Regular Session - April 1, 2025
1584
1 NEW YORK STATE SENATE
2
3
4 THE STENOGRAPHIC RECORD
5
6
7
8
9 ALBANY, NEW YORK
10 April 1, 2025
11 11:15 a.m.
12
13
14 REGULAR SESSION
15
16
17
18 SENATOR SHELLEY B. MAYER, Acting President
19 ALEJANDRA N. PAULINO, ESQ., Secretary
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21
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24
25
1585
1 P R O C E E D I N G S
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The Senate
3 will come to order.
4 I ask everyone to please rise and
5 recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
6 (Whereupon, the assemblage recited
7 the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: In the
9 absence of clergy, let us bow our heads in a
10 moment of silent reflection or prayer.
11 (Whereupon, the assemblage respected
12 a moment of silence.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Reading of
14 the Journal.
15 THE SECRETARY: In Senate, Monday,
16 March 31, 2025, the Senate met pursuant to
17 adjournment. The Journal of Friday, March 28,
18 2025, was read and approved. On motion, the
19 Senate adjourned.
20 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Without
21 objection, the Journal stands approved as read.
22 Presentation of petitions.
23 Messages from the Assembly.
24 Messages from the Governor.
25 Reports of standing committees.
1586
1 Reports of select committees.
2 Communications and reports from
3 state officers.
4 Motions and resolutions.
5 Senator Gianaris.
6 SENATOR GIANARIS: Good morning,
7 Madam President.
8 On behalf of Senator Cleare, I wish
9 to call up Senate Print 115, recalled from the
10 Assembly, which is now at the desk.
11 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
12 276, Senate Print 115, by Senator Cleare, an act
13 to amend the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law.
14 SENATOR GIANARIS: I move to
15 reconsider the vote by which this bill was
16 passed.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
18 Secretary will call the roll on reconsideration.
19 (The Secretary called the roll.)
20 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 53.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
22 is restored to its place on the Third Reading
23 Calendar.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: I offer the
25 following amendments.
1587
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
2 amendments are received.
3 SENATOR GIANARIS: Amendments are
4 also offered to the following Third Reading
5 Calendar bills.
6 By Senator Jackson, page 10,
7 Calendar 260, Senate Print 1892A;
8 Senator Hoylman-Sigal, page 12,
9 Calendar 327, Senate Print 2706;
10 Senator Gianaris, page 13,
11 Calendar 338, Senate Print 2462;
12 Senator May, page 20, Calendar 479,
13 Senate Print 879;
14 And Senator Hinchey, page 26,
15 Calendar 563, Senate Print 600.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
17 amendments are received, and the bills will
18 retain their place on the Third Reading Calendar.
19 Senator Gianaris.
20 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
21 we're going to simultaneously call a meeting of
22 the Rules Committee in Room 332 and take up the
23 calendar at this time.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There will
25 be an immediate meeting of the Rules Committee in
1588
1 Room 332.
2 The Secretary will read.
3 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
4 201, Senate Print 2556, by Senator Comrie, an act
5 to amend the Public Authorities Law.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
7 last section.
8 THE SECRETARY: Section 4. This
9 act shall take effect immediately.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 53.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
17 is passed.
18 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
19 239, Senate Print 349, by Senator Skoufis, an act
20 to amend the Public Officers Law.
21 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
23 is laid aside.
24 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
25 245, Senate Print 1787, by Senator Hinchey, an
1589
1 act to amend the State Law.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
3 last section.
4 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
5 act shall take effect immediately.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
7 roll.
8 (The Secretary called the roll.)
9 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
10 the results.
11 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 53.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
13 is passed.
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 353, Senate Print 1855, by Senator Rivera, an act
16 to amend the Public Health Law.
17 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
18 last section.
19 THE SECRETARY: Section 9. This
20 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
21 shall have become a law.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
23 roll.
24 (The Secretary called the roll.)
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
1590
1 the results.
2 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 53.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
4 is passed.
5 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
6 373, Senate Print 688A, by Senator Martinez, an
7 act to amend the Real Property Tax Law.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
9 last section.
10 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
11 act shall take effect immediately.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
13 roll.
14 (The Secretary called the roll.)
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
16 the results.
