May 14, 2026 · 17,703 words · 6 speakers · 331 segments
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Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. house to order. The house will come to order. Good morning, colleagues. In the absence of clergy, let us pause for a moment of silence. Visitors are invited to join members in 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.
A quorum being present, the clerk will read the journal of Wednesday, May 13th, Mr. Fall.
Madam Speaker, I move to dispense with the further reading of the journal of Wednesday, May 13th, and that the same stand approved.
Without objection, so ordered. Madam Speaker, today we have another quote from our favorite person, unknown. And the quote says, someone else doesn't have to be wrong for you to be right. And these words are by unknown. Members have on their desk a main calendar and a debate list Before any housekeeping and or introductions we will be calling for the following committees to meet in the speaker conference room Ways and Means and Rules. These committees will produce both an A and B calendar, which we will take up today. After that, we will take up calendar 192 on page 20 by Ms. Barrett on consent. We will then take up the following bills from the debate list. Calendar number 271 on page 25 by Ms. Kellis and calendar 24 on page 6 by Ms. Cruz. I will announce any further floor activity as we proceed. Majority members should be aware that there will be a need for conference after we conclude our work on the floor. And as always, I will consult with the minority on their conference needs. So with that, as a general outline, Madam Speaker, let us begin by calling for the Ways and Means Committee to meet in the Speaker's conference room. Thank you, Ways and Means Committee members. Please make your way quietly to the Speaker's conference room. Ways and Means Committee members to the Speaker's conference room. We have no housekeeping this morning, so we are going to start with a few introductions. Starting with Ms. Romero for the purpose of an introduction.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have the amazing pleasure of welcoming four students who have been working on a particularly special project. Today I have a group of fifth graders from Sheridan Prep here in Albany. Serenity Adams, Maurice Adams, Aymir Montanez, and Destiny Jonas. These students worked together as a team and were able to calculate the carbon footprint of their school. They looked at transportation, water usage, electricity, garbage, and food waste, and from there were able to figure out how much carbon their school emits. Dubbed the carbon eliminators, they are proposing a share bin to cut down on food waste in their cafeteria. Brilliant. And so, so simple. The students came to my office this morning to present their work, and I was so impressed by their diligence and creativity in tackling such a complex issue at such a young age. It's an honor to have these bright students here in the chamber. Madam Speaker, I ask that you welcome Serenity, Maurice, Aymir, and Destiny, in addition to their chaperones, Kate, Jennifer, and Ashley, and extend to them the cordialities and excitement of the floor.
On behalf of Ms. Romero, the speaker, and all members, we welcome Serenity, Maurice, Aymir, Destiny, and your teachers from the Sheridan Preparatory Academy. to our speaker's house, assembly chamber, excuse me, and we welcome you here this morning, extending to you the privileges of the floor, carbon eliminators. You are amazing. It's wonderful to have you here today to see and hear all of the great works that you are doing. The future is now, and you're right in the middle of it. So thank you so very much for doing everything that you're doing. best wishes for continued academic success, and thank you so very much for joining us today. Good luck to you. Ms. C. Wright, for the purpose of an introduction.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm very pleased to have today two guests in the chamber. my sister, who is an Assistant Attorney General for the state of Texas, Susan C. and her daughter Rory Dennehu, who is a graduate recently of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. They are in town for her son and brother's law school graduation from Albany Law School.
And I ask that you please extend to them the cordialities of the house. On behalf of Ms. Seawright, the speaker, and all members, we always love to see family members visiting here. We welcome you to the chamber and extend to you the privileges of the floor. Hope you enjoy our proceedings today. Congratulations to your son. Best wishes for his great academic and future pursuits following in mom's footsteps, apparently. So wonderful to see you, and thank you both for joining us today. Okay, thank you.
Mr. Fall.
Madam Speaker, can you please place the House at ease? On Mr. Fall's motion, the House stands at ease. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
So Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you. We be right back Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Madam Speaker, can you please call the House back to order?
The House will come to order. Mr. Fall.
Members have on their desk both the A and B calendar.
Madam Speaker, I now move to advance both calendars. On a motion by Mr. Fall, the A and B calendar are advanced. Mr. Fall.
Madam Speaker, can we immediately take up the A calendar?
Page 3, Rules Report 110. Clerk will read.
Assembly number 11365, Rules Report 110. rules at the Committee on Rules, Mr. Pretlow, and act making appropriations for the support of government.
Governor's message is at the desk. Clerk will read.
I hereby certify to an immediate vote, Kathy Hochul, Governor.
And explanations been requested, Mr. Pretlow.
Absolutely, Madam Speaker. As we work toward a final enacted budget, this extender would ensure funding for state operations and other programs through May 18th. The bill includes additional funding for emergency payroll, WIC payments, transportation assistance, unemployment insurance, OPWDD services, veterans programs, and general state charges.
Mr. Palmasano.
Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. Will the Chairman yield for some questions? Yes, I will.
Chair Yelts.
Thank you Mr Palmasano Here we are again This is our 12th extender From my understanding this ties last year So it seems like we on pace to break that record maybe Well, like Yogi Berra said, deja vu all over again. Deja vu again. True. But I do have a few quick general questions, like we do in Committee First, and I'll get into some others. Obviously, this goes to May 18th. this being our 12th extender, again, how much is this appropriate in total with the 12 extenders? With the 12 extenders, the total appropriation is $23.7 billion. Okay, and the increase above the previous extender is how much? $560.1 million. Okay, so I know you mentioned deja vu all over again. When we talked earlier in the week when we were asked where we are, when we might start taking up budget bills. You said next week. Do you still think we will be taking up budget bills next week? Or if so, is it earlier in the week, later in the week? Or is that cloud still getting darker, kind of overshadowing? I don't believe the clouds are getting any darker. I think the pitchers taking their warm-up pitches. The batter's in the batter's box, but the first pitch has not been thrown yet, but we're getting there. Okay, so I guess I'll just ask on that. So you think we're still on pace to start the budget bills next week, to actually start voting on budget bills next week? I really can't answer that with any definitive. That's all right. I wasn't sure if you could, but I wanted to at least ask. So we still have some uncertainty. Okay. Yes. Because I do know earlier in the week, I know the majority leader said that they were still waiting for some specific language on some of the policy issues, and I'll talk about that in a minute. I know when we talked about it before, you did give us a list of table targets, which was helpful. Are you in a position, really, to give us some of the details of how some of that funding is allocated? I'll give you an example. You mentioned $85 million for education. Does that include possible library aid increases in the budget? Do you know, will it be library aid increases? Is that part of those table targets, or is that something you really can't count on? I don't have the specifics on any of those additions yet. That's fine. I just wanted to ask if I could. I know also on the policy side, I'll just go through again. I know I bring this up every week, the major policy issues. Auto insurance, have we seen any finalized agreement on any language yet? I know you might not be able to share it, but do we have finalized agreement language on the auto insurance reform yet? I think we're extremely close on the automobile insurance. Okay. How about on seeker agreement or close? Very close. Close. Immigration policy? Still working on it. I'm sorry. Still working on it. Okay, you're still working on it. Tier 6. There are serious discussions. I think I explained to you the last time we had the discussion that there's some disagreement as to who is responsible for picking up the difference in the required pension payments for employees. Yes, and I think that's certainly an important point. On the tier 6, So I would like to ask Mr. Prat-Low if I could. I saw some reports. We saw some reports that saying there's agreement or close to an agreement on lowering the retirement age. But it seemed like that was directed at just teachers, not all public employees. So the stories of reports out there that we're looking at lowering the retirement age, each for public employees is it just going to be for teachers is going to be for all public employees you have any details or data you can share with us on that that's not shareable at this point but we are dealing with all of the of the unions and they all have the different requirements and trying to come to an agreement between the teachers and the police officers and the firefighters and they you know everybody has has their own issues that I tried to work through totally understand and I know we'll get more specific details at a later time. Of course the other policy issues, the climate agreement or close? Very close. Okay, and I would just again just on that point just like to reiterate I know you mentioned as part of the discussions I think especially because with our school district votes next week you know that EV school bus mandate something we've been advocating for for a long time to you know we want change reform but to the least to delay that somewhat to help our school districts hopefully that's part of the final budget that's been discussion I know you You mentioned it's part of the discussions. Do you expect maybe that might be an agreement in the final budget, or is that still being... I think that's a good assumption. Okay, that's good to know. I also wanted to ask maybe just on a couple more fiscally related on that, if I could. I don't know if you have information. There was a report this week that came out relative to our roads and bridges being some of the worst in the country, deteriorating roads, deteriorating bridges. and as you know, in the one house, other conversations, bipartisan support for an increase in funding for our local roads, bridges, and culverts through the CHIPS program. Do you anticipate we might see an increase in the CHIPS program on the final adopted budget, or is that still being discussed? I do anticipate that, yes, sir. That would be good. Also earlier this week, there were reports that the language from the PA to terror tax still has not been shared by the governor's office. Can you tell us what the status of that proposal is and has that language been shared with your conference? I think you just answered your own question. Okay. I just wanted to be sure. I just wanted you to verify it because I don't know specifically what's been shared with you by the Governor's office. I just wanted to see about the reports, but that's fair enough. I appreciate it. So aside from the language, are there any other issues that are remaining to be closed down before we pass the budget? Well, we still don't have a completed financial plan, so there's not very far that we can go at this point. Everything is under discussion. I've shared with you, you know, as much as I know, as much as I could share. Hopefully we can bring this to fruition by the middle of next week, middle to the end of next week. All right. Mr. Pratalo, again, as always, thank you for your time and your discussion. I really appreciate it. Madam Speaker, on the bill. Thank you, sir.
