORTUNATE DISTINCTION OF NOT EVER BEING ABLE TO REPRESENT MY DISTRICT
IN A NON-COVID ATMOSPHERE. THIS RESOLUTION WILL MAKE ELEMENTS OF
THE COVID-ERA GOVERNING PERMANENT, NOT BECAUSE IT IS WHAT THE VOTERS
HAVE ASKED FOR, BUT BECAUSE OF WHAT? THIS RESOLUTION HAS A DEAFENING
TONE TO IT AND I EMPHATICALLY IMPLORE ALL OF YOU TO VOTE THIS DOWN.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: THANK YOU, MR.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
SIMPSON.
MS. GIGLIO.
MS. GIGLIO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. WILL THE
SPONSOR YIELD?
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: DOES THE SPONSOR
YIELD?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YES, I WOULD LIKE THAT.
MS. GIGLIO: THANK YOU. SO HOW WILL THE 16
PEOPLE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITHIN THOSE FOUR HOURS BE CHOSEN?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: I'M SORRY, COULD YOU
REPEAT THAT?
MS. GIGLIO: HOW -- SO THERE'S FOUR SPEAKERS AN
HOUR FOR FOUR HOURS, 16 PEOPLE PLUS THE TWO FLOOR LEADERS. HOW WILL
THOSE PEOPLE BE CHOSEN TO SPEAK IN A DEBATE?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: IN THE SIMILAR PROCESS
THAT WE USE NOW, COLLEAGUE. YOU PUSH YOUR BUTTON, YOUR NAME GOES
ON A LIST AND YOU GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
MS. GIGLIO: SO WITH THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE
THAT CAN BE IN THE CHAMBER, HOW -- ARE WE GOING TO KEEP PEOPLE
OUTSIDE THAT MAY HAVE TO RUSH IN? IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE A GAME SHOW
WHERE YOU HAVE TO RUSH IN, EVERYBODY HAS TO RUSH IN AND PRESS THEIR
BUTTON FIRST SO THEY GET TO, YOU KNOW, SPEAK?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: NO, I THINK OUR
COLLEAGUES ARE PRETTY GOOD AT KEEPING UP WITH THE CALENDAR AND
REALIZING WHEN SOMETHING IS ON THE FLOOR THAT THEY'D LIKE TO MAKE
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
COMMENTS ON, AND THEY CAN COME ON THE FLOOR AND DO SO.
MS. GIGLIO: I FEEL SORRY FOR WAYNE, HE'S GOT A
TOUGH JOB AS IT IS AND THIS JUST SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT
CRAZY IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO IS GOING TO SPEAK ON WHAT BILL. BUT I
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.
BY THE WAY, WAYNE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, HE'S USED TO A TOUGH JOB,
HE CAN DO IT.
MS. GIGLIO: SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANT TO MOVE
BILLS ALONG AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES DEBATE CAN TAKE SOME TIME
AND WE FEEL THAT SOME PEOPLE GRANDSTAND, BUT THAT'S THEIR RIGHT AS AN
ELECTED OFFICIAL, TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS. WE -- WE
DEBATE VERY FEW BILLS IN A SESSION AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE
ALWAYS START LATE AND WE ALWAYS LEAVE EARLY, AND THEN IT COMES TO THE
LAST MONTH OR THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF SESSION AND EVERYBODY'S RUNNING
AROUND CRAZY. AND IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT WE ALWAYS
START LATE AND WE ALWAYS LEAVE EARLY. IF WE WANT TO DEBATE MORE BILLS,
WE SHOULD BE DOING OUR JOBS AND WE SHOULD BE IN THE CHAMBER DOING
IT.
SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T GET ANSWERS FROM THE SPONSOR. I
MEAN, I'M NEW AT THIS AND I -- I LISTEN TO WHAT EVERYBODY SAYS AND
SOME SPONSORS OF BILLS ARE VERY GOOD AT RUNNING AROUND THE CIRCLES
WITHOUT ACTUALLY ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS AND I THINK IT'S VERY HELPFUL
WHEN MY COLLEAGUES PICK UP ON THAT AND MAY FOLLOW UP WITH A
QUESTION TO WHERE THEY CAN GET THE ANSWER FOR ME IF I'M NOT ABLE TO GET
51
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
THE ANSWER THAT I'M LOOKING FOR, OR THAT I NEED TO REALLY UNDERSTAND
WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND I LEARN FROM LISTENING SO I -- I APPRECIATE THE
DEBATES AND SOMETIMES I CHANGE MY DECISION ON BILLS AND VOTE WITH
THE MAJORITY BECAUSE I LISTEN TO THE DEBATE AND I TAKE EVERYTHING INTO
CONSIDERATION. WE HAVE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES AND UNIQUE DISTRICTS AND
EVERY BILL THAT'S PASSED APPLIES TO A DISTRICT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. SO WE
NEED TO GET THE ANSWERS FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS SO WE CAN BRING IT BACK TO
THEM AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WE -- WE NEED TO GET THE ANSWERS, WE NEED TO
KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICTS.
I DEBATED A BILL AND WHEN I SAID I WANTED TO DEBATE,
THE FLOOR SPEAKER SAID -- THE FLOOR LEADER SAID, WHY DO YOU WANT TO
DEBATE THIS BILL, THIS BILL HAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY SINCE 2014 EVERY
SINGLE YEAR. AND BY THE TIME I GOT DONE DEBATING THE BILL, MANY OF THE
MEMBERSHIP ON BOTH SIDES VOTED AGAINST THE BILL. DEBATE IS IMPORTANT,
IT REALLY IS AND IT REALLY -- IT BRINGS THINGS OUT THAT SOMEBODY MAY HAVE
NOT LOOKED AT IT IN THAT PARTICULAR WAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF TALK RIGHT NOW ABOUT VOTER SUPPRESSION
AND I REALLY FEEL THAT THIS IS SUPPRESSING MY RIGHT TO SPEAK AS AN ELECTED
OFFICIAL, SUPPRESSING MY RIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MY CONSTITUENTS.
AND WE TALK ABOUT FILIBUSTER, YOU KNOW, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
COULDN'T STOP THE FILIBUSTER WITHOUT THE VOTES, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE VOTES
AND IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A WAY OF GETTING AROUND DEMOCRACY BY
CHANGING THE RULES. I VOTE NO AND I ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THE SAME.
