New York State SmartTranscripts:

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Senate will come to order. Everyone 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 with liberty and justice for all. In the absence of clergy, please bow your heads in a moment of silent reflection or prayer. Reading of the journal.

[Secretary of the Senate]: In senate, Wednesday, 03/04/2026, the senate met pursuant to adjourn. Journal Tuesday, 03/03/2026 is read and approved. I'll motion the senate adjourn.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Without objection, the journal stands approved as read. Presentation of petitions, messages from the assembly. Secretary will read.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Senator Sapoveda moves to discharge from the committee on codes, assembly bill number sixty three thirty eight, substituted for the identical senate bill fifty forty one, third reading counter two seventy six. Senator Harkin moves to discharge from the committee on environmental conservation, assembly bill number eighty five fifteen a, substituted for the identical senate bill twenty two ninety two b, third reading counter three seventy six. Senator Salazar moves to discharge from the committee on women's issues, assembly bill number four forty five ninety one a, substituted for the identical senate bill thirteen zero five a, third reading counter four zero six.

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

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Good morning, mister president. Good morning. At this time, I move to adopt the resolution calendar with the exception of resolution sixteen seventy seven.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: All those in favor of adopting resolution calendar with the exception of resolution sixteen seventy seven, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed nay. Resolution is adopted. Synergy Nares.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: We're gonna begin with resolution sixteen seventy seven by senator Cooney. Please read its title and recognize senator Cooney.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Say again.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Secretary, we'll read. Resolution sixteen seventy seven by senator Cooney celebrating Holi and ancient Hindu Spring Festival.

[Senator Jeremy Cooney]: Thank you, mister president. It's my pleasure to speak in support of the resolution recognizing and celebrating holy. Holy known as the festival of colors signals the coming of spring, celebrates vibrancy, promise, the possibility that the season brings. Holi is celebrated worldwide, including here in New York. And as many of you know, our AAPI community is the fastest growing population in the state and throughout our nation, meaning more and more South Asians and Hindus are choosing New York to call home. Today's resolution is about marking the progress of that growth and celebrating the love, happiness, and freedom that Holi represents and to all those celebrating worldwide. It's a holiday that special that held special significance for me. As an immigrant from Kolkata, India, Holi is one of the times of year that makes me feel more connected to my heritage and to my culture. I hope that everyone who has celebrated a joyous, colorful holiday with friends and family and with so much negativity in our world, celebrations like these are needed more than ever to remember the positive parts of our lives and the people that gather around us, especially our loved ones. Happy holy. Mister president, I vote aye. Thank you.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Hold the aye. The question is on the resolution. All those in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed, nay. The resolution is adopted. Sandra Yeneris.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Okay. At this time, there is a privilege resolution, at the desk, resolution 17 o one by leader Stuart Cousins. Let's take that up, read its title only and recognize senator Webb to speak on that resolution.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: It is a privilege resolution at the desk. The second table read.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Resolution seventeen zero one by senator Stuart Cousins, memorializing governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 2026 as women's history month of the state of New York, honoring the extraordinary innovation, resilience, and contribution of women who have shaped New York and the nation.

