TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2025 1:18 P.M.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE HOUSE WILL

COME TO ORDER.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COLLEAGUES.

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

SILENCE.

(WHEREUPON, A MOMENT OF SILENCE WAS OBSERVED.)

VISITORS ARE INVITED TO JOIN THE MEMBERS IN THE PLEDGE

OF ALLEGIANCE.

(WHEREUPON, ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER LED VISITORS AND

MEMBERS IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.)

A QUORUM BEING PRESENT, THE CLERK WILL READ THE

JOURNAL OF MONDAY, MAY 19TH.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, I MOVE

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

THE 19TH, AND THAT THE SAME STAND APPROVED.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WITHOUT OBJECTION,

SO ORDERED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: COLLEAGUES AND GUESTS

THAT OUR IN CHAMBERS, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A QUOTE WITH YOU TODAY. THIS

ONE COMES FROM MALCOLM X. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO EXPLAIN HIS

BACKGROUND, HE'S PRETTY WELL KNOWN. ACTUALLY, FROM NEW YORK. I

WON'T SAY WHETHER IT WAS QUEENS OR BROOKLYN, BUT I KNOW IT'S NEW

YORK. HIS WORDS FOR US TODAY: IF YOU HAVE NO CRITICS, YOU LIKELY HAVE

NO SUCCESS. AGAIN, WORDS FROM (INDISCERNIBLE) MALCOLM X. VERY

MUCH MISSED. YESTERDAY WAS HIS BIRTHDAY, TOMORROW.

OKAY. MADAM SPEAKER, COLLEAGUES HAVE ON THEIR

DESK A MAIN CALENDAR AND A DEBATE LIST. AND BEFORE ANY HOUSEKEEPING

AND/OR INTRODUCTIONS, WE'LL BE CALLING FOR THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES TO

MEET OFF THE FLOOR -- AND I HOPE MEMBERS CAN HEAR ME ALL THROUGHOUT

THE CAPITOL, BECAUSE WHEN IT'S TIME FOR THESE COMMITTEES, YOU SHOULD

BE OVER HERE IN THE CAPITOL BUILDING SO THAT WE CAN START THESE MEETINGS

ON TIME -- HIGHER ED, FOLLOWED BY JUDICIARY, FOLLOWED BY LABOR,

FOLLOWED BY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, MENTAL HEALTH, RACING AND

WAGERING, REAL PROPERTY TAXATION, SMALL BUSINESSES, CODES AND

WAYS AND MEANS.

MADAM SPEAKER, AFTER ANY HOUSEKEEPING AND/OR

INTRODUCTIONS, WE'RE GONNA BEGIN OUR FLOOR WORK BY CALLING FOR THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

FOLLOWING BILLS ON DEBATE: CALENDAR NO. 58 BY MS. BARRETT, CALENDAR

NO. 73 BY MS. LEVENBERG, CALENDAR NO. 83 BY MS. PAULIN, CALENDAR

NO. 94 BY MS. WOERNER, CALENDAR NO. 96, MR. WEPRIN, CALENDAR NO.

109, MR. BERGER, CALENDAR NO. 138, MS. BARRETT, CALENDAR NO. 142,

MS. LUNSFORD AND CALENDAR NO. 143, MR. MAGNARELLI AND CALENDAR

NO. 157 BY MR. WEPRIN. THERE MAY BE A NEED TO ANNOUNCE ADDITIONAL

ITEMS FOR THE FLOOR TODAY, MADAM SPEAKER. IF SO, I WILL ADVISE AT THAT

MOMENT. HOWEVER, THAT'S THE GENERAL OUTLINE OF WHERE WE'RE GOING

TODAY. IF YOU COULD NOW PLEASE CALL THE HIGHER ED COMMITTEE TO THE

SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM, WE MIGHT BEGIN OUR WORK.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

HIGHER ED COMMITTEE MEMBERS PLEASE JOIN CHAIR

HYNDMAN IN THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. HIGHER ED COMMITTEE

IN THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM.

WE HAVE TEN COMMITTEES OFF THE FLOOR, MY COLLEAGUES,

TODAY. IF YOU COULD MAKE YOUR WAY TOWARDS THE CHAMBER, WE'D LIKE TO

GET THROUGH THEM EXPEDIENTLY.

WE HAVE NO HOUSEKEEPING AND MANY INTRODUCTIONS

TODAY.

SO WE WILL START WITH MS. GONZÁLEZ-ROJAS FOR THE

PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MS. GONZÁLEZ-ROJAS: THANK YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER.

COLLEAGUES, I RISE TODAY WITH GREAT PRIDE TO WELCOME

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THE INCREDIBLE STUDENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY OF THE LEXINGTON SCHOOL

OF THE DEAF TO THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE. AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ASSEMBLY

DISTRICT 34, WHICH IS HOME OF THE LEXINGTON SCHOOL OF THE DEAF, IT IS A

TRUE HONOR TO RECOGNIZE THIS VITAL INSTITUTION AND THE TRANSFORMATIVE

WORK IT HAS DONE FOR DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING NEW YORKERS SINCE ITS

FOUNDING IN 1864. TODAY, WE CELEBRATE NOT ONLY THE SCHOOL'S RICH

HISTORY AND COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION, BUT ALSO THE 26TH ANNUAL ESTHER

LUSTIG MEMORIAL BASKETBALL CLASSIC, AN INSPIRING EVENT THAT BRINGS

TOGETHER STUDENTS AND THE LEGISLATURE IN THE SPIRIT OF JOY, ATHLETICISM,

AND REMEMBRANCE. THIS TRADITION HONORS THE LEGACY OF BELOVED ACTIVIST

ESTHER LUSTIG, AND IT CONTINUES TO THRIVE THANKS TO THE STEADFAST SUPPORT

OF FORMER SPEAKER PRO TEM JEFF AUBRY AND OUR BROADER ASSEMBLY

COMMUNITY.

LEXINGTON IS OUR LARGEST SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF IN NEW

YORK STATE, SERVING MORE THAN 350 STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE FIVE

BOROUGHS. IT IS MORE THAN A SCHOOL. IT IS A HUB FOR LANGUAGE, FOR

CULTURE, FOR SUPPORT, FOR EMPOWERMENT. WITH PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, SPEECH AND HEARING CARE AND VOCATIONAL

TRAINING. IT IS ALSO WHERE I RECEIVED MY HEALTH SERVICES FOR MY HONE --

MY OWN HEARING DISABILITY AND MY HEARING AIDS.

TO THE STUDENTS VISITING US TODAY, THANK YOU. THANK

YOU FOR INSPIRING US WITH YOUR LEADERSHIP, YOUR EXCELLENCE, AND YOUR

ENERGY. WE ARE SO PROUD TO HAVE YOU HERE AND I AM ROOTING FOR YOU

TONIGHT. AND I KNOW WE'LL HAVE A WONDERFUL GAME, WITH MANY OF THE

ALL-STARS OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY AND THE STATE SENATE.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

SO, MADAM SPEAKER, PLEASE WELCOME THE LEXINGTON

SCHOOL OF THE DEAF TO THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, AND EXTEND THEM THE

CORDIALITIES OF THE FLOOR.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MS.

GONZÁLEZ-ROJAS, THE SPEAKER, AND ALL THE MEMBERS, WE WELCOME

STUDENTS FROM THE LEXINGTON SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF HERE TO THE PEOPLE'S

HOUSE, THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER. WE EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR

TO YOU. HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY AND BEST WISHES FOR A

SUCCESSFUL WIN THIS EVENING DURING YOUR BASKETBALL CLASSIC. THANK YOU

VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. WIEDER FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MR. WIEDER: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

I RISE TODAY WITH GREAT PRIDE TO WELCOME AND

INTRODUCE A TRULY REMARKABLE INDIVIDUAL TO THIS CHAMBER, THE PEOPLE'S

HOUSE, MR. MOSHE KAFF, THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

AND THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR THE VILLAGE OF NEW

SQUARE. MR. KAFF HAS DEDICATED HIMSELF WHOLEHEARTEDLY TO THE SAFETY

AND WELL-BEING OF HIS COMMUNITY. FOR YEARS, HE HAS LED EMS AND

EMERGENCY RESPONSE EFFORT WITH UNMATCHED PROFESSIONALISM, PRECISION,

AND COMPASSION. IN MOMENTS OF CRISIS, MR. KAFF IS NOT ONLY PREPARED,

HE IS OFTEN THE FIRST TO RESPOND, GUIDING TEAMS, SAVING LIVES, AND

PROVIDING REASSURANCE WHEN IT'S NEEDED THE MOST. BUT HIS WORK DOESN'T

END WHEN THE SIREN STOPS. HE IS CONSTANTLY PLANNING, TRAINING, AND

STRENGTHENING THE VILLAGE READINESS FOR ALL EMERGENCIES, FROM NATURAL

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

DISASTERS TO PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES. HE LEADS NOT FOR RECOGNITION, BUT

OUT OF A DEEP, DEEP SENSE OF DUTY AND HEART. AND THAT IS TRULY

LEADERSHIP. MR. KAFF'S SERVICES IS A CREDIT NOT JUST TO NEW SQUARE, BUT

TO ALL OF NEW YORK STATE.

MADAM SPEAKER, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU EXTEND TO

MR. KAFF AND HIS WONDERFUL WIFE ALL THE PRIVILEGES AND COURTESIES OF

THIS ESTEEMED CHAMBER. WE ARE TRULY HONORED BY HIS PRESENCE TODAY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MR.

WIEDER, THE SPEAKER, AND ALL MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU, SIR, TO THE

PEOPLE'S HOUSE, OUR ASSEMBLY CHAMBER, EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE

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

VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. TAYLOR FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MR. TAYLOR: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ON BEHALF OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER JACKSON AND MYSELF,

WE WANT TO WELCOME MAURICE ANDERSON, 17 YEARS OLD, IS A HARLEM AND

A BRONX RESIDENT, AND STUDENT OF THURGOOD MARSHALL ACADEMY FOR

LEARNING AND SOCIAL CHANGE. HE HAS BEEN AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE

MADISON SQUARE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB PINKERTON CLUBHOUSE, LOCATED

ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE WORLD-RENOWNED POLO GROUND PUBLIC

HOUSING TOWERS.

MAURICE HAS BEGAN HIS ACADEMIC -- ACADEMIC JOURNEY

AT THURGOOD MARSHALL LOWER SCHOOL AND CONTINUED ON TO THE

THURGOOD MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL, WHERE HE HAS LEARNED THE IMPORTANCE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

OF CREATING A POSITIVE CHANGE IN HIS CLUBHOUSE -- IN HIS COMMUNITY.

AND DURING THIS TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL, HE JOINED THE PINKERTON

CLUBHOUSE AND BECAME ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM,

COMMUNITY SERVICE GROUPS, HEALTH AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS. DUE TO HIS

DEDICATION AND OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS, MAURICE WAS NAMED THE

MADISON SQUARE BOYS & GIRLS CLUB YOUTH OF THE YEAR REPRESENTATIVE.

AND AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE, HE WILL COMPETE AGAINST OTHER BOYS AND

GIRLS CLUB MEMBERS ACROSS THIS GREAT STATE OF NEW YORK, AND A CHANCE

TO REPRESENT NEW YORK STATE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AS THE 2025 BOYS AND

GIRLS CLUB OF AMERICA YOUTH OF THE YEAR.

MADAM SPEAKER, WOULD YOU PLEASE EXTEND THE

CORDIALITIES OF THIS HOUSE, REPRESENTING -- WELCOMING MAURICE

ANDERSON, ALONG WITH MS. SARA GALARZA AND SHE'S HERE FROM MADISON

SQUARE BOYS AND GIRLS, AND HE WAS JUST RECENTLY ACCEPTED INTO U OF A,

AND HE'LL BE BACK HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBANY THIS FALL, MADAM

SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF

MR. TAYLOR, MS. JACKSON, THE SPEAKER, AND ALL MEMBERS, WE WELCOME

YOU, YOUNG MAN, TO THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER, AND EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES

OF THE FLOOR TO YOU. WE WISH YOU CONTINUED ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR ALL

OF YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS. AND CONGRATULATIONS IN ADVANCE BECAUSE WE

KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BRING HOME THE GOLD. SO, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH

FOR JOINING US TODAY.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. JONES FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MR. JONES: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

I RISE TODAY TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS FROM THE STATE AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CLASS FROM CLINTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE. THEIR

PROFESSOR, TOM MANDEVILLE, HAS BEEN TEACHING AT CCC SINCE 1990 AND

IS THE SENIOR-MOST FACULTY MEMBER. HE HAS BEEN BRINGING STUDENTS

DOWN TO ALBANY FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS PLUS, BUT THIS WILL BE HIS LAST VISIT

TO ALBANY AS AN INSTRUCTOR, SINCE HE WILL BE RETIRING AT THE END OF THIS

YEAR.

FOR OVER 35 YEARS, PROFESSOR MANDEVILLE HAS IMPACTED

THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS DURING HIS TENURE AND PROVIDED HANDS-ON

LEARNING EXPERIENCES, LIKE THIS FIELD TRIP, TO ENHANCE THEIR EDUCATION.

HE ALSO HAS ENCOURAGED MANY OF HIS STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE

INTERIM PROGRAM RIGHT HERE IN ALBANY. I'D LIKE TO THANK HIM AND HIS

CLASS FOR THEIR VISIT TODAY, AND HOPE THAT THEY MAY HAVE A GREAT

EXPERIENCE LEARNING ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS FIRSTHAND. WITH US

TODAY ARE EDWARD ACKEY, ANDRE ANDERSON, DANIKA CLOWNEY, VICTOR

DUENO, LUKE RATHBUN, JOSHUA SHARP, AMELIA SMITH, TOINENAEJAH

YOUNG AND OF COURSE, PROFESSOR MANDEVILLE.

MADAM SPEAKER, WILL YOU PLEASE WELCOME THIS FINE

GROUP TO THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF

MR. JONES, THE SPEAKER, AND ALL MEMBERS, WELCOME, STUDENT SCHOLARS

FROM CLINTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE. WE WELCOME YOU TO THE ASSEMBLY

CHAMBER. AND TO YOU, PROFESSOR MANDEVILLE, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU

ON YOUR LONGSTANDING ACADEMIC SUCCESS, AND FOR YOUR FUTURE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

RETIREMENT. WELL-DESERVED AFTER ALL THOSE MANY YEARS. WE EXTEND THE

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

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MR. GRAY FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MR. GRAY: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

GIVE ME -- IT'S MY PLEASURE TODAY TO HAVE FIRE CHIEF

WILL LIPCZYNSKI WITH US -- INVITE YOU TO SAY THAT NAME LATER -- CURRENTLY

RESIDES IN CHAUMONT, AND -- WITH HIS WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN. HIS

YOUNGEST SON JACK IS ALSO KNOWN AS ASSEMBLYMAN JACK. AND -- SO

WILL IS CURRENTLY THE CHIEF FOR THE CHAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT. HE

ALSO SERVES AS THE CAPE VINCENT AMBULANCE SQUAD'S DIRECTOR OF

OPERATION. HE HAS BEEN THE FIRE CHIEF FOR FIVE YEARS AND PRIOR TO THAT

WAS AN ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR THE DEPARTMENT. BEFORE JOINING THE

CHAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT, WILL SERVED IN THE U.S. ARMY. HE JOINED

IN 2006, AND WAS DEPLOYED TO IRAQ IN 2009, SERVING IN IRAQI --

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.

WILL BEGAN HIS FIREFIGHTING IN NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW

YORK. IN 2002, AT THE AGE OF 18, HE WAS -- BECAME ASSISTANT CHIEF AT

THE -- AS THE FIRE CHIEF AT WEST CARTHAGE FIRE DEPARTMENT. IN TOTAL,

WILL HAS BEEN IN THE FIRE AND EMS SERVICE FOR 23 YEARS. WILL HAS ALSO

WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STATE OF EMERGENCIES. HE HAS ON

HIS RESUME, 2017, 2019 FLOODING. AND THEN AGAIN IN 2023, HE WAS THE

CHIEF IN CHARGE OF THE BATTERY FIRE THAT WE HAD THAT LASTED FOR EIGHT DAYS.

SO, MADAM SPEAKER, WOULD YOU PLEASE OFFER THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

CORDIALITIES OF THE FLOOR TO WILL LIPCZYNSKI.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MR.

GRAY, THE SPEAKER, AND ALL THE MEMBERS, WELCOME, CHIEF, TO THE

ASSEMBLY CHAMBER. WE EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR TO YOU. WE

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LONGSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS AND SERVICE TO OUR

COMMUNITY THROUGH THE FIRE SERVICE AND AS AN ARMY VETERAN. WE

THANK YOU FOR THAT. HOOAH. AND WE HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS

TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MS. LUCAS FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN INTRODUCTION.

MS. LUCAS: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, FOR

ALLOWING ME TO MAKE AN INTRODUCTION TODAY OF YESHIMABEIT MILNER,

KNOW AFFECTIONATELY AS YESHI. YESHI IS ORIGINALLY FROM BROOKLYN, NEW

YORK AND WAS BORN IN A HOSPITAL -- BROOKDALE HOSPITAL, TO BE EXACT --

THAT SERVICES MY DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE 60TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT. AND

SHE IS TODAY VISITING THE CAPITOL. YESHI IS THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR OF DATA FOR BLACK LIVES. SHE HAS WORKED SINCE SHE WAS 17

BEHIND THE SCENES AS A MOVEMENT BUILDER, TECHNOLOGIST, AND DATA

SCIENTIST. SHE STARTED DATA FOR BLACK LIVES BECAUSE, FOR TOO LONG, SHE

STRADDLED THE WORLDS OF DATA AND ORGANIZING, AND WAS DETERMINED TO

BREAK DOWN THE SILOS TO HARMNESS -- THE -- TO HARNESS THE POWER OF DATA

TO MAKE CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF BLACK PEOPLE. IN SEVEN YEARS, DATA FOR

BLACK LIVES HAS CHANGED THE CONVERSATION AROUND BIG DATA AND

TECHNOLOGY ACROSS THE U.S. AND GLOBALLY. YESHI HAS RECEIVED MUCH

RECOGNITION FOR HER WORK. SHE IS A GRADUATE OF BROWN UNIVERSITY, SHE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

IS AN ECHOING GREEN FELLOW AND ASHOKA FELLOW, AND IN 2019, BECAME

A FORBES UNDER 30 [SIC] SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR. IN 2020, SHE RECEIVED A

NEW YORK TIMES GOOD TECH AWARD FOR DATA FOR BLACK LIVES

COVID-19 DATABASE. AND IN 2021, WAS AWARDED THE JOHN F. KENNEDY

NEW FRONTIER AWARD, WHICH RECOGNIZES LEADERS UNDER 40 WHO HAVE

MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO POLITICS AND PUBLIC SERVICE.

