WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2025 11:49 A.M.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE HOUSE WILL
COME TO ORDER.
GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES.
THE REVEREND DONNA ELIA WILL OFFER A PRAYER.
REVEREND DONNA ELIA: LET US PRAY. HOLY AND
MAJESTIC GOD, WE PAUSE IN THIS MOMENT BEFORE REPORTS ARE HEARD AND
DECISIONS ARE MADE WE HONOR AND PRAISE YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE
BEAUTY OF THIS DAY AND FOR EVERY GOOD GIFT YOU FREELY POUR OUT UPON US.
AS LEGISLATORS GATHER FOR THE DAY'S WORK, EQUIP THEM WITH THE GIFT OF
PATIENCE, KINDNESS, WISDOM, DISCERNMENT AND COURAGE. HELP THEM TO
WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD BRIDGES ACROSS DIFFERENCES OF PERSPECTIVE AND
CONVICTION. EQUIP THEM AS THEY SERVE THAT THEY MIGHT WORK FOR WHAT IS
JUST AND HONORABLE, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE STAFF WHOSE WORK IS A
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
VITAL PART OF THE WHOLE.
ON THIS DAY WE ARE PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL FOR DECEASED
MEMBERS OF THIS BODY WHOM WE NOW NAME IN OUR HEARTS BEFORE YOU.
(PAUSE)
THANK YOU FOR THEIR MANY CONTRIBUTIONS, FOR THEIR
PARTICULAR STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES, THEIR COLLEGIAL SPIRIT AND THEIR
ENDURING LEGACY. STRENGTHEN THEIR FAMILIES AND MAY THEIR MEMORY BE A
BLESSING THAT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE.
HELP THIS ASSEMBLY AS IT STRIVES TO FURTHER JUSTICE AND
EQUITY IN GOVERNMENT. HEAL ANY WHO FEEL UNWELL, COMFORT THOSE WHO
GRIEVE, AND LET THE DAY COME WHEN NO CHILD WILL LIVE IN POVERTY AND ALL
WILL DWELL SECURE. HELP US ALL, O GOD, TO WORK FOR PEACE AND TO HONOR
AND GLORIFY YOU ALL OUR DAYS.
IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.
MEMBERS: AMEN.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: 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 TUESDAY, APRIL 29TH.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, I MOVE
TO DISPENSE WITH THE FURTHER READING OF THE JOURNAL OF TUESDAY, APRIL
THE 29TH AND THAT THE SAME STAND APPROVED.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WITHOUT OBJECTION,
SO ORDERED.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU SO MUCH,
MADAM. AND GOOD MORNING TO MY COLLEAGUES AND THE GUESTS THAT ARE
IN THE CHAMBER.
I DO WANT TO SHARE A QUOTE WITH YOU TODAY. THIS ONE
COMES FROM KOFI ANNAN, THE GRENADA -- GRENADIAN DIPLOMAT AND THE
SEVENTH UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL AND THE 2001 NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE WINNER. HIS WORDS FOR US TODAY: WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT REGIONS
-- DIFFERENT RELIGIONS, DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, DIFFERENT COLORED SKIN, BUT
WE ALL BELONG TO ONE HUMAN RACE. AGAIN, THESE WORDS FROM KOFI
ANNANA [SIC].
MADAM SPEAKER, MEMBERS HAVE ON THEIR DESK A MAIN
CALENDAR. BEFORE ANY HOUSEKEEPING AND/OR INTRODUCTIONS, WE WILL BE
CALLING FOR THE RULES COMMITTEE TO MEET OFF THE FLOOR. THIS
COMMITTEE IS GONNA PRODUCE AN A-CALENDAR OF WHICH WE WILL TAKE UP
TODAY. WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE CALLING FOR THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES TO
MEET AS WELL: BANKS, FOLLOWED BY GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYEES, FOLLOWED
BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. WE WILL THEN BEGIN OUR FLOOR WORK BY TAKING
UP RESOLUTIONS ON PAGE 3, AND THEN WE WILL TAKE UP ON CONSENT RULES
REPORT NO. 154. IT'S ON PAGE 6. WE'LL ALSO TAKE UP THE FOLLOWING BILLS
ON DEBATE: RULES REPORT NO. 45 BY MR. VANEL, CALENDAR NO. 74 BY
MR. DINOWITZ, AND CALENDAR NO. 76 BY MS. ROZIC. THERE MAY BE A
NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FLOOR ACTIVITY TO BE ANNOUNCED, MADAM SPEAKER.
SHOULD THAT HAPPEN, I WILL BE HAPPY TO DO SO. BUT MEMBERS SHOULD BE
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
AWARE THAT AT THE CONCLUSION OF OUR WORK TODAY ON THE FLOOR WE'RE
GOING TO TAKE UP A PRIVILEGED RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING OUR DECEASED
COLLEAGUES. AND MAJORITY MEMBERS SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE THAT THERE
MAY BE A NEED, OR PERHAPS WILL BE A NEED FOR A CONFERENCE AS WE
COMPLETE OUR WORK ON THE FLOOR TODAY.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN GENERAL, MADAM SPEAKER. IF
YOU COULD NOW BEGIN BY CALLING THE RULES COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S
CONFERENCE ROOM.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
RULES COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM.
RULES COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM.
WE HAVE NO HOUSEKEEPING THIS MORNING. WE'RE GONNA
START WITH INTRODUCTIONS.
MR. MCDONALD FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.
MR. MCDONALD: GOOD MORNING, MADAM
SPEAKER, AND GOOD MORNING, COLLEAGUES.
I RISE TODAY TO RECOGNIZE THE SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION
OF NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK. SPINA BIFIDA, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, IS THE
MOST COMMON PERMANENTLY-DISABLING BIRTH DEFECT THAT IS COMBATABLE
WITH LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES. IT IS A TYPE OF NEURAL TUBE DEFECT THAT
OCCURS WHEN THE SPINAL COLUMN FAILS TO DEVELOP OR CLOSE PROPERLY
DURING EARLY PREGNANCY. WHILE IT PRESENTS LIFELONG CHALLENGES,
INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH SPINA DIFA -- SPINA BIFIDA LEAD FULL, MEANINGFUL
LIVES AS STUDENTS, PROFESSIONALS, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THIS AWARENESS MONTH, WHICH WE CELEBRATE, ALSO
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
EMPHASIZES PREVENTION, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLIC ACID IN
REDUCING THE RISK OF NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING THE SPINA BIFIDA
ASSOCIATION OF NORTHEAST NEW YORK [SIC] TODAY, AND THANK THEM FOR
THEIR ONGOING ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE
THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HERE TODAY, AND I ALSO WANT TO SHARE THIS WITH
MY COLLEAGUE MR. TAGUE, AS HIS CONSTITUENT JUBILEE SCHMID IS HERE.
WE HAVE PAUL LUKASIEWICZ; ELIZABETH DUNN; NO STRANGER TO MY LIFE,
MY CONSTITUENT CLIFF PEREZ, WHO'S ADVOCATING EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING
ALL DAY LONG; AND OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JULIA DUFF.
MADAM SPEAKER, PLEASE WELCOME THIS EXTRAORDINARY
GROUP TO THE CHAMBER AND EXTEND THEM THE CORDIALITIES OF THE HOUSE.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MR.
MCDONALD, THE SPEAKER AND ALL THE MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU TO THE
CHAMBER AND EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR TO YOU. THANK YOU SO
VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO WITH THE SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION,
VERY MEANINGFUL, HEARTFELT WORK. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING
US TODAY.
(APPLAUSE)
MS. BUTTENSCHON FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.
MS. BUTTENSCHON: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
AS A GRADUATE AND FORMER DEAN OF MOHAWK VALLEY
COMMUNITY COLLEGE, I AM PROUD TO INTRODUCE ON BEHALF OF MYSELF,
ASSEMBLYMEMBER MILLER, ASSEMBLYMEMBER SMULLEN, THE MVCC,
MOHAWK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM AND
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MEN'S SOCCER TEAM. BOTH TEAMS HAD REMARKABLE SEASONS, ACHIEVING
THE 2025 NJCAA DIVISION 3 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR EACH
PROSPECTIVE SPORT. THIS MARKS THE FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR BOTH
OF THE TEAMS AT MOHAWK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
THE MVCC BASKETBALL TEAM IS LED BY HEAD COACH
HARLEY FULLER AND ASSISTANT COACHES RAY DALEY AND DYLAN DREXTER
[SIC]. THEY CLAIMED THEIR CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER DEFEATING HERKIMER
COLLEGE 58 TO 51 IN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, FINISHING THE
SEASON A REMARKABLE 29 TO 1 RECORD.
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THREE OUTSTANDING PLAYERS THAT
ARE HERE WITH US THAT HELPED SECURE THIS CHAMPIONSHIP: ISAIAH EARL,
WHO WAS NAMED THE NJCAA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT MVP OUTSTANDING
PERFORMANCE PLAYER; ANDRE PASHA, WHO FINISHED AS AN IMPRESSIVE
FRESHMAN; AND JALEN BRADBERRY, WHO DELIVERED A STRONG PERFORMANCE.
IN ADDITION, THE IMPRESSIVE MVCC MEN'S SOCCER
TEAM, LED BY HEAD COACH AND MVCC ATHLETIC DIRECTOR DOMINIC
DIMAGGIO AND ASSISTANT COACH GRANT CALOGERO. THEY CLAIMED THIS
CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER DEFEATING SIX-TIME DEFENDING NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP DALLAS COLLEGE IN RICHMOND 2 TO 1 IN OVERTIME IN THE
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, FINISHING THE SEASON 14-2-3. TODAY WE
HAVE THE COACHES WITH US, AS WELL AS MANY OUTSTANDING PLAYERS;
SOUAYIBOU GJOMEMO [SIC], AS WELL AS SANTIAGO VILLAFANE.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE BOTH TEAMS AS THE NEW
YORK STATE ASSEMBLY OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THEM WITH A RESOLUTION
FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT.
6
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MADAM SPEAKER, WOULD YOU PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THE
OUTSTANDING MEN THAT ARE WITH US TODAY?
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
ON BEHALF OF MS. BUTTENSCHON, MEMBERS MILLER AND
SMULLEN, AND ON BEHALF OF THE SPEAKER AND ALL MEMBERS, WE WELCOME
YOU TO THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER AND EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR.
CONGRATULATIONS, STUDENT ATHLETES AND COACHES TO THE MOHAWK VALLEY
COMMUNITY COLLEGE MEN'S BASKETBALL AND MEN'S SOCCER TEAM. GREAT
ACHIEVEMENT BEING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE
PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.
(APPLAUSE)
MR. SMULLEN FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.
MR. SMULLEN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. IT'S
MY DISTINCT HONOR TODAY ON NATIONAL THERAPY ANIMAL DAY TO INTRODUCE
TO THIS CHAMBER ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS, MRS. ANN TROJAN FROM
GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK. SHE'S HERE TODAY WITH HER HUSBAND BILL, AND
I'VE GOT TO TELL EVERYONE WITHIN EARSHOT THAT SHE'S A FINE EXAMPLE OF
WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH A THERAPY ANIMAL. SHE WORKS AT BOULEVARD
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND IT'S AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT TO SEE HER WORK WITH
HER DOG AND THE -- AND THE CHILDREN OF THAT SCHOOL. SHE'S VERY ACTIVE IN
THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HER ADVOCACY EFFORTS, AND WE
WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR THE CORDIALITIES OF THE HOUSE TO BE EXTENDED TO
HER ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE, NOT ONLY OF THE 118TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT,
BUT THE STATE OF NEW YORK ON THIS NATIONAL THERAPY ANIMAL DAY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MR.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
SMULLEN, THE SPEAKER AND ALL THE MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU, MS.
TROJAN, TO THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER AND EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE
FLOOR TO YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO WITH THE
NATIONAL THERAPY ANIMALS, AND TODAY, NATIONAL ANIMAL THERAPY [SIC]
DAY. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US. THE WORK YOU DO IS
VERY COMMENDABLE AND WE LOVE OUR THERAPY ANIMALS. THANK YOU.
(APPLAUSE)
MS. LEE FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.
MS. LEE: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. IT IS MY
HONOR TO WELCOME DR. LAUREN KOMER, DR. NINA SCHWALBE, AND ON
BEHALF OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER REBECCA SEAWRIGHT, DR. KELSEY HOPLAND
TO THE FLOOR TODAY.
DR. LAUREN KOMER IS A NEUROSCIENTIST WITH OVER 12
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. SHE WAS ACCEPTED -- SHE ACCEPTED A POSITION AT
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING, WHERE SHE
ORGANIZED CRITICAL ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH WORKSHOPS, TRANSLATED
SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS FOR THE PUBLIC, AND SUPPORTED RESEARCHERS WITH GRANT
WRITING. JUST TWO WEEKS BEFORE HER ONE-YEAR WORK ANNIVERSARY,
HOWEVER, AFTER EARNING AN AWARD FOR EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE, DR.
KOMER WAS ABRUPTLY TERMINATED ALONG WITH OTHER PROBATION --
PROBATIONARY EMPLOYEES. SHE WAS LATER RETURNED TO ADMINISTRATIVE
LEAVE WHERE HER STATUS WITH NIH IS CURRENTLY IN LIMBO.
DR. NINA SCHWALBE IS THE CEO AND FOUNDER OF SPARK
STREET ADVISORS, A GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH THINK TANK BASED IN NEW YORK
CITY. PREVIOUSLY, DR. SCHWALBE LED USAID'S COVID-19 VACCINE
8
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ACCESS AND DELIVERY INITIATIVE. SHE SUPPORTED NEW YORK'S PANDEMIC
RESPONSE, WORKING TO SAVE LIVES IN A TIME OF MASSIVE UNCERTAINTY.
AND DR. KELSEY HOPLAND. DR. HOPLAND EARNED HER
PHD IN NEUROSCIENCE AT WEILL CORNELL MEDICINE, WHERE SHE STUDIED
IMMUNE AND CANCER CELL INTERACTIONS IN BRAIN TUMORS. DR. HOPLAND
WAS RECENTLY TERMINATED FROM HER ROLE AS A HEALTH SCIENCE POLICY
ANALYST AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AGING, A DIVISION OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF HEALTH. IN HER ROLE SHE COMMUNICATED WITH EXTERNAL
STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING CONGRESS, ABOUT NIH RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND
THE BUDGET FOR THE NATIONAL PLAN TO ADDRESS ALZHEIMER'S RESEARCH.
IN THE FACE OF FEDERAL CUTS, THESE WOMEN, DR.
HOPLAND, DR. KOMER AND DR. SCHWALBE HAVE BRAVELY BECOME AN --
ADVOCATES FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF FEDERAL HEALTH AGENCIES WHO DO
LIFESAVING RESEARCH FOR ALL AMERICANS, INCLUDING ALL OF NEW YORK STATE.
MADAM SPEAKER, WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME DR.
KELSEY HOPLAND, DR. NINA SCHWALBE AND DR. LAUREN KOMER AND
EXTEND THEM THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR?
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MS.
LEE, MS. SEAWRIGHT, THE SPEAKER AND ALL MEMBERS, WELCOME, DOCTORS
KOMER, SCHWALBE AND HOPLAND TO THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER. WE EXTEND
THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR TO YOU AND 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. 395, MR.
9
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
LEMONDES.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM APRIL 29, 2025, AS UNDIAGNOSED RARE
DISEASE DAY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. LEMONDES ON
THE RESOLUTION.
MR. LEMONDES: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
THIS RESOLUTION -- RESOLUTION'S PURPOSE IS TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE
CHALLENGES OF BOTH VICTIMS OF UNDIAGNOSED DISEASES AND CONDITIONS AND
THEIR FAMILIES WHO SEEK ANSWERS, OFTENTIMES FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
IN 2016, THE YEAR OF MY DAUGHTER ELLY'S DEATH AT
16-AND-A-HALF YEARS OLD, THE RARE AND UNDIAGNOSED NETWORK IRONICALLY
BEGAN ITS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FOR ANNUAL RECOGNITION ON APRIL 29TH ON
BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE RARE DISEASE NETWORK. MOREOVER, THE ASSOCIATED
BEWILDERMENT WITH RARE AND UNDIAGNOSED CONDITIONS LEAVES PATIENTS,
PARENTS, EXTENDED FAMILY AND CAREGIVERS ALIKE IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE
POSITION.
AS ALL FAMILIES HAVE TRAGEDY OF SOME TYPE, THEY'RE
USUALLY EASIER TO ACCEPT AND MOVE ON FROM WHEN YOU KNOW WHY.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU DON'T YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A VERY RESTLESS AND
OFTENTIMES PERPETUALLY VULNERABLE POSITION. AS MY WIFE AND I SAT
MANY TIMES AT OUR DAUGHTER'S DEATHBED, NOT KNOWING IF SHE WOULD
MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT, I WAS ALWAYS SURPRISED TO SEE THE ANGELS
DESCEND TO HELP. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT, BUT ARE
COMFORTED BY IN RECOGNITION THAT YOU MAY NOT BE AS ALONE AS YOU THINK.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AMAZED AT THE POWER OF THE
HUMAN SOUL IN GOD'S HANDS. SIMILARLY, PATIENTS PLAGUED BY THESE
CONDITIONS NEED EXTRA, EXTRA ADVOCACY AS THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES
EXPERIENCE EVERY FORM OF DISCRIMINATION IMAGINABLE; SUBTLE, OVERT,
UNINTENDED, AND SOMETIMES DELIBERATE. OFTENTIMES WITH NO PRECEDENT
TO FALL BACK ON, THERE IS LIMITED ADVOCACY FOR THEM WHICH FURTHER
EXACERBATES THEIR CARE, COMFORT, EDUCATION, SOMETIMES JOBS AND ABILITY
TO EARN A LIVING, AND END-OF-LIFE CARE AS WELL. ON HER DEATHBED,
APPROXIMATELY 30 TO 40 TIMES THROUGHOUT HER LIFE THE DOCTORS WERE
ALWAYS WRONG. SHE LEFT ON HER TERMS, IN OUR HOME WITH FAMILY WITH
HER.
IN CLOSING, THE BURDEN OF UNCERTAINTY IS SO STARK THAT IT
IMPACTS SEVERAL OTHER ASPECTS OF LIFE FOR ALL THOSE IN THE CIRCLE OF PEOPLE
AFFLICTED BY THESE CONDITIONS. PLEASE JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THE UNIQUE
CHALLENGES OF THOSE SUFFERING FROM RARE AND/OR UNDIAGNOSED CONDITIONS
AND THE BURDENS ON THEIR FAMILIES.
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.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 396, MR.
HEVESI.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM APRIL 30, 2025, AS ADVERSE CHILDHOOD
EXPERIENCE AWARENESS DAY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE RESOLUTION,
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTION IS
ADOPTED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 397, MR.
TAGUE.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM APRIL 30, 2025, AS THERAPY ANIMAL DAY IN
THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. TAGUE ON THE
RESOLUTION.
MR. TAGUE: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
MADAM SPEAKER, MY COLLEAGUES, I RISE TODAY TO HONOR
AND CELEBRATE THE REMARKABLE IMPACT OF THERAPY ANIMALS ON THE LIVES OF
SO MANY. THESE FURRY, FEATHERED OR SCALED FRIENDS AREN'T JUST PETS.
THEY ARE SOURCES OF COMFORT, JOY AND HEALING. THEIR PRESENCE CAN
REDUCE STRESS, ALLEVIATE ANXIETY, AND EVEN IMPROVE PHYSICAL HEALTH.
FOR INDIVIDUALS FACING CHALLENGES, BE IT ILLNESS, TRAUMA
OR LONELINESS, THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND GENTLE SUPPORT OF A THERAPY
ANIMAL CAN BE TRANS -- TRANSFORMATIVE. VETERANS WORKING THROUGH
PTSD, CHILDREN IN NEED OF SUPPORT FOLLOWING A PERIOD OF TRAUMA, OR
SENIOR CITIZENS IN NEED OF COMPANIONSHIP AND COMPANY. THESE ARE THE
PEOPLE THAT RELY ON CONSTANT AND IMMEDIATE CARE THAT DOMESTICATED
ANIMALS CAN PROVIDE. WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT
THAT HEALING.
THERAPY ANIMALS OFFER A UNIQUE FORM OF EMOTIONAL
12
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
SUPPORT, BRIDGING COMMUNICATION GAPS AND FOSTERING CONNECTION.
THEY'RE AMBASSADORS OF HOPE, REMINDING US OF THE HEALING POWER OF
NATURE AND THE PROFOUND BOND THAT WE SHARE WITH THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.
SO MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES, MY FRIENDS, LET'S TAKE THIS
DAY TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO THESE REMARKABLE CREATURES AND THE
DEDICATED PEOPLE WHO WORK ALONGSIDE THEM, MAKING A REAL DIFFERENCE
IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS. PLEASE JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION.
THANK YOU. 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.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 398, MR.
SAYEGH.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM APRIL 2025, AS CELEBRATE DIVERSITY MONTH
IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. SAYEGH IN THE --
ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. SAYEGH: ON THE RESOLUTION, THANK YOU,
MADAM SPEAKER.
TODAY I RISE WITH THIS ANNUAL RESOLUTION CELEBRATING
DIVERSITY. AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, NO MATTER WHO WE REPRESENT,
WHAT OUR BACKGROUND IS, UNDERSTAND THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US AND
ALL OF US COMBINED COME FROM DIFFERENT RELIGIONS AND DIFFERENT CULTURES
AND TRADITIONS. WE HAVE DIFFERENT VALUE SYSTEMS. WE HAVE DIFFERENT
13
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
HERITAGE. AND OUR ROLE AS CITIZENS OF THE WORLD OR CITIZENS OF THIS
ASSEMBLY IS LARGELY TO ENCOURAGE ALL EFFORTS TO WORK TOGETHER, TO
RECOGNIZE DIFFERENCES. BUT MORE IMPORTANT, TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS
MORE IN COMMON THAT ALLOWS US TO EARN THE RESPECT OF EACH OTHER THAN
THE DIFFERENCES. AND TODAY IS TRULY A DAY TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE
OF DIVERSITY AND RECOGNIZE THAT THE STATE OF OUR STATE AND OUR NATION
AND OUR WORLD WITH THE LEVEL OF POLARIZATION AND DIVISION, THAT NOW
MORE THAN EVER IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO LEARN TO RESPECT AND ENCOURAGE
RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.
DIVERSITY IS VERY IMPORTANT, AND IT REALLY ALLOWS US TO
RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MANY COMMUNITIES THAT WE, IN SESSION,
CELEBRATE AND RECOGNIZE ON A REGULAR BASIS. SO TODAY IS REALLY AN
OVERVIEW OF RECOGNIZING THE DIVERSITY AND THE DIFFERENCES AND THE
COMMONALITIES.
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. 399, MS.
MCMAHON.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 2, 2025, AS POLONIA DAY IN THE STATE OF
NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MS. MCMAHON ON
THE RESOLUTION.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MS. MCMAHON: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
AS A STATE AND LEGISLATIVE BODY, WE RECOGNIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF FOSTERING AND ENHANCING ETHNIC PRIDE AND CULTURAL
DIVERSITY.
POLONIA DAY, ALSO REFERRED TO AS POLISH NATIONAL FLAG
DAY, IS A HOL -- HOLIDAY CELEBRATED IN POLISH COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT
THE WORLD. IN ADDITION TO HONORING THE POLISH FLAG, POLONIA DAY ALSO
SERVES TO RECOGNIZE THE POLISH DIASPORA AND CELEBRATE ALL POLES LIVING
ABROAD.
