TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2025 2:31 P.M.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE HOUSE WILL

COME TO ORDER.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COLLEAGUES.

IN THE ABSENCE OF CLERGY, LET US PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF

SILENCE.

(WHEREUPON, A MOMENT OF SILENCE WAS OBSERVED.)

VISITORS ARE INVITED TO JOIN MEMBERS IN THE PLEDGE OF

ALLEGIANCE.

(WHEREUPON, ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER LED VISITORS AND

MEMBERS IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.)

A QUORUM BEING PRESENT, THE CLERK WILL READ THE

JOURNAL OF MONDAY, MARCH 10TH.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, I MOVE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

TO DISPENSE WITH THE FURTHER READING OF THE JOURNAL OF MONDAY, MARCH

THE 10TH AND THAT THE SAME STAND APPROVED.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WITHOUT OBJECTION,

SO ORDERED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER, TO OUR COLLEAGUES THAT ARE IN THE CHAMBER AS WELL AS THE MANY

GUESTS THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY, INCLUDING SPOT.

I WANT TO SHARE THESE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM

GOLDA MEIR, WHO WE KNOW WAS A PRIME MINISTER IN ISRAEL FROM 1969

TO 1974. HER WORDS FOR US TODAY: IT ISN'T ENOUGH TO BELIEVE IN

SOMETHING; YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE STAMINA TO MEET THE OBSTACLES AND

OVERCOME THE STRUGGLES [SIC]. AGAIN, THESE WORDS FROM FORMER PRIME

MINISTER GOLDA MEIR.

MADAM SPEAKER, THE COLLEAGUES HAVE ON THEIR DESK A

MAIN CALENDAR. AFTER YOU HAVE DONE ANY INTRODUCTIONS AND/OR

HOUSEKEEPING, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN OUR WORK ON THE FLOOR BY TAKING

UP CALENDAR RESOLUTIONS ON PAGE 3. WE WILL THEN TAKE UP THE

FOLLOWING BILLS ON DEBATE: WE'RE GONNA DO RULES REPORT NO. 35 ON --

BY MS. LUPARDO, RULES REPORT NO. 76 BY MR. SIMONE, AND RULES

REPORT NO. 106 BY MR. LASHER AND RULES REPORT NO. 107 BY MR.

BURROUGHS.

THERE MAY BE A NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FLOOR ACTIVITY AS

WE PROGRESS ALONG, MADAM SPEAKER. HOWEVER, THAT IS THE GENERAL

OUTLINE OF WHERE WE'RE GOING TODAY. SO IF YOU WOULD BEGIN WITH

HOUSEKEEPING AND INTRODUCTIONS, WE CAN GET STARTED HERE.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

WE HAVE NO HOUSEKEEPING TODAY, AND MANY

INTRODUCTIONS.

WE WILL START WITH MR. EACHUS FOR THE PURPOSE OF AN

INTRODUCTION.

MR. EACHUS: THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. THANK

YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

MARCH MARKS NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORKER

MONTH, A TIME TO HONOR THE PROFOUND IMPACT SOCIAL WORKERS HAVE ON

OUR COMMUNITIES. TODAY I AM PLEASED TO WELCOME THE SOCIAL WORK

CLASS FROM DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY WHO HAVE JOINED US TO ADVOCATE FOR

MEANINGFUL CHANGE.

AS A PUBLIC SERVANT AND FORMER EDUCATOR, I HAVE SEEN

FIRSTHAND THE VITAL ROLE SOCIAL WORKERS PLAY IN UPLIFTING INDIVIDUALS AND

FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE MOST VULNERABLE. THEIR DEDICATION ENSURES

ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD

WELFARE, ELDER CARE, AND BEYOND. THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR SOCIAL

SAFETY NET, WORKING TIRELESSLY TO IMPROVE LIVES.

WHAT MAKES THIS OCCASION EVEN MORE SPECIAL IS THAT

THESE STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO JOIN US HERE IN ALBANY TO

ADVOCATE FOR CRITICAL BILLS THAT AFFECT THEIR INDUSTRY. THEIR EFFORTS

EXEMPLIFY THE POWER OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND IMPACT YOUNG

PROFESSIONALS IN SHAPING THEIR OWN FUTURE.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE DR. MELODY HYPPOLITE

FOR HER EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION TO MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

SOCIAL WORKERS. THROUGH HER GUIDANCE, STUDENTS ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND PASSION TO MAKE A LASTING DIFFERENCE IN OUR

COMMUNITIES.

FINALLY, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT DOMINICAN

UNIVERSITY IS LOCATED IN ASSEMBLYMEMBER WIEDER'S DISTRICT. AND

AMONG THE STUDENTS HERE TODAY ARE SOME CONSTITUENTS OF

ASSEMBLYMEMBER KARL BRABENEC, PATRICK CARE -- CARROLL -- I'M SORRY

-- JONATHAN JACOBSON, ANIL BEEPHAN, AND STEVEN OTIS. I INVITE MY

COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THESE FUTURE SOCIAL WORKERS AND

RECOGNIZING THEIR ADVOCACY AND COMMITMENT TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

MADAM SPEAKER, PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING THEM THE

WARMEST RECOGNITION THAT THEY SO RIGHTFULLY DESERVE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

ON BEHALF OF MR. EACHUS, THE SPEAKER AND ALL THE

MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU YOUNG PEOPLE AND STUDENTS FROM THE

DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE CHAMBER, EXTEND THE

PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR. HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY AND

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MS. REYES FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MS. REYES: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. TODAY

WE ARE JOINED BY THE NEW YORK BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION. THE NEW

YORK BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION WAS FOUNDED IN 1971 IN RESPONSE TO

THE GROWING CONCERN FOR THE HEALTH STATUS OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS. NEW

YORK BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION PROVIDES PROGRAMS TO RECRUIT MORE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

BLACK WOMEN AND MEN INTO NURSING, A FORUM FOR BLACK NURSES TO SHARE

JOB INFORMATION AND PROVIDE PROGRAMS OF INTEREST TO THE BLACK

COMMUNITY, A UNIFIED VOICE IN DEMANDING THAT THE NURSING PROFESSION

BE MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS BLACK MEMBERS.

AND WITH US TODAY IS DR. CATHERINE ALICIA GEORGES,

FOUNDER OF THE NEW YORK CHAPTER OF BLACK NURSES AND ALSO A FORMER

CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NURSING AT LEHMAN COLLEGE IN THE BRONX;

DR. THERESA LUNDY, PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK BLACK NURSES; DR.

DEWI BROWN, PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER NEW YORK BLACK NURSES

ASSOCIATION; AND MISS TIFFANY LEWIS-ENGLISH, PRESIDENT OF THE

ROCHESTER BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION, AMONGST, OF COURSE, ALL OF THEIR

DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS.

MADAM SPEAKER, PLEASE WELCOME THEM AND EXTEND TO

THEM THE -- THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MS.

REYES, THE SPEAKER AND ALL THE MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU BACK TO OUR

CHAMBER, BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU

DO IN HEALTHCARE. WE EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR AND HOPE YOU

ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. MORINELLO FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MR. MORINELLO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

I'D LOVE TO INTRODUCE THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NIAGARA FALLS. NOT ONLY

IS THE MAYOR, BUT HE'S A LONGTIME, GREAT FRIEND OF MINE.

NIAGARA FALLS, BEING THE SECOND-LARGEST TOURIST CITY IN

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

THE STATE OF NEW YORK OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY, BUT IT MAKES ME

WONDER WHY, ONLY BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT GREAT NATURAL WONDER, THE

NIAGARA FALLS, THE HORSESHOE FALLS TO BRIDAL VEIL FALLS. WE HAVE THE

ERIE -- THE -- THE NIAGARA RIVER WHICH BLENDS INTO LAKE ONTARIO. WE

HAVE ONE OF THE GREATEST FISHING AREAS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

MADAM SPEAKER, I ASK THAT YOU WELCOME MAYOR

RESTAINO AND GRANT HIM ALL THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MR.

MORINELLO, THE SPEAKER AND ALL THE MEMBERS, WELCOME, MAYOR FROM

NIAGARA FALLS, TO THE CHAMBER. WE EXTEND TO YOU THE PRIVILEGES OF THE

FLOOR AND HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THANK YOU SO VERY

MUCH FOR JOINING US

(APPLAUSE)

MS. WALSH FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM

SPEAKER. GOOD AFTERNOON TO MY COLLEAGUES. I AM SO PLEASED THIS

AFTERNOON TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE OR REINTRODUCE TO SOME OF YOU OUR --

OUR COLLEAGUE, OUR FORMER COLLEAGUE TONY JORDAN, WHO'S HERE TODAY

VISITING THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. TONY CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE WASHINGTON

COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND PREVIOUSLY SERVED IN THE ASSEMBLY FROM

2009 TO 2013, WHERE, I BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE IN THIS CHAIR --

MR. JORDAN: YUP.

MS. WALSH: -- AS FLOOR LEADER.

SO I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY TO WELCOME HIM TODAY AND I

HOPE THAT YOU'LL ALSO EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES AND CORDIALITIES OF THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

HOUSE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MS.

WALSH, THE SPEAKER AND ALL MEMBERS, WELCOME BACK,

ASSEMBLYMEMBER. WE WELCOME YOU BACK TO THE CHAMBER, EXTEND THE

PRIVILEGES TO YOU OF THE FLOOR AND HOPE YOU ENJOY THE PROCEEDINGS

TODAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR VISITING US AGAIN.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. VANEL FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MR. VANEL: THANK YOU, MR. -- MISS SPEAKER.

TODAY WE -- TODAY WE INTRODUCE BOSTON DYNAMICS. BOSTON DYNAMICS

IS A -- ONE OF THE LEADING COMPANIES IN ROBOTICS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND

THEY ARE USING RESPONSIBILITY IN ROBOTICS IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN THIS

STATE. AND THEY ARE HERE TODAY WITH SPOT, THE ROBOT DOG. FIRST TIME

EVER WE HAD A ROBOT WALK UP THE MILLION DOLLAR STAIRS [SIC], AND HE --

AND THE ROBOT HAS BEEN AROUND THE -- THE CAPITOL.

SO WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME BOSTON DYNAMICS AND

SPOT, THE ROBOT DOG, AND PROVIDE THEM THE CORDIALITIES OF THE HOUSE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: YES. ON BEHALF OF

MR. VANEL, THE SPEAKER AND ALL THE MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU

GENTLEMEN FROM BOSTON DYNAMICS AND SPOT, THE ROBOT DOG. WE

WELCOME YOU TO THE CHAMBER, EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR. WE

HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY, AND THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH

FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. EACHUS FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MR. EACHUS: YES. AGAIN, THANK YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER. IT IS A GREAT DAY. ON BEHALF OF BOTH ASSEMBLYMAN JONATHAN

JACOBSON AND MYSELF, I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING SEVERAL, QUITE

A FEW, ACTUALLY, NURSING STUDENTS FROM SUNY ORANGE -- THERE WE GO --

WHO ARE HERE TODAY, MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS ON BEHALF OF NYSNA.

