New York State SmartTranscripts:

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The senate will come to order. I ask everyone to please rise and recite the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The United States Of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. In the absence of clergy, let us bow our heads in a moment of silent reflection or prayer. Reading of the journal.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In senate Tuesday, 02/10/2026, the senate met pursuant to adjournment. The journal of Monday, 02/09/2026 was read

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: and approved.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: A motion to senate adjourn.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Without objection, the journal stands approved as read. Presentation of petitions. Messages from the assembly. Secretary Mareed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Senator Rivera moves to discharge from the committee on health assembly bill number seven eight pardon me, seventy eight ninety four c, a substitute for the identical senate bill seventy four fifty seven b 13 counter one seventy.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: So ordered. Messages from the governor, reports of standing committees, reports of select committees, communications and reports from state officers, motions and resolutions. Senator Generis.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Good morning. Madam president, we're gonna begin

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: with an immediate meeting of the rules committee in Room 332.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: There'll be an immediate meet meeting of the rules committee in Room 332.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Senate stands at ease.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senate stands at ease. The senate will return to order. Senator Generis.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Madam president, there's a report of the rules committee at the desk. Let's take that up, please.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The secretary will read.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Senator Stuart Cousins from the committee on rules reports the following bill, senate print ninety one fifty five by senator Krueger, enactment of cannabis law. Bill reports direct to third reading.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Move to accept the report of the rules committee.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: All those in favor of accepting the report of the rules committee, signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed, nay. Nay. The report of the rules committee is accepted. Senator Gineris.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: At this time, madam president, we're gonna take up the supplemental calendar.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The secretary will read.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number March, senate print 9155 by senator Kruger, a nightsman of cannabis law.

[Senator Andrew J. Lanza]: Lay it aside.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The bill's the bill's laid aside. Senator Gineris, that completes the reading of the supplemental calendar.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Let's take that bill up on the controversial calendar, please.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The secretary will ring the bell. The secretary will read.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number three fifty one, senate print ninety one fifty five by senator Kruger, an item in the cannabis law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Barrella, why do you rise?

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Good morning, madam president. Would the, the sponsor, whoever's speaking on behalf of the sponsor, please, yield for a question.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Cooney, you're gonna be handling the questions?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: President, I'd be happy to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator yields.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Thank you. For you, madam president. Of course, we heard about this issue that, where many shops that have been cannabis shops that have been given licenses across the state were suddenly in violation of the rule, that, was set in place as far as distances from churches and schools. So what does this bill do to change that?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, this legislation creates a framework for how we do those measurements. So as it relates to the citing of adult use dispensaries, legal dispensaries in New York, as it relates to schools and houses of worship, our legislation defines how we do that measurement.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Madam President, sponsor continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield?

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Yes. Senator yields. So would correct to define this as some kind of a mistake that was made by the Office of Cannabis Management?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president. The legislation is not necessarily, a correction as more of a clarity of legislative intent of how this should be measured and why it should be measured as such.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Madam President Sponsor, continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Senator yields.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Well as someone that was here when we passed this bill, the legislative intent was exactly what we have here, 200 feet, and 500 feet. So particularly from the school standpoint, it seems very important. So why now the change then if this was what the legislation actually read from the beginning? Is that correct?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, correct. The legislation defined the number of feet, 500 feet from a school, 200 feet from a house of worship. But how the agency itself was doing that measurement from the edge of the school ground versus from the center entrance where students go into was not defined in that legislation or in cannabis law. And so what we are doing is, as legislative body, providing that direction, in cannabis law so that there can be consistency across the state for how that measurement is done and applied.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Madam President, the sponsor continues to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Yes. Senator Yeals?

[Senator George M. Borrello]: You're saying consistency, but it's consistent. It's just a matter of it's not consistent with what you would like to see happen and was not how the Office of Cannabis Management actually approved and cited it. So it's not being consistent because aren't they all not in compliance now because of an error that was made in the interpretation of the law?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, Madam President, there were a number of applicants who were concerned of whether they would either A, be affected because they already have a store cited or if you submit an application with an address that could be in violation. But a lot depends, again, on how that measurement was taken, where that measurement was drawn from. By us providing that clarity and putting it into cannabis law, we are giving direction to the Office of Cannabis Management on how to take that measurement so that there can be a better understanding of existing adult use dispensary owners and future ones, the ones that we're trying to stand up, the ones that we are trying to push out the illegal stores, so that they know the rules of the road. And I think this is good clarity for us to do.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Madam president Sponsor, continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Senator yields.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: I can tell you that I hear from my constituents all the time and read a lot about the proliferation of marijuana amongst our youth. So I think it's particularly important that we be very careful with this when it comes to our schools. Schools are typically sprawling places, right? They don't have one entrance or exit necessarily and we always have concern for things like smoke shops which are under local control. But my question is why not just grandfather those that this mistake was made by the Office of Cannabis Management, grandfather those and then have the new shops, the new because there's a backlog, I'm understanding, of places that are waiting on licensing to open. Why not just grandfather the ones that are existing and leave this rule the way it is going forward?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Excuse me, Senator, that. I was trying to get some clarity around the backlog, specifically. So, the agency mentioned 44 were impacted and then we believe there's an additional eight that could be impacted, but that also doesn't include applicants in the process. And so that's kind of the scope of folks that we're working with that are impacted by this. I think the key here is that we wanna be, as consistent as we can with a b c law, but also provide a little bit more structure. You mentioned the safety of our children, is obviously important to me. You know, in this legislation, you'll see that we define for the school building 500 feet from the entrance of a school building under ABC laws, you're very well familiar with, right? The school building is defined as exclusive use of a school. I'm sorry, the building has to be exclusive use of a school. We don't put that in. So any sort of mixed use building that has a school is now included. So we're actually being more protective of students in this process as it relates to the 500 foot rule.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Madam President, sponsor, continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Senator Yield.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: I think you'd have to agree that right now the cost of rolling out this program nearly six years later is still more than what we're bringing in revenue so far for New York State, especially when you add in the additional cost of law enforcement and the fact that driving high has now surpassed driving drunk in New York State unfortunately. It's now the number one cause of accidents on our roads when it comes to under the influence. So with that being said, how much money are we spending on the Office of Cannabis Management? How many people does it employ? Do you happen to know?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: The specific number of the actual number of employees at OCM and the budget, but I will comment that this fiscal year right now, we're anticipating about $194,000,000 in state tax revenue, with that actually increasing next year's fiscal budget to the point where actually the sale revenue from cannabis will actually exceed that of alcohol, in next year's budget. So while I acknowledge that there, of course, have been bumps as we have rolled out this program and rolled up stood up the agency, it is now functioning at a level where it is bringing significant amount of revenue into the state. I will, to your specific question, we will follow-up with those.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Thank you. Madam President, on the bill.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Perillo, on the bill.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Thank you, Senator Cooney. I really appreciate that. So we are here six years almost from when we passed the legalization of recreational marijuana in New York State. And, even by the most optimistic standards, we are still underwater when it comes to what we have spent up to this point just to create the infrastructure, let alone the additional costs of this legalization, on, like I said, law enforcement, mental health issues and so forth. Now I know there are people out there, the majority of New Yorkers believe that people should have the right to consume legally cannabis And I, I guess I don't disagree. However, one organization that feels that they were duped by this chamber is none other than the New York Times editorial board who were big proponents of the legalization of recreational marijuana, but they basically said that New York has screwed it up. At this time, supporters of the legalization predicted that it would have few downsides in our editorials. We described marijuana addiction and dependence as a relatively minor problem, in quotes. Many advocates went further and claimed that marijuana was this harmless drug that might even bring net health benefits. They also said that legalization might not lead to greater use. It is now clear that many of these predictions were wrong. Legalization has led to much more use. Surveys suggest about eighteen million people in The United States have used marijuana almost daily, or about five times a week in recent years. This is up from around six million in 2012 and less than one million in 1992. I'm not gonna go on, but the New York Times editorial board did an exhaustive study of the harmful impacts of marijuana and the fact that here in New York State, it has increased along with the problems associated with it. So if people wanna choose to partake, that's up to them. But when we start talking about the fact that children are now using it at a much higher rate than they have in the past, and that we're talking about how close a cannabis shop can be to a school, closer than a vape shop, for example, in most jurisdictions, we really need to think very carefully. But on top of all that, we have spent millions upon millions of dollars on the Office of Cannabis Management, and it has been run like a combination of a mafia operation and a fraternity house. It has been inept, it has been corrupt, and it has not done the job to create a market that is sustainable and can actually benefit the people of New York State more than it costs us. So when I see something like this, which is a corrective action, I know we're trying to dress it up like it's not, a corrective action for an agency that had lots of resources at its fingertips and screwed up as something as simple as this. So what else is there to uncover? How many more band aids are we gonna have to put on this? It's disgusting. And the fact that we have seen the results of what not just the legalization of recreational marijuana, because quite frankly, we could have done it. If we had treated just like alcohol, we'd be in a much better situation. Instead, we let people consume it literally anywhere. There are no restrictions, unless you're smoking it, on where you can consume it. There's just not. So we need to fix this. I think that. Parents think that. People that deal with the fallout of this, like law enforcement, think that. And now, The New York Times thinks that. So now it's time for us to really address this, and I'm gonna be voting no today in that principle. Thank you, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Thank you, senator Barello. Senator Martin? If I