THIS IS SENDING A MESSAGE TO ALL OF US THAT THEY REALLY DON'T WANT TO
HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND I JUST THINK IT'S WRONG. THANK YOU.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: THANK YOU, MS.
GIGLIO.
MR. MCDONOUGH.
YOU NEED TO UNMUTE, MR. MCDONOUGH.
YOU'RE STILL MUTED.
MR. MCDONOUGH, SIR, COULD YOU UNMUTE YOUR ZOOM?
THERE WE GO.
MR. MCDONOUGH: CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: WE CAN, SIR,
THANK YOU.
MR. MCDONOUGH: I'M SORRY. THEY WEREN'T
ALLOWING ME TO UNMUTE FOR A MOMENT THERE.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE
RESOLUTION, PLEASE.
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. MCDONOUGH: OKAY, THANK YOU. AND WOULD
THE MAJORITY LEADER PLEASE YIELD FOR A QUESTION?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YES, OF COURSE.
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: THE MAJORITY
LEADER YIELDS.
MR. MCDONOUGH: THANK YOU, MADAM LEADER.
I'M CURIOUS. I'M NOT THERE BECAUSE OF COVID SO I'M DOING THIS BY
ZOOM, BUT I HAVE WATCHED EVERY SESSION EVERY DAY THAT I'M NOT THERE
AND I'M VERY CURIOUS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE 20 YEARS IN THE ASSEMBLY
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
AND I'VE NEVER SEEN A DEBATE WHERE NOT ONE PERSON IN THE MAJORITY HAS
SPOKEN. AND I THINK THAT'S RATHER UNUSUAL AND IT RAISES THE QUESTION
HAVE THEY BEEN INSTRUCTED OR RECOMMENDED NOT TO SPEAK ON THIS BILL? I
CAN'T BELIEVE THAT OVER 100 MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY, TWO-THIRDS OF
THE ASSEMBLY, NOBODY HAS AN OPINION TO SPEAK OUT ON THIS BILL OTHER
THAN YOURSELF AND I'M CURIOUS, WAS THERE ANY INSTRUCTION TO THESE
PEOPLE NOT TO TALK ON THIS BILL?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: SIR, THAT'S NOT AN
INSTRUCTION THAT I OR SPEAKER HEASTIE WOULD GIVE TO OUR COLLEAGUES.
THAT IS THEIR DECISION AND, BY THE WAY, THEY STILL HAVE TIME TO WEIGH IN.
MR. MCDONOUGH: WELL, I THANK YOU. I'VE NEVER
SEEN THAT BEFORE. THANK YOU.
MADAM SPEAKER, ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. MCDONOUGH: I WILL ECHO ALL OF THE THINGS
THAT MY COLLEAGUES IN THE MINORITY HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT, AND I WON'T
REPEAT THEM ALL, BUT THIS IS A VERY, VERY UNUSUAL DAY. AND AS I SAID, I'VE
BEEN HERE 20 YEARS AND I'VE NEVER SEEN IT HAPPEN THIS WAY. SO IT
STRIKES TO ME THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING TOLD TO THEM ORIGINALLY OR NONE
OF THEM HAVE THE COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE BILL. BUT MADAM
SPEAKER, I AM OPPOSED TO THIS BILL AND I JOIN MY COLLEAGUES, AND I ALSO
ASK ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CHAMBER TO THINK TWICE ABOUT THIS AND VOTE
NO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: THANK YOU, MR.
MCDONOUGH.
54
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MR. SMITH.
MR. SMITH: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. I RISE
TODAY -- OH, ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. SMITH: THANK YOU. I RISE TODAY TO EXPRESS MY
DEEP CONCERNS ABOUT THIS PROPOSED RULES CHANGE, THIS RESOLUTION. AS A
MEMBER OF THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, I'M VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS WOULD
LIMIT JUST BY DESIGN THE ABILITY FOR ALL 150 MEMBERS TO SPEAK ON ISSUES
THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT,
OVER 20 MILLION NEW YORKERS AS OF THE LAST CENSUS. AND I FIND IT
IRONIC AND INTERESTING BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP
BECAUSE THE ISSUES THAT ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT, THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL
ARE ISSUES WHERE MEMBERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WOULD LIKE TO
EXPRESS EITHER SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION, CONCERNS, QUESTIONS, AND I THINK
THAT THAT'S THE TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD IN THIS
CHAMBER, A VERY CORDIAL DISCUSSION. IT'S SOMETHING I ADMIRE WHEN I
BRING BACK HOME TO MY DISTRICT IS THAT WHEN WE DEBATE ON ISSUES THAT
ARE IMPORTANT TO NEW YORKERS IN THIS CHAMBER, WE DO SO ON THE ISSUE.
WE NEVER MAKE IT PERSONAL AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE EFFORTS TO STAY
ON TOPIC AND WITH RESPECT TO THAT. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANY EFFORT TO
FILIBUSTER WITH A COORDINATED EFFORT WHERE HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS
WERE SPENT JUST TRYING TO WIND DOWN TIME. YOU KNOW, UNDER THE MATH,
IT COULD BE NUMEROUS IF EVERY MEMBER ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE
DECIDED TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY EVIDENCE
55
NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
OF THAT AT LEAST IN THE LAST TEN YEARS WHERE I'VE EITHER BEEN A MEMBER OR
INVOLVED WITH THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A REALLY MOOT
POINT ON THAT END. SO THE QUESTION IS IF THIS RULES CHANGE IS NEEDED,
THEN THAT'S SIMPLY TO SILENCE DEBATE ON CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS. SO I THINK
AS A MEMBER AND ALL OF US AS MEMBERS OF THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, WE REALLY
HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT.
THE FINAL COMMENTS I'LL SAY, AND MY WIFE -- TWO
THINGS MY WIFE SAYS I'M VERY GOOD AT, NUMBER ONE IS SPEAKING ABOUT
THINGS AND NUMBER TWO IS -- SHE ALWAYS TELLS ME I HAVE A VERY HIGH
TOLERANCE FOR BORING THINGS SO IN THAT REGARD, JOKING ASIDE, I THINK IT'S
OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LISTEN TO EVERY MEMBER. PART OF OUR JOB IS NOT JUST
TO SPEAK OUT AND TO GIVE A VOICE TO OUR PEOPLE, IT'S ALSO TO LISTEN TO ONE
ANOTHER AND TO FORM AN ADVISED OPINION. SO I TAKE GREAT PRIDE AND
PLEASURE IN LISTENING TO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY ON ANY NUMBER
OF TOPICS, WHETHER IT BE SINGLE-PAYER HEALTH CARE, THE MARIHUANA
DEBATE, THE SAFE ACT MANY AREAS AGO, LISTENING BECAUSE EVEN -- AND
ESPECIALLY IF IT'S AN OPINION THAT I DISAGREE WITH, I REALLY WANT TO HEAR
WHERE THE PERSON'S COMING FROM.