NYSNA IS A UNION THAT REPRESENTS MORE THAN 40,000

NURSES AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS THROUGHOUT OUR STATE. AS SOMEONE

WHO HAS A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO NURSING, BOTH OF MY SISTERS ARE RNS,

IT IS INSPIRING TO SEE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WANTING TO SERVE THEIR

COMMUNITY IN A MUCH-RELATED AND NEEDED FIELD. AND AS A TEACHER OF

40 YEARS, I KNOW THAT THE YOUTH REPRESENTS OUR FUTURE, AND OUR FUTURE IS

BRIGHTER BECAUSE OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE STUDENTS HERE TODAY.

WITH THAT, I WOULD ASK, MADAM SPEAKER, THAT YOU

PLEASE WELCOME THEM TO THE CHAMBER AND EXTEND TO THEM THE

CORDIALITIES OF THE HOUSE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF

MR. EACHUS, THE SPEAKER AND ALL MEMBERS, WELCOME STUDENTS AND

NYSNA MEMBERS TO THE CHAMBER. WE EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE

FLOOR TO YOU, HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THANK YOU SO

VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

(APPLAUSE)

MS. TAPIA FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MS. TAPIA: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. I AM

HONORED TO RECOGNIZE SEAN EBONY COLEMAN, FOUNDER AND CEO OF

DESTINATION TOMORROW, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO IMPROVING

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

THE LIVES OF LGT -- LGBTQ INDIVIDUALS. UNDER HIS GUIDANCE,

DESTINATION TOMORROW HAS WELL -- HAS BECOME A CRITICAL RESOURCE,

PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL, FINANCIAL, HOUSING, HEALTH, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT

PROGRAMS THAT EMPOWER COMMUNITY AND FOSTER LONG-TERM STABILITY.

WITH CENTERS IN THE SOUTH BRONX, ATLANTA AND D -- WASHINGTON, D.C.,

DESTINATION TOMORROW FOCUSES ON HOLISTIC SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS THE

ROOT CAUSES OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DISPARITIES. THROUGH WORKFORCE

DEVELOPMENT, FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMS AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING,

SEAN HAS CREATED PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE -- FOR INDEPENDENCE FOR

THOSE WHO'S NEEDED.

IN 2021, DESTINATION TOMORROW OPENED 16 APARTMENT

UNITS IN THE BRONX TO PROVIDE SAFE HOUSING FOR TGNC INDIVIDUALS WHO

ARE -- WHO ARE FORMER SEX WORKERS AND WHAT -- AND SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL

VIOLENCE AND TRAFFICKING. NOW, SEAN IS MAKING HISTORY ONCE AGAIN

WITH THE LAUNCH OF ACE PLACE, THE FIRST GOVERNMENT-FUNDED TG --

TGNCNB SINGLE ADULT SHELTERS IN QUEENS. THIS GROUNDBREAKING 150-

BED FACILITY WILL MOVE BEYOND TRADITIONAL SHELTER MODEL -- MODELS BY

OFFERING ON-SITE TRAINING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND HOLISTIC

WELLNESS PROGRAMS TO HELP CLIENTS TO ACHIEVE LONG-TERM STABILITY. ACE

PLACE WILL FEATURE TWO COMMERCIAL KITCHENS AND A DANCE STUDIO, A GYM,

AND AN OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL SPACE, ENSURING A SUPPORTIVE AND

EMPOWERMENT ENVIRONMENT.

SHAY'S [SIC] WORK HAS TRANSFORMED COUNTLESS LIVES BY

ENSURING THAT LGTBQ INDIVIDUALS, PARTICULAR, THOSE IN THE TNG [SIC]

COMMUNITY HAVE ACCESS -- HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

THEY NEED.

MADAM SPEAKER, PLEASE SHOW THE COURTESY OF THE

HOUSE TO MY FRIEND, SEAN EBONY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

ON BEHALF OF MS. TAPIA, THE SPEAKER AND ALL THE

MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU, SIR, TO THE CHAMBER, EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES

OF THE FLOOR. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR -- THE PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THANK

YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. FITZPATRICK FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MR. FITZPATRICK: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TO OUR ASSEMBLY THE HONORABLE TILL

KNORN, THE CONSUL GENERAL OF GERMANY.

BORN IN 1970, TILL GREW UP IN BERLIN, NEAR HAMBURG,

AND WAS AN EXCHANGE STUDENT IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. HE IS A LAWYER BY

TRAINING. IN 1999, AFTER TWO YEARS WITH PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS IN

HAMBURG, HE JOINED THE FEDERAL FOREIGN OFFICE. HIS FIRST POSTING

ABROAD WAS IN COLUMBO, SRI LANKA FROM 2001 TO 2002. AFTER HOLDING

POSITIONS IN THE FEDERAL FOREIGN OFFICE HEADQUARTERS IN BERLIN, HE WAS

THE FOREIGN POLICY ADVISOR TO THE MINISTER-PRESIDENT OF HESSEN. AFTER

RETURNING TO THE FEDERAL FOREIGN OFFICE, TILL WAS POSTED IN NEW YORK

WHERE HE SERVED AS THE DEPUTY HEAD OF THE POLITICAL SECTION AT THE

PERMANENT MISSION OF GERMANY TO THE UNITED NATIONS. BEGINNING IN

2015, TILL ASSUMED LEADERSHIP ROLES WITHIN THE FEDERAL FOREIGN

OFFICE'S PROTOCOL SECTION IN BERLIN, INCLUDING THAT OF CHIEF OF PROTOCOL

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

IN 2020. SINCE AUGUST OF '24, HE HAS BEEN THE CONSUL GENERAL OF

GERMANY IN HERE NEW YORK.

MADAM SPEAKER, HE IS ALSO ACCOMPANIED BY THE

HONORABLE ANTON KLIX, THE DEPUTY CONSUL GENERAL FOR POLITICAL

AFFAIRS. WOULD YOU KINDLY OFFER THEM THE -- YOUR MOST KIND WELCOME

AND OFFER THEM THE -- THE RUN OF THE FLOOR.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU --

MR. FITZPATRICK: THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: YES. ON BEHALF OF

MR. FITZPATRICK, THE SPEAKER AND ALL THE MEMBERS, GUTEN TAG, SIR. WE

WELCOME YOU TO THE CHAMBER, EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR AND

HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR

JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. PIROZZOLO FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MR. PIROZZOLO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ONCE AGAIN, IT'S MY GREAT HONOR ON BEHALF OF THE MIGHTY STATEN ISLAND

DELEGATION, MEMBERS FALL, REILLY, AND TANNOUSIS, TO INTRODUCE OUR

GUESTS FROM SUNRISE DAY CAMP. WITH HAVE ORIT LENDER AND AMELIA

WINTER. AND TO TELL YOU ABOUT SUNRISE DAY CAMP WOULD ACTUALLY BE A

VERY GREAT PRIVILEGE FOR ME. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE CHILDREN

WHO HAVE CANCER CAN GO TO DAY CAMP EVERY DAY, AND THERE IS NO COST TO

THE FAMILY. BUT TO MAKE IT MORE UNIQUE IS THAT ALL OF THEIR SIBLINGS CAN

ALSO ATTEND DAY CAMP WITH THEM. I HAVE TOURED THE DAY CAMP WHEN THE

CHILDREN WHERE THERE, AND YOU CAN WALK THROUGHOUT THE DAY CAMP, AND

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

YOU CAN TALK TO EVERYONE, AND IT'S HARD TO TELL WHO MIGHT BE AFFLICTED

WITH CANCER, FROM THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS.

SO IT'S A VERY WONDERFUL AND GREAT THING THAT THEY DO.

AND I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT NOT ONLY DO THEY SERVE CONSTITUENTS IN MY

DISTRICT, REILLY'S DISTRICT, TANNOUSIS' DISTRICT, BUT ALSO IN ASSEMBLYMAN

FALL'S DISTRICT, BOTH STATEN ISLAND AND MANHATTAN, AND THROUGHOUT THE

REST OF THE BOROUGHS.

SO, IT IS WITH THIS HONOR THAT I WOULD ASK THAT YOU

PLEASE EXTEND THE CORDIALITIES OF THE HOUSE TO OUR FRIENDS WHO HELP

CHILDREN WITH CANCER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU SO

MUCH.

ON BEHALF OF MR. PIROZZOLO AND THE ENTIRE STATEN

ISLAND DELEGATION, THE SPEAKER AND ALL MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU TO

THE CHAMBER, EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO VERY

MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU DO FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH CANCER. HOPE YOU

ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. STERN FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MR. STERN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, AND GOOD

AFTERNOON TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES. IT IS MY PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE

MAUREEN MCCORMICK TO THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY TODAY.

MAUREEN, ALONG WITH HER HUSBAND, RICHARD, ARE NEIGHBORS FROM

HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK ON LONG ISLAND. MAUREEN MCCORMICK HAS HAD

A LONG, DISTINGUISHED CAREER AS AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY, SERVING

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

BOTH IN NASSAU AND SUFFOLK COUNTIES ON LONG ISLAND. MS.

MCCORMACK HAS BEEN A FIERCE AND DEDICATED ADVOCATE FOR DECADES ON

THE CHALLENGES OF DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED ON DRUGS.

THANK YOU, MAUREEN MCCORMICK, FOR YOUR PASSION,

FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING OUR ROADS SAFER FOR ALL OF US

THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

AND SO ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUE, KEITH BROWN, AND

THE LONG ISLAND DELEGATION, MADAM SPEAKER, IT'S MY -- MY PERSONAL

PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE MAUREEN MCCORMICK TO THE CHAMBER TODAY.

WOULD YOU KINDLY AFFORD MS. MCCORMICK ALL OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THE

HOUSE AND THE CORDIALITIES OF THE FLOOR.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

ON BEHALF OF MR. STERN, MR. BROWN, THE ENTIRE LONG

ISLAND DELEGATION, THE SPEAKER AND ALL THE MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU,

MS. MCCORMACK, TO THE CHAMBER, EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR.

HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR

JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

RESOLUTIONS, PAGE 3, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 180, MS.

TAPIA.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MARCH 2025 AS NUTRITION MONTH IN THE STATE

OF NEW YORK.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE RESOLUTION,

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTION IS

ADOPTED.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 181, MS.