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: could just step in for a moment. Can we interrupt the debate momentarily to allow Senator to introduce some guests in the gallery?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Todisco for an introduction.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Pollution is associated with it.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Secretary will read.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Resolution thirteen fifteen by senator Todisco, congratulating the Burnt Hills, Boston Lake High School Boys Cross Country Team and head coach Chip Button upon the occasion of capturing the two thousand twenty five York State class b cross country championship. Senate rules senate resolution thirteen sixteen by senators Senator Tedisco. Congratulating the Burnt Hills, Boston Lake field hockey team and head coach Kelly Bruhman upon the occasion of capturing the 2025 class b New York State Public High School Athletic Association field hockey championship.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Tedisco, both resolutions.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: Thank you, madam president. Madam president and my colleagues, I'm pleased to welcome not one, but 02/2025 New York State Class B Championships teams to the chamber today from Burn Hills Boston Lake High School. For the girls field hockey team, whose head coach was coach Kelly Vruman, they've won their second consecutive state championship on Sunday, 11/06/2025 at Arlington High School in LaGrangeville, New York, with a one to zero shutout ending their season with an outstanding overall record of 21 wins, one and one. One loss, one tie. Since 2012, the program has won 12 secondtional titles, five consecutive Suburban Council titles, and now three New York Class B championship titles, two consecutive and three class b championships. This collection of scholar athletes excelled in the classroom as well, garnering a collective 95.2 grade point average. Also, not to be outdone, from the Bern Hills Boston Lake School District is the boys cross country team and coach Chip Button, who with the exception of just last year has won a state title every year, every year since I've been in the New York State Senate. Now, coach Button and his team no longer uses the GPS to get to the capital. They're gonna make their reservation probably right now for next year again, because they just keep winning over and over and over again. Like the girls, very impressive. The boys cross country team once again captured the New York State class b cross country championship on Saturday, 11/25/2025 at Kingsbury Queensbury High School in Queensbury, New York, finishing the season with a dual meet record of twelve and one. As you know, these are not uncharted waters for this program as they have now won eight of the last nine New York State class b cross country team championships with 13 state titles overall. Like the field hockey team, the boys cross country team success translated into the academic space with a collective grade point average of 95.6. Madam president, I ask you to welcome them, congratulate them, offer them all the cordialities of this august body. We're proud of them, and, they represent everything good about the 44 Senatorial District.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Thank you, senator Tedisco. To our guests, the boys cross country team, winning team from Burnt Hills, Boston Lake, and the girls winning field hockey team and their coaches from Burnt Hills, Boston Lake, we recognize you. We honor you. You are extended all the cordialities of the house. Please rise and be recognized. Senator Generis.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Madam president, can we now remove the temporary lay aside on the bill we're debating and return to that debate?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Weber, why do you rise?

[Senator Bill Weber]: Thank you, madam president. Hopeful that the sponsor will yield for a few questions.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Would sponsor yield?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: I would be glad to.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Great. Thank you.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Cooney.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Senator Cooney. And through you, madam president, senator Cooney, do these restrictions only apply to medical, sorry, to recreational dispensaries?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president. Yes. They do. Okay. This is adult use cannabis dispensaries. Okay.

[Senator Bill Weber]: So through you, madam president, will the sponsor yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Do you continue to yield? Senator Coney? Senator yields.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Great. Thank you. So medical dispensaries can open up right next to schools, day care centers, places of worship, legal, recreational cannabis dispensaries, and, the illegal unlicensed cannabis dispensaries that have unfortunately popped up?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, we'll check on that, Claire and get clarity for that. But I will say that the number of medical dispensaries that still exist in New York state is actually diminishing pretty significantly because of the success of the adult use recreational dispensaries. It's actually an issue that I'm working on some separate legislation on because we know that there are medical patients who do need those services. But we will check and get back to you regarding the specifics on whether a medical dispensary can locate next to a school building.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Okay. Thank you. And through you, madam president, will, the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Yes. Continue to yield. The sponsor yields.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Thank you. So the bill specifies forbidding licenses for sites on the same street and within 500 feet of a school or on the same street and within 200 feet of a building exclusively occupied as a place of worship. So I guess my question is, how are these distances determined to be far enough?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, it's actually more restrictive than under the ABC or SLA, procedures here. So, we are seeing 500 feet on the same street from the building enter I'm sorry, student entrance of a school building, whether that is an exclusive school building or a mixed use building where a school is located, and then 200 feet from, a house of worship. The 500 feet from that school building, I will note, is actually double plus some than under SLA laws. Right? And then it's also, more expansive because, again, it gives not only school buildings that are exclusive use, but also those in mixed use buildings.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Okay. Thank you. And through you, madam president, will the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? The sponsor yields.

[Senator Bill Weber]: I guess my question then is, are are there any other factors, that were taken into account like the 200 feet? You know, in New York City, it's different than 200 feet in, say, Rockland County where, you know, 200 feet could be a city block or half a block away, whereas in, say, like Rockland County where I represent, 200 feet could be almost just off the property line of a school.

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you through you, madam president, yes, of course, we've been thinking about that. And one of the aspects that we wanted to emphasize here is that we have, on both sides of the aisle, have been talking a lot about the proliferation of illegal stores. We don't want this. They're untested. They are highly drawn because they have flashing lights and things. The way to push those types of stores away from our young people is to make sure that there are legal stores that are filling the gaps here, right, and going into communities according to the law and cannabis law. And so right now, Senator Barello mentioned smoke shops, for example. Also, a prime offender here. We don't have any rules about where smoke shops can site. Yet, we still have some reasonable restrictions, the 200 feet, the 500 feet for adult use cannabis.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Thank you. And through you, madam president, will the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield sponsor yield.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Would a place like, I don't know, like a YMCA we have a YMCA in, say, Nyack, the village in Nyack, and they have an after school programs and childcare included in, their their daily programs. Are those can can factored into this distance requirement?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, and I appreciate the question as a YMCA kid here. You know, we looked at SED licensure. So if a program, is licensed by SED, so it could be, some sort of pre k program, for example, that would indeed be following these regulations. Right. But an after school program, community based, most likely not.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Okay. Thank you. Thank you, senator Cooney. Madam president, on the

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: bill? Senator Weber, the bill.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Madam president, in my district, I've seen small village like Nyack who opted in and embraced the recreational cannabis laws passed right here in this chamber before I became senator. I've I've seen the outcry of the parents and business owners not only within that village but throughout the county who do not approve of the direction these laws are taking in their once quaint

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Okay.

[Senator Bill Weber]: Family friendly village as additional medical and recreational dispensaries continue to be added. We've seen these parents and small business owners over overflowing out of village board meetings, coming to my office, and really going through, the processes of even taking litigation against, this village. The bills we pass here in this chamber of consequences, and once some changes are made, is difficult, if not impossible, to go back. I know cannabis is not going away or will ever become illegal, but we need to be conscious of the increased normalization of cannabis that comes from children and teens seeing multiple shops in their town or people smoking it on every street corner. With that being said, madam president, I will be voting no on this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Thank you.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Thank you, senator Weber. Senator Martins, why do you rise?

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Good morning, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Good morning.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: If the sponsor would yield for a few questions.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Cooney yields.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Thank you, madam president. Thank you, senator Cooney. Is it your understanding that, cannabis licensing is different than licensing of alcohol, whether it's beer, wine, or other alcohol?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, if you could clarify in terms of how you are inferring the licensing. Is it the process that the licensing is going through that's different?

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Well, the lie madam president, through you, if the sponsor would continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Spons Specifically

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: with regard to, the distances that are applicable for these licenses for cannabis as opposed to and the retail sale and dispensaries in cannabis as opposed to those that are used for alcohol the alcohol licensing?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, yes, to the degree that we talked about in terms of the educational side. So we believe that these are more restrictive for adult use cannabis dispensaries than it is for perhaps a liquor store in terms of the distance between, the educational building and the entity, the dispensary in this case.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Madam president, through you, if the sponsor would continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: He could

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: continue to yield? Yes. He is.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: And why why, in your opinion, why would there be a difference between cannabis and alcohol when it comes to distances between the dispensary and either a place of worship or a school?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Thank you for the question, senator. I I I believe, you know, in the context of the MRTA, which was, of course, the enabling legislation that created this cannabis law, I think there was some sensitivity to the product itself, the cannabis product itself, the ability to see a new product that's available for adult use. And I think that there was some conversations in that debate around that legislation to extend that from schools.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Madam president, through you, if the sponsor would continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Continue to yield. Yes. So

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: beyond the sensitivities, is there, in your mind, as the sponsor of the bill? And I understand, of course, senator Koenig, that that, there is a a different sponsor that is otherwise disposed today, and that you're filling in. But for purposes of your conference and certainly, your understanding, Besides the sensitivities, is it your understanding that there is a difference with regard to cannabis and alcohol for purposes of these distances?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Madam president, I don't know if I would take that assumption forward. Mean, you're selling a adult use product in both a cannabis dispensary and a liquor or package store for adult users. Age gating in place. There's restrictions on advertising in both entities. And in most cases, and hopefully in all cases, no matter where you are in New York State, underage minors are not permitted in those stores. So I don't necessarily assume that there's a major difference other than sensitivities to your point, senator, around the sale of alcohol versus the sale of cannabis, as long as it's legal sales of both.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Madam president, through you, if

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: the sponsor would continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Continue to yield? Yes. Senator yields.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: With regard to, the use of the cannabis, after the sale, as opposed to the use of the alcohol after the sale, You know, I think we're all aware that there are open container laws in the state of New York. And I'm not familiar with any, corresponding, prohibitions with regard to the use of cannabis. And I was asking if perhaps you are, and you can share any insights with regard to the equivalent with regard to the use when you have a retail sale, and the use in public.