I'D LIKE TO THANK HER FOR COMING UP -- COMING TO THE

CAPITOL AND TO THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE TO SUPPORT THE CONVERSATION TODAY

THAT WE HAD AROUND DISADVOCATION [SIC] OF DATA WITHIN THE BROAD BLACK

COMMUNITY ON BEHALF OF US FRIEDMAN AND WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW

YORK.

MADAM SPEAKER, IF YOU WILL OFFER YESHI A WELCOME

AND THE CORDIALITIES OF THE FLOOR TODAY, THAT WOULD BE GREATLY

APPRECIATED.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

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

MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU, MS. MILNER, TO THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, THE

ASSEMBLY CHAMBER, EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR TO YOU. THANK

YOU FOR ALL OF THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR COMMUNITY.

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

FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

PAGE 9, CALENDAR NO. 58, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A04712, CALENDER NO.

58, BARRETT, SEAWRIGHT, KAY, LEVENBERG, MAGNARELLI, GLICK, SIMON,

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

EPSTEIN, LUNSFORD, SANTABARBARA, SAYEGH, KASSAY, GRIFFIN, OTIS. AN

ACT TO AMEND THE ENERGY LAW, IN RELATION TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE

STATE ENERGY PLANNING BOARD.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: AN EXPLANATION HAS

BEEN REQUESTED.

MS. BARRETT.

MS. BARRETT: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

THIS LEGISLATION WOULD ADD A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE

UTILITY INTERVENTION UNIT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE TO THE STATE

ENERGY PLANNING BOARD. PRIOR TO 2012, THE UTILITY INTERVENTION UNIT

WAS PART OF THE CONSUMER PROTECTION BOARD AND HAD THEIR OWN SEAT ON

THE STATE ENERGY PLANNING BOARD. SINCE THE CONSUMER PROTECTION

BOARD WAS ELIMINATED, THERE HASN'T BEEN A CONSUMER

PROTECTION-FOCUSED REPRESENTATIVE ON THE STATE ENERGY PLANNING BOARD,

WHICH I SERVE ON ON BEHALF OF SPEAKER HEASTIE. THIS BILL WILL ADD AN

IMPORTANT VOICE TO REPRESENT CONSUMER INTEREST, AS THE STATE ENERGY

PLANNING BOARD CONTINUES ITS PROCESS TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. PALMESANO.

MR. PALMESANO: YES, MADAM SPEAKER. WILL THE

SPONSOR YIELD FOR SOME QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. BARRETT: YES, MADAM --

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

WE'RE ON DEBATE. IF WE COULD HAVE QUIET, PLEASE. THANK YOU.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MR. PALMESANO: THANK YOU. HELLO AGAIN, DIDI.

MS. BARRETT: HELLO.

MR. PALMESANO: I'M -- I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR

THIS, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUICK QUESTIONS. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT

THIS IN COMMITTEE. SO, THIS BILL IS SPECIALLY JUST ADDING A CONSUMER

ADVOCATE TO THE STATE ENERGY PLANNING BOARD, CORRECT?

MS. BARRETT: CORRECT.

MR. PALMESANO: AND IS IT -- MY UNDERSTANDING IS

THERE'S CURRENTLY 13 MEMBERS ON THAT BOARD?

MS. BARRETT: I BELIEVE YES, THERE ARE 13

MEMBERS; TWO OF WHICH ARE APPOINTED BY THE LEGISLATURE, ONE THE

ASSEMBLY AND ONE THE SENATE.

MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. SO, THE APPOINTMENTS

FROM THE LEGISLATURE, THEY'RE -- COME FROM THE SPEAKER AND THE

MAJORITY LEADER AND THE SENATE, CORRECT?

MS. BARRETT: FROM THE SENATE. I DON'T KNOW

WHO -- WHO GETS THE -- THE SENATE'S REPRESENTATIVE IS ACTUALLY A

GENTLEMAN WHO WORKS FOR CENTRAL HUDSON. SO, I DON'T KNOW WHO

SPECIFICALLY APPOINTED HIM.

MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. THERE -- AND JUST -- JUST

SO I KNOW, THERE'S NO MINORITY APPOINTMENTS ON THAT -- ON THE ENERGY

BOARD AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY, IS THERE?

MS. BARRETT: NO. THIS IS NOT -- YOU KNOW,

THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS BILL THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT -- THAT RELATES TO THAT.

AND -- AND NO, THERE'S --

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MR. PALMESANO: I --

MS. BARRETT: -- THERE -- THE OTHER APPOINTEES ARE

ALL FROM THE GOVERNOR'S AGENCIES.

MR. PALMESANO: YEAH. I UNDERSTAND THAT. I JUST

WANTED TO VERIFY. I KNOW YOUR BILL IS SPECIFICALLY IS (INDISCERNIBLE) THE

CONSUMER. I KNOW THAT'S NOT THE WHOLE BOARD YOU'RE CREATING, SO I

KNOW IT'S NOT US TO MAKE THAT DECISION. I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, SO

THERE ARE NO MINORITY APPOINTMENTS ON THE CURRENT BOARD AS IT STANDS,

RIGHT?

MS. BARRETT: NOT FROM THE MINORITY PARTY, IF

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO?

MR. PALMESANO: YUP. AND WHAT -- HOW LONG OF

A TERM DO THE INDIVIDUALS -- WHEN THEY'RE APPOINTED, IS THERE A -- IS

THERE A TERM PERIOD OF TIME? OR IS IT JUST UNTIL THEY MIGHT BE NOTIFIED?

THEY CAN BE REMOVED AT ANY TIME?

MS. BARRETT: NO. THERE IS NOT A TIME LIMIT, NO.

MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. NOW, THE NYISO'S A -- A

PART OF THAT, BUT THEY'RE NOT A NONVOTING MEMBER, IS THAT CORRECT? IS

THAT MY UNDERSTANDING?

MS. BARRETT: NYI -- NYISO -- THE -- THE

PRESIDENT OF NYISO HAS ATTENDED EVERY MEETING THAT I'VE ATTENDED

SINCE LAST -- LAST FALL, I BELIEVE IT WAS? SO, YES, HE'S CERTAINLY PART OF THE

CONVERSATION.

MR. PALMESANO: SO, THEY'RE -- THEY'RE A PART OF

THE DIALOG, BUT THEY'RE -- THEY'RE NONVOTING MEMBERS, IS THAT CORRECT?

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MS. BARRETT: YES, I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.

MR. PALMESANO: SO, I GUESS I WANT TO ASK THE

QUESTION: DO YOU BELIEVE -- AND I KNOW THIS BILL DOESN'T DO THAT -- AND

I KNOW IT'S NOT CURRENT -- I'M GONNA ASK YOU THE QUESTION. DO YOU

BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE MINORITY APPOINTMENTS TO THE -- TO THE BOARD

GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE REPRESENT 6 MILLION PEOPLE? AND GIVEN THE FACT

THAT ALL THE MAJOR CHANGES THAT ARE GOING ON WITH ENERGY POLICY IN THE

STATE OF NEW YORK?

MS. BARRETT: I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A

CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONE MISSING PIECE --

MR. PALMESANO: YEAH. I AGREE.

MS. BARRETT: I HAVE NO IDEA THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO

ATTEND, WHAT POLITICAL PARTY THEY'RE A PART OF. WE ARE REALLY HERE TO PLAN

FOR THE FUTURE OF NEW YORK STATE'S ENERGY INTEREST. AND THIS BILL --

MR. PALMESANO: I UNDERSTAND.

MS. BARRETT: -- IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE

CONSUMER VOICE IS HEARD. AND THAT I DO BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE --

MR. PALMESANO: AND -- AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND

WHERE YOU'RE DOING WITH THE BILL, IT'S NOT -- NOT THE ISSUE. I WAS GONNA

BROUGHT -- SO, THE SPEAKER HAS AN APPOINTMENT, THE MAJORITY LEADER,

THE SENATE HAS AN APPOINTMENT, THE GOVERNOR HAS APPOINTMENTS. I

GUESS IT'S NOT RELATIVE -- MAYBE IT'S NOT RELATIVE, MAYBE IT IS RELATIVE.

WOULD YOU -- WOULD YOU LIKE TO CARRY A BILL THAT WOULD PUT A

MINORITY -- MINORITY APPOINTMENTS ON THE BILL? I'D JOIN YOU AS

COSPONSOR IN THAT LEGISLATION, JUST TO HAVE A VOICE UP FOR THE MINORITY

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

FOR THE 6 MILLION PEOPLE --

MS. BARRETT: I -- I JUST -- I REALLY DON'T SEE THAT --

THAT -- THE POLITICAL PARTY IS RELEVANT AT THIS POINT. I CARRY THIS BILL

BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT CONSUMERS' VOICES, NO

MATTER WHAT PARTY THEY ARE, EVEN IF THEY DON'T -- AREN'T PART OF A PARTY. I

MEAN, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT WHO ARE

INDEPENDENT OR, YOU KNOW, N-O-PS, AS THEY'RE CALLED, AND THEY'RE --

THEY'RE -- STILL HAVE ENERGY ISSUES. THEY STILL HAVE AFFORDABILITY ISSUES.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO FIGHT FOR.

MR. PALMESANO: I -- I -- I AGREE WITH YOU.

MADAM SPEAKER -- THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME -- MADAM

SPEAKER, ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.

MR. PALMESANO: CERTAINLY, AND I -- I WILL SAY TO

THE SPONSOR, SHE'S VERY PATIENT WITH ME. WE'VE HAD SOME OF THESE

DISCUSSIONS. I UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE'S TRYING TO DO TO PUT A CONSUMER

ADVOCATE ON THE -- ON THE PLANNING BOARD -- ENERGY PLANNING BOARD.

THERE SHOULD BE A CONSUMER ADVOCATE ON THE ENERGY PLANNING BOARD

BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT TO TALK ABOUT, FOR SURE. RIGHT NOW,

THE -- I BELIEVE THAT THE CONSUMER ENERGY PLANNING BOARD HAS 13

MEMBERS. MOST ARE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, AND ONE APPOINTEE

COMES FROM THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, ONE APPOINTEE COMES FROM

THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE.

IN MY OPINION, AND IN OUR OPINION, THINK ABOUT IT;

WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE ENERGY POLICY IN THE STATE, THERE SHOULD BE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MINORITY APPOINTMENTS TO THIS BOARD. THEY'RE STILL GONNA BE

OUTNUMBERED. WE REPRESENT 6 MILLION -- 6 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE STATE

OF NEW YORK. AND THE MAJOR CHANGES THAT ARE GOING ON WITH THE

ENERGY POLICY IN THE STATE, THE -- THE -- HOW IMPACTFUL AND FAR-REACHING

IT IS, IS SIGNIFICANT WITH THIS CLIMATE ENERGY AGENDA THAT'S BEING

ADVANCED IN THIS HOUSE. ESPECIALLY WITH THE SO-CALLED GREEN ENERGY

MANDATES THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND WE CAN

GO THROUGH A WHOLE HOST OF THOSE. THE NYISO IS A MEMBER OF THAT

BOARD. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, THEY STUDY RELIABILITY OF THE GRID.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE NOT A NONVOTING MEMBER, WHICH I THINK IS

SOMETHING TO POINT OUT. BUT I JUST THINK, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE,

ALTHOUGH I AGREE WITH THE SPONSOR THAT A CONSUMER ADVOCATE IS A

WORTHWHILE APPOINTEE TO THIS BOARD, BUT I CAN'T JUST LET THEM SLIP BY.

IT'S NOT ABOUT POLITICAL PARTY, IT'S ABOUT FAIRNESS AND REPRESENTATION. IF

THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE MAJORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE

HAVE AN APPOINTEE TO THIS ENERGY PLANNING BOARD, WHY CANNOT THE

MINORITIES HAVE APPOINTEES TO THIS BOARD? WE'RE STILL OUTNUMBERED.

AND WHY DO I THINK THIS IS SO IMPORTANT? LOOK AT THE CLCPA THAT WE

PASSED IN 2019. THAT BOARD CREATED A CLIMATE ACTION COUNCIL OF 23

MEMBERS. THE MINORITY APPOINTMENT -- EACH MINORITY HAD A POINT --

ONE APPOINTED. WE WERE STILL OUTNUMBERED. IF THE INDIVIDUALS FROM

THE MINORITY WERE NOT PART OF THAT BOARD, THE -- THE SCOPING PLAN THAT

WOULD HAVE CAME OUT OF THAT BOARD WOULD HAVE BEEN TEN, 20, 30 TIMES

WORSE. MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE

RECOGNIZE THAT TO BE THE CASE, I'M SURE. WE NEED TO HAVE OUR VOICES

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

HEARD. MAYBE THERE'S DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS, THAT HAPPENS. I GET THAT

YOU THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE GREEN CLIMATE ENERGY THAN WE DO. BUT

YOU NEED TO HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION TO COME -- TO TRY TO COME TO AN

AGREEMENT. WE WOULD STILL BE OUTNUMBERED, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY

COLLEAGUES, IF THE ENERGY PLANNING BOARD -- IF WE HAD MINORITY

APPOINTMENTS ON THAT BOARD. BUT AS MY COLLEAGUE, THE SPONSOR SAID,

SHE'S BEEN TO MEETINGS. SHE'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION. THE MINORITY

DOES NOT HAVE A VOICE IN THAT DISCUSSION BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ALLOWED

APPOINTEES TO IT. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING IN THE ISSUE OF FAIRNESS AND

GOOD POLICY THAT THIS HOUSE WOULD TRY TO IMPLEMENT. AND I DON'T

UNDERSTAND. I JUST THINK TO DISMISS IT OUT OF HAND, WELL, IT'S NOT A

POLITICAL PARTY, I -- I JUST -- I FIND THAT -- I TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT, TO BE

HONEST WITH YOU. THE LEADERS OF THIS HOUSE SHOULD EACH HAVE AN

APPOINTEE TO LET THEM BRING -- BRING PEOPLE IN WITH DIFFERENT

PERSPECTIVES MAYBE FROM THE OTHER SIDE. AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT

PERSPECTIVES, WE KNOW THAT. SO, BRING THAT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE INTO

THIS BODY OF EXPERTISE SO WHEN THEY'RE DEBATING THE FUTURE ENERGY

POLICY OF THE STATE, THAT IT'S NOT JUST A -- A RUBBER STAMP FOR WHAT WANTS

TO BE DONE OR WHAT'S BEING PUSHED BY ADVOCATES AND OTHERS, THAT THERE

CAN BE A DISSENTING VOICE TO SAY, THIS NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE EQUATION

JUST LIKE WE HAVE WITH THE CLIMATE ACTION COUNCIL. BECAUSE, I'LL TELL

YOU AGAIN, IF WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE APPOINTEES, THOSE APPOINTEES THAT

CAME FROM THE MINORITY, WERE PROBABLY THE ONLY TWO THAT HAD

TREMENDOUS EXPERTISE AND BACKGROUND IN ENERGY POLICY IN THE STATE OF

NEW YORK. THEY WERE STILL OUTVOTED BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT WORKS, JUST

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

LIKE IT WORKS IN THE HOUSE. WE'RE STILL OUTVOTED. SOMETIMES WE SAY

WE WIN THE DEBATE, BUT WE LOSE THE VOTE. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS. BUT AT

LEAST THERE WAS A VOICE AT THOSE CLIMATE ACTION COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT

COULD BE A DISSENTING VOICE, A VOICE OF REASON, A VOICE OF COMMON

SENSE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE. WE SHOULD HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF

DIVERSITY AND EXPERTISE AND VISION ON OUR ENERGY PLANNING BOARD,

ESPECIALLY AS THEY WORK TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY. AND MY COLLEAGUE,

THE -- THE RANKER, I'M GLAD SHE'S ON THAT BOARD BECAUSE I THINK SHE DOES

HAVE UNDERSTANDING AND COMMON SENSE, I KNOW SHE DOES, AND IS

FIGHTING -- LOOKING FOR THE BEST POLICIES. BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE

HELPFUL IF WE HAD LEGISLATION TO ADD MINORITY APPOINTMENTS TO THIS

BOARD PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE FAR-REACHING IMPACT THE ENERGY POLICY IN

THIS STATE IS HAVING.

AND THE CONSUMER ADVOCATE, WHICH I'M LOOKING

FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, IS GONNA HAVE A LOT TO TALK

ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE COSTS THAT ARE BEING -- ARE COMING DOWN THE

TRACKS AT THE CONSUMERS, THAT SOME JUST DO NOT REALIZE, THAT WE TALKED

ABOUT. WHAT COSTS, YOU MIGHT SAY? THE COST JUST TO CONVERT FROM --

THE COST, IF WE DO NOTHING WITH THE CLCPA, WHICH YOU IMPLEMENTED,

WOULD -- WITH JUST THE METHODOLOGY USED TO MEASURE OMISSIONS, EVERY

OTHER STATE THAT -- COUNTRY, INTERNATIONALLY, USES A 100-YEAR

METHODOLOGY, WE USE A 20-YEAR METHODOLOGY. IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING,

IT'S GONNA INCREASE PRICES AT THE PUMP 63 CENTS A GALLON AND INCREASE

NATURAL GAS HOME HEATING COSTS AT 79 PERCENT. THAT'S A LOT FOR THE

CONSUMER ADVOCATE TO TAKE IN.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THE PSE IN JULY OF '23 APPROVED $43 BILLION IN FUTURE

RATEPAYER INCREASES THAT PAY FOR THESE GREEN ENERGY MANDATES. NOT

MUCH -- NOT MANY PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT THAT. THAT'S GONNA BE

SOMETHING THAT THIS -- I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR FROM THE CONSUMER ADVOCATE

TO TALK ABOUT. THE COST TO CONVERT YOUR HOME OVER FROM NATURAL GAS TO

FULL ELECTRIFICATION, WHICH IS THE PLAN AND DESIRE OF THIS BODY AND THE

GOVERNOR, WOULD COST HOMEOWNERS $35,000 TO CONVERT THEIR HOMES

OVER FROM NATURAL GAS TO FULL ELECTRIFICATION. THAT'S A LOT FOR THIS

CONSUMER ADVOCATE TO TAKE IN.

THE SCHOOL BUS MANDATE, THE ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS

MANDATE, WHICH WE PEGGED $8-15 BILLION JUST TO -- TO RE-COST THE

REPLACING SCHOOL BUSES, THAT ARE THE MOTHER-OF-ALL UNFUNDED MANDATES

PLACED ON OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PROPERTY TAXPAYERS. THAT'S A LOT FOR

OUR CONSUMER ADVOCATE, WHO WILL BE ON THAT BOARD, AND IT WOULD BE

NICE IF THEY HAD MINORITY APPOINTMENTS ON THAT BOARD TO DIGEST AND TALK

ABOUT THAT AS WELL.