On the bill.
Yes, Madam Speaker, my colleagues, here we are passing our 12th budget extender. We only have 10 budget bills to pass, but this is our 12th extender. This ties last year's record of 12. Next week will be our 13th, and we'll break that record. This is the latest state budget since 2010. So we are actually looking to set a moderate record for more budget dysfunction in New York State. A record. A record for failure. Let that sink in for a minute. This is really a mess. Unfortunately, this is what one-party rule looks like when no one is willing to lead. And meanwhile like we talked about there were reports this week that the language of some of the largest policy issues are still not nailed down yet I remind you every day this language remains open is another day for us to finally wrap up the budget and get to the end of session as well That's going to be a challenge there. Some very important issues that are out there. I just want to stress it again. The EV school bus mandate, our conference has been talking about it. I know we've all been hearing about it from our constituents back at home, from our school districts back at home. the mother of all unfunded mandates, especially with the school budget coming up next week. The reports that there are going to be a delay to this is important. They need that levity and help. And I will say to you, it's still hard for me to understand why we were always asking, the way the law is, asking school districts to convert their entire school fleets before the state of New York does not have to convert their fleet. The state of New York has a full five years later to do their fleet. oh, by the way, the state of New York has an out for feasibility, cost, reliability, whatever reason they want, but our school districts do not have that. But if we at least, I mean, I'd like to see it repealed and go back to the drawing board, but if we can't do that, let's at least pause that in this budget. We urge you to do that. We urge that to be included. I'm sure you're hearing from the same school districts and your school districts just like we are. Also, I want to just reiterate that point. given that report that came out this week relative to our deteriorating roads and bridges, there is a demand and a need in our communities. I mean, our communities right now, with the delays, are waiting for their aid numbers. That CHIPS money is critically important. And I will remind you, CHIPS doesn't just benefit upstate. It benefits the city. It benefits Long Island. It benefits everyone. And it's done in a fair way. with that deteriorating road and bridges, we need to have an increase in the CHIPS program. I'm glad the chairman mentioned there's a possibility that can happen. I hope you hear that. But with all this, still outstanding, nothing finalized, we're up close on a lot of issues, apparently. The governor has already went out there and declared victory on this budget. Declared victory on a budget that's not even written? On a budget this legislature has not even voted on yet? on a budget that the public has not seen? And as part of this so-called victory, we are now learning that the state is putting together another $4 billion bailout for New York City. Let's be clear what this means. New York City is going to get a bailout while the rest of the state is being left in the dark, still waiting on the state's support they need to plan their own budgets, our school districts, our local municipalities to plan their road projects, one thing after another. And my colleagues, this is exactly why you don't take a victory lap before the race is finished. And you certainly don't take one while the rest of us are in here passing budget extenders to keep the lights on. Of course, myself and others are going to vote for this extender because it's important that government keeps open. It's important that we're paying our dedicated employees who are doing such a great job to protect us, to keep us safe, to make sure our roads are safe, all the services they provide across the board. That's important. We need to keep government open. But let's be honest about what we're really doing here. We're not governing. We're failing the people who sent us here. And on Monday, if nothing changes, we won't just be failing them. We will be making history, but for all the wrong reasons. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I vote in the affirmative.
Thank you. Ms. Walsh?
Thank you Madam Speaker Will Chair Pretlow just yield for just a couple of questions Will the chair yield For two questions absolutely Chair yields I did say a couple but there might be three It depends on how well you answer them Oh, a triple. I don't know. I could ask more. No, I'm just really curious. Because this whole budget negotiation is, by its very nature, three people in a room, and it's shrouded with some secrecy, I'm just wondering if you can shed a little light on whether – does the governor actually participate in these negotiations, or does she just send people in for her to negotiate? The governor is participating in all aspects of the budget. Oh, I was just wondering, because it just seems like when she came out last week and announced at 9 a.m. that there was a budget deal, and then my understanding was that she, like, hopped a plane and went down to, I think, the city or something. So, I mean, are negotiations continuing in her absence as she travels the state? Absolutely. They're continuing in her absence. You know, the budget director is always at these meetings, but the governor herself, even though she has many other things to do with for the state of New York, she is definitely an active participant in all these budget negotiations. Well, that's good to hear. I mean, I saw her that she was at a bagel shop doing, like, a video for one of our colleagues who's running for higher office. And I'm grateful to know that as all of us are waiting patiently, some of us losing patience a little bit through this whole process, that I'm glad that the governor is actively engaged in trying to come to a resolution here. So thank you very much, Mr. Pretlow.
I appreciate it.
Madam Speaker, on the bell.
Thank you. On the bell.
Yeah, I would say that, you know, I would – if I were talking to one of my kids right now, I would say that I'm on my last nerve kind of at this point. That's usually, and I would usually have a look that would usually make them know that they had really kind of pushed me to about my limit. Folks, I mean, at this point, at this point, at doing our 12th extender, we should all be really troubled by the fact that all of these emergency extender bills amount to almost $24 billion dollars in emergency appropriation. I mean, that's without any debate. That's without any discussion. That's without actually reading anything. I mean, just emergency appropriations approaching 24 billion dollars. We are well beyond the time when we should be able to actually read some bill text. I'm also really troubled by the fact that after Speaker Hastie went and talked with the press last week, I mean, he was clearly frustrated with the way that this has gone so far and said, like, we're not doing this again. And yet today we're being told again by our Ways and Means chair that we still don't have final language worked out on the policy that really should not have been preceding a talk about the numbers. So this is just beyond messed up. I agree with the previous comments that were made by our rancor on Ways and Means, Mr. Palmisano. And I just wanted to add my voice to it. I mean, I think this probably is going to be the last guest vote that I'm going to be casting for an extender. because I just can't justify continuing to support a process that is just beyond dysfunctional. So, I mean, we were hoping we'd be voting on bills this week. Now we're hoping next week. I heard a hot rumor that we might not see anything until June 1st I mean really this is time It beyond time to pull the plug here So I will cast my vote in the affirmative but it's very grudgingly, I'm sure, along with many of the rest of you. And I really, more than hope, I want there to be a budget next week. We need to have this done. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Pfeffermato.
Chair Pretlow, would you rise for a question? Will the chair yield? Absolutely. Chair yields. Thank you, Chair, for all your hard work and your team. Can you just explain to me the actions that are being discussed for New York City? Well, there is a lot of misinformation going around with regards to a bailout for New York City and misinformation about a $4 billion payment to New York City, which is both totally untrue. Yes, we are looking to help not only New York City, but every city in the state of New York. There will be a small increase in their aim. I'm pretty sure I can say that would go to insurance. But in no way are we giving New York City a $4 billion bailout. Thank you.
Mr. Gandolfo.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Would the chairman yield for a question? Will the chair yield? The chair yields. Thank you, sir. So you just stated that there's no $4 billion bailout. How big is the bailout? I can't answer that. I know that the city, we're working on helping a lot of our distressed cities. New York City is one of them. Was the $1.5 billion bailout funds that the governor announced earlier this year, is that still on the table? I can't answer that. I do not know. Okay. It's all part of the conversation. But it stands to reason they will be getting some sum of billions of dollars. Yes, they will be. Yes. Okay. Thank you, sir.
Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Read the last action.
This act shall take effect immediately.
Clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. . Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Mr. Fall.
Madam Speaker, can we now take up the B calendar and do the bills on consent?
Absolutely. On the B calendar. Oops, sorry. On the B calendar. On consent, page 3, rules report number 111. Clerk will read.
Assembly number 582A, rules report 111, Mr. Steck, an act to amend the elder law.
Read the last section.
This act shall take effect on the 365th day.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 135, nays 0.
The bill is passed.
Assembly number 2529, Rules Report 112, Mr. Saez, an act directing the Commissioner of Division of Criminal Justice Services.
Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Ms. Walsh to explain her vote. Thank you, Madam Speaker. So I will be supporting this particular bill, but what made me think about the issue of taking a look at and studying the effectiveness and accuracy of devices used to estimate blood alcohol content by law enforcement, it struck me that here we are in 2026, and we still don't know, there is no single universally accepted and scientifically validated roadside device to instantly determine impairment by marijuana in the same way a breathalyzer works for alcohol Technology is evolving I mean I think that that would be a great thing to study because I think we really need that I think any of us who have been driving on the roads lately and without even an open window, we're catching, shall we say, a strong odor emanating from vehicles around us in traffic. We know that there are people who are driving around impaired on marijuana. We have no way to measure it. And as THC does linger, but I was researching it a little bit this morning, and it says, due to a lack of a silver bullet, marijuana DUI cases are often heavily contested in court. They send the limitations of current scientific tests. So while I say I'll be supporting this bill, I think we have more work to do in the arena of testing roadside for marijuana. But I'll be in the affirmative. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Walsh. In the affirmative, Mr. Sayaj, to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker, to explain my vote. Thank my colleague for the remarks. And you're right, this has been an issue that really has impacted law enforcement, impacted many individuals in the court system. with cases involved in DWI and DUI. This is really unique because most of us understand someone driving drunk or under the influence of alcohol. But in today's time, driving under the influence could be under drugs, under marijuana, under prescription drugs, under a lot of other items that very often we find in the court system a lot of unfairness where people that should be given DWI tickets and violations may get away because of technical grounds, because the calibration of the machinery and the devices that we utilize presently may not be effective. And at the same time, many individuals that may be charged when they're taking a prescription drug for flu or whatever they may have may be charged with a violation. And the cost of going through the process is extensive as far as hiring attorneys and the cost and the potential of losing driving privileges. So this legislation, the hope is that we encourage the Commissioner, the Department of Motor Vehicles, to study the devices we have and look at some of the concerns we have that go beyond just normal alcohol-related. Thank you.
Mr. Saez in the affirmative. Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 133, nays 1.
The bill is passed.
Assembly number 2749, Rules Report 113, Mr. Bronson, an act to amend the labour law and the executive law.
This bill is laid aside.
Assembly number 3191A, Rules Report 114, Ms. Lunsford, an act to amend the penal law.
Read the last action.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Mr. Faw for the purpose of an introduction.
Thank you Madam Speaker. On behalf of our colleagues from Kings County, Assembly
Member Joanne Simon and Assemblymember Bobby Carroll. We have a group of individuals here to celebrate and recognize this Dyslexia Day here in the state capitol. These are parents, educators, and children from across the state who are here to visit us and legislators about dyslexia, literacy, justice, and the need for early identification, professional development, and evidence-based methods of teaching, reading. Madam Speaker, if you could be so kind to extend the cordialities of the House to the guests of Mr. Carroll and Ms. Simon.
Of course. On behalf of Ms. Simon, Mr. Carroll, Mr. Fall, the Speaker, and all members, we welcome the parents, educators, and children from across our state to our Assembly Chamber, extending to you the privileges of the floor. We thank you so very much for being here today, participating in Dyslexia Awareness Day. Your advocacy and voice lends a strong amplification to the need and awareness that dyslexia brings. So we thank you so very much for your advocacy and for being here today. Thank you. On consent, page 3, Rules Report 115, clerk will read.
Assembly number 3223A, Rules Report 115, Mr. Ekes, an act to amend the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law. Read the last section. This act shall take effect on the 90th day.
Clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
Mr. Miller to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Is it okay if I ask the sponsor one quick question for clarification?
Sorry, we're on explaining your vote.
This is a great bill, and I think the state parks are a great place to allow all our veterans to fish for free in the state. And I hope that state boat launches are also included in that. So I'm voting yes on this bill. Thank you.
Thank you. Ms. Miller in the affirmative. Mr. Hawley to explain his vote.
Very briefly, succinctly, ditto to Mr. Miller's comments. Mr. Ucas, thank you very much.
Mr. Hawley in the affirmative. Are there any other votes? Announce the results. Ayes 133, nays 0. The bill is passed. Assembly number 3264B, Rules Report 116, Mr. Hevesy, an act to amend the social services law. On a motion by Mr. Hevesy, the Senate bill is before the House. The Senate bill is advanced. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
122, Rules Report 117, Ms. Solange, an act authorizing and directing the Office of Children
and Family Services to conduct a study.
This bill is laid aside. Assembly number 4603A, Rules Report 118, Mr. Weprin, an act to amend the correction law. This bill is laid aside. Assembly number 6790A, Rules Report 119, Ms. McMahon, an act to amend the tax law and
the real property tax law.
Read the last section.
This act shall take effect April 1st.
The clerk will record the vote. Mr. Angelino to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. To explain my vote on 6790A, I am grateful for anything that is going to help the Volunteer Fire Service and EMS. I'm happy to support this bill. while not as generous as the bill that I proposed just recently, I will say this bill includes the property tax and the income tax included. And that's a question that came up quite a bit. So that will help. And I will be explaining this to volunteer fire departments all over my district And I know I have countywide training coming up this summer And I'll be explaining this. And let's just hope that this continues on and that if it has not passed the Senate, that it does. And it does become law. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Angelino. In the affirmative, Mr. Smullen to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise to explain my vote. The Volunteer Fire Service in upstate New York is incredibly generous with their time in supporting their communities. This bill goes a little ways towards making sure that that commitment from the entire state is given to those volunteers, and it's very much appreciated. On behalf of all of the volunteer fire people, we look forward to discussing this and other further measures to make sure that our fire service stays strong as volunteers in all of the great towns and villages in upstate New York. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Smellin, the affirmative. Ms. McMahon to explain her vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker, for the opportunity to explain my vote. So my district is served by nine different volunteer fire companies, the members of which serve our community, answer the call day and night to protect the health and safety of our neighbors. In this day and age when recruitment and retention is such a problem, this is the least we can do to help support these fine volunteers. I want to thank my colleagues for supporting this bill, and I vote in the affirmative.
Ms. McMann in the affirmative. Ms. Barrett to explain her vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to thank the sponsor of this bill and my colleagues. As we discussed last week when we recognized the volunteer firefighters across the state, we are in so many of our communities dependent on these brave men and women, often generations of families who participate. And this legislation, which includes a bill that I too have carried, incorporates enough incentives that hopefully we will start addressing and continue to address the recruitment challenges and the retention challenges to thank our firefighters in the volunteer departments to encourage them to continue doing the work that we need them to do across the state. So thank you to the sponsor. I vote in the affirmative.
Ms. Barrett in the affirmative. Mr. Sempolinsky to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I plan on voting yes, and I thank the sponsor for bringing this bill forward. my colleague from Western New York. I appreciate it. I just also want to point out that the sponsor happens to be a member of a different political party than me, and the way I handle things is I vote based on the merits of the bill rather than the political affiliation of the sponsor, and I wish the entire body operated that way.
Mr. Sempolinsky in the affirmative. Ms. Kaye to explain her vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you to the sponsor of this bill for bringing this very important piece of legislation to the floor. Recruitment and retention of our volunteers is of the utmost importance, and this will certainly go a long way to making sure that in the rural communities that I represent, we have help and will be able to recruit new members. and I plan on bringing this to the attention of all the volunteers within both Sullivan and Orange Counties. Thank you again to the sponsor.
Thank you, Ms. Kay. And the affirmative, Mr. Tate to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I, too, am very thankful to the sponsor for bringing this important bill to the floor. However, it falls short of where we should be, but at least you brought the bill to the floor. I want to thank my colleague that sits in front of me, Mr. Angelino, for bringing the original bill through committee and then here on the floor that, of course, was stopped, which was a real shame. But thank God to our side of the aisle for pushing this so much that you folks decided to bring it to the floor. So thank you again to the sponsor. We're still not where we should be, but thank you and God bless each and every one of our volunteer fire and EMS.
Mr. Tagging the affirmative. Ms. Warner to explain her vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'd like to join my voice in thanking the sponsor for having the patience to shepherd this bill through the committee process, a very vital step in making sure that the legislation we pass has integrity and can be implemented. I, too, represent 14 different volunteer fire companies. And while this body has done a number of things over the last few years to strengthen our volunteer firefighters, firefighters, including expanding the property tax exemption. The reality is for young firefighters or young potential firefighters, property tax exemption doesn't really help them. But what does help them is an income tax credit. And by expanding this income tax credit by 4x, we are making a meaningful difference in our fire company's ability to recruit young firefighters. So once again, thank you to the sponsor for her work on this issue. And with that, I vote in the affirmative.