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Madam president, I think where you may be opening the door to Senator Martins is kind of on-site consumption or immediate use of said product after the purchase. As you probably are aware, Senator, the OCM has not come up with any sort of regulations for any on-site consumption of their product, and that's prohibited right now in New York State without regulations being promulgated by the agency. So if you were to be a consumer and to purchase an adult use cannabis product at a dispense at a legal dispensary, you cannot, let's say, you know, smoke that product in that store right after you purchase it, which again, similar to open container laws, you would not be able to purchase a liquor bottle and be able to open that and consume it immediately on-site.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Madam President, through you, if

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: the sponsor would continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Senator yields.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: No. I was talking more about, a bar or a place where they're actually consuming it and they wouldn't be able to take that alcohol that they purchased at the bar and come out and consume it on the sidewalk. Are you familiar with any similar prohibition with regard to cannabis after having purchased it? Any prohibition on their being able to come out onto the sidewalk and consuming that product in public?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, we're just conferring just to clarify and the way best way to think about it is wherever you're prohibited from smoking currently would apply to smoking a cannabis product. Now, I don't believe that there is any sort of regulation in terms of any other type of adult use cannabis product such as an edible for example of where you could consume that product. So theoretically, you could walk out of a adult use dispensary if you are a legal adult and have purchased that product and consume that edible, or perhaps smoke that product if that's permitted in that municipality, in that space.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Thank you, madam president. Through you, if the sponsor would continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yield.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: So there is a difference if I have a bar more than 500 feet from a school, and if I have a dispensary 500 free from a school, and we'll get to we'll get to the dimensions in a second. But if we are measuring it from that place that a bar, a patron of bar cannot come outside with an open container and consume that alcohol on the street, but there is no prohibition on someone who buys cannabis from a dispensary coming out and either smoking it or consuming it closer to the school or in proximity to the school because the state doesn't prohibit that. Is that correct?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Correct. So

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: there was a decision by this body to approve legislation that would measure the distances for places of worship. I'm sorry, madam president, through you if the sponsor would continue.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: We'll continue to yield? Yield. Sponsor yields.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: So there was a decision made in licensing cannabis that had a different regulation with regard to distances, creating greater distances from property lines as opposed to those that were in place for purposes of alcohol licensing. Is that your understanding?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Madam president, correct. 200 feet under alcohol guidelines for educational institutions, 500 feet for cannabis.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Madam president, through you, the sponsor would continue

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Continue to yield? Yes. Spons yield.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: But beyond that, senator, was there not also the understanding that that distance would go from the property line as opposed to the regulations as they had been interpreted for alcohol use, which was from the entrance?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Just a little bit of clarity, Senator Martins. So you are correct in the sense that the, MRTA legislation talked about school grounds or property lines was silent as it relates to house of worship. The question is, in terms of where that measurement took place, how the agency itself created that measurement, and, this legislation seeks to correct that and provide that clear language for how they are supposed to measure that.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Thank you, senator. Madam president, if the sponsor will continue

[Senator George M. Borrello]: to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Spons yield.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: So there are two options. If the agency got it wrong because they misinterpreted the statute, there are two ways of addressing that. Right? One would be to force the agency to enforce the law that was actually put in place for the benefit of those who are we seek to protect, in this case, children in schools and people attending places of worship. And the other is to pass a law that actually lessens the protections that were there originally. Those are the two options. Wouldn't you agree?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, I could see that, although I will point back that I do not believe the inference that this legislation lessens the protections for children.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Madam president, through you, if the sponsor would continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yield.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Senator, I noticed that in the legislation, it speaks to places of or or or, entrances or places of ingress into schools and does not speak to any egress. Is that right?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: President, that's correct. What we're losing is entrances where students regularly would enter a building. So a loading dock, a emergency exit, would not be counted in terms of where that place of measurement would begin.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: And through you if the sponsor would continue to

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor you.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Now in my district, and every one of my school districts, and I'm assuming every one of the school districts for everyone in this chamber has a single place where children enter the school in the morning, but yet they have multiple places where children will leave the school and egress from the school in the afternoon or when they leave the school. For purposes of attendance and for purposes of accountability, there is typically a single door for entrance but multiple doors for egress. That's the experience I have. Senator, I was wondering if you have that same experience with the schools in your district.

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: So, through you, madam president. You're correct, senator, and I can we can visualize our schools and our districts as well. You know, that we don't use the term egress or ingress in in the legislation. And so we can infer that students who are entering through a main entrance, what we're trying to get to in the spirit of this, would also exit from that, but that's not specific to the legislation. You are correct.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Madam president, through you, if

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: the sponsor will continue to yield? Senator, continue to yield? Yes. Senator

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: yields. So the word the word ingress is, in multiple places in, but there is no egress in in the bill, just to clarify. But but senator, we we understand that there are multiple exits from our school buildings. And my my schools, I have, you know, obviously several schools as to you. There are these schools are typically large buildings, very wide buildings, sometimes spanning, a 100 yards or so, some more given the size and dimensions of the building. You know, why were doors and egress doors that may be more on the edges of those buildings, not considered for purposes of distance since people would be leaving those doors and coming out into the public and therefore be closer to the dispensary than that than that central door for ingress.

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Madam President, I think the best way to answer your question, and I appreciate it because I, again, I can visualize what you're referring to, is traditionally with the SLA, we have been looking at points of ingress as the center point, for having these conversations. But I could see your argument around, point of egress. We as you as you noted before, senator Martens, we do not address that in the legislation.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Madam president, through you, the sponsor would continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yields.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: There's a there's a provision, in in this proposed legislation that says that no renewal of a license shall be denied because of the restrictions in paragraphs a or b of the subdivision. A or b, senator, as you know, to the distances and how they're measured. Can you can you tell us why that provision is here and why that was included in the legislation?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president. So it's kind of a two part answer if I can, senator Martin. One was to address the applicants who are kind of already in place or have already applied with an address. Right? We wanted to make sure that they were not hard or harmed because they followed the rules. They did everything right. They paid their application fees, and they have a proposal. We wanna make sure they're included and grandfathered into this process because that is what their assumptions were and that they were told and instructed to going through the process. The other is if an applicant is working through the process and a school or house of worship was to come into play in that process, we don't want to disqualify them. Again, they've done these are small business owners in most cases. They have taken the work and done the time to do this, and we don't want to disqualify them mid process.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Thank you. Madam President, through you, if the sponsor would continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Continue to yield? Sponsor yields.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: So you mentioned, senator, they did everything right. Yet the legislation that was passed and signed into law clearly said from the school grounds. And so if they made an application that was less than 500 feet from the school grounds, by definition, regardless of anything else, that application would be wrong and they would not have done anything, everything right. Isn't that correct?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, I could understand that argument, senator Martins. In many cases, if we have learned that the applicants themselves, when they had applied in that scenario that you laid out, were going by what the direction that the agency had provided to them in guidance?

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Do we continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to

[Senator George M. Borrello]: yield? Yes. So to take it

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: a step further, you know, think it's clear under those circumstances that even though they took guidance, they did not do everything right. But also, if the agency gave improper guidance that was counter to the law that was passed, providing greater protection for those children by moving those dispensaries further away from the edge of the school grounds, wouldn't you agree that the answer here is that neither the applicant nor the agency did everything right and that their answer should be to correct their mistake as opposed to putting children at risk?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, the agency was following what, in their opinion, and again, I'm not here to defend the agency. I'm here to provide guidance on what had happened and why we can fix it. But the agency had provided guidance based on, I believe, SLA process, right? And they were interpreting the MRTA as such to do so. That is not clearly what is in the spirit of what we were trying to do. That's why we're actually prescribing the new measurement language in this legislation so that there is clear direction, not necessarily an agency interpretation.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Madam president, through you, if the sponsor would continue to yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor continues to yield.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Senator, when when, when this bill was presented to this house, I wasn't here at the time, but I believe you were. Did you have any doubt, you, as to the distance that would be required to be measured with regard to the bill from the school grounds as opposed to a an entrance to a building?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, you know, when I was proudly, one of the senators in this chamber who voted to support the MRTA, I was pleased to see the 500 foot restriction. How the measurement was taking place from a door versus the end of the school ground, we deferred to our agency, but that is why we are now providing that clarity here today.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Madam president, through you of the sponsor, continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yield.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Would you

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: agree that providing 500 feet from the edge of the school grounds provides greater protection for those school children and those in the school building than providing 500 feet from the entrance as defined in this bill?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, it's difficult to put a valuation on that statement. I will say, I agree that 500 feet from either the school ground or the center of the building entrance or the ingress is more restrictive than what our SLA counterparts do with their distance requirement to a liquor store.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Madam president, through you, if

