Regular Session - January 5, 2011
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1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
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6
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9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 January 5, 2011
11 12:08 p.m.
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13
14 REGULAR SESSION
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16
17
18 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ROBERT J. DUFFY, President
19 FRANCIS W. PATIENCE, Secretary
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1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 THE PRESIDENT: The Senate will
3 come to order.
4 Please rise for the Pledge of
5 Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 THE PRESIDENT: The invocation
9 today will be given by His Excellency
10 Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of
11 New York.
12 (Applause.)
13 ARCHBISHOP DOLAN: Thank you.
14 Let us pray.
15 We assemble for this historic
16 event, dear Lord, yes, as grateful citizens of
17 the state we're so proud to call home, but
18 also as people of humble faith who simply yet
19 sincerely confess, as Americans, in God we
20 trust.
21 Thus do we acclaim You as our
22 Creator, who made us in Your own image and
23 likeness, thus rendering the human person and
24 human life itself as sacred, thus endowing us
25 with rights calling for protection, and with
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1 freedom, not so much to do whatever we want,
2 but what we ought.
3 We profess You as a common Father
4 who unites us today, a Lawgiver who has
5 implanted within a grasp of the truth and a
6 thirst for justice, and a belief that we are
7 at our best when our will is consonant with
8 Your own.
9 To these distinguished legislators,
10 we ask the gift of the wisdom only You can
11 bestow, a reclaiming of the honor and nobility
12 of public service, and a sensitivity to those
13 in need. You never summon us to a duty
14 without supplying us the grace to do it, and
15 that blessed assurance consoles us as we
16 solemnly open today.
17 May all that we do and dream and
18 decide here in this historic chamber, may it
19 be, Lord, only to our credit when we one day
20 stand before You, the omnipotent Lawgiver and
21 Supreme Judge, You who live and reign forever
22 and ever, amen.
23 THE ASSEMBLAGE: Amen.
24 THE PRESIDENT: The chair now
25 hands down a message from the State Board of
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1 Elections, being the official certification of
2 the duly elected members of the Senate, and
3 directs that the same be filed in the Journal.
4 I would like to ask, are there any
5 Senators present who have not taken their
6 oaths of office yet? If so, please rise.
7 (No response.)
8 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary
9 will call the roll to ascertain a quorum.
10 THE SECRETARY: Senator Adams.
11 SENATOR ADAMS: Aye.
12 THE SECRETARY: Senator Addabbo.
13 SENATOR ADDABBO: Here.
14 THE SECRETARY: Senator Alesi.
15 SENATOR ALESI: Present.
16 THE SECRETARY: Senator Avella.
17 SENATOR AVELLA: Present.
18 THE SECRETARY: Senator Ball.
19 SENATOR BALL: Here.
20 THE SECRETARY: Senator Bonacic.
21 SENATOR BONACIC: Here.
22 THE SECRETARY: Senator Breslin.
23 SENATOR BRESLIN: Here.
24 THE SECRETARY: Senator Carlucci.
25 SENATOR CARLUCCI: Present.
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1 THE SECRETARY: Senator
2 DeFrancisco.
3 SENATOR DeFRANCISCO: Here.
4 THE SECRETARY: Senator Diaz.
5 SENATOR DIAZ: Presente.
6 THE SECRETARY: Senator Dilan.
7 SENATOR DILAN: Present.
8 THE SECRETARY: Senator Duane.
9 SENATOR DUANE: Here.
10 THE SECRETARY: Senator
11 Espaillat.
12 SENATOR ESPAILLAT: Here.
13 THE SECRETARY: Senator Farley.
14 SENATOR FARLEY: Here.
15 THE SECRETARY: Senator Flanagan.
16 SENATOR FLANAGAN: Here.
17 THE SECRETARY: Senator
18 Fuschillo.
19 SENATOR FUSCHILLO: Present.
20 THE SECRETARY: Senator Gallivan.
21 SENATOR GALLIVAN: Here.
22 THE SECRETARY: Senator Gianaris.
23 SENATOR GIANARIS: Here.
24 THE SECRETARY: Senator Golden.
25 SENATOR GOLDEN: Here.
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1 THE SECRETARY: Senator Griffo.