Ms. Forner, in the affirmative. Mr. Cashman to explain his vote.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this, and I want to thank the sponsor. But I also want to recognize that there are many bills that we are all on, and a bipartisan effort. And our firefighters, every single day, should be the focus of the work that we do. And there is more work to be done. But let's take this moment to put the focus where it belongs, on the men and women that respond to calls every single day to protect our communities. So I rise not only in support of this bill, I rise to thank these men and women again and again and again. So let us work together to continue to fight for them as they fight for us. And finally, I'd just like to acknowledge a dear friend of mine, Chief Scott Ewing, who served as one of the only people from the North Country as president of the Fire Chiefs Association. It was 10 years ago when I was a town supervisor that he took me under the wing so that I went to the fire towers and went to town-wide trainings, as many of the members here do. So let us not be broken by politics. Let us come together in service like these men and women do. I vote in the affirmative. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Cashman. In the affirmative, Mr. Lamondes to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the grandson of a firefighter, which I very rarely speak about, I want to say thank you to the original person, my colleague, Mr. Angelino, that had this idea, as well as to the sponsor for bringing it through. Recognizing that it does fall short, it is a major step in the right direction for helping our fire crews and EMS crews that we all depend on. Representing a primarily rural district we not only worry about our homes we also have to worry about barn fires equipment fires and feed fires And that is critically important because most of those are tended to by volunteers. This is a step in the right direction. We're not there yet, but on behalf of all the crews that this will help, I want them to know we're going to continue pushing. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Lamond, he's in the affirmative. Mr. Gandolfo to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm going to support this bill. It's better than nothing. But I question why, when we're going to end up with a state budget that's, what, $268 billion, we couldn't just scrounge up the extra money to do what our conference proposed and give a $2,500 tax credit. There were some comments made in media over the weekend about how it would be pretty much lunacy to pass a bill like this without a full fiscal impact analysis. I haven't seen that done. It seems like this was brought to the floor after some of our colleagues in the majority kind of stepped in it and heard it from their local volunteer firefighters. One person even said Republicans think voters are idiots over trying to pass a $2,500 income tax credit. But I think it's probably the opposite, because I think the majority might be hoping that our volunteers don't realize that 800 is far less than 2,500. So I will support this bill. It's better than nothing, but we can do better. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Gandolfo in the affirmative. Mr. Paul Mazzano to explain his vote.
Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker. I, too, will be supporting this legislation. I wish we would have supported the other bill that was proposed by my colleague, Mr. Angelino. that was provided a $2,500 tax credit. We're on the cusp of passing a quarter of a trillion dollar budget. It seems like we could have done a little bit better for our volunteers, but this is at least something and a step in the right direction. I was at a volunteer banquet this past weekend. They honored one gentleman who had 75 years of service. I was blown away. And I know you probably see it when you go to your fire department banquets. This is not just individual commitment. This is a family commitment. This is a generational commitment. These individuals dedicate and commit so much. And not only do they protect their neighbors, not only do they protect their neighbors' property, but they protect the property taxpayers. Because the study was shown if the services our volunteers had to provide were paid services, it would cost over an additional $4 billion in property tax increases to local property taxpayers. So this is something at least we can do to say thank you. It does not come to the level of thanks they deserve and need, but at least it's something for now, and we need to continue trying to do more. So I will support this legislation. We are so blessed to have such a great, dedicated number of individuals who commit their lives to protecting their neighbor and their community, and we need to continue to say thank you through the financial means and just basically saying thank you to them when we see them. So I will be voting yes on this legislation.
Mr. Palmisano in the affirmative. Mr. Jacobson to explain his vote.
This is on. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to commend the sponsor on this. This is a very small investment with great returns for all of our taxpayers If the towns that I represent that are served by volunteer firefighters did not have them the towns would be on the hook for millions and millions of dollars. I hope that this is a first step in our appreciation of the volunteer firefighters. We must remember they take so much time out from their daily lives, and they're running to the fire. They're not running away. And so not only should we thank them, but we should give them the tax credits they deserve. Thank you.
Mr. Jacobson, in the affirmative, Ms. Callista, explain her vote.
Thank you so much. I rise to explain my vote. I've seen in this chamber on this particular issue some of the most disappointing cheap campaign tactics. And I just want to note, we are better than that. We're better than that. This is an incredibly important group of people in our communities. They're the backbone of our communities. We owe them. We all know that. We're all standing here together. I want to thank the sponsor who's carried this bill for years. I think she was actually one of the first people who brought this forward. But there are several people who also have bills that do the same thing. So let's celebrate everybody who does. And we all stand here together. Let's continue to stand here together. But let's not use our firefighters as tactics in this house. Let's just support them as a collective. They do phenomenal work for all of us. They've saved many of our families. They've saved many of our friends. And we celebrate together that we're standing here collectively and in a bipartisan way supporting them. I stand in the affirmative. Thank you.
Just as a note to our colleagues, when we are explaining our vote, you are explaining it's not in order to be impugning the motives of other colleagues. Please, Ms. Williams, to explain her vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker, for allowing me to explain my vote. First, I would like to thank the sponsor of this bill. In my district in particular, we do have many volunteer ambulance workers and firefighters going from the Garrison Beach Volunteer Fire Department, the Garrison Beach Volunteer Ambulance, the Flatlands Volunteer Ambulance, and also the Hatsala Volunteer Ambulance. And we are just so proud today to see that we are actually giving them back something in their pocket. And the work that they do is just selfless. And thank you so much to the sponsor. I vote yes.
Ms. Williams in the affirmative. Mr. Durso to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank you for your comments also on this. Again, we support our firefighters each and every day. I hope that we do it in this chamber. They are not tactics. They are not political campaign speeches. But each and every day, including last week, we were supporting a resolution honoring our volunteer firefighters. But if we're going to do that today and say that we honor our firefighters and we want to do everything we can to help them, especially our volunteer firefighters, EMS, we could have done it two weeks ago with compensation or a tax credit that was even more If they were our heroes today they should have been our heroes two weeks ago and we could have honored them then Thank you Mr Durso in the affirmative Ms Bailey to explain her vote Thank you, Madam Speaker.
To explain my vote in it, it kind of goes on what one of my colleagues just said.
This weekend, we had a volunteer fire department in our district that dissolved due to lack of volunteers. But I also got to celebrate with another agency where we honored 55 years, 60 years, and 70 years. And at every volunteer fire department banquet or EMS events that I go to, I always recognize the institutional knowledge, but the generational knowledge as well that is there. Unfortunately, we are more and more acknowledging those folks who have 40 plus years in the volunteer fire industry. That is exciting and that is great. What we don't have are those that are entering. And my district is serviced by all volunteer fire departments. So this is a step in the right direction. I hope we can continue to have the conversation because our communities rely on our volunteers each and every day. When we're running out of the building, they are running in, and these are their friends and family that they are going to rescue. And we need to continue to identify that. Otherwise, we are going to have a problem when we don't have volunteers any longer in these institutions. and that will be a sad day. I know in the 133rd Assembly District, but I'm sure it will be across all 150 as well. Thank you. Thank you.
Ms. Bailey in the affirmative. Mr. Slater to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I also just wanted to rise on this important legislation. In my district, we have volunteer firefighters and EMS servicing every one of my towns. And I think it's critically important that we continue to find ways to support them. I appreciate the fact that we have found something that we can all agree on on both sides of the aisle. But this is a serious problem that, as we just heard from one of my colleagues of state, is plaguing our communities. I have two municipalities that are going to be meeting later this week because of the fact that they don't have enough people to respond for ambulance calls. That is a major problem. And so I think this is an opportunity for us to do more, to do more for the neighbors of ours who respond to our worst day. When you have a car accident, when you have an emergency at your house, a fire, a loved one who's sick and you have to call an ambulance, it's your neighbor who is showing up because they're volunteering their time. They're leaving work. They're leaving their family to go help you on your worst day. And unfortunately, I think this is a situation where this is typical Albany, where we're patting ourselves on our backs, but we can and should do more. And while I'm supporting this, I sure hope that we can come back later on and do more for the heroes of our community. Thank you very much.
Mr. Slater in the affirmative. Mr. McDonald to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. and I want to thank our sponsor and my colleagues for supporting this important tax credit for our volunteer firefighters. And to you, Madam Speaker, thank you for the continued legacy of support for volunteer firefighters in this House. Many, but not all, voted for last year. We supported to create the reimbursement for training stipends for our volunteer firefighters who take their Saturdays and their Sundays to learn the standards to protect our communities. This is building on the success that this chamber has always supported for volunteer firefighters. And I can tell you as Chair of Government Operations, although the budget's not finally complete, there will be more support, particularly to provide the tools of the trade. these individuals could protect our community. So let's cherish the moment. Let's continue to build on this legacy that we've had. Thank you very much.
Mr. McDonald in the affirmative. Ms. Griffin to explain her vote.
Thank you Madam Speaker for giving me the opportunity to explain my vote. I stand in strong support of this measure and I thank the sponsor and I just want to say how grateful I am for the firefighters in my Assembly District. I I have about 12 volunteer fire departments, and I am grateful for their dedicated service. There's generations. So many of these departments are made up of generations of families, and it's really impressive to see, like generation after generation, how many join our volunteer fire departments and how well their families support them. Because when there's a firefighter in the family, the other people in the family help out too, And they're at all of the different community events, bolstering the community and strengthening our community. So I appreciate all that our House has done for firefighters, and I stand in strong support of all that we continue to do. Thank you for allowing me to explain my vote. I vote in the affirmative.