17 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 53.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
21 451, Senate Print 2590, by Senator Mayer, an act
22 to amend the Education Law.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
24 last section.
25 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
1591
1 act shall take effect July 1, 2026.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
3 roll.
4 (The Secretary called the roll.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
6 the results.
7 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 53.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
9 is passed.
10 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
11 562, Senate Print 190, by Senator Martinez, an
12 act to amend the Volunteer Firefighters' Benefit
13 Law.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
15 last section.
16 THE SECRETARY: Section 3. This
17 act shall take effect immediately.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
19 roll.
20 (The Secretary called the roll.)
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
22 the results.
23 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 56.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
25 is passed.
1592
1 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
2 590, Senate Print 947, by Senator Jackson, an act
3 to amend the Real Property Law.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Read the
5 last section.
6 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
7 act shall take effect immediately.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
9 roll.
10 (The Secretary called the roll.)
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
12 the results.
13 THE SECRETARY: In relation to
14 Calendar 590, voting in the negative are
15 Senators Ashby, Borrello, Palumbo, Rhoads and
16 Weik.
17 Ayes, 51. Nays, 5.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
19 is passed.
20 Senator Serrano, that completes the
21 reading of today's calendar.
22 SENATOR SERRANO: At this time the
23 Senate will stand at ease.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The Senate
25 will stand at ease.
1593
1 (Whereupon, the Senate stood at ease
2 at 11:20 a.m.)
3 (Whereupon, the Senate reconvened at
4 11:22 a.m.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The Senate
6 will return to order.
7 Senator Gianaris.
8 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
9 there's a report of the Rules Committee at the
10 desk. Please take that up.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
12 Secretary will read.
13 THE SECRETARY: Senator
14 Stewart-Cousins, from the Committee on Rules,
15 reports the following bill:
16 Senate Print 7070, by
17 Senator Krueger, an act making appropriations for
18 the support of government.
19 The bill reports directly to third
20 reading.
21 SENATOR GIANARIS: Move to accept
22 the report of the Rules Committee.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: All those
24 in favor of accepting the report of the
25 Rules Committee please signify by saying aye.
1594
1 (Response of "Aye.")
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Opposed,
3 nay.
4 (No response.)
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The report
6 of the Rules Committee is accepted.
7 Senator Gianaris.
8 SENATOR GIANARIS: Please take up
9 the supplemental calendar.
10 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
12 Secretary will read.
13 (Laughter.)
14 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
15 620, Senate Print 7070, by Senator Krueger, an
16 act making appropriations for the support of
17 government.
18 SENATOR GIANARIS: Madam President,
19 is there a message of necessity and appropriation
20 at the desk?
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There is a
22 message of necessity and appropriation at the
23 desk.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: I move to accept
25 the message.
1595
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: All those
2 in favor of accepting the message please signify
3 by saying aye.
4 (Response of "Aye.")
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Opposed?
6 (No response.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
8 message is accepted, and the bill is before the
9 house.
10 SENATOR LANZA: Lay it aside.
11 (Laughter.)
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
13 Lanza, the bill is laid aside.
14 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
15 reading of the supplemental calendar.
16 SENATOR GIANARIS: Can we move to
17 the controversial calendar and begin with
18 Senate Bill 7070, please.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
20 Secretary will ring the bell.
21 The Secretary will read.
22 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
23 620, Senate Print 7070, by Senator Krueger, an
24 act making appropriations for the support of
25 government.
1596
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
2 O'Mara, why do you rise?
3 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
4 Madam President.
5 I was wondering if Senator Krueger
6 would answer a few questions.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
8 Krueger, do you yield?
9 SENATOR KRUEGER: I do,
10 Madam President.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
12 Senator yields.
13 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you.
14 So we're here with an extender on
15 April 1st. The budget was due to be done
16 midnight last night. How long does this extender
17 extend the operations of state government?
18 SENATOR KRUEGER: Through you,
19 Madam President, till Thursday.
20 SENATOR O'MARA: Through you,
21 Madam President, if the Senator will continue to
22 yield.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
24 continue to yield?
25 SENATOR KRUEGER: I do.
1597
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
2 Senator yields.
3 SENATOR O'MARA: What is the status
4 of the budget discussions at this point? We're
5 really not hearing much of anything other than
6 rumor and innuendo in the media.