2 SENATOR GRIFFO: Here.
3 THE SECRETARY: Senator Grisanti.
4 SENATOR GRISANTI: Here.
5 THE SECRETARY: Senator Hannon.
6 SENATOR HANNON: Here.
7 THE SECRETARY: Senator
8 Hassell-Thompson.
9 SENATOR HASSELL-THOMPSON: Here.
10 THE SECRETARY: Senator Huntley.
11 SENATOR HUNTLEY: Here.
12 THE SECRETARY: Senator Johnson.
13 SENATOR JOHNSON: Here.
14 THE SECRETARY: Senator Kennedy.
15 SENATOR KENNEDY: Here.
16 THE SECRETARY: Senator Klein.
17 SENATOR KLEIN: Here.
18 THE SECRETARY: Senator
19 L. Krueger.
20 SENATOR LIZ KRUEGER: Here.
21 THE SECRETARY: Senator C.
22 Kruger.
23 SENATOR CARL KRUGER: Present.
24 THE SECRETARY: Senator Lanza.
25 SENATOR LANZA: Here.
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1 THE SECRETARY: Senator Larkin.
2 SENATOR LARKIN: Present.
3 THE SECRETARY: Senator LaValle.
4 SENATOR LaVALLE: Here.
5 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Skelos,
6 there is a quorum present.
7 I'd like to start off by welcoming
8 everybody here -- all of the returning
9 Senators, all the new Senators -- to the
10 234th session of this great body. My name is
11 Bob Duffy, I'm Lieutenant Governor, and it is
12 an honor to preside over this body.
13 I'm in my 34th year of public
14 service, this is my third career in public
15 service, and I have to admit I've never been
16 so awed as to walk into this great chamber and
17 look around and look at the beauty and
18 magnificence of this beautiful building and
19 the incredibly important work that's done
20 here.
21 I come from a city that has a
22 median family income of $29,000 per year,
23 people who struggle to put food on their
24 tables, people who struggle to pay their
25 mortgages, who depend on all of us in state
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1 government to make decisions that look out for
2 them and add to their lives and add to the
3 best interests of how they live every single
4 day across the state. The work that we do
5 here is incredibly important.
6 And I'd like to just finalize my
7 comments by saying when I walked in here, when
8 you look at this beautiful chamber, this is
9 one of the most beautiful chambers in the
10 entire country. And the work we do here is so
11 important. And the perceptions of what we do
12 outside sometimes don't match the expectations
13 that we have. But in this session, there is
14 no doubt in my mind that we can do some great
15 work.
16 I am proud to be representing
17 Governor Andrew Cuomo as his Lieutenant
18 Governor. And I just would ask that this
19 session that we look for ways to come
20 together. We're not Democrats, Republicans,
21 or independents, we are New Yorkers. And if
22 we work together as a team and work for the
23 best interests of everybody around this state,
24 this session will go down in history as one of
25 the greatest ever.
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1 So I welcome you all, I welcome the
2 families here today to this great event, and
3 may God bless you all.
4 (Applause.)
5 THE PRESIDENT: The chair now
6 hands down a communication from the Governor.
7 The Secretary will read.
8 THE SECRETARY: "Dear members of
9 the New York State Senate,
10 "I would appreciate the privilege
11 of your presence at the Empire State Plaza
12 Convention Center on January 5, 2011, at
13 1:30 a.m. or as soon thereafter as may be
14 convenient, where I will deliver my Annual
15 Message to the Legislature.
16 "Very truly yours, Andrew M.
17 Cuomo."
18 THE PRESIDENT: To be filed in
19 the Journal.
20 Senator Libous, why do you rise?
21 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
22 Mr. President.
23 Mr. President, at this time I hand
24 up the following resolution and I ask that it
25 be read in its entirety and we move for its
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1 immediate adoption, please.
2 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary
3 will read the resolution in its entirety.
4 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
5 Libous, Senate Resolution Number 1, providing
6 for the election of Dean G. Skelos as
7 Temporary President of the Senate for the
8 years 2011-2012.
9 "RESOLVED, That Senator Dean G.
10 Skelos be, and he hereby is elected Temporary
11 President of the Senate for the years
12 2011-2012."
13 SENATOR SQUADRON: Mr. President,
14 I believe there is a substitute resolution at
15 the desk. I ask that the title of the
16 resolution be read and move for its immediate
17 adoption.
18 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Squadron,
19 why do you rise?
20 SENATOR SQUADRON: Mr. President,
21 I believe there's a substitute resolution at
22 the desk. I ask that the title of the
23 resolution be read and move for its immediate
24 adoption.
25 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary
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1 will read the title of the substitute
2 resolution.
3 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
4 Squadron, Senate substitute resolution
5 providing for the election of John L. Sampson
6 as Temporary President and Majority Leader of
7 the Senate for 2011-2012.
8 SENATOR SQUADRON: Thank you,
9 Mr. President. On the resolution.
10 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Squadron,
11 on the resolution.
12 SENATOR SQUADRON: Thank you.
13 We all know, colleagues, that the
14 last two years were not easy. But under
15 Senator Sampson's leadership, this chamber
16 delivered significant accomplishments, some
17 that had been stalled for decades. Let there
18 be no mistake: Our accomplishments in the
19 last two years have made a difference in
20 everyday lives across this state.