[Senator Lea Webb]: Senator Webb. Thank you, mister president. It is my great honor to rise today on behalf of our esteemed majority leader, senator Andrew Stewart Cousins, to speak on this resolution memorializing governor Hochul to proclaim March 2026 as Women's History Month in the state of New York. This presents us with an opportunity to be clear, not just in the month of March, but every day, to recognize the invaluable contributions of women in every aspect of history and most certainly our present and future. Women's history month is a time for us to reflect on the monumental impact that women have made to our communities and continue to make, not only to our communities, our state, and our nation. It is an opportunity to recognize the leadership and determination of the women who broke barriers. Often those barriers were glass ceilings and in other cases, brick ceilings, and paved the way for future generations. And those who work tirelessly every day that may not have public or very wide public acclaim, but their influence is felt and appreciated nonetheless. Mister president, throughout history, women have expanded opportunities in education, health care, all workplaces, led movements for justice, and strengthened our families and communities. Many of the rights and opportunities that we benefit from today are exist because women like us in this chamber and in our communities refuse to accept inequality and instead chose to stand up, advocate, establish programs, lead policy, start businesses, and so much more. Mister president, as we take up this resolution today, I wanna lift up the words of the civil rights leader and fighter for women's rights, Coretta Scott King. I am inspired by her call for freedom and justice as she shared. Freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don't believe you can stand for freedom for one group and deny it to others. These words are very relevant and prominent today as we gather our collective strength to face new and continued challenges as a nation and as a state. Right here in New York, we stand on the shoulders of extraordinary trailblazers like Susan b Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who helped lead the fight for women's suffrage. Trailblazers like Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to the United States Congress and the first black woman to seek the nomination for president of The United States. Trailblazers like doctor Hazel Dukes, former national president and New York state president of the NAACP. Both her and Shirley Chisholm were members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated, which played a pivotal role in the women's suffrage movement making its first public action by marching in the nineteen thirteen women's suffrage procession in Washington DC just months after its founding. And we celebrate abolitionists like Sojourner Truth and the women of color past and present who continued fighting to ensure justice and dignity for all women. We celebrate trailblazers like Ella Baker. And for those who may not be familiar with Ella Baker, she was a prominent civil and human rights leader with SCLC and SNCC who fought for social, economic, and racial equality and mentored leaders like Diane Nash, Stokely Carmichael, Bob Moses, and also worked alongside leaders like W. E. B. Du Bois, Thurgood Marshall, A. Philip Randolph, and countless other leaders. We also think about leaders like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the first Jewish woman to serve on the US Supreme Court, and Sonia Sontemeyer, a Bronx native, I know Bronx Day is coming up next week, who became the first Latina and the third woman appointed to the Supreme Court. We also have leaders like right here in our state capital, doctor Dorsey Appellier, first black woman to ever serve as the mayor of the city of Albany, and Sharon Owens, first black woman to serve as mayor of Syracuse. The courage that these women display, it has transformed our democracy and continues to inspire all of us to step forward as leaders. Women's history month also reminds us that history is not only made by those whose names appear in textbooks, it is made by the mothers, the teachers, the caregivers, the entrepreneurs, and community leaders who work every day to build stronger communities across our state. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the amazing women leaders and trailblazers right here in this chamber. Mister president, as a woman serving in this chamber, I was proud to be elected to this body three years ago as part of our first ever all women incoming class, the first in the history of the New York Senate. And we have the great privilege of serving under the leadership of majority leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, who is the first black woman to ever lead the New York State Senate. The women of New York are strong and ready for this fight. We will follow in the footsteps of the sheroes who paved the way for all of us working together to meet the challenges of not only today, but we are endowed with the strength of all the powerful women who came before us. Let us celebrate the women who shaped our past, uplift the women who are leading today, and continue working toward a future where every woman and girl has the opportunity to reach her full potential. I proudly proudly vote I and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Thank you, mister president.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Thank you, senator Webb. Senator Kansanani Fitzpatrick.

[Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick]: Thank you, mister president. I too wanna thank the majority leader for bringing this important resolution to the floor. I think every woman in this chamber is very confident in their abilities. And if you ask any of the senators here, you would know that they feel confident that they can take care of their families, they can serve as a senator, and we know that we can do the job. And I am so proud that every day I have, I'm an example to my three daughters that anything is possible regardless of where you come from. I've been very blessed by having parents that never treated me and my two sisters any differently than my three brothers. And in my hometown, we've had the fortune of having trailblazer mayors like Kathy Hunt, who's the first woman elected, and Patty McDonald, who is a dear friend and served for twelve years as mayor. So I've been lucky and blessed in my life that I've been surrounded by women who have never shied away from achievement or reaching for the next star. I think it's important to pause and think about the women who were examples that broke the barriers and allowed us to serve in this chamber, but I think it's also important that we think about the next step. And while I know that we all speak to our daughters and our sisters about the fact that they can do anything, it's incumbent on us to make sure our sons know that difference as well, because they will be the ones that treat a woman differently or say that you should not have the job simply because you're a woman. So I submit to you that not only are we examples to our daughters, but must be a good example to all of our sons to make sure that they know that we are capable, we are bright, and we are we do it with heart and with compassion, and we should serve in every level of government, every level of business the same way that men have had those opportunities. Thank you, mister president. I proudly vote aye.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Thank you. As the father of two boys, resonates. I really appreciate you sharing that. Senator Connery.