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: the sponsor would continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yields.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: But would you agree regardless of what the SLA does? Because I would I would agree that it's an entirely different product and regulated in an entirely different way. But that there is a benefit to protecting the children in that school by measuring the distance from the property line and from the property as originally proposed, as opposed to lessening it by measuring from a central entrance. Would you agree that we are lessening that protection by bringing that dimension closer to the school?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, I can, again, understand senator Martin's point here. I would say that what we are doing is we are creating a firmer economic market that's safely regulated in the process. And let me give you an example how. By having this new restriction, we are now opening up opportunities for safe and legal cannabis dispensaries to sell their product. What we have seen, unfortunately, and again, I think we can all agree on this, is the proliferation of these illicit stores and smoke shops as we've seen pop up around schools, and we don't want those. And so what we're trying to be is provide some guidance and some measurement instruction to the agency to put a rule in place so that we have a place for these legal markets to open, but not be so over restrictive that we lose the opportunity to open up more legal dispensaries that will push out the illicit market that is creeping in, especially near our schools.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Madam president, on the bill. Thank you, senator Cooney, for that.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Martin's on the bill.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: And there we have it, madam president. Now we're talking about the proliferation of illegal pot shops that only are there because this chamber, when it passed its original legislation, rescinded and revoked all of the laws that we had on the books with regard to giving law enforcement the ability to enforce those laws and therefore to intervene when we had illegal shops in place. And so our answer, rather than to protect the schoolchildren, rather than to give and reinforce the guidance and the protections that were in those laws, which by the way, we believe were insufficient then. But yet, rather than sticking to those and forcing those applicants that were improperly guided to provide sighting near a school, moving them away, what we're doing is we're actually doing the opposite. We're actually, through this bill, allowing our schools to be put at risk and our school children to be put at risk for the benefit of economic activity. Well, madam president, I for one, don't need that economic activity in my district when it comes with the sale of cannabis. And I would rather see this chamber reaffirm our commitment to our schools and to our school children and the protections that were there, albeit, in my opinion, woefully inadequate. But we're going in the wrong direction. If the answer here is for us to actually lessen those protections as opposed to expanding those protections, they're there for a reason. And if you feel comfortable doing that, if members of this chamber feel comfortable saying it's okay, I'll do it 500 feet from us, an entrance to a school. And again, we each have our own schools and our own school districts in our minds. Think about this for a second. Go past the ball fields. Go past the tracks. We had cross country athletes here today and field hockey athletes here today. You're well beyond the 500 feet. You're gonna put these dispensaries right on the property line of a school. How would you do that? How should we be doing that? And for what? Economic activity? Please. This bill deserves to be voted down. Everyone in this chamber knows it. And frankly, it's on each and every one of us to understand this is our opportunity to prioritize children in our schools as opposed to trying to cover up a mistake that was made by an agency that is out of control. I'll be voting no.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Walzik, why do you rise?

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Madam president, I'm hoping the sponsor will yield for some questions.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Cooney, do you yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Gladly. Senator, yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: So today is February 2026. When was this bill introduced?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: -Through you, madam president, it was entered Sunday, February 8.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: -Through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: -You continue -Yes. To -Sponsor yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: So the senate and the assembly brought in staff on a Sunday to introduce this. Am I understanding that correctly?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, our staffs have been working around the clock. Yes.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Did the senate staff that was brought in on Sunday introduce any other bills, or was it just this governor's, departmental bill?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, our staff is working on a number of things. They can walk and chew gum. They're working on budget. They're working on bills for this coming week. So I'm assuming they're working on multitasks.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Yes. He continues to yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: If this if this bill was, introduced on Monday when normal introductions are done for our legislative proceedings here, then it wouldn't have the proper age to be voted on today. Is that correct?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president. That's correct.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Yes. Yes.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: So this is a and I appreciate you yielding for the questions because I know this is a departmental bill sent over by governor Hochul's office of cannabis management asking for changes to a law that has been on the books for five years. It asks us to consider moving cannabis licenses closer, and I I listen to the debate, closer to school grounds, closer to churches. Why would we do that?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, senator Ryan wouldn't necessarily accept the assertion that this bill is being designed to move schools and houses of worship closer to potential adult use dispensaries. I think rather, the intention of this legislation is to put clear guidelines in terms of how that measurement will be taken as it with respect to schools and educational facilities?

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: You, madam president, will the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yields.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: But now you have to be 500 feet from a school property and 200 feet from a church property. That was the the bill that was passed in this chamber voted on this bill would make it from the and I listened to the debate, from the door instead of from the property. It may provide more clarity when you're talking about measuring out properties. It's certainly easier to measure from the door, and the state liquor authority, as you pointed out in debate, has a long standing tradition of doing this. I've seen those issues across my district. I don't think is there any other way for me to interpret it though? I mean, I guess, let me ask it this way. Will this bill that governor Hochul has sent you, introduced on a Sunday, will it allow you, allow marijuana shops to abut school property if they're within that new distance from the door?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: In theory to that hypothetical, yes, that could happen as long as it's within the prescribed guidelines.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: yield. Would the changes that governor Hochul has proposed here allow, marijuana shops to abut cemeteries if they're owned by a church?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: You, madam president. It's a good question. I was just conferring about the status of cemeteries being considered to be houses of worship. There hasn't in our understanding, there is not case law that defines them as such But remember that this legislation specifically before us today is not talking about the, guidelines of how measurement is done for houses of worship, rather just the silent on that, just the 200 feet.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Three, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: But if that if that cemetery is owned by a church right now, that would be considered church property, and it would have to be a length of distance from church property 200 feet from church property under current statute. If this change goes through, will that allow them to abut that church property, in this case, a cemetery?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Again, thank you, senator Walzik, for the question. The cannabis law is pretty clear that it just says 200 feet from a house of worship, not defining the property line. So perhaps in that example that you have given in terms of a a button could happen, but again, we have not seen that play out.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Spons yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: So if that cemetery in in, creating some intent here, if that cemetery is used actively for funerals, then would that prohibit a pot shop from abutting that cemetery, obviously, being an act of of worship?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, as long as it's within that 200 feet guideline, is similar to it's simple exactly the same as SLA, theoretically.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: If a school has a playground towards the edge of its property, is there anything that would prohibit a marijuana shop from locating in a budding next to that playground so long as they're so far from the school's door?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: For you, madam president. So long as that space is measured from the adult use dispensary entrance to the entrance of that school building. 500 feet.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yields.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Same question. If there's a soccer field, soccer fields are, 300 feet by 360 feet, so they're automatically going to be between that that space of the entrance of the building and the edge of the property. No matter where you place them, they take up some space. Is there any prohibition from having a dispensary or any of the adult use cannabis licenses abut a soccer field if it's on the edge of the school's property?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: -Through you, madam president, there is no, exclusion for the hypothetical that you gave, senator, as long as the cannabis adult use dispensary is not located on the same street within 500 feet of an educational entrance.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And I, I assume the same is also true. There's no exception, whether it's a a high school track or football field or cross country course. A marijuana facility could abut school property that is directly adjacent to any of those things. There's no prohibition if this departmental bill that, governor Hochul has brought us here today becomes law?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: You, madam president. Correct. There is no exception for any of those scenarios that you just outlined.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yields.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: So why would we bring this change in law today to allow marijuana shops to be next to school, playgrounds, tracks, soccer fields, cemeteries owned by churches? Why would we want that?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Madam president, I think it's important. I understand the line of questioning you have, senator Walzik. I appreciate it. I think it's important for this chamber to kind of think back to why we passed the MRTA those years ago. Remember that while cannabis was not legal in New York at that time, it certainly was present. In all of our towns, cities, and villages, and hamlets, there was an underground market for cannabis. Was it tested? No. Was it being sold? Yes. Was it being sold in schools? Yes. We recognize that as a problem and we wanted to move it out of the underground shadows and put it into a legal framework that we could regulate and safely tax. Remember that, you know, a problem that we can't see is still a problem nonetheless. So what we have done through the MRTA and what we are looking to continue to do through this legislation today is to make sure that this adult use cannabis market is seen as visible and regulated. We have set reasonable restrictions in place to make sure that children and other vulnerable populations or worshippers as house of worship, as you said, senator Walzik, are not impacted by having some sensitivities and reasonable restrictions around that distance requirement. Again, for the purposes of this chamber, what we are talking about today with respect to our educational facilities is 500 feet on the same street measured from the door and entrance of where students ingress to the door and entrance of the dispensary.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Madam President, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: You talked a little earlier in debate about how the Office of Cannabis Management has, failed to provide any on-site consumption licenses. These are the facilities in theory when you passed the bill five years ago that someone would be able to both purchase, marijuana products and then smoke those marijuana products or consume those marijuana products right on-site. I think it was described, I was in the other chamber at the time, but it was described as like a beer garden type setting, similar to bars with outdoor areas where someone would be able to consume or smoke marijuana on-site. Those laws are still on the books. This doesn't do anything to change on-site licensing, does it?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, that's correct. I wouldn't accept the assertion that the office of cannabis management has failed to implement it. They just have chosen not to set up the regulations that is permissive under the original MRTA legislation. So the legislation that this body passed created the opportunity for a license for on-site consumption. However, the agency has not created purposely the regulations for how that license would be administered. Now there are people who want that license, but the agency has instead focused on making sure that licenses get out the door for our cultivators and for our adult use dispensers.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Is there an exemption in this proposed change from governor Hochul to the way that licenses will go for on-site, consumption? Is there any exemption in here or would this also apply to on-site consumption if the Office of Cannabis Management actually starts licensing?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president. No. There is no application to on-site consumption.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yields.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: So if this is voted on, in in both chambers and becomes law and the governor gets her way, a state licensed outdoor marijuana smoking area could abut funeral grounds, could abut school grounds. You could have an outdoor smoking area so long as it's so far from the church door or house of worship. So far so long as it's, so far from the entrance to the school building, those on-site consumption smoking areas would be able to abut school property, church property?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, it's a good clarification I received. So the social license type that you're referring to, senator Walzik, is not impacted in any way by this. And so there is no change to the restriction, the 200 to 500 foot rule in terms of grounds with respect to the social consumption licenses. This legislation before us today only affects the citing and proximity for adult use cannabis dispensaries. So to your hypotheticals, senator, technically, if it's within that 200 or 500 foot rule, if the agency was to administer those licenses, that could happen. But that is not what was before us today. What is before us today is only impacting adult use cannabis dispensaries.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, will the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes. Sponsor yields.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Yeah. I appreciate appreciate the clarification because we haven't had but a few days with this bill. So that means for if they do start licensing on-site consumption, those facilities for outdoor smoking, for example, will still have to be 500 feet from school property, 200 feet from church property. Am I understanding that correctly?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, that's correct, senator Walzik. So it would be 500 feet or, again, for the social licenses we're talking about, 500 feet from school property, and it's silent as you go back to houses of worship, but 200 feet from house worship.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield? Yes. Thank you for the clarification. Some local zoning boards and some municipalities have been pretty aggressive in their wanting to protect children, especially in school areas, wanna protect in zoning and maintain their community as they see fit through zoning with regulations on vape shops. We even took up a bill yesterday, really focused on how frequently high school children are are vaping. What provisions are allowed to allow zoc local zoning if communities decide that they don't want this?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, I appreciate the question, senator Walzer, because I've been hearing that from our communities too in terms of and you know, I came out of local government. So zoning rules and regulations would not be necessarily impacted here. Remember, communities that have opted out would still be opted out, and they would not be impacted at all here. They would not be able to cite any adult use cannabis dispensaries in their community if they have opted out. If they have opted in, the zoning board can still set reasonable rules and regulations, time, place, and manner and such around the citing of said cannabis dispensaries. However, it can't be do so do so in a way that would be unduly burdensome and create a lack of opportunity if they adopted it.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: And through you, madam president, would the sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: You continue to yield? Yes.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Sponsor yield.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Who gets to determine whether it's an unduly or unreasonable?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: President, it's a good question. We've been asked this my question in this town in my town too. Generally, OCM as an agency would have the ability to give guidance and confer with a local municipality. Probably be also as we know because this is a new area of laws, cannabis law is debated and goes through the judicial process. There could be case law derived around it, but we'll get back to you with specifics on process.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Thank you. Madam president, the bill.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Wolsak, on the bill.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: The fox guarding the hen house. Office of Cannabis Management, which wants to put these dispensaries closer to schools up to and including abutting school grounds, gets to determine whether they like the local zoning laws that may prohibit them from being close to school grounds. The problem with the Office of Cannabis Management is that pot shops the problem with OCM is not that pot shops are too far away from schools. The problem is OCM is poorly led and makes up their own rules consistently. If you've watched someone try to license a facility in New York State or you've watched a community try to implement its local zoning to prevent a pot shop from being next to a school, you know exactly what I'm talking about. And I I appreciate you you standing in for the sponsor. The sponsor here is governor Kathy Hochul. This bill is to cover for shops that are already in violation of the law. It was introduced. Staff was hauled into the legislature. It was introduced on a Sunday just to meet the aging to bring it in here on a getaway day. And here's what I would encourage my colleagues from the other side of the aisle to consider. In your original law, which I had disagreed with so many things about, but at least you offered a decent decent, could have gone a lot further in my opinion, protection for school children and protection for church grounds. You at least gave them that respect and that decency. Five years later, the governor and the office of cannabis management come here on a Sunday, introduce a bill for this body to take up to override that decency that you passed five years ago. And for that reason, only I would ask bipartisan opposition to this. The Office of Cannabis Management has been poorly led. This doesn't help them in their leadership. This only endangers the school children and the churches that you sought to protect a little bit in the first place. I'll be voting no, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Thank you. Senator Murray on the bill.