THE IMPACT OF THE ACT REGULATION, WHICH IS GOING TO

DEVASTATE THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WHICH HAS

300,000 JOBS AND TRANSPORTS 96 PERCENT OF THE GOODS ACROSS THE STATE.

THAT'S GONNA BE A LOT FOR THIS CONSUMER ADVOCATE TO DIGEST AND TAKE IN

DURING THE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ENERGY PLANNING BOARD.

ALSO, THE ADVANCED CLEAN CAR RULE, WHICH SAYS IN

2025 THAT 35 PERCENT OF THE VEHICLES SOLD SHOULD BE ELECTRIC VEHICLES,

WHICH IS GOING TO HAVE A MANDATE THAT THEY CAN'T MEET BECAUSE THERE'S

NO CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE, JUST LIKE THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY HAS NO

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE THRUWAY. BUT THESES MANDATES, THESE

REGULATIONS, ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR, BOTH OF THEM, BY THE

DEC. THAT'S GOING TO BE A LOT FOR THIS CONSUMER ENERGY BOARD TO TAKE

IN; THAT'S A LOT FOR THAT ENERGY PLANNING BOARD TO DISCUSS. AND IF WE

HAD A SEAT AT THE TABLE, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT.

I CAN GO ON AND ON BY THE FACT -- HOW ABOUT IN 2019,

THE -- THE RESIDENTIAL RATE FOR ELECTRICITY WAS 17 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR,

BUT NOW IT'S 26 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR, 59 PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE

NATIONAL AVERAGE. AND THE -- THE -- THE COMMERCIAL RATE IS 57 PERCENT

OF THE HIGHER NATIONAL AVERAGE. THAT'S A LOT FOR THIS CONSUMER ADVOCATE

TO TAKE ON. THAT'S A LOT FOR THE -- OUR -- OUR ENERGY PLANNING BOARD TO

TAKE ON. AND IF WE HAD A SEAT AT THE TABLE TOO, WE'D BE TALKING ABOUT

THESE THINGS JUST LIKE I'M TALKING ABOUT IT HERE. IT'S OKAY TO HAVE A

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. WE'RE STILL GONNA GET OUTNUMBERED. BUT THESE

ARE THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO, THESE COSTS, THESE -- AND WE'RE

NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT RELIABILITY, WHICH IS WHY THE NYISO SHOULD

ACTUALLY HAVE A VOTING BOARD MEMBER ON THAT BOARD JUST TO CONSULT

THEM BECAUSE THE NYISO SOUNDED THE ALARM ABOUT THE THREAT, TO THE

RELIABILITY OF THE GRID, WITH THE POLICIES THAT ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED,

AND THE REPORTS WILL CONTINUE TO COME OUT AND SHOW THAT, THE THINNESS

IN THE MARGINS. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BUSINESSES AND WE TALK ABOUT

ENERGY POLICY AND CARE ABOUT THINGS, AFFORDABILITY AND RELIABILITY. THEY

CAN'T GET AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE ENERGY IN NEW YORK STATE, YOU KNOW

THEY'RE GONNA GO ELSEWHERE. JUST LIKE THE TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE

GONNA GO ELSEWHERE WHEN THEY CAN'T DO BUSINESS IN NEW YORK STATE.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

JUST LIKE THE -- THE ADVANCED CLEAN CAR RULES IS GONNA LIMIT CHOICE AND

INCREASE PRICES FOR CONSUMERS. JUST LIKE THE ACT REGULATION IS GONNA

INCREASE HOMEOWNER COSTS BECAUSE THE PRICE OF LUMBER BEING SHIPPED

IS GONNA BE SHIPPED BY OUT-OF-STATE TRUCKING COMPANIES. AND THE PRICE

OF FOOD IS GONNA GO UP BECAUSE THEY -- THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO SHIP FOOD

ACROSS THE STATE FROM OUT-OF-STATE TRUCKING COMPANIES. THAT'S A LOT FOR

THIS CONSUMER ADVOCATE TO TAKE IN, BUT THAT'S A LOT FOR US TO TAKE IN.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THIS IS -- ON THE OTHER SIDE, MY

FRIENDS, MY COLLEAGUES, THIS IS A POLICY THAT YOU'RE PUSHING FOR. THE

POLICY'S REALLY DESIGNED TO DISMANTLE THE AFFORDABLE AND RELIABLE

NATURAL GAS INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPLY DELIVERY SYSTEM. IT'S TOTALLY DESIGNED

TO TAKE AWAY CONSUMER CHOICE ON HOW YOU HEAT YOUR HOME, COOK YOUR

FOOD, POWER YOUR VEHICLES, POWER YOUR BUILDINGS AND THE VEHICLES YOU

DRIVE. IT WILL JEOPARDIZE THE RELIABILITY OF THE GRID, LEADING TO A

DANGEROUS BLACKOUT. AND IT WILL CONTINUE OUR NATION LEADING

OUTMIGRATION OF MORE BUSINESSES, FAMILIES, FARMERS, MANUFACTURERS

LEAVING THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

SO, ALTHOUGH I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE THAT THIS --

THIS BILL, HAVING A CONSUMER ADVOCATE IS A GOOD THING AND I KNOW MANY

PEOPLE WILL VOTE FOR IT, PROBABLY ON MY SIDE OF THE AISLE, TOO, MY VOTE

IS GONNA BE IN THE NEGATIVE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF -- WE CERTAINLY NEED THE

MINORITY APPOINTMENT ON THIS BOARD GIVEN THE FAR-REACHING IMPACT OF

THE ENERGY POLICY IN THIS STATE.

SO THAT -- FOR THAT REASON I'LL BE VOTING IN THE NEGATIVE.

THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER, AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSOR.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

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.)

MS. LUNSFORD TO EXPLAIN HER VOTE.

MS. LUNSFORD: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I WANT TO COMMEND THE SPONSOR OF THIS BILL. I THINK

THIS IS A GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR CONSUMER PROTECTIONS. BUT I ALSO JUST

WANT TO TAKE NOTE THAT THIS BODY ROUTINELY APPOINTS PEOPLE OF VARYING

POLITICAL AFFILIATION TO THESE TASK FORCE -- TO THESE TASK FORCES AND

BOARDS. I MYSELF HAS BEEN -- CONSULTED ON APPOINTMENTS WHEN THEY

HAVE BEEN RELEVANT TO MY REGION, AND I MYSELF HAVE RECOMMENDED A

REGISTERED REPUBLICAN WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTED. I THINK THE IDEA THAT

HAVING MINORITY APPOINTMENTS SOMEHOW DIVERSIFIES A VIEWPOINT, WHEN

EVEN AMONG BOTH PARTIES WHAT MAY BE THE OPINION OF ONE REGION VERSUS

ANOTHER, REGARDLESS OF THE PARTY, IS SOMEHOW MONOLITH IS A

MISUNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THESE APPOINTMENTS ARE FOR. EVEN ON OUR

REPUBLICAN SIDE OF THE AISLE, THE IDEA THAT SOMEONE FROM THE FINGER

LAKES AND LONG ISLAND AND QUEENS WOULD ALL APPOINT THE SAME PERSON,

I THINK, IS FOLLY.

SO, CONSIDERING THAT I HAVE SEEN THIS BODY ROUTINELY

CHOOSE PEOPLE OF MERIT AND EXPERIENCE OVER POLITICAL AFFILIATION, I'M

VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE SPONSOR'S BILL PASS AS WRITTEN. THANK YOU VERY

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MUCH.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MS. LUNSFORD IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.

MR. RA TO EXPLAIN HIS VOTE.

MR. RA: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

I'M GONNA BE VOTING FOR THIS, BUT I -- I DO WANT TO NOTE,

THE REASON THAT THE TOPIC KEEPS COMING UP WITH REGARD TO MINORITY

APPOINTMENTS IS, YES, WE HAVE A VERY REGIONALLY DIVERSE STATE. WE

HAVE DIVERSE OPINIONS WITH REGARD TO ENERGY ISSUES OR ANY OTHER ISSUE

WITHIN OUR RESPECTIVE CONFERENCES. BUT, IT SEEMS TO ME, THAT THERE'S

REALLY NO OTHER REASON WHY WHEN WE DO SOME OF THESE TASK FORCES, THAT

WE DON'T GIVE MINORITY APPOINTMENTS THAN JUST SAYING, HEY, WE'RE THE

MAJORITY. WE -- WE GET TO CHOOSE AND -- AND THEY DON'T GET ANYBODY.

SO, I -- I THINK IT MISSES THE POINT THAT THERE IS CLEARLY

POLITICS AT PLAY WHEN YOU SAY THAT EVEN -- I MEAN, EVEN WHEN WE DO

ONE, RIGHT, MAYBE THERE'S THREE FOR THE MAJORITY, ONE FOR THE MINORITY.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S TOO MUCH TO ASK THAT WE HELP INCREASE THE DIVERSITY

OF OPINION, WHETHER IT'S UPSTATE, DOWNSTATE, RURAL, SUBURBAN, CITY. IT --

IT JUST MAKES SENSE THAT WHEN A CONFERENCE REPRESENTS 6 MILLION

PEOPLE, THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE

TABLE AND HAVE SOMEBODY THAT -- THAT THEY BRING FORWARD BECAUSE OF

THEIR QUALIFICATIONS. THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. RA IN THE

AFFIRMATIVE.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULT.)

THE BILL IS PASSED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, WILL

YOU PLEASE CALL THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE

ROOM?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: JUDICIARY

COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. PLEASE MEET

CHAIR LAVINE IN THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM, JUDICIARY

COMMITTEE.

PAGE 10, CALENDAR NO. 73, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A02447, CALENDAR NO.

73, LEVENBERG, YEGER, GONZÁLEZ-ROJAS, SHIMSKY, CHANG, GRIFFIN,

SAYEGH, KASSAY, OTIS, SANTABARBARA, COLTON. AN ACT TO AMEND THE

PUBLIC SERVICE LAW, IN RELATION TO REQUIRING CORPORATIONS AND

MUNICIPALITIES TO NOTIFY PROPERTY OWNERS PRIOR TO BEGINNING CERTAIN

SERVICES.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON A MOTION BY

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

ADVANCED.

AN EXPLANATION IS REQUESTED.

MS. LEVENBERG.

MS. LEVENBERG: MADAM SPEAKER, THIS BILL WILL

REQUIRE UTILITY COOPERATIONS AND MUNICIPALITIES TO NOTIFY CUSTOMERS IF

THEY REASONABLY BELIEVE SCHEDULED UTILITY WORK WILL IMPACT THE USE OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL OR OTHER PROPERTY PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE

SCHEDULED WORK.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. PALMESANO.

MR. PALMESANO: YES, MADAM SPEAKER. WILL THE

SPONSOR YIELD FOR SOME QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. LEVENBERG: ABSOLUTELY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. PALMESANO: THANK YOU, MS. LEVENBERG.

I DON'T HAVE A LOT FOR YOU. OF COURSE, I ALWAYS START

OUT SAYING THAT AND I APOLOGIZE. I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. FIRST,

DOES THIS BILL EXEMPT NEW YORK CITY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE

LEGISLATURE PASSED A BILL IN 2022 REQUIRING UTILITIES IN NEW YORK CITY

TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF IMPACTFUL WORK?

MS. LEVENBERG: IT DOES NOT.

MR. PALMESANO: IT DOES NOT? SO, THIS WOULD JUST

BUILD UP -- BUILD UPON THAT, THEN?

MS. LEVENBERG: ABSOLUTELY.

MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. DOES THIS BILL APPLY TO

LIPA OR ITS SERVICE PROVIDER?

MS. LEVENBERG: AS ANY UTILITY OR MUNICIPALITY

THAT IS PERFORMING UTILITY SERVICES.

MR. PALMESANO: WHAT IS THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF

THIS LEGISLATION? WHEN WILL IT TAKE EFFECT?

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MS. LEVENBERG: NINETY DAYS.

MR. PALMESANO: NINETY DAYS AFTER IT'S SIGNED

INTO LAW?

MS. LEVENBERG: YES.

MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT

I -- AND ALSO, I KNOW YOU -- I SHOULD ASK THIS, I KNOW YOU AMENDED THE

BILL RECENTLY. CAN YOU TELL ME -- OR US WHAT CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE

BILL FOR THE AMENDMENT? THE -- SPECIFICALLY, IF THERE'S ANYTHING

SPECIFIC THAT CHANGED FROM THE PREVIOUS VERSION? BECAUSE I JUST

NOTICED THAT WHEN I CAME IN TODAY.

MS. LEVENBERG: SO, WE HAD ADDED A NEW YORK

CITY CARVEOUT, BUT WE TOOK IT OUT. BUT I -- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT

YOU'RE REFERRING TO OR...

MR. PALMESANO: I'M SORRY. I COULDN'T HEAR YOU.

WHAT DID YOU SAY?

MS. LEVENBERG: WE HAD ADDED A CARVEOUT FOR

NEW YORK CITY, BUT WE DID TAKE THAT OUT ONCE WE UNDERSTOOD THAT NOT

EVERYTHING WAS COVERED THAT WE WERE HOPING TO COVER. I DON'T KNOW IF

THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE REFERRING TO.

MR. PALMESANO: NO, I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE

WHERE -- WHAT WAS CHANGED IN THE BILL BECAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE --

MS. LEVENBERG: YEAH. I THINK IT -- YEAH -- IT IS

POSSIBLE THAT WE HAD MADE SOME AMENDMENTS PRIOR TO THAT LAST YEAR.

NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE IF I -- IF I CAN CAPTURE THOSE AT THIS MOMENT.

MR. PALMESANO: ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT I

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

HEARD ABOUT, YOU KNOW, DURING THE -- THE PROCESS OF THIS, THE GENESIS OF

THIS BILL, WAS THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THE AUTOMATIVE PROCESS WAS NOT

JUST AS EASY AS HITTING A SWITCH. AND THERE COULD BE SOME UPGRADES

THAT WOULD NEED TO BE MADE, SOME CHANGES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE

MADE TO ASSIST SOME OF THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THAT COULD TAKE SOME

TIME.

GIVEN THE EFFECTIVE DATE -- IT SAYS 90 DAYS -- WOULD

YOU BE WILLING TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT LOOKING AT AN EFFECTIVE DATE

THAT MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE SOME OF THESE PROVIDERS AS FAR AS

LOOKING AT THEIR IT INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM, WHICH THEY HAVE VOICED SOME

CONCERNS, AT LEAST TO ME, ABOUT BEING -- IMPLEMENT THIS LEGISLATION, THIS

LAW AND THIS REQUIREMENT, TO COMPLY WITH THE -- THE MANDATE THAT IT

HAS. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO MAYBE TALK -- HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS

AND LOOK AT THAT EFFECTIVE DAY AND SAY, OKAY. IF THIS IS THE WAY IT'S

GOING TO BE, CAN WE AT LEAST ADJUST THE EFFECTIVE DATE OUT A LITTLE BIT TO

HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY SO WE CAN PUT THIS IN PLACE? IS THAT

SOMETHING THAT YOU MIGHT BE OPEN TO FOR DISCUSSION?

MS. LEVENBERG: ASSEMBLYMEMBER, I AM NOT

EXACTLY SURE WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, BUT I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO YOUR

PREVIOUS QUESTION --

MR. PALMESANO: SURE.

MS. LEVENBERG: -- BECAUSE WE DID WORK WITH THE

UTILITIES ON THIS.

MR. PALMESANO: MM-HMM.

MS. LEVENBERG: AND ONE OF THE -- THE KEY POINTS

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

OF THIS, IS THAT THEY USE -- THEY -- THEY CAN USE ESTABLISHED PRACTICES.

THERE'S A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF WHAT KINDS OF NOTIFICATION THAT

THEY CAN PROVIDE. IT CAN BE WRITTEN, IT CAN BE ELECTRONIC AND IT, YOU

KNOW, CAN BE TELECOMMUNICATIONS, I BELIEVE. IT -- IT'S NOT REQUIRED, ANY

PARTICULAR ONE THAT THEY USE. SO, I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO

UPGRADE THEIR SYSTEMS TO COMPLY. RIGHT NOW, THEY HAVE ESTABLISHED

PRACTICES FOR SOME NOTIFICATIONS ALREADY. AND THIS JUST, AGAIN, RELIES ON

ESTABLISHED PRACTICES.

MR. PALMESANO: OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR

TIME.

MS. LEVENBERG: THANK YOU.

MR. PALMESANO: MADAM -- MADAM SPEAKER, ON

THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.

MR. PALMESANO: YES. I APPRECIATE THE SPONSOR'S

TIME. I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME AMENDMENTS TO THIS LEGISLATION, I

KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSIONS. I THINK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I

WANTED TO JUST GET ON THE RECORD IS JUST SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT I

HEARD THROUGH THE GENESIS OF THIS LEGISLATION; SPECIFICALLY RELATIVE TO

POSSIBLE -- THE -- THE NOTIFICATION, BUT NOT -- WITH THE IT SYSTEM. THERE

HAS BEEN SOME CONCERNS, AT LEAST RAISED TO ME, ABOUT THAT PROCESS AND

IT MIGHT NOT BE AS SIMPLE AS IT SOUNDS. AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE

QUESTION ABOUT THE EFFECTIVE DATE AND WHETHER OR NOT, AS THAT HAPPENS,

IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN WORK WITH. THE INDUSTRY, WHO WE -- WHO

WANTS TO COMPLY IF THIS IS A LAW, THEY WANT TO COMPLY, THEY WANT TO BE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

EFFECTIVE, BECAUSE PROVIDING NOTIFICATION OF WORK IN A COMMUNITY IS

A -- IS A POSITIVE THING, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THE WORK'S GOING ON. I

THINK EVERYONE WOULD AGREE WITH THAT AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE

SPONSOR'S TRYING TO GET IT [SIC]. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AVOIDING

UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD BE VERY COSTLY AND DISRUPT THE

PROCESS AS WELL.

SO -- BUT BASED ON THAT AND BASED ON THE CONVERSATION

I HAD, BASED ON THE DISCUSSION WITH THE SPONSOR AND THE AMENDMENTS

THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, I AM GOING TO BE SUPPORTING THIS LEGISLATION.

SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH, RIGHT? BUT -- AND I -- SO, I WILL BE SUPPORTING AND

I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THE SAME. AND THEN JUST ASK THE

SPONSOR OF THIS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE AN -- AN OPEN MIND AND -- AND BE

ABLE TO LISTEN FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THAT MIGHT COME UP BEFORE -- IF

THIS BILL MOVES FORWARD AND GETS SIGNED INTO LAW.

SO THANK YOU, MADAM -- THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND

THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

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 RESULT.)