7 Can you give us and New Yorkers a
8 sense of where we are in the budget and when you
9 expect us to see budget bills and actually vote
10 on an actual budget?
11 SENATOR KRUEGER: Through you,
12 Madam President, I would love to be able to
13 answer the question "When will we see budget
14 bills?" I too read the press. So apparently the
15 Director of Budget for the Governor has said that
16 until such time as she resolves a number of key
17 policy issues for herself, we're not continuing
18 discussions about the actual budget.
19 So personally, that's quite
20 frustrating to me. I think we can do both things
21 at once, but apparently that is not in the cards,
22 so I do not know the answer when we will actually
23 get to the budget bills.
24 SENATOR FELDER: (No mic.) 2027.
25 SENATOR KRUEGER: I missed that.
1598
1 SENATOR O'MARA: Through you,
2 Madam President, if the Senator will yield.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Does the
4 Senator continue to yield?
5 SENATOR KRUEGER: Just this
6 Senator, right?
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Yes, just
8 that Senator.
9 SENATOR KRUEGER: Yes,
10 Senator O'Mara, I yield to you.
11 SENATOR O'MARA: What are the
12 policy issues, in your understanding, that are
13 out there?
14 I've heard of discovery reform and
15 I've heard of involuntary commitment being the
16 hang-ups. Are there others that you're aware of?
17 SENATOR KRUEGER: I believe that
18 cell-to-cell -- excuse me. Cellphones
19 bell-to-bell is continuing in discussion as well.
20 So I think those three things.
21 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you.
22 Madam President, if the Senator will
23 continue to yield.
24 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
25 continue to yield?
1599
1 SENATOR KRUEGER: Yes.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
3 Krueger yields to Senator O'Mara.
4 SENATOR O'MARA: Late last week or
5 maybe it was even over the weekend I saw in the
6 news Speaker Heastie saying they were waiting on
7 the Governor to deliver language on these policy
8 issues.
9 Do you know if any language on these
10 various issues has even been presented to the
11 leadership of either the Assembly or the Senate?
12 SENATOR KRUEGER: So I have no idea
13 what materials have gone back and forth in the
14 Assembly. Obviously I'm in the Senate.
15 I know I had a meeting with the
16 Governor's people on Friday and asked for written
17 proposals and was told they were not available.
18 I don't know whether anything since then has been
19 submitted to either house's leadership.
20 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you.
21 Madam President, if the Senator will
22 continue to yield.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
24 continue to yield?
25 SENATOR KRUEGER: Yes.
1600
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
2 Senator yields.
3 SENATOR O'MARA: Since these policy
4 issues are holding up all the other discussions,
5 as you said, I assume there are no table targets
6 yet, is that correct?
7 SENATOR KRUEGER: Yes,
8 Madam President, I believe that that is correct.
9 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you.
10 Madam President, if the Senator will
11 continue to yield.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
13 continue to yield?
14 SENATOR KRUEGER: Yes.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
16 Senator yields.
17 SENATOR O'MARA: When do you
18 anticipate us seeing budget bills?
19 SENATOR KRUEGER: Madam President,
20 it's April Fool's Day, so I don't want to give
21 any hypotheticals that could then perhaps be used
22 as a way of accusing me of making a joke.
23 So absent the fact that I don't know
24 the answer, I'll just say I don't know the
25 answer.
1601
1 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you.
2 Madam President, if the Senator will
3 continue to yield.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
5 continue to yield?
6 SENATOR KRUEGER: Yes.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
8 Senator yields.
9 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
10 Senator. And I'd be the last one to call you a
11 fool even if it is April Fools' Day. No -- no --
12 SENATOR KRUEGER: Madam President,
13 through you, thank you very much, Senator O'Mara.
14 SENATOR O'MARA: -- no worries --
15 no worries there.
16 On the extender itself, what is the
17 total amount of dollars being allocated here?
18 SENATOR KRUEGER: The bill provides
19 $1.7 billion in appropriation authority to meet
20 payroll costs to allow certain payments for the
21 Department of Health, the Medical Assistance
22 Administration Program, the Department of Labor,
23 the Office of Mental Health, and the Department
24 of Veterans' Affairs.