[Senator Leroy Comrie]: Thank you, mister president. I rise to support the resolution. I wanna thank, our leader for bringing this forward. I wanna thank all of the women in my life because I would not be here today without the leadership to persevere and in the vision of the women in my life. And I wanna start with my my woman, my wife that has been putting up with me for thirty five years. I've known her for thirty nine years and I don't know why she puts up with me. I just want to thank her, publicly for, you know, making sure that I'm a better person. When she first met me, I was wearing, sweatshirts with holes in them and and spots on them and she's cleaned me up a little bit better. I'm still not there yet in her eyes, but I'm I'm trying to get there. I'm trying to get there. But with all due respect, you know, women across our nation are leading in every sector of society, in every part of democracy. They are educators shaping the minds of the next generation, entrepreneurs building economic opportunity, health care professionals protecting the well-being of our families, and advocates ensuring that every voice is heard. Their leadership is not only visible in positions of power, but in the everyday work of building stronger communities and supporting one another. In my district, have been fortunate to witness the impact of women who have dedicated their time, talents, and expertise in to improving the lives of others and for guiding me through my throughout my life. Whether throughout community organizations, faith institutions, small business, or public service, women continue to play a critical role in advancing opportunity and creating pathways for future generations. Women's history month is also a time to acknowledge that progress does not happen by accident. The rights and opportunities many enjoy today were secured through the courage and determination of women who challenged injustice, demanded fairness, and worked tirelessly to open doors that have been long closed. As we celebrate the achievements of women throughout history, we must also remain committed to supporting policies and initiatives that expand opportunity, strengthen health outcomes, promote economic mobility, and to ensure that all women and young women have the resources they need to succeed. The story of Women's History Month is written every day, and many of the women shaping that story are right here in our communities, right here in our body. I want I've said it in conference. I've said it in public. Andrew Stewart Cousins is the strongest leader that I've ever worked with throughout my time in the state, throughout my time in the city council, throughout my time in school board, throughout my time in my Democratic club. Andrea Stewart Cousins stands head above all. I just wanna pay that respect to her during Women's History Month. All the women in this body have been enlightening, informing, and and also, contributing greatly to our society. But we also have to remember and realize that there are a lot more attacks on women now than ever. We need to combat that and utilize our legislative authority to help with domestic violence, to help with disrespect of women, to make sure that women get equal pay, to make sure that women get respected at a higher level because whatever's going on in the world, the numbers are not improving but are becoming worse. So we need to make sure that we're doing everything we can to make sure that the extraordinary contributions of women, that their ideas, that their passions are respected, nurtured, honored. And finally, I just wanna say happy birthday to Shelley Mayer tomorrow, another extraordinary woman in our body, while I take that moment to give her a happy birthday. Thank you for your indulgence, president, and thank you for allowing me to speak. Thank

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: you. Thank you. Senator Fernandez.

[Senator Nathalia Fernandez]: Thank you, mister president. Thank you, senator Webb, for that, wonderful speech on Women's History Month. And representing The Bronx, you mentioned Bronx Day in Albany is Tuesday, March 10, so mark your calendars. But I am the only woman senator representing The Bronx, so I feel compelled to stand here and speak up for the women of The Bronx and Westchester. I'm very fortunate that in my district, there's majority women partners. In the Southeast Bronx of Parkchester and Castle Hill Soundview, the entire slate is women from top to bottom. All levels of government are represented by women. And that's the first time ever that's happened in Bronx history. The contributions of women in New York State are monumental. And I'm so proud to say I'm a woman from New York because we started the women's suffrage movement. We helped lead the way to make sure that this country is recognizing and respecting and protecting women. And I ask all of you as we continue to live this life, make sure you do stand up and speak up for your friend, your mother, your sister, your neighbor, your colleague, because we do make a difference. You know we we make that difference. But together, we can make the ultimate difference. So thank you for this resolution. Thank you for New York for being its great self and setting the standard of women in leadership and women in the rooms and at the table. And happy Women's History Month. Thank you.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: You. Senator Martins.

[Senator Jack Martins]: Mister president, I also rise in support of this resolution. I wanna thank the sponsor. You know, as the father of four daughters, mister president, I know all too well, what it's like to grow up in a household surrounded by women. People tell me all the time that I'm outnumbered, I remind them that I was outnumbered when it was just Paula and I, and, and I have no illusions about where I stand in the pecking order. For anyone who has had a daughter and has a daughter or a niece, you know very quickly that when that daughter turns two or three, they're one in the household. There is no doubt about it at the strength that they have at a young age. You can't say the same thing about your sons, well meaning, they're doing very well, but there's something about women as they grow up and become strong, independent women. But yes, I want to echo some of the sentiments of, some of my colleagues that we're not there yet. We're certainly not there yet. When we're still talking about in this chamber pay equity and equity in the workplace. When we're talking about reproductive rights and the rights of women to have and enjoy all of the same rights that we expect from anyone in society, folks, we're not there. But as the Reverend Martin Luther King said, the arch of justice bends towards the future, but it bends towards justice. And we expect that it's going to actually get there eventually if we continue to work in the same place. I am heartened by the sentiment in this room and by all of the consensus we have here. Let's make that consensus policy as we move forward. To senator mayor, happy birthday. And to all of our colleagues here, Something to celebrate this year. This month, wonderful that we have a month, but let's remember it throughout the year as we go forward in set policy and prioritize the equity that we all talk to, workplace, pay equity, protecting women from domestic violence, all of those policies that should be front of mind as we go forward and do the good work we do here in this chamber. Thank you, mister president.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Thank you. Senator Krueger.

[Senator Liz Krueger]: Thank you very much. I wanna thank the sponsor of this resolution. And I have to say, I think I've been standing up the twenty four years I've been here reminding everyone that whenever we do resolution in honor of women's month or something specific for women, I personally believe every day is women's day. We deserve equal rights and respect every day, three hundred sixty five days a year. And I think we are moving closer and closer to that. But I must remind everyone, when the president of The United States took office not that long ago, one of the first acts he did was require that the word women be struck from all federal websites. Women, the word women be struck from federal websites. There are a bunch of other words he also required be struck, but since we're talking about women today. So have no illusions. We aren't there yet. And on behalf of Leroy's wife, who I have not had the privilege to meet, it made me realize I wanted to stand up and say, as a woman who's also been married thirty six years and many of us have, raise your hands, you men are a pain in the ass. So it's wonderful that there are so many of us who will put up with you that long. So I just thought I'd share publicly. Thank you so much.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Thank you. Senator Bailey. Wow.