AND I GUESS I WILL CONCLUDE MY COMMENTS BY SAYING
OVER THE LAST 200-PLUS YEARS AS A NATION, WE CONTINUE TO REPRESENT AND
TO BE THAT MORE PERFECT UNION AND AT A TIME WHERE THERE ARE MANY
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE, ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE
STRIVE, ALL OF US IN OUR OWN WAY TO GIVE A VOICE MANY TIMES TO THOSE
WHO DO NOT HAVE A VOICE. AND BY DOING SO, THAT HAS ADVANCED THIS
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
AMERICAN EXPERIMENT AND MADE OUR COUNTRY A MUCH BETTER PLACE. FOR
THAT REASON, I THINK WE NEED MORE DEBATE AND NOT LESS SO I WILL BE
VOTING NO ON THIS RESOLUTION AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO
DO THE SAME. THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: THANK YOU, MR.
SMITH.
MR. MONTESANO.
MR. MONTESANO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
MAY I SPEAK ON THE RESOLUTION?
ACTING SPEAKER WOERNER: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. MONTESANO: THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, I'M
NOT GOING TO REPEAT WHAT MANY OF THE MEMBERS HAVE SAID SO FAR
TONIGHT, I'LL JUST ECHO THEIR COMMENTS. THIS IS MY 12TH YEAR OF BEING
HERE AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME LATE NIGHTS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE
BUDGET SEASON, OF DEBATING BILLS. I REMEMBER TIMES WE WENT 22, 23
HOURS STRAIGHT AND WERE LEAVING HERE AT 6:30, 7:00 IN THE MORNING
WHEN THE DAY STAFF WAS WALKING IN THE BUILDING. SO -- AND I UNDERSTAND
THAT FRUSTRATION, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE,
MAYBE WITH THE LEADERSHIP, THAT THIS GOES ON. LAST YEAR WE HAD A VERY
CONTENTIOUS BUDGET DEBATE AND IT WENT BACK AND FORTH, IT WAS ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S IN THOSE BILLS
UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. I REMEMBER SITTING HERE 2:00 IN THE MORNING AND
ANOTHER BUDGET BILL COMES OUT THIS BIG, AND THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT OUR
ANALYSTS AND OUR WAYS AND MEANS PEOPLE ARE GETTING TO SEE THAT PIECE
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
OF LEGISLATION, AND EVERYBODY HAS TO TAKE A PIECE OF IT AND SORT THROUGH
IT SO WE CAN DEVELOP OUR QUESTIONS.
NOW, EVEN IN COMMITTEE, WE'VE HAD MANY LIVELY
DEBATES IN COMMITTEE THAT HAVE CHANGED THE MINDS OF THE PEOPLE ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE, ON THE MAJORITY SIDE OF THE AISLE. I DEBATED
A POWER OF ATTORNEY BILL ONCE IN CODES FOR 45 MINUTES STRAIGHT AND THE
MEMBERS OF THE MAJORITY SIDE STARTED LOOKING AT EACH OTHER, BECAUSE
THEY DIDN'T REALIZE WHAT I WAS POINTING OUT WAS ACTUALLY IN THAT BILL.
AND THE CHAIRMAN WHO IS NOW RETIRED LOOKED OVER HIS SHOULDER TO HIS
LEGAL COUNSEL TO ASK WHAT I SAID IF IT WAS ACCURATE OR NOT AND HE WAS
TOLD YES, HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE BILL OFF THE CALENDAR, AND THAT'S
HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION BECAUSE WE GET INFORMED
THROUGH DEBATE OF WHERE THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH A BILL, WHERE
THERE'S AN IRREGULARITY.
YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY FROM MY SIDE OF THE AISLE, THANKS
TO OUR STAFF WE'RE VERY WELL-BRIEFED AND FILLED IN ABOUT EVERY BILL THAT
HITS THIS FLOOR. MAYBE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE YOU'RE NOT AND IT
MAY BE INTENTIONAL OR NOT INTENTIONAL THAT YOU'RE NOT FULLY BRIEFED, BUT
YOU NEED TO HEAR, AS WE GO BACK AND FORTH, WHAT'S IN THESE BILLS
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY'RE ALL NOT WHAT PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE. THE
WAY THEY'RE PRESENTED TO YOU, YOU GET ONE OR TWO LINES ON THE CALENDAR
OR THE WAY THAT YOU GET THEM IN A CONFERENCE, THAT INFORMATION IS NOT
ALWAYS THE SAME AS WHAT YOU THINK IT IS UNLESS YOU FLUSH OUT THE BILLS.
AND SOME OF THESE BILLS NEED TO BE FLUSHED OUT ON BOTH SIDES. THERE
WERE TIMES I SAT HERE, MY COLLEAGUE SAID BEFORE FROM UPSTATE, OUR
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
VOTES CHANGE WHILE WE'RE SITTING HERE. I COME IN WITH THE IDEA I'LL BE
VOTING NO ON A BILL AND THEN WHEN I LISTEN TO BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE
DEBATE IT, A PIECE OF INFORMATION COMES OUT, I CHECK IT, MY VOTE IS
CHANGED; MANY A TIMES I GO UP AND MANY TIMES I GO IN THE NEGATIVE.