21 Under the Democratic majority led
22 by Senator Sampson, we passed the strongest
23 ethics reform bill in history through both
24 houses of the Legislature. We made the
25 distribution of the Senate resources more
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1 equitable among all members regardless of
2 party. We ended the exclusive authority of
3 the Senate leader to decide which bills are
4 considered on the floor. For the first time,
5 important bills came to the floor and were
6 debated, including marriage equality, even if
7 they weren't assured of passage.
8 We enacted sweeping reforms of the
9 state's public authorities. We took the lead
10 on important reforms to education to win
11 $700 million in federal Race to the Top money.
12 With bipartisan support, we passed a property
13 tax cap and a Green Energy, Green Jobs bill to
14 fund and train workers to weatherize homes.
15 We created the Excelsior jobs creation program
16 and passed a first-in-the-nation Domestic
17 Workers Bill of Rights, Leandra's Law, the
18 Dignity for All Students Act, and no-fault
19 divorce. We Reformed the Rockefeller Drug
20 Laws to save taxpayers millions and strength
21 communities that have been shattered by mass
22 incarceration.
23 Certainly there were challenges,
24 and certainly there is a lot more to do. If
25 Senator Sampson is elected, we will see Senate
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1 action on several important items. As the
2 first order of legislative business, we would
3 make good on the New York Uprising pledge,
4 which 53 of us current Senators have signed.
5 It would create independent redistricting,
6 ethics reform, and budget reform. And we
7 would push forward much-needed campaign
8 finance reform. We would pass property tax
9 reform again and make a true investment in job
10 creation programs. And we would ensure that
11 hardworking New Yorkers who hit a rough patch
12 are able to depend on a helping hand from
13 their state, with unemployment benefits and
14 job training and a renewal and strengthening
15 of New York's rent regulation laws.
16 In the past year and a half,
17 Senator Sampson has maintained the goodwill of
18 members on both sides of the aisle and guided
19 this body to these accomplishments and more.
20 I urge my colleagues to support this
21 resolution to make the Democratic leader,
22 Senator John Sampson, President Pro Tem.
23 Thank you, Mr. President.
24 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
25 Senator.
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1 On the substitute resolution
2 offered by Senator Squadron, all those in
3 favor signify by saying aye.
4 (Response of "Aye.")
5 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay.
6 (Response of "Nay.")
7 THE PRESIDENT: The nays have it.
8 The resolution is defeated.
9 Senator Libous, your resolution is
10 now before the house.
11 SENATOR LIBOUS: Thank you,
12 Mr. President.
13 Mr. President and my colleagues, it
14 is with great honor and privilege that I stand
15 before you today to put a nomination for
16 Temporary President and Majority Leader of the
17 Senate, Senator Dean G. Skelos.
18 Over the past couple of years we
19 have had, as Senator Squadron said, some real
20 challenges before this house and certainly
21 before this state. Senator Skelos has the
22 leadership ability, the courage and the
23 passion to address those very, very tough
24 issues that we face.
25 He understands that New Yorkers
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1 from all across this state, from Buffalo to
2 Long Island, are struggling and many of them
3 are out of work. He understands that this
4 state has taxed people out of their homes and
5 that that policy has to change. He
6 understands that the state spends too much and
7 we have to reduce the rate of spending just
8 like every New Yorker has had to reduce the
9 rate of spending at home because their
10 pocketbooks have been pinched.
11 Senator Skelos has served in this
12 chamber for many years. He has served on both
13 sides of the aisle. He understands the needs
14 of the members in this chamber, both sides of
15 the aisle, and he has the leadership ability
16 to lead us, with our new governor, Andrew
17 Cuomo, during this very, very turbulent time.
18 My friends, it is the right choice
19 today, it is the right choice for the future.
20 And it is indeed an honor for me to put before
21 you the name of our friend and our next
22 leader, Dean G. Skelos.
23 (Applause.)
24 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
25 Senator.
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1 I now recognize Senator Johnson for
2 the purposes of seconding the nomination.
3 SENATOR JOHNSON: I take great
4 pride and pleasure in advancing, as a second,
5 the nomination of Dean Skelos. He and I have
6 been acquainted for many years. I have seen
7 him perform as a Senator and as a leader, as
8 he formerly was the leader, Majority Leader,
9 and is now returning to his rightful position.
10 During the hiatus of two years, he
11 had the strength and the fortitude and the
12 ability to keep the Republican conference in
13 good mood, keeping us working together, not
14 splitting off because we lost. We stayed
15 together. We still advanced what we thought
16 was right and talked against what we thought
17 was wrong. And I think he deserves a lot of
18 credit for doing that.