WESTERN NEW YORK IS THE PROUD HOME TO ONE OF THE
LARGEST POLISH COMMUNITIES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND THE REGION IS
STEEPED IN POLISH AMERICAN HISTORY. IN THE 1850S AND '60S, POLES OF
JEWISH DESCENT BEGAN ARRIVING IN BUFFALO AND WESTERN NEW YORK,
SOON FOLLOWED BY CATHOLIC POLES. MANY OF THESE IMMIGRANTS WERE
ESCAPING OPPRESSION AND POVERTY IN GERMANY, AUSTRIA AND RUSSIA, AS
AN INDEPENDENT POLISH NATION DID NOT YET EXIST. AT THE TURN OF THE
CENTURY, THE POPULATION OF POLISH AMERICANS IN BUFFALO HAD GROWN TO
ROUGHLY 20,000, AND BY 1971, POLISH AMERICANS BECAME THE LARGEST
ETHNIC GROUP IN ERIE COUNTY, INCLUDING ROUGHLY 75 PERCENT OF THE
POPULATION OF THE TOWN OF CHEEKTOWAGA.
TO THIS DAY, POLES AND POLISH AMERICANS CONTINUE TO
TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THEIR FLAG. HERE IN NEW YORK STATE WE ARE PROUD TO
HONOR THE RICH HERITAGE AND LONG HISTORY OF POLISH CULTURE AND
INFLUENCE ON OUR STATE AND COMMUNITIES. IN THAT SPIRIT, I AM PROUD TO
INTRODUCE THIS RESOLUTION TO PROCLAIM MAY 2, 2025 AS POLONIA DAY IN
15
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. CHLUDZINSKI ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. CHLUDZINSKI: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I RISE TODAY WITH IMMENSE PRIDE AND A DEEP SENSE OF
CONNECTION TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION HONORING MAY 2ND AS
POLONIA DAY. I WANT TO THANK THE SPONSOR FOR PROPOSING THIS
RESOLUTION.
AS A MEMBER OF THIS ESTEEMED BODY, AND MORE
PERSONALLY, AS SOMEONE WHO COMES FROM A PROUD POLISH AMERICAN
FAMILY, THIS DAY HOLDS PROFOUND SIGNIFICANCE FOR ME AND FOR THE
COUNTLESS POLISH AMERICANS IN OUR STATE, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY IN MY
DISTRICT, WHICH WE KNOW FROM LAST WEEK BEING A DINGUS DAY WEEK. IF
YOU SAW MY DISTRICT, YOU WOULD ARGUABLY AGREE THAT IT IS THE POLISH
AMERICAN CAPITAL OF THE COUNTRY.
GROWING UP WITH RICH TRADITIONS AND UNWAVERING SPIRIT
AND THE ENDURING VALUES OF MY POLISH HERITAGE WERE DEEPLY ENGRAINED
IN OUR FAMILY LIFE, FROM THE LIVELY SOUNDS OF POLKA MUSIC FILLING OUR
HOME TO THE AROMA OF PIEROGI AND KIELBASA DURING FAMILY GATHERINGS.
POLONIA WAS NOT JUST A WORD, IT WAS A LIVED EXPERIENCE, A VIBRANT
TAPESTRY WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR IDENTITY.
FURTHERMORE, I HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR OF REPRESENTING
A DISTRICT THAT IS HOME TO A SIGNIFICANT AND THRIVING POLISH AMERICAN
COMMUNITY. I SEE FIRSTHAND THE INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT POLISH
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
AMERICANS MAKE TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR BUSINESSES, OUR CULTURAL
LANDSCAPE, AND THE VERY SOUL OF NEW YORK STATE. THEIR RESILIENCE,
THEIR STRONG WORK -- WORK ETHIC, THEIR COMMITMENT TO FAMILY AND THEIR
THERE DEEP-ROOTED PATRIOTISM HAVE ENRICHED OUR COMMUNITIES
IMMEASURABLY.
POLONIA DAY IS A VITAL OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE
AND CELEBRATE THE PROFOUND IMPACT OF POLISH IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR
DESCENDENTS ON THE UNITED STATES. IT'S A DAY TO REMEMBER THE SACRIFICES
MADE, THE TRIUMPHS ACHIEVED, AND THE ENDURING LEGACY LEFT BY
GENERATIONS OF POLISH AMERICANS WHO HAVE HELPED BUILD AND SHAPE OUR
NATION.
FOR MY FAMILY, FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, AND FOR POLISH
AMERICANS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE, THIS RESOLUTION IS MORE THAN JUST
WORDS ON PAPER. IT IS A RECOGNITION, A VALIDATION AND A HEARTFELT THANK
YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAS GIVEN SO MUCH.
AGAIN, I THANK THE SPONSOR FOR SUPPORTING THIS
RESOLUTION AND IN CELEBRATING THE RICH HERITAGE ENDURING CONTRIBUTIONS
OF POLONIA IN OUR STATE.
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.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, IF WE
CAN NOW CALL THE BANKS COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE
17
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ROOM.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: BANKS COMMITTEE
MEMBERS TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. IF YOU'RE ON BANKS
COMMITTEE, PLEASE SEE CHAIR VANEL IN THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE
ROOM.
PAGE 3, RESOLUTIONS. RESOLUTION NO. 400, THE CLERK
WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 400, MR.
LAVINE.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 3, 2025, AS PRESS FREEDOM DAY IN THE
STATE OF NEW YORK, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OBSERVANCE OF WORLD PRESS
FREEDOM DAY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: CAN WE HAVE SOME
QUIET, PLEASE? THANK YOU.
MR. LAVINE ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. LAVINE: MADAM SPEAKER, WITH THE APPROACH
OF MAY 3RD, WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY, WE MUST PAUSE TO REFLECT ON
ONE OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL PILLARS OF DEMOCRACY, A FREE AND INDEPENDENT
PRESS.
AS A MEMBER OF THE STATE LEGISLATURE, I'M REMINDED
DAILY THAT THE WORK WE DO IN PUBLIC OFFICE ONLY HAS MEANING WHEN IT IS
SUBJECT TO PUBLIC SCRUTINY, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THAT
SCRUTINY BEGINS WITH A PRESS THAT IS EMPOWERED -- EMPOWERED, NOT
PUNISHED -- FOR ASKING HARD QUESTIONS. WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT
18
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
JOURNALISM IS NOT JUST A PROFESSION, IT'S A PUBLIC SERVICE AND SOMETIMES
IT IS A TRUE SACRIFICE.
A NAME THAT COMES TO MIND TODAY IS SOMEONE WHO
LIVED IN PART OF MY COMMUNITY, MARIE COLVIN, WHOSE MOM AND SISTER
ARE DEAR FRIENDS. MARIE WAS A LONG ISLAND NATIVE AND A FIERCE, FEARLESS
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT WHO RISKED EVERYTHING TO BRING STORIES OF WAR
AND INJUSTICE TO -- TO US. SHE REPORTED FROM CONFLICT ZONES ACROSS THE
GLOBE, FROM CHECHNYA TO SRI LANKA TO LIBYA TO SYRIA, WHERE SHE LOST
HER LIFE IN THE HOLY CITY OF HOMS, REPORTING ON ATROCITIES BY THE SYRIAN
GOVERNMENT.
MARIE BELIEVED THAT BEARING WITNESS TO HUMAN
TRAFFICKING AND HUMAN SUFFERING WAS NOT JUST HER JOB, IT WAS HER MORAL
DUTY, HER RESPONSIBILITY. HER COURAGE REMINDS US THAT PRESS FREEDOM IS
NOT THEORETICAL. IT'S NOT A GAME. IT IS A PERSONAL, PERSONAL SACRIFICE AND
IT IS URGENT. AND RIGHT NOW IT IS UNDER ATTACK INTERNATIONALLY AND HERE
IN THE UNITED STATES AS WELL. ACROSS THE GLOBE, JOURNALISTS ARE BEING
IMPRISONED, SILENCED, THREATENED, KILLED, SIMPLY FOR DOING THEIR JOBS.
IN COUNTRIES LIKE RUSSIA, IRAN, CHINA AND TOO MANY OTHERS,
AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES ARE CRACKING DOWN ON DISSENT, SHUTTERING
INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND SPREADING PROPAGANDA IN ITS PLACE. BUT THE
THREAT ISN'T ONLY OVERSEAS. IN THE UNITED STATES WE HAVE SEEN
COORDINATED EFFORTS TO DISCREDIT THE PRESS, TO BLOCK ACCESS TO PUBLIC
INFORMATION, AND TO INTIMIDATE REPORTERS. WE'VE SEEN INCREASED
HOSTILITY TOWARDS JOURNALISTS COVERING PROTESTS, POLITICS, AND EVEN LOCAL
GOVERNANCE. AND WE'VE SEEN HOW DISINFORMATION AND POLITICALLY-
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MOTIVATED ATTACKS CAN ERODE AND DESTROY PUBLIC TRUST IN THE VERY
INSTITUTIONS THAT DEMOCRACY HOLDS SO DEAR.
LET ME BE CLEAR. FREE PRESS IS NOT THE ENEMY OF THE
GOVERNMENT, IT'S THE GUARANTOR OF GOOD GOVERNMENT. AS LEGISLATORS, WE
MUST DO MORE THAN EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR PRESS FREEDOM. WE MUST
ACTIVELY DEFEND IT. IT MEANS CONDEMNING VIOLENCE OR THREATS AGAINST
JOURNALISTS WHEREVER THEY OCCUR, AND IT MEANS STANDING UP EVEN WHEN
STANDING UP IS NOT COMFORTABLE. THAT IS TO GUARANTEE THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT
TO KNOW. DEMOCRACY CANNOT FUNCTION AND WILL DIE IN THE DARK. THE
PRESS BRINGS THE LIGHT.
SO AS WE APPROACH WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY, LET'S
RENEW OUR COMMITMENT NOT ONLY TO THE IDEALS OF TRANSPARENCY AND
TRUTH, BUT TO THE BRAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO RISK ALL IN ITS PURSUIT.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MS. GIGLIO ON THE RESOLUTION.
MS. GIGLIO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
AND I'D LIKE TO THANK THE SPONSOR FOR THIS VERY
IMPORTANT RESOLUTION, AS MY STEPSON WAS A WRITER FOR BUZZFEED AND HE
WAS IN SYRIA AND UKRAINE WHEN HE WAS ABDUCTED BY PRO-RUSSIAN
MILITANTS WHO DROVE HIM OFF INTO THE MOUNTAINS WITH OTHER REPORTERS.
THEY BLINDFOLDED HIM, THEY BEAT HIM TO GET THE PASSWORDS FROM HIS
CELLPHONE, FROM HIS COMPUTER BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HE
WAS WRITING ABOUT THE MILITANTS. SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT RESOLUTION,
AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR DEMOCRACY AND FOR US HERE IN THE UNITED
20
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
STATES TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING OVERSEAS AND ALSO TO PROTECT REPORTERS
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THEIR OPINIONS.
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.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 401, MS.
BARRETT.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 4, 2025, AS VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS'
APPRECIATION DAY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MS. BARRETT ON THE
RESOLUTION.
MS. BARRETT: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I AM HONORED TO ONCE AGAIN STAND BEFORE YOU AND
SPONSOR THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION TO CELEBRATE NEW YORK STATE'S MANY
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND RECOGNIZE THESE DEDICATED, BRAVE, SELFLESS
MEN AND WOMEN WHO VALIANTLY SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
NEW YORK -- NEW YORKERS RELY ON VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTERS STATEWIDE, WITH NEARLY 90 PERCENT OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS
ACROSS THE STATE BEING VOLUNTEER-RUN. IN MY OWN DISTRICT THERE ARE 42
FIRE COMPANIES OF VARIOUS SIZES AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM ARE
VOLUNTEER-RUN. THESE ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO RUN TOWARDS THE
FIRE, WHO RESCUE OUR FAMILY PETS, OUR FAMILY TREASURES, OUR FAMILY
MEMBERS WHEN WE ARE IN CRISIS. AND WHILE THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS IN THE
21
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
SENSE THAT THEY'RE NOT PAID, THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS WHO TRAIN, OFTEN AT
THEIR OWN EXPENSE. THEY SACRIFICE TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND
THEY SERVE IN MANY, MANY CASES FOR DECADES AND AS PART OF MANY
GENERATIONS.
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS PROVIDE VITAL LIFESAVING
SERVICES, ALL WHILE SAVING NEW YORK TAXPAYERS MORE THAN $4 BILLION.
WERE WE TO BE PAYING ALL OF THESE PEOPLE SALARY AS PAID -- PAID
FIREFIGHTERS, THAT WOULD BE WHAT NEW YORK STATE TAXPAYERS WOULD HAVE
TO PAY.
RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ARE MAJOR CHALLENGES. THE
NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS HAS DROPPED TO 80,000 FROM 120,000
A FEW DECADES AGO. IT'S CRUCIAL THAT WE SUPPORT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS AS
THEY WORK HARD TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN OUR NEXT GENERATION OF VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTERS.
I AM PROUD AND I HOPE MANY OF YOU WILL JOIN ME IN
SUPPORTING THESE EFFORTS THROUGH AT LEAST ONE PIECE OF LEGISLATION WHICH
I CARRY WHICH WOULD ALLOW VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS TO CLAIM BOTH THE
NEW YORK STATE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND AMBULANCE WORKERS
INCOME TAX CREDIT AS WELL AS THE LOCAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION.
CURRENTLY, VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO COLLECT BOTH OF
THESE INCENTIVES. ALLOWING OUR HEROIC FIRST RESPONDERS TO COLLECT BOTH
OF THESE INCENTIVES IS A SMALL GESTURE BUT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN
MANY LIVES AND MANY FAMILIES.
IN MY DISTRICT AND ALL THROUGHOUT THE STATE, WE ARE
IMMENSELY GRATEFUL AND DEPENDENT ON THE SACRIFICES AND HARD WORK OF
22
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THESE HEROIC MEN AND WOMEN, AND I ASK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN
ME TODAY IN HONORING OUR VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS OF NEW YORK STATE.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. ANGELINO ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. ANGELINO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. ON
THE RESOLUTION.
I JOIN THE SPONSOR IN THANKING ALL OF THE VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTERS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE. I, TOO, HAVE SCORES OF FIRE
DEPARTMENTS IN MY DISTRICT, ALL OF THEM VOLUNTEER EXCEPT ONE. I FEAR
THAT THE LAST VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER HAS BEEN BORN. AS -- AS THE OLDER
VOLUNTEERS AGE OUT, FEWER ARE RAISING THEIR HAND AND ASKING TO JOIN THEIR
LOCAL COMMUNITY -- THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IT'S THE BEST JOB YOU WILL NEVER
GET PAID TO DO. AND THE VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS, LAST NIGHT AT MY
HOMETOWN, HUGE STORMS WENT THROUGH. I KNOW IN GLOVERSVILLE LAST
NIGHT THERE WAS A GIGANTIC FIRE, AND VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS RESPOND
TO THOSE THINGS. AND IT'S NOT -- THEY'RE CALLED FIREFIGHTERS, BUT IT'S SO
MUCH MORE. LOST CHILDREN, LOST HUNTERS, SNOWSTORMS. TREES ACROSS THE
HIGHWAY, FLOODED BASEMENTS. YOU NAME IT. WHEN YOU CALL 911, IF THE
DISPATCHER DOESN'T KNOW WHO TO SEND, IT'S LIKELY GONNA BE A VOLUNTEER
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S RIGHT, JUST AND GOOD THAT WE RECOGNIZE
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS ON THIS DAY AND I'M PROUD TO BE ONE OF THEM.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
23
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MR. BROWN ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. A. BROWN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
NOT TO TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM MY GRANDFATHER, WHO
WAS PAID FDNY CHIEF, BUT IT'S THE UNPAID COMPONENT THAT ALWAYS
AMAZED ME. MY SON WAS A VOLUNTEER FIREMAN. BUT YOU TAKE A PERSON
LIKE OUR VERY OWN ASSEMBLYMAN JOE DESTEFANO, FOR FOUR DECADES
SERVED AS AN UNPAID VOLUNTEER FIREMAN. ALWAYS ON CALL FOR OVER 40
YEARS.
SO I WANT TO THANK ALL VOLUNTEER FIREMEN LIKE OUR VERY
OWN ASSEMBLYMAN DESTEFANO FOR WHAT HE DOES FOR US EACH AND EVERY
DAY.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MS. WALSH ON THE RESOLUTION.
MS. WALSH: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I'D LIKE -- I JUST WANT TO ADD MY VOICE TO THIS
RESOLUTION, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT, I THINK, THAT WE TAKE THE TIME TO
REALLY RECOGNIZE. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF YOU, BUT OVER THE LAST
FEW WEEKS I'VE BEEN GOING TO SO MANY DIFFERENT FIRE BANQUETS AND I'M
THINKING OF ONE IN PARTICULAR. IT WAS AN OLD TIMER'S NIGHT IN BALLSTON
SPA THAT WE HAD A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO, AND IT WAS HELD RIGHT AT THE
FIREHOUSE. AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY HONOR EVERYBODY THAT HAS BEEN IN
THE FIRE SERVICE; MANY, MANY OF THEM SERVED FOR 50 OR MORE YEARS.
AND IT WAS AMAZING BECAUSE IN THE MIDST OF EATING THIS DINNER AND
JOINING TOGETHER AND TALKING AND CHATTING, THERE WERE TWO CALLS THAT
24
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
CAME THROUGH AND -- AND SO THE SIREN STARTS TO GO OFF AND EVERYBODY
JUST KIND OF GETS UP FROM THEIR MEAL, THEY GO OVER, THAT -- THEIR LOCKERS
WERE LINED IN THE INSIDE OF THE FIREHOUSE AND THEY ALL JUST KIND OF PUT
THEIR GEAR ON AND THEY TOOK OFF TO DEAL WITH THE EMERGENCY. AND THAT
HAPPENED TWICE THAT EVENING. AND IT WAS JUST -- IT JUST BECOMES A FACT
OF THEIR LIFE AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT THEY DO. SOMETHING THAT THEIR
FAMILIES, OF COURSE, SUPPORT. AND I JUST THINK IT'S -- IT'S SUCH A PART OF
THE FABRIC OF THE UPSTATE AREA THAT I REPRESENT AND I HOPE WE NEVER LOSE
IT. BUT IN LISTENING TO A PREVIOUS SPEAKER, I, TOO, WORRY AND WONDER
WHETHER THE VOLUNTEER FIRE SERVICE CAN REALLY CONTINUE AS IT HAS BEEN.
AND I HOPE IT DOES BECAUSE AS THE SPONSOR NOTED, IT IS A TREMENDOUS
SAVINGS TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY REPRESENT.
BUT ANYWAY, THE VERY LEAST WE CAN DO IS TO ALL ADD OUR
VOICES TODAY AND SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND I'M VERY PROUD TO DO SO.
THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER MCDONALD: ON THE
RESOLUTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE
RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 402, MR.
EPSTEIN.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 2025, AS LOWER EAST SIDE HISTORY
MONTH IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER MCDONALD: ON THE
RESOLUTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE
25
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 403, MS.
JACKSON.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM AUGUST 2025, AS BLACK BUSINESS MONTH IN
THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER MCDONALD: ON THE
RESOLUTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; THOSE OPPOSED, NO.
THE MOTION [SIC] IS ADOPTED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 404, MR.
ZACCARO.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR
KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 26, 2025, AS YEMENI AMERICAN
HERITAGE DAY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
ACTING SPEAKER MCDONALD: ON THE
RESOLUTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE
RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
ON CONSENT, PAGE 6 [SIC], RULES REPORT NO. 154 [SIC],
THE CLERK WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A01191, RULES REPORT
NO. 156, BORES, GLICK, EPSTEIN, SHIMSKY, LEVENBERG, PAULIN, SIMON,
GONZÁLEZ-ROJAS, MEEKS, SEAWRIGHT, CRUZ. AN ACT TO AMEND THE
EXECUTIVE LAW, IN RELATION TO DEFINING PERSONALIZED HANDGUNS AND
REQUIRING THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES TO CERTIFY THE
TECHNOLOGICAL VIABILITY OF PERSONALIZED HANDGUNS AND TO ESTABLISH
26
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE SALE OF PERSONALIZED HANDGUNS.
ACTING SPEAKER MCDONALD: ON A MOTION BY
MR. LASHER [SIC], THE SENATE BILL IS BEFORE THE HOUSE. THE SENATE BILL
IS ADVANCED.
THE BILL IS LAID ASIDE.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MR. SPEAKER, MEMBERS
NOW HAVE ON THEIR DESK THE A-CALENDAR. I WOULD LIKE TO ADVANCE THAT
CALENDAR.
ACTING SPEAKER MCDONALD: ON A MOTION BY
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES, THE A-CALENDER IS ADVANCED.
ON CONSENT, PAGE 3, RULES REPORT NO. 156, THE CLERK
WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A01191, RULES REPORT
NO. 156, BORES, GLICK, EPSTEIN, SHIMSKY, LEVENBERG, PAULIN, SIMON,
GONZÁLEZ-ROJAS, MEEKS, SEAWRIGHT, CRUZ. AN ACT TO AMEND THE
EXECUTIVE LAW, IN RELATION TO DEFINING PERSONALIZED HANDGUNS AND
REQUIRING THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES TO CERTIFY THE
TECHNOLOGICAL VIABILITY OF PERSONALIZED HANDGUNS AND TO ESTABLISH
REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO THE SALE OF PERSONALIZED HANDGUNS.
ACTING SPEAKER MCDONALD: THIS BILL IS LAID
ASIDE.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A01325, RULES REPORT
NO. 157, SIMON, TAYLOR, FORREST, COLTON, KELLES, SHIMSKY, GLICK,
LEVENBERG, OTIS, RAGA, BURDICK, DAVILA, LEE. AN ACT TO AMEND THE
27
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
CORRECTION LAW, IN RELATION TO A READING PROFICIENCY LEVEL ASSESSMENT
AND DYSLEXIA SCREENING FOR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS.
ACTING SPEAKER MCDONALD: READ THE LAST
SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 90TH
DAY.
ACTING SPEAKER MCDONALD: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ARE THERE ANY OTHER
VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, COULD
YOU PLEASE CALL THE GOVERNMENT [SIC] EMPLOYEES COMMITTEE TO THE
SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM?
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: GOVERNMENT [SIC]
EMPLOYEES TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. GOVERNMENT [SIC]
EMPLOYEE [SIC] COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE
ROOM.
ON CONSENT, PAGE 3, RULES REPORT NO. 158, THE CLERK
WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A03104, RULES REPORT
NO. 158, MAGNARELLI. AN ACT TO AMEND THE TAX LAW, IN RELATION TO
28
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
EXTENDING THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE COUNTY OF ONONDAGA TO IMPOSE AN
ADDITIONAL RATE OF SALES AND COMPENSATING USE TAXES.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: HOME RULE
MESSAGE IS AT THE DESK.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A03398, RULES REPORT
NO. 159, PHEFFER AMATO. AN ACT DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY ON ECOLOGICAL
RESTORATION NEEDS OF JAMAICA BAY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON A MOTION BY MS.
PHEFFER AMATO, THE SENATE BILL IS BEFORE THE HOUSE. THE SENATE BILL IS
ADVANCED.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(PAUSE)
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
29
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER,
APPARENTLY WE'RE HAVING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, BUT COULD YOU CALL
THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE
ROOM? WE CAN CONTINUE OUR COMMITTEE WORK AND RECALL A VOTE AND --
ACTUALLY, PUT THE HOUSE AT EASE UNTIL OUR TECHNICAL ISSUES ARE WORKED
OUT.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: LOCAL -- LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM.
ON A MOTION BY MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES, WE STAND AT
EASE.
(WHEREUPON, AT 12:52 P.M. THE HOUSE STOOD AT EASE.)
***********************
(WHEREUPON, THE HOUSE CAME BACK TO ORDER AT 1:11
P.M.)
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE HOUSE WILL
COME TO ORDER.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: SO, WE'RE GONNA GO RIGHT
BACK TO PAGE 3 AND BEGIN WHERE WE LEFT OFF AT RULES REPORT NO. 159.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
ON CONSENT, PAGE 3, RULES REPORT NO. 159, THE CLERK
WILL READ.