[Senator Dean Murray]: Madam president, I wanna thank the the sit in sponsor for all of the back and forth because I've been taking some notes and listening. I just wanna share some thoughts that maybe we take into consideration before we we vote on this. First and foremost, regarding, codifying or aligning these this with SLA laws. The we're talking apples and oranges. You know, we we, you can't walk down the street and not smell the skunky, disgusting smell. Pull up to a stoplight and you smell it. It's it's everywhere. But you know what? We the we pass laws regarding secondhand smoke, and rightfully so, by the way, because it it it affects everyone around you. Alcohol I've never heard of secondhand alcohol drunkenness. So it just we're talking apples and oranges here. We need to protect against the secondhand smoke and that kind of aspect. Now while the debates were going on, the sit in sponsor, senator Cooney, said, made a comment regarding on-site consumption and said that there really is no restriction. So I wanna paint the scenario that senator Walcott kinda had, and that was we have an elementary school. We have a playground with a kickball field and then some some playground equipment a little further, and now we're gonna have a pot shop. And you're gonna have the customers going in, and they'll make the purchase and they step outside and there's nothing restricting them from firing it up and standing around, chatting, smoking, just a little breeze. Well, under this bill, that pot shop could literally be a stone's throw away from the monkey bars where an eight year old is swinging, and they're gonna smell it. I go back to the secondhand smoke laws we've been passing. They're gonna smell it. We're not helping these kids any, and that's a real scenario. That's what's going to happen here. I go back to yesterday. Yesterday, I stood right here and I was debating a bill with a colleague. And in that bill, we passed a bill to allow New York to basically police the air. We passed a bill that would allow New York to penalize companies that are operating in Florida or Nebraska or Oregon or China because we're so concerned about the air. And I was said, well, it's a global problem. Air, it's a global problem. But we don't seem to be concerned about pot smoke wafting over into a playground, which is much more realistic than you or I being affected by a polluter in Florida right now. That's very real, but we don't seem to be concerned about that. I also wanna talk about something senator Wilson brought up regarding local zoning. Let's not kid ourselves. There is no local control here when it comes to cannabis shops. In fact, the, senator Cooney had mentioned something about the smoke and vape shops and the fact that because of local zoning, we really don't have control of their placement. But we certainly control the placement of the cannabis shops. Oh, yes. We do. Let me tell you. Town of Brookhaven. There there are towns on Long Island that opted out, said we don't want any part of it. God bless them, by the way. Town of Brookhaven said, we're gonna go ahead and opt in, but we're gonna do so because we know that we can control it through zoning. So what they did was they said, we'll allow it but only in industrial areas. Surprise, surprise. They don't have control over that. What they've learned as we've seen shops popping up across Brookhaven and not in industrial zones, what we learned when I called the AG's office to say, hey, what's going on? Well, no. No. No. The way they treat it is the licensing is one thing. The state will handle that. But zoning's a whole another thing. That's a local issue. You gotta deal with that. Really? Oh, but with this caveat. If we feel the zoning's too strict and we're not gonna get our money, we're gonna override it. Do we really have control? The answer is no. Absolutely not. There is no local control over this. We are taking a mistake that was made before, and we are compounding that mistake at the risk of our children. And there's I didn't support it in the beginning. There's absolutely no way I'll support it now because we've made it all too clear today. It's all about the Benjamins. No. Thank you, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Todisco, why do you start to rise?

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: Madam president, would the senator yield for a few questions?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: We yield for a few questions. Senator Cooning? Gladly. Senator yields.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: Thank you, senator. Just to clarify something, I think you said in your previous discussions here. You said that wherever you cannot smoke cigarettes or tobacco, the same laws apply for cannabis, marijuana, smoking that. Is that what you I heard you say? You, madam president. Correct. Is the other side of that coin a truism? Where you can smoke cigarettes, can you also, in the same places you can smoke cigarettes and tobacco, smoke cannabis and marijuana?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president. Yes. That's correct. Unless there's a specific prohibition by a private

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: Excuse me. I didn't go through you, madam president. Thank you. Madam president, would the gentleman yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: We continue to yield?

[Senator Dean Murray]: Yes. The center yields. So

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: maybe maybe I'm wrong on this.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Sorry. I didn't understand that.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: While you're driving a car, you could smoke marijuana in the car while you're driving? Cannabis?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Senator, just getting some clarity. Just one moment. No. You cannot smoke marijuana product while you are operating a motor vehicle.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: I'm gonna yield.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Will you continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Yes. Senator yield.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: So there is clearly a difference between smoking cigarettes and smoking marijuana. Can I ask you a question on how you feel and why you think we can't smoke marijuana and cannabis in a vehicle while we're driving?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Madam president, it's the impairment, senator. So impairment of of cannabis, impairment of an open beverage in a vehicle.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: Will the gentleman yield for another question?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Will you continue to yield? Yes. Senator yield.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: So do you agree we passed a law to legalize something? And I think you'll agree with this. Taking hot burning smoke into your lungs, whether it's marijuana or cigarettes, is bad for your health. And for kids in school, whether it's high school or college, when they're ready for an exam and I'll probably ask a follow-up question about do more kids who are in high school or in lower levels, not college, smoke more of this before they take an exam or go to school? It affects retention in memory, and it's bad for your health. Would you agree we passed the bill in terms of if you do it? I know we'll make money off it. We invest a lot of money into trying to stop people from smoking. I don't know if we're investing in people not smoking marijuana, but I think you'll agree they're both taking hot smoke into your lungs. Would you agree it's it's unhealthy to smoke either cigarettes or smoke marijuana and bring that into your lungs?

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president. I'll let my wife, who is a medical physician, answer questions about the science of your bodies. But I will answer you that for adult use beverages and adult use cannabis products, we've put reasonable restrictions so that adult consenting adult use can make decisions on how they enjoy that substance or put it into their own bodies.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: The gentleman yield for another question.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Will you continue to yield?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Yes. Senator Yeoh.

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: So all of this bill and the and the distance and everything, does it relate to the fact that there's colleges, there's universities, and kids are very bright right now. They're 15, they're 16, they're 17. They're going to college now. These requirements don't relate to, Union College, Siena, Albany State. That's a question. It only relates to elementary and high school high schools.

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Through you, madam president, I believe senator Hodisco, you're referring to the educational institution that would for proximity purposes?

[Senator Bill Weber]: Yes.

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Correct. This is only for, secondary school and primary school educational institutions and or any licensed SED, pre k program. Thank you very much,

[Senator Jim Tedisco]: and thank you, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Thank you, senator Todisco. Senator Rhodes, why do you rise?