WALSH.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MARCH 2025 AS WOMEN IN TRADES MONTH IN

THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MS. WALSH ON THE

RESOLUTION.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. SO,

ACCORDING TO A 2021 REPORT BY THE INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN'S POLICY

RESEARCH, WHICH LOOKED AT THE NATIONAL PICTURE, IN 2020 OVER 300,000

WOMEN, THE LARGEST NUMBER EVER, WORKED IN CONSTRUCTION OCCUPATIONS,

REFLECTING GROWTH EVEN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. BUT WOMEN

REPRESENT -- OR REMAIN HIGHLY UNREPRESENTED -- UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE

TRADES, ACCOUNTING FOR JUST 4 PERCENT OF ALL WORKERS IN CONSTRUCTION

OCCUPATIONS. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF A LABOR FORCE FOR THE TRADES

IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM, SO INCENTIVIZING MORE WOMEN TO JOIN THESE FIELDS

HELPS TO FULFILL GAPS IN THE WORKFORCE.

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND STATISTICS REPORTS

THAT WOMEN ARE SUBSTANTIALLY REPRESENTED IN AGRICULTURE, MINING,

CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING, AND TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES, WHERE

WOMEN OF THE TRADES FACE UNIQUE WORKPLACE-RELATED DIFFICULTIES LIKE

LIMITATIONS BASED ON GENDER STEREOTYPE, LACK OF FEMALE ROLE MODELS,

AND DISCRIMINATION.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

I WAS HAPPY LAST YEAR TO SUPPORT MY LOCAL BOCES,

WSWHE BOCES, TO EXPAND THEIR CTE INITIATIVES. AND THAT FUNDING

WILL BE USED FOR A WOMEN IN THE TRADES INITIATIVE.

I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE LOCAL COMPANIES IN MY DISTRICT

AND DIFFERENT GROUPS PROMOTING THESE INITIATIVES AS WELL THROUGH THE

NORTHEAST CONSTRUCTION TRADES WORKFORCE COALITION AND THE GIRLS IN

THE TRADES PROGRAM SUCH AS THE SUMMER CAMP THAT I HAD THE PLEASURE

OF VISITING WHERE MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS LEARNED HOW TO USE POWER TOOLS

AND CREATE TOGETHER, HOPEFULLY INSPIRING THEM TO LOOK INTO THIS PATHWAY

FURTHER.

RECOGNIZING WOMEN'S CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE TRADES IS

VITAL TO FOSTERING A MORE ACCEPTING AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. AND SO

I'M VERY PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO CARRY THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION WHICH

WILL MEMORIALIZE THE GOVERNOR TO PROCLAIM MARCH 2025 AS WOMEN IN

THE TRADES MONTH IN OUR STATE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

ON THE RESOLUTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING

AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 182, MR.

MILLER.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MARCH 2025 AS PURE NEW YORK STATE MAPLE

MONTH IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. MILLER ON THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

RESOLUTION.

MR. MILLER: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. ON THE

RESOLUTION. TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR THE

RESOLUTION AT HAND. I EXTEND MY SINCERE THANKS TO THE GOVERNOR FOR

OFFICIALLY PROCLAIMING MARCH 2025 AS PURE NEW YORK STATE MAPLE

MONTH. IT IS INDEED AN HONOR TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROCLAMATION. I

URGE MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME IN COMMEMORATING THIS

RESOLUTION.

NEW YORK PROUDLY HOLDS THE TITLE TO THE HOME -- TO

THE LARGEST QUANTITY OF TAPPABLE TREES, AND RANKS SECOND IN THE NATION IN

MAPLE PRODUCTION. THE MAPLE INDUSTRY IS FLOURISHING, A BOASTING

7 PERCENT ANNUAL GROWTH ANNUALLY. THIS THRIVING INDUSTRY SIGNIFICANTLY

CONTRIBUTES TO OUR STATE'S ECONOMY, GENERATING A REMARKABLE $141

MILLION IMPACT EACH YEAR THROUGH THE PRODUCTION OF MAPLE SYRUP AND

MAPLE-RELATED PRODUCTS.

TODAY AND THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, LET US TAKE A

MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND APPLAUD OUR HARDWORKING MAPLE PRODUCERS

AND LOYAL CUSTOMERS WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE -- TO THEIR SUCCESS. NOTABLY,

MAPLE WEEKEND IS APPROACHING ON MARCH 22ND AND 23RD, AND MARCH

29TH AND 30TH, PROVIDING AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL TO EXPERIENCE

THE WONDERS OF OUR LOCAL MAPLE FARMS. I ENCOURAGE EACH ONE OF YOU TO

SEIZE THIS CHANCE AND STOP BY A MAPLE FARM AND ENJOY SOME MAPLE

WITH PANCAKES AND WAFFLES WITH YOUR FAMILY.

TOGETHER LET'S CELEBRATE PURE -- PURE NEW YORK STATE

MAPLE MONTH AND THE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS OUR MAPLE INDUSTRY

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

GIVES TO US.

THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

ON THE RESOLUTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING

AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

PAGE 4, RULES REPORT 35, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A00418, RULES REPORT

NO. 35, LUPARDO. AN ACT TO AMEND THE CANNABIS LAW, IN RELATION TO

CANNABIS SHOWCASE EVENT PERMITS; AND TO AMEND A CHAPTER OF THE LAWS

OF 2024 AMENDING THE CANNABIS LAW RELATING TO AUTHORIZING A CANNABIS

SHOWCASE EVEN PERMIT, AS PROPOSED IN LEGISLATIVE BILLS NUMBERS

S.9679-A AND A.10398-A, IN RELATION TO THE EFFECTIVENESS THEREOF.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON A MOTION BY

MS. LUPARDO, THE SENATE BILL IS BEFORE THE HOUSE. THE SENATE BILL IS

ADVANCED.

AN EXPLANATION HAS BEEN REQUESTED, MS. LUPARDO.

MS. LUPARDO: SO, WE ARE MAKING AN AMENDMENT

TO THE CANNABIS SHOWCASE EVENT PERMIT BILL THAT WE PASSED LAST YEAR.

IT'S GONE THROUGH A NUMBER OF CHANGES, WHICH I'M HAPPY TO GO OVER

WITH YOU. BUT THERE ARE TWO MAIN CHANGES TO THE ORIGINAL BILL. THE

FIRST IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY ONE OF THESE PERMITS ARE GRANTED TO A

RETAILER, WHO WILL ALSO INCLUDE A CULTIVATOR AND A PROCESSOR. THE

ORIGINAL BILL SAID "A CULTIVATOR OR A PROCESSOR", SO WE WANT ONE OF EACH

BECAUSE THEY EACH HAVE A UNIQUE ROLE IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN.

AND PROBABLY THE MORE IMPORTANT CHANGE IS, HONESTLY,

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MAKING THE BILL MORE RESTRICTIVE. SO INSTEAD OF IT BEING WIDE OPEN AND

COULD EASILY BE PLACED PRETTY MUCH ANYWHERE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS

GRANTED BY LOCAL LAW, WE ARE NOW SAYING IT MUST BE A SEPARATE,

STANDALONE POP-UP EVENT. HOWEVER, WE DO MAINTAIN THE LANGUAGE OF

ALLOWING THESE AT FARMERS MARKETS, WHICH WAS IN THE ORIGINAL BILL AS

WELL, WHICH, I'M ASSUMING, YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU. MADAM SPEAKER, WILL THE

SPONSOR YIELD FOR SOME QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. LUPARDO: YES, OF COURSE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND COULD I

JUST -- JUST SAY AT THE OUTSET, AND I -- IT'S PROBABLY MY LOSS OF HEARING AS

I'M GETTING OLDER, BUT --

MS. LUPARDO: I'LL TRY TO GET CLOSER.

MS. WALSH: -- IF YOU COULD -- YEAH. IF -- IF YOU --

IF YOU DON'T MIND SO THAT I DON'T HAVE TO --

MS. LUPARDO: SURE. OKAY.

MS. WALSH: I'M TRYING TO LISTEN CAREFULLY TO WHAT

YOU'RE SAYING.

MS. LUPARDO: YUP.

MS. WALSH: SO, YOU -- THANK YOU FOR RUNNING

THROUGH THE TWO MAIN CHANGES OF THE CHAPTER AMENDMENT, BUT COULD

WE JUST GO BACK FOR A MINUTE AND TALK ABOUT LAST YEAR, THE BILL THAT WE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

TOOK UP. BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, WHY WERE CANNABIS SHOWCASE EVENTS

ALLOWED IN THE FIRST PLACE?

MS. LUPARDO: WELL, WE ALLOWED THEM IN THE FIRST

PLACE BECAUSE THE MARKET WAS SO SLOW TO START UP, AND THERE WERE SO

FEW RETAIL LOCATIONS THAT WE WANTED TO GIVE OUR FARMERS AND -- AND

PROCESSORS WHO ARE STRUGGLING AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL -- TO NOT ONLY SELL

THEIR PRODUCTS, BUT TO BUILD UP ENOUGH OF A CUSTOMER BASE SO THEY

COULD BE POSITIONED TO GET IN THE STORES.

WE HAVE CLUSTERS OF STORES IN MANY LOCATIONS, BUT

THERE ARE STILL AREAS OF THE STATE WHERE WE HAVE STRUGGLING FARMERS AND

PROCESSORS WHO COULD USE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS WHILE

THE MARKET BECOMES MORE ROBUSTLY BUILT OUT.

MS. WALSH: AND I DO REMEMBER THAT WHEN WE --

WE FIRST TOOK UP THE ORIGINAL LEGISLATION, MAYBE -- YEAH. I DON'T -- I

CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS 2023 OR 2024, I GUESS MAYBE IT WAS '24, WHEN

WE CREATED THIS OPPORTUNITY, THE IDEA WAS -- WASN'T IT THAT THE -- THE

FARMERS HAD PRODUCT THAT WAS JUST SITTING THERE FROM 2023, FROM LIKE

THE LAST HARVEST --

MS. LUPARDO: THAT'S TRUE --

MS. WALSH: -- AND WE HAD ASKED THEM TO GROW IT,

RIGHT? WE -- WE HAD --

MS. LUPARDO: YES.

MS. WALSH: -- ASKED THEM TO GROW IT, THEY DID IT.

AND THEN THEY WERE KIND OF SITTING ON IT AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY WAY TO --

TO GET RID OF IT, RIGHT?

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MS. LUPARDO: WELL, IN FACT, MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T

REALIZE THAT THE PRODUCT WENT BAD. AND SO WE WERE DEFINITELY GIVING

THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE UP FOR SOME OF THEIR LOSSES. SOME OF

THEM NEVER RECOVERED, AND WE HAD TRIED OVER THE YEARS TO GET THEM

RE-COMPENSATION, TO NO -- TO NO AVAIL. BUT, YES, THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL

IDEA. AGAIN, WE STILL HAVE POCKETS OF THE STATE WITH GROWERS WHO ARE

STRUGGLING, IN PARTICULAR.