OH, SORRY, ONE SECOND.
ON A MOTION BY MS. PHEFFER AMATO, THE SENATE BILL IS
30
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
BEFORE THE HOUSE. THE SENATE BILL IS ADVANCED.
WE'RE ALL CONFUSED HERE TODAY.
THE CLERK WILL READ.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON A MOTION BY MS.
PHEFFER AMATO, THE SENATE BILL IS BEFORE THE HOUSE. THE SENATE BILL IS
ADVANCED.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A05302, RULES REPORT
NO. 160, WOERNER, OTIS. AN ACT TO AMEND THE EDUCATION LAW, IN
RELATION TO EMPOWERING THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION TO DECLARE A
DISASTER HAS SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACTED A SCHOOL BOARD OR SCHOOL BUDGET
ELECTION AND TO ALLOW SCHOOL BOARDS TO SET AN ADDITIONAL DAY FOR VOTING.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON A MOTION BY MS.
WOERNER, THE SENATE BILL IS BEFORE THE HOUSE. THE SENATE BILL IS
ADVANCED.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT JULY 1, 2026.
31
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A05380, RULES REPORT
NO. 161, BRONSON. AN ACT TO AMEND THE TAX LAW, IN RELATION TO
EXTENDING THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY OF MONROE TO IMPOSE
CERTAIN SALES AND COMPENSATING USE TAXES.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: HOME RULE
MESSAGE IS AT THE DESK.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY -- ASSEMBLY NO. A05927,
RULES REPORT NO. 162, P. CARROLL. AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 329 OF THE
LAWS OF 2009, AMENDING THE FAMILY COURT ACT AND THE SOCIAL SERVICES
LAW RELATING TO REMOVING SPECIAL POWERS GRANTED TO THE SOCIETY FOR THE
PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CHILDREN, IN RELATION TO THE EFFECTIVENESS
32
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THEREOF.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST
SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
MR. CARROLL, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR VERY FIRST BILL.
(APPLAUSE)
ON CONSENT, PAGE 4, RULES REPORT NO. 163, THE CLERK
WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06080, RULES REPORT
NO. 163, KAY. AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 373 OF THE LAWS OF 2020
AMENDING THE TAX LAW RELATING TO AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF WALLKILL TO
ADOPT A HOTEL OR MOTEL TAX OF UP TO 5 PERCENT, IN RELATION TO EXTENDING
THE EFFECTIVENESS THEREOF.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: HOME RULE --
HOME RULE MESSAGE IS AT THE DESK.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
33
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06195, RULES REPORT
NO. 164, FALL. AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 306 OF THE LAWS OF 2011
AUTHORIZING OWNERS OF RESIDENTIAL REAL PROPERTY IN HIGH-RISK BRUSH FIRE
AREAS IN THE BOROUGH OF STATEN ISLAND TO CUT AND REMOVE REEDS FROM
THEIR PROPERTY, IN RELATION TO THE EFFECTIVENESS THEREOF.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST
SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06200, RULES REPORT
NO. 165, BURDICK. AN ACT TO AMEND THE TAX LAW, IN RELATION TO
MAKING TECHNICAL CHANGES; AND TO AMEND CHAPTER 507 OF THE LAWS OF
2016, RELATING TO THE IMPOSITION OF AN OCCUPANCY TAX IN THE VILLAGE OF
HARRISON, IN RELATION TO EXTENDING THE EFFECTIVENESS THEREOF.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: HOME RULE
MESSAGE IS AT THE DESK.
34
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06427, RULES REPORT
NO. 166, PAULIN. AN ACT TO AMEND THE TAX LAW, IN RELATION TO REVISING
THE PERIOD OF AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER'S ADDITIONAL
1 PERCENT RATE OF SALES AND COMPENSATING USE TAX; AND TO AMEND
CHAPTER 272 OF THE LAWS OF 1991, AMENDING THE TAX LAW RELATING TO
THE METHOD OF DISPOSITION OF SALES AND COMPENSATING USE TAX REVENUE
IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY AND ENACTING THE WESTCHESTER COUNTY SPENDING
LIMITATIONS ACT, IN RELATION TO REVISING THE PERIOD OF AUTHORIZATION FOR
THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER'S ADDITIONAL 1 PERCENT RATE OF SALES AND
COMPENSATING USE TAX.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: HOME RULE
MESSAGE IS AT THE DESK.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
35
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06433, RULES REPORT
NO. 167, SHIMSKY. AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 504 OF THE LAWS OF 2016,
AMENDING THE TAX LAW RELATING TO AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF
GREENBURGH TO ADOPT A LOCAL LAW TO IMPOSE A HOTEL/MOTEL OCCUPANCY
TAX FOR HOTELS NOT LOCATED IN A VILLAGE; AUTHORIZING SPECIFIED VILLAGES IN
THE TOWNS OF GREENBURGH AND MOUNT PLEASANT TO ADOPT LOCAL LAWS TO
IMPOSE A HOTEL/MOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX IN SUCH VILLAGES, IN RELATION TO
EXTENDING THE EFFECTIVENESS THEREOF.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: HOME RULE
MESSAGE IS AT THE DESK.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06531, RULES REPORT
NO. 168, MILLER. AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 549 OF THE LAWS OF 2005
AMENDING THE TAX LAW RELATING TO AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY OF HERKIMER
TO IMPOSE A COUNTY RECORDING TAX ON OBLIGATION SECURED BY A MORTGAGE
36
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ON REAL PROPERTY IN RELATION TO EXTENDING THE EFFECTIVENESS THEREOF.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: HOME RULE
MESSAGE IS AT THE DESK.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06593, RULES REPORT
NO. 169, SCHIAVONI. AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 264 OF THE LAWS OF
1961 RELATING TO THE INCORPORATION OF THE HAMPTON BAYS VOLUNTEER
EXEMPT FIREMEN'S BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION AND PROVIDING FOR ITS
POWERS AND DUTIES, IN RELATION TO THE MANAGEMENT OF CERTAIN AFFAIRS OF
SUCH ASSOCIATION.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST
SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
37
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06865, RULES REPORT
NO. 170, JONES. AN ACT TO AMEND THE TAX LAW, IN RELATION TO
EXTENDING THE AUTHORIZATION GRANTED TO THE COUNTY OF CLINTON TO
IMPOSE AN ADDITIONAL 1 PERCENT OF SALES AND COMPENSATING USE TAXES.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: HOME RULE
MESSAGE IS AT THE DESK.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A07044, RULES REPORT
NO. 171, SANTABARBARA. AN ACT TO AMEND THE TAX LAW, IN RELATION TO
THE IMPOSITION OF SALES AND COMPENSATING USE TAX IN SCHENECTADY
COUNTY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: HOME RULE
MESSAGE IS AT THE DESK.
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
38
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A07212, RULES REPORT
NO. 172, OTIS. AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 618 OF THE LAWS OF 1998,
AMENDING THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW AND THE EDUCATION LAW RELATING
TO DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS COMPUTER EQUIPMENT BY POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS, IN
RELATION TO THE EFFECTIVENESS THEREOF.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST
SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A07601, RULES REPORT
NO. 173, ALVAREZ, TAPIA, DAIS, SHIMSKY, KIM, TORRES. AN ACT TO
AMEND CHAPTER 383 OF THE LAWS OF 1991, RELATING TO THE INCORPORATION
OF THE NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY IN RELATION TO EXTENDING THE
EXPIRATION DATE OF FREE ONE-DAY ADMISSION TO THE ZOOLOGICAL PARK.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST
SECTION.
39
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT IMMEDIATELY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A07928, RULES REPORT
NO. 174, CRUZ. AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 730 OF THE LAWS OF 2019,
AMENDING THE EXECUTIVE LAW RELATING TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE NEW
YORK BLACK CAR OPERATORS' INJURY COMPENSATION FUND, INC., IN RELATION
TO THE EFFECTIVENESS THEREOF.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THIS BILL IS LAID
ASIDE.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A08018, RULES REPORT
NO. 175, LUNSFORD, DAIS. AN ACT TO AMEND THE ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSERVATION LAW, IN RELATION TO EXTENDING THE AUTHORITY OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION TO MANAGE OYSTERS.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THIS BILL IS LAID
ASIDE.
PAGE 5, RULES REPORT NO. 45, THE CLERK WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A00813, RULES REPORT
NO. 45, VANEL. AN ACT TO AMEND THE EXECUTIVE LAW AND THE CRIMINAL
PROCEDURE LAW, IN RELATION TO DIRECTING THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STATE
POLICE TO DEVELOP AND INSTITUTE CHILD-SENSITIVE ARREST POLICIES AND
40
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
PROCEDURES FOR INSTANCES WHERE POLICE ARE ARRESTING AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
IS A PARENT, GUARDIAN OR OTHER PERSON LEGALLY CHARGED WITH THE CARE OR
CUSTODY OF A CHILD.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON A MOTION BY MR.
VANEL, THE SENATE BILL IS BEFORE THE HOUSE. THE SENATE BILL IS
ADVANCED.
AN EXPLANATION HAS BEEN REQUESTED, MR. VANEL.
QUIET, PLEASE. WE'RE ON DEBATE.
MR. VANEL: THIS BILL WILL MAKE TECHNICAL
AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 648 OF THE LAWS OF 2024 TO DIRECT THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF STATE POLICE AND THE MUNICIPAL POLICE TRAINING
COUNCIL TO DEVELOP AND ESTABLISH CHILD-SENSITIVE ARREST POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES FOR INSTANCES WHERE POLICE ARE ARRESTING AN INDIVIDUAL WHO
WAS A PARENT, GUARDIAN OR OTHER PERSONAL -- PERSON LEGALLY CHARGED WITH
THE CARE OR CUSTODY OF A CHILD. THIS BILL WILL NOT ONLY HELP MINIMIZE
THE CHILDHOOD TRAUMA ASSOCIATED WITH PARENTS -- PARENTAL ARREST, BUT THE
GOAL IS TO ALSO HELP STRENGTHEN AND TRUST COMMUNITY AND IMPROVEMENT
WITH RELATIONS WITH THE POLICE.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MS. WALSH.
MS. WALSH: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. WILL THE
SPONSOR YIELD FOR JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS?
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR
YIELD?
MR. VANEL: YES.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.
41
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MS. WALSH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. VANEL.
SO AS YOU MENTIONED, IT'S A CHAPTER AMENDMENT, IT
MAKES A FEW CHANGES TO THE BILL PASSED LAST YEAR. SO JUST TAKING THEM
KIND OF ONE AT A TIME, WHAT I SAW WAS THAT IT REMOVES THE REQUIREMENT
FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE TO CONSULT WITH DCJS IN DEVELOPING
CHILD-SENSITIVE ARREST PRACTICES. SO NOW THEY WOULD ONLY NEED TO
CONFER WITH OCFS; IS THAT CORRECT?
MR. VANEL: THAT'S CORRECT.
MS. WALSH: AND WHY WAS THAT CHANGE MADE? IF
YOU KNOW.
MR. VANEL: IT SAYS THAT -- THAT THE -- THE -- THEY
TYPICALLY DO NOT WEIGH IN ON STATE POLICE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
MS. WALSH: OKAY, GREAT.
I -- I NOTICED THAT IN THE DEBATE LAST YEAR THERE WAS
SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT DCJS NOT HAVING MEMBERS WITH ACTUAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE, SO I WAS THINKING PERHAPS THAT MIGHT HAVE
BEEN PART OF THE REASON WHY THAT CHANGE WAS MADE.
(PAUSE)
MR. VANEL: THEY'VE BEEN REMOVED, SO WE'RE NOT --
WE'RE NOT SURE.
MS. WALSH: THAT'S FINE. THAT -- THAT'S ABSOLUTELY
FINE. ALL RIGHT.
ANOTHER THING THAT THE CHAPTER DOES IS IT ADDS
LANGUAGE, QUOTE, "TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE", FOR EXAMPLE ON PAGE 3,
LINE 9 AND PAGE 3, LINE 30, AND OMITS LANGUAGE QUOTE, "SHALL MAKE
42
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
REASONABLE EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF SUCH CHILD." SO IT SEEMS LIKE
IT -- IT KIND OF SOFTENS THE -- THE LANGUAGE AND THE OBLIGATION ON THE
RESPONDING OFFICER. WOULD YOU SAY THAT THAT'S A FAIR STATEMENT?
MR. VANEL: I'M NOT SURE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
REASONABLE OR TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, BUT WE WERE OKAY WITH THE --
WITH THIS AMENDMENT.
MS. WALSH: AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE -- THESE
ARE CHANGES THAT WERE RECOMMEND BY THE SECOND FLOOR FOR THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
MR. VANEL: YES.
MS. WALSH: YEAH, CORRECT. OKAY. SO THE
GOVERNOR HAD SAID IN HER APPROVAL MEMO THAT SHE WANTED TO MAKE
CHANGES TO ENSURE THAT THE REQUIREMENTS PLACED ON POLICE OFFICERS CAN
QUOTE, "EVOLVE AS BEST PRACTICES EVOLVE." BUT IN YOUR OPINION, ISN'T IT
MORE ABOUT RECOGNIZING THAT EACH ARREST SITUATION IS TO SOME EXTENT
UNIQUE SO THAT THE RULES AND PROTOCOLS DEVELOPED MUST BE FLEXIBLE?
MR. VANEL: WELL, IN MY OPINION, AGAIN, THE STATE
-- THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STATE POLICE WILL BE MAKING, YOU KNOW, AND
MUNICIPALITIES -- AND THE MUNICIPAL POLICE TRAINING COUNCIL WILL BE
MAKING THESE -- THESE DECISIONS AND THESE -- THESE RECOMMENDED
POLICIES. SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE BEST ONES TO BE ABLE TO
DO SO TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE OR WHAT HAVE YOU. SO THIS -- THIS BILL IS -- IS
NIMBLE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.
MS. WALSH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
ANSWERS.
43
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MADAM SPEAKER, BRIEFLY ON THE BILL.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.
MS. WALSH: SO LAST YEAR THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT, I
WOULD SAY, BIPARTISAN OPPOSITION TO THIS LEGISLATION. SOME WERE
OPPOSED BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THAT DEVELOPING PROTOCOLS IN
CONJUNCTION WITH DCJS WAS UNWISE, GIVEN THE LACK OF ACTUAL POLICING
EXPERIENCE WITH DCJS. THAT HAS BEEN ADDRESSED IN THE CHAPTER. NOW
THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL ONLY CONFER WITH OCFS, THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN
AND FAMILY SERVICES.
SOME WERE OPPOSED, I THINK, BECAUSE THE LEGISLATION
FELT INSULTING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO HAVE BEEN KEEPING CHILDREN'S
SAFETY IN MIND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AND CERTAINLY DIDN'T NEED THE
STATE TELLING THEM HOW TO DO THEIR JOBS. IN THIS CHAPTER AMENDMENT THE
LANGUAGE HAS BEEN SOFTENED, IN MY OPINION, TO REFLECT AND
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE EMERGENCIES AND EXIGENCIES THAT MIGHT
REQUIRE AN OFFICER TO SIMPLY TRY THEIR BEST, MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO
ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE CHILD. ALSO, THE CHAPTER AMENDMENT DOESN'T
PRECLUDE LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO
EFFECTUATE AN ARREST.
SO I THINK THAT THE CHAPTER IS AN IMPROVEMENT FROM
THE ORIGINAL. FOR THAT REASON, MORE MEMBERS MAY BE SUPPORTIVE. BUT,
I MEAN, FOR ME HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE: THE BEST WAY TO KEEP CHILDREN
UNDER THE AGE OF 18 FROM HAVING ADVERSE PSYCHOLOGICAL OR EMOTIONAL
EXPERIENCES CAUSED BY WITNESSING THE ARREST OF THEIR PARENTS, GUARDIANS
AND CAREGIVERS IS FOR THOSE PARENTS, GUARDIANS AND CAREGIVERS TO NOT BE
44
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
GETTING ARRESTED IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND IF THEY ARE ARRESTED, NOT
RESISTING ARREST, FEWER SCENES OF SEEING PARENTS HANDCUFFED, WEAPONS
DRAWN, PEPPER SPRAY, PHYSICAL STRUGGLE, ET CETERA, WOULD BENEFIT A
CHILD'S EMOTIONAL HEALTH WHICH IS, OF COURSE, A LAUDABLE GOAL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST
SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 180TH
DAY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
PAGE 12, CALENDAR NO. 74, THE CLERK WILL READ.
THE CLERK: SENATE NO. S03876, CALENDAR NO. 74,
SENATOR HOYLMAN-SIGAL (A03875, DINOWITZ, OTIS, SANTABARBARA, STECK,
JACOBSON, ALVAREZ, COLTON). AN ACT TO AMEND THE GENERAL BUSINESS
LAW, IN RELATION TO REQUIRING COMPARISON OF PRICES CHARGED BY ENERGY
SERVICES COMPANIES.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: AN EXPLANATION HAS
BEEN REQUESTED, MR. DINOWITZ.
MR. DINOWITZ: THIS BILL WOULD REQUIRE ENERGY
SERVICE CORP -- COMPANIES, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS ESCOS, TO INCLUDE ON
45
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THEIR BILLING STATEMENTS A COMPARISON OF THE PRICES OF ENERGY SERVICES
THEY PROVIDE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH THOSE OF THE UTILITY COMPANY. SO
THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE THAT THE FIRST PAGE OF A MONTHLY BILLING STATEMENT
OF AN ESCO CUSTOMER INCLUDE A SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF THE CURRENT
PRICE THE CUSTOMER IS PAYING FOR ENERGY SERVICES WITH THE ESCO VERSUS
WHAT THEY WOULD PAY AS A CUSTOMER OF A LOCAL UTILITY, AS WELL AS AN
ITEMIZED LIST OF PRICES CHARGED FOR THE ENERGY -- FOR ENERGY-RELATED
VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS PROVIDED OVER THE PAST BILLING PERIOD. AND IN
ADDITION, IT WOULD REQUIRE THAT ONCE A YEAR AN ESCO PROVIDE A
COMPARISON FOR THE TOTAL PRICES CHARGED BY THE ESCO AGAINST THE PRICE
OF EQUIVALENT SERVICES PROVIDED BY A LOCAL UTILITY. AND FOR SUCH PERIOD,
THE ESCO SHALL UNAMBIGUOUSLY CONVEY WHETHER OR NOT THE CUSTOMER IS
SAVING MONEY OR PAYING A PREMIUM FOR THE SERVICES WITH THE ESCO.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. GANDOLFO.
MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
WOULD THE SPONSOR PLEASE YIELD FOR SOME QUESTIONS?
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR
YIELD?
MR. DINOWITZ: YES, I WILL.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.
MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU.
FIRST, WHY IS IT NECESSARY FOR US TO PASS THIS BILL AND
INCLUDE THAT PRICE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE ESCO AND THE PUBLIC -- AND
THE UTILITY?
MR. DINOWITZ: SINCE NEW YORK BEGAN TO
46
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
DEREGULATE ITS ENERGY INDUSTRY, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH
ESCOS. THERE HAVE BEEN FRAUD, ABUSE AND OTHER ISSUES, AND THAT
PROMPTED THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO TAKE STEPS TO MORE
CLOSELY REGULATE THE INDUSTRY. SO THIS IS REALLY AN EFFORT -- AND I'M NOT
SAYING ALL THE ESCOS ARE DOING BAD THINGS, NOT AT -- NOT AT ALL. BUT A
BUNCH OF THEM HAVE BEEN. AND SO THIS WILL HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE SAVING MONEY BECAUSE THE ESCOS PITCH THEIR
SERVICES BASED ON THE CONSUMERS SAVING MONEY AND, IN FACT, THAT'S
OFTEN NOT THE CASE.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY.
NOW, WOULD YOU SAY THAT ESCOS AND UTILITIES ARE
COMPETITORS?
MR. DINOWITZ: WELL, IN CERTAIN WAYS THEY ARE, OF
COURSE.
MR. GANDOLFO: ARE THERE ANY OTHER EXAMPLES
WHERE WE REQUIRE A PRICE COMPARISON FROM A POTENTIAL COMPETITOR TO
THE CONSUMER SO THEY -- FROM THE COMPETITOR TO SAY, HEY, OUR -- OUR
COMPETITION IS GOING TO GIVE YOU A BETTER RATE?
MR. DINOWITZ: I -- I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN COME
UP WITH ONE, BUT I THINK THE REASON FOR THIS IS SO THE ESCO COULD EITHER
-- THE COMPARISON COULD WORK TO THEIR ADVANTAGE IF WHAT THEY'RE TELLING
THE CONSUMER IS CORRECT. IF THEY'RE GONNA SAVE THE CONSUMER MONEY,
THEN THE PRICE COMPARISON WILL SHOW THAT THEY'RE SAVING THE CONSUMER
MONEY. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WHAT THEY'RE SAYING WAS NOT CORRECT
THE CONSUMER HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW THAT AS WELL.
47
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MR. GANDOLFO: ALL RIGHT. WELL, AND OF COURSE
WE ALL WANT TO SAVE THE CONSUMER MONEY ON THEIR ENERGY BILLS. I -- I
AGREE THERE.
NOW, WOULD A -- DOES A UTILITY HAVE TO PUT A PRICE
COMPARISON WITH AN ESCO IF -- WOULD THEY HAVE TO PUT ON THEIR BILL
WHETHER OR NOT AN ESCO MIGHT HAVE A BETTER PRICE AVAILABLE?
MR. DINOWITZ: WELL, NOT -- NOT BASED ON THIS BILL.
MR. GANDOLFO: ALL RIGHT, SO NOT BASED ON THIS
BILL. DO THEY HAVE TO DO THAT CURRENTLY?
MR. DINOWITZ: I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. THEN WHY -- YOU KNOW,
WHY ARE WE ONLY MANDATING THAT THE ESCO DOES THIS RATHER THAN HAVE
THE UTILITY -- THE UTILITY AND THE ESCO BOTH DO THIS, SO THAT WAY
CONSUMERS CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE
CURRENTLY USING AN ESCO VERSUS A UTILITY?
MR. DINOWITZ: WELL, BECAUSE IT IS THE ESCOS IN
SOME CASES THAT HAVE CAUSED THE TROUBLE, THE FRAUD AND SO ON. AND --
AND AGAIN, BY DOING THIS THEY CAN SHOW THAT THEY'RE, IN FACT, BETTER FOR
THE CONSUMERS IF THEY ARE.
MR. GANDOLFO: RIGHT. BUT IN THE INTEREST OF
TRANSPARENCY TO THE CONSUMER, WHY NOT JUST MANDATE IT ON BOTH TYPES OF
ENTITIES? THAT WAY THE CONSUMER AT THE END OF THE DAY WOULD HAVE ALL
THE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF THEM TO LOWER THEIR ENERGY COSTS, IF
POSSIBLE.
MR. DINOWITZ: WELL, I DON'T -- I DON'T THINK WE'VE
48
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
HAD THOSE SAME ISSUES WITH THE UTILITY. WE'VE HAD OTHER ISSUES WITH THE
UTILITIES, DON'T GET ME WRONG. BUT SINCE IT'S THE -- SINCE THE ESCOS
HAVE PITCHED THEMSELVES AS BEING, YOU KNOW, SO MUCH SUPERIOR TO THE
UTILITIES, THEY'RE GONNA SAVE YOU MONEY AND THEY LURE PEOPLE IN
SOMETIMES INTO MAKING DECISIONS THAT THEY HAVE SUBSEQUENTLY
REGRETTED, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THIS LEGISLATION WHICH
ASKS THEM TO DO SOMETHING WHICH IS ACTUALLY PRETTY SIMPLE FOR THEM TO
DO.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY.
