March 10, 2026 · ALBANY, NEW YORK · 12,267 words · 16 speakers · 179 segments
The Senate will come to order. Everyone please rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. (Whereupon, the assemblage recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)
In the absence of clergy, let us bow our heads in a moment of silent reflection or prayer. (Whereupon, the assemblage respected a moment of silence.)
Reading of the Journal.
In Senate, Monday, March 9, 2026, the Senate met pursuant to adjournment. The Journal of Friday, March 6, 2026, was read and approved. On motion, the Senate adjourned.
Without objection, the Journal stands approved as read. Presentation of petitions. Messages from the Assembly. The Secretary will read.
Senator Fahy moves to discharge, from the Committee on Education, Assembly Bill Number 4382A and substitute it for the identical Senate Bill 6734A, Third Reading Calendar 437.
So ordered. Messages from the Governor. Reports of standing committees. Reports of select committees. Communications and reports from state officers. Motions and resolutions. Senator Gianaris.
Good afternoon, Mr. President.
Good afternoon.
On behalf of Senator Jackson, on page 24 I offer the following amendments to Calendar Number 443, Senate Print 5183, and ask that said bill retain its place on Third Reading Calendar.
The amendments are received, and the bill will retain its place on the Third Reading Calendar. Senator Gianaris.
I now move to adopt the Resolution Calendar, with the exception of Resolutions 1718 and 1723.
All those in favor of adopting the Resolution Calendar, with the exception of Resolutions 1718 and 1723, please signify by saying aye. (Response of "Aye.")
Opposed, nay. (No response.)
The Resolution Calendar is adopted. Senator Gianaris.
At this time please recognize Senator Weber for an introduction.
Senator Weber.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I rise to recognize a truly remarkable group visiting us in the Senate chamber, the 12th-grade class, graduating class, of Ahavas Bas Yaakov, of Rockland County. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge Principal Ms. Shaindy Eisenberg and Shmulie Hartstein, who are up there in the gallery as well. They founded an organization called Kol Yisroel, which means "the voice of the Jewish people." Kol Yisroel is a new organization with a powerful mission, to engage Jewish youth in civic education and teach them how local and state government functions. In less than two months, this organization has already taken four trips here to our Capitol, today being the largest delegation yet. They have met with more than 40 elected officials in various capacities and have many more advocacy trips planned in the months ahead, all centered around empowering young people to participate meaningfully in our democratic process -- not a small accomplishment at all. Before us are 22 outstanding young women who have completed a comprehensive civics course studying how government works, from local municipalities to the New York State Legislature. They are not just learning about government in theory, they are here putting their education in action, meeting with legislators, engaging respectfully, and advocating for their values for community safety. These students from my Senate district are among the thousands of students who attend private schools, receive an excellent education, and go on to become civic-minded, productive, and engaged members of society. I personally know many of their families. They are constituents in the 38th District and are hardworking, community-orientated, and deeply invested in faith and public life. Their presence here today demonstrates that young people are paying attention, they care about their communities, they care about public safety, and they care about their future -- and they understand that democracy functions best when citizens show up and participate. Mr. President, we thank them for being here. We thank Mr. Hartstein for his leadership and vision as well. And we look forward to watching these young women grow into the next generation of leaders in our state and our nation. Mr. President, I ask for this body to extend to the 12th grade of Ahavas Bas Yaakov of Rockland County the full courtesies and privileges of the New York State Senate. Please join me in welcoming them warmly as well.
To our guests, I welcome you on behalf of the Senate. We extend to you the privileges and courtesies of the house. Please rise and be recognized. (Standing ovation.)
Senator Gianaris.
Please recognize Senator Webb for another introduction.