Thank you, Ms. Griffin, in the affirmative. Mr. Conrad to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to thank my colleague, Eric Mann, as co-sponsor. I just want to remember the volunteer firefighters for helping me. One hot July afternoon, I decided to take an old refrigerator out of my mother-in-law's basement and cut the Freon and started to cough in the basement. And so we came upstairs, my cousin and I, and he called his dad, who was a volunteer firefighter. He said, could you send someone over? I think we've done something terribly wrong. No sirens though, no sirens. Well, what happened? Every siren went off, the whole town showed up, and it just shows you the resolve of how committed our volunteer firefighters are. The anecdote of this story is not just the response, but the fact that they actually brought the refrigerator out of the basement for me, and it probably was about 300 pounds. But the best part of the story is my mother-in-law was moved to the car because it was a hot summer day. And when a neighbor came over to ask what happened, my cousin simply said, you know the old lady that lives here? And the guy goes, yeah. Well, they just found a body in her basement. Thank you. I vote in the affirmative.
Mr. Conrad in the affirmative. Mr. Carroll to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to rise and commend my colleague, Assemblywoman McMahon, for putting this bill and getting it to the floor. In Rockland County, all of our firefighters are volunteer firefighters. My quick math says I think we have 13 fire districts, volunteer fire districts in my community. And as others have said, when we run away from the fire, they're everyone towards it. So it's a family business, and I don't think this tax credit will create more firefighters just alone. I know we need to do more, but it's a small token of our appreciation by the state of New York.
So I thank the sponsor and I vote in the affirmative Mr Carroll in the affirmative Mr Hawley to explain his vote Thank you Madam Speaker I rise as a life member of the Stafford Volunteer Fire Department in Genesee County
and laud and applaud all of us who recognize the sacrifices that those that volunteer to protect our persons as well as our property need to have this type of recognition and help in their everyday lives as the affordability crisis hits this state. So again, I appreciate Ms. McMahon's efforts as well as Mr. Angelino's. And finally, we're all on the same page. Thank God for that.
Mr. Hawley and the affirmative. Mr. Miller to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker, to allow me to explain my vote. I just want to thank the sponsor and all of us for working hard for our volunteer firefighters. I've made it a career over my time in public service to work with and for the firefighters. At the county level, we've implemented full scholarships to community colleges. And that was one tool for recruitment and retention. And I want to thank the sponsor and everybody who worked on this for another tool to help our volunteer firefighters with recruitment and retention. It's very, very important for us legislators upstate New York who have mostly rural districts who depend on these men and women every day, 24-7, 365 days of the year to respond to emergencies. So thank you, I will be voting affirmative on this bill.
Thank you Mr. Miller and the affirmative Mr. Gray
to explain his vote thank you madam speaker and let me thank the sponsor for sponsoring this bill and bringing it forward also like to point out my colleague why they wouldn't like to point out because I don't be caught with props but my colleague that sits right here thanking him for his advancement of this conversation and this important initiative so we've all talked about fire departments and how much that they protect our communities and they certainly do it all times of the day and night and they also spend many hours training for the work that they do. In addition to that, they also spend many hours taking care of the equipment and the departments that they represent. And on top of all of that, they have to fundraise in order to provide a vital public safety service to our communities. So let that just sink in for a minute. Many such a vital important part of public safety in our communities relies on chicken barbecues. So this is critically important as a way to show gratitude to all the firefighters in the communities. To anybody here that's a firefighter, thank you for your service. And Madam Speaker, I vote in the
affirmative. Mr. Gray in the affirmative. Mr. Levine to explain his vote. So I want to commend
the sponsor and I know that some of us have shared some life stories, some anecdotes about our interactions with volunteer firefighters. So I live in the little city of Glen Cove where we have a volunteer fire department and this must be about seven or eight years ago. At about 3.30 in the morning our fire alarm went off and Ronnie was pushing me to go find out what is going on By the time I got up stood up and went downstairs to try to figure out what was going on the Glencoe Fire Department was on my front porch. So just a small token of our appreciation for what these volunteers do. And to finish the story about the fire alarm, the battery, the battery was bad. So, but that didn't matter. This was 3, 3.30 in the morning. They were downstairs faster than I was. Thank you to our volunteer firefighters, and thank you to the sponsor, Karen McMahon.
Thank you, Mr. Levine, in the affirmative. Are there any other votes?
Announce the results. Ayes 133, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 8013, Rules Report 120, Mr. Burrs, an act in relation to authorizing the assessor of the county of Nassau to accept an application. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
The bill is passed. Mr. Fall for the purpose of an introduction.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. On behalf of Assemblymember Steck and Assemblymember McDonald and the entire Capital Region delegation, we have a special guest here from the Christian Brothers Academy. And it is the basketball team, the varsity basketball team, who went undefeated this season, 25-0. They won the championship and they defeated Fairpoint High School in the final, winning 78-67. What a stellar season. If you could be so kind to congratulate them, welcome them, and extend the cordialities of the floor, Madam Speaker. On behalf of Mr. Fall, Mr. Steck, all members of the Capital Region delegation, the speaker, and all members,
We welcome the CBA varsity basketball team to our people's chamber, the assembly house here, and extend to you the privileges of the floor. I hope you've been able to enjoy the proceedings as you sit back there. Congratulations to you on your undefeated season and winning the championship, a stellar accomplishment. We wish you best wishes for your future continued academic and athletic success. Thank you so very much for joining us today. On consent, page 5, Rules Report 121. Clerk will read.
Read. Assembly number 8131, Rules Report 121, Ms. Kellis, an act to amend the public service law.
This bill is laid aside. Assembly number 814, Rules Report 122, Ms. Barrett, an act to amend the public service law. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. . Thank you. Thank you.
Mr. Palmisano to explain his vote.
Yes, Madam Speaker. I am definitely going to support this legislation. I have very similar legislation. I know when we were in committee talking about it one day, and I said to the chairwoman, I said, you know, you have a bill. I have a bill that I thought was a little bit better. Why not put those two bills together, make one big, beautiful bill? But unfortunately, that was turned down, so we'll settle for this one. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I vote yes.
Mr. Palmisano in the affirmative. Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 8897A, Rules Report 123, Mr. McDonald, an act to amend the highway law. On a motion by Mr. McDonald, the Senate bill is before the House. The Senate bill is advanced. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote. Mr. McDonald to explain his vote.
Thank you, Madam Speter. I want to thank you and I want to thank my colleagues for their support for passing this legislation to rename the Patrune Island Bridge, which connects Rensselaer and Albany County, just north of the state capitol on I-90 after our local national hero Sergeant Henry Johnson Many in our community have fought for the recognition of Sergeant Johnson bravery and heroism throughout the years resulting in the posthumous awards of the Medal of Honor the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Service Cross Theodore Roosevelt, who once sat in that rostrum, once called Sergeant Johnson one of the five bravest American soldiers in World War I. Despite that accolade, the significance of Henry Johnson's achievements were overlooked during his lifetime. Even though the Bipartisan Naming Commission recommended a name change from Fort Polk to Fort Johnson in 2023, the federal administration switched the name back to Fort Polk with no justification. Now, while we cannot right the wrong of taking the name of Fort Polk from Sergeant Johnson or the many other wrongs that he endured during his lifetime, we can come together and rename this Capital Region Gateway after a man whose bravery and sacrifice should be a model to all of us. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McDonald, in the affirmative. Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 911C, Rules Report 124, Ms. Gallagher, an act to amend a public service law and the executive law. This bill is laid aside. Assembly number 9146, Rules Report 125, Ms. Warner, an act to amend the Racing Parimutuel Waitering and Breeding Law. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, noes 0.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 9212, Rules Report 126, Mr. Lasher, an act to amend the general business law. On a motion by the... Mr. Lasher, the Senate bill is before the House of Senate bill. Is advanced, this bill is laid aside. Assembly number 10158, Rules Report 127, Mr. P. Carroll, an act to amend the real property tax law. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 10162, Rules Report 128, Mr. P. Carroll, an act to amend the real property tax law. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 10184, Rules Report 129, Mr. P. Carroll, an act to amend the real property tax law.
Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote. . Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Madam Speaker, on behalf of our colleague from Westchester County, Assemblymember Nader Saej. He has a special guest here from Guinea, Miss Mariam Jaloba, who's here in Albany for a special occasion. If you could extend to her the cordialities of the floor, Madam Speaker, we will
greatly appreciate it. Thank you. On behalf of Mr. Fall, Mr. Saej, the Speaker, and all members, We welcome our guests to the Assembly Chamber, extending to you the privileges of the floor. Thank you for traveling such a very long way to see your daughter graduate from SUNY Albany. So congratulations to you. We hope you enjoy our proceedings today. Thank you both for joining us today. Page 7, Rules Report 130. Clerk will read.
Assembly number 10415, Rules Report 130, Mr. Magnarelli, an act to amend Chapter 62 of the Laws of 2003.
Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 10518, Rules Report 131, Mr. McDonald. An act to amend the criminal procedure law. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 131, nays 3.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 10522, Rules Report 1382, Ms. Barrett, an act to amend the tax law. Home rule messages at the desk, read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. . Thank you. Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes, 108, nays, 26.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 10562, Rules Report 133, Mr. Stern, an act to amend the real property tax law. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect January 1st.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 106418, Rules Report 134, Ms. Shrestha, an act to amend the real property tax law. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote. Ms. Strasta to explain her vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just wanted to take a moment to thank my constituents, Julia and Christopher, from the town of Red Hook, who brought this issue to our office. Some years ago, they believed they mailed their annual school tax payment through the mailbox, but months later they learned when they got the notice from the town that the payment had never been received and in fact the check had been stolen. So what happened was they were able to have their fraud investigated and recover the money, however they were still stuck with late fees and interest so what this bill does is it authorizes tax districts to waive such penalties in cases of future fraud that could happen and I will be voting in the affirmative. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Srestha, in the affirmative.
Thank you. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed. Assembly number 10937A, Rules Report 135, Mr. Kim, an act to amend the Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Law. Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote. Ms. Walsh to explain her vote.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. To explain my vote. So I think that this is a really good idea. It's a very short little bit of language of a bill. And a couple of thoughts that kind of came to me as I was reading it. I mean, it says that it's going to permit composting facilities at state parks when such composting facility does not harm the natural environment or integrity of the park and provided that such facilities shall comply with codes, rules, and regulations relating to composting facilities. That's the whole bill. That's what it says. I mean, we know that the Adirondack Park itself is 6 million acres. I am assuming, I'm making a few assumptions here with my yes vote. The assumption is that we're not going to be bringing composting material in to these parks, but it's going to be more like where we always say that if you carry in, you need to carry back out. You're going to carry in, and then if it can be composted, you'll leave it. If you can't, then you're going to carry it back out again. And that it's just going to be, I think it would be a great lesson for our kids and adults who are using the park, and it's a commitment to showing that we want to be sustainable in our state. So I'm going to support it. I will say that when I was a kid, my dad used to take me up to the dump to see the bears. And, you know, I'm a little worried that a composting facility might really encourage some wildlife activity that maybe we might not want. But hopefully this will all work out well. So I'll be in the affirmative. Thanks.
Thank you, Ms. Walsh, in the affirmative.
. Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 134, nays 0.
The bill is passed on the main calendar, page 20, calendar number 192. Clerk will read.
Assembly number 7633A, calendar 192, Ms. Barrett, an act to amend the public service law.
Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
Are there any other votes? Announce the results.
Ayes 133, nays 1.
The bill is passed. Mr. Fall.
Madam Speaker, can we now take up the calendar 482 on page 36 by Mr. Weffley?
Certainly. On the main calendar, page 36, calendar number 482, clerk will read.
Assembly number 10443A, calendar 482, Mr. Weprin, an act to amend the insurance law.
Read the last section.
This act shall take effect immediately.
The clerk will record the vote.
Thank you. Thank you Thank you Thank you. Thank you.
Are there any other votes Announce the results Ayes 134 nays 0 The bill is passed Ms Walsh for the purpose of an introduction Thank you very much Madam Speaker for allowing me to interrupt our proceedings for an introduction
This introduction is for our colleague Assemblymember Palmasano, and we're also joined by Senator O'Mara. We have some students here from the fifth grade class of St. Michael's School, which is in Penyan, New York. And this is their annual trip to Albany. But what makes today so special is that in the past, they've come when we haven't been in session. But they did come visit our chamber last year, and they even had an opportunity to meet the speaker who came out, was kind enough to come out and say hello. But we are usually gone when they come and visit, so today makes it especially nice for them. In addition to parent chaperones, we're joined by teacher Keith Prather, and the students' names are Otto Anderson, Keith Kastner, Wesley Grushow, Aria Orr, Luna Rogers, and Reed Stevens. So, Madam Speaker, would you please welcome these great students from fifth grade and offer them all the cordialities of this house? Thank you.
Yes, on behalf of Ms. Walsh, Mr. Palmisano, the speaker, and all members, we welcome the fifth grade class of the St. Michael School in Penn Yan. We welcome you to our assembly chamber, extending to you the privileges of the floor. Hope you enjoy our proceedings today. It's wonderful to see the students, teachers, and parents here today getting a first-hand bird's-eye view, democracy, and action. This is where the soup is made. So best wishes to you for your continued academic success. Have a great summer. It's coming really soon. And thank you so very much for joining us today. Resolutions, page three. Clerk will read.
Assembly number 1359 rules at the request of Mr. Ra. Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 14, 2026 as IGA Neuropathy Awareness Day in the state of New York.
Ms. Giglio on the resolution.
Okay, we're ready for you in the next one.
On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye.
Opposed.
No, the resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1360 rules at the request of Ms. Giglio. Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 15, 2026 as Peace Officers Memorial Day in the state of New York.
Ms. Giglio on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today we pause to recognize a solemn and deeply meaningful occasion of Peace Officers Memorial Day. In New York State, we have long stood committed to supporting the brave men and women who serve in law enforcement. These individuals dedicate their lives to protecting the safety, stability, and integrity of our communities. The quality and sanctity of community life, values we hold dear, are preserved each day through their courage, vigilance, and unwavering sense of duty. It is both an honor and responsibility for this legislative body to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 15, 2026 as Peace Officers Memorial Day in the state of New York. This observance is not simply a date on the calendar. It is a moment of reflection, remembrance, and gratitude. Peace Officers Memorial Day traces its origins back to 1962 when President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation establishing May 15th as a day to honor law enforcement officers who have been killed or disabled in the line of duty. Since then, this day has grown into a national and international tribute. Each year, thousands gather in Washington, D.C. to pay their respects. Participating in events such as the National Peace Officers Memorial Service and Candlelight Vigil. These ceremonies serve as powerful reminders of the sacrifices made by those who wear the badge. Behind every fallen or injured officer is a family, a community, and a legacy of service that must never be forgotten. Today, we honor not only those we have lost, but also those who continue to serve with integrity and dedication. We recognize the immense challenges they face and the strength it takes to meet those challenges each day. As we observe Peace Officers Memorial Day on May 15, 2026, let us come together as a state and as a community to express our deepest gratitude. Let us remember the fallen, support the families they leave behind, and reaffirm our commitment to those who continue to stand on the front lines in service to us all. May we never forget their sacrifice, and may we always honor their service. Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this resolution. Thank you. Thank you.
On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye.
Aye. Opposed.
No, the resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1361 rules at the request of Mr. Lamondes. Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 16, 2026 as Armed Forces Day in the state of New York.
Mr. Lamondes on the resolution.
Madam Speaker, as we know, Armed Forces Day was established by President Truman on February 27, 1950, in recognition of all currently serving military members. In addressing the significance of this, there are several aspects that should be mentioned. First, historically, most Americans alive today have never lived in an America where their country or way of life were existentially threatened, the last time being World War II. This binding fabric that has unified us many times over the last 250 years is oftentimes forgotten. However, it has not been forgotten by those countless souls that have served, bled, and died or their families. The importance being that there is a cost to be free, and that cost is paid every single day, as witnessed by one of our very own members who is deployed right now as we speak. What many don't realize is the sphere of influence our military has with respect to our security, and that is ever-present 24-7, recognizing that this pillar of external security is the first of three imperatives necessary to have and maintain a free society and is the first step in understanding how vital it is. The second being internal security and the third being a functional economy which can't be achieved and maintained without the other two. Whether operating in space, above or below the sea, in the air, or on the ground, in as many as 30 countries at any given time, your, our military members are out there, oftentimes in miserable conditions, willing to sacrifice everything so that our republic may live to see another day This level of commitment by so few for so many is often taken for granted as so many enjoy the benefits of our society but don't even know, understand, or participate in its obligations. Last, please recognize our military members have more responsibility at a younger age than those of any other segment of our society. In their honor on this day, please join me in recognizing the significance of their service on our behalf. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you.
On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye.
Opposed.
No, the resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1362 rules at the request of Mr. Simone. Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 10th through the 16th, 2026,
as Family Physician Week in the state of New York. On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed, no. The resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1363 rules at the request of Mr. Marr. Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 2026
has stopped the bleeding month in the state of New York. On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed, no. The resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1364 rules at the request of Ms. Buttonshunt. Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim July 2026 as Ice Cream Month in the state of New York.
On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed. No, the resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1365 rules at the request of Mr. Ecos. legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 13, 2026
as Grandparents' Day in the state of New York. Mr. Ekes, on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. For those of you who are not grandparents, it is the most magnificent thing in the world. If you thought having kids was great, having grandkids is even better because you get to pass them back to their parents. Thank you.
On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye.
Opposed?
No, the resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1366 rules at the request of Mr. Burdick. Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 18, 2026 as POWMIA Day in the state of New York.
On the resolution. On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed. No, the resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1367 rules at the request of Mr. Durso. Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 13th through the 19th, 2026 as Truck Driver Appreciation Week in the state of New York.
On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye.
Opposed.
No, the resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1368, rules at the request of Mr. Jensen. Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim November 10, 2026 as Net Cancer Day in the state of New York.
On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye.
Opposed.