AND NOW, I -- I KNOW THE PSC, I BELIEVE, HAS THE
POWER TO CHOOSE WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN GO AND PLUG IN YOUR ZIP CODE
AND IT WILL GIVE YOU A COMPARISON OF ENERGY COSTS FROM THE PROVIDERS
IN YOUR AREA. WHY IS THAT TOOL NOT AN ADEQUATE ENOUGH -- ADEQUATE
ENOUGH FOR THE CONSUMER TO GO ON AND CHECK THEIR PRICE TO SEE WHO
MIGHT HAVE THE BEST DEAL FOR THEM?
MR. DINOWITZ: WELL, FIRST, NOT EVERY CONSUMER IS
PARTICULARLY SAVVY WITH USING SUCH WEBSITES. I MEAN, I'VE -- I -- I DON'T
FIND EVERY WEBSITE OUT THERE TO BE PARTICULARLY USER-FRIENDLY, BUT
BEYOND THAT, NOT EVERY CONSUMER EVEN HAS ACCESS TO GET THAT KIND OF
INFORMATION IN THE FIRST PLACE.
MR. GANDOLFO: ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
AND UM, NOW, WOULD AN ESCO HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE
INFORMATION NEEDED TO PUT THIS -- INCLUDE THIS WITH THEIR BILL? WOULD
THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE -- THE DELIVERY SERVICE COST INFORMATION FROM
THE UTILITY?
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MR. DINOWITZ: I BELIEVE THEY WOULD.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. IS THAT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
OR WOULD THEY HAVE TO ACTIVELY GO TO THE UTILITY AND REQUEST INFORMATION
IN ORDER TO PUT THIS ON THE BILL?
MR. DINOWITZ: I'M NOT SURE. BUT YEAH, THEY
ALREADY WORK WITH THE UTILITIES, SO IT CERTAINLY IS ACCESSIBLE TO THEM. I
MEAN, DOING THIS IS NOT -- I KNOW EVERY BUSINESS THINKS ANYTHING YOU
EVER ASK THEM TO DO IS JUST THIS HUGE EXPENSIVE AND BURDEN, BUT THIS IS
NOT. IT'S NEITHER HUGE NOR EXPENSIVE.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. I MEAN, THIS I THINK DOES
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE A LARGER THAN EXPECTED BURDEN. IT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING THAT AN ESCO MIGHT HAVE TO REFORMAT THEIR ENTIRE
STATEMENT THAT THEY SEND TO THE CONSUMER TO FIT THIS NEW INFORMATION IN.
IS THAT NOT A CONCERN?
MR. DINOWITZ: I -- I DON'T -- I MEAN, HOW HARD IS
THAT TO DO? I MEAN, REALLY, YOU JUST DO A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND IT'S DONE.
MR. GANDOLFO: I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
MR. DINOWITZ: I THINK IT IS.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT
ABOUT WRAPS UP MY QUESTIONS, BUT I KNOW ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES IS
GONNA HAVE PROBABLY A LOT -- A LOT OF THOUGHTS ON THIS AS WELL.
(LAUGHTER)
MR. DINOWITZ: THAT'S SO UNUSUAL OF HIM.
MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU, SPONSOR. THANK YOU,
MADAM SPEAKER.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. PALMESANO.
MR. PALMESANO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
WILL THE SPONSOR YIELD FOR A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS?
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR
YIELD?
MR. DINOWITZ: I WILL.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.
MR. PALMESANO: THANK YOU, MR. DINOWITZ. I
APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, HOW IS THIS SUPPOSED TO WORK?
THE ESCO'S SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE --
MR. DINOWITZ: LOUDER, LOUDER.
MR. PALMESANO: YEAH, HOW'S THIS SUPPOSED TO
WORK IN YOUR MIND WITH THIS BILL, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS BILL BEEN AROUND.
THE ESCO IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE IN THE -- IN THE BILL THEY RECEIVE
WHAT THEIR CHARGES ARE AND COMPARE THEM TO THE UTILITY?
MR. DINOWITZ: YES.
MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. BUT IS IT SUPPOSED TO
COMPARE THE SUPPLY CHARGE OR THE DELIVERY CHARGE OR BOTH?
MR. DINOWITZ: YES.
MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. BUT YOU ARE AWARE THAT
THE ESCO DOESN'T DO THE BILLING, IT'S THE UTILITY THAT DOES THE BILLING.
THEY PROVIDE THE BILL. AND THERE'S THE SUPPLY SIDE, WHICH WOULD EITHER
BE THEM IF THEY'RE THE SUPPLIER, OR THE ESCO AND THEN THE UTILITY
51
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
PROVIDES ON THEIR BILL THE DELIVERY. SO WHAT ARE THEY SUPPOSED -- WHO'S
SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE IT, THE ESCO OR THE UTILITY?
MR. DINOWITZ: WELL, THE INFORMATION IS READILY
ACCESSIBLE TO THEM. THE INFORMATION IS READILY ACCESSIBLE AND EASILY,
AND NOT A BURDEN.
MR. PALMESANO: SO, IT'S -- SO, THE REASON I'M
ASKING THE QUESTION, BECAUSE THE BILL SAYS UTIL -- ESCO, ESCO, ESCO,
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE UTILITY THAT'S ACTUALLY PROVIDING THE BILL TO THE
CUSTOMER, CORRECT? SO ACTUALLY, THE BURDEN FALLS ON THE UTILITY.
MR. DINOWITZ: I'M TOLD SOMETIMES THE UTILITY DOES
HANDLE THE BILLING FOR THE ESCO. I MEAN, I DON'T ACTUALLY SEE MY BILL
BECAUSE I'M NOT THE ONE WHO HANDLES IT.
MR. PALMESANO: NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
MR. DINOWITZ: BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT BILLS --
BILLS GO UP. BUT I'VE HAD COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE -- YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
HAVE SOMETIMES BEEN SWITCHED TO AN ESCO AND NOT EVEN REALLY KNEW
THAT THAT HAPPENED. YOU KNOW, YOU PICK UP THE PHONE AND YOU SAY
HELLO AND SUDDENLY YOU HAVE AN ESCO INSTEAD OF YOUR CONED OR
WHOEVER.
MR. PALMESANO: WELL, RIGHT. AND I -- AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT. SO, THE UTILITY -- THERE'S THREE PARTS TO THE BILL, AS WE
TALKED; THE SUPPLY, WHICH GIVES THE MARKET BASE, THAT'S FROM -- THAT'S A
MARKET PASS-THROUGH BASED ON HOW IT'S BIDDED [SIC]; THE DELIVERY OR
TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS WHAT THE UTILITY RECEIVES FOR PROVIDING THE
INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT'S -- WHEN THERE WERE RATE CASES, IT'S ALL ON THE
52
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
TRANSPORTATION DELIVERY, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SUPPLY. AND OF
COURSE THE OTHER PART OF THE BILL ARE THE TAXES, FEES AND ASSESSMENTS.
SO, AND AGAIN, YOU SAY THIS BILL ABOUT THE ESCO, BUT THE WAY I READ IT,
IT SAYS THAT BUT IT IS THE UTILITY THAT WILL BE REQUIRED TO DO A SIDE-BY-SIDE
COMPARISON SHOWING WHAT THE ESCO IS AND SHOWING THEIRS. SO THE
BURDEN IS ON THEM, SO SHOULDN'T IT SAY UTILITY?
MR. DINOWITZ: NO, THE ESCO HAS TO HAVE THE
SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON ON THE BILL.
MR. PALMESANO: BUT HOW -- EXPLAIN TO ME HOW
THEY DO THE SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON WHEN IT'S THE UTILITY THAT DOES THE
BILLING?
MR. DINOWITZ: THEY -- THEY -- BOTH OF THEM
PROVIDE INFORMATION TO EACH OTHER. THAT'S WHY -- THAT'S WHY I'VE SAID --
MR. PALMESANO: I UNDERSTAND.
MR. DINOWITZ: -- THAT IT'S READILY AVAILABLE. IT'S --
IT'S JUST NOT A BURDEN. IT'S NOT A THING. THEY COULD DO IT IF THEY WANT TO.
AND AS I ALSO SAID -- I DON'T LIKE TO BE REPETITIVE -- BUT IF THEY'RE TELLING
THE TRUTH ABOUT THEIR PRICES, THEY WOULD REALLY WANT TO DO IT BECAUSE
THEN IT WILL SHOW THAT THEIR PRICES ARE CHEAPER. OF COURSE, MORE OFTEN
THAN NOT I SUSPECT THAT'S NOT THE CASE AND THAT'S POSSIBLY WHY THEY DON'T
WANT TO DO THAT.
MR. PALMESANO: NO, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. I
DON'T WANT TO BEAT THE DRUM ON WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS, BECAUSE THE
BILL IS PROVIDED BY THE UTILITY. THEY GET WHATEVER THE CHARGES FOR THE
ESCO AND THEY PUT THAT ON THE BILL OF THE ESCO. WHAT THE SUPPLY SIDE
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
IS, IT GETS PUT ON THEIR BILL. SO NOW YOU'RE SAYING BASICALLY THE UTILITY,
EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE BEEN SAYING IN YOUR BILL, BASICALLY THE UTILITY IS THE
ONE THAT'S GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, CORRECT? THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUT
IT ON THEIR BILL, WHICH WILL GO -- IT WILL BE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, FOR
SURE, TO CHANGE THE FIRST PAGE OF THE BILL, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THAT'S
GONNA BE A COST TO PUT ONTO THE RATEPAYERS.
MR. DINOWITZ: YOU THINK THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT
COSTS IN CHANGING THE FIRST PAGE OF THE BILL BY THE ESCO?
MR. PALMESANO: HAVE YOU -- HAVE YOU
COMMUNICATED WITH THE UTILITIES ABOUT THIS. I MEAN, BECAUSE THERE'S
(INAUDIBLE/CROSSTALK) --
MR. DINOWITZ: I HAVE NOT ASKED THEM.
MR. PALMESANO: -- FORMAT AND NOW CHANGING THE
PROCESS. AND, I MEAN, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS I'VE HEARD THEY'VE
SAID IS DO A YEARLY COMPARISON, GET A BREAK -- A YEARLY COMPARISON, BUT
THIS IS A MONTH-TO-MONTH COMPARISON, CORRECT?
MR. DINOWITZ: YOU KNOW WHAT, THOUGH? NO --
NO BUSINESS WANTS TO BE TOLD TO DO ANYTHING.
MR. PALMESANO: I UNDERSTAND.
MR. DINOWITZ: EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE ASKED TO
DO OR REQUIRED TO DO, THEY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM WILL WHINE AND
COMPLAIN, IT'S GONNA COST US MONEY, IT'LL TAKE TIME, IT WILL BE THIS, IT WILL
BE TERRIBLE. YOU KNOW, THE SKY IS FALLING. BUT THE FACT IS THAT IS JUST
NOT THE CASE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A SIMPLE SIDE-BY-SIDE COMPARISON OF
SOME BASIC INFORMATION. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT IN THE INTEREST OF
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
TRANSPARENCY AND BEING A GOOD COMPANY THAT WANTS TO BE
PRO-CONSUMER, THAT THEY WOULD BE EAGER TO DO THAT.
MR. PALMESANO: AND -- AND -- AND MR.
DINOWITZ, I AGREE WITH YOU 100 PERCENT ON TRANSPARENCY AND
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE RATEPAYER AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE
BIT.
SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S A -- A CONSUMER BILL OF RIGHTS
THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE UNDER THE LAW, AND ESCOS ARE CURRENTLY REQUIRED
TO IDENTIFY ALL VARIABLE CHARGES ON -- WITHIN CONSUMER CUSTOMER
CONTRACTS, WHICH THERE'S PROBLEMS WITH THAT, THEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
WOULD BE ABLE TO ACT AND ACT ACCORDINGLY; IS THAT CORRECT?
MR. DINOWITZ: WELL, YOU GARBLED SOME OF WHAT
YOU SAID, BUT I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT A CONSUMER BILL OF RIGHTS.
MR. PALMESANO: ALL RIGHT. SO, THERE'S A BILL OF
RIGHTS, ESCOS ARE CURRENTLY REQUIRED TO CLEARLY IDENTIFY ALL VARIABLE
CHARGES WITHIN CUSTOMER CONTRACTS. IF ESCOS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THIS
REQUIREMENT, THE CONTRACT WOULD BE DEEMED VOID AND UNENFORCEABLE
AND THE COMPANY MAY BE SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY LEVIED BY THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL, CORRECT?
MR. DINOWITZ: THAT'S THE CURRENT LAW, YES.
MR. PALMESANO: YES. AND ALSO IN 2016 THE
PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ISSUED AN ORDER WHICH REQUIRED THAT NEW
AND RENEWAL CONTRACTS BETWEEN ESCOS AND MASS MARKET CUSTOMERS
GUARANTEED SAVINGS IN COMPARISON TO WHAT THE CUSTOMER WOULD HAVE
PAID IN A FULL-SERVICE UTILITY CUSTOMER, CORRECT?
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MR. DINOWITZ: YEP.
MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. AND IN THAT SAME YEAR,
ESCOS WERE BANNED FROM SELLING ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS TO
LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK STATE DUE TO THE PRACTICE
OF OVERCHARGING AND ENGAGING IN ESCOS, CORRECT?
MR. DINOWITZ: YEAH, OVERCHARGING. HISTORY OF
DOING THAT.
MR. PALMESANO: ALL RIGHT. AND DO YOU KNOW
HOW MANY ESCOS THAT THE PSC OVERSEES RIGHT NOW?
MR. DINOWITZ: NO, I DON'T.
MR. PALMESANO: I THINK THERE'S ABOUT 151.
MR. DINOWITZ: ABOUT 151?
MR. PALMESANO: YES.
MR. DINOWITZ: OKAY.
MR. PALMESANO: AND ALSO, ON THE PSC WEBSITE
RIGHT NOW IT SAYS THE PSC HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF CERTAIN ESCOS,
PARTICULARLY REGARDING PRICES, AND THE PSC IS CONSIDERING WHETHER THE
RETAIL ACCESS MARKET FOR ENERGY COMMODITY IS WORKING PROPERLY OR IF IT
SHOULD BE REVISED. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. WOULDN'T IT BE
IN OUR BEST INTEREST BEFORE WE ADVANCE THIS BILL TO LET THE PSC
DETERMINE AND FINAL THEIR INVESTIGATION AND INTERNALLY LOOKING AT THIS
BEFORE WE PUT ANY TYPE OF MANDATES ON ESCOS AND OTHER UTILITIES?
MR. DINOWITZ: NO.
MR. PALMESANO: NO? SO WE DON'T WANT TO DEFER
TO THE PSC WHICH HAS THE EXPERTISE IN THIS, CORRECT? (INAUDIBLE)
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MR. DINOWITZ: WHY DON'T THEY DEFER TO US? WHY
SHOULD WE DEFER TO THEM? AND WHO KNOWS WHEN THEY'RE GONNA FINISH
DOING THAT AND HOW EFFECTIVE WHAT THEY RECOMMEND IS GOING TO BE. SO
WHY -- WHY DAUDLE? WE -- WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT AN ISSUE
THAT -- THAT'S AFFECTED MANY PEOPLE AND WE COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT
THAT RIGHT NOW.
MR. PALMESANO: IS THERE ANY CONCERN ON YOUR
PART THAT THROWING MORE INFORMATION LIKE THIS TO THE CUSTOMER,
ESPECIALLY THESE -- AND HAVING THE UTILITY HAVE TO DO IT, BECAUSE PEOPLE
ENTER INTO YEARLY CONTRACTS WITH ESCOS AND IT MIGHT BE FOR A FIXED-RATE
CHARGE. SO IF THE UTILITY DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY CHARGE -- AND
THEN IF -- IF THERE'S SOME -- A MONTHLY BILL THAT'S CHANGING, EVEN THOUGH
THEY'RE ON A YEARLY CONTRACT, ISN'T THAT GONNA BE -- ISN'T THERE A CONCERN
THERE THAT THE CUSTOMER MIGHT OPT OUT OR GET AN EARLY TERMINATION AND
THEN HAVE TERMINATION FEES FROM THAT? IT SEEMS LIKE THAT COULD BE A
CONCERN THAT WE'RE TALKING.
MR. DINOWITZ: IF THAT'S A QUESTION, MY ANSWER IS
NO.
MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
IN THE INTEREST OF DISCLOSURE, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT
DISCLOSURE -- I MEAN, YOU WANT TO DO THIS FOR DISCLOSURE, FOR
TRANSPARENCY. WOULDN'T THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO IS TO PUT ON ALL BILLS
WHAT THE CHARGES THAT WE'RE PUTTING -- THE CUSTOMER IS PAYING? WE --
WE -- I'VE TALKED ON THIS FLOOR TIME AND TIME AGAIN ABOUT THE GREEN
NEW DEAL, THE CLCPA AND THE COSTS, WHAT KIND OF COSTS ARE COMING
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
DOWN THE PIPELINE. WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER -- WOULDN'T A BETTER APPROACH
TO BE ABLE TO PASS LEGISLATION CALLED THE RATEPAYER PROTECTION
DISCLOSURE AND TRANSPARENCY ACT WHICH WOULD LIST ON THAT BILL FOR THE
CUSTOMER IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY, ALL THE GREEN ENERGY COSTS,
CLEAN ENERGY FUND, RGGI, ZECS, RECS. ALL THOSE THINGS ON THE BILL
SO THEN THE CUSTOMER COULD REALLY SEE WHAT THEY'RE PAYING. ISN'T THAT
TRUE DISCLOSURE AND TRANSPARENCY ON THE COST OF THE PROGRAM? BECAUSE
I KNOW YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT COST.
MR. DINOWITZ: I'M NOT SURE THAT THAT HAS TO DO
WITH THIS BILL, BUT --
MR. PALMESANO: BUT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT
COST, RIGHT?
MR. DINOWITZ: OF COURSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT
COST.
MR. PALMESANO: AND THAT'S WHY--
(CROSSTALK/INAUDIBLE)
-- AND TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE --
MR. DINOWITZ: COULD I -- COULD I -- I'M CONCERNED
ABOUT THE COSTS TO CONSUMERS. AND ONE THING I THINK WE CAN SAY IS WE
ALL COULD HAVE, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE 140,000 PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICT.
WE ALL HAVE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME NUMBER OF CONSUMERS, AND UNLESS
THEY'RE LIVING BY CANDLE POWER, THEY'RE ALL UTILITY CONSUMERS. AND I
WOULD THINK WE WOULD ALL WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT THE
CONSUMERS AND TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN INTELLIGENT
DECISION BASED ON TRANSPARENCY AND FULL DISCLOSURE AS TO WHAT THEIR
58
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
OPTIONS MAY BE.
MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. THANK YOU, MR.
DINOWITZ. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
MR. DINOWITZ: YOU'RE WELCOME.
MR. PALMESANO: MADAM SPEAKER, ON THE BILL.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.
MR. PALMESANO: MADAM SPEAKER, AND MY
COLLEAGUES, I APPRECIATE THE INTENT OF MY COLLEAGUE WITH THIS
LEGISLATION, WANTING TO GET THAT TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE. I GET THAT.
I THINK THE PROBLEM IS IS THIS IS GONNA BE MORE CONFUSING FOR CUSTOMERS
BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CHANGING AROUND A BILL. THERE WILL BE
COSTS FROM THAT THAT WILL BE PASSED ONTO THE CUSTOMER AND THE RATEPAYER
FOR THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE. AND THERE'S CONFUSION BECAUSE
THE SPONSOR CONTINUES TO TALK ABOUT ESCOS, BUT THE ESCOS DON'T BILL
THE -- THE CUSTOMER, IT'S THE UTILITY. THEY GET THE SUPPLY SIDE OR
WHATEVER THE COST IS FOR THE ESCO, AND NOW THAT BURDEN WOULD BE
PLACED ON THE UTILITY. WHO DOES THE BURDEN, WHO DOES THE PENALTY FALL
UPON? IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME GRAY AREAS THERE. IT SEEMS LIKE MY --
MY COLLEAGUE WANTS TO FOCUS ON THE ESCOS, AND I GET THAT. BUT THAT'S
ONLY THE SUPPLY SIDE. THE DELIVERY SIDE, THE TRANSPORTATION SIDE IS
BASED ON THE UTILITY. AND OF COURSE YOU HAVE THE TAXES.
I THINK I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS COULD
BE CONFUSING AND THEN YOU MIGHT HAVE CUSTOMERS WHO MIGHT BE ON A
YEAR CONTRACT AT A FIXED RATE AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING A MONTHLY BILL AND
THEN THEY MIGHT BE UPSET AND THEY MIGHT TRY TO CANCEL BECAUSE THEY
59
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THINK THEY CAN GET A BETTER DEAL FOR THAT MONTH. THEY MIGHT (INAUDIBLE)
UTILITY HAVE A BETTER RATE THAN THE -- THAN THE ESCO FOR SUPPLY. BUT
THEN IF THEY SAY, I WANT TO SWITCH TO THE UTILITY BECAUSE IT'S BETTER BUT IT
-- WHILE THEY'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONTRACT AND THEY MIGHT NOT
UNDERSTAND IT, HOW IT'S WORKING, THEN THEY COULD BE SUBJECT TO EARLY
TERMIN -- TERMINATION FEES, I THINK.
LISTEN, OUR RATES -- OUR UTILITY RATES ARE GOING UP
ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WE'VE SEEN THAT. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT
THE UTILITY. AND WE KNOW THE REASON THAT RATES ARE GOING UP IS TO PAY
FOR THE -- THE GREEN ENERGY MANDATES THAT ARE BEING PLACED ON THE BILLS.
I THINK ALSO THIS LEGISLATION IS REALLY AIMED AT -- TO
DISCOURAGE COMPETITION. ESCOS ARE SUPPOSED TO COMPETE AGAINST THE
UTILITY SO I THINK IT CAN DISCOURAGE COMPETITION AS ONE OF THE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. BUT IF WE REALLY WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT
WITH THE CUSTOMER, WHY DON'T WE PASS LEGISLATION WHICH I THINK WOULD
SURPASS THIS IN MANY WAYS, THE RATEPAYER TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE
ACT, WHICH WOULD LINE-ITEM EVERY BILL, WHAT ALL THE COSTS ARE FOR THE
GREEN ENERGY COSTS, WHETHER THEY'RE THE RECS, THE CLEAN ENERGY FUND,
THE RGGI, ALL OF THOSE BILL -- THOSE DOLLARS THAT ARE BEING ADDED INTO THE
BILL THAT OUR CUSTOMERS ARE PAYING FOR, WHEN YOU SEE THESE RATE
INCREASES GOING ON WITH THE UTILITIES IS TO PAY FOR THESE COSTS. ON TOP
OF THAT, I MEAN, THE PSC HAS ALREADY APPROVED (INAUDIBLE) BILLION
DOLLARS IN FUTURE RATEPAYER INCREASES TO PAY FOR THEIR GREEN ENERGY COSTS
AND MANDATES. THAT'S PART OF THIS. THAT WOULD BE MORE DETAILED, THAT
WOULD BE MORE APPLICABLE, THAT WOULD BE MORE HELPFUL TO OUR
60
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
CUSTOMERS AND TO OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES. WHEN WE WANT TO
TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER APPROACH. I JUST
THINK WHY NOT DO A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND REALLY SHOW WHERE THESE
DOLLARS ARE.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING -- WE'RE HEADING DOWN THE WRONG
TRACK WITH THIS ENERGY POLICY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. AGAIN, I
APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUE FOR WANTING MORE TRANSPARENCY. WE'VE GOT
OTHER BILLS THAT TALK ABOUT PUTTING MORE BILL -- INFORMATION ON THE BILLS,
BUT LET'S PUT WHAT'S TRULY DRIVING UP THE COST OF THE BILLS, AND IT'S THESE
GREEN ENERGY COSTS. (INAUDIBLE). THAT TRANSPARENCY WILL DISCLOSE, AND
THAT'S ASSEMBLY BILL 6152. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER BILL FOR US TO
ADVANCE. BUT IN THE ENERGY COST PERSPECTIVE, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA,
THE RETAIL ENERGY COST FOR THE -- FOR ELECTRIC GAS -- ELECTRIC RATES WAS 17
CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR IN 2019. THIS YEAR IT'S 25 CENTS PER KILOWATT
HOUR, 40 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. WE KEEP TALKING
ABOUT WANTING TO LOWER COSTS, BUT THE POLICIES IN THIS STATE CONTINUE TO
PUT MANDATES THAT DRIVE UP COSTS FOR CONSUMERS, DRIVE UP THE COST FOR
BUSINESSES.