[Senator Jamaal T. Bailey]: Timing is certainly something that women possess. They possess the ability to give life, which is sometimes I don't know if we understand the actual gravity of what that means. I don't think that anyone in this room would be here if not for a woman. I don't think that we understand the depths of that statement. So to the women in this room, thank you for doing things that we can't do as men, many things that we can't do as men, but for giving and preserving life. Life as we know it and life as we need it to be. Esteemed hip hop artist, Nycea Jones said in his song Daughters, To My Brothers With Daughters, I call this, not saying that our sons are less important. I started out my career as a father, the best job I'll ever have, with two daughters, Giada and Karina. And they run the show, mister president. Not only do they run the show, they have shown me what life, coming back to life, what life actually means. And if not for my amazing wife, Jomera, we don't get to have two daughters. Now me and my son Julian, it's a three on two fast break every day. We're losing every time. We know our role in the house. Sometimes it's four on one, frankly, when they But I am eternally grateful and honored to be a girl dad. I know fellas, sometimes you try to take me out the girl dad club because I have a son, it doesn't work like that. I'm girl dad emeritus. But I don't think that we truly understand the gravity of what women do and what they mean to our society until we don't have them around. Senator Fernandez mentioned correctly that she's the only female senator from the Bronx, but outside of the building, I wear a different hat as the chair of the Bronx party, being mindful of my nomenclature on the floor of the senate. And we have helped more women advance to the judiciary than ever before. And this is making sure that women belong every and anywhere that a man belongs. So to senator Webb, thank you this resolution. Thank you for your leadership in the women's issues committee. Happy birthday to Shelley Mayer. You you can't you gotta make sure you shout out Shelley. But I'll I'll end with this, mister president, my birthday is August 26, and I'm not saying this because I want anything from you. But I am telling you that I was born on Women's Equality Day. And so it is my job to make sure that my birthday, even though I don't get a cake

[Senator George Borrello]: Oh

[Senator Jamaal T. Bailey]: lord. Roxy, you can get me a cake, even though I don't get a cake, that make sure we cut a cake in celebration for everything that women do, that they've done and that they will do. May you continue to be strong and blessed and incredible. Happy Women's History Month.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Thank you, senator Bailey. Senator Luke. Thank you, mister president. I wanna thank senator Leah Webb for this resolution. Happy birthday, Shelley, and bless you, Marcia Comrie. Thank you. Senator Chan.

[Unidentified Senator (former police supervisor; references Chinese constituents)]: Thank you, mister president. I rise to give thanks to senator Webb for this resolution. And I want just wanna bring a little ordinary life into the Senate Floor. I wanna give a special shout out to my wife and my two daughters. I am a girl dad. I may be a senator here in the police department in the past. I might have been a supervisor and told men and women what to do. But I just wanna let everybody know that at home, I'm just the guy that takes out the garbage and fix and fix the leaky faucets. And, to my daughters, I'm just a guy that, worked their big sales in school and drives them to school every day. And, you know, my district is full of, women, Asians, Chinese from China. And I wanna give them special acknowledgement because many of them have endured many decades of the repression of the China government who they were forced to, have abortions. They were told that they can't be moms, and, they they suffered this, this repression. And I wanna acknowledge acknowledge them for, making a sacrifice so overwhelming. So I absolutely support this resolution, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Thank you very much.

[Senator Mario R. Mattera]: Thank you. Senator Meterra. Thank you, mister president. You know, I just wanna thank, majority leader, Stuart Cousins and senator Webb, for this very, very important, women's month. It's just so important to me. You know, I just like to first, you know, thank my mother, which I have to thank somebody that is so important to my life. My mom, she's down, yes, she's down in Naples, Florida. But I always say this, I look like my father, may he rest in peace, but I am my mother. Yes. She's a Leo like myself, and we're very, very strong. And, she's definitely wisdom to me over the years, and I love women in politics. I think it's very, very important, and I wanna thank all the women that are in this great chamber for all your hard work. To my beautiful sister Mary, that is a single mom, and what she has done, what she has accomplished in life. She's an amazing woman, what she has done to raise my nephew. And she's a business. She's a businesswoman. She's a tough woman, boy. Beautiful, tough, stands up for herself, and I really don't need to do this. She's on steroids compared to me, My sister Mary, my beautiful daughters. Like with Senator Martins, we have, we have it tough. We have, you know, the daughters, and they have their little clique. My beautiful wife, Terry, and the girls. Even my dogs are female, my golden retrievers. But but all I could say is this, my daughters are doing unbelievable because they're a product of of our environment. And I'm very, very proud of them with direction they're taking right now in their lives. Yes. I do say my daughter Jessica, she's 27, maybe she's going on 18, and my daughter Jamie, 23, I'll say, you know, 16. But you know what? They're amazing. They're amazing young women, respectful, and I'm so proud of that. And to my beautiful wife, Terry, my worst critic, every time I get up and speak, even home, she's like this. She cuts me off. But I gotta tell you, somebody that went through something in life with with a medical situation, She's she kept on strong. It's amazing. Yeah. Women give birth, we know that men can, and she could do everything possible. But I'm gonna tell you, she's just an amazing person home. When I'm not home, she holds down the fort. She's a enterprise car rental for thirty three years. She's operations manager, facilities manager, opens up every office dealing with construction workers, and straightens them right out. Because you know why? Because she's tough. She's tough, and she knows when she's right, and she doesn't put up on anything. So I am just so proud of this this bill, and I am so proud, mister president, to be voting yes. Thank