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THE BILL IS PASSED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN

INTRODUCTION.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU,

MADAM SPEAKER, FOR ALLOWING ME TO INTERRUPT OUR PROCEEDINGS FOR THE

PURPOSES OF INTRODUCING GUESTS THAT ARE IN OUR CHAMBERS. I'M HAPPY TO

WELCOME STUDENTS FROM THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIG 5 SCHOOL DISTRICTS

WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY TO SHARE SOME TIME IN THE CHAMBERS. THEY

ARE JOINED BY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF MY

HOMETOWN OF THE GREAT CITY OF BUFFALO, AS WELL AS ROCHESTER, SYRACUSE,

NEW YORK CITY, YONKERS, ALBANY, UTICA, AND MOUNT VERNON.

FROM BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE HAVE RAYHAN RASHID,

WHO'S A STUDENT AT MATH SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY PREP; JULIUS JACKSON

FROM SOUTH PARK; AUNDREA SANDERS, DIRECTOR OF CRISIS AND PREVENTION

SERVICES IN THE CITY OF BUFFALO SCHOOL DISTRICT. IN NEW YORK CITY

PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE HAVE NASHAWN DOBBINS FROM EAGLE ACADEMY IN THE

BRONX; TERRENCE BESS, VIEW -- CHANNEL VIEW SCHOOL OF RESEARCH;

ANDREA FERGUSON, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

PROGRAM FOR NEW YORK CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS; AND SHARON RENCHER IS

THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE FOR NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

FROM ROCHESTER WE HAVE DAJUAN JACKSON FROM

EDISON CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY HIGH; SHAHEEM ELLIS FROM EDISON

CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY HIGH; AND KYLE PARIS (PHONETIC) IS THE

DIRECTOR OF YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND CULTURAL RELATIONS AT ROCHESTER

CITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

FROM SYRACUSE WE HAVE AZMIRA SULJIC FROM

NOTTINGHAM HIGH; JESSE SMITH FROM NOTTINGHAM HIGH; AND THOMAS

LITTLE, THE SOCIAL TEACHER -- SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER FROM NOTTINGHAM

HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL.

FROM YONKERS WE HAVE MONICA GEORGE, YONKERS

MONTESSORI ACADEMY, AND MARGARET IAN (PHONETIC) FROM LINCOLN HIGH

SCHOOL. APRIL RODNEY IS THE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND BIOLOGY TEACHER

FROM LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL.

FROM ALBANY WE HAVE AYANNA MILLER (PHONETIC),

ALBANY HIGH; XAVIER SOTO, ALBANY HIGH AND SEAN FITZSIMONS. HE'S

THE AP-US GOVERNMENT AND GLOBAL STUDIES TEACHER AT ALBANY HIGH.

FROM MOUNT VERNON WE HAVE KADEN MITCHELL FROM

STEAM ACADEMY; LEONARD ODURO FROM STEAM ACADEMY; ARTHUR

RYAN MUHAMMAD IS THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST.

AND FROM UTICA CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT WE HAVE

VICTORIA GOMEZ FROM THOMAS PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL; HEATHER

CONCEPCION (PHONETIC) FROM THOMAS PROCTOR HIGH SCHOOL; MONICA

BRAVO, WORLD LANGUAGE AND SPANISH TEACHER FROM THOMAS PROCTOR

HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL.

MADAM SPEAKER, WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME THESE

SCHOLARS TO OUR CHAMBER, ALONG WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND DIRECTORS, GIVE

THEM THE CORDIALITIES OF THE FLOOR, AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE GRACIOUS

WELCOME YOU GENERALLY DO?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES, THE SPEAKER AND ALL MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE ASSEMBLY CHAMBER, OUR PEOPLE'S HOUSE, FROM THE

BIG 5 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALL ACROSS OUR STATE. IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU

HERE TODAY, OUR ACADEMIC HIGH ACHIEVERS, AND ESPECIALLY OUR

NOTTINGHAM BULLDOGS IN THE BACK, I SEE YOU, FROM SYRACUSE CITY

SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR TO YOU. HOPE

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

US TODAY.

(APPLAUSE)

PAGE 10, CALENDAR NO. 83, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A00852-B, CALENDAR

NO. 83, PAULIN, WEPRIN, COLTON, LEE, ALVAREZ, SANTABARBARA. AN ACT TO

AMEND THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW, IN RELATION TO REQUIRING BICYCLES

ADVERTISED FOR SALE OR RESALE IN NEW YORK STATE TO HAVE AN IDENTIFYING

SERIAL NUMBER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: AN EXPLANATION HAS

BEEN REQUESTED.

MS. PAULIN.

MS. PAULIN: YES. THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE THAT BICYCLES BE ADVERTISED FOR

RESALE, WITH A PHOTO OF THE BICYCLE AND AT LEAST THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF ITS

IDENTIFYING SERIAL NUMBER.

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

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

YIELD?

MS. PAULIN: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU.

SO FIRST, I'M LOOKING AT THIS BILL AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE

ESSENTIALLY JUST INSERTING LANGUAGE INTO THE CURRENT GENERAL BUSINESS

LAW TO EXTEND THOSE EXISTING REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW BICYCLES BEING SOLD

TO BICYCLES ON THE RESALE MARKET? IS THAT GENERALLY --

MS. PAULIN: YES.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. NOW, I SEE -- AND THIS

APPLIES TO BICYCLES MANUFACTURED OR ASSEMBLED AFTER JANUARY 1, 1989.

THAT'S CORRECT?

MS. PAULIN: YES.

MR. GANDOLFO: SO, BEFORE 1989, BICYCLES WERE

NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A SERIAL NUMBER ETCHED INTO THEM?

MS. PAULIN: THAT'S CORRECT.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. SO, IN TERMS OF THE

PROHIBITION ON THE RESALE OF THE BICYCLES, CAN SOMEONE STILL RESELL A

BICYCLE ON A -- SOME KIND OF MARKETPLACE THAT WAS MADE BEFORE 1989,

BEING THAT IT MIGHT NOT HAVE ANY KIND OF IDENTIFYING SERIAL NUMBER?

MS. PAULIN: YES. AND THEY CAN ALSO -- YOU KNOW,

WE MADE AN EXCEPTION SO THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE A LIABILITY FOR A -- A

SITE IF IT WAS A THIRD-PARTY SITE.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. SO, PEOPLE CAN STILL SELL

AN ANTIQUE BICYCLE, OR SOME KIND OF VINTAGE BICYCLE, THIRD-PARTY?

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MS. PAULIN: YES.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. NOW, I KNOW IN THIS

AMENDED VERSION IT REQUIRES A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE BICYCLE AND A

PHOTOGRAPH OF THE LAST FOUR DIGITS OF THE SERIAL NUMBER TO BE INCLUDED

IN THE LISTING? IS THAT TWO SEPARATE PHOTOS? LIKE, ONE PHOTO OF THE FULL

BICYCLE --

MS. PAULIN: WE DON'T SPECIFY.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. IT'S NOT SPECIFIED. OKAY.

BUT EITHER WAY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT A PERSPECTIVE BUYER CAN SEE

THAT SERIAL NUMBER?

MS. PAULIN: (NODDING HEAD.)

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. IS THERE CURRENTLY A

DATABASE MAINTAINED OF THESE BICYCLE SERIAL NUMBERS THAT A PROSPECTIVE

BUYER CAN PUNCH IT IN AND LOOK IT UP TO MAKE SURE IT'S LEGITIMATE, NOT

STOLEN, NOT REPORTED STOLEN?

MS. PAULIN: THAT'S -- NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. SO, IF -- IN THAT -- SO, WE

JUST DON'T KNOW. SO, WHAT WOULD A PROSPECTIVE BUYER DO WITH THE

SERIAL NUMBER THAT WAS PROVIDED?

MS. PAULIN: TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS LEGITIMATE?

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. BUT THERE'S NO DATABASE

THAT WE -- THAT --

MS. PAULIN: OH, I GUESS YOU'RE ASKING -- I'M

ASKING YOU. YOU KNOW --

MR. GANDOLFO: OH.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MS. PAULIN: -- TO MAKE -- YOU'RE -- YOU'RE ASKING

SO THAT THEY ARE SURE AND COMPETENT THAT IT'S LEGITIMATE? I MEAN, IF

SOMEBODY REPORTED A STOLEN BICYCLE, IT WOULD -- THE SERIAL NUMBER

WOULD GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO THERE COULD BE AN ABILITY TO

CHECK THROUGH THAT MEANS.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY.

MS. PAULIN: YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, NOT ALL BICYCLES

ARE REPORTED STOLEN --

MR. GANDOLFO: RIGHT.

MS. PAULIN: -- BUT I THINK A GOOD NUMBER ARE.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. NOW, IN TERMS OF -- I

KNOW THIS APPLIES TO AN ONLINE MARKETPLACE. WHAT WOULD BE THE

DEFINITION OF AN "ONLINE MARKETPLACE"? I KNOW FACEBOOK, FOR

EXAMPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE BUY AND SELL ON THE FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE --

MS. PAULIN: EBAY.

MR. GANDOLFO: EBAY, FACEBOOK. WOULD A POST

ON FACEBOOK THAT WASN'T IN THE MARKETPLACE SECTION, SAY IF SOMEONE

HAD A BICYCLE FOR SALE, THEY DON'T LIST IT AS AN OFFICIAL LISTING IN THE

MARKETPLACE BUT JUST TAKE A PHOTO OF A BICYCLE THEY HAVE AND SAY, HEY,

DOES ANYONE WANT TO BUY THIS BIKE? WOULD THAT NOW BE CONSIDERED THE

ONLINE MARKETPLACE AND WOULD THEY NEED TO ADD AN EXTRA PHOTO OF THE

SERIAL NUMBER?

MS. PAULIN: I -- I WOULD SAY IT'S TO THEIR ADVANTAGE

TO DO THAT --

MR. GANDOLFO: RIGHT.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MS. PAULIN: -- BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY COULD BE,

YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY -- YOU KNOW, WHAT -- WHAT ESSENTIALLY THIS IS

SUPPOSED TO CATCH, IS IF THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS CONSISTENTLY PUTTING

UP BICYCLES, FOR EXAMPLE, BECAUSE USUALLY A BICYCLE -- THAT -- IS MORE --

THEY DO IT MORE THAN ONCE, RIGHT? SO, IT'S ENABLE -- IT ENABLES LAW

ENFORCEMENT TO -- TO GO THROUGH THOSE SITES. AND IF IT'S A SIMILAR

PERSON, SIMILAR ADDRESS, SIMILAR PHONE NUMBER TO CONTACT, YOU KNOW,

IT'S A WAY OF CATCHING THEFTS.

MR. GANDOLFO: RIGHT. I WAS ASKING MORE IN -- IN

TERMS OF NOT SOMEONE NECESSARILY TRYING TO DODGE THE REQUIREMENT, BUT

SOMEONE WHO MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT THIS IS THE NEW REQUIREMENT.

SOMEONE MAY BE CLEANING OUT A RELATIVE'S HOUSE --

MS. PAULIN: THERE'S A LOT OF -- OF LENIENCY,

OBVIOUSLY, WITH SOMEONE WHO DIDN'T KNOW.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. I SEE IN HERE, SO FOR THE --

I KNOW THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE CAN ISSUE $250 FINE FOR VIOLATIONS

AND -- BUT BEFORE THEY ISSUE THAT FINE, THEY WOULD ISSUE A WARNING TO

THE PERSON IN VIOLATION --

MS. PAULIN: THAT'S COMMON PRACTICE.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. OKAY. NOW, IF A -- IF A

BUYER NOTICE -- PLUGS IN A SERIAL NUMBER INTO A -- SOME KIND OF

DATABASE AND IT COMES BACK AS THIS MIGHT BE A STOLEN BIKE, IS THERE ANY

OBLIGATION ON THAT POTENTIAL BUYER TO REPORT IT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT

THEY --

MS. PAULIN: NO. JUST WOULD HOPE THEY WOULD, BUT

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

NO.

MR. GANDOLFO: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. I

THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS I HAVE. THANK YOU.

MS. PAULIN: OKAY. THANK YOU.

MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER DILAN: READ THE LAST SECTION.

THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 30TH

DAY.

ACTING SPEAKER DILAN: THE CLERK WILL RECORD

THE VOTE.

(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)

ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.

(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULT.)

THE BILL IS PASSED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MR.

SPEAKER. WILL YOU PLEASE HAVE THE JUDICIARY -- I'M SORRY, THE LABOR

COMMITTEE GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM?

ACTING SPEAKER DILAN: LABOR COMMITTEE,

SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. LABOR COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S

CONFERENCE ROOM.

(PAUSE)

PAGE 12, CALENDAR NO. 94, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06581-A, CALENDAR

NO. 94, WOERNER, BURDICK, BORES. AN ACT TO AMEND THE ENVIRONMENTAL

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

CONSERVATION LAW, IN RELATION TO EXCLUDING AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES

FROM THE DEFINITION OF SMALL GAME; AND TO REPEAL CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF

SUCH LAW RELATING THERETO.

ACTING SPEAKER DILAN: AN EXPLANATION HAS

BEEN REQUESTED.

MRS. [SIC] WOERNER.

MS. WOERNER: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

THIS BILL INCREASES PROTECTIONS FOR CERTAIN AMPHIBIANS

AND REPTILES AND ELIMINATES THE ABILITY TO TAKE THEM BY CLUBBING OR

SPEARING.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MS. WALSH?

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

SPONSOR YIELD FOR JUST A FEW QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. WOERNER: HAPPILY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MS. WALSH: YOU KNOW, I REALLY LOVE THIS BILL

BECAUSE WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME SOMETIMES, I THINK, TALKING ABOUT

NEW YORK CITY. THIS IS TRULY AN UPSTATE BILL. THIS IS TRULY SOMETHING

THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UP HERE. COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT

MORE ABOUT WHY THIS BILL IS NECESSARY AND KIND OF WHAT THE BILL DOES?

MS. WOERNER: SURE. SO, THIS IS REALLY ABOUT

SPECIES PROTECTION. AND IN '23-'24, DEC DID A SPECIAL STATUS

ASSESSMENT OF 18 AMPHIBIANS AND FOUND THAT SEVEN SPECIES WERE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

DECLINING. ONLY ONE OF THEM WAS STABLE AND NINE OF THEM, THEY WERE

UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE STATUS. SO, THIS IS REALLY ABOUT PROTECTING

NATIVE AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES BECAUSE THEY ARE SO ENDANGERED.

MS. WALSH: SO -- AND I -- ARE THERE FOREIGN

AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES? I MEAN, ARE THEY -- THEY'RE NOT ALL NATIVE,

THEN? CAN YOU JUST TALK--

MS. WOERNER: THEY'RE NOT ALL NATIVE --

MS. WALSH: OKAY --

MS. WOERNER: -- YES.

MS. WALSH: SO I DON'T --

MS. WOERNER: I KNOW -- I KNOW YOU LIVE NEAR A

LAKE --

MS. WALSH: I DO.

MS. WOERNER: -- AND YOU PROBABLY HEAR THE CALL

OF THE BULLFROG IN THE SPRING --

MS. WALSH: EACH NIGHT.

MS. WOERNER: YES.

MS. WALSH: EACH NIGHT I DO.

MS. WOERNER: AND THOSE ARE -- THOSE ARE INVASIVE

SPECIES. THEY ARE NOT NATIVE TO NEW YORK.

MS. WALSH: SO, ARE WE ALLOWED, THEN, UNDER YOUR

LEGISLATION, TO CLUB THEM, THE -- THE FOREIGN ONES?

(LAUGHTER)

JUST THE FOREIGN ONES.

MS. WOERNER: BUT THE DEC IS GOING TO DETERMINE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THE METHOD BY WHICH --

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MS. WOERNER: -- THE BULLFROGS CAN BE HUNTED.

MS. WALSH: SO -- AND IT'S JUST WILD TO THINK THAT

THEY ARE HUNTED AT ALL. I MEAN, BUT THEY -- WOULD THEY -- ARE THEY --

ALSO THE TERM "HARVESTED" WAS USED, WHICH I JUST, GENERALLY, HAVE A

PROBLEM WITH, BUT -- WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANIMALS, BUT -- BUT,

ANYWAYS. SO, YOU COULD CLUB THEM, YOU COULD SPEAR THEM, YOU

COULD -- WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO? YOU CAN CATCH THEM WITH YOUR HANDS.

MS. WOERNER: CATCH THEM WITH YOUR HANDS.

YUP.

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MS. WOERNER: WITH A -- WITH A FISHING ROD.

MS. WALSH: DOES THE AVERAGE FROG HUNTER KNOW

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FOREIGN ONES AND THE NATIVE ONES?

MS. WOERNER: I BELIEVE THEY DO, BECAUSE THERE

ARE PEOPLE WHO APPRECIATE THE DELICACY OF A GOOD BULLFROG.

MS. WALSH: OH. OKAY. WOW. NOT JUST THE

FRENCH, THEN. APPARENTLY THERE'S A MARKET HERE AS WELL --

MS. WOERNER: NOT JUST THE FRENCH.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO -- OKAY. SO, THE

BILL -- BECAUSE THE BILL CHANGED SOME -- SOME LANGUAGE. AND -- SO

WHAT -- WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF CHANGING THE LANGUAGE THEN? WHAT

WAS IT ATTEMPTING TO CLARIFY HERE?

MS. WOERNER: IT IS REALLY JUST UPDATING THE STATUTE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

TO CONFORM TO EXISTING DEC REGULATION. BUT ASSUMES THAT PEOPLE WHO

ARE GETTING THEIR LICENSES MIGHT BE MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE -- WITH THE

STATUTE THAN WITH A REGULATION. AND IT JUST PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL

OF PROTECTION FOR THE -- FOR THE -- THE NATIVE SPECIES.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. SO, THE NATIVE FROGS, THE NATIVE

SALAMANDERS, AND THE NATIVE TURTLES WILL ALL BE PROTECTED BECAUSE, BASED

ON THE STUDY THAT YOU REFERENCED, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THEIR NUMBERS ARE

DECLINING. WHERE IT -- AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT THE -- THE NUMBERS OF

THE -- THE FOREIGN FROGS, SALAMANDERS AND TURTLES ARE INCREASING THEN?

MS. WOERNER: WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY CONCERNED

ABOUT THE --

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MS. WOERNER: -- THE NON-NATIVE SPECIES. BUT AS

YOU UNDOUBTEDLY CAN DETERMINE JUST BY LISTENING, THE BULLFROGS ARE IN

ABUNDANCE.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO -- AND THEN JUST

TO -- JUST TO CLARIFY FOR MYSELF, SO IF IT'S A -- IF IT'S NOT A NATIVE FROG,

SALAMANDER OR TURTLE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF HUNTING THOSE -- THOSE

POOR BULLFROGS AT MY POND --

MS. WOERNER: YES.

MS. WALSH: -- ARE -- HAD BETTER BE -- BEWARE -- BUT,

THE DEPARTMENT WILL SPECIFY EXACTLY HOW THEY COULD BE HUNTED?