BUT FOR THIS HOUSE TO TAKE THIS POSITION AND SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO
ALLOW THIS ANYMORE, THIS FURTHER (INAUDIBLE), I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND
WHERE YOU'RE GOING AND HOW THE MAJORITY WILL VOTE FOR THIS AND THEN GO
HOME TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS. IT'S THE MAJORITY SIDE AS WELL AS OUR SIDE,
IT'S OUR JOBS AROUND THIS WHOLE STATE TO FLUSH OUT THE INFORMATION ON
THESE BILLS. WE ALL KNOW ON OUR SIDE THAT YOU HAVE THE VOTES TO PASS
ANYTHING YOU WANT. YOU DON'T REALLY NEED US, WE COULD BE OUT OF HERE
FOR A MONTH STRAIGHT AND YOU COULD PASS ANY PIECE OF LEGISLATION YOU
WANT, BOTH IN THE COMMITTEE AND IN THIS HOUSE WITH A RARE EXCEPTION,
ALL RIGHT. IT'S JUST DESIGNED THAT WAY. YOU NEVER LET IT HAPPEN, YOU
NEVER LET A BILL COME TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT 76-PLUS VOTES. YOU DON'T
WANT TO COUNT ON US FOR ANY -- WE KNOW THAT. SO OUR JOB IS TO BRING TO
LIGHT WHERE THE DEFICIENCIES ARE IN THESE BILLS, WHERE THE BAD STUFF IS IN
THESE BILLS, AND THEN SOMETIMES WE PERSUADE YOU AND I'VE SEEN -- IT'S A
RARITY, TRUST ME, A RARITY, THAT A BILL GETS PULLED AT THE LAST MINUTE
BECAUSE IT CAN'T GET THE VOTES.
THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER OF THIS HOUSE WHO I UNDERSTAND
IS NO LONGER WITH US WHO PASSED EARLIER TODAY, WHEN HE TOOK HIS SEAT
AFTER HE RESIGNED BEING THE SPEAKER, RIGHT OVER THERE IN THAT CORNER, AND
DEBATED ONE OF HIS OWN PARTY MEMBERS ON A BILL, THAT BILL DIED ON THE
FLOOR BECAUSE HE PUT OUT INFORMATION ABOUT THAT BILL THE REST OF THE
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MEMBERS ON THAT SIDE OF THE AISLE WERE NOT AWARE OF. SO THAT'S THE
WHOLE IDEA OF THE DEBATE. SO I REALIZE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SIT HERE FOR
HOURS AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS TALKED ABOUT FILIBUSTER, LOOK, I'D BE THE
FIRST TO TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, FROM SITTING HERE ALL THESE YEARS. THERE'S
TIMES I WANT TO BANG MY HEAD ON THE TABLE WHEN THESE THINGS GO ON
AND ON AND ON. TRUST ME, I GET IT. I'M NO FAN OF IT, BUT IT'S THE
NECESSARY JOB THAT WE DO. I USED TO HAVE A MEMBER SITTING BEHIND ME
WHO WAS A DENTIST. I USED TO -- IT WAS LIKE GETTING A ROOT CANAL FROM
HIM WITHOUT ANESTHESIA WITH SOME OF THESE BILLS THAT WOULD GO ON.
SO A LOT OF US KNOW THAT THAT HAVE BEEN HERE LONG
ENOUGH OF HOW THESE THINGS CAN CARRY ON AND I UNDERSTAND THE
FRUSTRATION, BUT IT'S OUR JOB -- IT'S OUR JOB TO FLUSH OUT THE INFORMATION
AND IF, YOU KNOW, OTHER MEMBERS DECIDE, YOU KNOW, (INAUDIBLE) NOT
CARING WHAT THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION SAYS, THAT'S THEIR PREROGATIVE AND
THEY'LL HAVE TO ANSWER UP FOR IT LATER ON TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS. BUT ON
THE MINORITY SIDE, IT'S OUR JOB TO BRING THIS STUFF TO LIGHT. AND THERE IS A
LOT OF STUFF THAT COMES OUT ON THIS FLOOR THAT'S SUPERB, THEY'RE EXCELLENT
IDEAS, AND WE JUMP RIGHT BEHIND IT. AND I HEARD A COLLEAGUE BEFORE, HE
SAID HE VOTES 83 PERCENT OF THE TIME WITH THE SPEAKER, SO DO MANY OF
US BECAUSE THEY'RE GOOD BILLS, THEY'RE LEGITIMATE BILLS, WE'RE PROUD TO
STAND BEHIND THEM, WE'RE PROUD TO SUPPORT THEM.
BUT THERE ARE TIMES THAT IDEAS COME OUT THAT JUST DON'T
MAKE IT AND THAT WE HAVE TO -- WE HAVE TO SPEAK ABOUT. AND AS, YOU
KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S DISTASTEFUL, SOMETIMES WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR
ABOUT IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT TYPE OF JOB THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
SO I WOULD ASK YOU ALL TODAY THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU
WOULD EXPLAIN TO ABOUT WHY THIS IS A GOOD RESOLUTION AND WHY YOU
SHOULD BE VOTING FOR IT AND WHY MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T BE CRITICIZING IT,
THINK OF YOURSELF AS AN INDIVIDUAL, OF WHY YOU'RE HERE, WHO YOU'RE
ANSWERING TO. EVERYBODY IN THIS HOUSE IS EDUCATED. EVERYBODY HAS
DEGREES, MANY HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEGREES AND EDUCATION IN LAW AND IN
MANY OTHER DIFFERENT FIELDS. WE'VE HAD MANY IN THE MEDICAL
PROFESSION WHO SIT IN THIS ROOM, SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NOT AN EDUCATED
LEGISLATURE --
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. MONTESANO,
WOULD YOU WRAP UP, YOU'VE GONE A LITTLE PAST YOUR TIME.
MR. MONTESANO: I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T
HEAR THE BUZZER.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL THINK HARD
ABOUT THIS AND I'LL BE VOTING IN THE NEGATIVE AND I ASK ALL MY COLLEAGUES
TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER, FOR THE COURTESY.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. SCHMITT.
YOU'RE NOW AT A MINUS FROM MR. MONTESANO'S TIME --
MR. SCHMITT: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. WOULD
THE MAJORITY LEADER YIELD FOR A FEW QUESTIONS, PLEASE?
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES,
WILL YOU YIELD?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: OF COURSE I WILL, MR.
SPEAKER.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MR. SCHMITT: THANK YOU, MADAM MAJORITY
LEADER. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IT WOULD BE FOUR HOURS OF TRADITIONAL
DEBATE, CORRECT, THAT WOULD BE THE OVERALL TIME LIMIT, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL
ONE HOUR OF EXPLANATION?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YES, THAT WOULD BE RIGHT,
SIR.