25 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
1602
1 Madam President. If the Senator will continue to
2 yield.
3 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
4 continue to yield?
5 SENATOR KRUEGER: Indeed.
6 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
7 Senator yields.
8 SENATOR O'MARA: My understanding
9 of that total 1.7 billion is that 1.1 billion of
10 that is for Medicaid expenditures. Can you tell
11 us what period of time that's covering?
12 SENATOR KRUEGER: One second.
13 Approximately one week,
14 Madam President.
15 SENATOR O'MARA: Through you,
16 Madam President, if the Senator will continue to
17 yield.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
19 continue to yield?
20 SENATOR KRUEGER: Yes.
21 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
22 Senator yields.
23 SENATOR O'MARA: So that is
24 extending payments beyond the length of this
25 extender, which is Thursday. What -- or when do
1603
1 you expect us to see the next extender bill?
2 Would it be Thursday?
3 Because, you know, in my experience
4 here, even if there was a complete agreement on
5 the budget this afternoon, we wouldn't be done,
6 finished with it, printing and debating, by
7 Thursday anyway.
8 So what's your expectation of having
9 to do another extender, and when will we do that?
10 SENATOR KRUEGER: Senator O'Mara
11 and I have both been in this town a long time. I
12 think we have the same analysis. Even if somehow
13 we finished all the agreements and disagreements
14 in the budget by this afternoon, we would not
15 have budget bills ready and in print and able to
16 be voted on.
17 So yes, I believe we will do another
18 extender on Thursday.
19 SENATOR O'MARA: Thank you,
20 Madam President. That's all.
21 SENATOR KRUEGER: Thank you.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Are there
23 any other Senators wishing to be heard?
24 Seeing and hearing none, the debate
25 is closed. The Secretary will ring the bell.
1604
1 Read the last section.
2 THE SECRETARY: Section 12. This
3 act shall take effect immediately.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
5 roll.
6 (The Secretary called the roll.)
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
8 Murray to explain his vote.
9 SENATOR MURRAY: Thank you,
10 Madam President.
11 I just want to point out as part of
12 this extender the portion here, the 350,000 for
13 state employee MTA mobility tax offset. If this
14 is for three days, according to my calculations,
15 that means the state's paying about 117,000 per
16 day to the MTA here.
17 As the budget negotiations continue,
18 I urge you to resist the urge to impose more of
19 an MTA payroll tax all across the region, as we
20 are paying -- as many feel -- more than enough.
21 In fact, rather than filling the supposed gap
22 with more money from New Yorkers, and out of
23 their pockets, perhaps maybe some fiscal
24 oversight and proper management might be the way
25 to go.
1605
1 Over the past five years we lost
2 almost $4 billion to toll and fare evasion. Last
3 year set a record in overtime: $1.42 billion.
4 That's not on the workers; they're just doing
5 their job. That's on management. That's
6 mismanagement.
7 So we pay in so many different ways.
8 Local governments pay. Community colleges pay.
9 Hospitals pay. This is all the MTA payroll tax
10 right now. Anyone with a cellphone right now is
11 paying every single month. They're already
12 paying state and local subsidies, fares and
13 tolls, New York Mansion Tax, internet marketplace
14 tax, for-hire vehicle surcharges, federal aid --
15 it goes on and on.
16 My point? We're giving them enough
17 money. It's time they clean up their act. So as
18 we're putting together the final budget, please
19 keep that in mind. Give New Yorkers a break.
20 Give Long Islanders a break.
21 Thank you, Madam President.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
23 Murray, how do you vote?
24 SENATOR MURRAY: I'm voting aye on
25 the extension.
1606
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: You're
2 voting aye on the extension.
3 SENATOR MURRAY: Yeah.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
5 the results.
6 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
8 is passed.
9 THE SECRETARY: Calendar Number
10 239, Senate Print 349, by Senator Skoufis, an act
11 to amend the Public Officers Law.
12 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
13 Walczyk, why do you rise?
14 SENATOR WALCZYK: Madam President,
15 would the sponsor yield.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Senator
17 Skoufis, do you yield?
18 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Of course.
19 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
20 Senator yields.
21 SENATOR WALCZYK: What budget bill
22 are we on?