[Senator Steven D. Rhoads]: Thank you, madam president. Not to ask any questions, I wanna thank senator Cooney for, for his many, his many answers today. And I wanna thank my colleagues that, speaking on the bill. Wanted to, thank my many colleagues who, who spoke today as well and asked so many insightful questions. Senator Barrelo, Senator Martin, Senator Weber, Senator Walcic, Senator Murray, and of course, Senator Tedisco. This is not a bill that's clarifying anything. This is actually a change, and it is a change that is making our children less safe. When this bill was originally passed, there was no lack of clarity with respect to what the restrictions were. The restrictions were supposed to be 500 feet from school grounds, 500 feet from school property, And now we are moving it closer. Now it's being measured from the front door of a school, making it possible as conceded by senator Cooney, making it possible that depending upon the size of the school property and where your fields or playgrounds are located, that you can literally have a pot dispensary next to a playground, next to a soccer field, next to a baseball field, next to a football field, literally right next door. While the rest of the world is recognizing the issues that we have with respect to marijuana proliferation, our citizens understand it. I can't tell you how many complaints I get about people who wanna take their kids over to Citi Field, and you can't walk into the stadium without the stench of pot. You're driving next to somebody on the Southern State Parkway with your windows closed and with their windows closed, and somehow the smell of marijuana is coming into your car. But look at what this is doing to our kids. The New York Post referenced the study in November 2025, and marijuana, by the way, is illegal for anyone under the age of 21, that one in five New Yorkers New York children under the age 21 use cannabis. So the whole notion when this law was passed that somehow we're gonna keep this out of the hands of kids, that hasn't happened. Twenty percent of kids under the age of 21 responded that they're using cannabis. Accidental poisonings of children have increased from twenty twenty one to twenty twenty three by seventy percent. Ninety five percent of those poisonings have involved edibles. Cannabis use, this is a nationwide survey, among twelve to seventeen year olds has increased from three point four to three point eight million users among twelve to seventeen year olds. And when you speak to our school administrators, one of the number one concerns they talk about is the proliferation I should stop using the word. The the expanding of the use of vape products inside school buildings. That's a danger that this legislation continues to ignore. As senator Borrella pointed out, even the New York Times, which from 2014 was a passionate advocate for the legalization of marijuana even the New York Times came out two days ago with an editorial titled, it's time for America to admit it has a marijuana problem. With all of the issues and with all of the concerns that this legislature and that this governor have to face, concerns about outward migration or population loss, concerns about affordability, concerns about public safety, concerns about energy cost. With all of those concerns, it is this program bill from the governor that she is rushing to the floor to the point where we're gonna bring in staff on a Sunday to introduce a piece of legislation, to let it age, to rush it through a rules committee meeting off the floor with very little opportunity to be able to read what's in it, and to have it jointly considered by the assembly and by the senate today so we can get it into her hands to pass it. With all of the other problems that we have, the governor has chosen that legislation which will bring pot dispensaries closer to our schools is what she wants to do. Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, recreational cannabis use by teens is linked to a risk of depression and suicidality. Teens using recreational cannabis are two to four times more likely to develop psychiatric disorders. This body, in legislation that I cosponsored, has considered vape products which look like school supplies, like highlighters and pens. They can't be sold anywhere in the state nor should they be. But the cannabis product that goes into that vape can be sold right next door to a school if this legislation passes. If there was one question I would ask to to senator Cooney and I won't ask, it would be make this make sense. So today, what we're considering and what the governor in her program bill is asking us to do is put a price on the safety of our kids, and that price is a $109,000,000 in revenue out of a $260,000,000,000 budget. It is not worth it if that price was a dollar. I am voting no on this legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Thank you, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Thank you. Senator Meterra on the bill.

[Senator Mario R. Mattera]: Thank you, mad madam president, on this bill. This bill is dysfunctional government at its worst. Let's just talk about, like, cashless bail laws. We could talk about that that you could sell drugs near or on school grounds. Imagine that cashless bail. My colleagues on the other side passed cannabis in 2021, and it's been a disaster ever since. If pot, weed, marijuana, cannabis is so good for our districts, Why are we so concerned about safety? Why only 500 feet away from school or house of new churches and house of worships? What is this going to do? Make this worse? Our law enforcement cannot even do their jobs. They can't detect this. Our colleagues on this other side took the tools away from them to do their jobs. They cannot detect unless there is an accident or fatality. Cannabis, pot, weed, marijuana is a gateway to other drugs. We smell it on our roadways. There it is. I'm at Christmas tree lighting with our little children, and you smell it all over the place. I actually have to go around and try to tell people, please, go do this in your home. Go do it in your home. Don't do this where we have children. The black market is running rampant. We all know this. It's running rampant right now, and I'm proud that both of my towns I represent, Smithtown and Huntington, they opted out from these dispensaries. You know, going after these vape shops that now are trying they're selling it in the back door. That's how bad this is. Yes. 21 year olds and over are buying it and then selling it to our children. It's amazing that the concerns that we are they're using, the revenue that's being used for cannabis sales in certain towns, they're using it for drug rehab facilities. How is that not contradicting everything that we do that we're supposed to do in this chamber? Imagine that. The revenues being used for drug rehab facilities. Again, this is dysfunctional government at its worst. And, madam madam president, I just vote no. And, again, this is just very upsetting, and it's very upsetting to the people that I represent in my community in New York State. Thank you.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Thank you. Are there any other senators wishing to be heard? Seeing and hearing none, debate is closed. Secretary will ring the bell. Read the last section. Senator Generis.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: President, we've agreed to restore this bill to the noncontroversial calendar.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The bill is restored to the noncontroversial calendar. Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two is asked to take effect immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo. GNR Skruger, Ortz, Zellner.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Martins to explain his vote.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Thank you, madam president. Briefly, on the issue of location, bears noting, and I I want everyone to understand, there are two towns in the town in in the in the county of Nassau, the town of North Hempstead and the town of Hempstead that are on the city line, on the Queens line. There have been applications, and they both opted out, there have been applications citing cannabis shops on the county border. Not across the street, but literally where it cuts across property, they cited it literally to the inch on the county border, impacting those communities. Now something I learned when I first went into elective office is when you take and make decisions, be prepared to put it on a poster when you run for reelection. Be prepared to lead with it. And so for everyone in the chamber, for the governor on the 2nd Floor, when you're coming up for reelection, be prepared to lead with this. Because if you're proud of lessening the distance between these shops and schools and lessening the protections for our school children across the state. Be prepared to face the voters when the time comes. I vote no.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Martin's to be recorded in the negative. Senator oh, Senator Gineris.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Madam president, to explain my vote, I'll be voting yes on this. I was glad to hear, my colleague talk about facing the voters, with what we do in this chamber because we do it all the time. There was a moment, I was gonna say not too long ago, it was actually long ago when senator Martins was standing right where you are, madam president, because the Republicans had the majority back then. We have faced the voters in this chamber over and over and over again, and yet we sit here with one of the largest majorities this state has ever had. We will return with an even larger one. Thank you, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Gennaro is to be recorded in the affirmative. Senator senator Barrel to explain his vote.

[Senator George M. Borrello]: Yes. Thank you, madam president. You know, imagine, if every day when you got on the road to go to work in the morning at 08:00, you look at the car next to you and you saw a guy drinking a beer as he's driving down the road, or you walk through a park, with a babysitter that's got a few children in tow and she's got a big margarita in her hand, or you see a guy taking a break from his job as a mechanic chugging a bottle of vodka before he goes in to fix the brakes on your car. That's the world we live in now because of the irresponsible legalization of recreational marijuana here in New York State. It is proliferated everywhere. And even the New York Times admits that we made a mistake here. And we lead the nation in the irresponsible way in which we handle it. For some kind of twisted social justice reasons, we're gonna make things worse, not better. And that's what this bill does. So I'll be voting no. Thank you.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Barrel, to be recorded in the negative, Senator Lanza to explain his vote.

[Senator Andrew J. Lanza]: Think about it, president. I'm not gonna rehash all the comments that was said during the speech, especially on my side, I I agree with, most of what was said. But I just, when I think of OTB and I think of the cannabis issue in this state, I just, it just reminds me of the incompetence of of New York government. The bureaucrats in New York are the only ones who can't make a go of it when it comes to selling drugs and gambling. And, you know, we need to consider that, I think, more often when we come up with legislation handing off responsibility to the bureaucrats. My good friend, senator Krueger, is not here. She's the sponsor, of the bill. She's not here because she's discharging her responsibilities as, chairing the budget hearing. But I will say this, I do recall in the debate the conversation she and I had on this floor. She said that the reason for the 500 foot limit was to protect children. That's what was said on this floor. And because the bureaucrats in New York don't know how to measure, because they lost their measuring tape, here we are putting government incompetence and ineptitude over child safety, and that's why I'm gonna be voting no.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Lansing, recorded in the negative what else did you say? Oh, senator Cantonary Fitzpatrick to explain your vote.

[Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick]: Thank you, madam president. Thank you to all my colleagues for the debate today because there's many things that we learned about this bill. The fact that this came through on a Sunday and then went through rules and nobody even on either side of the aisle had the time to really delve into this, think about the ramifications, and have an opportunity to suggest revisions or to say that maybe this isn't the right thing. As you've heard, our most vulnerable constituents, our children are going to suffer because of this. I, for one, am very tired of smelling marijuana every time I'm on the Southern State Parkway. Is it illegal to consume or to smoke it while you're driving? Maybe it is, but no one's sticking by that because I know that I smell it all the time. And it's really we all know that this is a gateway for our kids to do other things, and we need to do better. This body has to do better. It's our job to protect children. So I will be voting no. Thank you, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Kansan, Eric Fitzpatrick to record it in the negative. Senator Cooney to explain his vote.