MS. WALSH: SO I WANTED TO ASK YOU, BECAUSE I

KNOW THAT THE ROLLOUT -- NO PUN INTENDED -- OF THE -- OF CANNABIS TOOK A

WHILE AND IT WAS -- WE HAD LAWSUITS ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE LICENSING

PROCESS AND HOW -- YOU KNOW, WHO WAS GETTING THEM AND WHO WASN'T

GETTING THEM, AND IT TOOK A WHILE. BUT AT THIS POINT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT

NOW, AREN'T -- AREN'T THERE JUST A LOT OF LICENSES COMING OUT? I MEAN,

I'VE BEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE OUT AND AROUND MY DISTRICT, AND I THINK,

LIKE, IN -- LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE IN THE CITY OF SCHENECTADY, I THINK

THERE'S, LIKE, NINE, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE OUT THERE. DO WE REALLY -- DO WE

REALLY NEED THIS AT ALL GIVEN THE WAY THAT THE LICENSES ARE -- SEEM TO BE

COMING OUT RIGHT NOW IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER?

MS. LUPARDO: UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF OUR

CULTIVATORS AND OUR PROCESSORS ARE OPERATING AT A LOSS. SO WE'RE TRYING

TO PROVIDE THEM WITH ANY OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THEIR CUSTOMER BASE.

IT'S -- IT'S JUST BEEN KIND OF TRAGIC TO WATCH HOW SOME BRANDS WHO WERE

BETTER POSITIONED, THEY MAY HAVE HAD OTHER BUSINESSES TO FALL BACK ON

TO HELP WITH THEIR OVERALL FINANCIAL STABILITY. NOW, WE STILL HAVE SOME

FOLKS THAT COULD USE AN EXTRA BOOST TO, AGAIN, GET THAT MARKET SHARE AND

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

GET THEIR NAME OUT IN -- IN THE PUBLIC. BUT I DO EXPECT TO SEE THESE

OCCURRING IN MORE REMOTE PLACES WHERE THOSE STORES HAVE NOT YET

OPENED.

MS. WALSH: BUT NOW, IS THIS LEGISLATION INTENDED

TO -- THIS ISN'T GOING TO SUNSET, IS -- OR AM I WRONG? IS -- DOES IT SUNSET

OR DOES IT JUST CONTINUE ON?

MS. LUPARDO: IT DOES NOT SUNSET.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

MS. LUPARDO: BUT IT'S VERY -- IT'S GOING TO BE VERY

HIGHLY REGULATED AND EVERYONE INVOLVED WILL HAVE TO BE PERMITTED,

RECEIVE PERMITS, AND LOCAL MUNICIPAL APPROVALS, AND ALL THAT.

MS. WALSH: AND LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THAT. YOU DID

MENTION THAT ONE CHANGE WHERE YOU NEEDED TO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL OR

ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL, AND NOW IT'S BOTH. CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT

SITUATION?

MS. LUPARDO: WELL, WE -- WE VIEW THEM AS TIERS,

MUCH LIKE --

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MS. LUPARDO: -- THE ALCOHOL SYSTEM HAS TIERS. SO

THE CULTIVATORS ARE A TIER, THE PROCESSORS ARE A TIER, THE RETAILERS ARE

ANOTHER TIER. AND SO WE WOULDN'T WANT TO FAVOR ONE OVER THE OTHER. SO

BY SAYING "OR" WE REALLY SIGNALED THAT IT COULD BE ONE OR THE OTHER. WE

WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT BOTH WILL HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, AND THEY

MUST, IN FACT, PARTICIPATE.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. SO IS IT TRUE, THOUGH, THAT ONE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

OF -- WELL, LET ME -- LET ME BACK UP. I'M SORRY. HOW WELL DID THESE

CANNABIS SHOWCASE EVENTS TO IN 2024? BECAUSE, I GUESS, THEY DIDN'T

EVEN REALLY GET GOING UNTIL, LIKE, AUGUST, WAS MY UNDERSTANDING.

MS. LUPARDO: YEAH. THEY DID -- THEY DID REALLY

WELL.

MS. WALSH: YEAH.

MS. LUPARDO: I'VE HEARD FROM QUITE A FEW

CULTIVATORS WHO WERE DEVASTATED WHEN THOSE PERMITS -- THOSE EVENTS

WERE CANCELED RATHER ABRUPTLY. I MEAN, ONCE IT EXPIRED, WE HAD NO

PLAN. WE TRIED TO GET IT EXTENDED. BUT THEY -- YEAH. WE HAD -- I CAN

PICTURE THEIR FACES HERE TELLING ME HOW THEY LOST PRETTY MUCH ALL THEIR

INCOME RIGHT AT THAT POINT.

MS. WALSH: BUT THEY WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL, WHICH

IS PART --

MS. LUPARDO: YES.

MS. WALSH: -- YOU KNOW, AND -- AND -- YEAH.

MS. LUPARDO: BUT, YOU KNOW, TO BE -- THEY REALLY

NEEDED TO BE VERY CLOSELY MONITORED --

MS. WALSH: UH-HUH.

MS. LUPARDO: -- TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SALE WAS

RECORDED, AND EVERYONE WAS USING THE SAME RULES IN THE RETAIL SHOPS;

21, NO UNOPENED PACKAGES. THAT KIND OF STUFF.

MS. WALSH: OKAY --

MS. LUPARDO: NO OPENED PACKAGES, SORRY.

MS. WALSH: NOW THIS CHAPTER AMENDMENT, THOUGH,

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

ONE OF THE OTHER CHANGES IT MAKES IS THAT IT ALLOWS FOR THESE POP-UP

EVENTS. SO --

MS. LUPARDO: YES.

MS. WALSH: -- COULD YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN A POP-UP EVENT AND THE GROWERS SHOWCASE EVENTS, THE

CANNABIS SHOWCASE EVENTS?

MS. LUPARDO: SO THE -- THEY'RE CALLING THE ENTIRE

PROGRAM A CANNABIS SHOWCASE --

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MS. LUPARDO: -- EVENT PERMIT. AND WE'RE

DESCRIBING THESE AS POP-UP EVENTS TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WOULD BE

LOCATED IN A SEPARATE SPOT. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU COULDN'T HAVE A POP-UP

EVENT AT A CONCERT OR A POP-UP EVENT AT THE STATE FAIR OR AT THE

RACETRACK. SO WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO

PUT IT IN RIGHT NEXT TO AN ALREADY EXISTING ENTERTAINMENT VENUE, FOR

EXAMPLE. AND THAT WAS WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED IN THE EARLIER

VERSION, WHICH LEFT THAT OPEN. THIS IS --

MS. WALSH: WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT -- THAT

CLARIFICATION. SO THAT -- THAT'S IMPORTANT. BECAUSE WHEN I THINK OF A

POP-UP, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I THINK IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF

POPPING UP WHEREVER.

SO -- BUT -- LET ME -- LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. UP

IN MY COMMUNITY WE HAVE A WEEKLY FARMER'S MARKET WHERE PEOPLE CAN

COME AND GET, YOU KNOW, A BUNDLE OF CARROTS OR A DOZEN EARS OF CORN.

COULD THERE BE A POP-UP OF CANNABIS AT THIS EXISTING FARMER'S MARKET

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

UNDER THIS LEGISLATION?

MS. LUPARDO: THEY COULD HAVE A POP-UP AT A

FARMER'S MARKET. I'M PERSONALLY NOT EXPECTING A LOT OF FARMERS MARKETS

TO OPT INTO THIS BECAUSE OF SOME CONCERN THAT THERE'S COMMINGLING OF

FEDERAL MONEY IN THEIR OPERATIONS THAT WOULD PREVENT THEM FROM --

FROM DOING THIS IN A WAY THAT MIGHT -- COULD JEOPARDIZE THEIR

OPERATIONS BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL PROHIBITION.

ALSO, EVERY FARMER'S MARKET WOULD HAVE TO OPT INTO

THIS IDEA. THIS IS BY NO MEANS REQUIRING THEM TO APPROVE THIS. THEY

ALL HAVE THEIR OWN BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OR GOVERNING BODIES. SO, YEAH,

YOU COULD PUT A FARMER'S MARKET POP-UP, BUT THESE ARE GENERALLY GOING

FOR A 14-DAY PERIOD, AND I WOULD NOT EXPECT THAT TO WORK NECESSARILY

WITH A FARMER'S MARKET MODEL.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. SO LET'S SAY THAT YOU HAVE A

COMMUNITY THAT OPTED OUT OF CANNABIS SALES. THEY -- THEY DID THAT

LOCAL LEGISLATION, THEY OPTED OUT.

MS. LUPARDO: UH-HUH.

MS. WALSH: DID THEY -- AND THEN THEY HAVE A

FARMER'S MARKET IN THEIRS. WOULD THAT -- WOULD THAT BE A PROHIBITION TO

HAVE THAT IN THAT COMMUNITY?

MS. LUPARDO: THE MUNICIPAL RULE IS PREEMINENT

IN THIS. THERE'S NO WAY THIS COULD OVERRULE WHAT THE MUNICIPALITY HAS

DECIDED. IF THEY HAVE DECIDED TO OPT OUT OF ALL SALES, THAT'S IT.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. SO -- AND I APPRECIATE THE

CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE -- SO, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AT THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

TIME THEY WERE THINKING THAT THEY WERE OPTING OUT OF A CANNABIS SHOP,

LIKE A CANNABIS SHOP, BUT SOMETHING LIKE A POP-UP WOULD STILL BE

CONSIDERED CANNABIS SALES.

MS. LUPARDO: YES.

MS. WALSH: SO IF THEY HAVE LOCAL RULES SAYING, WE

DON'T WANT IT, WE'VE OPTED OUT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE THERE.

MS. LUPARDO: NOT GONNA BE THERE.

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

NOW, IF THEY -- IF A PLACE DID NOT -- IF A MUNICIPALITY

OR SOMETHING DIDN'T -- DID NOT OPT OUT AND THEY'RE IN, THEY WOULD -- BUT

THEY HAVE SOME LOCAL RULES AND REGULATIONS ABOUT WHETHER IT'S GOING TO

ALLOWED INTO, SAY, A FARMER'S MARKET, THEN THEY STILL HAVE THAT ABILITY

THROUGH LOCAL CONTROL TO SAY NO?

MS. LUPARDO: THAT'S TRUE. YES. ABSOLUTELY.