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: you. Thank you. The question is on the resolution. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Opposed, nay. The resolution is adopted. Senator Gioneris.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Mister president, the sponsors of today's resolutions would like to open them up for cosponsorship.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: The resolutions are open for cosponsorship. Should you choose not to be a cosponsor, please notify the desk's sangio nerios.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Please take up the reading of

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: the calendar. Secretary will read.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Calendar number 155, senate print eighty eight thirty by senator Clear, an action on

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: the general business law. Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section three, this action will take effect immediately. Call the roll. Adabo, GNR Spruger, Orksville Cousins, zone. Announce results. In relation to counter one fifty five, vote in a negative r, senators Barello, Lanza, Obrakor, Ort, Steck, and Wozzek, ayes 51. Also, senator O'Meara. So, in relation to count on one fifty five, voting to negative r, senators Barrelo, Lanza, Meterra, Obrak, O'Mara, Ort, Steck, and Walzik. Ayes 50 nays eight. Bills passed. Count number one fifty two, senate print thirty five sixty nine by senator Clare.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: An act to amend the public housing law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Call the roll.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Adabo, GNR Spooker, Ort, Swilcut and Zona. Announce results. Relations to count of one sixty two, voting in negative r, senators Ashby, Barello, Kansas A. Fitzpatrick, Chan, Gallivan, Grifle, Hellman, Lanza, Martins, Matera, Murray, Obrak, O'Mara, Ort, Colombo, Rhodes, Steck, Tedisco, Walls Of Weberman White. Aye '37 ace 21.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Calendar number January, center print 3665 by senator Hinchy, enactment of real property tax law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section two, this action will take effect one year after child become a law. Called it all. Dabo, GNR Schuker, Ort, Sule Cuddens, Zelner.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Announce the results. Ayes, 58. Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Calendar number 214, center print 1783 b by senator Hinchy, an enactment of agriculture and markets law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Lay it aside.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Convil number 246, center print 2261 by senator Cooney. Announcement of vehicle and traffic law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Be the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section three, this action shall take effect on the laundered eightieth day if it shall become a law. Call the road. Adabable. GNR, Spruger, Ortz, Wilkut, and Zelner.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Announce the results. Ayes, 58.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Bills passed. Calendar number 256, center print 678 a by senator Martinez enact too many environmental conservation law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section two, this action will take effect on the thirtieth date shall become a law. Zuldt, Call

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: to roll. Adabo, GNR, Spooker, Ort, Zuldt, Zuldt,

[Secretary of the Senate]: Call the roll. Adabo.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate]: In relation to counter two sixty eight, voted in the negative are senators Ashby, Barello, Kensea, Fitzpatrick, Chan, Gallatin, Griffin, Helming, Lanza, Murray, Obraka, Romero, Ort, Rhodes, Steck, Tedisco, Walzik, White. Ayes, 41. Nay, 17.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Calendar number 276, assembly number 6338 by assembly member Walker. An act to amend the executive law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: The last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section two, this action will be conducted immediately. Call to roll. Adabo, GNR, Spruger, Ortz, Wilkut, and Zellner.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Ayes, 58.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Bills fast.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Calendar number February '9, senate print 29 by senator Harcombe, enactment of public health law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Immediately, last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section two, this action could defect on the ninetieth day shall become a law. Call to roll. Adabo, GNR, Squigger, Ort, Sukad, and Zellner.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Announce results.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Aye, 58. Bills passed. Convoy number 295, center print 51 by senator Comrie, enactment of vehicle and traffic law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Be the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section four, this action took effect immediately. Call the road. Adabo, GNR, Spooker, Ort, Sukhan, Zelner. Announce the results. Ayes. 58. Bills passed. Calendar number 303, center print 1225 by Senator Rivera, enactment of social services law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: This is the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section two, this action to defect immediately. Call to roll. Adabo, GNR Spooker Orts, or Cousin Zelman. Announce the results. Ayes, 58. Bills passed. Childhood number 322, senate print twenty five fifty five by senator Comrie, enactment of public authorities law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section three, this action to defect immediately. All the roll. Adabo, GNR, Spruca, Ort, Swukut,