AND WE -- I EVEN TALKED ABOUT RELIABILITY. AND IF YOU
WANT TO TALK ABOUT MORE AND MORE BUSINESSES AND FAMILIES LEAVING THE
STATE, THESE ARE THE TYPE OF POLICIES THAT (INAUDIBLE) HAVE MORE PEOPLE
LEAVING THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND, UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S HEADING DOWN
THE WRONG TRACK. YOU KNOW, I'LL CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. I'M NOT
GONNA BELABOR IT ANYMORE HERE TODAY.
BUT I THINK -- AGAIN, I APPRECIATE WHAT THE SPONSOR IS
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
TRYING TO DO. I JUST THINK THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO GO ABOUT IT. I THINK THIS
IS GONNA CAUSE SOME CHALLENGES ACROSS THE BOARD BECAUSE THERE'S SOME
GRAY AREA ABOUT, AGAIN, ESCOS DON'T BILL THE RATEPAYER, IT'S THE UTILITY
THAT BILLS THEM. AND THE BILL IS ALL ABOUT ESCOS AND I THINK THAT'S
GONNA BE PROBLEMATIC, IT NEEDS TO BE WEEDED OUT. I THINK THERE COULD
BE SOME LEGAL CHANCE -- LEGAL CHALLENGES.
SO FOR THAT REASON, MR. SPEAKER, DESPITE MY
COLLEAGUE'S GOOD INTENTIONS, I'M GONNA BE VOTING IN THE NEGATIVE AND I
WOULD ASK SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN ME IN THAT VOTE, TOO.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
(PAUSE)
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST
SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 180TH
DAY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: A PARTY VOTE HAS
BEEN...
(PAUSE)
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 180TH
DAY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
MR. BOLOGNA TO EXPLAIN HIS VOTE.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MR. BOLOGNA: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I WANT TO COMMEND MY COLLEAGUE, MR. PALMESANO, FOR
BRINGING UP A REALLY GOOD POINT HERE. AND IT'S KIND OF INDICATIVE OF --
OF A LOT OF THE PROCESSES THAT HAPPEN IN THIS -- IN THIS BUILDING; WHETHER
IT'S THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE BUDGET PROCESS OR ENERGY BILLS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, WE SHOULD ACTUALLY
BE TRANSPARENT. AND EVERY TAX, EVERY FEE, EVERYTHING THAT NEW YORK
STATE DOES TO RAISE ENERGY PRICES ON OUR CONSTITUENTS AND ON CONSUMERS
SHOULD BE LINE-ITEMED IN THEIR BILLS. I THINK THAT THAT IS A PHENOMENAL
IDEA.
SO WHILE I THINK THAT THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATION IS --
IS ADMIRABLE, THE EXECUTION IN TERMS OF WHAT IS BEING TRANSPARENT IS --
IS -- IS NEEDED -- IS -- THERE'S SOME WANTING THERE. SO FOR THAT REASON
I'LL BE VOTING IN THE NEGATIVE.
(PAUSE)
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. BOLOGNA IN THE
NEGATIVE.
MR. DINOWITZ TO EXPLAIN HIS VOTE.
MR. DINOWITZ: JUST -- JUST A QUICK OBSERVATION.
THAT -- THAT'S ACTUALLY AN INTERESTING THOUGHT. AND YESTERDAY I THOUGHT
I HEARD THAT AMAZON WAS TALKING ABOUT INDICATING ON ITS BILLS HOW
MUCH OF THE PRICE INCREASES THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING ARE DUE TO THE
TRUMP TARIFFS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PUTTING THINGS ON BILLS,
INTERESTING IDEA.
THANK YOU.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. DINOWITZ IN THE
AFFIRMATIVE.
(PAUSE)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
THE BILL IS PASSED.
PAGE 12, CALENDAR NO. 76, CLERK WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A04850, CALENDAR NO.
76, ROZIC, COLTON, SIMON, ROSENTHAL, LUPARDO, FORREST, BRONSON,
SANTABARBARA, MAMDANI, BORES, FALL, KELLES, SIMONE, SEAWRIGHT,
ALVAREZ. AN ACT TO AMEND THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW, IN RELATION TO
ENACTING THE "NEW YORK STATE TELEWORKING EXPANSION ACT."
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: AN EXPLANATION HAS
BEEN REQUESTED.
MS. ROZIC.
MS. ROZIC: SURE. THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
THIS BILL REQUIRES EACH STATE AGENCY TO ESTABLISH A
POLICY AND PROGRAM TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO PERFORM ALL OR A CERTAIN
PORTION OF THEIR DUTIES THROUGH TELEWORK, WHICH IS SORT OF LIKE HYBRID
WORK, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE WITHOUT A DECLINE IN EMPLOYEE
PERFORMANCE.
AS WE KNOW, DEMAND FOR TALENT HAS BEEN HIGH.
COMPETITION FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS FIERCE. SO THIS IS ONE WAY WE
CAN COUNTER THAT.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. GANDOLFO.
MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
WOULD THE SPONSOR PLEASE YIELD FOR A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS?
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR
YIELD.
MS. ROZIC: SURE.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.
MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO, FIRST, I KNOW TELEWORKING HAS KIND OF BEEN IN
PLACE IN OUR STATE AGENCIES, BUT THE -- I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE
LANGUAGE THAT EMPLOYEES -- THE POLICY MUST ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO
PERFORM ALL OR PART OF THEIR DUTIES REMOTELY. IS THAT MEANT TO IMPLY --
TO APPLY TO ALL EMPLOYEES OF THE AGENCY OR WOULD CERTAIN TITLES OR
POSITIONS BE EXCLUDED?
MS. ROZIC: SO EACH AGENCY IS SUPPOSED TO
DESIGNATE A TELEWORKING COORDINATOR WHO WOULD OVERSEE
IMPLEMENTATION OF A POLICY OR A PROGRAM, AND THEY CAN CHOOSE, AT THEIR
DISCRETION, TO ESTABLISH POLICIES FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES. IT OBVIOUSLY
EXCLUDES EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SUBJECT TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. BUT IT
WOULD REALLY BE UP TO THE DISCRETION OF EACH AGENCY AND THEIR
COORDINATOR TO DETERMINE WHICH DUTIES, WHICH EMPLOYEES, AND WHO
WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PERFORMING ONSITE
VERSUS HYBRID VERSUS WORKING FROM HOME.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. SO IS THE INTENT TO HAVE AS
MANY EMPLOYEES WORK REMOTELY AS POSSIBLE, OR IS IT JUST SOLELY GOING
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
TO BE LEFT UP TO THOSE AGENCIES?
MS. ROZIC: THE BILL LEAVES IT TO THE DISCRETION --
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY.
MS. ROZIC: -- OF EACH AGENCY INDIVIDUALLY. IT MIGHT
WORK MORE FOR CERTAIN ONES; LIKE, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
SERVICES. IT MIGHT NOT WORK FOR OTHERS. IT REALLY IS UP TO EACH STATE
AGENCY TO DEVELOP A POLICY OR PROGRAM, MUCH LIKE THE CITY OF NEW
YORK HAS DONE.
AND, PERSONALLY, I'M AGNOSTIC. IT COULD BE THAT A STATE
AGENCY SAYS NONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO WORK FROM
HOME OR CAN'T FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND THAT WOULD BE IN THEIR
DISCRETION AND PURVIEW. WE GIVE THEM LATITUDE SINCE THEY ARE THE
EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELD.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. AND WOULD THE POTENTIAL
POLICY CRAFTED BY THE AGENCY REQUIRE APPROVAL, YOU KNOW, FROM THE
LEGISLATURE, FROM THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH?
MS. ROZIC: NO. AGAIN, IT WOULD BE UP TO THE --
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY.
MS. ROZIC: -- INDIVIDUAL COORDINATOR.
I'LL GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE, THE OFFICE OF INFORMATION
AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES. AS THEY HAVE IT NOW, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO
APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM ANNUALLY, AND THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH A PRETTY
RIGOROUS PROCESS.
MR. GANDOLFO: UH-HUH.
MS. ROZIC: SO THEY COULD MODEL IT ON THAT. THEY
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
COULD DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DEPENDING ON THE AGENCY
NEEDS.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. AND I KNOW THERE'S A
STANDARD TO NOT DIMINISH EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE OR PRODUCTIVITY.
MS. ROZIC: UH-HUH.
MR. GANDOLFO: IS THERE ANY REQUIREMENT FOR A
REVIEW BY THE LEGISLATURE OR SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF THE AGENCY THAT
EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE HAS NOT DIMINISHED AS A RESULT OF THE POLICY?
MS. ROZIC: THE LEGISLATION DOES NOT SPEAK TO THAT
ALL --
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY.
MS. ROZIC: -- BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO VISIT THAT --
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I THINK --
MS. ROZIC: -- IN THE FUTURE.
MR. GANDOLFO: -- THAT WOULD BE A GOOD ADDITION
TO IT.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GO ON TOO LONG ABOUT THIS, BUT ONE
QUESTION I HAVE: IS THERE A PROJECTION OR ANY KIND OF ESTIMATE ON THE
IMPACT WIDESPREAD REMOTE WORK MIGHT HAVE ON A CITY LIKE ALBANY? I
KNOW THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSING, I THINK IT WAS $400 MILLION, FOR A
REVITALIZATION OF ALBANY. IS THERE ANY ESTIMATE ON HOW THAT MIGHT
IMPACT THE LOCAL ECONOMY HERE?
MS. ROZIC: I DON'T HAVE THOSE FIGURES --
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY.
MS. ROZIC: -- IN FRONT ME. WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
AS OF LAST MONTH WE HAD TENS OF THOUSANDS OF JOB VACANCIES ACROSS
STATE GOVERNMENT.
MR. GANDOLFO: UH-HUH.
MS. ROZIC: AND I THINK THAT THIS BILL AIMS TO, AT
LEAST, CHIP AWAY AT THAT PROBLEM.
WE ALSO PROJECT THAT MORE THAN A QUARTER OF STATE
GOVERNMENT JOBS WILL BE UP FOR RETIREMENT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND
SO THAT'S A REALLY BIG PROBLEM THAT WE'RE FACING. AND, AGAIN, I THINK
TELEWORK IS NOT THE BE-ALL AND END-ALL, BUT COULD HELP IN CERTAIN
INSTANCES.
MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. I APPRECIATE THE ANSWERS
TO MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU.
AND, MADAM SPEAKER, ON THE BILL BRIEFLY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.
MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I KNOW REMOTE WORK HAS BECOME MORE POPULAR, MORE
WIDESPREAD IN BOTH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS. I DO HAVE SOME
CONCERNS THAT IT COULD EXPAND A LITTLE TOO MUCH WHERE EMPLOYEE
PERFORMANCE MIGHT END UP BEING DIMINISHED A LITTLE BIT. SO I WOULD
LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF PERIODIC REVIEW, WHETHER BY THE EXECUTIVE
BRANCH, THE LEGISLATURE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PERFORMANCE IS STILL THERE
FROM THE STATE EMPLOYEES IF REMOTE WORK DOES BECOME MORE
WIDESPREAD.
I ALSO DO HAVE CONCERNS THAT THERE'S A $400 MILLION
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
PROPOSAL TO REVITALIZE THE CITY OF ALBANY, AND THAT SENDING MORE
EMPLOYEES HOME AND NOT HAVING THEM HERE IN THE CITY MIGHT BE A
DETRIMENT TO THE REVITALIZATION EFFORTS HERE.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE SPONSOR ANSWERING MY
QUESTIONS AND CLARIFYING SOME OF THESE ISSUES, AND I THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. CHANG.
MR. CHANG: WILL THE SPONSOR YIELD?
MS. ROZIC: SURE.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.
MR. CHANG: YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YET THE LANGUAGE ITSELF ON THE BILL, IT SAYS "SHALL
ESTABLISH". AND YOU MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY THAT THEY CAN -- IS IT
POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THAT "CAN ESTABLISH" INSTEAD OF "SHALL"? BECAUSE IT
WOULD REQUIRE EACH STATE AGENCY TO REQUIRE IT -- TO ESTABLISH A TELEWORK.
BECAUSE THERE MAY BE A CERTAIN AGENCY DO NOT NEED THAT [SIC]. AND
WITHOUT ADDING A -- AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN OF COST, CAN WE CHANGE THAT
LANGUAGE TO -- INSTEAD OF "SHALL", "MAY"?
MS. ROZIC: NO. BUT THERE IS NOTHING IN THAT THAT
PRECLUDES AN AGENCY FROM COMING BACK AND SAYING, WE DON'T WANT TO
DO TELEWORK FOR ANY OF THE POSITIONS. WE DON'T SEE IT -- WE DON'T FIND IT
DEEMABLE [SIC] OR POSSIBLE FOR X AMOUNT OF JOBS OR VACANCIES THAT WE
HAVE.
MR. CHANG: OKAY. THANK YOU.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ON THE BILL, PLEASE.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.
MR. CHANG: DURING -- DURING THE TIME OF COVID,
AND MANY OF THESE ARE -- ARE DONE AT TELEWORK, AND MANY HAVE RESIDUAL
WORK AFTER COVID A NUMBER OF YEARS; SUCH AS, UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE
OR SOME OTHER AGENCY. AND -- AND MY CONSTITUENTS ALWAYS FIND FAULT
ON -- ON THE QUALITY OF SERVICES AND NOT -- PHONES ARE NOT BEING
ANSWERED. SO SOMETIMES FACE-TO-FACE IS, PERHAPS, IS MAINTAINED
INSTEAD OF TELEWORK. CUSTOMER SERVICE SHOULD BE -- SHOULD BE
IMPORTANT.
AND ALSO, ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE FOR TELEWORK AND A
COORDINATOR, THAT'S ANOTHER LEVEL OF BUREAUCRACY, ANOTHER LEVEL OF,
PERHAPS, WASTEFUL, ADDED BURDEN FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
I PREFER IT TO HAVE -- INSTEAD OF "SHALL", REQUIRED, IS
"MAY," AND WE HAVE ALL THE EXPERIENCE ON WHAT -- WHAT WORKS AND
WHAT DOESN'T WORK IN EACH AGENCY FOR TELEWORK OR NOT, AND WHAT'S
WASTEFUL OR NOT.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MS. WALSH.
MS. WALSH: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. WILL THE
SPONSOR YIELD?
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR
YIELD.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MS. ROZIC: SURE.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.
MS. WALSH: ALL RIGHT. SO -- AND -- AND I -- I'VE
SUPPORTED THIS BILL IN THE PAST. I JUST -- A FEW MORE QUESTIONS HAVE KIND
OF COME TO MY MIND ABOUT IT.
MS. ROZIC: SURE.
MS. WALSH: WHEN IT -- WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT
CREATING A POLICY AND -- AND HAVING TELEWORK TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT
POSSIBLE WITHOUT DIMINISHING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE, WOULD THAT BE
DONE, LIKE, PER -- LIKE, FOR A PARTICULAR JOB TITLE IN AN AGENCY THAT WOULD
BE ALLOWED TO BE TELEWORK -- TELEWORK, BUT -- OR -- OR IS IT -- IT'S NOT
DONE BY INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE, RIGHT, IT WOULD BE BY -- MUST BE BY JOB
TITLE, NO?
MS. ROZIC: THE BILL ITSELF DOES NOT SPEAK TO
SPECIFICS.
MS. WALSH: OKAY.
MS. ROZIC: WE GIVE EACH STATE AGENCY LATITUDE TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT WORKS FOR THEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL. BUT I
WOULD SAY THAT TELEWORK IS AN INDUSTRY STANDARD IN MANY INSTANCES, AND
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOUNT FOR.
MS. WALSH: YEAH. NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT. I'M -- I
WAS CURIOUS JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED.
LIKE, LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, A STATE AGENCY SAYS THAT FOR ALL GRADE
WHATEVERS, WITH THIS JOB TITLE, THE -- TELEWORKING WOULD BE PERMITTED,
YOU KNOW, THREE DAYS A WEEK. I DON'T KNOW. THAT -- THAT'S THE POLICY
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THAT THEY END UP COMING UP WITH FOR THIS PARTICULAR JOB. AND THEN IF --
IF SOMEBODY DIDN'T GET THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON, IF THEY WERE BEING
TOLD, NO, YOU NEED TO COME IN, I MEAN, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT
WOULD BE GRIEVABLE? WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD DO --
WORK THAT -- THAT THROUGH THEIR UNION, THROUGH PEF, OR WHOEVER, TO
FIGURE IT OUT?
MS. ROZIC: PRESUMABLY, YES. BUT, AGAIN, WE ARE --
WE ARE NOT PRESCRIBING IMPLEMENTATION STANDARDS OR A PROGRAM IN THE
BILL, WE JUST LEAVE IT UP TO THE STATE AGENCY TO DO THAT.
IN THE CASE THAT I REFERENCED BEFORE WITH ITS, THERE IS
A GRIEVANCE PROCESS THAT IS OPEN AND --
MS. WALSH: OKAY.
MS. ROZIC -- WELL PUBLICIZED ON THEIR WEB PAGE. SO
IT'S NOT A SECRET IF AN EMPLOYEE HAS A GRIEVANCE OR GETS DENIED, HOW
THEY CAN REAPPLY OR, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT APPEALED.
MS. WALSH: YEAH. 'CAUSE I COULD SEE THAT AS BEING
KIND OF AN ISSUE. SO EVEN IF THE AGENCY PUTS IN LANGUAGE IN THE POLICY
SAYING, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE GENERAL POLICY, BUT EXCEPTIONS MIGHT BE
MADE BASED ON INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE OR CONCERNS, YOU
KNOW, I -- I JUST WONDER HOW, IN PRACTICE, THIS IS GOING TO WORK.
BUT -- BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE
THAT THIS BILL IS ONLY REQUIRING THAT PLANS BE DEVELOPED. IT'S NOT
DICTATING THE TERMS OF THOSE POLICIES. AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR
ANSWERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MADAM SPEAKER, ON THE BILL.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.
MS. WALSH: SO, AS I SAID, I DID SUPPORT THIS IN THE
PAST BECAUSE -- AND I THINK -- I THINK THE RATIONALE WAS THAT WE DID
LEARN DURING COVID AND THE -- THE PANDEMIC THAT THERE WERE MANY
JOBS THAT COULD BE PERFORMED VERY CAPABLY FROM HOME OR, YOU KNOW,
REMOTELY.
I GUESS, YOU KNOW, MY CONCERN, A LITTLE BIT, IS HOW THIS
WOULD ACTUALLY GET IMPLEMENTED BY THE AGENCIES. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE
MAY BE SOME EMPLOYEES WHO DO BETTER WITH REMOTE WORK THAN OTHERS.
THERE'S SOME EMPLOYEES THAT REALLY NEED TO JUST HAVE SOME GREATER
SUPERVISION, WHERE THEY'RE IN AN OFFICE SETTING. AND WHAT I'M A LITTLE
BIT WORRIED ABOUT IS, THEY'RE BEING GRIEVANCES OR -- OR PROBLEMS CREATED
WHEN THE EMPLOYER SAYS, YOU KNOW, YOU, EMPLOYEE A, I'M OKAY WITH
YOU TELEWORKING BECAUSE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY'S GOOD. YOU -- YOU SEEM TO
DO WELL WITH IT. YOU, EMPLOYEE B, DO NOT. I WANT TO SEE YOU
FACE-TO-FACE. AND EMPLOYEE B IS SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE. YOU KNOW,
I -- I WANT TO BE -- I WANT TO BE REMOTE, TOO. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO
THAT.
I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT THE -- THE REQUIREMENT IN THE
BILL IS THAT, IT (READING): "IF THEY NEED TO ESTABLISH A POLICY AND
PROGRAM TO ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO PERFORM ALL OR A PORTION OF THEIR DUTIES
THROUGH TELEWORKING TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE WITHOUT
DIMINISHED EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE", I FEEL LIKE THAT, UPON REFLECTION, I
THINK THAT THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE HEAVIER THAN THE WAY I WOULD WANT TO
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
GO IN TERMS OF DIRECTING AGENCIES TO COME UP WITH POLICIES THAT WAY. IT
MIGHT NOT BE TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE. ALTHOUGH, I DO THINK
THAT THERE IS A VALUE TO TELEWORK, AND I DO THINK THAT FOR CERTAIN
EMPLOYEES, THEY WON'T HAVE ANY DIMINISHED PRODUCTIVITY.
AND THEN TO PICK UP ON A PREVIOUS SPEAKER JUST TALKING
ABOUT THE CITY OF ALBANY, I'LL NEVER FORGET HAVING MEMBERS OF THE
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FOR THE CITY OF ALBANY COME AND --
THEY HAD A LOBBYING DAY. THEY CAME AND VISITED WITH ME. AND THEIR
NUMBER ONE QUESTION WAS: WHEN ARE THE STATE WORKERS GOING TO COME
BACK? BECAUSE ALL THE BUSINESSES, IF YOU'RE EVER OUT ON A NICE DAY LIKE
TODAY WALKING AROUND, THERE ARE A LOT OF BUSINESSES THAT ARE JUST
SHUTTERED IN THE CITY OF ALBANY BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY -- THERE'S
NOBODY HERE. THE BUSINESSES ARE REALLY DYING -- DRYING UP. SO I THINK
THAT THAT IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE
WORKFORCE.
BUT, ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE THE SPONSOR'S ANSWERS TO MY
QUESTIONS, AND THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. JENSEN
MR. JENSEN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ON THE BILL.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.
MR. JENSEN: CERTAINLY, I -- I UNDERSTAND SOME OF
THE -- THE POINTS THAT WERE RAISED BY MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I THINK WHEN
WE HEAR TIME AND TIME AGAIN AT BUDGET SEASON AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
FROM OUR STATE AGENCIES THAT OUR STATE WORKFORCE AND OUR PUBLIC SECTOR
EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE AT THE STATE LEVEL ARE LACKING, AND THAT IT'S HARDER
AND HARDER TO RECRUIT QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF NEW
YORK STATE. THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION WILL ENSURE THAT NOT ONLY CAN NEW
YORK STATE GOVERNMENT OPERATE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, BUT THAT WE
CAN HAVE A MORE ROBUST RECRUITING PORTION OF HUMAN RESOURCES TO
ENSURE THAT WE CAN HAVE PEOPLE WORKING IN A VARIETY OF STATE AGENCIES
FROM A VARIETY OF PLACES ACROSS THE STATE.
AND CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN IN OUR OWN CHAMBER, WE'VE
MADE TELEWORKING WORK. WE SEE IT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. SO,
CERTAINLY, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO ENSURE THAT STATE AGENCIES ARE ALSO
DOING THAT TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO NEW
YORKERS, BUT DOING IT IN A WAY THAT ENSURES PRODUCTIVITY AS WELL AS THAT
EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
(PAUSE)
READ THE LAST SECTION.
THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 90TH
DAY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE CLERK WILL
RECORD THE VOTE.
(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)
ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.
(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)
75
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THE BILL IS PASSED.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, DO YOU
HAVE ANY FURTHER HOUSEKEEPING OR RESOLUTIONS?
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: A RESOLUTION BY MR.
TAGUE.
THE CLERK WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 406, MR.
TAGUE.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING THE 100TH
ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW YORK FFA.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. TAGUE ON THE
RESOLUTION.
MR. TAGUE: THANK YOU --
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: QUIET, PLEASE.