MS. WALSH: ALL RIGHT. SO I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT --

I WAS LOOKING AT THE OFFICE OF CANN -- CANNABIS MANAGEMENT, THEIR

WEBSITE, AND IT STATED THAT, QUOTE, "ALL CGS CANNABIS GROWERS'

SHOWCASE APPLICATIONS, OTHER THAN THOSE AT A LOCATION OF A LICENSED

RETAIL DISPENSARY, MUST INCLUDE A LETTER OF APPROVAL FROM THE

MUNICIPALITY WHERE THE CGS IS TO TAKE PLACE, STATING THE DATE, TIME,

AND LOCATION OF THE CGS." SO DOES THAT CANNABIS GROWERS' SHOWCASE,

DOES THAT REGULATION OR WHAT'S ON THAT WEBSITE, DOES THAT ALSO APPLY TO

THESE POP-UPS AS WELL? DO THEY COME UNDER THAT UMBRELLA OF CGS?

MS. LUPARDO: SO, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH

ANOTHER REGULATORY PROCESS --

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MS. LUPARDO: -- FOR THIS. AND I WOULD EXPECT THAT

TO BE IN THE NEW REGS AS WELL. I MEAN, WE CERTAINLY WANT A

MUNICIPALITY TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH ANYTHING.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE POP-UP GREENHOUSE EVENTS AND

POP-UP CHRISTMAS SALES. AND YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW ALL OF THE LOCAL RULES

ABOUT DOING THINGS LIKE THAT. SOME MUNICIPALITY DOESN'T JUST WANT

SOMETHING SHOWING UP WITHOUT THEIR OKAY.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. SO LET'S SAY THAT THE

MUNICIPALITY HAS GRANTED, I GUESS, APPROVAL FOR THIS POP-UP TO -- TO POP

UP AT A FARMER'S MARKET OR WHATNOT. GIVEN THAT PARENTS WITH CHILDREN

WHO MIGHT FREQUENT THEIR LOCAL FARMER'S MARKET MIGHT BE SURPRISED OR

EVEN UNHAPPY TO FIND A POP-UP CANNABIS SHOP THE NEXT TIME THEY GO TO

THE FARMER'S MARKET, DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT?

MS. LUPARDO: I GUESS I'VE HAD ENOUGH EXPERIENCE

WITH FARMERS MARKETS TO KNOW THEY HAVE A SENSITIVITY LEVEL AROUND THIS.

I WOULD NOT EXPECT THEM TO BE MAKING THIS A HUGELY DOMINATE SALE

FACTOR. ALL THE PRODUCTS WILL BE IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING, THERE WILL

BE NO LOOSE PRODUCTS SITTING AROUND. IT IS A LEGAL CROP AND A LEGAL

PRODUCT IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. AND WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT GONNA BE

PROMOTING THAT WITH FREE SAMPLES. SO I THINK FARMERS MARKETS WILL BE

VERY RESPONSIBILE IN HOW THEY HANDLE THIS.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO

MUCH FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.

MS. LUPARDO: OF COURSE.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MS. WALSH: MADAM SPEAKER, ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.

MS. WALSH: SO -- AND I APPRECIATE THE -- THE

SPONSOR DISCUSSING THIS WITH ME. I THINK THAT MY INITIAL REACTION TO IT

WAS THAT BY ALLOWING THESE POP-UPS TO OCCUR IN -- IN FARMERS MARKETS,

THAT COULD BE VERY CONCERNING TO -- TO FAMILIES THAT -- THAT FREQUENT THE

EVENT. IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE WHAT HAS BEEN LOVINGLY, I GUESS, REFERRED

TO AS WEED FARMERS MARKETS, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW,

LAST YEAR, AND THEY DID VERY WELL, BY THE WAY. THEY -- THEY MADE LIKE

$4.8 MILLION IN SALES AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN START UNTIL, LIKE, AUGUST OF

LAST YEAR. SO IT'S DEFINITELY A MONEYMAKER.

BUT THE CANNABIS SHOW -- GROWERS SHOWCASE

PROGRAM WAS REALLY ROLLED OUT LAST SUMMER AS A -- AS A TEMPORARY FIX TO

HELP CANNABIS FARMERS WHO WERE UNABLE TO SELL THEIR HARVESTED CROPS

DUE TO A SLOWER THAN ANTICIPATED ROLLOUT OF STATEWIDE DISPENSARIES.

THERE WERE ONLY 22 ADULT-USE DISPENSARIES JUST BEFORE THE 2023 HARVEST

SEASON, YET GROWERS WERE STILL SITTING ON THE PRIOR YEAR'S PRODUCTS

WITHOUT A LEGAL MEANS TO SELL. BUT NOW THAT THE LEGAL CHALLENGES HAVE

MOSTLY BEEN RESOLVED AND OCM HAS ISSUED A NUMBER OF LICENSES, I

THINK IT CALLS INTO QUESTION WHETHER WE REALLY NEED TO FURTHER EXPAND

THE CANNABIS GROWERS SHOWCASE TO ALLOW THESE POP-UPS.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, IF YOU'RE OVER 21, GO TO ANY

NUMBER OF SHOPS NOW TO GET CANNABIS. THIS BILL SAYS YES, WE STILL DO

NEED WEED FARMERS MARKETS, AND IT EVEN GOES A STEP FURTHER TO ALLOW

POP-UP WEED BOOTHS AT OTHER EVENTS AS WELL, WHICH, TO ME, IS A STEP TOO

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

FAR, AND MAYBE FOR MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES.

I'D LIKE TO SEE OCM, THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS

MANAGEMENT, POLICE ALL THE ILLEGAL POT SHOPS THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND

THERE ARE THOUSANDS, BEFORE EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM SO POTENTIALLY LITTLE

KIDS ARE NOT EXPOSED TO CANNABIS AT AN EARLY AGE.

I THINK THAT THIS OPENS THE DOOR TO FURTHER NORMALIZING

CANNABIS TO OUR CHILDREN, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES, I GUESS,

WHERE I WOULD TAKE LESS TAX REVENUE AND MORE QUALITY OF LIFE. SO I'LL BE

VOTING IN THE NEGATIVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MR. NORBER.

MR. NORBER: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, FOR

LETTING ME SPEAK.

WOULD THE SPONSOR YIELD?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. LUPARDO: YES. OF COURSE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. NORBER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

SO THE WAY I RECOGNIZE THESE FARMERS MARKETS AND

THESE POP-UP SHOPS AND -- IS THAT PEOPLE USUALLY TAKE SAMPLES. SO JUST

TO BE CLEAR, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO TAKE SAMPLES OF CANNABIS WHILE THEY'RE

THERE?

MS. LUPARDO: ALLOWED TO TAKE SAMPLES? NO. OF

COURSE NOT. THAT'S NOT ALLOWED IN ANY OF OUR RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS. IT

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

CERTAINLY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED AT A POP-UP OR AT A FARMERS MARKET.

EVERYTHING MUST BE IN ITS ORIGINAL PACKAGING. NO SAMPLES, NOTHING

OUT.

MR. NORBER: BUT IS THERE ANY WAY TO PREVENT FOR

PEOPLE THAT TAKE PURCHASING -- WHATEVER THEY'RE PURCHASING AND TO GO

AND -- AND HAVE A -- JUST TAKE A TRY SOMEWHERE IN THE FARMERS MARKET OR

IN THE PERIPHERY, VICINITY OF THE AREA? IS THERE ANY TYPE OF REGULATION

AGAINST IT --

MS. LUPARDO: WELL --

MR. NORBER: -- OR IS IT A MUNICIPALITY THING?

MS. LUPARDO: IT -- IT -- WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS A

LITTLE COMPLICATED. AT A FARMERS MARKETS WE HAVE -- CRAFT DISTILLERS ARE

SELLING THEIR WARES, CIDERIES ARE SELLING THEIR WARES. WE'RE -- WE

DON'T -- HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN TOO PREOCCUPIED WITH, ARE YOU GONNA BUY

THAT AND JUST IMMEDIATELY GO OUT IN THE PARKING LOT AND START -- START TO

DRINK? WE ALSO HAVE SMOKING LAWS IF SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE SMOKING

SOMETHING. SO I'M NOT ANTICIPATING THAT TO BE AN ISSUE.

MR. NORBER: SO -- OKAY. SO MY QUESTION

BASICALLY IS, HOW MANY POP-UP SHOPS AT A FARMERS MARKET CAN -- CAN BE

OPEN? BECAUSE WHAT I'M TRYING TO AVOID, BECAUSE WHEN I GO WITH MY

KIDS TO A FARMERS MARKET OR -- OR ANY OF THESE VICINITIES-- THESE AREAS

DURING THE WEEKENDS, I MEAN, PEOPLE CAN SAMPLE, PEOPLE EAT, PEOPLE

HAVE FUN, WHATEVER IT IS. SO IF -- LET'S SAY IF THERE'S A LIMIT, THAT WOULD

BE GREAT. BECAUSE IF THERE'S RIGHT NOW GONNA BE A DOZEN OR -- A CERTAIN

AMOUNT OF NUMBER OF POP-UP SHOPS AT THESE FARMERS MARKETS, THAT --

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

THAT COULD CREATE AN ISSUE. IT'S THE EXPOSURE, IN MY OPINION, TO THE

CHILDREN IS NOT OKAY --

MS. LUPARDO: WELL, I -- I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE

GETTING AT --

MR. NORBER: SO I JUST WANT TO SEE WANT -- IF -- IF

THIS BILL HANDLES THAT IN ANY WAY.

MS. LUPARDO: IT REALLY IS UP TO THE FARMERS MARKET

GOVERNING BODY. SO WE --

MR. NORBER: GOT IT.

MS. LUPARDO: -- YOU KNOW, EACH ONE OF THOSE

GROUPS IS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON THEIR LOCAL

CIRCUMSTANCES, THE SENSITIVITIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO THEY SERVE, AND WHAT

THEY THINK THEY CAN ACCOMMODATE. SO I -- LIKE I SAID, MANY -- I KNOW

THAT MY FARMERS MARKET HAS A LOT OF FEDERAL FUNDING MIXED IN TO WHAT

THEY DO. I WOULD NOT ANTICIPATE THEM BEING INVOLVED WITH THIS, BUT I

COULD BE WRONG. SO, YEAH, IT'S HARD FOR US TO SAY BECAUSE WE'RE GIVING

EACH FARMERS MARKET THE DECISION TO MAKE ON THEIR OWN IN THE CONTEXT

OF A MUNICIPALITY THAT MAY HAVE OPTED OUT. AND A LOT OF THEM HAVE

OPTED OUT.

MR. NORBER: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.