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: and Zelner. Announce the results. Ayes, 58.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Calendar number 367, senate print 12 85 a by senator Passard, enactment of criminal procedure law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section three, this act should be confected on one hundred twentieth day if child become a law. Call the roll. Adabo, g n r s poker, or Soukat, Zelner. Announce the results. Ayes, 58.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Bills passed.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Calendar number 376, assembly number 8515 a by assembly member Kasey, an act of environmental conservation law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section six is action of the effect of the one hundred and eightieth day of child come along. Called the roll. Dabo. Adabo. Adjournal, Springer, Ort, Swilcut, and Zona.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Announce the results.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Ayes, 58. Bills passed. Number 406, center print 45918 by senator Jackson, annexed from the public health law.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section two of this action took effect the January 1.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Call to roll.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Adabo, GNR speaker Ort, Sukad, and Zelner.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Announce the results.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Ayes, 58. Bills passed. Comment number four twenty eight, senate print nine thirty three by senator Gonzalez, enactment of state technology law. Read the last section. Section five, this action took effect on the ninetieth day, which shall become a law. Call to roll. Gabo, GNR, Spruger, Ort, Sukad, and Zelner.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Announce the results.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Ayes, 58.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Bills passed. Senator Generis, that completes the reading of today's calendar.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Let's move on to the controversial calendar now.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Secretary will ring the bell. Secretary will read.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Calendar number two fourteen, senate print seventeen eighty three b by senator Hinchy enact from agriculture and markets law. Senator Barlow, why do you rise?

[Senator George Borrello]: Mister president, in the spirit of women's history month, would the sponsor yield for questions?

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: What's the sponsor yield?

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: I will yield, mister president.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Sponsor yields.

[Senator George Borrello]: Thank you, mister president. Through you, mister president. So, can you please explain to me in, Subdivision 13, what what is the purpose of this particular language? The fiscal impact of being compliant with any governmental, regulatory, or environmental requirement shall not be borne by liquefied petroleum gas consumers and shall not be added to the bills rendered by a company selling liquefied petroleum gas provided, however, that the subdivision shall not limit the per gallon price charged by sellers or prohibit collection of any tax allowable under state law.

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: Through you, mister president, thank you, senator Barrella, for the question. Taking a step back on this bill, the whole bill is to help drive down costs for our for consumers and for our constituents. We hear a lot about affordability when we're out in our communities. This bill actually came when I was knocking doors in my communities, checking on my constituents, and they had complained very clearly about a number of fees, that were being, put upon them by their petroleum company that were, quite frankly, inappropriate for our customers, and for their customers and for our constituents. And so this is actually lowering costs for them and for customers. And for that subdivision C, it's really compliance cost. Fossil fuels, as you know and as we've talked a lot about in the chamber, but as we know from science, has driven up costs, for everyone who lives in our communities. Fossil fuel companies are creating lots of damage. And so these are compliance costs that should be borne by the company, not by the our constituents and consumers themselves.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Mister president, will sponsor continue to yield? Sponsor yield?

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: I do.

[Senator George Borrello]: Sponsor yields. Well, it says governmental and regulatory or environmental requirements, but isn't this really essentially a tax and we don't want them to tell the consumers that they're paying a tax to the government, which is actually added to the cost that we're trying to drive down.

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: Through you, mister president, to clarify, taxes are still able to be passed on. These are regulatory fees.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Madam mister president, sponsor continued yield. Sponsor yield?

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: I do.

[Senator George Borrello]: Sponsor yields. Well, mean, where I come from, because I've also spoken to my constituents, many of which use, you know, propane as well as others, other, you know, bottled gases. But, you know, I mean, a fee is a tax, right? The government's imposing it. So you can call it what you want. It's, but at the end of the day, we're telling them that this is a fee being charged by the government which is going to actually increase the cost of propane, is it not?

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: Through you, mister president, the bill says that these cannot be passed on to the customer. So no matter what happens, this bill is actually keeping rates lower for our constituents.

[Senator George Borrello]: Mister president, sponsor continue to yield?

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Does the sponsor yield?

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: We do.

[Senator George Borrello]: Sponsor yields. So, you know, this bill is about transparency, So therefore, in the spirit of transparency, would these companies be allowed to line item the costs of of complying with CLCPA and these other, requirements on the bill so people understand clearly how much is going to the to the gas company and how much is actually going to the government.

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: Through you, mister president, twofold. One, these would not be borne by the consumer and by their customers, so I don't I'm confused as to why we would be lining that out on the consumer's bill. But in practice today, these companies are driving up costs based on their you being fossil fuel companies and by the May by the challenges that they've had generally to our environment, those are not being lined out today either. But again, this is for what customers would pay. This is nothing to do with pass this is act not passing on cost to them at all.

[Senator George Borrello]: And mister president, sponsor continue to yield.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Does the sponsor yield?