MR. TAGUE: MADAM SPEAKER, MY FELLOW
COLLEAGUES, I RISE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NEW
YORK FFA, ALSO KNOWN AS THE NEW YORK FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA.
AS AGRICULTURE REMAINS THE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF NEW
YORK, AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IS VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE CONTINUED
PROSPERITY OF OUR STATE. NEW YORK FFA HAS OFFERED STUDENTS
STATEWIDE REALTIME, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AND
LEARN NEW TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGIES TO ADVANCE ALL ASPECTS OF
AGRICULTURE HERE IN NEW YORK STATE. NEW YORK FFA HAS CULTIVATED
76
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
SOME OF THE BEST AG LEADERS IN THE NATION, WITH MORE THAN 13,000
MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACTIVE IN ALMOST 200 CHAPTERS TODAY.
OVER THE LAST CENTURY, NEW YORK FFA HAS SHEPHERDED
MORE THAN 521,000 STUDENTS THROUGH THE PROGRAM, ENGAGING THEM IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF PREMIER LEADERSHIP, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND CAREER
SUCCESS, NO MATTER THE PROFESSIONAL PATH CHOSEN.
MY COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS, WE KNOW HOW MUCH THAT I
VALUE THE WORK OF BOTH THE STUDENTS AND THE ADVISORS OF THE NEW YORK
FFA. AND WHY? IT'S BECAUSE THEIR IMPACT IS TRULY EXCEPTIONAL.
AS NEW YORK FFA CELEBRATES ITS 100TH ANNIVERSARY, I
AM INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEAR THE SCHOHARIE
VALLEY FFA BLUE AND GOLD JACKET, AND WILL ALWAYS ENCOURAGE OUR
YOUNG PEOPLE TO JOIN THIS STORIED ORGANIZATION.
MY FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES, TODAY I HAPPILY ASK YOU TO
JOIN ME IN CELEBRATING ONE OF OUR FINEST INSTITUTIONS AND THANK ALL OF
THOSE INVOLVED WITH THE NEW YORK FFA FOR THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK.
HAPPY 100TH ANNIVERSARY, NEW YORK FFA, AND GOD BLESS EACH AND
EVERY ONE OF YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
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.
77
NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
ON THE RESOLUTIONS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING
AYE; OPPOSED, NO. THE RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED.
(WHEREUPON, ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NOS. 407-409
WERE UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED.)
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, BEFORE
WE BEGIN OUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OUR MEMBERS WHO WERE LOST,
MEMBERS SHOULD NOTE THAT WE -- WHEN WE DO ADJOURN TODAY AFTER THE
MEMORIAL, WE WILL COME BACK INTO SESSION ON TOMORROW AT 9:00 A.M.
THAT'S THURSDAY, IT'S MAY THE 1ST, AND SESSION WILL BE AT 9:00 A.M.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: A RESOLUTION BY MR.
HEASTIE, THE CLERK WILL READ.
THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 405, MR.
HEASTIE.
LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION HONORING THE MEMORY OF THE
DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY, IN RECOGNITION OF
THEIR DISTINGUISHED CAREERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. MCDONALD ON
THE RESOLUTION.
MR. MCDONALD: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
AND WE WANT TO THANK SPEAKER HEASTIE FOR SPONSORING
THIS RESOLUTION WHICH REMEMBERS ALL THOSE MEN AND WOMEN ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE WHO SERVED WITH GREAT HONOR AND DISTINCTION HERE IN
THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY.
YOU KNOW, LOCALLY, CLOSE TO HERE IN THE CAPITAL
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
REGION WHEN I LOOK AT THE LIST, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC OFFICE FOR
26 YEARS. I'VE KNOWN PEOPLE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. AND I SMILE
WHEN I SEE BOBBY D'ANDREA'S NAME BECAUSE HE WAS UP IN THE SARATOGA
COUNTY AREA BUT HE ALWAYS LOVED PHARMACISTS.
AND I ALSO LOOK AT RECENTLY PASSED AWAY AND WE -- WE
ACTUALLY -- WITH MEMBER BENDETT WE ACTUALLY DESIGNATED A HIGHWAY
AFTER HIM, IS PAT CASALE. WE WOULD COME DOWN HERE EVERY YEAR FOR
PHARMACY YEAR. PAT NEVER REPRESENTED US, BUT MY MOM SAID, YOU'VE
GOT TO GO SEE PAT BECAUSE WE ALL LOVE HIM. HE WAS JUST A GREAT GUY.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THIS LIST, YOU KNOW, IT JUST REMINDS
US THAT ALTHOUGH WE COME FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE AND
SOMETIMES WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT FEELINGS ON CERTAIN THINGS, WE ARE ALL
PART OF ONE ORGANIZATION. WE ARE HERE TO REPRESENT ALL OF THE RESIDENTS,
AS YOU SAY, OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO
REINSTITUTE THIS IMPORTANT REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE DECEASED
ASSEMBLYMEMBERS. BUT ALSO, LET'S NOT FORGET, BEHIND EVERY GOOD
ASSEMBLYMEMBER THERE ARE GOOD STAFF. AND SO WE KEEP IN MIND TODAY
ALL THOSE STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE WORKED WITH THESE LEGISLATORS TO
SERVE THE PUBLIC. WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THEM
TODAY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MS. WOERNER ON THE RESOLUTION.
MS. WOERNER: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I WANT TO ADD MY THANKS TO THE SPEAKER FOR ALLOWING
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES AND THOSE THAT WE
KNEW AND THOSE THAT -- THAT WE KNEW ONLY BY REPUTATION.
I RISE THIS -- THIS AFTERNOON TO SPEAK ABOUT BOBBY
D'ANDREA, WHO REPRESENTED SARATOGA COUNTY FOR 28 YEARS. AND -- AND
BOBBY HAD A LONG AND STORIED CAREER AS A MEMBER OF THE ASSEMBLY,
FOLLOWING YEARS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL, AND WORKING IN THE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY. WHAT HE IS -- WHAT -- I NEVER MET HIM AS AN
ASSEMBLYMEMBER. I -- I MET HIM A FEW TIMES AFTER HE RETIRED. AND
WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT BOBBY, AND THEY STILL TALK ABOUT HIM, IS THAT
BOBBY WAS AMAZING AT COMMUNITY OUTREACH. THEY WOULD SAY, IF TWO
PEOPLE WERE GATHERED TO OPEN AN ENVELOPE, BOBBY WAS THERE. AND I
HAVE TO SAY, WITH SOME AMOUNT OF PRIDE, THAT THEY THEN GO ON TO SAY,
YOU REMIND ME A LOT OF HIM. HE WAS A -- HE WAS A MAJOR FIGURE IN OUR
COMMUNITY'S HISTORY. HE IS MISSED AND HIS CONTRIBUTIONS ARE VALUED,
AND I'M PLEASED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE HIM HERE.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. BRONSON ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. BRONSON: YES, MADAM SPEAKER. I RISE TO
RECOGNIZE ALL THOSE WHO WE HAVE LOST, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, IN PARTICULAR,
REMEMBER ASSEMBLYMEMBER SUSAN JOHN, WHO SERVED IN THE ASSEMBLY
FOR 20 YEARS.
SUSAN WAS BOTH MY PREDECESSOR IN THE ASSEMBLY
DISTRICT I REPRESENT, AS WELL AS CHAIR OF THE LABOR COMMITTEE AND LAST
CHAIR PRIOR TO MY APPOINTMENT FROM UPSTATE NEW YORK. I SERVED AS
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COUNSEL TO THE LABOR COMMITTEE DURING SUSAN'S ENTIRE TENURE AS CHAIR.
SUSAN IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO GOT ME TO RUN FOR
OFFICE. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I SHOULD THANK HER OR NOT. BUT I'M -- I'M
GLAD TO CALL HER A FRIEND AND A MENTOR. THOSE OF YOU WHO SPENT TIME
WORKING WITH SUSAN KNOW SHE WAS THOUGHTFUL, SHE WAS DELIBERATIVE ON
ALL POLICY ISSUES SHE ADDRESSED, AND SHE, INDEED, WAS A FORCE. SHE
LEGISLATED THROUGH THE EYES OF AN ATTORNEY, BUT ALSO FROM A SENSE A
CARING AND COMPASSION.
SUSAN ALWAYS FOUGHT FOR EQUITY, JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS
FOR ALL. AND AS SUCH, SHE WAS A CHAMPION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN,
FIGHTING FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAMS, BREAST CANCER OUTREACH,
EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN, RAPE CRISIS CENTERS, TEEN PREGNANCY PREVENTION
AND MUCH MORE. HER WORK INCLUDED WORKING ON THE CREATION OF THE
STATEWIDE AMBER ALERT TO GET THE WORD OUT OF MISSING AND ABDUCTED
CHILDREN.
BELIEVING STRONGLY IN THE POWER OF WOMEN, SHE
PROMOTED WOMEN'S VOICES. SHE PROMOTED THE IDEA THAT THEY SHOULD
HAVE THEIR OWN VOICE AND THEY SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN REPRESENTATION,
AND INSISTED THAT WOMEN'S VOICES ARE HEARD.
I DEARLY MISS MY FRIEND AND MENTOR, BUT KNOW OUR
ROCHESTER COMMUNITY AND NEW YORK STATE IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF
SUSAN'S DEDICATION AND ALL THE WORK THAT SHE DID FOR ALL NEW YORKERS.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. SLATER ON THE RESOLUTION.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MR. SLATER: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. I RISE
TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THE RESOLUTION AND THANK THE -- AND THANK THE
SPEAKER FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD.
THIS A GREAT REMINDER OF THE PRIVILEGE IT IS TO BE A
MEMBER OF THIS GREAT BODY. AND SEEING SO MANY FAMILIAR NAMES THAT
WE ARE HONORING TODAY I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT FOR US TO
REMEMBER THE GREAT SACRIFICES THAT ARE MADE IN ORDER TO PROPERLY SERVE
THOSE WHO ELECT US, AND I KNOW THAT WE STAND TOGETHER IN THAT FASHION.
THERE ARE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT I WANT TO JUST
PARTICULARLY TAKE TIME TO RECOGNIZE WHO I'VE HAD THE HONOR OF KNOWING,
TWO OF THE MOST PATRIOTIC INDIVIDUALS THAT ANYONE CAN COME ACROSS; THAT
BEING WILL STEVENS, WHO SERVED IN THIS BODY FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
WILL STEVENS SERVED WITH MY FATHER-IN-LAW, AND HE RECENTLY PASSED
AWAY AT THE AGE OF 99. WILL HAD ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY
AIR CORPS DURING WORLD WAR II, SERVING AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND
ATTAINED THE RANK OF SECOND LIEUTENANT.
WILL AND THE STEVENS FAMILY HAVE AN INCREDIBLE STORY
HERE IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY. WILL'S FATHER HAD SERVED, AND AFTER WILL,
HIS SON WILL ALSO SERVED. WILL ACTUALLY WAS JUST HERE YESTERDAY,
FOLLOWING IN HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS, SERVING IN ELECTED OFFICE. BUT AGAIN,
WILL, SR. SERVING FROM 1952 TO 1982, MAKING PUTNAM COUNTY AND THE
HUDSON VALLEY INCREDIBLY PROUD.
I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK OF ANOTHER DEAR FRIEND AND
MENTOR OF MINE, ROBERT J. CASTELLI. I'VE TALKED ABOUT BOB SEVERAL
TIMES HERE SINCE BEING ELECTED. AGAIN, ONE OF THE GREATEST PATRIOTS I'VE
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EVER COME TO KNOW IN BOB CASTELLI.
BOB WAS A PROUD VIETNAM VETERAN, SERVING IN THE 7TH
COW [SIC]. HE SPENT 21 YEARS IN THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE AND SERVED
TWO TERMS HERE, REPRESENTING WESTCHESTER -- NORTHERN WESTCHESTER
COUNTY. AND JUST EARLIER THIS YEAR, ALONG WITH SENATOR HARCKHAM, WE
WERE ABLE TO RENAME THE SOMERS POLICE BARRACKS WHERE BOB STARTED HIS
CAREER AS A STATE TROOPER, IN HIS NAME.
AND SO IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE THAT I RECOGNIZE BOTH OF
THESE LEADERS, BOTH OF THESE GREAT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HUDSON
VALLEY. WE MISS THEM DEARLY, WE THANK THEIR FAMILY FOR THEIR
INCREDIBLE YEARS OF SERVICE ON BEHALF OF SO MANY PEOPLE. AND AGAIN, I
WANT TO THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, FOR ALLOWING ME TO BRING THEIR
NAMES FORWARD TODAY.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. RA ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. RA: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT MY FRIEND GARY FINCH. AND
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT NEXT WEEK IT WILL BE TWO YEARS SINCE WE LOST
GARY. BUT FOR THOSE OF US WHO KNEW HIM, TRULY A ONE-OF-A-KIND
INDIVIDUAL. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF WORDS THAT COME TO MIND,
CERTAINLY, HE -- HE WAS A STATESMAN IN MANY WAYS, REALLY ONE OF THE
MOST WISE INDIVIDUALS I EVER MET. I -- I REMEMBER SAYING AFTER HIS
PASSING THAT THIS WAS A MAN WHO TRULY FIGURED OUT THE MEANING OF LIFE.
AND HE WAS KIND TO ME WHEN I WAS A NEW MEMBER, AND SO MANY OF
OUR COLLEAGUES, THAT HE WOULD INVITE US INTO HIS OFFICE FOR SOME
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
CHOCOLATE MILK AFTER SESSION SOME DAYS AND GIVE US ADVICE AND TELL
STORIES. AND HE WAS OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE STORYTELLERS. AND YOU
WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY NEW IN THE ROOM WHO HADN'T HEARD ONE
OF THESE STORIES BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU'VE HEARD IT A HUNDRED TIMES, YOU
GOT JOY OUT OF LISTENING -- LISTENING TO THE STORY AND SEEING SOMEBODY
HEARING THE STORY FOR THE FIRST TIME. HE COULD KEEP A STRAIGHT LOOK ON
HIS FACE IF HE WAS PLAYING A JOKE ON SOMEBODY, LONGER THAN ANYBODY
I'VE EVER MET. YOU WOULD BE FEARFUL THAT YOU HAD DONE SOMETHING THAT
GARY WAS MAD AT YOU ABOUT, AND HE COULD JUST KEEP IT GOING ON AND ON
AND ON AND NOT -- AND NOT BREAK INTO A LAUGH OR SMILE WHEN HE WAS
PLAYING A JOKE ON YOU. AND THERE'S A MILLION DIFFERENT STORIES THAT
COME TO MIND, AND I WOULD NEVER TRY TO TELL GARY'S STORIES BECAUSE
NOBODY COULD TELL THEM BETTER THAN GARY. BUT -- BUT ONE THAT CAME TO
MIND WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS TODAY, AND I ALWAYS LAUGH
BECAUSE IT'S NOT SO MUCH A GARY STORY, BUT SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY
ENDED UP IN PRINT.
SO, BACK IN THE YEAR OF THE SOCHI OLYMPICS, THERE WAS
A DISPUTE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES. THEY WANTED TO SEND
OVER CASES OF CHOBANI YOGURT. AND THERE WAS BASICALLY A STATE
DEPARTMENT DISPUTE AND -- AND THE YOGURT WAS JUST SITTING IN A
WAREHOUSE IN NEWARK AIRPORT BECAUSE RUSSIA WASN'T LETTING IT GO OVER
THERE. AND THE NEW YORK TIMES REACHED OUT TO GARY FOR COMMENT, SO I
JUST WANT TO -- WANT TO READ THIS PIECE OF THIS ARTICLE. GARY D. FINCH, A
REPUBLICAN STATE ASSEMBLYMAN WHO ALSO REPRESENTS THE CHOBANI
PLANT, SUGGESTED THAT RUSSIA SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER IMPORTING CHOBANI
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SO RUSSIANS EVERYWHERE CAN ENJOY IT. IT WOULD HAVE A HEALTHY EFFECT ON
THE WAY THEY LOOK AT LIFE OVER THERE, HE SAID. MR. FINCH, RECALLING
CHOBANI'S EXPLOSIVE GROWTH SINCE ITS FOUNDING, WALKED OVER TO HIS
REFRIGERATOR AND OPENED IT. HE COUNTED 18 CUPS. IF RUSSIA WANTS TO
HAVE A COLD WAR OVER YOGURT, HE SAID, SO BE IT. WHATEVER THEY CHOOSE
TO BRING TO THE TABLE TO HAVE SOME CONFLICT OVER, WE, OF COURSE, WILL
WIN, HE SAID, AND WE WILL HAVE OUR YOGURT AT THE END OF THE DAY.
GARY WAS, AGAIN, A STATESMAN, A FRIEND. AND TO
UNDERSTAND HIS SENSE OF HUMOR, HE BY TRADE WAS A FUNERAL DIRECTOR. SO
THE -- THE TYPE OF SITUATIONS HE ENCOUNTERED, HE WAS ALWAYS JUST ABLE TO
GIVE GOOD ADVICE TO ANY OF US, WHATEVER WE WERE GOING THROUGH, IN --
IN OUR LIVES.
SO, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO CALL HIM A COLLEAGUE, BUT JUST
INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE TO CALL GARY FINCH A FRIEND. AND, YOU KNOW, WE
ALL -- WE ALL MISS HIM, BUT THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT WE DON'T
SMILE WHEN WE THINK OF GARY.
THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MS. GLICK ON THE RESOLUTION.
MS. GLICK: THANK YOU, MS. [SIC] SPEAKER.
THIS IS GONNA BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE I SERVED WITH 14 OF
THE PEOPLE ON THE LIST, AND SO IT'S POIGNANT AND SOBERING AT THE SAME
TIME.
I WILL POINT OUT TWO THINGS TO BEGIN WITH: ONE, THAT IN
YEARS PAST THE CHAMBER WOULD BE FULL WHEN WE DID THIS, AND THAT'S
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
PROBABLY BECAUSE WE HAVE FEWER PEOPLE WHO SERVED WITH THE FOLKS ON
THIS LIST. AND THERE ARE ONLY TWO WOMEN ON THIS LIST, REFLECTING THE FACT
THAT IT IS ONLY RECENTLY THAT WE HAVE SEEN AN EXPANSION OF THE NUMBER
OF WOMEN IN THIS CHAMBER.
THE FIRST I WILL SPEAK OF IS SUSAN JOHN, WHO WAS MY
CLASSMATE, AND ONE OF -- AT THE TIME, ONE OF THE FEW WOMEN LAWYERS.
SHE, I THINK, MAYBE TRIPLED THE NUMBER OF WOMEN ATTORNEYS IN THE
PLACE AT THE TIME THAT SHE ARRIVED. SHE WAS A GOOD FRIEND. WHEN MY
MOTHER WAS GOING TO MOVE TO ROCHESTER TO BE IN ASSISTED LIVING
BECAUSE MY OLDER SISTER LIVED THERE AND IT WAS HER TURN TO DO
SOMETHING, I CALLED SUSAN AND I SAID, I -- I NEED TO -- I'M GONNA BE
DRIVING UP A LOT OF MY MOTHER'S STUFF. CAN YOU RECOMMEND SOMEONE TO
HELP ME MOVE THE STUFF OUT OF THE TRUCK? WHEN I GOT THERE, SUSAN HAD
ARRANGED FOR SOME MOVING COMPANY THAT SHE WAS FRIENDLY WITH, AND
COMPLETELY GRATIS, JUST AS A FRIEND DOING A FRIEND A FAVOR. SHE DIED WAY
TOO YOUNG AND WAS A VERY GOOD SOUL AND AN ANIMAL LOVER. SO SUSAN IS
-- IS MISSED.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO -- TO LOOK AT THIS AND -- AND -- AND
LIMIT MYSELF, BUT SHELLY SILVER WAS THE SPEAKER FOR MANY, MANY YEARS,
AND DESPITE THE DIFFICULTIES AND -- AT THE END OF HIS LIFE, I WANT TO SAY
THAT HE WAS A GREAT LISTENER. HE RARELY SAID ANYTHING, BUT HE WAS A
GREAT NEGOTIATOR. AND FOR YEARS IN THIS CHAMBER, WE WERE IN THE
MAJORITY BUT WE HAD A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, IN NEW YORK CITY A
REPUBLICAN MAYOR, AND A REPUBLICAN SENATE. AND THIS CHAMBER'S
PRINCIPLES AROUND PROTECTING WOMEN'S RIGHTS, LGBT RIGHTS, AND
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PROTECTING EDUCATION AND ADVANCING EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE WERE
THINGS THAT SHELLY WAS ABLE TO DO WITH REALLY ALMOST NO CARDS TO PLAY
BECAUSE WE ONLY HELD THIS HOUSE. AND HE SHOULD BE REMEMBERED FOR
THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT HE DID ON THOSE ISSUES.
AL VANN OUT OF BROOKLYN, JUST A TOWERING FIGURE AND
-- AND A BEAUTIFUL MAN, AND WITH INCREDIBLE GRACE. IN MANY WAYS, OUR
FORMER SPEAKER PRO TEM REMINDED ME OF AL BECAUSE HE CARRIED
HIMSELF IN A CERTAIN WAY. DIDN'T SPEAK A LOT, BUT WHEN HE DID, YOU
REALLY LISTENED. AND HE WAS CHARMING AND VERY QUIETLY FORCEFUL.
I'M -- I'M -- I KNOW I ONLY HAVE A LIMITED TIME, SO I'M
GONNA SKIP OVER SOME FOLKS I DIDN'T AGREE WITH.
ALAN HEVESI. WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, I WAS THE FIRST
OUT GAY PERSON, WAS KNOWN A, YOU KNOW, LOUD MOUTH LESBIAN FEMINIST.
AND ALAN WAS SENT TO HAVE LUNCH WITH ME TO MAKE SURE THAT I WASN'T A
BOMB THROWER. AND WE HAD A VERY, VERY INTERESTING AND VERY GOOD
BEGINNING TO WHAT WAS A -- A GOOD FRIENDSHIP. AND I LEARNED SO MUCH
FROM HIM. AND THE PEOPLE WHO SERVED HERE WITH ALAN, THEY WERE --
THE ORATORY IN THIS BUILDING WAS REMARKABLE. AND ALAN WAS ONE OF
THOSE PEOPLE WHO COULD FRAME AN ARGUMENT, AND EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T
DISAGREE WITH HIM -- EVEN IF YOU DID DISAGREE WITH HIM, RATHER, YOU
KIND OF FELT FOOLISH BECAUSE HE CRAFTED AN ARGUMENT THAT MADE YOU FEEL
LIKE, OH BOY, I BETTER LOOK THIS OVER AGAIN. AND HE ALSO TAUGHT ME THAT
--
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
I WILL WRAP UP.
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ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU, MS.
GLICK.
MS. GLICK: HE TAUGHT ME THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO
KNOW WHAT YOU FELT IN YOUR HEART AND TO FOLLOW THAT.
AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY THAT JIM TALLON,
WHO WAS THE MAJORITY LEADER AND WENT ON TO HEAD THE UNITED HOSPITAL
FUND, WAS AGAIN, AN UNBELIEVABLE ORATOR AND A BRILLIANT MAN AND A KIND
AND GENEROUS HUMAN BEING WHO CARED ABOUT THE MEMBERS, AND AS
MAJORITY LEADER, HAD TO MANAGE NOT JUST ORGANIZING CATS, BUT CATS ON
ACID.
SO MANY MORE PEOPLE HERE THAT I SERVED WITH,
INCLUDING FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHO WERE IN THEIR OWN WAY TERRIFIC
HUMAN BEINGS AND GAVE SO MUCH TO THIS STATE.
THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MS. WALSH ON THE RESOLUTION.