MR. NORBER: I THINK THIS IS VERY DETRIMENTAL TO

EXPOSING CHILDREN. IT ALSO KIND OF WILL RUIN THEIR EXPERIENCE DURING --

GOING TO A FARMERS MARKET, WHICH COULD BE FUN AND NICE FOR OUR

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

FAMILIES. THROUGHOUT NEW YORK STATE WE KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT

PEOPLE DO ON WEEKENDS, AND I JUST -- GONNA VOTE NEGATIVE ON THIS BILL.

THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MR. MORINELLO.

MR. MORINELLO: THANK YOU. WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. LUPARDO: OF COURSE.

MR. MORINELLO: THANK YOU --

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. MORINELLO: THE OPEN FARMERS MARKET, WILL

THEY BE ABLE TO DISPLAY AND SELL BOTH FLOWER AND EDIBLES?

MS. LUPARDO: YES. BECAUSE ONE CULTIVATOR AND

ONE PROCESSOR. THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE OF EACH.

MR. MORINELLO: ALL RIGHT. BUT I'M TALKING --

MR. LUPARDO: THE CULTIVATOR SELLS FLOWER, THE

PROCESSOR HAS MORE PROCESSED PRODUCTS.

MR. MORINELLO: ALL RIGHT --

MS. LUPARDO: AND THE PACKAGING --

MR. MORINELLO: LET'S -- LET'S EXCLUDE THE FLOWER

AND THE SMOKE AND THE -- AND THE -- I'M TALKING -- I WANT TO FOCUS

STRICTLY ON THE INGESTIBLES --

MS. LUPARDO: OKAY.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MR. MORINELLO: -- THAT -- THAT NORMALLY LOOKS

LIKE CANDY TO YOUNG CHILDREN --

MS. LUPARDO: UH-HUH.

MR. MORINELLO: -- OKAY? IS THERE ANY SPECIAL

PROHIBITION FOR THE FARMERS MARKETS WHEN IT COMES TO THE EDIBLES?

AND, PLEASE, LET'S EXCLUDE THE FLOWER PART. MAY -- AND IF I MAY, MY

CONCERN IS THE ATTRACTIVENESS TO YOUNG CHILDREN IN A VERY BUSY FARMERS

MARKET WOULD MIGHT BE ATTRACTIVE TO THESE YOUNG CHILDREN. AND I'M

TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN YEARS OLD.

MS. LUPARDO: SURE.

MR. MORINELLO: THAT IS MY CONCERN ON THIS BILL.

MS. LUPARDO: SO IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN TO A RETAIL

OPERATION OR TO A -- OR TO ONE OF THE POP-UP EVENTS, THERE'S HARDLY ANY

PRODUCT ON THE TABLE. THERE IS A SAMPLE OF EACH, WHICH IS HIGHLY --

HIGHLY GUARDED. AND IF SOMEBODY SAYS, I'D LIKE TO BUY ONE OF THOSE,

THEY GO DOWN AND GRAB SOMETHING TO SELL IT TO THEM. THERE'S NOT A LOT

OF PRODUCTS THAT COULD BE TAKEN OR DISPLAYED OR, YOU KNOW, IN ANY WAY,

SHAPE OR FORM VIEWED AS AN ATTRACTIVE TO CHILDREN BECAUSE THERE'S

ONE -- ONE PACKAGE OF EACH OUT THERE. AND IT'S VERY HIGHLY GUARDED IN

TERMS OF WHO GETS WHAT.

MR. MORINELLO: IS THIS BY REG -- IS THIS BY

REGULATION?

MS. LUPARDO: YES. YES. THAT'S WHY WE -- IF YOU

GO INTO A RETAIL OPERATION, EVERYTHING IS BEHIND GLASS -- GLASS COUNTERS.

THERE'S NOTHING SITTING AROUND.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MR. MORINELLO: BUT -- BUT AT -- AT THE FARMERS

MARKET, IS THIS --

MS. LUPARDO: THE SAME THING.

MR. MORINELLO: -- REGULATED?

MS. LUPARDO: IT WILL BE ONCE THE REGULATIONS ARE

FINISHED.

MR. MORINELLO: OKAY. SO IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT IN

THE EXISTING BILL?

MS. LUPARDO: NO. BUT THE OFFICE OF CANNIBIS

MANAGEMENT --

MR. MORINELLO: OKAY, SO WE -- WE --

MS. LUPARDO: -- WILL ISSUE REGULATIONS TO SPECIFY

EXACTLY HOW THIS WILL GO. AND IT WILL HAVE TO GO -- MATCH THE SAME

TYPE OF -- OF PROTECTIONS THAT YOU SEE IN THE RETAIL STORES.

MR. MORINELLO: SO IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR

ANSWER --

MS. LUPARDO: YES.

MR. MORINELLO: -- WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT IF THIS

PASSES, THEN WHAT WE HAVE IS SOMEBODY ELSE OR ANOTHER GROUP IS GONNA

PUT REGULATIONS IN. SO WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, AM I CORRECT, THAT IT --

THAT LITTLE KIDS ARE NOT -- ARE GONNA BE PROTECTED FROM THE EDIBLES?

MS. LUPARDO: OH -- KEEP IN MIND THAT THE RETAIL --

THE RETAILER, WHO WILL BE THE PERSON APPLYING FOR THE PERMIT, MUST USE

THE SAME STRICT GUIDELINES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE IN THAT PERSON'S

STORE. SO I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN THE OFFICE OF CANNABIS

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MANAGEMENT IS GONNA DECIDE TO -- TO WEAKEN THOSE PROTECTIONS. OUR --

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BUILT ON THOSE TYPES OF SAFETY PROTOCOLS, SO I'M

EXPECTING THE SAME THING. OTHERWISE THE RETAILER WOULD RISK LOSING

THEIR ENTIRE LICENSE IF THEY OPERATED DIFFERENTLY.

MR. MORINELLO: SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO BRING

CONTAINERS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO BRING THEIR SHOWCASES TO SET UP AT A

FARMERS MARKET?

MS. LUPARDO: THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROTECT THE

PRODUCT --

MR. MORINELLO: OKAY.

MS. LUPARDO: -- IN -- IN A WAY THAT WORKS IN THAT

SETTING. YES. ABSOLUTELY.

MR. MORINELLO: THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.

MR. MORINELLO: THE BILL ITSELF IN CHIEF HAS MERIT

FOR THE GROWERS, THE RETAILERS. BUT, AGAIN, MY CONCERN IS WHEN YOU GET

TO THE EDIBLES, THERE ARE -- EVEN THOUGH WE RESTRICT PACKAGING, WHEN

YOU GET TO A FARMERS MARKET, AND I'M SURE MOST PEOPLE IN THIS AREA HAVE

BEEN TO FARMERS MARKETS, THEY GET VERY CROWDED. THEY GET CROWDED ON

SATURDAY MORNINGS. PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND, OKAY. AND I DON'T SEE ANY

PROTECTION FROM THE EDIBLES FROM YOUNG CHILDREN. I DON'T SEE ANY

PROTECTIONS FROM THEM BEING PART OF A CROWD. LET'S TAKE A 14-YEAR-OLD,

TO REACH IN AND GRAB AN EDIBLE. AND IT'S THE EDIBLES THAT ARE GONNA

DESTROY OUR YOUTH BECAUSE THEY CANNOT BE DETERMINED. THEY COME IN

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

PACKAGING, ATTRACTIVE PACKAGING.

AND MY -- AGAIN, MY CONCERN ON THIS BILL IS, UNTIL WE

KNOW THE BILL ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT EDIBLES, PROTECTION OF

THOSE UNDER 21, I'M GONNA URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO VOTE NO ON THE BILL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MR. JENSEN.

MR. JENSEN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. WOULD

THE SPONSOR YIELD FOR A (INAUDIBLE) OF QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MR. LUPARDO: SURE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. JENSEN: THANK YOU, MS. LUPARDO. JUST A

QUICK QUESTION. AND IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE

APPROPRIATE UNDER THE BILL-IN-CHIEF, I -- I APOLOGIZE. UNDER OCM'S

REGULATIONS WE MANDATE SEED-TO-SALE TRACKING.

MS. LUPARDO: YES.

MR. JENSEN: AND UNDER THIS CHAPTER AMENDMENT

THAT A -- ANYBODY WANTING TO OPERATE IN A POP-UP, AND SINCE THE FARMERS

MARKET'S BEEN THE EXAMPLE, I'LL CONTINUE WITH THAT EXAMPLE, OFTENTIMES

THAT IS ALREADY A LOW-TECH, CASH-FOR-PRODUCT-TYPE ENVIRONMENTS. IS

THERE ANYTHING, WHETHER IT'S IN THE BILL-IN-CHIEF OR WITH THIS SUBSEQUENT

CHAPTER AMENDMENT, THAT WOULD MANDATE THAT OCM, IN THE

DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGULATIONS, HAS TO ENSURE THAT THE SEED-TO-SALE

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

TRACKING REGULATIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE FOR BRICK-AND-MORTAR LOCATIONS

AND THROUGHOUT --

MS. LUPARDO: YES.

MR. JENSEN: -- THE -- THE LIFE CYCLE OF A CANNABIS

PLANT --

MS. LUPARDO: THAT -- THAT IS THE LAW AND THAT LAW

CARRIES THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

MR. JENSEN: OKAY.

MS. LUPARDO: AND WE'RE EXPECTING IT TO BE MADE

CLEAR WHEN THE REGULATIONS ARE PUT FORTH, THE PERSON WHO HAS THE RETAIL

LICENSE --

MR. JENSEN: UH-HUH.

MS. LUPARDO: -- HAS TO ABIDE BY THE LAW.

MR. JENSEN: SO THEY --

MS. LUPARDO: AS DOES THE SEED-TO-TRACK -- THE

TRACKING SYSTEM, THE WAY IT'S CODED, THE WAY IT'S SOLD, THE WAY IT'S

DISPLAYED, ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT IS IN THE STORE.

MR. JENSEN: OKAY.

MR. LUPARDO: THEY JUST DON'T HAVE -- THEY JUST

HAVEN'T LINED IT OUT RELATIVE TO THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF LOCATION.

MR. JENSEN: AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE

RESPONSIBILITY, AFTER SUBSEQUENT PASSAGE AND SIGNATURE BY THE

GOVERNOR, THAT OCM WOULD HAVE TO DEVELOP THE MECHANISM THROUGH

REGS TO DETERMINE THE BEST WAY TO FULFILL THE EXISTING LAW WITH THIS

CHANGE TO THE LAW.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MS. LUPARDO: EXACTLY. IN A -- IN THAT TYPE OF

SETTING. BUT IT WAS DONE SUCCESSFULLY AT THE POP-UPS THAT WERE DONE.

MR. JENSEN: OKAY.

MS. LUPARDO: I -- AFTER HAVING VISITED ONE, I WAS

VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF SECURITY THEY HAD THAT WAS SIMILAR TO

THE RETAIL STORES.