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: I do.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Sponsor yields.

[Senator George Borrello]: So obviously they have the right to raise their price so if they want to raise the price to compensate for that are you suggesting some kind of price control? How are you going to prevent them from increasing the price of that product so as to not offset those additional government costs and taxes that are being, that are being, I guess, burdened on the, on the company.

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: Through you, mister president, we don't believe that the customers and our constituents should have to pay the cost that fossil fuel companies have already done to our planet and continue to do. These companies may be able to find other ways to, offset some of their costs. That is something that I know our businesses are looking to do all the time. But this is we I don't believe that they should our customers and our their customers, our constituents, should be paying that cost.

[Senator George Borrello]: Mister president, sponsor continued yield.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Does the sponsor yield?

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: I do.

[Senator George Borrello]: Sponsor yield. Well there's a lot of costs that I think all of us wish we weren't going to have to pay. I don't like paying tolls when I have to drive on the road that was supposed to be paid for fifty years ago. But these things happen, right? Because the government really never lives up to these, these commitments. So with that being said, I don't understand how we're going to prevent them from passing that cost along and is there going to be some kind of an audit? Are we going to put in price controls like I said before? I mean keep in mind that when the government imposes a tax or a fee, all the companies will be paying it. Therefore, the the essentially, there's no competition. Right? They're gonna have to pay more. Everybody's gonna have to pay more. Therefore, they can all raise their prices to offset that. I'm not sure how we will control that cost from being passed on to consumers unless we're gonna do institute price controls.

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: Through you, mister president. Ag and Markets is responsible for implementing this, and so they will be working with the companies to determine the execution. Last question,

[Senator George Borrello]: mister president, through you. The

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: sponsor yields?

[Senator Nathalia Fernandez]: I do.

[Senator George Borrello]: Sponsored yields. Would this legislation then enable price controls as an as as one way to try to control that cost?

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: Through you, mister president, this does not regulate commodity prices in any way.

[Senator George Borrello]: Mister president, on the bill.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Senator Brill on the bill.

[Senator George Borrello]: Thank you. Thank you, senator Hinchy. So look, folks, we're hearing time after time after time that nothing that we're doing here is actually going to increase the cost of energy to our consumers. None of the CLCPA, none of the mandates, none of the additional taxes, don't worry folks, it's not going to raise your bill. But then every New Yorker opens their bills and they're seeing higher prices for everything. Electricity, gas, propane, you name it. Prices are going up coincidentally in the same time that we passed the CLCPA and we told people this wasn't going to impact your bill. So what you're basically saying is don't believe your eyes folks, believe us. We're not gonna raise your costs. There's something else that's happening just coincidental that had to be the same time as the CLCPA and trying to implement implement this very, very costly, I guess, game changing tax and, tax and spend. I know you wanna call it cap and invest. It's not cap and invest. It's cap and tax. Because at the end of the day, we all pay that. We all pay the cost of this really, I guess, nonsensical climate bill that in the end is driving more businesses and people out of New York State. But when it comes to propane in particular, these are people that have no other choice. They don't have natural gas infrastructure nearby, typically why you have propane. In some cases, they've been remote areas where it's difficult and sometimes impossible to deliver that propane, only at certain times of the year. So they have to make sure that they buy a large quantity of it, a big tank. And we're telling people that we're gonna just tell those companies, don't pass the cost along even though we're burdening every single company with the same tax, the same compliance cost. And we're expecting that they're just gonna absorb it, that they're gonna continue to deliver a service and make sure that the government is getting the biggest piece of the pie. Because that's what this is really all about. This is about government being the biggest profiteer in the energy game with taxes like this. And you can make all the arguments you want, but people are smart here in New York State. They're opening their electric bills. They're opening their gas bills. They're looking at what it's cost them to just get to work for the day or keep their house warm. And some people, like the very poor people that live in districts like I represent, are choosing between food and medicine and keeping the lights on. And we've done nothing here to make sure that doesn't happen, except saying, don't worry, folks. We're saving the planet here. You're gonna have to help pick up the tab. So I'll be voting no on this. Thank you.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Oh, senator Orange? No.

[Secretary of the Senate]: I thought it

[Senator Jamaal T. Bailey]: was senator Helman.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Senator Helman, why you rise? Senator why do you rise? Yes.

[Senator Pamela Helming]: Mister president, if the sponsor will yield for a quick question. I do.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: The sponsor yields.

[Senator Pamela Helming]: Senator Hinchy, is there anything in this bill language that would limit how much New York state government can pass on to these small businesses, taxes, fees, mandate costs, etcetera? Through you, mister president,

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: this bill is very simple in being transparent and limiting the fees that this these companies can pass on to customers, that's the extent of this bill.