[Senator Jeremy A. Cooney]: Thank you, madam president, and I appreciate the debate with our colleagues today. And everyone is intentioned on trying to get this right and trying to make sure that we keep New Yorkers safe, and I appreciate that shared sentiment. I just wanna remind the chamber in this house why we passed this legislation a few years ago. Remember that cannabis is not new, certainly to New York, but to this country, or to this world. People have been consuming cannabis for years. But what was happening is in the failed war on drugs, only certain people were being penalized. This legislation recognized that and did something to correct that. Because let's be very clear who those New Yorkers were. Those were New Yorkers who lived in urban areas. Those were New Yorkers of people of color. And for too long, this day over criminalized and over penalized those individuals. And in that process, changed families for generations. We corrected that wrong, and the voters of this state, as senator Gionnaires pointed out, have recognized that there was some good in that. Now we have created the framework for a legal cannabis market in this state. Has it gone perfectly? Of course not. But are we looking through this legislation to get it right? Yes, we are. For far too long in this state, we have created rules that only benefit some. We are trying to find reasonable restrictions to bring the underground market above ground so that we can address and create a framework which benefits all New Yorkers equally. The war on drugs was a failure. This conference fixed it, and now we are looking to make it better again. I vote aye.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Kunip recorded in the affirmative, Senator Steck to explain his vote.

[Senator Dan Stec]: Thank you. That may be true, all well and good. There's still discussion and debate over where we are, but the question before the House right now is solely this. Do we want to change the law to make it legal for cannabis to be sold next to a school playground or next to a church. We didn't expand it to protect children. We are bringing it down to the property line. That's the only question in front of us right now. We can debate all the other parts that led us to here, but the question today, three days after this bill was put in, I wanna know where the fire is, where we have to vote on this today. It was put in on a Sunday, and we're debating it on a getaway day. I can think of dozens of more pressing matters that we should be rushing through in three days to take action on. But this is the fire today in February is we've got a rush so that we can allow marijuana dispensaries to be operating adjacent to a school playground. And there's no way on God's green earth that my constituents want that. I find it hard to believe that anyone's constituents think that that's some sort of wisdom or justice. And I will be voting no.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Steck to be recorded in the negative. Senator Harkom to explain his vote.

[Senator Pete Harckham]: Thank you, madam president. This has been a very interesting debate. Just wanna touch on a couple of things. Before we took steps to legalize cannabis in this state, you could buy our children could buy cannabis in every middle school in New York state. And and that's not an exaggeration. Would say to parents in my district who had concerns, ask your kids who's selling weed in your school. They all know. And so when we open dispensaries, for adult use, there are very strict, regulations in place about the age of who could go in these stores. And I'll share an anecdote with you that I was in another part of the state doing a tour of environmental issues, and I was with an assemblywoman, who wanted to take me, into a cannabis shop in her district. And we went to walk in, the security guard stopped us and asked for our age identification. I had my driver's license. I showed she had left hers in the car. And he said, I'm sorry. I can't let you in. And she said, but I'm a member of the state assembly. And he said, I don't care who you are, if you don't have your age identification, you're not getting in here. So the notion that somehow legal cannabis dispensaries are allowing our school students in and providing cannabis to school students, I I think is is far fetched. Some of the other things, you know, I I I certainly agree that that, you know, the proliferation of smoke and things like that are issues, but there are local enforcement mechanisms for that. But but this legislation was brought about, let's not forget, because there was a lawsuit. You know, this is not something that we're just choosing to do willy nilly. We are responding to the courts and that's why we are under the gun on the time frame to do this today because the deadline of the courts is next week, and we will not be here in session next week. So for those reasons, madam president, I'll be voting aye.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Harkom, to be recorded in the affirmative, senator Billy to explain his vote.

[Senator Jamaal T. Bailey]: Thank you, madam president. I I appreciate the discourse and debate as we can disagree without being disagreeable, and I and I believe that was done for the most part today. I I can tell you, madam president, as I said during the legalization and then during the, decriminalization, I have never tried cannabis. I have no personal interest in cannabis. I that's not for me. But for every New Yorker who has been unjustly stopped and had their rights and their lives delayed and moved aside because of a plant that was enforced unequally in other places to what senator Cooney was saying and so many of my colleagues have said, I I I think that we owe it to New Yorkers to make sure that not only do we continue the work that we've done, but that as this new section of law, a brand new section of law, and all of us are policymakers. All of us care about policy. Otherwise, we shouldn't be here. If we're policymakers, we should care about making sure we develop the law as it comes along and obstacles come along. An obstacle came along. We, a legislative body in charge of making sure things go right, we decided to make it better. We're trying to make it better. That is our job. That is what we are owed. That's a duty that we that that our constituents have in us. So I support this piece of legislation, and I appreciate the discourse and debate. I vote I, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Bailey, to be recorded in the affirmative. Senator Murray, to explain his vote.

[Senator Dean Murray]: Thank you, madam president. I wasn't gonna speak again, in listening to the statements and I have the utmost respect for everybody in this body. But when I hear statements like we solved the problem, please. No. No. We didn't. Before we legalized recreational use of cannabis, you did not smell it at every stoplight. You didn't smell it on every street corner when you walked by. It you just didn't. And for some notion that you're not going to find THC or cannabis gummies in a middle school yes. You are. News flash. Have a conversation with your SRO. They're there. It's happening still. The problem was not solved, and unfortunately, what we're doing today with this bill, we're making the problem worse, which is why I am a no. Thank you, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Murray, to record in the negative. Senator Walcic, to explain his vote.

[Senator Mark C. Walczyk]: Thank you, madam president. The office of cannabis management has been running cowboy in New York State. They've been very slow to give some licenses in some areas, and in other cases, they've been very quick and even violated the law that this chamber passed, which is what brings us here today. The governor's departmental bill to cover for the violation of the law that the Office of Cannabis Management is under right now. Without that court case that you point out, senator, this this would not be necessary. You passed a bill to protect school grounds from pot shops. You passed a bill to protect, a little bit, churches from pot shops. This says the Office of Cannabis Management ignored your law. They gave licenses that were too close to schools and too close to churches. And because they screwed up, instead of fixing their error, the governor has now asked you to pass her bill to change the law so that it's no longer a screw up. So for the sake of checks and balances in New York State, have all of your speeches about recreational marijuana and what it means. But for the sake of checks and balances, the legislature has a duty here to see its law that it originally passed through not to cover for Kathy Hochul and her office of cannabis management that continues to screw up and is now under the gun of the court. I'll be voting no. Thank you, madam president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Bolsick to be recorded in the negative. Announce the results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to calendar three fifty one voting in negative are senators, Dabo, Ashby, Ruello, Kingsley, Fitzpatrick, Chan, Helming, Lanza, Martinez, Martins, Matera, Murray, Myrie, O'Meara, Ort Palumbo, Rose, Rawlinson, Scarcella Spanton, Steck, Todisco, Wozart, Weberton White, eyes 36 and age 23.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The bill is passed. Senator Gineris.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Let's move on to the reading of the calendar, please.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The secretary will read.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number 01/21, senate print twenty four fifty nine by senator Comrie, an act to repeal subdivision six of section 51 of the public authorities law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two, this act should be correct immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo, GNR Struger, Ort, Sukun's White.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to calendar, one twenty one forty nine negative are senators Ashby, Kansas City, Fitzpatrick, Chan, Helming, Lanza, Matera, Murray, Obraka, O'Mara, Ort Colombo, Rhodes, Stack, Walzik, Weber, and White. Ayes, 43, and aye, 16.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bills pass.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number 170, assembly print, 7894 c by assembly member Paul, enactment of public health law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two, this act should reflect immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Nadabo, Gina Arzgruber, Ort, Zuka, and Zelner.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to calendar one seventy, voting in a negative are senators Martinez, Skoufis, and Walzik. Ayes 56, nays three.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bills pass.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number one ninety, center print March a by senator Gennaris, enactment of the law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two, this action will take effect immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo, Gennaris Krueger Hort, Sule Cuddings, Zelner.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to calendar one ninety voted in a negative are senators Ashby, Morello, Kansas Avery, Patrick Chan, Lanza, Martins, Matera, Obaracar, Amara or Palumbo, Rhodes, Stack, Todisco, Walzik, Weberton White, eyes 42, names 17.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Dills pass.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Comment number 198, center print 6998 by senator Jackson, enactment of apartment civil service law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section four, this act will be corrected immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo, Chennai's Krueger Ortz, Wilkinson Zellner.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Jackson to explain his vote.

[Senator Robert Jackson]: Thank you, madam chair. I've been voting aye on this bill, but I wanted to communicate with my colleagues that we speak often in this chamber about efficiency, accountability, and performance. But too often, one voice is missing from the conversation, the voice of the worker who is walking out the door. Senate bill s six nine nine zero a is simple and structured but profound in purpose. It requires state agencies to conduct exit interviews for employees who resign or retire. Not as a formality, not as paperwork, but as a practice of listening. Government, like any institution, must be willing to examine itself. A lot here also. We dedicate public service we dedicated public service should choose to leave, the decision carries information about culture, leadership, morale, opportunities, and if we fail to ask why, we fail to improve. And this legislation creates a standardized process to gather quantitative insight, protection for the disclose of under of foil information. So employees can speak candidly and without fear. And it is absolutely honesty. It's about trust. It is about strengthening the civil service that keeps New York functioning every single day. And private industry understands the value of exit interviews. The New York City Council has embraced this practice. And this bill brings the same standard of reflection to the state government. And if we are serious about retention, morale, and building agencies that reflect excellency and dignity, then we must be serious about feedback. A good governance is not only about what we build, but it's about whether we are willing to listen and evolve. And for the integrity of our institutions and the respect owed to every public servant, I urge a vote in affirmative, and I vote aye. Thank you.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Thank you, senator Jackson, to be recorded in the affirmative. Senator Ramos, to explain her vote.