19 And so right now I'd like to say
20 that the second I'm putting forth is for the
21 second term of this leader who has
22 demonstrated his ability in the past, is going
23 to continue doing so, and we're very proud of
24 you, Dean.
25 Thank you.
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1 (Applause.)
2 THE PRESIDENT: The question is
3 on the resolution. All those in favor signify
4 by saying aye.
5 (Response of "Aye.")
6 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay.
7 (Response of "Nay.")
8 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is
9 adopted.
10 And the chair states for the record
11 that Senator Dean G. Skelos has been elected
12 Temporary President of the Senate for the
13 years 2011-2012.
14 (Extended standing ovation.)
15 THE PRESIDENT: Senator Skelos.
16 SENATOR SKELOS: Thank you.
17 I've received a communication from
18 the Senate Democrat Conference that Senator
19 John L. Sampson was elected as the Minority
20 Leader of the State Senate, and I ask that it
21 be filed in the Journal.
22 And I add my personal
23 congratulations, John.
24 (Applause.)
25 THE PRESIDENT: For the record,
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1 the chair recognizes that Senator John L.
2 Sampson was elected Minority Leader of the
3 State Senate for the years 2011-2012, and
4 notice will be filed in the Journal.
5 Senator Sampson.
6 SENATOR SAMPSON: Thank you very
7 much, Mr. President.
8 On behalf of the Democratic
9 Conference, I want to extend congratulations
10 to you, Senator Skelos.
11 Dean, you have more hair than I
12 have.
13 (Laughter.)
14 SENATOR SAMPSON: And I hope
15 after the next two years you continue to have
16 more hair than I have.
17 (Laughter.)
18 SENATOR SAMPSON: I really want
19 to take this time and really extend a personal
20 welcome to each of our new members, the lucky
21 13, on both sides of the aisle. You are
22 coming to the Senate at a very difficult time,
23 facing very difficult choices in the weeks and
24 months ahead.
25 I will never forget my first day
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1 here in this room when I met former Majority
2 Leader Joe Bruno. He said to me, he said,
3 "Senator, congratulations, and welcome to the
4 State of New York State Senate. You will go
5 far and you will do many great things here in
6 Albany. But always remember one piece of
7 advice: Never forget your district."
8 It's good advice because, as is
9 always said, all politics is local. And while
10 we have our differences on various votes and
11 causes, as one colleague to another, let me
12 urge you to follow that advice. Do not forget
13 your districts.
14 Now the elections are over and the
15 hard work truly begins. This is 2011. This
16 is a new decade. Let this be the decade of
17 the people. Let's work together to give
18 New Yorkers a government as good as they are
19 in a state worthy of the title as the Empire
20 State.
21 A lot of pundits and many
22 politicians preach how great New York used to
23 be. But let's be clear. New York wasn't the
24 Empire State because of the Legislature or the
25 government. What made New York great and what
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1 will make New York great again is a spirit of
2 innovation, a commitment to entrepreneurship,
3 and a strong, growing, and vibrant middle
4 class. Those things come from people, not
5 from government.
6 It used to be very simple. You
7 played by the rules, you worked hard, you
8 could provide for your family and have a piece
9 of the American dream. New York was a place
10 where people came in search of a better life,
11 and many of them found it.
12 The problem is that Albany became
13 the place where good ideas and smart policies
14 came to die. It didn't happen at once. A tax
15 hike here, a little borrowing there, one-shots
16 all over the place, and soon we were billions
17 of dollars in debt and no easy options to fix
18 the problem.
19 I am proud we were able to pass a
20 budget last year that protected the middle
21 class, that didn't raise income taxes or a
22 soda tax. I'm also proud we passed a property
23 tax cap -- not once, but twice -- and I hope
24 the Assembly will join us this year in getting
25 it passed.
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1 I'm proud we worked together to
2 keep our parks open so that middle-class
3 New Yorkers could take a staycation because
4 they couldn't afford a vacation. I am proud
5 we won Race to the Top. I am proud we passed
6 authorities and pension reform. I'm proud we
7 passed Green Jobs, Power for Jobs. I'm proud
8 we passed no-fault divorce, a Domestic Workers
9 Bill of Rights, and brought marriage equality
10 to the floor.
11 But, my colleagues, the past is the
12 past. And now it's time to change and now
13 it's time to lead. New Yorkers have a long
14 history of activism, leadership, and dissent,
15 not just for change in New York but for our
16 country and around the world. The labor
17 movement, the abolitionist movement, the fight
18 for suffrage, the Stonewall uprising, the
19 continuing struggle for reproductive rights,
20 marriage equality, personal privacy -- all
21 have roots here in New York.
22 In most instances, the people were
23 ready for change well before we were ready.
24 Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be.
25 Sometimes a difference between a mob and
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1 democracy is an election.