MS. WOERNER: EXACTLY.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. WE -- AND THAT -- THE BILL IS

RIGHT NOW SILENT ABOUT THAT? IT JUST DEFERS TO THE DEPARTMENT TO FIGURE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THAT OUT?

MS. WOERNER: IT JUST DEFERS TO THE DEPARTMENT,

YES.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU

VERY MUCH FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS. AND THANK YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MR. PIROZZOLO.

MR. PIROZZOLO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

WOULD THE SPONSOR YIELD FOR A QUESTION?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. WOERNER: CERTAINLY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. PIROZZOLO: OKAY. SO, I JUST HEARD "HUNTING"

RECENTLY AND IT'S BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT ARE -- ARE YOU

SAYING THAT THE DECLINE OF THESE SPECIES IS BECAUSE OF HUNTING? OR

COULD IT BE FOR OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REASONS LIKE PESTICIDES BEING USED

IN LAWNS AND, YOU KNOW, GRASSES ALONG THE LAKES WHERE THESE ANIMALS

LIVE?

MS. WOERNER: IT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE THAT THERE

ARE MANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE DECLINE IN THE POPULATION. IT IS NOT

NECESSARILY TRUE THAT HUNTING IS THE PRINCIPLE REASON, BUT WHY

EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM.

MR. PIROZZOLO: NO. AGREED. I JUST WANTED TO BE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

CLEAR. JUST ONE LAST QUESTION.

MS. WOERNER: SURE.

MR. PIROZZOLO: DID YOU SAY "PULLED" BULLFROG AS

A DELICACY?

MS. WOERNER: "PULLED" BULLFROG? NO.

MR. PIROZZOLO: OKAY. I THOUGHT -- I THOUGHT I

HEARD --

MS. WOERNER: NO, BUT, PERHAPS, PEOPLE WHO

PREPARE BULLFROGS --

MR. PIROZZOLO: THANK YOU.

MS. WOERNER: -- CONSUMPTION --

MR. PIROZZOLO: JUST CHECKING.

MS. WOERNER: -- WOULD DO THAT.

MR. PIROZZOLO: THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. MANKTELOW.

MR. MANKTELOW: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

COULD -- WOULD THE SPONSOR YIELD FOR A QUESTION?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. WOERNER: IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. MANKTELOW: THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO

MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE BULLFROG PART.

MS. WOERNER: YES.

MR. MANKTELOW: SO, WHAT BULLFROG CAN WE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

HUNT?

MS. WOERNER: WELL, BULLFROGS ARE NOT NATIVE TO

NEW YORK, SO ANY BULLFROG YOU FIND.

MR. MANKTELOW: SO, ANY BULLFROG WE WANT TO

GO AFTER FOR FOOD, WE CAN DO THAT?

MS. WOERNER: YES.

MR. MANKTELOW: THAT'S ALL I NEEDED TO KNOW.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MS. WOERNER: YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

MR. MANKTELOW: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MR. ANGELINO.

MR. ANGELINO: WOULD YOU ASK THE SPONSOR IF

SHE'D YIELD, PLEASE?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MS. WOERNER: FOR YOU, MR. ANGELINO, CERTAINLY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MR. ANGELINO: WELL, THIS IS FASCINATING. SO, FIRST

TIME I'VE EVER READ THE SECTION OF THE -- OF THE LAW. AND I SEE NEW,

UNDERLINED IN GREEN, IS "COMMON SNAPPING". NOW WE'RE ADDING THAT TO

TURTLES. DOES THAT MEAN BEFORE WE COULD HUNT ANY TURTLE?

MS. WOERNER: YES.

MR. ANGELINO: AND NOW IT'S JUST THE COMMON

SNAPPING TURTLE?

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MS. WOERNER: THAT IS CORRECT.

MR. ANGELINO: ALL RIGHT. SO -- I -- THIS IS

FASCINATING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I -- I APPRECIATE THAT. I -- I'M GONNA

KEEP READING, BUT I WANTED TO GET THAT IN BEFORE WE WENT TO THE VOTE

BECAUSE I -- I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD HUNT ALL TURTLES. I THOUGHT IT WAS

JUST SNAPPING TURTLES.

MS. WOERNER: WELL, IT'S JUST -- WE -- WE'RE JUST

MODIFYING THAT TO BE THE COMMON SNAPPING TURTLE.

MR. ANGELINO: ALL RIGHT. I DON'T WANT TO GRAB ONE

OF THOSE WITH MY HANDS, SO --

MS. WOERNER: NO.

MR. ANGELINO: -- THAT'S BE DELETED, RIGHT? OR --

MS. WOERNER: YES.

MR. ANGELINO: THANK YOU.

MS. WOERNER: YOU'RE WELCOME.

MR. ANGELINO: THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MR. GALLAHAN.

MR. GALLAHAN: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL, SIR.

MR. GALLAHAN: WELL, AS MANY OF YOU COULD

PROBABLY UNDERSTAND, I'VE HUNTED SNAPPING TURTLES AND BULLFROGS MY

WHOLE LIVE. AND I THANK THE SPONSOR FOR CLARIFYING WHAT WE CAN AND

CAN'T HUNT NOW.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

I HAVE ENJOYED THE SPORT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. IF YOU

GO TO FINE RESTAURANTS, EVEN IN NEW YORK CITY, YOU'RE GONNA FIND FROG

LEGS ON THE MENU. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU'VE HAD FROG LEGS, AND

CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, AND WHAT PEOPLE SAY, THEY DON'T TASTE LIKE

CHICKEN.

(LAUGHTER)

THEY TASTE LIKE FROG LEGS.

(LAUGHTER)

TURTLES. THERE'S A LOT OF MEAT ON A TURTLE. TURTLE

SOUP. TURTLE SOUP IS A DELICACY IN MANY RESTAURANTS. IT IS IN MY HOUSE

AND MY KITCHEN. I LIKE TO COOK AND MAKE TURTLE SOUP. I LIKE TO COOK --

I LIKE TO -- I LIKE TO EAT AND COOK FROG LEGS.

SO I -- I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SPONSOR MAKING THIS

PERFECTLY CLEAR TO EVERYBODY WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT HUNT HERE. AND

I'M SO GLAD WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT INTERESTS ME AND WE'RE

NOT TALKING ABOUT REFRIGERATORS AND BED BUGS THIS WEEK.

THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

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 RESULT.)

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THE BILL IS PASSED.

CAN WE HAVE SOME QUIET IN THE CHAMBER, PLEASE?

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, IF YOU

COULD CALL THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S

CONFERENCE ROOM.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. PLEASE SEE

CHAIR JONES IN THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

COMMITTEE.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES FOR THE PURPOSE OF AN

INTRODUCTION.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU -- THANK YOU,

MADAM SPEAKER, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERRUPT OUR PROCEEDINGS TO

BRIEFLY INTRODUCE SOME GUESTS THAT ARE IN OUR CHAMBERS ON BEHALF OF

COLLEAGUE JONATHAN RIVERA --

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: COLLEAGUES. PLEASE.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU -- THANK YOU

VERY MUCH, MADAM SPEAKER.

ON BEHALF OF OUR COLLEAGUE, JONATHAN RIVERA, AND

MYSELF AND MANY OTHERS IN THE CHAMBERS, WE'D LIKE TO WELCOME

CASIMIRO RODRIGUEZ. HE IS BORN AND RAISED IN WESTERN NEW YORK,

RETIRED FROM GENERAL MOTORS AND A SUPER ACTIVE COMMUNITY ACTIVIST.

WE HAVE DAVID MONTILLA. HE'S A COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR FOR SENATOR

FERNANDEZ. AND WE ALSO HAVE RICARDO GARCIA. MR. GARCIA SERVED IN

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THE U.S. ARMY AFTER -- RETIRING AFTER 25 YEARS. CAMPAIGNS INCLUDED

IRAQ AND 9/11 WORLD TRADE CENTER. HE WORKS AS A VETERAN'S

COORDINATOR AT HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

SO, WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME THESE GENTLEMEN TO

OUR CHAMBERS AND GIVE THEM THE CORDIALITIES OF THE HOUSE?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF

OF MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES, ASSEMBLYMEMBER RIVERA, THE SPEAKER, AND

ALL THE MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, TO OUR

ASSEMBLY CHAMBER, EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR TO YOU. WE DO

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

JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

PAGE 12, CALENDAR NO. 96, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A07038-A, CALENDAR

NO. 96, WEPRIN, SANTABARBARA. AN ACT TO AMEND THE INSURANCE LAW, IN

RELATION TO REQUIRING RATES PAID FOR REHABILITATION AND OPIOID TREATMENT

BE PURSUANT TO CERTAIN FEE SCHEDULES PUBLISHED BY THE OFFICE OF

ADDICTION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS.

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.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULT.)

THE BILL IS PASSED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, WE ARE

ACTUALLY MOVING ALONG NICELY ON OUR COMMITTEES. WILL YOU PLEASE CALL

THE MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MENTAL HEALTH

COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. PLEASE MEET

CHAIR SIMONE IN THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM FOR MENTAL HEALTH

COMMITTEE.

PAGE 13, CALENDAR NO. 109, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A02332-B, CALENDER

NO. 109, BERGER, LEE. AN ACT TO AMEND THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW, IN

RELATION TO REQUIRING ANY WEBSITE OR MOBILE APPLICATION ASSOCIATED WITH

AN ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER SYSTEM TO BE OFFERED IN THE TWELVE MOST

COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: AN EXPLANATION HAS

BEEN REQUESTED.

MR. BERGER.

MR. BERGER: THANK YOU.

THIS BILL WOULD REQUIRE WEBSITES AND MOBILE

APPLICATIONS FOR ELECTRONIC BENEFIT SYSTEMS TO BE MADE AVAILABLE IN THE

12 MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES BY MANDATING THE EBT

SYSTEMS TO EXPAND LANGUAGE SERVICES TO INCLUDE THE 12 MOST COMMON

LANGUAGES ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENSUS. THIS LEGISLATION WILL ENSURE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THAT THESE BENEFICIARIES HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO TOOLS THAT PROTECT THEIR

BENEFITS.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MS. WALSH.

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

SPONSOR YIELD FOR A FEW QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR --

MR. BERGER: YES.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: -- YIELD? THE

SPONSOR YIELDS.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO, I GUESS,

YOU -- AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPLANATION.

SO, I GUESS, I -- I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THE --

THE REASON WHY THIS IS BEING PURPOSED AS FAR AS THE ADDITION OF THE 12

MOST COMMON LANGUAGES. AND THIS IS A STATEWIDE THING, RIGHT? THIS

JUST -- THIS ISN'T JUST NEW YORK CITY, THIS IS THE WHOLE STATE, CORRECT?

MR. BERGER: YES.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. AND WHY ARE -- WHY 12

LANGUAGES AND NOT SAY, SIX, FOR EXAMPLE?

MR. BERGER: WELL, I STARTED WITH SIX. THE SENATE

SPONSOR WANTED 12. AND LIKE ANY LOVING, MARRIED COUPLE, WE

COMPROMISED ON 12.

(LAUGHTER)

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THIS -- THIS FALLS IN LINE WITH

OTHER SECTIONS OF LAW. EXECUTIVE LAW SECTION 202(A), LABOR LAW

SECTION 710(B), SUBDIVISION (4) OF NEW YORK REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

SECTION 1144. THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PLENTY OF OTHER LAWS WHERE THEY

USED 12 AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO US TO FALL IN LINE WITH THAT.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. AND I -- AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

COMPROMISE IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING. IT'S VERY GOOD TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.

BUT -- SO THIS ONLY -- THIS IS -- ONLY HAS TO DO WITH WEBSITES AND MOBILE

APPLICATIONS; IS THAT RIGHT?

MR. BERGER: SPECIFICALLY THE EBTEDGE SYSTEM SET

UP BY THE OTDA.

MS. WALSH: AND FOR SOME OF OUR MAYBE NEWER

MEMBERS, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT SYSTEM IS TALKING ABOUT?

MR. BERGER: IT'S A SYSTEM THAT WOULD -- ALLOWS,

YOU KNOW, BENEFICIARIES OF THE EBT SYSTEM TO FREEZE AND UNFREEZE

THEIR CARD IN THE EVENT OF FRAUD OR REPORT FRAUD. AND YOU CAN -- YOU

CAN CHECK YOUR BALANCE AND CHECK TRANSACTIONS ON THERE AS WELL.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. AND -- AND THAT'S GENERALLY -- IS

IT GENERALLY DONE THROUGH A MOBILE APP OR THROUGH A WEBSITE VERSUS

LIKE AN IN-PERSON INTERACTION?

MR. BERGER: YES.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. NOW IF -- IF YOU DID GO TO, SAY,

YOUR LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, IS THERE -- IS THERE A

TRANSLATOR AVAILABLE TO PRESENT INFORMATION TO THE CONSUMER IN 12

LANGUAGES?

(CONFERENCING)

MR. BERGER: YEAH.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. SO, THIS IS JUST, IN YOUR VIEW,

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THEN, EXTENDING THE 12-LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT TO ANYTHING THAT WOULD

BE ON A MOBILE PLATFORM LIKE A WEBSITE OR A MOBILE APPLICATION?

MR. BERGER: WELL, I -- SPEAKING OF THIS, WE HAD

ONE OF MY LOCAL COUNCILWOMAN WHO HAD ROUGHLY ABOUT 1,900 CASES OF

THEFT AND FRAUD IN THE DISTRICT; PRIMARILY PEOPLE WHO SPOKE CHINESE AS

THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE. THEY CAME TO HER OFFICE FOR HELP. THEY WOULD GO

TO THE WEBSITE. THE WEBSITE WAS ONLY OFFERED IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

SO, THIS IS GOING TO THAT.

MS. WALSH: AND, YES, AND I SAW -- I APPRECIATE

THAT. AND I SAW THAT IN YOUR MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF THE

LEGISLATION. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT AN EXPLOSION IN INCIDENTS IN WHICH

UNSUSPECTING BENEFICIARIES OF THE SNAP PROGRAM HAD FALLEN VICTIM TO

EBT FRAUD AND THEFT SCHEMES. AND, I MEAN, CERTAINLY, I THINK ALL OF US

WANT TO SEE THAT THERE'S LESS FRAUD IN ANY -- THE ADMINISTRATION OF ANY OF

THESE SYSTEMS. SO, THAT WAS A NEW YORK CITY EXAMPLE, THOUGH,

CORRECT? AND -- YUP. AND --

MS. BERGER: YUP.

MS. WALSH: I'LL LET YOU ANSWER. I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T

MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF --

MR. BERGER: NO. IT -- IT WAS AN EXAMPLE --

MS. WALSH: THAT'S CORRECT --

MS. BERGER: -- IN NEW YORK CITY.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. VERY GOOD. AND I WAS LOOKING

UP THE 12 MOST COMMON LANGUAGES AND CHINESE WAS ACTUALLY JUST IN

BACK OF SPANISH. MY SEARCH, QUICK SEARCH, SAID THAT 52 PERCENT OF

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

PEOPLE WHO SPEAK CHINESE SPOKE ENGLISH LESS THAN VERY WELL

ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS BUREAU DATA. AND SO, I CAN APPRECIATE THAT.

AND THERE WERE A LARGE NUMBER, AS YOU SAID, OF PEOPLE THAT

EXPERIENCED FRAUD, WHO SPOKE CHINESE, FROM THIS INDIVIDUAL'S DISTRICT

THAT YOU'RE -- THAT YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH.

OKAY. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, DOES THE -- DOES THE

COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH, YOU

KNOW, ONCE YOU'RE OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK CITY, HAVE ANYTHING TO DO

WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF THESE BENEFITS, SNAP BENEFITS? EBT? ANY

OF THIS STUFF? DON'T THEY?

(CONFERENCING)

MR. BERGER: IT IS A STATE APPLICATION THROUGH THE

OTDA. JUST THE EBTEDGE IS JUST THROUGH THE OTDA. IT'S STATEWIDE.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. WELL, THAT -- I GUESS THAT'S

WHERE I WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE THE -- I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A STATE

PROGRAM, BUT ISN'T IT ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE LOCALITIES? LIKE THE

COUNTIES AROUND THE STATE? I'M THINKING OF MY PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT

OF SOCIAL SERVICES, THEY'RE INVOLVED IN --

MR. BERGER: YES.

MS. WALSH: YEAH. OKAY. SO, THERE'S BEEN A

CONCERN RAISED BY THE NEW YORK PUBLIC WELFARE ASSOCIATION. AND

WHAT THEY SAID WAS THAT THEY BELIEVED THAT IT COULD BE -- THAT SOME

COUNTIES COULD EXPERIENCE INCREASED EXPENSES IN COMPLYING WITH THIS

LEGISLATION. AND SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO

ADDRESS THAT.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

(CONFERENCING)

MS. BERGER: I THINK ANY EXPENSES WE'RE TALKING

ABOUT ARE MINIMAL HERE. IF WE'RE INVESTING IN SYSTEMS TO SAFEGUARD

BENEFITS, WE SHOULD BE ENSURING THAT THE PEOPLE THOSE SYSTEMS ARE

DESIGNED TO PROTECT CAN ACTUALLY ACCESS THEM. I -- THIS IS BENEFITS

MEANT FOR PEOPLE WHO -- TO BE ABLE TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.

OFTENTIMES, THEY'RE NOT SPEAKING ENGLISH AS THEIR FIRST LANGUAGE AND

TRYING TO GET THE MOST COVERAGE AS WE CAN TO USE TAXPAYER DOLLARS

EFFECTIVELY, I THINK, IS OUR -- IN OUR BEST INTEREST.

MS. WALSH: AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT

ARGUMENT. AND AS I SAID, I THINK THAT WE ALL HAVE AN INTEREST IN TRYING

TO PREVENT FRAUD. I'M JUST TRYING TO KIND OF DRILL DOWN TO THAT SPECIFIC

CONCERN THAT WAS RAISED BY ONE ENTITY ABOUT THE -- ABOUT THE LEGISLATION.

SO -- AND THERE ARE SUPPORTERS OF THE LEGISLATION AS WELL FOR -- FOR THE

REASONS THAT YOU STATED. BUT, WHAT I'M WONDERING IS, IF OTDA ALREADY

IS GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THIS INFORMATION TRANSLATED? IS IT JUST SIMPLY A

MATTER OF THE COUNTIES PUTTING THIS UP ON THEIR SITES OR THE -- WHAT WAS I

GOING TO SAY? THE -- THE -- THE CONTRACTORS OR THE VENDORS THAT -- THAT

ARE BEING CONTRACTED WITH TO PROVIDE THIS INFORMATION, IS -- YOU KNOW,

WHAT ADDITIONAL BURDEN IS THIS ON THEM? IS IT JUST SIMPLY UPLOADING

WHAT OTDA HAS ALREADY DONE OR DID THEY HAVE TO DEVELOP THIS?