No, the resolution is adopted.
Assembly number 1369 rules at the request of Mr Slater Legislative resolution memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim November 15 2026 as Prematurity Day in the state of New York
Mr. Slater on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just wanted to rise real quick to raise awareness on Prematurity Day.
Premature births, as we know, are not rare these days. They are impacting families in every corner of our state. Premature births are qualified as those births that happen at 37 weeks or less. And my daughter, Elizabeth, born at 36 weeks, spent her first week in the NICU at White Plains Hospital. But if you saw her today, you would certainly not think of her as a preemie. In fact, she just got her green belt in Taekwondo on Monday. So congratulations to Elizabeth on that great accomplishment. But these babies often face significant medical challenges that puts great strain and pressure on parents. But we want to recognize them as well as the NICU doctors, nurses and staff who continue to do amazing work. These are some of New York's smallest New Yorkers fighting the biggest battles before they leave the hospital. So today we want to recognize their strength. We want to stand with their families and we want to cheer them on for their continued growth and success. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker, and thank you to my colleagues for supporting this resolution.
Thank you. On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed. No, the resolution is adopted. Mr. Fall.
Madam Speaker, do we have further housekeeping or resolutions?
We have no housekeeping. Resolution by Ms. People Stokes. Clerk will read. Assembly number 1370, Ms. People Stokes. legislative resolution commemorating the four-year anniversary of the shooting at Topps Friendly Markets in Buffalo, New York, on May 14, 2026, and honoring the victims, survivors, families, and community at large in wake of this devastating tragedy. Mr. Rivera on the resolution.
Thank you. I want to thank everyone here who has thought about Buffalo since what's happened and just share a thought. I'm not speaking on behalf of my colleagues. I know some will speak in a moment, but certainly want to express a deep gratitude to those who have reached out since that day and remember it. For me, on May 14, 2022, I witnessed the consequences of the most brutal indifference towards life a human can exhibit. But I also witnessed the limitless potential of human compassion and concern. It was a day where I saw the fullest manifestation of hate and the fullest manifestation of empathy. And as the news broke about what had happened, I eventually made it to Jefferson Avenue and was overwhelmed by the confusing thoughts of what could have carried on in someone's mind to do this, but saw the resiliency of people and community and the concern that people had that maybe had never even been to Buffalo before or Jefferson Avenue for that. and many of my colleagues that are here in this chamber with me today reached out in the hours that followed to see if I was okay, knowing that I was from Buffalo, and asking if they could be of any help in any way. And it's a day that I'll remember for a lot of reasons, but I lean on the hope and the belief that brighter days are ahead for Buffalo and we are doing all that we can as lawmakers to prevent the kinds of injustices and brutalities that we saw So I want to thank my colleagues who have forever been kind to me about Buffalo in all the different ways and believe wholeheartedly that the work that we do is in line for a better future. So thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Conrad, on the resolution.
Sure. This is a solemn day for Buffalo and really for everyone in America and across the world who has experienced the horrors of supremacist hatred and gun violence. We recall where we were that day. My son and I were at McCarthy Park about a mile and a half from that. We saw the ambulances and the fire trucks and the movement down the street. On this very day in 2022, when a shooter drove to our city and callously and premeditatedly stole 10 innocent lives, wounded three others, and threatened the safety and security of countless more, we recall the sorrow that followed as we attended memorials and volunteered our time and spoke with community members who knew the victims and therefore will never be the same. But of all else, we recall their names. Celestine Chaney, Roberta Drury, Andre McNeil, Catherine Massey, Margus Ferguson, Hayward Patterson, Aaron Salter Jr., Geraldine Talley, Ruth Whitfield, Pearl Young. We recognize their faces and we've learned their stories. This is a necessary and rightful reflection today and every day because these people were dear to us, they were dear to their families and their neighbors. and the vile racist evil that took them from us, it must be called what it is, and it must be condemned. We must, as a collective, refuse the rhetoric that breeds inhumanity and spawns tragedy. May we offer comfort and condolences to those who robbed us of these victims' lightened lives. May we allow their memories to move us forward a better America, one that is stirred by justice and committed to the building of a more equitable country. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Jackson, on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Ruth Whitfield, Pearl Young, Geraldine Talley, Roberta Drury, Aaron Salter, Margus Morrison, Haywood Patterson Celestine Chaney Andre McNeil Catherine Massey On May 14, 2022 an 18-year-old white supremacist killed shoppers and workers with a semi-automatic rifle at Topps Supermarket in Buffalo after driving more than 200 miles from his home He chose the business for its location in a predominantly black neighborhood and live-streamed the massacre from a camera attached to his tactical helmet. Eight customers, the store security guard, and a church deacon who drove shoppers to and from the store with their groceries were killed, and three people were wounded. The rifle that he fired was marked with a racial slur with phrases including the great replacement. The Common Council of Buffalo is asking that this day be an annual day of service in the city of Buffalo. And it's not a holiday because we aren't celebrating. We are mourning while we build community. Okay. And so when we talk about teaching people about our history, about what black people experience in this country, it's so we can avoid the biases that exist and the hatred that is created and the racism that continues. So from Brooklyn to Buffalo, we all felt the pain that was happening. And we need to do everything in our power to right the wrongs that racism causes in our nation. We talk about gun violence. We've seen so much of it, but we're doing not enough. We are committed. I am committed to continue this work, to drive out hate, to teach people about black people and the beauty that we have and what we offer this country so that we can stop and combat the hate that we are experiencing.
Mr. Klujinski on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. I support this resolution as we honor the 10 innocent lives that were stolen from us four years ago today and the horrific racist attack at the Jefferson Avenue tops in the city of Buffalo. Watching the news earlier this morning, I heard remarks from a respected faith leader in my district, Reverend Mark Blue. His words stayed with me. He pointed out that in the immediate, agonizing aftermath of this tragedy, we saw no cars burned, no buildings looted in Buffalo or western New York. Instead, we saw a community coming together with deep compassion and care. We saw community choose compassion over chaos. We saw people coming together across every demographic line, neighbors feeding neighbors, strangers comforting the brokenhearted, a region united in absolute care. Our entire region of western New York was hurt by this sickened and evil act. But the resilience of our neighbors proved that while hate struck Buffalo, it will not define us. However, the strength of our neighbors does not absolve us of our responsibility. We must set aside division here, look at the hard truths and find meaningful solutions so that an atrocity like this never happens again. It is not enough to simply offer moments of silence. We in this body need to work together to find real, meaningful solutions so that a tragedy like this never happens again. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Walker, on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today we gather in solemn remembrance of one of the darkest chapters in the history of the state of New York. the racist mass shooting at the top's friendly markets in Buffalo. Wayne Jones Jr., he planned to surprise his grandmother with flowers, perfume, and a meal on Sunday, May 15th. It was a week after Mother's Day, which he couldn't spend with her because he had to work. He never got to surprise his grandmother, who was 65-year-old Celestine Chaney, because she was stopped by a Topps friendly market in Buffalo the day before On a Saturday afternoon she was killed by a racist gunman Ms. Cheney survived breast cancer and three aneurysm surgeries, but she could not survive a trip to the supermarket to buy strawberries. She was one of 10 black people that were killed when an 18-year-old white supremacist drove three and a half hours, as we heard, for the sole purpose, the sole purpose of killing black people. Sole purpose. He was wearing body armor, and he used an AR-15 style Bushmaster rifle that he illegally modified so it could handle 30 round magazines. The details of the shooting, of course, are as grim and chilling today as they were four years ago when those victims were wounded and killed. Three people, however, survived. So I stand in support of this resolution, which honors these amazing New Yorkers whose lives for their relatives will forever be changed. It is our duty, as we've heard, to make sure that their deaths are not in vain. It is our duty to ensure that all of the lives that were struck down by this tragedy allows us to have an opportunity for remembrance, an opportunity to learn from the mistakes, an opportunity to recognize how dangerous rhetoric can fuel itself into the everyday lives of everyday people. We must be careful of our words because our words have power. They have an opportunity to be memorialized. And sometimes when people hear the words that you speak, it becomes a part of their reality. And sometimes people don't know how to take the things that we say and say, well, maybe these are just things that people are saying on the media. But no, they take these things real for real. And it manifests into opportunities like little girls who are on their way into schools and being murdered. And then they transform themselves and they become legislation that would allow for our community and our world and our country to just be in an erratic state. And so we definitely have to recognize that it is our opportunity to recommit ourselves to the work ahead. Why? Because we don't want the hatred. the radicalization, the racism, and the dangerous lies that people can be told about the humanity of a person because of the color of their skin. We don't longer want people to be targeted and be put to possibly death based on their skin color. So today we also say never again. We must also mean never again to racist massacres in black neighborhoods. Never again to conspiracy theories replacing truth. Never again to silence in the face of hatred. Never again to allow extremist ideologies to radicalize young people into violence. We have to recognize that hate left unchallenged becomes danger Prejudice left unchecked becomes violence And when any community is targeted because of who they are all of our humanity is diminished So we are answering the call just as our sisters and brothers did in Buffalo. We will say that we will always drive out hate
with love, never again. Thank you, Ms. Walker. Mr. Burroughs on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Although I represent a part of New York that is far, far from Buffalo, I am a child of the state of New York. I am a graduate of the University of Buffalo. I have many friends that still reside in Buffalo. And so the act that took place in 2022 affected me, as it did a lot of my colleagues and also the families. So I want to stress that my heart still remains with the family of the lost ones, and that we look at a time like this as a time we would come together to try to prevent many other instances like this from happening. So my heart continues to go out and believe for Buffalo. I do believe in the compassion that we will find the strength to ensure things like this won't happen again. And thank you, Buffalo. Pride strong.