2 So maybe, just maybe, the
3 Legislature is a circuit breaker designed to
4 look at the bigger picture and itself only
5 limited by the Constitution, courts and
6 executives from excess. For far too long the
7 circuit breaker has been switched off, and
8 it's time to flip it back on.
9 New Yorkers want Albany to solve
10 their problems. It's time we ensure pledges
11 made become promises kept. They are demanding
12 reform, and we should give it to them. We
13 need to pass the Governor's ethics package,
14 which we will soon receive. We need to pass
15 budget reform. We need to pass independent
16 redistricting. Fifty-three of us signed Mayor
17 Koch's pledge. It was a very simple message
18 for all of us here in Albany and in our
19 districts: Keep your promise, pass the
20 pledge.
21 You want more sunlight, you want
22 more transparency in Albany? Keep your
23 promise, pass the pledge. You want a budget
24 that is actually balanced, no gimmicks, no
25 games? Keep your promise, pass the pledge.
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1 You want fair and competitive elections? Keep
2 your promise, pass the pledge.
3 While we're at it, let's bring
4 those votes of conscience to the floor such as
5 marriage equality and reproductive health
6 acts, to the floor for an up-or-down vote.
7 I still believe we can change
8 Albany. And I also believe in the power of
9 partnership. Senator Skelos, it's in your
10 hands, it's in your lead. But we will be
11 there right with you when we agree. When we
12 disagree, we will challenge you. As Dr. King
13 once said: Almost always, the creative,
14 dedicated minority has made the world better.
15 That is what we plan to do, and
16 that is what we will do. We will be committed
17 and we will be a compassionate opposition, but
18 most of all we understand that it takes a
19 partner to begin to understand and relieve the
20 middle class of the struggles that they face
21 on a day-to-day basis.
22 If we work together, we will lessen
23 the burden that government has passed on to
24 the middle class. We will transform our
25 economy, we will create jobs, and we will
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1 unleash the innovative and can-do spirit of
2 the people of the State of New York, and once
3 again we can become the Empire State.
4 So, Mr. President, I want to thank
5 you. I want to congratulate my colleague
6 again, Senator Skelos -- this is a man who I
7 respect -- and, as always, tell everybody
8 about politics. Politics is temporary
9 business. Friendships last forever. We can
10 have our agreements and disagreements, but we
11 must understand that our responsibility is not
12 to the special interests, our responsibility
13 is to the people that we represent.
14 This is going to be a very
15 difficult year for all of us. The cuts are
16 billions of dollars. But we have to
17 understand that in order for us to give people
18 the opportunity -- my father came from a
19 country to America with $20 in his pocket, and
20 he was able to achieve the American dream. We
21 want to give every New Yorker the opportunity
22 to achieve the American dream.
23 Senator Skelos, it's your lead,
24 time to lead. I want to congratulate you.
25 And I'm here to work with you and make sure
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1 that we provide that opportunity that we had,
2 but most of all for the opportunities for the
3 other people in the State of New York.
4 Congratulations.
5 (Applause.)
6 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
7 Senator.
8 Senator Skelos, will you please
9 stand and meet me at the well, along with your
10 brother, the Honorable Peter Skelos, and your
11 beautiful wife, Gail, and son, Adam, to be
12 sworn in as the Temporary President of the
13 Senate.
14 JUSTICE PETER SKELOS: Will you
15 raise your right hand and repeat after me:
16 I, Dean G. Skelos --
17 SENATOR SKELOS: I, Dean G.
18 Skelos --
19 JUSTICE PETER SKELOS: -- do
20 solemnly swear --
21 SENATOR SKELOS: -- do solemnly
22 swear --
23 JUSTICE PETER SKELOS: -- to
24 uphold the Constitution of the United
25 States --
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1 SENATOR SKELOS: -- to uphold the
2 Constitution of the United States --
3 JUSTICE PETER SKELOS: -- and the
4 Constitution of the State of New York --
5 SENATOR SKELOS: -- and the
6 Constitution of the State of New York --
7 JUSTICE PETER SKELOS: -- and
8 that I will faithfully discharge --
9 SENATOR SKELOS: -- and that I
10 will faithfully discharge --
11 JUSTICE PETER SKELOS: -- the
12 office of President Pro Tem --
13 SENATOR SKELOS: Temporary
14 President Pro Tem.
15 (Laughter.)
16 JUSTICE PETER SKELOS: Okay, the
17 office of Temporary President Pro Tem of the
18 Senate --
19 SENATOR SKELOS: -- the office of
20 Temporary President Pro Tem of the Senate --
21 JUSTICE PETER SKELOS: -- of the
22 State of New York --
23 SENATOR SKELOS: -- of the State
24 of New York --
25 JUSTICE PETER SKELOS: -- to the
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1 best of my ability, so help me God.