MS. WALSH: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I -- I, TOO, AM KIND OF SAD THAT THERE ARE SO MANY
EMPTY SEATS. I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE ASSEMBLY AND WE
DID THE FIRST ONE THAT I REMEMBER, THERE WERE -- THERE WERE A LOT MORE
PEOPLE HERE. AND I -- I THINK THAT IT'S -- IT'S A REAL SIGN OF RESPECT FOR --
FOR THIS WHOLE BODY AND ALL OF US TOGETHER THAT WE'RE -- WE'RE ALL, IN OUR
OWN WAY, MAKING SOME KIND OF AN IMPRESSION, WHETHER IT'S GONNA BE A
LASTING ONE, WHETHER SOMEONE WILL REMEMBER US. IT MAKES YOU THINK
ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
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I -- I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BOBBY D'ANDREA.
SO, BOBBY WAS JUST THE MOST ENERGETIC, SMILING -- HE WAS A -- HE WAS, I
WOULD SAY, A RETAIL POLITICIAN IN THE VERY BEST SENSE OF THAT PHRASE. HE
-- HE WAS JUST -- COULD NOT BE EXHAUSTED. IF THERE WAS A CHICKEN
BARBECUE AND HE WAS DRIVING BY, IT WAS LIKE THE WHEEL JUST TURNED AND
HE WENT IN AND HE WAS THERE. AND HE WAS THERE FOR HIS PEOPLE, HE WAS
THERE FOR HIS CONSTITUENTS AND THEY KNEW IT. AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE IN HIS LIFE TO HAVE TRIED TO GET THROUGH A
GROCERY LINE OR ANY PLACE THAT HE WENT BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNEW HIM.
EVERYBODY KNEW HIM. AND STILL -- AND THEY STILL TALK ABOUT HIM. AND
AS HAS BEEN SAID, I CONSIDER IT A GREAT COMPLIMENT WHEN SOMEBODY
DRAWS A COMPARISON BECAUSE THAT'S -- THAT'S A FINE COMPARISON, TO HAVE
COME UP THROUGH LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AS HE DID, AND TO -- HE AND HIS
BROTHERS OWNED A LIQUOR STORE IN SARATOGA SPRINGS FROM THE '60S ON,
AND IF YOU WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOUR CONSTITUENTS, THAT'S A GREAT WAY TO
DO IT. AND A SMALL BUSINESSMAN, AND WENT ON AFTER THE ASSEMBLY TO GO
ON AND BE EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE IN THE REST OF HIS LIFE. AND I CAN -- I
CONTINUED TO SEE HIM OUT AT FUNCTIONS, AND HE GAVE ME SOME GREAT
ADVICE WHEN I STARTED.
AND SO TO HIS WIFE -- TO HIS WIFE THERESA -- HE ONLY
PASSED A FEW WEEKS AGO -- TO HIS WIFE THERESA, TO HIS FIVE CHILDREN
INCLUDING FAUST AND HIS WIFE KAREN WHO I KNOW QUITE WELL; TO HIS EIGHT
GRANDCHILDREN AND HIS TWO GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, I CONTINUE TO EXPRESS
MY SYMPATHIES. WE WERE ALL BETTER FOR KNOWING HIM.
I ALSO WANTED TO TELL A QUICK GARY FINCH STORY. IT'S
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REALLY NOT ONE THAT I SAW WITH MY OWN EYES, BUT IT IS KIND OF A
LEGENDARY STORY. AND IT HAS TO DO WITH ANIMAL ADVOCACY DAY, WHICH
WE HAD HERE YESTERDAY. I HEARD A STORY THAT THERE WAS A HORSE -- I DID
SEE THE HORSE MYSELF, A MINI HORSE NAMED FRITZ -- AND SOMEHOW SOME
PEOPLE GOT FRITZ ON TO THE ELEVATOR AND BROUGHT FRITZ UP TO GARY'S
OFFICE AND WALKED THE HORSE IN THERE. AND GARY WAS EXTREMELY
CONCERNED BECAUSE HE DIDN'T TRY -- HE DIDN'T REALLY SHOW IT, BUT HE WAS
CONCERNED BECAUSE HE HAD A BEAUTIFUL ORIENTAL CARPET IN HIS OFFICE AND
HE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT FRITZ MIGHT DO TO IT. BUT HE HAD A
VERY, VERY DRY SENSE OF HUMOR, WHICH I THINK PROBABLY CAME WITH HIS
BACKGROUND AS A -- AS A FUNERAL DIRECTOR, BUT WAS SO -- HE JUST -- VERY,
VERY FUNNY AND VERY KIND AND WAS VERY KIND TO ME WHEN I STARTED.
AND LAST, BUT CERTAIN -- CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, I DID WANT
TO MENTION PAT CASALE BECAUSE WE STILL ALL SEE AND WORK WITH HIS SON
DAN, WHO'S IN -- IN THESE HALLS. AND HE -- HE WAS JUST SO WELL-KNOWN
IN TROY, KNEW -- KNEW EVERYBODY. YOU TALK ABOUT -- IN MY FAMILY WE
CALL IT "PLAYING THE NAME GAME" WHEN MY AUNTIES WOULD SIT DOWN AND
TALK ABOUT THIS PERSON WHO WAS MARRIED TO THAT PERSON, AND WHO WENT
TO SCHOOL WITH THAT PERSON. THAT'S PLAYING THE NAME GAME. AND I
THINK PAT AND NOW DAN CAN PLAY IT BETTER THAN ALMOST ANYBODY ELSE.
THEY -- THEY KNEW EVERYBODY AND THEY KNEW HOW WE WERE ALL
CONNECTED.
SO TO ALL OF THESE PEOPLE AND EVERYBODY ON THIS LIST, I
THINK IT'S -- IT'S LOVELY THAT WE'RE DOING THIS AGAIN THIS YEAR, AND I HOPE
WE KEEP THAT TRADITION GOING.
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THANKS.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. PALMESANO ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. PALMESANO: YES. THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER AND MY COLLEAGUES.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MY GOOD FRIEND GARY FINCH,
WHO, AS MR. RA POINTED OUT, NEXT WEEK IT WILL BE TWO YEARS SINCE WE
LOST HIM. BEYOND HIS 20 YEARS SERVING IN THIS -- IN THIS BODY, AS MR.
RA MENTIONED ALSO, HE WAS A FUNERAL DIRECTOR WHERE HE OWNED AND
OPERATED BREW-FINCH FUNERAL HOMES. HE WAS A COMPASSIONATE,
CARING PERSON IN VOICE TO ASSIST FAMILIES AT THEIR MOST DIFFICULT TIME.
HE MADE AN IMPACT THERE JUST LIKE HE MADE AN IMPACT HERE.
IN THE ASSEMBLY, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T KNOW
GARY OR SERVE WITH HIM, HE WAS, QUITE FRANKLY, A VERY INTELLIGENT, GREAT,
KIND, JUST A WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING WITH AN INCREDIBLE SENSE OF HUMOR.
AND AGAIN, WHICH MR. RA MENTIONED, HE COULD PLAY A JOKE ON YOU WITH
THE STRAIGHTEST OF FACES AND HOLD YOU OUT THERE AS LONG AS HE WANTED TO,
UNTIL HE WAS READY TO LET YOU GO. AGAIN, YES, HE WAS A GREAT STORYTELLER.
YOU KNOW, AS A NEW MEMBER WHO STEPPED ON THIS FLOOR IN 2011, GARY
QUICKLY BECAME A MENTOR AND FRIEND, OFFERING WORDS OF WISDOM AND
ADVICE, JUST AS I'M SURE OTHERS CAN ATTEST TO AS WELL.
YES, I WAS INVITED TO HIS OFFICE FOR SOME CHOCOLATE
MILK AND TO TALK AND HAVE SOME ADVICE AND WISDOM, JUST LIKE OTHERS. I
HAVE THAT OFFICE NOW. IT'S STILL GARY'S OFFICE AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED. I
HAVE A PICTURE IN MY OFFICE OF HIM TO REMIND ME. GARY'S IMPACT UPON
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ME AND SO MANY OTHERS ARE STILL FELT TODAY AND WILL BE FELT LONG BEYOND
THE YEARS HE SERVED ON THIS EARTH.
YOU KNOW, GARY WAS A STORYTELLER SO I HAVE A COUPLE
OF STORIES I'D LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT GARY. THE FIRST STORY WAS, RIGHT HERE
IN THIS SEAT WHERE I SIT, WHEN LEADER KOLB SAID, THIS IS GONNA BE YOUR
NEW SEAT, SITTING NEXT TO ME WAS OUR -- OUR WAYS AND MEANS RANKER
BOB OAKS, OUR CURRENT MINORITY LEADER, REPUBLICAN LEADER WILL
BARCLAY WHO SAT RIGHT THERE (INDICATING), AND SITTING RIGHT TO THE END
WAS GARY FINCH. AND I REMEMBER WHEN I GOT HERE EARLY BECAUSE I WAS
EXCITED TO BE IN THE ROLE, AND GARY CAME DOWN WITH HIS BAG AND HE GOT
THERE AND HE TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED AT ME AND HE GOES -- THIS LOOK
OF DISGUST CAME UPON HIS FACE, HE GOES, WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON HERE?
NO ONE CONSULTED WITH ME ABOUT THIS. WHERE'S THE LEADER? I NEED TO
TALK TO HIM. OF COURSE, GARY WAS KIDDING. BUT THEN, JUST AS WE ALWAYS
GO OUT TO DINNER WITH OUR COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, OR AFTER DINNER WE
STAYED AROUND AND HAD, YOU KNOW, A DRINK, JUST TO TALK, YOU KNOW,
WHEN THESE DAYS GET TO US, AND I REMEMBER GARY LEFT THE CONVERSATION
AND WENT OFF TO THE SIDE TO CALL HIS WIFE MARSHA LIKE HE ALWAYS DID.
AND AFTER A WHILE HE DIDN'T COME BACK SO I WENT OVER TO TALK TO GARY
AND I GO, GARY, YOU DOING OKAY? HE GOES, YES. I GO, OKAY, GOOD. BUT
THEN I LOOKED DOWN AT THE TABLE WHERE HIS PHONE WAS. IT SAID
"MARSHA." ONE HOUR AND 30 MINUTES, 33 SECONDS, 34 SECONDS. I GO,
GARY, ARE YOU STILL TALKING TO MARSHA? HE LOOKED DOWN AT HIS PHONE
AND HIT THE END CALL BUTTON AND HE GOES, THAT'S NOT GOOD.
(LAUGHTER)
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
AND ONE TIME I REMEMBER GARY HOSTED A DINNER FOR
SOME OF US AND OCCASIONALLY WE'LL DO A TOAST AND I KNEW IT WAS COMING
SO I KIND OF PREPARED A SPECIAL TOAST. IT WAS KIND LIKE A POEM TO HIM. I
THINK HE KIND OF LIKED IT. SO I HAVE ONE TODAY, AND IT'S CALLED "A TOAST
TO GARY FINCH." WOULD YOU JOIN ME AND RAISE YOUR IMAGINARY GLASS
AND TOAST TO A GENTLEMAN WHO HAD SO MUCH CLASS? TO OUR GARY FINCH,
WE MISS YOU. THERE IS NO DOUBT. I KNOW YOU WOULD TELL US NOT TO
WORRY, AND PLEASE DO NOT POUT. YOU WERE A MENTOR, AND OF COURSE A
VERY DEAR FRIEND. WE KNEW YOU HAD -- WE KNEW YOU ALWAYS HAD OUR
BACKS TO THE VERY END. YOU WERE INDEED OUR CONSCIOUS, YOU WERE OUR
SOUL. YOU KNOW HOW TO PICK US UP WHEN WE WERE FEELING LOW. YOUR
ACTIONS AND HUMOR KEPT US HAPPY AND GOING. WE STILL SHARE YOUR
STORIES, AND YES, WE KEEP ON DOING.
SO AS I CONCLUDE, WOULD -- WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME
AND RAISE YOUR GLASS TO TOAST OUR BELOVED FRIEND, GARY FINCH, A
GENTLEMAN WHO HAD OH, JUST SO MUCH CLASS? TO GARY.
THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. MANKTELOW ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. MANKTELOW: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SAY A FEW WORDS THIS AFTERNOON ABOUT A
GENTLEMAN THAT BACK WHEN HE SERVED HERE I DIDN'T KNOW HIM. HE
SERVED HERE FROM 1973 TO 1978. HE SERVED THREE TERMS. BACK THEN, I
WAS STILL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL. I REALLY HAD NO IDEA WHAT
THE STATE ASSEMBLY WAS. BUT AS LIFE WENT ON, WE GOT TO KNOW EACH
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OTHER. AND WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS REALLY REMARKABLE, AND SOME OF THE
THINGS THAT JIM SHARED WITH ME AND ONE I ALWAYS REMEMBER. EVEN
THOUGH HE SERVED JUST THREE TERMS HERE, HE MADE AN IMPACT NOT ONLY
HERE, BUT BACK HOME. HE WAS A VETERAN OF THE ARMY'S 1ST INFANTRY
DIVISION. HE WAS A NEW YORK STATE TROOPER. HE WAS THE WAYNE
COUNTY SHERIFF. HE WAS AN F.B.I. GRADUATE. HE ALSO SERVED AS THE
POLICE AND FIRE COMMISSIONER AND SO MANY MORE THINGS. BUT AS A
FORMER TOWN SUPERVISOR AND WHEN I GOT ELECTED TO THIS POSITION, HE
CAME UP AND TOLD ME ONE THING THAT I WILL NEVER FORGET. HE SAYS,
BRIAN, HE SAYS, JUST REMEMBER, THE THINGS YOU DO IN LIFE GO BY SO FAST.
AND I WANT TO SHARE ONE THING TO YOU ABOUT BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
THAT BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IS ABOUT A TIME OF SERVICE. ABOUT A TIME
TO SPEND SOMEPLACE AND DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO SERVE. IT'S NOT A TIME
TO BE THERE AS A CAREER. DO YOUR JOB, DO IT WELL, MOVE ON AND LET
SOMEONE ELSE DO IT. AND HE SAYS, BECAUSE, AS I SAID, LIFE GOES BY SO
QUICK. YOU HAVE FAMILY, FRIENDS, LOVED ONES. SPEND SOME TIME WITH
THEM AND YOU'LL BE A SUCCESSFUL ASSEMBLYMEMBER.
SO TO JIM, THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS, AND MADAM
SPEAKER, THANK YOU ALLOWING TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT HIM. HE WAS
REALLY A BLESSING TO ME.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. WEPRIN ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. WEPRIN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I KNEW MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS ON THIS LIST WHO I DID
NOT SERVE WITH, AND THAT WAS MAINLY THROUGH MY FATHER WHO SERVED
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HERE FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS AND WAS SPEAKER AT THE END OF HIS LIFE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT GEORGE FRIEDMAN,
WHO JUST PASSED AWAY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO; ALAN HEVESI, WHO WAS
ELECTED ON THE SAME DAY AS MY FATHER IN 1971; ALBERT VANN AND SHELLY
SILVER.
GEORGE AND ALAN HEVESI ACTUALLY HAD SOMETHING VERY
MUCH IN COMMON; THEY WERE BOTH KNOWN FOR THEIR ORATORY SKILLS AND
DEBATE SKILLS, PER SE, AND THEY WERE BOTH GREAT LEADERS AS FAR AS DEBATE
AND PERSUADING INDIVIDUALS. AND THEY WERE ALSO MENTORS TO MANY OF
THE JUNIOR MEMBERS, AND THEY -- THEY HAD THAT IN COMMON. AND I WAS
VERY, VERY SADDENED TO HEAR ABOUT GEORGE'S PASSING JUST ABOUT THREE
WEEKS AGO.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION SOMEBODY WHO I DID NOT SERVE
WITH IN THIS BODY, BUT I DID SERVE WITH IN THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THAT'S
AL VANN. AL VANN AND I GOT ELECTED ON THE SAME DAY TO THE CITY
COUNCIL IN 2001, AND HE -- WE HAD SOMETHING ELSE IN COMMON. HE
WAS BORN ON NOVEMBER 19TH, AS WERE MY TWINS, MAX AND STEPHANIE.
AND I WOULD MAKE SURE TO CALL AL ALMOST EVERY YEAR TO WISH HIM A
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND HE WOULD ALWAYS ASK -- ASK ABOUT MY TWINS. A
COUPLE OF YEARS ON NOVEMBER 19TH HE ACTUALLY BEAT ME TO IT AND WOULD
CALL ME. AL AND I HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP IN THE CITY COUNCIL. HE WAS
ABLE TO BRING THE EXPERIENCE HE HAD UP HERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS TO THE
CITY COUNCIL, AND REALLY BROUGHT KNOWLEDGE AND HISTORY THAT COUNCIL
MEMBERS WERE NOT AWARE OF AND REALLY CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO --
TO THAT BODY.
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AND FINALLY, AS DEBORAH GLICK SO ELEGANTLY STATED, I'D
LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SHELLY SILVER. I SERVED WITH SHELLY WHEN I FIRST GOT
ELECTED, HE WAS SPEAKER. AND HE WAS REALLY A -- WAS A GOOD LISTENER
AND REALLY WORKED SO HARD IN BUILDING CONSENSUS AND MENTORING
MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY. IT'S -- IT'S UNFORTUNATE THE LAST YEARS OF HIS
LIFE THAT HE HAD TO GO THROUGH, WHAT HE WENT THROUGH. BUT HE WAS
REALLY A GREAT LEADER. AND FOR SO MANY YEARS, WHEN GOVERNOR PATAKI
WAS GOVERNOR AND THE SENATE WAS CONTROLLED BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
AS WELL, HE WAS REALLY THE LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND CERTAINLY
THIS BODY. SO I THINK IT'S -- IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT HE DIDN'T GET THE TRUE
RECOGNITION HE DESERVED BECAUSE OF THE TRAGIC EVENTS AT THE END OF HIS
LIFE, BUT HE WAS STILL A GREAT LEADER, A GREAT PUBLIC OFFICIAL, AND I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MS. LUPARDO ON THE RESOLUTION.
MS. LUPARDO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
SPEAKER.
I RISE TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT JAMES TALLON. JAMES
TALLON SERVED THE BINGHAMTON AREA WITH DISTINCTION FOR MANY YEARS,
FROM 1974 UNTIL 1993. HE WAS THE HEALTH COMMITTEE CHAIR FOR ABOUT
EIGHT YEARS BEFORE ASSEMBLYMAN GOTTFRIED HAD THAT POSITION FOR A VERY
LONG TIME. HE WAS OUR MAJORITY LEADER FOR FIVE YEARS. AND FOR THOSE
OF US WHO ASPIRED TO GET INTO ELECTED OFFICE AND TO ASPIRE TO PUBLIC
SERVICE, HE WAS A TOWERING FIGURE LOCALLY. THOSE OF US WHO COULD
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SPEND TIME AROUND HIM VOLUNTEERED JUST TO BE NEAR HIM AND TO SEE HOW
HE -- HE NAVIGATED STATE POLITICS. HE WAS DEEPLY INSPIRATIONAL TO ME
AND WAS SOMEONE WHO I TRIED TO EMULATE. WHEN I GOT ELECTED, HE WAS
MY GO-TO ADVISOR FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS. AND I WOULD GO TO HIM WHEN
I HAD THE THORNIEST OF PROBLEMS TO TRY TO SORT OUT, AND HE ALWAYS HAD THE
SAME THING TO SAY TO ME, AND THAT WAS, ALWAYS ACT WITH INTEGRITY. NO
MATTER WHAT YOU'RE DOING, TREAT EVERYONE FAIRLY AND WITH INTEGRITY.
AND THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN YOU WILL HAVE TO VOTE YOUR CONSCIENCE
OVER THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. AND HE SAID, THOSE ARE
GOING TO BE THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES FOR YOU. BUT IF YOU DO VOTE YOUR
CONSCIENCE, BE PREPARED TO BE AS HONEST AS YOU CAN WITH YOUR
CONSTITUENTS AND THEY WILL UNDERSTAND IF YOU AT LEAST GIVE THEM THE TIME
AND PROVIDE THE EFFORT TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU HAD TO VOTE THE WAY YOU --
YOU DID. AND I'VE HAD TO EMPLOY THAT ON A FEW OCCASIONS WHERE I JUST
COULD NOT BRING MYSELF TO VOTE IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT MY CONSTITUENCY
WOULD HAVE WANTED, BUT I THINK THEY APPRECIATED THE EXPLANATION AND
MY BEING HONEST WITH THEM. ALWAYS BE HONEST IS WHAT HE SAID.
I WILL SAY THIS: JIM TALLON WAS A STAR TREK FAN. HE
BELIEVED IN CURIOSITY, EQUALITY, AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF ALL LIFE. SO I
THINK IF HE WERE HERE TODAY HE WOULD PROBABLY WANT ME TO WISH TO ALL
OF YOU THE FAMOUS STAR TREK COMMENT TO "LIVE LONG AND PROSPER."
THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. BENEDETTO ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. BENEDETTO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM
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SPEAKER, AND I THANK THE SPEAKER FOR INTRODUCING THIS -- THIS RESOLUTION.
IT -- IT JUST GIVES US A MOMENT, A FEW MOMENTS TO REFLECT ON PEOPLE THAT
YOU'VE COME ACROSS FROM THIS CHAMBER. I HAVE ALWAYS RESPECTED THE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE SERVED IN THIS CHAMBER AND CURRENTLY SERVING IN THIS
CHAMBER; NO MORE SO THAN -- THAN YESTERDAY IN THAT WONDERFUL DEBATE
THAT WE HAD CONSIDERING OUT -- THE BILL BEFORE US.
I LOOK AT THIS LIST OF PEOPLE BEFORE ME, AND I -- I THINK
ABOUT SUSAN JOHN, WHO -- WHO I SERVED WITH. AND -- AND I JUST LEARNED
SO MUCH FROM HER. WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE, SUSAN GAVE ME ONE OF MY
FIRST BILLS THAT I HAD, EXPANDING THE WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS IN THIS
STATE. AND -- AND SHE GUIDED ME IN SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS. AND --
AND SHE WAS SUCH AN INTELLIGENT PERSON AND CARING PERSON. IT WAS
CERTAINLY AN HONOR TO SERVE WITH HER.
I SEE THIS LIST AND I REFLECT ON SHELLY SILVER, AND -- WHO
LED THIS CHAMBER MORE FOR THAN ANY OTHER LEADER EVER DID, AND DID IT SO
WELL. AND REMEMBER THE TIME THAT SHELLY BROUGHT ME INTO HIS OFFICE
ONE DAY. WE WERE IN CONFERENCE, AND THE CONFERENCES CAN, AS YOU ALL
KNOW, RUN ON FOR HOURS AND IT GETS A LITTLE TEDIOUS AT TIMES. ALWAYS
GOOD, BUT TEDIOUS AT TIMES. AND SHELLY BROUGHT ME INTO HIS OFFICE AND
HE -- I FORGET WHAT IT WAS ABOUT, BUT IT WASN'T ANY -- ANYTHING
MONUMENTAL. AND THEN HE JUST STARTED TALKING ABOUT HIS FATHER AND HIS
FATHER'S HARDWARE STORE THAT HE HAD AND HOW HE PRICED SCREWS FOR A
CERTAIN AMOUNT. AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE, WHY
WAS HE DOING THIS? AND I REALIZED, YEAH, HE THOUGHT IT WAS TEDIOUS,
TOO, AND JUST WANTED TO GET OUT OF THAT -- THAT, YOU KNOW, CONFERENCE IN
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THERE. HE HAD -- I THINK ABOUT HIS SENSE OF HUMOR. IT WAS A VERY DRY
SENSE OF HUMOR, AND I SMILE. AND IT COMES UP A LOT, BECAUSE AT THE END
OF EVERY SINGLE YEAR WE ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME QUESTION ON OUR MIND,
WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE AND GET BACK TO OUR HOMES?