(CONFERENCING)

MR. BERGER: THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN

DONE. THE OTDA IS WORKING WITH THE VENDORS ON THIS. I THINK IT --

THIS -- ANY COSTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE ARE EXTREMELY MINIMAL. THIS

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

IS NOT COMPLICATED TECHNOLOGY.

MS. WALSH: AND THIS BILL IS -- WHEN IS THE EFFECTIVE

DATE? 30TH DAY, IT LOOKS LIKE. ON THE 30TH DAY?

MR. BERGER: YEAH.

MS. WALSH: DO YOU THINK THAT THAT WOULD AFFORD

ENOUGH TIME TO BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THIS REQUIREMENT?

MR. BERGER: YEAH. IT'S -- IT'S PRETTY BASIC

TECHNOLOGY. REALLY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. WELL, I -- I GOT TO TELL YOU, AS I

WAS LOOKING AT THE -- I'M GLAD THAT SOME PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO TRANSLATE

TAGALOG, BECAUSE I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT LANGUAGE IS, WHICH, YOU

KNOW, 30 PERCENT OF PEOPLE WHO SPEAK IT, THOUGH, SPEAK LESS THAN --

ENGLISH LESS THAN VERY WELL. SO, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, IN NEW YORK

CITY WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF DIVERSITY, WHICH IS, I

THINK, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT NEW YORK CITY. AS WE GET TO OTHER

PARTS OF THE STATE, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE AREA THAT I REPRESENT, BUT

CERTAINLY OTHER -- OTHER AREAS, THERE WOULD NOT PROBABLY BE 12

LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH BEING SPOKEN TO ANY GREAT EXTENT. SO,

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO FOLKS WHO SAY MAYBE INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES

SHOULD BE ABLE TO DECIDE WHAT LANGUAGES THEY HAVE PREDOMINANTLY IN

THEIR AREAS AND BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE CHOICES TO BE ABLE TO BETTER HELP

CONSUMERS TO AVOID FRAUD?

(CONFERENCING)

MR. BERGER: SO -- SO THERE -- THERE IS A SECTION OF

LAW, I THINK, THAT WILL -- ALLOWS COUNTIES TO INCLUDE ONLY UP TO FOUR

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

LANGUAGES. THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE...

(CONFERENCING)

AGAIN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHILE YOU'RE RIGHT, THAT

THERE MIGHT BE SOME COUNTIES THAT DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE 12 SPOKEN, I

THINK THAT IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST WHEN THE COST TO DO THIS IS SO

MINIMAL, LIKE BEYOND MINIMAL, IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST. IF WE'RE GOING

TO PUT IN SYSTEMS THAT ARE MEANT TO HELP THESE TYPES OF PEOPLE PUT FOOD

ON THE TABLE, EVEN IF THIS HELPS A FEW OF THOSE PEOPLE, WE SHOULD BE

DOING IT.

MS. WALSH: I UNDERSTAND. CAN I JUST FOLLOW UP? I

THINK YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING -- I THINK YOU WERE CONFERRING WITH

SOME COUNSEL ABOUT FOUR -- SOMETHING ABOUT FOUR--

(CROSS-TALK)

MR. BERGER: IF THEY -- IF THERE'S AN EXECUTIVE LAW

THAT PROVIDES THAT IF IN ADDITION TO THE 12, YOU CAN ALSO INTRODUCE AN

ADDITIONAL FOUR ON TOP.

MS. WALSH: OH. SO IT WOULD BE AN ADDITION --

(CROSS-TALK)

MR. BERGER: SO MEANING IF --

MS. WALSH: -- 16 --

MR. BERGER: -- YOU'RE IN ONE COUNTY AND THE

LANGUAGE IS NOT ONE OF THAT 12, YOU CAN HAVE, YOU KNOW, ADD -- ADD

MORE, IF YOU'D LIKE.

MS. WALSH: BUT EVERY COUNTY INCLUDING -- AND I

WON'T NAME NAMES ABOUT -- BUT WE WERE KIND OF TALKING EARLIER, IN ONE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

COUNTY (INDISCERNIBLE) TO THE WESTERN PART OF OUR STATE, THEY MAY SPEAK

ENGLISH AND MAYBE AMISH, YOU KNOW, AND -- AND -- AND THAT'S IT. SO --

BUT THEY'LL HAVE TO PROVIDE IT, ALL 12, AND THEN AN OPTION TO PROVIDE UP

TO 16?

MR. BERGER: YES.

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MR. BERGER: YES.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE

YOUR ANSWERS.

MADAM SPEAKER, VERY BRIEFLY ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.

MS. WALSH: SO, I -- AS I SAID, I THINK THAT THERE IS

CERTAINLY AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE AND I THINK THE SPONSOR MADE IT VERY

WELL THAT WE -- WE ALL HAVE AN INTEREST, ALL OF US, IN PROTECTING TAXPAYER

MONEY AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS NOT -- THERE IS NOT FRAUD. AND WE

WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE -- THE MONEY IS GOING TO THE PEOPLE THAT IT

SHOULD BE GOING TO AND NOT THE PEOPLE THAT IT SHOULDN'T. SO, I DO THINK

THAT THAT HAS A LOT OF UTILITY. I QUESTIONED, AND THE REASON WHY I WANTED

TO ASK A FEW QUESTIONS OF THE SPONSOR, IS JUST THE SHEER NUMBER OF

LANGUAGES THAT'S BEING REQUIRED AND MANDATED, YOU KNOW, IN -- BEING A

ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL SOLUTION FOR A VERY DIVERSE STATE. AND I WONDERED IF,

PERHAPS, IT WOULD HAVE MADE MORE SENSE TO ALLOW INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES

THAT ARE HELPING TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM, TO -- TO -- TO DETERMINE AS

THEY WISH TO HAVE NO FRAUD OR -- OR REDUCE FRAUD IF THEY WANT TO HELP

THE CONSUMERS THAT ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR BENEFITS, IF THEY MIGHT BE -- THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

COUNTIES MIGHT BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT LANGUAGES

REALLY ARE BEST USED IN THE MOBILE APPLICATIONS AND WEBSITES.

SO -- SO THERE MAY BE A FEW OF US WHO FEEL THAT WAY,

OTHERS MAY FEEL DIFFERENTLY. I -- I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WE'LL -- WE'LL BE

AS DIVERSE AS THIS BODY IS IN -- IN MAKING OUR DECISIONS. BUT I DO

APPRECIATE THE SPONSOR'S ANSWERS. AND THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: WILL THE SPONSOR YIELD

FOR A QUESTION?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

MR. BERGER: ABSOLUTELY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: SO, I'M UNDERSTANDING

FROM YOUR MEMO, THAT THE NEED FOR THIS EBTEDGE CARD BECAME CLEAR

AFTER OTDA LITERALLY WAS -- HAD THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CALLING THEM

BECAUSE THEY WOULD GO TO THE STORE AND TRY TO USE THEIR CARD AND IT

WOULD BE GONE BECAUSE OF THE FRAUD. THIS HAPPENED ALL OVER THE STATE;

IS THAT RIGHT?

MR. BERGER: YEAH.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: AND I -- I KNOW WHEN

WE CALLED FROM MY OFFICE IN BUFFALO, IT -- IT WAS IN THE SUMMER WHEN

PEOPLE WERE HAVING THIS ISSUE. AND LITERALLY THE ENTIRE CARD WAS GONE

WHEN THEY WENT -- WITH A FULL CART -- GROCERY CART FULL OF FOOD AND THEY

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

COULDN'T USE THEIR CARDS. AND, SO, THANK YOU FOR -- FOR BRINGING THIS UP

BECAUSE IT'S A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE

EXACT SAME REASONS THAT MY COLLEAGUE JUST MENTIONED. NO ONE WANTS

TO SEE THIS KIND OF FRAUD. THE REASON THESE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THESE

CARDS, IS SO THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO A GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE AND HAVE

ACCESS TO GOOD FOOD. BUT IF SOME FRAUDSTER HAS FIGURED OUT HOW TO, JUST

USING A COMPUTER, GO THROUGH AND USE -- TAKE EVERYBODY'S RESOURCES

OUT BEFORE THEY GET TO USE IT, THAT'S WHAT OTDA JUST REPAIRED. AND IN

REPAIRING THAT, THEY NEEDED TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO

CANCEL THE CARD IF THEY THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME FRAUD. AND

SOMETIMES, YOU HAVE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO PEOPLE IN THE LANGUAGE

THAT THEY SPEAK. AND SO I -- I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU PUT THIS BILL

FORWARD. AND I -- I KNOW -- YOU KNOW, I'M FROM A COMMUNITY WHERE

SOME 30 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND SO WE ARE CONSTANTLY RETROFITTING HOW WE DEAL WITH PEOPLE, HOW

WE DEAL WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS, BASED ON WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE. WE HAVE

TO MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE. SO, I WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR THIS BILL.

AND I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND OTDA FOR QUICKLY COMING UP WITH A APP

THAT CAN BE USED BY THE CLIENT TO PROTECT THE CARD AND THEMSELVES. SO,

THANK YOU FOR THIS BILL.

MR. BERGER: THANK YOU.

(PAUSE)

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST

SECTION.

THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 30TH

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

DAY.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: A PARTY VOTE HAS

BEEN REQUESTED.

MS. WALSH.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. THE

MINORITY CONFERENCE WILL BE IN THE NEGATIVE ON THIS PIECE OF

LEGISLATION, BUT IF PEOPLE WISH TO SUPPORT IT, THEY MAY CERTAINLY DO SO AT

THEIR SEATS. THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER. THE MAJORITY CONFERENCE IS GOING TO GENERALLY BE IN FAVOR OF

THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION; HOWEVER, THERE MAY BE A FEW THAT WILL DESIRE

TO BE AN EXCEPTION. THEY SHOULD FEEL FREE TO TAKE THE VOTE AT THE SEAT.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THANK YOU.

THE CLERK WILL RECORD THE VOTE.

(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, IF YOU

COULD CALL THE RACING AND WAGERING COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S

CONFERENCE ROOM IMMEDIATELY. WE'RE MOVING RIGHT ALONG HERE ON

THESE COMMITTEES.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: RACING AND

WAGERING COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. PLEASE MEET

CHAIR WOERNER IN THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM FOR RACING AND

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

WAGERING COMMITTEE.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.

(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULT.)

THE BILL IS PASSED.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, COULD

YOU PLEASE CALL REAL PROPERTY TAXES [SIC] TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE

ROOM?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: REAL PROPERTY TAX

COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. PLEASE MEET CHAIR

WILLIAMS IN THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM FOR REAL PROPERTY TAX.

PAGE 15, CALENDER NO. 138, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A08151, CALENDAR NO.

138, BARRETT, SANTABARBARA, KAY. AN ACT TO AMEND THE PUBLIC SERVICE

LAW, IN RELATION TO PROPOSED RATE CHANGES FOR GAS AND ELECTRIC SERVICE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: READ THE LAST

SECTION.

THE CLERK: THIS ACT SHALL TAKE EFFECT ON THE 30TH

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 RESULT.)

THE BILL IS PASSED.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN

INTRODUCTION.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: THANK YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER, FOR ALLOWING ME TO INTERRUPT OUR PROCEEDINGS. ONCE AGAIN, I

WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THREE GUESTS THAT ARE IN OUR CHAMBER TODAY.

I WANT TO START ON BEHALF OF MS. SEAWRIGHT, AS WELL AS

MR. BORES. LINDA HOFFMAN AND BARBARA BAER. THESE YOUNG LADIES

HAVE BEEN IN AND AROUND OUR CAPITOL FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THEY ARE

WITH THE NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS. THEY DO AMAZING

WORK AROUND HOUSING ISSUES FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.

MADAM SPEAKER, IF YOU WILL PLEASE OFFER THEM THE

CORDIALITIES OF THE HOUSE AND WELCOME THEM TO OUR FLOOR.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON BEHALF OF MRS.

PEOPLES-STOKES, ASSEMBLYMEMBER SEAWRIGHT AND BORES, THE SPEAKER,

AND ALL THE MEMBERS, WE WELCOME YOU, MS. BAER AND HOFFMAN, TO THE

ASSEMBLY CHAMBER AND EXTEND THE PRIVILEGES OF THE FLOOR TO YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ADVOCACY WITH THE NEW YORK FOUNDATION OF

SENIOR CITIZENS. WE HOPE YOU ENJOY OUR PROCEEDINGS TODAY. THANK

YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.

(APPLAUSE)

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES FOR THE PURPOSES OF AN ADDITIONAL

INTRODUCTION.

MRS. PEOPLES-STOKES: MADAM SPEAKER, I THINK

MY GUEST HAS LEFT. THANK YOU ANYWAY.

(PAUSE)

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: PAGE 15, CALENDER

NO. 142, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A00979-A, CALENDER

NO. 142, LUNSFORD, WEPRIN. AN ACT TO AMEND THE INSURANCE LAW, IN

RELATION TO CONTACTUAL LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICIES.

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.)

MS. SOLAGES.

MS. SOLAGES: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. CAN

YOU PLEASE CALL THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S

CONFERENCE ROOM?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: SMALL BUSINESS

COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. PLEASE SEE

CHAIR BUTTENSCHON. SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE, SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE

ROOM.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.

(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULT.)

THE BILL IS PASSED.

MS. SOLAGES.

MS. SOLAGES: MADAM SPEAKER, CAN YOU PLEASE

CALL THE CODES COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM?

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: CODES COMMITTEE

TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. PLEASE SEE CHAIR DINOWITZ IN THE

SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. CODES COMMITTEE, SPEAKER'S

CONFERENCE ROOM.

PAGE 15, CALENDAR NO. 143, THE CLERK READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A01096-B, CALENDAR

NO. 143, MAGNARELLI, HEVESI, EPSTEIN, ZINERMAN, RAGA, SANTABARBARA.

AN ACT TO AMEND THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW, IN RELATION TO THE

DISCLOSURE OF PRICING CHANGES FOR ONLINE GROCERY DELIVERY AND ONLINE

PICK-UP SERVICES.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: AN EXPLANATION HAS

BEEN REQUESTED.

MR. MAGNARELLI.

QUIET, PLEASE.

MR. MAGNARELLI: MADAM SPEAKER, THIS BILL

MANDATES THAT ANY FOOD RETAILER OR A THIRD-PARTY DELIVERY PLATFORM SHALL

CLEARLY AND CONSPICUOUSLY PROVIDE A PRICING POLICY AND DISCLOSE

WHETHER THE ONLINE PRICES ARE HIGHER OR LOWER. A THIRD-PARTY PLATFORM

MAY SATISFY THE PRICING DISCLOSURE BY INCLUDING A PROMINENT PRICING

POLICY DISCLOSURE ON THEIR WEBSITE OR PRIMARY LANDING PAGE.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MS. WALSH.

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

SPONSOR YIELD FOR A FEW QUESTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WILL THE SPONSOR

YIELD?

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MR. MAGNARELLI: YES, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: THE SPONSOR YIELDS.

MS. WALSH: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO, FIRST I WANT TO GET AN IDEA OF, BY NAME, THE KINDS

OF ENTITIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO DO THIS DISCLOSURE. SO,

WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, LIKE, INSTACART, AMAZON FRESH, FRESHDIRECT,

SOME GROCERY STORES LIKE STOP & SHOP OR, I THINK, LOCALLY, LIKE, PRICE

CHOPPER, WALMART, THEY ALL OFFER SERVICES WHERE YOU CAN ORDER ONLINE,

OR THROUGH AN APP, AND THEN YOU CAN EITHER COME TO THE STORE AND PICK

IT UP OR IT CAN BE DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME. ARE THESE THE KINDS OF

COMPANIES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE UNDER THIS

LEGISLATION?

MR. MAGNARELLI: YES, THEY ARE.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. NOW WHAT ABOUT -- AND I

KNOW -- I HAVE NOT EVER DONE THIS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, BUT MY -- CERTAINLY

MY TEENAGERS HAVE, WHAT ABOUT LIKE AN UBER EATS OR LIKE A DOORDASH,

WHERE THEY'RE -- YOU'RE ORDERING FOOD THAT'S BEING DELIVERED TO THE

HOUSE. ARE THEY -- ARE THEY COVERED BY THIS?

MR. MAGNARELLI: ONLY IF IT'S A RETAILER THAT'S

DEFINED IN THE STATUTE. SO, IT WOULD BE LIKE A WEGMANS OR A PRICE

CHOPPER, OR WHATEVER, AND THE APPS THAT YOU'VE ALREADY MENTIONED. IF

THEY'RE PICKING IT UP FROM THE STORE, THE GROCERY STORE. I'M GONNA USE

THAT AS A GENERIC TERM, OKAY? IF THEY'RE PICKING IT UP AND DELIVERING IT

TO YOUR HOUSE --

MS. WALSH: YUP.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MR. MAGNARELLI: -- THOSE GROCERIES, THAT WOULD

BE COVERED.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. AND YOU

MENTIONED IN YOUR EXPLANATION, AND AS I WAS LOOKING AT THE BILL, ONE OF

THE QUESTIONS I HAD IS, WHEN YOU GET INTO -- AND I -- I JUST PULLED UP

INSTACART BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WANTED TO START -- TO SPEAK WITH YOU, AND I

CLICKED ON MY LOCAL GROCERY STORE, AND THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS

AND HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF ITEMS THAT ARE -- THAT ARE OFFERED ON

THERE, AS YOU WOULD IMAGINE. WILL THIS BILL REQUIRE THAT EACH -- YOU

KNOW, LIKE, THIS IS WHAT A GALLON OF MILK COSTS IF YOU GOT IT IN THE STORE,

VERSUS THIS IS HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST IF YOU ORDERED IT ONLINE, FOR ALL

THE PRODUCTS?

MR. MAGNARELLI: WELL, I THINK THIS BILL DOESN'T

QUITE GO THAT FAR --

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MR. MAGNARELLI: -- OKAY, BUT I THINK IT COULD,

OKAY? IT'S UP TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE. AND MY -- MY FEELING IS, THAT

ISN'T REALLY A STRETCH. I COME FROM A FAMILY -- MY FATHER WAS A

WHOLESALE FOOD BROKER. AND THAT WAS BACK IN THE '50S AND '60S. AND I

CAN GUARANTEE YOU, EVERY GROCERY STORE KNEW EVERY PRICE OF EVERY ITEM

ON A SHELF. NOT ONLY THAT, AND WHERE IT WAS. SO, THIS IS NOT ANYTHING

THAT I THINK CAN'T BE DONE. I'M POSITIVE IT CAN BE DONE.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. NOW YOU MENTIONED THE

DEPARTMENT OF STATE. SO, TALK ABOUT WHAT THEIR ROLE IS GOING TO BE IN

IMPLEMENTING THIS LEGISLATION --

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MR. MAGNARELLI: WELL, JUST LIKE MANY OTHER

BILLS THAT WE PASS, WHATEVER REGULATIONS ARE NEEDED TO -- TO MAKE THE

STATUTE WORK, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUT DOWN

HERE, THEY WILL PROMULGATE THOSE REGULATIONS.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. BUT, AS YOU KNOW, LIKE

WITHIN -- IN OUR DEBATE WE'RE SETTING, KIND OF, THE LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

AND THE INTENT --

MR. MAGNARELLI: YUP.