2 SENATOR SKELOS: -- to the best
3 of my ability, so help me God.
4 (Extended standing ovation.)
5 THE PRESIDENT: Ladies and
6 gentlemen, our Temporary President of the
7 Senate. Please welcome Senator Skelos.
8 Senator.
9 SENATOR SKELOS: Thank you very
10 much. And I'd like to welcome you, our new
11 Lieutenant Governor, to this wonderful
12 chamber. It's going to be a unique but
13 wonderful experience having you preside. We
14 are a great group of people, a divergent group
15 of people, different parts of the state. And
16 as we have our meetings here and our
17 discussions from time to time, you'll see what
18 a wonderful group of people that you'll be
19 presiding over.
20 So I welcome you to the chamber.
21 THE PRESIDENT: Thank you,
22 Senator. Thank you. Thank you.
23 (Applause.)
24 SENATOR SKELOS: Your Excellency,
25 Archbishop Dolan, I thank you for your
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1 prayers, the chamber does, and we appreciate
2 your leadership on behalf of the people of the
3 State of New York.
4 Thank you for being here.
5 (Applause.)
6 SENATOR SKELOS: Senator Sampson,
7 I congratulate you on your election. And I
8 can honestly say that I enjoyed the order of
9 the resolutions this year more than I did two
10 years ago.
11 (Laughter.)
12 SENATOR SKELOS: My wife, Gail;
13 my son, Adam; my father, who's here, Basil,
14 who is 90 -- almost 90 years old.
15 (Applause.)
16 SENATOR SKELOS: Still drives
17 himself to work every day, and keeps saying to
18 saying to me, "Where's my STAR rebate check?"
19 (Laughter.)
20 SENATOR SKELOS: To my brothers,
21 sisters, sister-in-laws, brother-in-laws,
22 nieces, nephews. You have been so wonderful
23 to me over the year, supportive. And as I
24 said earlier today, without the foundation of
25 your family, whether it's brothers, sisters,
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1 nieces, nephews, son, wife, you really have
2 nothing. And life truly is, number one, about
3 your family, and certainly then the profession
4 that we look to go into.
5 Tom, I want to thank you, Senator
6 Libous, for your kind nomination. And to my
7 dear friend Senator Owen Johnson, I thank you
8 for seconding the nomination.
9 I'm not going to have long comments
10 today, because our new Governor has asked me
11 to make comments on the floor. So to avoid
12 redundancy and to avoid spending a lot of time
13 right now -- because we have to go not
14 convention center -- at this time I'd like to
15 introduce our new State Senators.
16 First I'd like to introduce Mark
17 Grisanti. Mark?
18 (Applause.)
19 SENATOR SKELOS: From Nassau
20 County, Senator Jack Martins. Jack?
21 (Applause.)
22 SENATOR SKELOS: Senator Patrick
23 Gallivan. Senator?
24 (Applause.)
25 SENATOR SKELOS: I think I was
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1 almost his age once, when I came here. But
2 our new Senator, Senator Lee Zeldin.
3 (Applause.)
4 SENATOR SKELOS: Former
5 Assemblyman and now State Senator Tom O'Mara.
6 (Applause.)
7 SENATOR SKELOS: We have our new
8 Senator Patty Ritchie.
9 (Applause.)
10 SENATOR SKELOS: And finally,
11 former Assemblyman and now Senator Greg Ball.
12 Greg?
13 (Applause.)
14 SENATOR SKELOS: I just want to
15 say what an honor it is to all of my
16 colleagues, to all of my colleagues that are
17 here, that you've elected me your Temporary
18 President and Majority Leader. I know in your
19 hearts you really wanted to vote for me --
20 (Laughter.)
21 SENATOR SKELOS: -- but this is
22 the process.
23 And I believe that the process that
24 exists in this state -- and it can always be
25 improved -- is a wonderful process where we
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1 can come together, as I mentioned to the
2 Lieutenant Governor, from all parts of the
3 state, different interests, different
4 constituencies, different backgrounds. But
5 the challenge for us this year is truly going
6 to be to make it work.
7 So, Senator Sampson, and to all of
8 our colleagues, this is going to be a
9 challenging year. And with this challenge, we
10 cannot pass the opportunity to reform and
11 change this state.
12 Senator Sampson, you mentioned
13 certain pledges. Let me make a pledge that
14 we've made throughout the last two years. We
15 will not be raising taxes. That's a pledge
16 that we will keep.
17 (Applause.)
18 SENATOR SKELOS: As indicated by
19 the new Governor and the necessity that exists
20 with the spending binges that went on in the
21 past, we will cut state spending. It's
22 absolutely necessary because the people of
23 this state can no longer afford the cost of
24 state government.