Thank you. Mr. Jacobson on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. May 14, 2022, will go down in history as one of the most horrific days in the history of the state and nation. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon. People were going about to do their weekend shopping. and they were met with hatred in the form of an assault weapon, an AK-15 type weapon worn by a white supremacist, excuse me, carried by a white supremacist wearing a board proof vest. This could have been any place in New York State. It could have been in the supermarket that I go to. It could have been any place in my district. It could have been any place in your district. we have to redouble our efforts of making sure that weapons do not get in the hands of those that should not have it we have to make sure that assault weapons that are used on the battlefield are not used in New York State and we must do what we can also to fight white supremacy and those who preach hatred as an excuse for their shortcomings. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. McMahon, on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I've walked the hallway this week between the LOB and the Capitol, I was reminded of those ten beautiful souls who lost their lives on that very dark day in May four years ago I hope everyone took the time to look at those portraits that were displayed and to see the lives that were cut short, the opportunity that was taken away, the beauty that was murdered. We've heard their names. There was a security guard just doing his best to keep his community safe. Several women going about their business, getting their groceries for Sunday dinner. Someone running in to get a birthday cake, you know, at the last minute. Ten innocent people who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm sorry our majority leader isn't here with us today because this horrible act of violence and racism took place in her district, in her neighborhood, among her friends and her constituents. But I'm really honored to speak on behalf of all those who have been affected by the events of that dark day. May we remember these beautiful souls whose lives were cut short as we work to make the city of Buffalo a more peaceful and just community. And may their memories forever be a blessing. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Mr. Taylor on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I want to thank the sponsor for introducing this legislation. And it's here. We're here with heavy hearts to honor the lives cut short by the violence at a supermarket on a Saturday afternoon in Buffalo. in the face of unimaginable sorrow, we choose to remember and to stand in solidarity and to affirm the value of every life. To the victims, you were mothers, fathers, siblings, friends, neighbors, and members of a great community who brought light to those around you. Your lives matter deeply. And though you are no longer with us, your memories endure in the stories that are shared. The love that remains and the hope that guides us toward a safer, more compassionate world. I would be lying if I didn't say I have mixed emotions. And it's hard not to want to meet fire with fire. But there is a greater creator that desires us to be smarter and greater than that. And it's easy to surrender yourselves to the emotions that are around. And I would say that if we practice more than what we say, which is practicing peace, what does that look like? And the creator says to seek justice, do mercy and walk humbly with our gods. And if we are doing those things individually, then we are transformative. But if we are a power within ourselves that can transform anything, so we're not talking about hate, we're not going to identify the individual. But if we're sharing positive love, then it's transformative and we can change our neighbor not knowing what they may be thinking about. I think that's the real takeaway that we can do here today is really live to model what the creator has given us to do. And we'll make New York State a better place and we'll make our communities a better place and our homes would model that as well. And I can't help but not think about South Carolina because it happened there. So those are the things that kind of like you get swept up in the emotions. But there is going to be a day of reckoning. And I know I want to be really, really quick here. But I want us to leave here with the strength and the courage that you matter and that you are. an agent of transformation and you can make the world a better place. We all can. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Dias on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. There's no need to re-opine what has already been said of the tragedy that was Buffalo, but we do sometimes always need historical context. The first recorded mass killing of African Americans happened in 1866, which occurred in Memphis, again also New Orleans, again in 1873 in Colfax, 1906 in Atlanta, 1911 in Houston, East St. Louis, Wilmington, Chicago, Atlanta, Armisburg in 1968, and of course Charleston in the state of where my family is from. But we can also not forget Tree Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, which attacked Jewish Americans, El Paso, Walmart that attacked Latino Americans, and the Atlanta spa targets in 2021. What we have seen is the connection between white supremacy groups and who are using also their political will in certain states to continue their campaign of fear. My grandmother was grazed in the Jim Crow South, and she told me the stories and why she fled South Carolina to come to New York. We must continue to be vigilant and to fight for those who understand that hate will always be a cancer within our society. Very brief, I know we have a lot of people on the list, but if you just close your eyes for a quick second, and imagine just like anyone here, they go to the grocery store to buy what they normally do. So for my kids, I'm buying Cheerios, I'm buying grapes and oranges and snacks for their school. The Bushmaster, the 556, has a very unique sound, and you hear that pop in your normal grocery store. And now as you open your eyes, there's a gun pointed at you, and your fate is determined on the color of your skin. Depending at that moment, that person's going to shoot you or not. The most chilling part of that encounter was there was stories and testimonies about he saw someone was about to pull the trigger and realize they were not a person of color, and they told them to go. So imagine if you were in that grocery store, and simply by the weight, the color of your skin determined if you were going to walk out. something you do every day, every week, was simply just going grocery shopping. We must remember those who were killed in the name of hate but we must uplift them in the word of prayer and never forget the sacrifices that they made so we can continue to make New York better Thank you Thank you Ms Hooks on the resolution Thank you, Madam Speaker. Four years ago today, 10 of our neighbors went to a grocery store on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo. strawberries for a shortcake, a birthday cake for a three-year-old, a few items on the way home from a nursing home visit, ordinary errands on an ordinary day. Aaron Slater Jr., Celestine Chaney, Roberta Drury, Andre McNeil, Catherine Massey, Margus Morrison, Hayward Patterson, Geraldine Talley, Ruth Whitfield, and Pearl Young did not come home that day. 10 black New Yorkers murdered in a racist attack by an 18 year old who drove more than 200 miles with a purpose, deliberate intention of killing black people because they were black. We have to say that plainly. This was white supremacist terrorism on New York soil against New Yorkers. I represent a district in Queens, but the grief of East Buffalo is not a regional grief. It is a New York grief. Every black person in my district understood that on May 14, 2022, that it could have been them that day. We say their names in the chamber because their names belong in the official record of the state of New York. Remembrance is necessary. But remembrance alone is not enough. This body has a responsibility to confront the radicalization, the weapons of war, and the inequities this attack laid bare. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Ms. Chandler Waterman on the resolution.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today we pause to commemorate the horrific mass shooting at Topps Friendly Market on Jefferson Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. Four years ago 10 innocent people were murdered in an act of racist domestic terrorism that targeted the heart of a proud and historic community. My prayers go out to all that's impacted and continue to be impacted. As the co-chair of the Anti-Gun Violence Subcommittee of the New York State Black Puerto Rican Hispanic Asian Caucus, we collectively work together in hopes that one day we can say not another child, Now another father, mother, or loved one was killed due to gun violence. Today we pay tribute to the victims, uplift the survivors, and families who continue to carry unimaginable grief and recognize the strength and resilience shown by the Buffalo community in the years since this tragedy. We also thank the first responders, faith leaders, and neighbors who answer hatred with compassion and unity. As a state, we need to continue to focus on increasing public health investments in a holistic way, leaning on gun violence prevention and education to drive out the hate, to move away from reactive measures. We recognize that gun violence deficits can be across New York State and urban and rural towns. Each shooting, no matter one, two, unintentional or not, ripples through families and neighborhoods creating trauma that can last for generations. We are in the business of saving lives, preserving lives, loving people in our communities. And we got so much work to do. And it starts with all of us understanding differences, loving on each other. And no matter what, there's a place for everyone in this country, in this state, in this city. As New Yorkers, we remain dedicated in condemning racist violence and bigotry in all forms and committed to ensuring that a memory of those lives that were taken for us, stolen for us, snatched for us, those who were murdered, we continue to make sure they're never forgotten. I stand in support today of this resolution along with my colleagues, my family here today in the Assembly. Thank you.
On the resolution, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed, no, the resolution is adopted. We have a number of resolutions before the House. Without objection, these resolutions will be taken up together. On the resolutions all those in favor signify by saying aye Opposed no The resolutions are adopted Mr Fall Madam Speaker on behalf of the chair for the majority conference Ms Clark I would like to announce that there will be an immediate conference following session in the Speaker conference room Immediate majority conference in the Speaker's conference room. Mr. Fall.
I now move that the assembly stand adjourned until Friday, May 15th, tomorrow being a legislative day, and that we will reconvene on Monday, May 18th, at the call of the speaker.
I'm Mr. Fowles. Motion the House stands adjourned.
Thank you. Thank you.