MR. SCHMITT: NOW, THAT ADDITIONAL HOUR WOULD
ONLY BE USED FOR AN EXPLANATION IF -- THERE'S NO CROSSOVER BETWEEN USES,
IS THAT -- WOULD THAT BE CORRECT?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YES. TRADITIONALLY, IT'S
STARTED BY TO EXPLAIN MY VOTE.
MR. SCHMITT: ON THE FIRST PERSON ONCE THAT STARTS,
OKAY. IS -- HAS THIS CHAMBER EVER PREVIOUSLY HAD AN OVERALL TIME LIMIT
RESTRICTION FOR INDIVIDUAL BILL DEBATE?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF,
SIR. I DEBATED A BILL LAST YEAR THAT TOOK SIX-AND-A-HALF HOURS.
MR. SCHMITT: I DO REMEMBER THAT AND A FEW
OTHERS THAT WENT FOR -- FOR SOME TIME. WHAT WAS THE METHODOLOGY OR
THE SOURCE -- HOW DID WE COME UP WITH A FOUR-HOUR/ONE-HOUR, WHAT
WAS THE BASIS FOR THAT INSTEAD OF THREE AND TWO, OR SEVEN AND ONE?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: I THINK THE BASIS
GENERALLY IS THAT THAT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO -- FOR
MEMBERS TO RAISE QUESTIONS AND HAVE THEM ANSWERED.
MR. SCHMITT: BASED ON AN AVERAGE OF DEBATE?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: BASED ON THE NUMBER OF
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MEMBERS WHO SERVE IN OUR BODY AND BASED ON THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS
WHO SERVE IN THE SENATE WHO GET THE SAME THINGS DONE WITH LESS TIME.
MR. SCHMITT: DOES THE SENATE CURRENTLY HAVE AN
OVERALL TIME LIMIT ON DEBATE PER BILL?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YEAH, THEY HAVE TWO
HOURS FOR AN ENTIRE DEBATE AND THIS HAS BEEN CONSISTENT, NOTHING HAS
CHANGED FOR THEM, AND THEY HAVE TWO MINUTES TO EXPLAIN THEIR VOTE.
MR. SCHMITT: NOW, MY CALCULATION IS THAT THE
MINIMUM AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO MIGHT POSSIBLY BE ABLE TO DEBATE
WOULD BE 16 IF THE FIRST 16 PEOPLE CAME IN AND USED THE FULL 15
MINUTES. IS THE PROCESS FOR COUNTING THIS TIME GOING TO BE THROUGH THE
SPEAKER, OR HOW WILL THAT BE TRACKED, HOW MUCH TIME HAS BEEN
(INAUDIBLE)?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: SO YOUR QUESTION IS FOR
YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SPOKE -- SPOKEN ALREADY ON A DEBATE FOR 15
MINUTES, IF YOU NEEDED TO HAVE MORE TIME TO DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE A
CONVERSATION FOR YOU AND MR. BARCLAY OR MR. --
MR. SCHMITT: JUST TO CLARIFY. THERE'S FOUR HOURS
OVERALL THAT ANYONE CAN DEBATE ON EITHER SIDE. WHO IS IT RESPONSIBLE
FOR MAINTAINING WHAT -- WHEN THAT STARTS OR WHEN THAT ENDS OR WHEN IT'S
BEEN REACHED?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: WELL, I THINK ONCE WE ALL
UNDERSTAND THE RULES, WE WILL BE CONSIDERATE OF EACH OTHER, AND 85 OF
US WOULD NOT WANT TO USE 15 MINUTES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I HAVE
MENTIONED THIS EARLIER ON THE FLOOR, WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES TODAY TO
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
DEBATE THIS RESOLUTION AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR COLLEAGUES HAVE NOT
USED THE ENTIRE FIVE MINUTES.
MR. SCHMITT: THE -- MY OTHER QUESTION IS SAY
WE'RE NEARING THE END OF THE FOUR HOURS AND YOU, ME, ANY MEMBER GETS
UP FOR THEIR CHANCE, THEY GET THE CHANCE TO SPEAK AND THERE'S ONLY THREE
MINUTES LEFT IN THAT OVERALL FOUR-HOUR PERIOD. HOW IS THAT GOING TO BE
ADJUDICATED? WOULD THEY STILL BE ABLE TO FINISH OUT THEIR QUESTIONING
TIME OR WOULD THEY LOSE THEIR OVERALL 15 MINUTES AND JUST BE KEPT TO
WHENEVER THE TIME LIMIT IS OR WILL SOMEONE NOT BE BROUGHT UP IF THEY
USE THEIR FULL 15?
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YOU PROBABLY JUST
NOTICED IT, THE GENTLEMANLY ATTITUDE OF OUR SPEAKER WHEN THE LAST
COLLEAGUE WAS OVER HIS FIVE MINUTES, HE DID NOT START SOUNDING THE
GAVEL TO HAVE HIM SIT DOWN, HE ALLOWED HIM TO COMPLETE AND REMINDED
HIM THAT HE WAS AT THE TIME, THE GENTLEMAN SAID OKAY AND HE FINISHED
UP. AND SO I AGREE IT'S THAT KIND OF CORDIAL CONVERSATION THAT WE'LL HAVE
AMONGST EACH OTHER TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
MR. SCHMITT: THANK YOU, MADAM LEADER, FOR
ANSWERING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: YOU'RE VERY WELCOME,
SIR.
MR. SCHMITT: MR. SPEAKER, ON THE RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE RESOLUTION,
SIR.
MR. SCHMITT: HISTORICALLY, OUR COUNTRY HAS
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
BENEFITTED AND EMBRACED VIGOROUS AND MANY TIMES EXHAUSTIVE DEBATE
FROM OUR VERY FOUNDING. I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD KEEP
IN MIND AS WE CONSIDER ANY RESOLUTION TO LIMIT THE POTENTIAL FOR
MEMBERS OF EITHER PARTY TO BE ABLE TO FULLY EMBRACE THEIR
CONSTITUTIONAL ROLE AS A MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY.
FOR THAT REASON, I WILL BE OPPOSING THIS RESOLUTION WHEN IT IS BROUGHT TO
A VOTE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MR. PALMESANO.
MR. PALMESANO: OH, I'M SORRY.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THERE WE GO, I'M
SORRY.
MR. PALMESANO: SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR YOU.