25 And probably the most important
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1 pledge that we have to keep, and what the
2 people of New York are crying out for, and
3 that's for us to empower and help create
4 private-sector jobs.
5 (Applause.)
6 SENATOR SKELOS: We will restore
7 decorum, dignity, and respect to this
8 beautiful chamber. We will start session on
9 time. And we will --
10 (Applause.)
11 SENATOR SKELOS: And we will take
12 up bills that are introduced and sponsored by
13 both sides of the aisle. Legislation --
14 (Applause.)
15 SENATOR SKELOS: Legislation will
16 be debated, and bills will pass and bills will
17 fail. But I think that's what our democracy
18 is about, the opportunity to discuss
19 legislation and have up-or-down votes.
20 And I think that's critically
21 important, that if we do this and we act with
22 decorum, that we can restore the faith of the
23 people in this chamber.
24 And if we partner with our new
25 Governor, with Speaker Silver, we will have a
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1 tremendous opportunity to turn around this
2 state, make it the Empire State once again,
3 and bring the respect to this chamber that we
4 will earn this year as Republicans and
5 Democrats working together.
6 So I thank you for the opportunity,
7 I thank you for the challenge, and I look
8 forward to a productive, productive session
9 this year. Thank you much.
10 (Applause.)
11 SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President,
12 at this time I hand up the following
13 Resolution Number 3 and ask that the title be
14 read and move for its immediate adoption.
15 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary
16 will read Resolution Number 3 in its entirety.
17 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
18 Skelos, Senate Resolution Number 3, that
19 Francis W. Patience of Latham, New York, be
20 and he hereby is elected Secretary of the
21 Senate for the years 2011-2012.
22 "RESOLVED, That Francis W. Patience
23 of Latham, New York, be and he hereby is
24 elected Secretary of the Senate for the years
25 2011-2012."
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1 THE PRESIDENT: The question is
2 on the resolution. All those in favor signify
3 by saying aye.
4 (Response of "Aye.")
5 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay.
6 (No response.)
7 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is
8 adopted.
9 The chair states for the record
10 that Francis W. Patience has been elected
11 Secretary of the Senate for the years
12 2011-2012.
13 Mr. Patience, I ask that you now
14 join your dear mother, Mary Elizabeth
15 Patience, accompanied by your brother, Tom, at
16 the well, to be sworn in by Senator Skelos.
17 SENATOR SKELOS: You ready for
18 this?
19 (Laughter.)
20 SENATOR SKELOS: I do solemnly
21 swear --
22 MR. PATIENCE: I do solemnly
23 swear --
24 SENATOR SKELOS: -- that I will
25 support the Constitution of the United
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1 States --
2 MR. PATIENCE: -- that I will
3 support the Constitution of the United
4 States --
5 SENATOR SKELOS: -- and the
6 Constitution of the State of New York --
7 MR. PATIENCE: -- and the
8 constitution of the State of New York --
9 SENATOR SKELOS: -- and that I
10 will faithfully discharge --
11 MR. PATIENCE: -- and that I will
12 faithfully discharge --
13 SENATOR SKELOS: -- the duties of
14 the office of Secretary of the Senate --
15 MR. PATIENCE: -- the duties of
16 the office of Secretary of the Senate --
17 SENATOR SKELOS: -- of the State
18 of New York --
19 MR. PATIENCE: -- of the State of
20 New York --
21 SENATOR SKELOS: -- to the best
22 of my ability --
23 MR. PATIENCE: -- to the best of
24 my ability --
25 SENATOR SKELOS: -- so help me
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1 God.
2 MR. PATIENCE: -- so help me God.
3 SENATOR SKELOS: Congratulations.
4 (Applause.)
5 THE PRESIDENT: Ladies and
6 gentlemen, our Secretary.
7 Senator Skelos.
8 SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President,
9 if we could have Resolution 4 now read in its
10 entirety and move for its immediate adoption.
11 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary
12 will read Resolution Number 4 in its entirety.
13 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
14 Skelos, Senate Resolution Number 4, that
15 George R. Federoff be, and he hereby is
16 elected Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate for the
17 years 2011-2012.
18 "Resolved, that George R. Federoff
19 be, and he hereby is elected Sergeant-at-Arms
20 of the Senate for the years 2011-2012."
21 THE PRESIDENT: On the
22 resolution, all in favor signify by saying
23 aye.
24 (Response of "Aye.")
25 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay.
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1 (No response.)
2 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is
3 adopted.
4 Congratulations, Mr. Federoff.
5 For the record, Mr. George R.
6 Federoff has been elected Sergeant at Arms for
7 the years 2011-2012.
8 (Applause.)