AND THAT DISCUSSION WAS GOING ON IN THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, AND SOMEONE
RAISED THE QUESTION, SHELLY, ARE WE GONNA FINISH ON FRIDAY, AND ARE WE
GONNA FINISH IN DAYLIGHT? AND SHELLY SAID TO HIM IN THAT DEEP VOICE OF
HIS, YES, YES. WE'LL FINISH FRIDAY AND WE WILL FINISH IN DAYLIGHT. OF
COURSE IT'S JUNE 24TH AND DAYLIGHT DOESN'T END 'TIL 9 O'CLOCK, BUT WE WILL
FINISH. AND EVERYBODY KIND OF SMILED AND (INAUDIBLE) WE WERE IN FOR A
LONG DAY.
AND LASTLY, I HAVE TO REALLY JUST SAY A WORD ABOUT
GEORGE FRIEDMAN, WHO JUST PASSED AWAY A MONTH AGO. I NEVER SERVED
WITH HIM. I -- I WAS TOLD BY MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD SERVED WITH HIM
THAT HE -- IN A -- IN A -- A -- A GROUP OF SO MANY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE, THAT
HE WAS JUST A CUT ABOVE EVERYBODY ELSE. AND YOU JUST DIDN'T WANT TO
GET INTO A DEBATE ON THE FLOOR WITH GEORGE BECAUSE HE WAS THAT GOOD IN
DEFENDING WHAT HE WAS ADVOCATING FOR. I DIDN'T SERVE WITH HIM, BUT I
SERVED IN THE BRONX WHERE HE WAS THE BRONX DEMOCRATIC LEADER FOR SO
MANY YEARS. AND HE WAS A GOOD MAN, AND I WAS QUITE SAD THREE, FOUR
WEEKS AGO WHEN I HEARD THAT HE HAD PASSED AWAY. AND I WASN'T -- WE
WERE UP HERE AND I WASN'T ABLE TO GET DOWN TO PAY MY PROPER RESPECTS.
SO TO GEORGE FRIEDMAN, TO SHELLY SILVER, TO SUSAN
JOHN AND TO SO MANY OTHERS HERE THAT I SERVED WITH, I RESPECT YOU ALL,
AND I THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW YOU.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR [SIC].
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. CONRAD ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. CONRAD: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I RISE TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF JOHN LAFALCE, WHO WE
JUST BURIED ON MONDAY. ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T KNOW JOHN AS AN
ASSEMBLYMEMBER -- HE WAS HERE WELL BEFORE MY PARENTS EVEN MET --
JOHN WAS A CONGRESSMAN FOR 30 YEARS, REPRESENTING WESTERN NEW YORK
AND THE NIAGARA FRONTIER AND HAD QUITE A LEGACY. A MAN OF FAITH WHO
VOTED HIS CONSCIENCE. SOMEONE WHO WORKED WITH THE FOLKS FROM LOVE
CANAL TO FISCAL POLICIES. HE WAS A TRUE FORCE. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WRITE LETTERS TO HIM IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ABOUT ISSUES,
AND HE REPLIED BACK. LATER IN LIFE HE BECAME MY BIGGEST CRITIC ON THE
TOWN BOARD WHERE WE WERE NEIGHBORS, AND HE TOLD ME HOW BAD I WAS
DOING. BUT I JOKINGLY SAY THAT BECAUSE WE WERE VERY GOOD FRIENDS.
WE WOULD OFTEN GO FOR LUNCH AND WOULD TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG, SO WE
FIXED IT AND -- AND HE SAID, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT BILL. YOU
CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I -- I'M NOT THE ONLY
PERSON FROM WESTERN NEW YORK THAT HAS A SHARED EXPERIENCE WITH
JOHN, BUT I CERTAINLY WILL MISS HIM AND I WISH A LOT FOR HIS FAMILY
BECAUSE HE WAS QUITE A LEGEND IN WESTERN NEW YORK.
THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MR. DINOWITZ ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. DINOWITZ: THANK YOU.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FRANZ LEICHTER.
FRANZ LEICHTER, WHEN I GOT TO KNOW HIM, WAS A STATE SENATOR, MY STATE
SENATOR. BUT HE WAS ELECTED TO THE ASSEMBLY IN 1968. AND THIS IS A
VERY LONG LIST; IT'S PRETTY JARRING LOOKING AT A FIVE-YEAR LIST HERE.
FRANZ LEICHTER CAME TO THE UNITED STATES AS A REFUGEE
IN 1940, AND HIS -- HIS MOTHER WAS MURDERED IN A CONCENTRATION CAMP.
HE BECAME A LAWYER AND HE ACCOMPLISHED MUCH. BUT WHEN HE WAS
ELECTED TO THE ASSEMBLY, HE WAS IN THE MINORITY. HE WAS ONE OF THE
PEOPLE WHO CO-WROTE THE ABORTION LAW IN NEW YORK STATE. AND HE
WAS ALWAYS A RENEGADE, A REBEL. HE -- HE ALWAYS STOOD UP TO THE
POWERS THAT BE. IN FACT, I THINK HE LIKED BEING IN THE MINORITY. HE WAS
ELECTED TO THE STATE SENATE THE SAME YEAR THAT THE DEMOCRATS TOOK THE
MAJORITY IN THE ASSEMBLY. SO IF HE HAD STAYED IN THE ASSEMBLY HE
WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE MAJORITY FOR THE FIRST TIME. BUT HE WENT TO THE
SENATE AND HE RAN AGAINST AN ENTRENCHED INCUMBENT IN A PRIMARY
AGAINST THE POLITICAL MACHINE AT THE TIME, AND HE WAS ELECTED TO THE
STATE SENATE. HE WAS ALWAYS IN THE MAJOR -- IN THE MINORITY IN THE
STATE SENATE. HE SERVED UNTIL THE END OF 1998. WE OVERLAPPED FOUR
YEARS, AND WE SHARED AN OFFICE. HE HAD A DESK SPACE IN MY OFFICE, I
GOT TO KNOW HIM VERY WELL. AND THIS WAS A GUY WHO WAS ABLE TO
ACCOMPLISH A LOT AS A MEMBER OF THE MINORITY BY SIMPLY SPEAKING OUT.
HE STOOD UP AGAINST THE BANKS, HE WAS A MAJOR FORCE FOR REFORM. AND
HE WAS AN EARLY SUPPORTER OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND LEGALIZATION OF
MARIJUANA WAY BACK WHEN NO -- NOBODY WOULD TALK ABOUT STUFF LIKE
THAT. HE -- WITHOUT HIM, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD HAVE HAD THAT. THE
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HUDSON RIVER PARK. SO HE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT. BUT TO ME HE WAS ALSO
A MENTOR. I LEARNED A LOT FROM HIM DURING THE YEARS THAT WE WORKED
TOGETHER, AND I WAS SAD WHEN HE RETIRED. BUT WE -- WE HAD THOSE FOUR
YEARS. AND HE -- I -- I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT HE PROBABLY
ACCOMPLISHED -- ACCOMPLISHED MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE COULD HAVE AS
A MEMBER OF THE MINORITY IN THE STATE SENATE. BECAUSE YOU CAN'T
ALWAYS GET EVERYTHING DONE WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MINORITY. BUT HE DID.
HE JUST DID, BY SHEER FORCE OF HIS WILL AND HIS KNOWLEDGE. SO I -- I
MISS HIM, AND -- AND IT'S A TREMENDOUS LOSS.
AND THERE'S ANOTHER PERSON I WANTED TO MENTION, AND
SOME PEOPLE MAY BE SURPRISED THAT I'M MENTIONING HIM, AND THAT'S
GEORGE FRIEDMAN. I FIRST GOT TO KNOW GEORGE FRIEDMAN BACK IN, I'M
GONNA -- I SHOULDN'T DATE MYSELF, BUT BACK IN THE -- A LITTLE BIT BEFORE
THE MID-'70S. WE WERE POLITICAL RIVALS. I WAS MUCH YOUNGER THAN HIM.
BUT HE WAS THE HEAD OF THE POLITICAL -- THE REGULAR ORGANIZATION
POLITICAL CLUB AND HE GOT ELECTED TO THE ASSEMBLY IN 1976. AND I WAS
KIND OF THE LEADER OF THE -- A SMALL REFORM DEMOCRATIC CLUB. SO WE
FOUGHT EACH OTHER EVERY SINGLE YEAR, AND USUALLY -- USUALLY THEY DID
BETTER THAN US, I'LL ADMIT THAT. WHEN I RAN FOR THE ASSEMBLY IN 1994, AT
THAT POINT HE WAS THE DEMOCRATIC COUNTY LEADER AND HE HAD BEEN IN
THE ASSEMBLY BY THAT POINT, I GUESS, FOR 18 YEARS. AND EVEN THOUGH I
GOT THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION BECAUSE WE HA THE COUNTY COMMITTEE
IN MY DISTRICT, IT WAS A SPECIAL ELECTION, HE FOUGHT ME AND TRIED TO
BLOCK ME AND I WON. AND WHEN I CAME HERE HE WAS ONE THE PEOPLE
WHO GOT UP AND WELCOMED ME. I -- I THINK IT WAS -- I GUESS IT WAS A
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REAL WELCOME. HE INTRODUCED ME AS LANDSLIDE DINOWITZ BECAUSE I
WON BY THIS MUCH. BUT I WON. BUT WE BECAME FRIENDLY, AND ALTHOUGH
WE ONLY OVERLAPPED BY LESS THAN A YEAR BECAUSE HE WAS ELECTED AS
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE IN 1994. WE ACTUALLY GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER
AND BECAME FRIENDLIER OVER THE YEARS; MYSELF, MY WIFE AND HIM AND HIS
WIFE. AND WHETHER WE WERE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES, WHICH WE USUALLY
WERE, OR NOT, HE WAS A -- A DECENT GUY, HE WAS A SMART GUY. AND HIS
CONTRIBUTION, I THINK, IN THE ASSEMBLY AND IN THE BRONX WAS VERY
SIGNIFICANT. SO, HE RECENTLY PASSED AWAY, AND AS MIKE SAID, WE
COULDN'T GET DOWN TO HIS FUNERAL. IT WAS ON ONE OF THE DAYS WE HAD TO
VOTE ON ONE OF THOSE BILLS, WHICH IS -- IS UNFORTUNATE. BUT HE -- HE --
HIS CONTRIBUTION WAS VERY SIGNIFICANT AND I, FOR ONE, APPRECIATE HIM;
BOTH FRANZ LEICHTER AND GEORGE FRIEDMAN.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MS. WALKER ON THE RESOLUTION.
MS. WALKER: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, FOR
ALLOWING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THE RESOLUTION.
FIRST I WANT TO STATE THAT WHILE I HAVE NOT OR DID NOT
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH THE HONORABLE ALAN HEVESI, THAT I
BELIEVE AS A STUDENT OF LIFE AND HISTORY THAT I LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT HIM EACH TIME I HEAR HIS SON GET UP AND SPEAK, WHETHER IT IS ON
THIS ASSEMBLY FLOOR, WHEN WE ARE DELIBERATING BILLS, THE BUDGET AND/OR
OTHERWISE. AND SO I AM TRULY HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE IN THIS VERY
LITTLE CAPACITY WITH YOU TO BE ABLE TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF STATESMANSHIP
NOT JUST FROM YOUR DAD, BUT FROM YOU, VICARIOUSLY. AND I APPRECIATE
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YOU FOR IT.
AND ONE OF THE GREAT FOLK WHO DID HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE WITH THE ASSEMBLYMEMBER WAS ASSEMBLYMAN AL
VANN. ASSEMBLYMEMBER VANN, I WAS SO HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SITTING AT HIS FEET. AND EVEN IN MANY INSTANCES
WHERE I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO CARRY HIS BRIEFCASE, IT WAS PROBABLY ONE
OF THE SIMPLEST HONORS AND GREATEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS THAT I RECEIVED
AS A YOUNG POLITICAL OPERATIVE, YOUNG LAWYER, AND A KID WHO GREW UP
IN OCEAN HILL-BROWNSVILLE WHO WAS A BENEFICIARY OF PART OF THE
ASSEMBLYMAN'S GREATNESS. AS A TEACHER, HE STARTED THE AFRICAN-
AMERICAN TEACHERS -- AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN TEACHERS ORGANIZATION,
WHICH WAS THE GROUP THAT ORGANIZED THE OCEAN HILL-BROWNSVILLE
TEACHER'S STRIKE. IN THIS OCEAN HILL-BROWNSVILLE TEACHER'S STRIKE, THERE
WERE A NUMBER OF PARENTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY WHO WAS [SIC]
LOOKING AT THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN, SAYING THAT THEY WANTED TO
HAVE A CHOICE AND A SAY IN THE BUDGETS AND THE -- AND THE HIRING AND
THE PROCESSES OF THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN. AND THEY ALL
GALVANIZED TOGETHER IN ORDER TO PROTEST WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AS A
RESULT OF THAT WAS A PILOT PROGRAM, OF COURSE, WHICH WAS A PART OF THE
BOARD OF EDUCATION, WHICH WAS THE OCEAN HILL-BROWNSVILLE PILOT
COMMUNITY DISTRICT WHERE WE HAD THIS LEVEL OF COMMUNITY CONTROL
WHICH SADLY, I KNOW WE DON'T -- WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE BASED ON
MAYORAL CONTROL. BUT I BELIEVE THAT MR. VANN WAS TEN TIMES BEFORE HIS
TIME IN -- IN THINKING ABOUT THAT.
HE WAS A PILLAR IN BLACK POLITICS. WE KNOW THAT HE
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
WOULD TEACH US A LOT ABOUT SWAHILI, AND WE WOULD CALL HIM MWALIMU,
WHICH WAS SWAHILI FOR "GREAT TEACHER." ONE OF HIS PARTNERS WAS JITU
WEUSI, WHO WAS A CO-FOUNDER OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION WHICH FOCUSED ON BLACK LEADERS AND BLACK TEACHERS AND A
BLACK SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND A CURRICULUM THAT WAS CULTURALLY RELEVANT
TO STUDENTS OF COLOR.
HE WAS A TEACHER AT (INAUDIBLE) SCHOOL 271, WHICH, OF
COURSE, WAS THE SHOWDOWN FOR THE LOCAL CONTROL IN '68. HIS ASCENSION
FROM BEING TEACHER TO LEADER WAS HIS -- HIS BECOMING AN
ASSEMBLYMEMBER FROM 1974 TO 2001, AND DURING THAT TIME HE WAS
ELECTED AND REELECTED THE CHAIR OF THE NEW YORK STATE BLACK AND
PUERTO RICAN LEGISLATIVE CAUCUS. DURING THIS TIME, HE HAD A NUMBER
OF WINS, INCLUDING WORKING TOGETHER WITH A COALITION OF OTHER
ASSEMBLYMEMBERS IN ORDER TO CREATE MORE SEATS THROUGHOUT THE STATE
OF NEW YORK FOR BLACK ASCENSION TO POWER. AFTER THAT, WE KNOW THAT
HE BECAME A CITY COUNCILMEMBER, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE UNDER
THE LEADERSHIP OF AND THEN ALONGSIDE THE ASSEMBLYMEMBER ANNETTE
ROBINSON.
SO OF COURSE WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF GREATNESS.
LOOKING AT BEDFORD-STUYVESANT RESTORATION CORPORATION, ONE OF THE
ORGANIZATIONS THAT HE MASTERMINDED; THINKING ABOUT THE BROWNSVILLE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, WE KNOW TODAY THAT WE OWE A
HUGE DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO ASSEMBLYMEMBER AL VANN.
THANK YOU.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
MR. BRAUNSTEIN ON THE RESOLUTION.
MR. BRAUNSTEIN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
I RISE TO REMEMBER MY FORMER BOSS, SHELLY SILVER.
BEFORE I CAME TO THE ASSEMBLY, I WORKED IN SPEAKER SILVER'S 250
BROADWAY OFFICE IN LOWER MANHATTAN. AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT HAVE
TALKED ABOUT HIS IMPACT AS SPEAKER, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
REMEMBER HE NEVER LOST FOCUS OF WHERE HE CAME FROM. HE WAS BORN
AND RAISED ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE, AND DESPITE ANYTHING THAT WAS
GOING UP HERE IN ALBANY, HE ALWAYS HAD HIS PULSE ON HIS DISTRICT. AND
I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, UP HERE HE'S THE SPEAKER; WHEN HE WAS DOWN
ON GRAND STREET, YOU KNOW, HE WAS A NEIGHBOR, HE WAS A FRIEND. AND
HE DELIVERED FOR THAT COMMUNITY ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE FOR ALL THE
YEARS THAT HE WAS HERE, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US
SOMETIMES TO REMEMBER THAT OUR DISTRICT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
RESPONSIBILITY.
I ALSO AM GRATEFUL FOR HIS HELP IN HELPING ME START MY
CAREER. YOU KNOW, I WAS 29 YEARS OLD, I HAD JUST GRADUATED LAW SCHOOL
AND, YOU KNOW, I WENT TO THE SPEAKER AND TOLD HIM I WAS THINKING OF
RUNNING FOR THE STATE ASSEMBLY. YOU KNOW, I -- I HAD A LOT TO LEARN
AND I NEEDED HELP AND I NEEDED GUIDANCE. AND I DON'T THINK I WOULD
BE HERE TODAY IF IT WASN'T FOR HIS SUPPORT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST FINALLY, SOMEONE MENTIONED
SHELLY'S DRY SENSE OF HUMOR AND HE USED TO HAVE THESE PHRASES. AND
ONE OF HIS PHRASES WAS ABOUT THE BUDGET, AND USED TO ALWAYS SAY,
NOTHING'S DONE 'TIL EVERYTHING'S DONE. RIGHT? AND I THINK JUST WITH
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THIS BUDGET AND THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE SHOULD
REMEMBER WHAT SHELLY WOULD SAY, NOTHING'S DONE 'TIL EVERYTHING'S
DONE.
SO THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES ON THE RESOLUTION.
MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MADAM
SPEAKER, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS RESOLUTION, AND I ALSO
WANT TO THANK THE SPEAKER FOR PRESENTING IT TO US BECAUSE IT'S BEEN
SINCE '21 THAT WE'VE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR REMEMBRANCES
AND OUR MEMORIES OF PREVIOUS COLLEAGUES. AND I REMEMBER THE FIRST
TIME I HAD THIS EXPERIENCE, IT WAS LIKE, NOW THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE.
THIS IS WHERE YOU REALLY LEARN THE CHARACTER, THE INTEGRITY, THE MORALS
AND THE VALUES OF THIS HOUSE THAT WE ALL SERVE IN. BECAUSE YOU HEAR
ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE BEFORE YOU THAT DEMONSTRATED THAT. AND
IT'S EXCITING TO KNOW THAT -- WELL, I GUESS IT'S NOT SO EXCITING BECAUSE IT
MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I'M PROBABLY THE OLDEST PERSON HERE -- BUT I ACTUALLY
KNEW TEN OF THESE PEOPLE, AND PERSONALLY KNEW THEM.
I KNEW FORMER CONGRESSMAN LAFALCE BECAUSE HE
REPRESENTED A CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN WESTERN NEW YORK.
I KNEW HONORABLE ALAN HEVESI BECAUSE I WORKED ON
HIS CAMPAIGN FROM WESTERN NEW YORK. AND QUITE FRANKLY, I SAT RIGHT
IN FRONT OF HIM IN THE CHAMBERS WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE.
I KNEW GARY FINCH. AND I REMEMBER HIM TELLING ME
ABOUT HOW HIS FAMILY HAD BURIED HARRIET TUBMAN. HE ACTUALLY BROUGHT
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ARTIFACTS IN TO THE CHAMBERS TO SHOW ME, TO PROVE IT THAT IT WAS HIS
FAMILY'S FUNERAL HOME THAT BURIED HARRIET TUBMAN, WHOSE BURIAL SITE I
HAVE BEEN TO NUMEROUS TIMES AND NEVER EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT WHO WAS
THE FUNERAL HOME THAT BURIED HER. BUT -- AND GARY DID HAVE QUITE A
SENSE OF HUMOR ABOUT THE WHOLE THING, TOO.
I KNEW FRAN PORDUM, NOT BECAUSE HE WAS AN
ASSEMBLYMEMBER, BUT BECAUSE HE WAS FROM ERIE COUNTY AS WELL.
AND I KNEW PAT CASALE BECAUSE HE WAS A -- HE -- HE
LIKED TO TELL JOKES. WE HAD A LOT OF FUN LAUGHING ABOUT THINGS THAT HAD
NOTHING TO DO WITH LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS OR ANYTHING TO DO WITH THESE
CHAMBERS. WE JUST HAD FUN.
AND ALSO, I KNEW AL VANN BECAUSE MY PREDECESSOR
AND AL VANN WERE LIKE THIS (INDICATING) ON MANY ISSUES THAT THEY
WORKED ON. I REMEMBER AL BRINGING BUSES OF PEOPLE FROM BROOKLYN TO
BUFFALO TO HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW TO WORK ON ISSUES IN AND AROUND
OUR COMMUNITY. AND I REMEMBER BUSES OF PEOPLE -- BLACK PEOPLE
FROM BUFFALO GOING TO BROOKLYN TO LEARN FROM THE WORK THAT AL VANN
WAS DOING IN THAT COMMUNITY. SO, IT'S AMAZING HOW PEOPLE CAN HAVE
AN IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE THAT YOU NEVER SUSPECTED THAT THEY WOULD.
SHELDON SILVER. I MEAN, WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE I HAD
AN APARTMENT AND SOMEBODY WANTED TO BRING ME TO DINNER. I WAS LIKE,
OH, I MIGHT NOT WANT TO GO TO DINNER BECAUSE I DIDN'T DRIVE, I TOOK THE
TRAIN THIS TIME. HE WAS LIKE, OH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. SHELLY WILL PICK
YOU UP. I WAS LIKE, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THE SPEAKER IS GONNA PICK
ME AT MY... AND YES, HE DID COME PICK ME UP, AND IT WAS REALLY A
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DELIGHTFUL DINNER. AND WHAT DID HE WANT TO TALK ABOUT? NOT THE
COMMITTEES I WAS TRYING TO GET ON, NOT ANYTHING ABOUT LEGISLATION. HE
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT HOCKEY. I DON'T EVEN LIKE HOCKEY.
(LAUGHTER)
BUT HE LOVED HOCKEY AND HE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
AND SINCE I COULDN'T ENGAGE HIM ON THAT TOPIC, THEN WE HAD TO TALK
ABOUT OUR CHILDREN. AND SO THAT ACTUALLY BRINGS PEOPLE INTO A
PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THAT THEY HAD FROM READING ABOUT
THEM IN THE NEWSPAPER.
AND LASTLY, OF COURSE, SUSAN JOHN. IT'S BEEN SAID
MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT THAT WAS A SMART WOMAN. SHE WAS SUPER BRILLIANT,
AND SHE WAS ALWAYS RIGHT AHEAD OF ANY ISSUE THAT CAME BEFORE US. I
REMEMBER WHEN SHE FIRST INTRODUCED THE LABOR BILL THAT SHE WORKED ON
FOR, LIKE, A LONG, LONG TIME BEFORE SHE LEFT HERE AND NEVER WAS ABLE TO
GET THAT PASSED. AND EVENTUALLY I REMEMBER FINALLY WHEN CATHY NOLAN
WAS ABLE TO PASS THAT BILL THAT SUSAN HAD WORKED SO HARD AND SO LONG
ON. AND IT JUST REALLY WARMS YOUR HEART TO KNOW THAT MEMORIES NEVER
DIE, AND NEITHER DOES LOVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL MEMBERS
PLEASE RISE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE HONORING THE LIVES AND
DISTINGUISHED CAREERS OF DECEASED ASSEMBLYMEMBERS.
(WHEREUPON, A MOMENT OF SILENCE WAS OBSERVED.)
THE HOUSE STANDS ADJOURNED UNTIL TOMORROW AT 9:00
A.M.
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NYS ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2025
(WHEREUPON, THE HOUSE STOOD ADJOURNED UNTIL
THURSDAY, MAY 1ST AT 9:00 A.M., THAT BEING A SESSION DAY.)
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