YOU KNOW, MR. SPEAKER AND MY COLLEAGUES, I'M
PROUD TO SERVE IN THIS BODY, BUT THIS IS A SAD DAY FOR THIS INSTITUTION.
YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE SAID THIS WAS GOING TO BE TEMPORARY BECAUSE
OF COVID, BECAUSE OF SAFETY REASONS. BUT YOU CLEARLY WERE NOT TELLING
THE TRUTH, PERIOD. THIS IS A STAIN ON THIS INSTITUTION. THIS IS A BLACK EYE
TODAY. SIMPLY PUT, YOU DO NOT WANT ACCOUNTABILITY. YOU DO NOT WANT
TRANSPARENCY. YOU DO NOT WANT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. WITH THIS ACTION,
YOU ARE SILENCING THE VOICE -- THE VOICE OF MEMBERS REPRESENTING
MILLIONS OF NEW YORKERS ACROSS THIS STATE. YOU'RE LIMITING DEBATE.
YOU'RE LIMITING TIME FOR MEMBERS TO SPEAK, YOU'RE LIMITING TIME
OVERALL; THAT'S WRONG. YOU'RE CONTROLLING THE DEBATE BY CONTROLLING THE
TIME FOR MEMBERS, LIMITING WHO CAN SPEAK, BASICALLY RESTRICTING IT TO
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
ABOUT 16 PEOPLE. AND HOW IS THAT FAIR WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES?
WHEN I THINK ABOUT OUR BUDGET PROCESS, WE HAVE A
$216 BILLION BUDGET WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH AND IT IMPACTS
EVERY NEW YORKER FROM OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR FARMERS, OUR
MANUFACTURERS, OUR SENIORS, OUR VETERANS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR CHILDREN,
OUR SCHOOLS AND YOU'RE DECIDING 15 MINUTES IS ENOUGH AND FOUR HOURS
IS ENOUGH TO DEBATE IN LENGTH ON SOME OF THESE THINGS? WHO ARE YOU
TO DECIDE? WHY ARE YOU AFRAID OF ACCOUNTABILITY? YOU KNOW, I KNOW
THE MAJORITY LEADER MENTIONED ABOUT GRANDSTANDING WITH DEBATE. LET
ME BE CLEAR, THAT'S NONSENSE. DURING DEBATE, WE ASK THOUGHTFUL,
DELIBERATE QUESTIONS TO GET ANSWERS, TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY FOR THE
PEOPLE WE REPRESENT, AND HOW THESE POLICIES IMPACT THEM, TO POINT OUT
PROBLEMS IN THE LEGISLATION TO HOPEFULLY MAKE -- OFFER CORRECTIONS AND
THINGS TO FIX IT. LAST WEEK WE VOTED ON VOTING RIGHTS ISSUES AND YOU
TALKED INCESSANTLY ABOUT TRANSPARENCY AND DEMOCRACY AND HOW
IMPORTANT IT WAS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE ONLY INTERESTED IN
TRANSPARENCY AND DEMOCRACY WHEN IT FITS YOUR IDEOLOGICAL INTERESTS,
YOUR NARRATIVE, AND YOUR TALKING POINTS. SHAME ON YOU.
YOU CONTROL THE PROCESS, YOU CONTROL THE VOTES, WE ALL
KNOW THAT. SO WHY ARE YOU NOW AFRAID OF DEBATE? WHY ARE YOU NOW
AFRAID OF ACCOUNTABILITY? TO STAND UP AND ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT
DEFEND BAD POLICY, OR GOOD POLICY IF IT'S FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE. YOU
KNOW, I DON'T USE 15 MINUTES VERY OFTEN. I DID IT FOR THE CLCPA TO
TALK ABOUT THE -- THE IMPACTS ON AFFORDABILITY, RELIABILITY, OUR ENERGY
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
POLICY, I DID IT ON THE FARM LABOR BILL TO TALK ABOUT THE SURVIVAL OF OUR
FAMILY FARMS WHICH 98 PERCENT OF OUR FARMS ARE FAMILY-OWNED FARMS.
YOU KNOW, WE TOOK A MOMENT OF SILENCE EARLIER TODAY
FOR THAT -- TWO NYPD OFFICERS WHO WERE SHOT, ONE WAS KILLED, ONE
HANGING ON FOR LIFE, A DISCERNING PATTERN OF VIOLENCE WE'RE SEEING
AROUND THE STATE AND THIS IS YOUR PRIORITY, TO LIMIT DEBATE ON IMPORTANT
POLICIES LIKE CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE SAFETY OF
OUR CITIZENS? YOU DON'T -- IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU DON'T WANT TO HOLD
ANYONE ACCOUNTABLE. YOUR POLICIES CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO HOLD
CRIMINAL -- CRIMINALS -- THE VIOLENT CRIMINALS ACCOUNTABLE AND NOW YOU
DON'T WANT TO HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR YOURSELF. (INAUDIBLE) SERIOUS
CRIMES. SILENCE. JUST LIKE THERE'S SILENCE HERE TODAY. YOU SIMPLY
DON'T WANT TO ANSWER TOUGH, CHALLENGING QUESTIONS ON BAD POLICY OR
DEFEND THE POLICIES THAT YOU SUPPORT AND PUT OUT PRESS RELEASES ON
AFTER.
A FREE AND OPEN DEBATE IS CRITICAL TO PROVIDE
TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC, TO -- CRITICAL TO PROVIDING ANSWERS, CRITICAL
TO OUR DEMOCRACY AND WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS ABOUT, "WE THE
PEOPLE," AND YOU HAVE DECIDED HERE TODAY THAT THE PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE
A RIGHT TO KNOW, YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO KNOW. WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE
TODAY IS WRONG AND YOU KNOW IT.
AND I SAID BEFORE, ENACTING THIS RESOLUTION IS A STAIN
AND A BLACK EYE ON THIS INSTITUTION, PERIOD. AND AGAIN, I HAVE BEEN SO
PROUD TO SERVE HERE, BUT THIS DAY OF JANUARY 24TH IS GOING TO GO DOWN
AS A SAD DAY FOR THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY. YOU HAVE MADE A CLEAR
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
STATEMENT WITH YOUR ACTION HERE TODAY TO DAMAGE THIS INSTITUTION
FOREVER AND TO TELL THE PUBLIC THAT THEIR VOICE AND THAT THE VOICE OF THEIR
REPRESENTATIVES DOES NOT MATTER, NO MATTER WHAT THE ISSUE IS, NO MATTER
HOW FAR IMPACTING IT IS OR CONTROVERSIAL IT IS. YOU'RE DEFINITELY
DISENFRANCHISING NEW YORKER'S VOICES BY THIS ACTION TODAY. YOU ARE
HURTING OUR DEMOCRACY SAYING TRANSPARENCY DOESN'T MATTER AND IT ISN'T
IMPORTANT. SHAME ON YOU. THIS IS WRONG. I VOTE NO.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: MR. GOODELL.