23 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
24 Madam President, we're not on a budget bill.
25 SENATOR WALCZYK: Through you,
1607
1 Madam President, would the --
2 SENATOR SKOUFIS: We're on
3 Bill 349, I believe it is.
4 SENATOR WALCZYK: Through you,
5 Madam President, would the sponsor continue to
6 yield.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
8 continue to yield?
9 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Yes.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
11 Senator yields.
12 SENATOR WALCZYK: What is the
13 purpose of this bill?
14 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
15 Madam President. The purpose of this bill is
16 very straightforward. I'll note it's a bill that
17 you voted for a couple of years ago.
18 And it simply extends the types of
19 entities that are subjected to FOIL, specifically
20 those entities -- and I'm quoting from the bill
21 language here, it's just a one-clause bill:
22 "Entities created by an agency that are governed
23 by a board of directors or similar body, a
24 majority of which is designated by one or more
25 state or local government officials."
1608
1 SENATOR WALCZYK: Through you,
2 Madam President, would the sponsor continue to
3 yield.
4 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
5 continue to yield?
6 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Yes.
7 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
8 Senator yields.
9 SENATOR WALCZYK: Was there a
10 particular problem with any of those entities
11 that your bill looks to address that created the
12 concern and this legislation came out of that?
13 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
14 Madam President. This has been, I would argue, a
15 pervasive problem both at the state government
16 level as well as the local government level.
17 There's an Empire Center report --
18 an organization I know you're familiar with,
19 Senator Walczyk -- that outlines how the
20 Department of Health, effectively off-budget,
21 sends about a fifth, one-fifth of their budget to
22 a quasi-government organization called the
23 Health Research, Inc., that the Department of
24 Health commissioner typically leads, that is not
25 subject to FOIL, for example.
1609
1 In your own district, the Watertown
2 Local Development Corporation. There are many
3 LDCs around the state that are not subject to
4 FOIL but facilitate millions -- if not many more
5 dollars than millions -- of taxpayer funds to
6 local projects that are not subjected to FOIL.
7 And so I'm actually surprised you
8 have not heard that this is an issue or problem
9 from your taxpayers, in your district and every
10 district that wants to know where their money is
11 going.
12 SENATOR WALCZYK: Through you,
13 Madam President, would the sponsor continue to
14 yield.
15 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
16 continue to yield?
17 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Yes.
18 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
19 Senator yields.
20 SENATOR WALCZYK: The question was
21 about the onus of this legislation. Where did
22 the idea come from, and what problem, when it was
23 introduced, were we trying to address? This has
24 been around since 2015, '17, somewhere in there,
25 right?
1610
1 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
2 Madam President, I believe it's been around since
3 2013. This chamber has passed it many times.
4 And for myself, the instance that
5 comes to mind that prompted me to take some
6 action on this particular problem, is in
7 Orange County there was an LDC formed by the
8 county government to skirt the Freedom of
9 Information Law as they sought to sell off a I
10 believe century-old public county-owned nursing
11 home. That effort ultimately did fail.
12 But, you know, we all have, if
13 you're paying attention, we all have local
14 instances vis-a-vis LDCs or other types of
15 workaround entities that we can likely all speak
16 to.
17 And then more recently the Committee
18 on Open Government specifically recommended that
19 we take this action as well.
20 SENATOR WALCZYK: Through you,
21 Madam President, will the sponsor continue to
22 yield.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
24 continue to yield?
25 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Yes.
1611
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
2 Senator yields.
3 SENATOR WALCZYK: My understanding
4 is that the onus for the original introduction of
5 this bill had to do with nonprofits that were set
6 up as real estate arms for things like SUNY
7 Polytechnic Institute, and that the Cuomo
8 administration had awarded contracts, there were
9 campaign donations in question. There was a lot
10 of reporting about it.
11 Would the legislation still impact
12 those types of situations?
13 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
14 Madam President. Broadly, yes.
15 You know, you made reference to I
16 think SUNY Poly, which obviously dealt with --
17 this is going back a decade or so ago -- a series
18 of alleged corrupt acts. And yes, this bill
19 would broadly apply to entities like that.
20 SENATOR WALCZYK: And through you,
21 Madam President, would the sponsor continue to
22 yield.
23 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
24 continue to yield?
25 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Yes.