MS. WALSH: SO, WOULD IT BE YOUR -- YOUR INTENT

THAT, WHAT WE HAD DESCRIBED EARLIER, WHERE IT WAS A COMPLETE ITEM BY

ITEM PRICE COMPARISON, ONLINE VERSUS IN-PERSON, OR WOULD IT BE

SOMETHING LESS? AND IF IT'S SOMETHING LESS, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

MR. MAGNARELLI: YEAH. AGAIN, IF YOU READ THE

BILL, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE --

MS. WALSH: AND I HAVE. YES.

MR. MAGNARELLI: -- OKAY? I'M NOT INSINUATING

YOU HAVEN'T. BUT IF YOU READ THE BILL, IT -- IT BASICALLY IS CALLING FOR

DISCLOSURE OF WHETHER THE PRICING THAT THE THIRD-PARTY IS CHARGING IS

HIGHER OR LOWER THAN THE PRICE IN THE STORE. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT YOU

HAVE TO DISCLOSE. AND YOU HAVE TO DISCLOSE THE WEBSITE OF THE GROCERY

STORE -- OF THE -- THE BIG GROCERY STORE. AND THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THE

INFORMATION OF THEIR PRICING ON THE WEBSITE.

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MR. MAGNARELLI: OKAY?

MS. WALSH: OKAY. SO, IT COULD JUST SAY "HIGHER"

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

OR "LOWER" --

MR. MAGNARELLI: YES.

MS. WALSH: -- OR, YOU KNOW, AN ASTERISK OR

SOMETHING AND IT COULD BE EXPLAINED THAT IT'S GONNA BE HIGHER OR

SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE WILL TELL -- TELL THEM

LATER WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO EXACTLY?

MR. MAGNARELLI: LET ME JUST SEE THIS AGAIN. I

WANT TO GET THE -- THE -- I'M SORRY?

(CONFERENCING)

IT'S GOT TO STATE WHETHER IT'S HIGHER OR LOWER AND -- AND

THEN IT CAN POST OF THE LINK TO THE GROCERY STORE.

MS. WALSH: WHICH WILL HAVE YOU --

MR. MAGNARELLI: -- AND THEN YOU CHECK IT OUT

YOURSELF.

MS. WALSH: THEN YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT YOURSELF?

MR. MAGNARELLI: YEAH. THE WHOLE IDEA OF THE

BILL IS TO BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT SO THE CONSUMER CAN SEE EXACTLY

WHAT THE MARKUPS ARE. UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN I LOOKED INTO THIS, AND,

AGAIN, IT WAS A FAMILY MEMBER OF MINE WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T

KNOW WHAT THE PRICING IS. I'VE HEARD THAT THEY JACK UP THE PRICES

AND -- AND CHARGE US FEES FOR TAKING IT OFF THE SHELF, ANOTHER FEE FOR

DELIVERING IT TO YOUR HOUSE. SO, YOU'RE PAYING FEES BUT ON THE -- AT THE

SAME TIME, YOU MAY BE CHARGED A DIFFERENCE IN THE PRICE IT WOULD COST

YOU IF YOU JUST WALKED IN THE STORE AND PULLED IT OFF THE SHELF.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. AND I -- I COULD APPRECIATE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THAT. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN YOU SAID THAT THERE COULD BE A GENERIC

STATEMENT -- OH, YOU DIDN'T SAY "GENERIC". THAT'S MY WORD. BUT A

PRICING POLICY STATEMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, I -- I'M LOOKING AT ONE HERE

THAT A LOCAL GROCER HAS USED: PRICES VARY FROM IN-STORE. MARKET 32 AND

PRICE CHOPPER SET THE PRICES OF ITEMS ON THE INSTACART MARKET -- ON THE

INSTACART MARKETPLACE. ITEM PRICES MAY VARY FROM IN-STORE PRICES FOR

SOME ITEMS. AND IT GOES ON. IT GIVES, LIKE, A -- A PARAGRAPH OF A -- OF A

PRICING POLICY INDICATING THAT PRICES CAN VARY. IT DOESN'T SAY HIGHER OR

LOWER, BUT AS YOU SAID EARLIER, IT'S FAIRLY, I THINK TO BE ASSUMED, THAT IF

YOU'RE -- IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR CONVENIENCE, VERY UNDERSTANDABLY,

CONVENIENCE WILL COST --

MR. MAGNARELLI: I --

MS. WALSH: -- EXTRA --

MR. MAGNARELLI: -- I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY

RIGHT. AND -- AND I, TOO, HAVE -- THEY'RE NOT YOUNG, BUT I HAVE CHILDREN

WHO USE THESE THINGS ALL THE TIME. YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU -- YOU KNOW

YOU'RE PAYING MORE BUT YOU'RE THINKING THAT THAT CHARGE IS SHOWN. THIS

IS WHAT I'M PAYING MORE, OR THIS IS WHAT IT COST THE SERVICE CHARGE TO

TAKE IT OFF THE SHELF. YOU'RE NOT THINKING YOU'RE PAYING THOSE TWO

CHARGES, PLUS GETTING A MARKUP ON EVERY ITEM YOU BUY -- YOU BOUGHT.

SO, ALL WE'RE TRYING TO SAY IS, I DON'T HAVE ANY -- NONE OF THIS ILLEGAL, BY

THE WAY. WE'RE NOT SAYING YOU CAN'T DO THIS. YOU CAN DO WHATEVER

YOU WANT, OKAY? WE JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE

PAYING, AND WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR.

MS. WALSH: SO -- OKAY. I WAS WONDERING AS FAR AS

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THE BURDEN TO WHOEVER MANAGES THE PLATFORM BECAUSE PRICES, I WOULD

THINK, WOULD VARY. I MEAN, IN THE OLD DAYS AND -- IN THE OLD DAYS, WHEN

I WOULD SHOP, YOU'D GO IN TO -- ON THE WEEKEND OR YOU'D GET FROM THE

SUNDAY PAPER A CIRCULAR, AND THE CIRCULAR WOULD GIVE YOU THE ITEMS THAT

WERE ON SALE FOR THAT WEEK. THEY PROBABLY STILL HAVE THEM BUT A LOT OF

PEOPLE ARE DOING THEIR SHOPPING NOW MORE ONLINE OR THEY'RE SEARCHING

FOR PRICES ONLINE, BUT -- BUT PRICES CAN CHANGE --

MR. MAGNARELLI: -- YUP.

MS. WALSH: -- DAY TO DAY --

MR. MAGNARELLI: YES.

MS. WALSH: -- FOR DIFFERENT ITEMS. SO, WOULD --

WOULD THOSE CHANGES IN PRICES HAVE TO BE CONTINUOUSLY REFLECTED ON THE

WEBSITE? AND ISN'T THAT GOING TO JUST TAKE A -- A LOT OF WORK?

MR. MAGNARELLI: WE'RE NOT MANDATING THAT THAT

HAPPEN. ALL WE'VE GOT TO DO -- ALL THEY'VE GOT TO DO IS SAY, ARE THEY

HIGHER OR LOWER --

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MR. MAGNARELLI: -- THAN THE PRICES IN THE STORE.

AND -- WHAT?

(CONFERENCING)

AND -- AND SO -- AND IT'S THE THIRD-PARTY PROVIDER WHO'S

DELIVERING, JUST HAS TO GO ON THE LAST PRICES THAT WERE GIVEN TO THEM BY

THE RETAILER, OKAY?

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MR. MAGNARELLI: ALL RIGHT. AND -- AND -- AND

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MY FEELING IS, IS THE RETAILER DOESN'T KEEP THOSE PRICES UP. HOW MANY

PEOPLE AROUND HERE ARE SEEING PRICES GO DOWN, YOU KNOW?

MS. WALSH: THAT'S TRUE.

MR. MAGNARELLI: SO, YOU KNOW, THE BOTTOM LINE

IS, AS PRICES GO UP, I THINK RETAILERS ARE GOING TO WANT TO REDO THE -- THE

LIST AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR WEBSITE IS UP TO DATE IF A CONSUMER

WANTED TO GO THAT FAR.

MS. WALSH: AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT -- AND

I -- I APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING ALL THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE A LOT OF

THEM OCCURRED TO ME. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW

EXACTLY WHAT THIS FRAMEWORK IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE BECAUSE YOU ALSO IN

THE BILL HAVE PENALTIES AND FINES THAT ARE GOING TO BE ASSESSED IF THEY DO

IT WRONG.

MR. MAGNARELLI: RIGHT. WELL, IT'S NOT A

QUESTION -- IF THEY DON'T COMPLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY. I THINK --

MS. WALSH: OKAY.

MR. MAGNARELLI: -- YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO

BE WORKED OUT THROUGH THE INDUSTRY OVER A -- OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, I

WOULD THINK. MY REACTION, AS THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL, IS THAT THE INDUSTRY

WILL -- WILL DO THE RIGHT THING GOING FORWARD. AND I THINK CONSUMERS

WILL BE HAPPY WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CHECK IT

OUT.

MS. WALSH: NO, I THINK -- I THINK DONE RIGHT, THIS

COULD BE A GREAT CONSUMER MEASURE, YOU KNOW? AND I THINK THAT -- I

UNDERSTAND THAT. WHAT I'M TRYING TO -- WOULD IT BE SUFFICIENT TO JUST PUT

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

UP A -- A NOTICE JUST SAYING, IF -- IF YOU USE THIS, IF YOU ORDER THROUGH

THIS YOU'RE GOING TO BE PAYING MORE FOR ITEMS? KIND OF LIKE THE PRICING

POLICY THAT I JUST READ OUT LOUD --

MR. MAGNARELLI: YUP.

MS. WALSH: -- A PORTION TO YOU --

MR. MAGNARELLI: I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE BILL

SAYS --

MS. WALSH: OKAY. YOU'RE JUST GONNA -- YOU'RE

GONNA BE PAYING MORE.

MR. MAGNARELLI: IT SAYS YOU'RE -- IF YOU'RE

EITHER -- IT'S EITHER LOWER OR IT'S HIGHER. SO YOU'RE GONNA BE TOLD THAT,

RIGHT OFF THE BAT, AND THEN GIVEN THE LINK TO THE GROCERY STORE.

MS. WALSH: AND THEN YOU DO THE LEGWORK AND

FIGURE OUT --

MR. MAGNARELLI: THAT'S IT.

MS. WALSH: -- IF I WANT TO PAY 20 CENTS MORE FOR A

GALLON OF MILK --

MR. MAGNARELLI: THIS BILL DOES NOT REQUIRE THE

THIRD-PARTY PROVIDER TO DO IT ITEM BY ITEM BY ITEM.

MS. WALSH: THAT'S VERY HELPFUL TO KNOW. THANK

YOU.

SO, IN ADDITION TO, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, THE

ACTUAL ITEM -- THE HIGHER -- POTENTIALLY HIGHER ITEM PRICE THAT YOU COULD

BE PAYING ONLINE, IF YOU'RE USING SOME OF THESE SERVICES, YOU COULD BE

PAYING A SERVICE FEE, A DELIVERY FEE, A FUEL SURCHARGE, A FEE -- AN EXTRA

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

FEE DEPENDING UPON A PICK-UP TIME, WHETHER IT'S, MAYBE, YOU NEED IT

STAT FOR THE DINNER THAT YOU'RE MAKING THAT NIGHT, OR YOU COULD WAIT A

FEW HOURS. GRATUITIES WOULD BE UNDERSTANDABLY MORE, BUT THEY COULD

BE BUILT IN. SO DOES THIS BILL SPEAK TO ANY OF THOSE CHARGES OR

TRANSPARENCY ON THOSE CHARGES?

MR. MAGNARELLI: NO, IT DOESN'T. IT JUST SAYS

YOU'VE GOT TO TELL WHETHER OR NOT THE ITEMS YOU'RE BUYING ARE EITHER A

HIGHER PRICE BY BEING DELIVERED TO YOU, OR LOWER.

MS. WALSH: OKAY. AND I NOTED THAT UNDER --

CURRENTLY, UNDER THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW, IT DOESN'T REQUIRE THE

DISCLOSURE OF SUCH PRICING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ONLINE FOOD PRODUCTS

AND IN-STORE. BUT, TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE ANY HIDDEN FEES THAT ARE

CHARGED, THE GENERAL BUSINESS LAW PROHIBITS THE USE OF DECEPTIVE

CONDUCT OF ANY BUSINESS AND SERVICE IN THE STATE. SO, I DON'T KNOW --

SO, LIKE YOU SAY, THE -- WE DON'T GET AN ITEM BY ITEM COMPARISON AND

MAYBE THESE PLATFORMS DO ALREADY INDICATE A FUEL SURCHARGE OR AN EXTRA

DELIVERY CHARGE ALREADY. I'M NOT SUGGESTING ANOTHER BILL FOR YOU, MR.

MAGNARELLI, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT --

MR. MAGNARELLI: WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD

IDEA.

MS. WALSH: I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE

SCOPING THIS OUT, YOU KNOW, FOR WHAT IT'S COVERING AND WHAT IT'S NOT

COVERING. ALL RIGHT. I THINK THAT THOSE WERE REALLY ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.

MR. MAGNARELLI: THANK YOU.

MS. WALSH: AND I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

MADAM SPEAKER, ON THE BILL.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: ON THE BILL.

MS. WALSH: I DO APPRECIATE SOME CLARIFICATION,

BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I HAD READ THE BILL, I WASN'T ENTIRELY SURE WHAT

EXACTLY WAS GOING TO BE REQUIRED OF THE DIFFERENT PROVIDERS. SO, I FEEL A

LITTLE BIT BETTER THAT IT -- IT -- IT'S JUST GOING SEND YOU A LINK AND THEN THE

CONSUMER'S GONNA ACTUALLY HAVE TO CHECK IT OUT. I DID KIND OF FEEL LIKE

WHEN I FIRST TOOK A LOOK AT THIS BILL, THAT IT SHOULD BE PRETTY OBVIOUS. IN

MY FAMILY WE SAY, IT'S A REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE OBVIOUS,

THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE USING ONE OF THESE CONVENIENT SERVICES, IT'S

FAIRLY TO BE EXPECTED THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE PAYING MORE MONEY. AND --

BUT HOW MUCH MORE MONEY THEY DON'T KNOW, REALLY. THEY DON'T KNOW

NOW. AND THEY'LL HAVE AT LEAST MORE OF AN ALERT GIVEN TO THEM TO SAY,

YOU -- YOU KNOW, YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER THIS, THIS LINK THAT'S BEING

PROVIDED AND DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF COMPARISON SHOPPING BEFORE

PLACING THE ORDER. BECAUSE THE OTHER THING, TOO, IS THAT FOR THOSE

PEOPLE -- IN MY FAMILY THAT HAVE USED, SAY, INSTACART BEFORE, SOMETIMES

THERE'S A TRADEOFF. YOU FEEL LIKE, IF I'M NOT IN THE STORE, THERE'S LESS

LIKELIHOOD THAT I'M GONNA JUST BE THROWING EXTRA THINGS INTO THE CART,

WHICH IS -- WHICH IS AN ISSUE SOMETIMES. SO -- IMPULSE PURCHASING.

SO, ANYWAY, TO HELP THE CONSUMER BALANCE IT OUT, I DO THINK THAT THIS IS

A GOOD IDEA. I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, AS WE OFTEN FIND OUT AS WE PASS

LEGISLATION, WHEN WE DEFER TO AN AGENCY TO DO THE REGULATIONS

FOLLOWING, YOU KNOW, I DO HOPE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE DOES IT

PROPERLY, OTHER -- YOU KNOW, I -- I HOPE SO. BUT I DO THINK THAT THE

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

INTENT BEHIND THE BILL IS A GOOD ONE. AND I DO THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING

THAT MANY OF OUR MEMBERS WILL SUPPORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH,

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 RESULT.)

THE BILL IS PASSED.

MS. SOLAGES.

MS. SOLAGES: MADAM SPEAKER, CAN YOU PLEASE

CALL THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE TO THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE

ROOM?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: WAYS AND MEANS

COMMITTEE, SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. PLEASE MEET CHAIRMAN

PRETLOW IN THE SPEAKER'S CONFERENCE ROOM. WAYS AND MEANS

COMMITTEE.

PAGE 17, CALENDAR NO. 157, CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY NO. A06595, CALENDER NO.

157, MS. -- MR. WEPRIN. AN ACT TO AMEND THE INSURANCE LAW, IN

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

RELATION TO EXTENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS RELATING TO MEDICAL

MALPRACTICE INSURERS.

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.)

MR. GANDOLFO TO EXPLAIN HIS VOTE.

MR. GANDOLFO: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

I WILL BE VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS BILL. THE REASON BEING

IS THAT THIS WE EXPECT, AFTER TALKING WITH THE INDUSTRY, THAT THIS WILL BE

THE LAST EXTENDER ON THIS; THE REASON BEING THAT PHYSICIANS' RECIPROCAL

INSURERS AND EMPRO INSURANCE COMPANY, WHICH WERE AT RISK OF

LIQUIDATION, HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF

FINANCIAL SERVICES TO THE POINT WHERE THEY NO LONGER FEEL THAT

LIQUIDATION IS VERY LIKELY IN THE FUTURE. AND THEY ALSO AGREE THAT THEY

EXPECT THIS SHOULD BE THE LAST EXTENSION REQUIRED. SO, WITH THAT, I WILL

BE VOTING FOR THIS BILL. AND I HOPE IT WILL BE THE LAST EXTENSION WE

NEED. THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. GANDOLFO IN THE

AFFIRMATIVE.

(PAUSE)

ARE THERE ANY OTHER VOTES? ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.

(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULT.)

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THE BILL IS PASSED.

MS. SOLAGES.

MS. SOLAGES: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER. CAN

YOU PLEASE GO TO PAGE 3 FOR CALENDAR RESOLUTIONS?

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: RESOLUTIONS, PAGE

3, THE CLERK WILL READ.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 538, MS.

SOLAGES.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR KATHY

HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 4-10, 2025, AS LATE ONSET HEARING LOSS

AWARENESS WEEK IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

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. 539, MR.

BRABENEC.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 18-24, 2025, AS EMERGENCY MEDICAL

SERVICES WEEK IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

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. 540, MR.

LEMONDES.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 20, 2025, AS ARMENIAN HERITAGE DAY

IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

ACTING SPEAKER HUNTER: MR. LEMONDES ON

THE RESOLUTION.