MR. GOODELL: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ON THE BILL.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: ON THE BILL, SIR -- ON
THE RESOLUTION.
MR. GOODELL: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. THERE
SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY NO MISUNDERSTANDING AT THIS POINT THAT THIS BILL
CUTS THE DEBATE TIME FOR ALL THE MEMBERS IN THIS CHAMBER IN HALF, WITH
TWO EXCEPTIONS, AND LIMITS THE TOTAL AMOUNT TO JUST 16 LEGISLATORS TO USE
THEIR FULL ALLOTTED TIME. WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 134 LEGISLATORS? WHAT
ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS TO STAND UP AND ASK QUESTIONS OR EXPRESS THEIR
OPINIONS. AND IN REALITY, IT'S MORE THAN 134 BECAUSE THE TOTAL TIME IS
NOT MEASURED BY 15 MINUTE INCREMENTS, IT'S MEASURED BY THE CLOCK AND
SO IF THERE'S A FEW MINUTES BETWEEN EACH PERSON BEING CALLED, MORE
THAN 135 OF US, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR MEMBERS WILL HAVE NO
OPPORTUNITY ON THE FLOOR OF THE ASSEMBLY TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THEIR
CONSTITUENTS. THAT IS NOT OPEN, TRANSPARENT, WELCOMING GOVERNMENT.
WHAT ARE WE AFRAID OF? ARE WE AFRAID THAT WE MIGHT
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
HAVE TO SIT IN THIS CHAMBER AND LISTEN TO OTHER COLLEAGUES, MORE THAN
16 OF THEM AT A TIME, ARE WE AFRAID OF THAT? ARE WE WORRIED THAT THERE
MIGHT BE POINTS THAT ARE BROUGHT UP THAT MIGHT BE EMBARRASSING? WHAT
ARE WE TRYING TO HIDE? WHY ARE WE SO FOCUSED ON LIMITING PUBLIC
DEBATE? NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE DEAL WITH CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES ALL
THE TIME AND THAT SOME OF US MIGHT THINK THAT 15 MINUTES IS A LOT OF
TIME. AND FOR A SIMPLE BILL, IT WOULD BE, BUT WHAT ABOUT OUR BUDGET
BILLS? EVERYONE ON THE FLOOR OF THIS LEGISLATURE KNOWS THAT THE ARTICLE
VII BUDGET BILLS NORMALLY CONTAIN ALMOST THE ENTIRE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
OF THE GOVERNOR, WHICH IS WHY THE PUBLIC PROTECTION AND GENERAL
GOVERNMENT BUDGET HAS 28 SEPARATE PARTS. OR THE EDUCATION, LABOR
AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE HAS 32 SEPARATE PARTS. OR WHAT ABOUT THE STATE
HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH THAT HAS 43 PARTS? SO THINK ABOUT THAT, YOU
HAVE 15 MINUTES TO DEBATE A BILL THAT HAS 43 SEPARATE STATUTORY
PROVISIONS, THAT GIVES YOU 20 SECONDS FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE SECTIONS.
AND WHAT ARE WE AFRAID OF? SURELY ALL OF US HAVE
TIME TO LISTEN TO THE -- AND RESPECT THE COMMENTS OF OUR COLLEAGUES,
SURELY. JUST THREE YEARS AGO WE WERE ALL BLESSED WITH A 40 PERCENT
INCREASE IN SALARY, AND FOR $110,000 WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT
ANY BILL MORE THAN FOUR HOURS? REALLY? WHAT IS IT THAT PREVENTS US
FROM ALLOWING MORE THAN 16 MEMBERS TO SPEAK FOR 15 MINUTES? WHY
DO WE WANT TO GAG OR SILENCE THE VAST MAJORITY OF MEMBERS WHO TRAVEL
HERE FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE AND BRING THE CONCERNS AND
INTERESTS AND OBJECTIVES OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS? IN THE PAST, WE WOULD
HAVE A LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR, WE'D CALL IT OPEN MEETINGS LAW, OR OPEN
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
SUNSHINE WEEK OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES -- SUNSHINE WEEK.
THIS IS THE OPPOSITE, ISN'T IT? IT'S NOT ABOUT BRINGING SUNSHINE IN, IT'S
ABOUT CLOSING DEBATE.
NOW, WHAT I FIND FRUSTRATING, AND I'M SURE IT'S
FRUSTRATION SHARED BY ALL MY COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, IS
THAT WHILE EVERY BUSINESS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK IS ALLOWED TO BE
OPEN, THE PUBLIC CANNOT GO INTO THE LEGISLATIVE OFFICE BUILDING AND
MEET WITH US. THERE'S ARMED GUARDS CHECKING ID TO MAKE SURE THAT NO
MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CAN MEET WITH US IN THE LEGISLATIVE OFFICE. AND
THERE'S ARMED GUARDS MAKING SURE THAT NO MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC CAN
COME INTO THESE CHAMBERS AND MEET WITH US. AND NOW WE'RE TAKING
THE NEXT STEP BY SAYING ONLY A FEW MEMBERS CAN SPEAK ON ANY BILL.
THAT'S THE WRONG DIRECTION, I THINK. AND SO I URGE ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO
VOTE AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. I REALIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT TOPIC HERE
BEFORE US. I DO TAKE EXCEPTION TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO WANT TO ASSUME
THAT THIS IS SOMEHOW TAKING AWAY THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THEIR
PUBLIC, TO SPEAK TO THEIR CONSTITUENCIES; I THINK JUST THE OPPOSITE. I
THINK WHAT THIS ALLOWS US TO DO, THERE ARE A LOT OF OUR COLLEAGUES WHO
HAVE VERY IMPORTANT LEGISLATION THAT IMPACTS THEM SPECIFICALLY AND
SOMETIMES JUST THEIR DISTRICT THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE MOVED AND BECAUSE
WE HAVE SO MANY PIECES OF LEGISLATION BEFORE US AND SO MANY
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
DISCUSSIONS, SOMETIMES WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET TO EVERYTHING. I HAVE
BEEN HERE WHEN WE WERE HERE UNTIL 5 AND 6:00 IN THE MORNING. I'M ONE
OF THE PEOPLE WHO WAS STILL DEBATING A BILL FOR SIX-AND-A-HALF ALMOST
SEVEN HOURS. SO IT'S NOT ABOUT NOT GETTING PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
COMMUNICATE. IT'S ABOUT BEING MORE, IF POSSIBLE, EXPEDIENT.