[Senator Pamela Helming]: Thank you, mister president. So on the bill, I'm a propane customer. I have been a long time, probably more than twenty five years. I live in the country. It's the only option I have to heat my home. I support more transparency in billing, whether it's with propane companies or any other company. But I think what is wrong with this bill in particular is that the government is saying to these small businesses that so many of us rely on to be able to live in our homes. We can charge you whatever the heck we want in new cost, in fees, in mandates, but you cannot pass that on to your consumers. How do these small businesses exist? Are we saying we don't want small businesses to be able to make money? Look, I don't want any new costs. I don't want any new fees. But to me, what I want is New York State to stop jamming through all these costly mandates that time after time and report after report shows that are jacking up our cost to heat our homes, to fill our tanks at the gas pumps. Mister president, I will be voting no on this legislation.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Senator Martin, why do you rise?

[Senator Jack Martins]: Thank you. Mister president, on the bill. Senator Martin's on the bill. You know, a great American statesman once said, that taxes on corporations are just a sneaky way for politicians to hide costs. Corporations don't pay taxes, mister president. People pay taxes. And so when you have a company like a company that sells propane, they sell propane. And if you add additional costs to that company, they have to increase the cost of the propane in order to actually pay those costs. When policies are passed in this chamber that make those costs higher. The only thing they can do to pay those costs, mister president, is to increase the cost of their product, in this case, propane, and what people use to heat their homes across this state. So it's a simple equation. Unless by some miracle, the laws of economics don't work in New York, mister president, or maybe not in this chamber where we can just say they're not gonna pass it on to their customers. But that's not the way it works in the real world. When policies are passed in this chamber and those policies lead to increased costs, be it propane or any other product, it gets passed on to our constituents. And we've all heard from our constituents that the cost of energy, heating their homes, electricity across the board is spiking, and they are they're finding it hard to pay those costs. So to come in here and just say, because we say they can't pass it on, that somehow the laws of economics don't work is absurd. When you tax a corporation, they pass it on to the consumer. When you put additional costs on energy providers, whatever energy it is, they pass those costs on to the consumer as well. Our constituents have told each and every one of us that they are paying more than they can afford. I vote no.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Thank you. Are there any other senators wishing to be heard, seeing, hearing none? Debate is closed. Should we go ahead? Senator Gineris? Mister president, we've agreed

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: to restore this bill to the noncontroversial calendar.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: The bill is restored. Read the last section.

[Secretary of the Senate]: Section two of this action took effect on the thirtieth day and shall become a law. Call to roll. Adabo, Gnars, Kruger, Ort, Sukad, and Zelman. Say it

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: now. Senator Hitchie to explain your vote.

[Senator Michelle Hinchey]: Thank you, mister president. I'd like to start by saying I too am a propane customer, and I live in the woods. We have a thousand gallon tank because it's hard to get there, and if there's a snowstorm, you can't get there actually to deliver the fuel. This is the this is the world that I'm living in too. But I wanna be really clear because it sounds like a lot of my colleagues are either saying that they do not believe in the climate crisis or they do not care that people and companies that have perpetuated the climate crisis over decades should bear any costs for that responsibility. But the main point about this bill is that it actually lowers the cost for our constituents and for those customers. For example, a previous fee that was able to be, put upon the customer was a fee for liquid petroleum gas that was not actually delivered. The customer had to pay for that. The customer had to pay for a fee that was not disclosed in the contract related to a termination of that service. Customer had to pay for that. Customer had to pay for a special usage fee if they didn't use enough petroleum to get a return on the investment for the customer. Customer had to pay an additional fee for that. The customer also had to pay for the termination of service if they didn't want it. They would have to pay for keeping the tank on their property even when they did terminate the service because the company didn't want to come and pick it up. They had to pay basically a rental fee for that. This bill is making sure that we are lowering the bills that we hear are skyrocketing all the time. This is actually an affordability measure. It is lowering those bills at a time when we also know that, renewable energy is cheaper than fossil fuels. We are shifting in that direction because we care about our constituents, and it's what our constituents want. So I thank my colleagues for voting for this bill. I encourage my other colleagues to look around them and talk to their constituents about the impacts that are happening across not just our state but across our country, and I proudly vote aye. Thank you very much.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Senator Hinchey will be recorded in the affirmative. Announce the results.

[Secretary of the Senate]: In relation to counter two fourteen voted in a negative are senators Ashby, Barello, Kensington A. Fitzpatrick, Chan, Gallivan, Grifold, Helming, Lanza, Martins, Matera, Murray, Obrak, O'Mara, Orpolumbo, Rhodes, Rawlinson, Steck, Tadisco, Walzwick, Reverend White, ayes 36 and ayes 22.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: Bills passed. Sir Engineers, the that completes the reading of the controversial calendar.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: Is there any further business at the desk?

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: There is no further business at the desk.

[Senator Michael Gianaris (Deputy Majority Leader)]: I move to adjourn until Monday, March 9 at 3PM with the intervening days being legislative days.

[Acting President of the Senate (Presiding Officer)]: A motion to senate stands adjourned until Monday, March 9 at 3PM with the intervening days being legislative days.