MR. LEMONDES: THANK YOU, MADAM SPEAKER.

I RISE WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT AND HUMILITY TO HONOR

THIS DAY ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THOSE KILLED AND DISPLACED BY THE PONTIC

GREEK, ARMENIAN, AND ASSYRIAN GENOCIDE, COMMONLY AND HISTORICALLY

REFERRED TO AS THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR FATE,

WHICH INSNARED SO MANY. TWO OF WHOM WERE MY GRANDPARENTS.

IRONICALLY, THIS IS ONLY THE FOURTH TIME ANYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS SPOKEN

PUBLICALLY OF THIS SINCE OUR ARRIVAL HERE. AND I DO SO NOT TO SEEK PITY,

BUT SIMPLY YOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THIS EVENT OCCURRED.

FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, THIS

GENOCIDE WAS THE FIRST STATE-SPONSORED MASS GENOCIDE OF MODERN

CIVILIZATION AND SERVED AS THE BLUEPRINT FROM WHICH THE GERMANS

REFINED THE CONCEPT TO USE AGAINST THE JEWS 20 YEARS LATER. THEIR

PARTICIPATION WAS AS A RESULT OF THE OTTOMAN-GERMAN WARTIME

ALLIANCE. MANY GERMAN OFFICIALS WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE ATROCITIES

COMMITTED AGAINST THESE ETHNIC CHRISTIAN MINORITIES, BOTH -- THE

GERMANS WERE BOTH MILITARY OFFICERS AND DIPLOMATS. TAKING PLACE

FROM 1914 TO 1922, IT WAS A SYSTEMATIC EXTERMINATION OF AN ENTIRE

POPULATION WHERE THE OTTOMAN TURKS DIRECTED THE KILLING OF OVER

353,000 PONTIAN AND ANATOLIAN ASIA MINOR GREEKS AND ANOTHER

MILLION ARMENIANS AND ASSYRIANS. AN EQUAL NUMBER WERE FORCED TO

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

FLEE THEIR HOMELAND IN ONE OF THE MOST CONDEMNABLE ATROCITIES IN THE

HISTORY OF THE WORLD. THESE REFUGEES WERE LARGELY CONSIDERED STATELESS

AND RESETTLED WORLDWIDE. AND DEPENDING ON THE SOURCE CONSULTED,

THESE NUMBERS OF THOSE KILLED AND RESETTLED ARE CONSIDERED

CONSERVATIVE.

THE OTTOMAN REGIME SOUGHT TO CONSOLIDATE ITS

WARTIME POSITION AND TO FINANCE THE TURKIFICATION OF ANATOLIA BY

CONFISCATING THE ASSETS OF MURDERED OR DEPORTED ARMENIANS, GREEKS

AND ASSYRIANS. THIS ILLEGAL REDISTRIBUTION OF PROPERTY ALSO PROVIDED

INCENTIVE FOR LARGE NUMBERS OF ORDINARY PEOPLE TO JOIN IN THE ASSAULT OF

THEIR NEIGHBORS.

LAST, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY MUST ALWAYS BE

CONDEMNED BECAUSE STUDIES BY GENOCIDE SCHOLARS DEMONSTRATE THE

SINGE BEST PREDICTOR OF GENOCIDE AND FUTURE GENOCIDE IS THE DENIAL OF

PAST GENOCIDE, COUPLED WITH IMPUNITY FOR ITS PERPETRATORS. GENOCIDE

DENIERS ARE THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT GENOCIDE AGAIN THAN

OTHER GOVERNMENTS. LET US BE FOREVER VIGILANT. THANK YOU, MADAM

SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: ON THE RESOLUTION,

ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY -- SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? THE

RESOLUTIONS ARE PASSED.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 541, MS.

RAJKUMAR.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 28, 2025, AS NEPALI-AMERICAN

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

HERITAGE DAY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: ON THE RESOLUTION,

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? RESOLUTION

ADOPTED.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 542, MS.

LUNSFORD.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 30, 2025, AS HEAT AWARENESS DAY IN

THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: ON THE RESOLUTION,

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? RESOLUTION

ADOPTED.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 543, MR.

DESTEFANO.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM OCTOBER 8, 2025, AS EMERGENCY NURSES DAY

AND OCTOBER 11 THROUGH THE -- OCTOBER 5-11, 2025, AS EMERGENCY

NURSES WEEK IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: ON THE RESOLUTION,

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY -- SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED?

RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 544, MS.

BUTTENSCHON.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM OCTOBER 28, 2025, AS FIRST RESPONDERS DAY

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: MS. BUTTENSCHON ON

THE RESOLUTION.

MS. BUTTENSCHON: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

I RISE TODAY WITH GREAT PRIDE AND A DEEP SENSE OF

RESPECT AS I INTRODUCE THIS RESOLUTION DESIGNATING OCTOBER 28, 25 --

2025, AS FIRST RESPONDERS DAY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. THIS IS AN

OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COLLECTIVELY HONOR THOSE WITH COURAGE, SACRIFICE

AND STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO ALL OF US AS THEY ARE THE FIRST RESPONDERS

OF OUR COMMUNITY. EVERY DAY ACROSS THIS STATE AND THIS NATION, THEY

COME TO THE CALL OF SO MANY OF US IN CHAOS, FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY. THEY

ARE THE ONES THAT RUN INTO DANGER WHILE OTHERS RUN AWAY. I ASK YOU TO

ACKNOWLEDGE THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH THIS RESOLUTION AND REMIND US THAT

EACH ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS COULD BE A PARENT, A SPOUSE, A NEIGHBOR

OR ANYONE THAT YOU RUN IN CONTACT WITH ON A DAILY BASIS. AND I URGE MY

COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION, ALSO. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: THANK YOU.

MS. KAY ON THE RESOLUTION.

MS. KAY: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER. AND THANK YOU

TO THE SPONSOR FOR INTRODUCING THIS VERY IMPORTANT RESOLUTION.

IN THE 100TH DISTRICT WHERE I COME FROM, WE TAKE

IMMENSE PRIDE IN OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHO STAND READY AT A MOMENT'S

NOTICE TO OFFER COMPASSIONATE AID TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN CRISIS. WHETHER

THEY'RE BATTLING WILDFIRES OR RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES ON THE ROAD, AS

THEY JUST DID IN APRIL WHEN A DRIVER'S OVERTURNED CAR BECAME STUCK

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

OVER A RAVINE, THEY DESERVE OUR HIGHEST GRATITUDE FOR SELFLESSLY

PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES DAY IN AND DAY -- AND NIGHT. BY

RECOGNIZING THE BRAVERY AND DEDICATION OF ALL FIRST RESPONDERS, WE

CELEBRATE THE BACKBONE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND AFFIRM OUR

COMMITMENT TO SAFETY IN OUR HOME COMMUNITIES ACROSS THIS GREAT

STATE.

I RESPECTFULLY URGE ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN US IN

PASSING THIS RESOLUTION AND APPLAUDING THESE OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUALS

FOR THEIR COURAGE AND DEDICATION. AND, AGAIN, THANK YOU TO SPONSOR.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: ON THE RESOLUTION,

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? RESOLUTION IS

ADOPTED.

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 545, MR.

EACHUS.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING GOVERNOR

KATHY HOCHUL TO PROCLAIM MAY 2025, AS FOSTER CARE MONTH IN THE

STATE OF NEW YORK.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: MR. EACHUS ON THE

RESOLUTION.

MR. EACHUS: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

HAVING HAD 13 FOSTER BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN MY

FAMILY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE FORESTING PROGRAM LITERALLY GIVES TENS OF

THOUSANDS OF NEW YORK CHILDREN AN ABILITY TO LIVE A FULFILLING, NATURAL

LIFE THE WAY THEY SHOULD. IT IS MY HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WILL VOTE FOR --

POSITIVELY FOR THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: ON THE RESOLUTION,

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED? THE RESOLUTION IS

ADOPTED.

MS. SOLAGES.

MS. SOLAGES: MR. SPEAKER, DO YOU HAVE ANY

FURTHER HOUSEKEEPING OR RESOLUTIONS?

(PAUSE)

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: YES, WE DO.

ON BEHALF OF MR. EPSTEIN, ASSEMBLY BILL RECALLED

FROM THE SENATE.

THE CLERK WILL READ THE TITLE OF THE BILL, A00056-A.

THE CLERK: AN ACT TO AMEND THE REAL PROPERTY

LAW AND GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: THE MOTION TO

RECONSIDER THE VOTE BY WHICH THE BILL WAS PASSED -- THE HOUSE.

CLERK WILL RECORD THE VOTE.

(THE CLERK RECORDED THE VOTE.)

THE CLERK WILL ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS.

(THE CLERK ANNOUNCED THE RESULTS.)

THE BILL IS BEFORE THE HOUSE AND AMENDMENTS ARE

RECEIVED AND ADOPTED.

(PAUSE)

WE ALSO HAVE A PRIVILEGED RESOLUTION -- A RESOLUTION

BY MR. CUNNINGHAM.

THE CLERK WILL READ.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

THE CLERK: ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NO. 553, MR.

CUNNINGHAM.

LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION COMMEMORATING THE 100TH

BIRTHDAY OF MALCOLM X, A REVOLUTIONARY LEADER AND CHAMPION FOR

JUSTICE.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: MR. CUNNINGHAM.

MR. CUNNINGHAM: MR. SPEAKER, THANK YOU SO

MUCH TO YOU AND MY COLLEAGUES ON THE FLOOR. I RISE TODAY IN SOLUM

HONOR OF THE CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY OF ONE OF AMERICA AND THE GLOBAL

LEADERS OF OUR TIME, A TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER WHO WAS BORN 100 YEARS

AGO, YESTERDAY, ON MAY 19, 2025.

AS WE ALL KNOW, MALCOLM X'S LIFE WAS FORGED IN THE --

THE FIGHT FOR INJUSTICE AND RESISTANCE FROM HIS EARLY DAYS AND

EXPERIENCE OF RACISM, VIOLENCE AND SYSTEMATIC POVERTY, WHICH WAS

EMERGING AS ONE OF THE LEADING VOICES, ONE OF THE BLACK VOICES FOR

LIBERATION AND CHANGE. HIS LEGACY CONTINUES TO CHALLENGE US, IT

CONTINUES TO INSPIRE US AND IT CONTINUES TO INSTRUCT US.

AS WE ALL KNOW, MALCOLM X TAUGHT US THAT DIGNITY IS

NONNEGOTIABLE. THAT FREEDOM IS SOMETHING NOT TO BE BEGGED FOR, BUT

SOMETHING TO BE DEMANDED BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. HIS MESSAGE WAS

ONE OF SELF-DETERMINATION, ONE OF LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ONE OF

GLOBAL SOLIDARITY WITH PEOPLE OPPRESSED EVERYWHERE. HIS VOICE IS

NEEDED MORE NOW THAN EVER AT THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.

AS A BLACK MAN, A FATHER, I CARRY THE LEGACY OF

MALCOLM X AS I DO THIS WORK EVERY DAY. HIS PURSUIT OF JUSTICE REMINDS

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

ME THAT IT REQUIRES MORE THAN JUST POLICIES, BUT COURAGE. IT REQUIRES

TRUTH-TELLING, EVEN WHEN OUR VOICE SHAKES AND IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE. IT

REQUIRES THAT WE NEVER FORGET WHY WE ARE FIGHTING TO MAKE AMERICA A

GREAT PLACE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING HIS LIFE, HIS LEGACY

AND HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES WOULD JOIN ME IN VOTING AFFIRMATIVELY ON

THIS RESOLUTION.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: THANK YOU.

MR. GIBBS ON THE RESOLUTION.

MR. GIBBS: THANK YOU, BROTHER CHAIR. THANK YOU,

MY BROTHER SPEAKER, FOR LETTING ME RISE TO SPEAK ON THIS RESOLUTION AND

TO CELEBRATE THE 100TH BIRTHDAY OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE ICON,

MALCOLM X.

MALCOLM STOOD IN THE FACE OF FEAR, SPOKE TRUTH TO

POWER AND CHALLENGED AMERICA TO LIVE UP TO ITS PROMISES. MALCOLM X

TAUGHT US THE POWER -- TAUGHT US ABOUT THE POWER OF SELF-DETERMINATION.

HE SHOWED US THAT DIGNITY STARTS WITH TRUTH, EVEN WHEN IT'S

UNCOMFORTABLE. HE BELIEVED IN COMMUNITY CONTROL AND THE STRENGTH OF

THE GRASSROOTS, AND THAT MANY WILL ALWAYS OVERCOME A -- THE FEW.

MALCOLM'S SPIRIT LIVES TODAY. AND I WILL PUSH FOR POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY,

FAIR HOUSING, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. IT LIVES

IN OUR REFUSAL TO LET THE SYSTEM DEFINE OUR WORK OR OUR FUTURE, TO

CONTINUE TO SHAPE OUR OWN FUTURES AND NOT HAVE IT WRITTEN FOR US.

WE HONOR MALCOLM'S LEGACY BY BUILDING SYSTEMS OF

CARE, NOT CAGES. BY INVESTING IN EDUCATION INSTEAD OF INCARCERATION.

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

BY PASSING LAWS THAT LIFT PEOPLE UP INSTEAD OF LOCKING THEM OUT.

AS THE FIRST FORMERLY-INCARCERATED MEMBER OF THE NEW

YORK STATE LEGISLATURE, I CAN PROUDLY SAY THAT I HAVE WALKED THE

STREETS MALCOLM MARCHED. I LIVED BEHIND THE WALLS MALCOLM FOUGHT

AGAINST AND I NOW HAVE THE HONOR AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO WRITE LAWS

THAT BREAK DOWN THESE CHAINS AND WALLS.

THIS WORK IS NOT SYMBOLIC, IT'S STRUCTURAL. AND TO ME,

IT'S PERSONAL. I CARRY WITH ME NOT JUST MY STORY, BUT THE STORY OF OUR

PEOPLE, OF PEOPLE LIKE MALCOLM X. I DO THIS WORK BECAUSE TO ME,

JUSTICE ISN'T JUST A DREAM, IT'S A DEMAND. FROM THE FIRST DAY OF

MALCOLM'S MOVEMENT, TO THIS VERY DAY, THE FIGHT CONTINUES. AND I

PROMISE YOU, I WON'T STOP UNTIL EVERY SYSTEM IN THIS STATE SERVES ALL OF

US. AND I REPEAT, ALL OF US WITH DIGNITY, FAIRNESS, AND HUMANITY. AND

WITH THAT, BROTHER, I VOTE YES ON THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: THANK YOU.

MR. EPSTEIN ON THE RESOLUTION.

MR. EPSTEIN: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

I RISE IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION. THERE ARE VERY FEW

TRANSFORMATIVE FIGURES IN U.S. HISTORY, AND MALCOLM X IS JUST ONE OF

THOSE.

I REMEMBER I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL TO -- TO -- TO DO

SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK AND THE DEAN OF THE LAW SCHOOL WHO HAPPENED TO BE

A GENTLEMAN NAMED HAYWOOD BURNS. AND HAYWOOD HAD THE HONOR OF

BEING MALCOLM X'S LAWYER. AND HE TALKED ABOUT OUR ROLE IN THIS

MOVEMENT FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE AND THE STRUGGLE THAT WE ALL

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

NEEDED TO PLAY AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO A LARGER WORLD. AND IT

COMES DIRECTLY FROM WHAT MALCOLM X DID FOR OUR COUNTRY AND FOR

PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY. TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HISTORY OF RACISM AND

OPPRESSION THAT EXISTS, TO UNDERSTAND WHICH ROLE IN OUR SOCIETY AND TO

ACTIVELY WORK ON DOING SOMETHING. ON THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS

BIRTHDAY, I WANT TO HONOR THE WORK THAT MALCOLM X DID TO MAKE OUR

COUNTRY A BETTER PLACE.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: THANK YOU.

MR. DE LOS SANTOS ON THE RESOLUTION.

MR. DE LOS SANTOS: THANK YOU, MR. SPEAKER.

I WANT TO THANK THE SPONSOR FOR INTRODUCING THIS

IMPORTANT LEGISLATION, BUT TODAY AS WE STAND TOGETHER TO REMEMBER A

100 LATER -- A CENTURY LATER, THE GREAT MEMORY OF MALCOLM X, HIS WORK,

HIS COMMITMENT FOR JUSTICE.

I STILL REMEMBER THE DAY. WHILE I WAS IN SCHOOL -- NOT

ONLY HIGH SCHOOL, BUT COLLEGE, IT WAS HIS VISION AND HIS DEDICATION TO

SERVE, TO GIVE BACK AND BE A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS, THAT KEPT ME

GROUNDED AT A TIME WHEN IT WAS DIFFICULT. AND A HUNDRED [SIC] YEAR

LATER, WE STILL HEAR THE GREAT MALCOLM X, WE STILL FEEL HIM AND WE STILL

REMEMBER HIM BUT A 100 YEARS LATER, WE STILL NEED HIM TODAY.

SO, LET'S NOT FORGET WHO HE IS OR WHAT HE DID AND WHAT

HE CONTINUE [SIC] TO DO FOR ALL OF US. I THINK WE CAN DO MORE. WE ARE

BETTER THAN WHAT WE ARE TODAY. AND HE'S ONE OF THE REASON [SIC] WHY

WE ARE WHERE WE ARE. BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND I KNOW AS

A COLLECTIVE, WE CAN DO MORE AS LONG AS WE FOLLOW HIS VISION, HIS

NYS ASSEMBLY MAY 20, 2025

DEDICATION AND HIS WORK ETHIC AND HIS COMMITMENT TO MAKE OUR

COMMUNITY, OUR CITY, OUR STATE, OUR COUNTRY, A BETTER COUNTRY TO LIVE.

THANK YOU.

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: THANK YOU.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. OPPOSED?

THE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF RESOLUTIONS BEFORE THE HOUSE.

WITHOUT OBJECTION, THOSE RESOLUTIONS WILL BE TAKEN UP TOGETHER.

ON THE RESOLUTIONS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING

AYE. ALL OPPOSED? RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.

(WHEREUPON, ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION NOS. 546-553

WERE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED.)

MS. SOLAGES.

MS. SOLAGES: I NOW MOVE THAT THE ASSEMBLY

STANDS ADJOURNED AND THAT WE RECONVENE AT 10:00 A.M., WEDNESDAY,

MAY 1ST, TOMORROW BEING A SESSION DAY.

(PAUSE)

ACTING SPEAKER TAYLOR: ON THE MOTION OF

MS. SOLAGES' MOTION, THE HOUSE STANDS ADJOURNED.

(WHEREUPON, AT 4:59 P.M., THE HOUSE STOOD ADJOURNED

UNTIL WEDNESDAY, MAY 1ST AT 10:00 A.M., THAT BEING A SESSION DAY.)