I MENTIONED THIS THREE TIMES ALREADY TODAY, I'M GOING
TO SAY IT AGAIN BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE. EVERYONE HAD FIVE
MINUTES TODAY ON THIS DEBATE AND HONESTLY, ONLY THREE PEOPLE USED THE
ENTIRE FIVE MINUTES. SO TO SUGGEST THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO
DEBATE A BILL WHEN WE'RE ALL ADULTS, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE
WHEN WE COME HERE, WE ALL KNOW THE QUESTIONS THAT WE WANT TO HAVE
ASKED AND ANSWERED, I THINK WE CAN GET THAT DONE IN FIVE MINUTES.
AND SO FOR THE CONSTITUENCY THAT MAY BE STILL LISTENING TO THIS DEBATE,
WHICH SOMETIMES WHEN GRANDSTANDING, ALL OF OUR DECORUM, BECAUSE WE
DON'T CALL PEOPLE NAMES ON THIS FLOOR, BUT I'VE HEARD IT THREE TIMES
TODAY, FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL LISTENING, TO TAKE THIS FOR SURE. THIS IS NOT
ABOUT LIMITING PUBLIC ANYTHING. THIS IS ABOUT GOING TO WORK FOR THE
PEOPLE IN THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, FOR THE PEOPLE, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE THAT I
PERSONALLY REPRESENT, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT MY COLLEAGUES REPRESENT AS
WELL.
THIS WILL BRING VALUE TO OUR PROCESS. THIS WILL NOT
DETRACT FROM IT. AND I KNOW PEOPLE WANT TO MAKE YOU FEEL THAT WAY
BECAUSE CHANGE IS ALWAYS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH, BUT THAT DOESN'T
MEAN IT'S NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO. THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, AND
I'M ENCOURAGING ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, EVEN THOSE WHO THINK THAT WE
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
SOMEHOW DON'T WANT YOU SPEAKING, WE DO WANT YOU SPEAKING, WE NEED
YOUR VOICE, TO VOTE YES ON THIS RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, MRS.
PEOPLES-STOKES.
THE CLERK WILL RECORD THE VOTE ON RESOLUTION NO.
493. THIS IS A PARTY VOTE. ANY MEMBER WHO WISHES TO BE RECORDED AS
AN EXCEPTION TO THE CONFERENCE POSITION IS REMINDED TO CONTACT THE
MAJORITY OR MINORITY LEADER AT THE NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED.
MR. GOODELL.
MR. GOODELL: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. THE
REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE IS GENERALLY OPPOSED TO THIS LEGISLATION. IF
THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS WHO SUPPORT IT, THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL THE
MINORITY LEADER'S OFFICE AND WE WILL ENSURE THAT THEIR VOTE IS PROPERLY
RECORDED. THANK YOU, SIR.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU, SIR.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: (INAUDIBLE/MIC NOT ON) --
OUR COLLEAGUES THAT THIS IS A MAJORITY VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS LEGISLATION;
HOWEVER, SHOULD MEMBERS DECIDE TO DO OTHERWISE THEY SHOULD FEEL FREE
TO CONTACT THE MAJORITY LEADER'S OFFICE AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THEIR
VOTE IS PROPERLY RECORDED.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: THANK YOU SO VERY
MUCH.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
MR. GOODELL.
MR. GOODELL: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. PLEASE
RECORD MY COLLEAGUE, MR. BRABENEC, IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ON THIS
RESOLUTION.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: SO NOTED, THANK YOU.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER
HOUSEKEEPING OR RESOLUTIONS?
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: WE HAVE ONE PIECE OF
HOUSEKEEPING AND NUMEROUS FINE RESOLUTIONS, WE WILL TAKE UP THE
HOUSEKEEPING FIRST.
ON A MOTION BY MS. SIMON, PAGE 26, CALENDAR NO.
100, BILL NO. A2251, THE AMENDMENTS ARE RECEIVED AND ADOPTED.
WE HAVE NUMEROUS FINE RESOLUTIONS. ON THE
RESOLUTIONS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE
RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED.
(WHEREUPON, ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NOS. 487-488 AND
493-503 WERE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.)
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MR. SPEAKER, COULD YOU
PLEASE CALL MR. GOODELL FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: CERTAINLY. MR.
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NYS ASSEMBLY JANUARY 24, 2022
GOODELL FOR THE PURPOSES OF A ANNOUNCEMENT.
MR. GOODELL: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. I WANTED
TO REMIND MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES THAT WE ARE HAVING A BUDGET
BRIEFING IN 15 MINUTES, STARTING IN 15 MINUTES. THIS IS A ZOOM BUDGET
MEETING AND BRIEFING. EVERY MEMBER IN THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS CAN
ASK QUESTIONS WITHOUT LIMITATION, BUT WE DO ASK ALL OF THEM TO SHOW
RESPECT. THANK YOU, SIR.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: REPUBLICAN
CONFERENCE AFTER SESSION UNFETTERED.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MR.
SPEAKER. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND MY DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES THAT THERE
WILL BE AN IMMEDIATE CONFERENCE IN HEARING ROOM. MEMBERS SHOULD
MAKE THEIR WAYS THERE. AND TO MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
AISLE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD FEEL FREE TO ASK ME. I'LL
PROVIDE AN ANSWER IF YOU'VE GOT AN ANSWER.
ACTING SPEAKER AUBRY: DEMOCRATIC
CONFERENCE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SESSION, ALSO UNFETTERED. THANK
YOU.
THE ASSEMBLY STANDS ADJOURNED.
(WHEREUPON, AT 5:12 P.M., THE ASSEMBLY STOOD
ADJOURNED.)
74