9 THE PRESIDENT: Congratulations.
10 Senator Skelos.
11 SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President, I
12 believe there are Resolutions Number 5 and 6
13 at the desk. May we please have them read and
14 move for their immediate adoption.
15 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary
16 will now read Resolution Number 5 in its
17 entirety.
18 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
19 Skelos, Senate Resolution Number 5, resolved
20 that the Temporary President appoint a
21 committee of two to inform the Governor of the
22 election of Dean G. Skelos as Temporary
23 President of the Senate for the years
24 2011-2012, and that the Senate is organized
25 and ready to proceed with business.
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1 "RESOLVED, That the Temporary
2 President appoint a committee of two,
3 comprised of Senator Patricia Ritchie and
4 Senator Timothy Kennedy, for the purpose of
5 informing the Governor of the election of Dean
6 G. Skelos as Temporary President of the Senate
7 for the years 2011-2012, and that the Senate
8 is organized and ready to proceed with
9 business."
10 THE PRESIDENT: The question is
11 on the resolution. All those in favor please
12 signify by saying aye.
13 (Response of "Aye.")
14 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay.
15 (No response.)
16 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is
17 adopted.
18 Senator Skelos appoints Senators
19 Patricia Ritchie and Timothy Kennedy to wait
20 upon the Governor that the Senate is ready to
21 proceed.
22 The Secretary will now read
23 Resolution Number 6 in its entirety.
24 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
25 Skelos, Senate Resolution Number 6, resolved
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1 that the Temporary President appoint a
2 committee of two to wait upon the Assembly and
3 inform that body of the election of Dean G.
4 Skelos as Temporary President of the Senate
5 for the years 2011-2012, and that the Senate
6 is organized and ready to proceed with
7 business.
8 "RESOLVED, That the Temporary
9 President appoint a committee of two,
10 comprised of Senator Mark Grisanti and Senator
11 Gustavo Rivera, for the purpose of waiting
12 upon the Assembly and informing that body of
13 the election of Senator Dean G. Skelos as
14 Temporary President of the Senate for the
15 years 2011-2012, and that the Senate is
16 organized and ready to proceed with business."
17 THE PRESIDENT: The question is
18 on the resolution. All those in favor signify
19 by saying aye.
20 (Response of "Aye.")
21 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay.
22 (No response.)
23 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is
24 adopted.
25 Senator Skelos appoints Senators
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1 Mark Grisanti and Gustavo Rivera to wait upon
2 the Assembly that the Senate is ready to
3 proceed.
4 Senator Skelos.
5 SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President, I
6 believe there are two resolutions, 7 and 8, at
7 the desk. May we please have the titles read
8 and move for their immediate adoption.
9 THE PRESIDENT: The Secretary
10 will read Resolution Number 7, title only.
11 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
12 Skelos, Senate Resolution Number 7, providing
13 for the adoption of the rules of the Senate
14 for a certain period of time.
15 THE PRESIDENT: The question is
16 on the resolution. All those in favor signify
17 by saying aye.
18 (Response of "Aye.")
19 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay.
20 (No response.)
21 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is
22 adopted.
23 The Secretary will now read
24 Resolution Number 8 in its entirety.
25 THE SECRETARY: By Senator
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1 Skelos, Senate Resolution Number 8, providing
2 for the hours of meeting by the Senate for the
3 years 2011-2012.
4 "RESOLVED, That unless otherwise
5 ordered, the hours of meeting of the Senate
6 shall be as follows: Mondays and Tuesdays at
7 3:00 p.m., Wednesdays and all other days at
8 11:00 a.m."
9 THE PRESIDENT: The question is
10 on the resolution. All those in favor signify
11 by saying aye.
12 (Response of "Aye.")
13 THE PRESIDENT: Opposed, nay.
14 (No response.)
15 THE PRESIDENT: The resolution is
16 adopted.
17 Senator Skelos.
18 SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President, I
19 hand up two committee assignments and ask that
20 such assignments be filed in the Journal.
21 THE PRESIDENT: Notice will be
22 filed in the Journal.
23 Senator Skelos.
24 SENATOR SKELOS: Mr. President,
25 the Senate will stand adjourned until Monday,
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1 January 10th, at 3:00 p.m., intervening days
2 being legislative days. We will now proceed
3 to the Empire State Plaza Convention Center
4 for the Governor's State of the State address.
5 THE PRESIDENT: On motion, the
6 Senate stands adjourned until Monday,
7 January 10th, at 3:00 p.m., intervening days
8 being legislative days.
9 The Senate will now proceed to the
10 Empire State Plaza Convention Center for the
11 Governor's State of the State address.
12 (Whereupon, at 12:53 p.m., the
13 Senate adjourned.)
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