MR. JENSEN: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I

APPRECIATE IT.

MS. LUPARDO: SURE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST

SECTION.

THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: A PARTY VOTE HAS

BEEN REQUESTED.

MS. WALSH.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. SO, THE

REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE NEGATIVE ON THIS

CHAPTER AMENDMENT. WE HAD 38 NO VOTES LAST YEAR ON THE ORIGINAL.

BUT IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THIS, THEY CAN CERTAINLY VOTE AT

THEIR DESKS.

THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER. THE MAJORITY CONFERENCE IS GENERALLY GONNA BE IN FAVOR OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION; HOWEVER, THERE COULD BE A FEW THAT WOULD

DECIDE TO BE AN EXCEPTION. THEY SHOULD FEEL FREE TO DO SO AT THEIR

SEATS.

THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

THE CLERK WILL RECORD THE VOTE.

(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)

MR. STECK TO EXPLAIN HIS VOTE.

MR. STECK: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. I WILL BE

VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS RESOLUTION -- OR THIS BILL. THE -- I FEEL VERY

STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF LEGALIZATION OF MARIHUANA, ALWAYS HAVE. I THINK IT

SHOULD BE REGULATED, HOWEVER, VERY SIMILARLY TO ALCOHOL. AND THAT, IN

MY OPINION, IS WHERE WE ARE FALLING DOWN. I HAD THE PEDIATRICIANS IN

MY OFFICE TALKING ABOUT CANNABIS USE DISORDER AND ALSO MARIHUANA-

INDUCED PSYCHOSIS. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES. WE ARE NOT. BUT

THAT IS NOT A REASON FOR VOTING AGAINST THIS BILL, SO I WILL BE VOTING IN THE

AFFIRMATIVE.

THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. STECK IN THE

AFFIRMATIVE.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES TO EXPLAIN HER VOTE.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN MY VOTE. I WANT TO COMMEND

THE CHAIR OF OUR AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE FOR PUTTING THIS BILL FORWARD

AGAIN EVEN IN ITS -- IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO HAVE A

PRODUCT THAT THEY WANT TO GET INTO THE MARKET HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

ONE THING FOR SURE IS IF YOU GET A LICENSE FROM NEW YORK STATE TO DO A

POP-UP, HAVE A DISPENSARY, OR WHATEVER IT IS YOU HAVE THE LICENSE FOR,

YOU'RE HELD TO SOME REQUIREMENTS. AND YOUR LICENSE WILL BE IN

JEOPARDY IF YOU TAKE IT TO A FARMERS MARKET AND ALLOW CHILDREN TO GET

ACCESS TO IT. YOUR LICENSE IS IN JEOPARDY. IT'S -- IT'S GONNA BE TAKEN

FROM YOU. AND SO I FEEL LIKE THE RESPONSIBLE ADULTS WHO HAVE DECIDED

TO ENGAGE IN A LEGAL BUSINESS WILL DO IT IN A LEGAL MANNER THAT WILL

PROTECT ALL THAT'S INTERESTED.

SO, I WANT TO AGAIN THANK THE SPONSOR FOR THE BILL AND I

VOTE IN SUPPORT OF IT.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MRS. PEOPLES-

STOKES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES?

THE CLERK WILL RECORD THE VOTE.

(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)

THE BILL IS PASSED.

PAGE 5, RULES REPORT 106, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: SENATE NO. S00789, RULES REPORT NO.

106, BRISPORT (A04045, LASHER). AN ACT TO AMEND THE FAMILY COURT

ACT, IN RELATION TO FINDINGS IN CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT PROCEEDINGS IN

FAMILY COURT.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: AN EXPLANATION HAS

BEEN REQUESTED, MR. LASHER.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MR. LASHER: THIS IS A CHAPTER AMENDMENT ON THE

BILL-IN-CHIEF, LAST YEAR'S A.7348. THE BILL-IN-CHIEF UPDATED THE WARNING

THAT FAMILY COURT JUDGES GIVE TO RESPONDENT PARENTS IN A FAMILY COURT

ARTICLE 10 PROCEEDING, SUCH THAT THAT WARNING WAS CONSISTENT -- IS

CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW, THAT A FAMILY -- EXCUSE ME -- THE SOCIAL

SERVICES LAW AS AMENDED BY THE LEGISLATURE IN 2022. AND THIS

CHAPTER AMENDMENT MAKES FURTHER REFINEMENTS TO THE LAW SUCH THAT THE

WARNINGS THAT JUDGES GIVE ARE ACCURATE AND COMPLETE.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER, WILL THE SPONSOR YIELD FOR SOME QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MR. LASHER: CERTAINLY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE OF JUST RUN THROUGH WHAT THE CHAPTER

AMENDMENT DOES. AND WE MAY TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WHOLE, KIND

OF THE OVERALL PROCESS THAT WE FOLLOW IN FAMILY COURT WHEN THERE'S BEEN

AN INDICATION OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT, SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO SEALING.

SO THE FIRST THING THAT YOU -- I THINK ONE OF THE FIRST

THINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT WAS THE SECTION ON PAGE 1, LINE, AROUND, 8 AND

9, WHERE IT TALKED ABOUT THE NOTIFICATIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE TO THE

RESPONDENT, AND IT ADDED THE WORDS "IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE FOLLOWING

TERMS." WAS -- WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF ADDING THAT LANGUAGE, "IN

SUBSTANTIALLY THE FOLLOWING TERMS OF THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

SUCH ORDER"?

MR. LASHER: I -- I THINK THE GOAL HERE IS THAT

RESPONDENT FAMILIES WOULD RECEIVE A WARNING THAT IS BOTH PRECISE AND

COMPREHENSIBLE, AND THAT BY GIVING JUDGES A MODEST AMOUNT OF

FLEXIBILITY IN THE EXACT WORDS THAT THEY USE, IT ENSURES THAT THEY CAN

ACHIEVE BOTH OF THOSE GOALS.

MS. WALSH: YEAH. AND I -- I HAPPEN TO ABSOLUTELY

AGREE WITH THAT, THAT CHANGE IN THE CHAPTER. I LIKE THAT BECAUSE I'D HATE

TO SEE -- MOST -- MOST FAMILY COURT JUDGES WILL HAVE A SCRIPT, BASICALLY,

THAT THEY'LL DO THEIR ALLOCUTION FROM AND -- AND -- BUT IF THEY MISS A

WORD OR IF THEY MISS A PHRASE, BUT IT SUBSTANTIALLY INFORMS THE

RESPONDENTS OF WHAT'S GOING ON, I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT BEING SOME

KIND OF FATAL FLAW THAT COULD COME BACK LATER. SO I -- I THINK THAT THAT'S

A GOOD CHANGE.

I NOTICED THAT AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 1, SO STARTING

AROUND, LIKE, 23, 24, 25, THERE WAS A SECTION THAT WAS STRUCK, BEGINNING

SUBPARAGRAPH (B), IF THE COURT FINDING IS FOR NEGLECT, THAT AREA. THAT

WAS TAKEN OUT. BUT THEN, AM I READING THIS CORRECTLY, THAT THEN IT WAS

KIND OF PUT BACK IN ON PAGE 2 OF THE -- THE BILL?

MR. LASHER: I THINK THE -- THE STRIKING OF THE LINES

23 THROUGH 25 AND THE NEW LANGUAGE ON LINE 7 THROUGH 10 ON THE NEXT

BILL [SIC] REFLECT AN EFFORT TO BE MORE PRECISE AND CLEAR IN THE -- IN THE

WARNING.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. BUT IT'S STILL IN THERE. AS FAR AS

SEALING, IT'S STILL -- IT'S STILL IN THERE, IT JUST GOT MOVED FROM ONE PART OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

THE BILL TO ANOTHER PART.

MR. LASHER: THAT'S RIGHT. AND, AGAIN, THIS -- THIS

BILL IN NO WAY AFFECTS THE UNDERLYING QUESTIONS OF WHAT RECORDS GET

SEALED AND WHEN.

MS. WALSH: THAT'S GOOD. AND WE'LL -- WE'LL GET TO

THAT, I THINK, IN A MINUTE AS WELL, IF YOU DON'T MIND.

ON PAGE 2, LINE 2 OF THE BILL, IT TALKS ABOUT -- IT MAKES

A CHANGE -- SO IT SAYS, "THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH REPORT MAY BE MADE

KNOWN TO EMPLOYER, AND THE WORDS "HAD BEEN SEEKING TO SCREEN

EMPLOYEE OR VOLUNTEER APPLICANTS", AND IT CHANGED IT TO BE "AN

EMPLOYER REQUIRED TO SCREEN EMPLOYEE OR VOLUNTEER APPLICANTS." WHY

WAS THAT CHANGE MADE?

MR. LASHER: I BELIEVE THAT CHANGE, AGAIN, IS MADE

IN ORDER TO ACCURATELY REFLECT THE UNDERLYING LAW, WHICH MAKES THESE

RECORDS AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYERS OR POTENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS WHERE

SOMEBODY IS VOLUNTEERING THAT ARE REQUIRED TO SEEK THIS INFORMATION.

MS. WALSH: DO YOU NOT SEE THAT AS BEING A LITTLE

BIT MORE LIMITING? THERE MAY BE EMPLOYERS WHO WOULD SEEK IT, BUT

ARE YOU JUST SAYING THAT IT WILL ONLY BE THOSE EMPLOYERS WHO ARE

REQUIRED TO SCREEN EMPLOYEES WHO COULD POTENTIALLY SEE THE --

MR. LASHER: WELL --

MS. WALSH: -- POTENTIALLY SEE THE INDICATION?

MR. LASHER: FIRST OF ALL, NO, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD

BE LIMITING BECAUSE NOTHING IN THIS BILL WOULD IN ANY WAY LIMIT OR

EXPAND THE UNDERLYING LAW.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MS. WALSH: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO AS FAR AS -- AND --

AND LET'S JUST -- IF WE COULD JUST REVIEW THAT FOR A MINUTE. SO, THE STATE

CENTRAL REGISTRY, ONCE THERE'S BEEN AN INDICATION OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT, IT

STAYS ON THE STATE CENTRAL REGISTRY AS TO THAT PARENT OR PERSON LEGALLY

RESPONSIBLE. YOU LOOK AT THAT, THE YOUNGEST CHILD IN THAT FAMILY, AND

YOU MEASURE HOW LONG IT'S GONNA BE ON THE REGISTRY, UP TO THE AGE OF 18

FOR THAT YOUNGEST CHILD, PLUS ANOTHER TEN YEARS. SO NOTHING IN THIS BILL

CHANGES THAT AS LONG AS HOW LONG SOMETHING IS GONNA STAY ON THE STATE

CENTRAL REGISTRY, CORRECT?