[Senator Jessica Ramos]: Thank you, madam president. I too vote aye on this bill and wanna commend my colleague, senator Jackson, for ensuring that, government can improve upon our public service. This is an important bill that is going to allow our workers to give us due feedback on how we can improve the services that are delivered to our constituents And especially as we continue to fight for tier equity for our public service employees, we are going to be able to ensure that many ideas like this are able to recruit and retain more workers, the very best talent in New York State to serve us and to improve our government. Thank you, miss missus president.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Ramos, to be recorded in the affirmative, announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to counter one ninety eight, voting negative, senator Walz, the highest 58, nays one.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bill is passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Counter number 200, senate print one sixteen by senator Cleer, enactment of criminal procedure law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section 14 is actioned defect immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo. General R. Spruger, Ort, Zuldt, and Zellner.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Ayes, 59.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bill is passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number 224, senate print twenty sixty seven by senator Scarcella Spanton. Announcement of veteran services law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two is action to conduct on the one and twentieth day of shall become a law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo. General Spooker, Ort, Zwickau, and Zellner.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Ayes, 59.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number 240, senate print 2497 by senator Gennard is an action in the civil practice law and rules.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two, this action will take effect immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section. Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to counter two forty voting in a negative r, senators Barello, Kensington, Fitzpatrick, Chan, Lanza, Rhodes, Tedisco, Walzer, and White. Ayes 51, nays eight.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bills pass.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Cabinet number 241, senate print twenty five ninety seven by senator mayor, enactment of the Family Court Act.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Leave the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section seven, this action will take effect immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo, Generalis Kruger, Ortz, Wukund, Selner.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Revelation counter two forty one voting in negative r senators Barrella, Chan, Helming, Lancer, Murray, O'Mara, Ort, Tedisco, and Warzick. Ayes 50. Nays nine.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: File number 242, senate print thirty three ninety four a by senator Gennard is an enactment of civil practice law and rules.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section nine is act of the confessional on January day after shall become a law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabble. G and Rs Kuger, Ortiz, Wilkinson Zelner.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Ayes 59.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Candidate number 243, center print 5285 by senator Sapovala, enactment Insurria Accords Procedure Act.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two of this action taken effect on the thirtieth day after shall become a law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Cabo, GNR's approval, Ort, Sukha, and Zelner.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Now it's resolved.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to count of two forty three, voting in negative r, senators Ashby, Barello, Kensington, Fitzpatrick, Chan, Helming, Lanza, Martins, Matera, Murray, Obraka, O'Mara, Ort Palumbo, Rhodes. Stacked to disco, Walden Webb in white. Eyes, names, 19.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The bill is passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Conv number two forty four, center print fifty two eighty six by Senator Sepulveda, enacted in the lien law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two, this action will be conducted immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Dabo.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to calendar two forty four voted in the negative are senators Ashby, Morello, Kenza Fitzpatrick, Chan, Hellman, Lanza, Martins Beterra, Murray, Obraka, O'Mara, Ork, Colombo, Rhodes, Rawlton, Ryan, Scufus, Steck, Tedisco, Walzwick, Weapon White, ayes thirty seven eight twenty two.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Those pass.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number 252, senate print eighty four forty by senator Fahey, a night from the highway law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section three, this action will be correct immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo, GNR Schuylkill or Sukhan Zhong.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Fahey, to explain your vote.

[Senator Patricia Fahy]: Thank you. I rise today to, vote a on this bill. And just to give a little bit of history, which I think is just so important and it's fitting that, we are doing this in honor of, sergeant William William Johnson. No. Sorry. Henry Johnson. We have a William Johnson too. This is renaming a bridge here locally, but it is just about so much more. Sergeant Henry Johnson was an infantryman who served here from Albany, served in 1917 in World War one in a segregated all black, National Guard regiment stationed in, they were sent to France during World War one again. They were known otherwise known as the Harlem Hellfighters. It was US infantry regiment thirty three sixty nine. While on duty there in France, they came on a small party came under attack from a raiding party in, the Argonne Forest in France. They were outnumbered by as many as three dozen German enemies. Sergeant Henry Johnson was the only sir unwounded survivor who had to fight off first with his rifle, ran out of ammunition, then used it as a club, then resorted to a bolo knife, ended up with twenty one wounds from this hand to hand combat, but managed to save other wounded comrades, and many of whom, did not survive. Despite this valor, eighty years went by before he was recognized, and given the purple heart for his severe injuries, although he was awarded the highest honor in France, right after World War one. In 2002, he was given the distinguished service cross. And in 2019, after almost a century of advocacy, he was finally awarded the Medal of Honor by then president Barack Obama. Again, that's the nation's highest military award and a shout out to senator Schumer who long advocated for that award. Fast forward to 2023, a bipartisan congressional delegation named renamed Fort Polk in Louisiana after Fort Henry after Henry Johnson renaming it to Fort Johnson. Sadly, now we're to 2025, last year, the Department of Defense pulled that name off, renamed the fort to, under a different soldier, but renaming it to Fort Polk. It was a shock to all of us here in the Capital Region. We can't undo this federal action at this time. However, in an effort to preserve his legacy and continue to honor him as one of our, probably, our most distinguished hometown hero, This legislation will rename the Petrone Island Bridge, which is right here between Albany and, Rensselaer County along, Interstate 90. It will be renamed as Medal of Honor recipient sergeant Henry Johnson Memorial Bridge. It's more than about renaming a bridge or taking his name, off of a military base. This really is about trying to preserve accurate and inclusive history and to recognize those who served with such extraordinary honor. Again, he's probably our most distinguished hometown hero. So regardless of the attempts to rewrite what has been proud yet painful history, a century later, and it did to me, it is also fitting that we are doing this, not just during Black History Month, but honoring our true accurate history despite, the efforts at the at the federal level to to to whitewash that history. So I proudly vote in the affirmative. Thank you for this opportunity to go through this painful but proud legacy. Thank you.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Thank you, senator Feyi. To be recorded in the affirmative, announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to counter two fifty two, voting a negative. Senator Briskor. Ayes, 58. Nays, one.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number 271, senate print thirty two fifty six a by Senator Cooney, enactment of the parks, recreation, and the store preservation law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section three, this action take effect on the ninety day the child become a law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo. Your honor, school report, Sukadan Zelman.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce result.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Ayes 59.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number February, center print 3693 by senator Sanders, annex from the penal law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section 13 is action of effect on January, if Chabakumalo.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo. General Azkubakumalo.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce the results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Relationship calendar February, vote in a negative, Senator Briskport. Ayes, 58. Nays, one.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number February, center print three seventeen by Senator Salazar, a national public

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: health

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: law.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two, this action will take effect on one hundred and eighty day of child come along.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Gabo, Junar, Krueger, Ort,

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to calendar February, voting in a negative are senators Ashby, Barello, Chan, Helming, Lanza, Meterra, Murray, Obraka, Omera, Ort, Rhodes, Steck, Tedisco, Walzik, Webber, and White. Eyes 43 and a 16.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The bill is passed.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Calendar number 24, center print fourteen twenty five by senator Lu, an act on the public health floor.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Section two, this act will be collected immediately.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Roll the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: Adabo. Senator

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Martin to explain his vote.

[Senator Jack M. Martins]: Thank you, madam president. I vote to, I rise to vote aye. I wanna thank senator Liu for sponsoring this bill. For those of us who live on Long Island, airplane noise and approaches to the airports has become, over time, a significant issue. It's a health issue. The this body recognized that back in 2021 and again in 2022 when it passed legislation requiring the state to perform studies and environmental studies measuring noise on approaches to the airports, understanding the health effects to those of us who are in Nassau County, Queens County, Brooklyn, and Suffolk. Unfortunately, even though it passed this body and it was signed into law by the governor, who is chapter 92 of the laws of 2022, it required that that study be provided by 04/01/2024. Madam president, we are now in February 2026, and that study has yet to be presented. We have asked the governor's office to intercede. We have talked to the Department of Health with regard to the status of that study. They have confirmed that they are working on it, but it's not here. It's not done. So maybe they can get to that. But as we try to get the governor to do precisely what the law requires her to do and provide that study for the benefit of all those residents who are impacted by airplane noise across Long Island, including the boroughs in New York City, I am happy to support senator Liu's legislation that goes one step further with regard to how we were we would characterize noise levels and measure those noise levels as we again seek to protect the residents in our communities. I vote aye, and I urge the governor to get on the stick and please get that study done and present it to the legislature so we can move forward as well.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: Senator Martins, to be recorded in the affirmative, announce the results.

[Secretary of the Senate (Clerk)]: In relation to calendar two eighty four, voting in negative are senators Barrella, Chan, Amara, Colombo, Raulston, Steck, Walzwick, Weber. Ayes 51 is eight.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: The bill is passed. Senator Gineris, that completes the reading of today's calendar.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: Is there any further business at the desk?

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: There is no further business at the desk.

[Senator Michael N. Gianaris, Deputy Majority Leader]: I move to adjourn until Monday, February 23 at 3PM with the intervening days being legislative days.

[Acting President (Presiding Officer), New York State Senate]: On motion, the Senate stands adjourned till Monday, February 23 at 3PM with the intervening days being legislative days.