1612
1 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
2 Senator yields.
3 SENATOR WALCZYK: I know it's going
4 back a decade, but many will remember the
5 headlines. The U.S. Attorney was actually
6 investigating some of these things when it came
7 to improper bidding, bid rigging, members of
8 boards not having any accountability. And
9 Governor Andrew Cuomo at the time said, "I don't
10 have any control over any of these boards."
11 Would this bill still address those
12 situations?
13 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
14 Madam President. If the entity is established by
15 an existing agency or government, state or local,
16 and the state or local government is appointing a
17 majority of the board members to that entity,
18 then yes.
19 SENATOR WALCZYK: And through you,
20 Madam President, would the sponsor continue to
21 yield.
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
23 continue to yield?
24 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Yes.
25 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
1613
1 Senator yields.
2 SENATOR WALCZYK: You said state or
3 local. So Governor Cuomo is now running for
4 mayor of New York City. This will also impact
5 New York City as well?
6 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
7 Madam President, yes.
8 SENATOR WALCZYK: And through you,
9 Madam President, would the sponsor continue to
10 yield.
11 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
12 continue to yield?
13 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Yes.
14 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
15 Senator yields.
16 SENATOR WALCZYK: Does this
17 continue to be a pervasive problem with the
18 Hochul administration in a lot of these
19 instances?
20 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
21 Madam President. I don't think this is a new
22 problem that any administration is creating.
23 This is a decades-long, very longstanding issue.
24 And look, some would likely argue
25 this is not a problem. I am arguing that it is,
1614
1 and that's why we're taking up this bill.
2 SENATOR WALCZYK: Through you,
3 Madam President, would the sponsor continue to
4 yield.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
6 continue to yield?
7 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Yes.
8 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
9 Senator yields.
10 SENATOR WALCZYK: You know, at the
11 start of this debate you reminded us that we've
12 passed this many times. I've voted for it in the
13 past, and I hope that it does become law. I
14 think it's very important to have that
15 accountability.
16 We've passed this the last four
17 years in this chamber. What's going on in the
18 other house? Why hasn't this been taken up in
19 the Assembly at all?
20 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
21 Madam President, I think that's a wonderful
22 question and I would love to know the answer as
23 well.
24 SENATOR WALCZYK: Through you,
25 Madam President, would the sponsor continue to
1615
1 yield.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Do you
3 continue to yield?
4 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Yes.
5 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The
6 Senator yields.
7 SENATOR WALCZYK: Well, I was
8 hoping to get some kind of feedback.
9 As you're the sponsor of it, I'm
10 sure that you have some interest in seeing it get
11 through the other house. Is there something we
12 can do in a bipartisan fashion to assist? Or are
13 there some issues with the Assembly over there?
14 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Through you,
15 Madam President. Broadly, I believe that there
16 are some in the Assembly that don't want to lose
17 the ability for local governments to have access
18 to these workaround entities.
19 And again, I would argue that is a
20 problem that we should all be seeking to address.
21 And so I certainly welcome your or anyone's
22 support with the other chamber in an effort to
23 try and get them to take up this bill.
24 SENATOR WALCZYK: Thank you,
25 Madam President.
1616
1 SENATOR SKOUFIS: Thank you.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Are there
3 any other Senators wishing to be heard?
4 Seeing and hearing none, debate is
5 closed. The Secretary will ring the bell.
6 Read the last section.
7 THE SECRETARY: Section 2. This
8 act shall take effect on the 90th day after it
9 shall have become a law.
10 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Call the
11 roll.
12 (The Secretary called the roll.)
13 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: Announce
14 the results.
15 THE SECRETARY: Ayes, 57.
16 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: The bill
17 is passed.
18 Senator Gianaris, that completes the
19 reading of today's calendar.
20 SENATOR GIANARIS: Is there any
21 further business at the desk?
22 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: There is
23 no further business at the desk.
24 SENATOR GIANARIS: I move to
25 adjourn until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 2nd, at
1617
1 3:00 p.m.
2 ACTING PRESIDENT MAYER: On motion,
3 the Senate stands adjourned until Wednesday,
4 April 2nd, at 3:00 p.m.
5 (Whereupon, at 11:40 a.m., the
6 Senate adjourned.)
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