MR. LASHER: NOTHING IN THIS BILL AFFECTS HOW LONG

SOMETHING IS GONNA STAY ON THE STATE -- STATE CENTRAL REGISTRY.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE SEALING

PART, SO BACK IN 2020 IN THE STATE BUDGET, I BELIEVE, THERE WAS A

PROVISION THAT WAS ADDED THAT SAID THAT IF AN INDICATION FOR NEGLECT WAS

IN THERE FOR -- I THINK IT WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD, THEN IF AN EMPLOYER WENT

BACK TO LOOK, IT WOULD NOT -- IT WOULD NOT BE THERE ANYMORE, THAT IT WAS

AN EIGHT-YEAR TIME LIMIT THAT WAS PLACED ON THE NEGLECT INDICATION. IS

THERE ANYTHING IN THIS CHAPTER AMENDMENT OR, AS YOU SAY, THERE'S

NOTHING REALLY THAT CHANGES THAT, CORRECT?

MR. LASHER: NOT ONLY IS THERE NOTHING IN THE

CHAPTER AMENDMENT THAT CHANGES THAT, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE

BILL-IN-CHIEF THAT CHANGES THAT.

MS. WALSH: YEAH. SO THAT -- THE -- THE SEALING

ISSUE STAYS THE SAME. AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE UNIVERSE OF EMPLOYERS

WHO CAN -- WHO CAN POTENTIALLY SEE A PRIOR INDICATION, THAT DIDN'T

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

CHANGE EITHER? THAT DIDN'T BECOME MORE LIMITED?

MR. LASHER: AGAIN, THE UNIVERSE OF EMPLOYERS,

THE LENGTH OF SEALING, NONE OF THAT WAS AFFECTED EITHER BY THE

BILL-IN-CHIEF, WHICH IS WHY I BELIEVE THIS HOUSE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED

THAT LEGISLATION, NOR WOULD IT BE AFFECTED BY THE CHAPTER AMENDMENT.

MS. WALSH: WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR

ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.

MADAM SPEAKER, ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.

MS. WALSH: SO, I GUESS WHERE I HAVE AN ISSUE IS

NOT MAYBE SO MUCH WITH WHAT THIS CHAPTER AMENDMENT DOES, BUT WITH

THE RULES THAT WERE PLACED INTO THE BUDGET IN 2020 AS FAR AS THE SEALING.

I THINK THAT AS A -- AS A STATE, I THINK THAT OUR PRIORITIES SHOULD BE

CENTERED AROUND PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE, AND I THINK THAT

CHILDREN ARE AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST, NEW YORK'S KIDS. AND IT'S MY KIDS,

IT'S YOUR KIDS. IT'S EVERYBODY'S CHILDREN. SO THAT IF -- IF A -- IF A PARENT

OR PERSON LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE HAS BEEN FOUND TO HAVE NEGLECTED A CHILD,

AND THEN AT SOME LATER POINT IN TIME THAT PARENT WANTS TO SEEK

EMPLOYMENT AS A CPS WORKER, A DAYCARE WORKER, A VOLUNTEER AT A

DAYCARE CENTER, ALL OF THOSE ARE SCREENED THROUGH THE STATE CENTRAL

REGISTRY. AND IF THAT INDICATION IS OVER EIGHT YEARS OLD, NOBODY'S

GONNA FIND -- NOBODY'S GONNA GET IT. NOBODY'S GONNA SEE IT. SO I HAVE

A REAL PROBLEM WITH THAT. AND I -- I THINK THAT -- I WOULD LOVE TO SEE

THAT CHANGED IN THE LAW, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY TIME IN

OFFICE HAS BEEN A REAL TREND TOWARDS FAVORING THE WRONG PEOPLE, YOU

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

KNOW. I THINK THAT THE WRONG PEOPLE ARE GETTING PROTECTIONS AND THAT'S

LEAVING VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS MORE VULNERABLE.

SO I WON'T BE VOTING FOR THIS CHAPTER, BUT IT'S REALLY

ONLY BECAUSE I DISAGREE WITH THE WHOLE FRAMEWORK OF -- OF WHY THINGS

ARE SEALED, HOW LONG THEY'RE SEALED. WHAT EMPLOYERS GET TO SEE, WHAT

THEY DON'T GET TO SEE. BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE A PUBLIC INTEREST IN

KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE, AND I THINK THAT THIS FRAMEWORK AND THIS

CONSTRUCT IN THIS AREA OF THE LAW REALLY ERODES THAT. SO I DON'T -- I DON'T

SUPPORT IT, BUT OTHERS MAY VERY WELL DISAGREE WITH ME.

THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST

SECTION.

THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 60TH

DAY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL

RECORD THE VOTE.

(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)

MR. LASHER TO EXPLAIN HIS VOTE.

MR. LASHER: I WOULD JUST BRIEFLY EMPHASIZE THAT

REGARDLESS OF ONE'S VIEWS ON THE CHANGES THAT THE LEGISLATURE ENACTED

IN 2022, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT EVERYONE HERE WANTS TO ENSURE THAT

JUDGES ARE GIVING INFORMATION TO PARTICIPANTS IN THESE PROCEEDINGS THAT

IS ACCURATE AND THAT FAITHFULLY REFLECTS THE LAW, EVEN IF WE MAY NOT

THINK THE LAW IS PERFECT. AND THAT IS WHAT THIS CHAPTER AMENDMENT

WOULD DO.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. LASHER IN THE

AFFIRMATIVE.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.

(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)

THE BILL IS PASSED.

MR. LASHER, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST VOTE -- YOUR

FIRST BILL.

(APPLAUSE)

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, DO YOU

HAVE ANY FURTHER HOUSEKEEPING OR RESOLUTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: A RESOLUTION BY

MR. SCHIAVONI, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 184, MR.

SCHIAVONI.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION HONORING THE VOLUNTEER

FIREFIGHTERS, THE NEW YORK AIR NATIONAL GUARD 106TH -- 106TH RESCUE

WING, AND NEW YORK STATE AGENCIES FOR THEIR VALIANT EFFORTS IN

COMBATTING THE BRUSH FIRES IN SUFFOLK COUNTY, LONG ISLAND.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. SCHIAVONI ON

THE BILL -- ON THE RESOLUTION.

MR. SCHIAVONI: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

THIS PAST WEEKEND, SATURDAY, MARCH 8TH, FIRES BROKE OUT ACROSS LONG

ISLAND, THE EASTERN END OF LONG ISLAND, DUE TO WINDS TO UP TO 40 MILES

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

AN HOUR. FOURS FIRES BROKE -- BEGAN IN THE HAMLETS OF EAST MORICHES,

CENTER MORICHES, EASTPORT AND WEST HAMPTON, WITH THE LARGEST FIRE.

THANKS TO THE WORK OF OVER 600 VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS,

THE STATE OF NEW YORK, THE FIRE WAS 100 PERCENT CONTAINED BY SUNDAY.

OVER 600 MEMBERS OF DEPARTMENTS FROM ALL OVER LONG ISLAND

RESPONDED. OVER 8 -- 80 DIFFERENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS FROM LONG ISLAND

CAME OUT TO THE EAST END TO HELP FIGHT THE FIRES. AND I WANT TO

PERSONALLY THANK ALL THE MEMBERS FROM LONG ISLAND IN -- IN THIS

CHAMBER, AND ALSO PLEASE EXTEND OUR THANKS TO YOUR FIREFIGHTERS, THE

MEN AND WOMEN IN YOUR DEPARTMENT WHO CAME OUT AND ANSWERED THE

CALL. IT MADE THE DIFFERENCE.

ADDITIONALLY, I WANT TO THANK THE GOVERNOR OF THE

STATE OF NEW YORK, KATHY HOCHUL, FOR HER QUICK RESPONSE. SHE

DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY QUICKLY AND DISPATCHED THREE APACHE

HELICOPTERS AS WELL AS A C-130, AND THEY WERE HITTING THE HOT SPOTS

EARLY IN THE FIRE.

TO RECOGNIZE THESE EFFORTS OF ALL THOSE INVOLVED, I'VE

INTRODUCED A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS, TEN

AMBULANCE CREWS, THE NEW YORK AIR NATIONAL GUARD 106TH RESCUE

WING, THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, NEW YORK

STATE FIRE, SUFFOLK COUNTY, THE TOWNS OF BROOKHAVEN AND

SOUTHAMPTON TOWN, THE NEW YORK CITY DIVISION OF HOMELAND

SECURITY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES, THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF

TRANSPORTATION, DIVISION OF MILITARY AND NAVAL AFFAIRS, AND NEW YORK

STATE POLICE, AND TO HELP THE NUMEROUS ELECT -- AND -- AND THE HELP OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

NUMEROUS ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARRIVED ON THE SCENE TO STRATEGIZE AND

PROVIDED VITAL RESOURCES AND FIGHT THE BLAZES. WE HAD TWO FIREFIGHTERS

INJURED. THEY HAVE BEEN RELEASED.

I ALSO STAND HERE TODAY TO MAKE THAT -- MY COLLEAGUES

AWARE OF THE THREAT THAT MANY OF OUR CONSTITUENTS FACE DUE TO THE

SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE, WHICH HAS RAVAGED FORESTS -- A FOREST ON LONG

ISLAND. NEW YORK STATE NEEDS TO WORK TO MITIGATE THE RISK OF FUTURE

WILDFIRES ON LONG ISLAND IN THE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE

SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE WHOSE PRESENCE HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO CLIMATE

CHANGE. I ASK MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR SUPPORT TO INCREASE ATTENTION ON

THIS CRITICAL ISSUE FACING THE 2.8 MILLION PEOPLE OF NASSAU AND SUFFOLK

COUNTIES.

SO I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CHAMBER FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

ON THE RESOLUTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING

AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL RESOLUTIONS BEFORE

THE HOUSE. WITHOUT OBJECTION, THESE RESOLUTIONS WILL BE TAKEN UP

TOGETHER.

ON THESE RESOLUTIONS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY

SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED.

(WHEREUPON, ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NOS. 185-187

WERE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.)

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

NYS ASSEMBLY MARCH 11, 2025

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: I NOW MOVE THAT THE

ASSEMBLY STAND ADJOURNED AND THAT WE RECONVENE AT 12:00 P.M.,

WEDNESDAY, MARCH THE 12TH, TOMORROW BEING A SESSION DAY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON MRS. PEOPLES-

STOKES' MOTION, THE HOUSE STANDS ADJOURNED.

(WHEREUPON, AT 3:50 P.M., THE HOUSE STOOD ADJOURNED

UNTIL WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12TH AT 12:00 P.M., THAT BEING A SESSION DAY.)