Senator Webb.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today I rise and I want to lift up someone who's joined us in the chamber today but is someone who is not only making a very remarkable impression here in our great state, but is also called upon nationally. Today we are joined by Dr. Angela Odoms-Young, who is an outstanding scholar, leader and advocate for healthier communities across New York. She is the Nancy Schlegel Meinig Associate Professor of Maternal and Child Nutrition at Cornell University. She also serves as the director of the Food and Nutrition Education in Communities Program, led by New York State's Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program through Cornell Cooperative Extension. Her research examines how social and structural factors such as economic inequality, racism and environmental injustice shape dietary behaviors and contribute to disparities in healthcare, along with chronic diseases. She works to improve access to food and health outcomes, particularly in historically marginalized communities. She has and continues to shape national food and nutrition policy through her service with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, and as the cochair of the Scientific Review Committee for the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. I'm very proud to recognize Dr. Angela Odoms-Young for her commitment to improving the health and well-being of families across our great state and nation. Mr. President, I ask that you join me in welcoming her to our chamber and extend to her all the privileges of the floor. Thank you.
To our guest, I welcome you on behalf of the Senate. We extend to you the privileges and courtesies of the house. Please rise and be recognized. (Standing ovation.)
Senator Gianaris.
Please take up previously adopted Resolution 1680, by Senator Fernandez, have that resolution's title read, and recognize Senator Fernandez.
The Secretary will read.
Resolution 1680, by Senator Fernandez, commemorating the Inaugural Celebration of Bronx Day on March 10, 2026.
Senator Fernandez.
Mr. President, it is my great honor to rise today before you and my colleagues from across this great state to declare that once again, at long last, Bronx Day is happening in Albany. After nearly a decade, myself, my colleagues, and a group of the most dedicated, talented individuals have resurrected this great tradition. This day, like every day, Bronxites are called upon to remind us of one fundamental truth: That since 1898, the Bronx is the single greatest borough in New York City. (Laughter.)
Yes, it is. The best, if you will. It is the spirit of the Bronx that makes it so, a spirit that was constructed over generations, scarred by tragedy, but resilient above all else. That, despite great hardship, would change the world for the better. Now I'm putting on my historian hat because we're going to tell a story. Long before the boroughs or city lines, the land was home to the Lenape, those who lived along the river for generations. Fun fact, the river, the Bronx River, is the only freshwater river in New York City. In 1639, a Swedish settler named Jonas Bronck built a farm along that river and maintained relations with the Native leaders. But he didn't stay too long, and unfortunately colonization, as it does, spread with impunity and the people of that land were forced from the land. But as the story goes, the borough rose from this land, the Bronx land, and it would be known today as the Bronx. Another fun fact: There are only three places in the world that have "the" in front of its name: The Hague, in the Netherlands; the Vatican, in Italy; and the Bronx, in New York City. And while the Bronx may carry a long history in the family of New York City boroughs, we are still the youngest. In 1912 the Bronx was the last borough to join New York City. And I call it the "baby borough," my baby. Anyone who grew up in a big family knows that the youngest sibling is sometimes underestimated, sometimes overlooked, sometimes talked about before even being heard. But that position teaches you, it teaches you something. It teaches you to fight for your place. It teaches you to prove yourself. And the Bronx has spent more than a century doing exactly that. But the spirit of the Bronx does not just live in its geography, it lives in the people. Generations after generations of families have come to the Bronx to build a life -- immigrants like my parents, Doña Sonia and Don William, from Cuba and Colombia -- working families, communities from across Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, South America and beyond. They brought their language, their culture, their food, their music, and their pride. And together they built neighborhoods that did more than just house people. They created identity. You have Little Italy in Belmont, on Arthur Avenue. You have Little Yemen in Morris Park. You have Little Puerto Rico in Clason Point. You have Bangla Bazaar in Parkchester. And you have Little Jamaica in Baychester, and so much more. Shout out to my Albanians, my West Africans, and the Garifuna community -- and everybody in between. Time and time again the Bronx has created culture that reached far beyond the streets. Movements born here have shaped music, art, identity across the globe. We created doo-wop. We cultivated salsa. Rest in peace to Willie Colón. Yesterday he was laid to rest in peace. Shout out to Héctor Lavoe, who came to the Bronx, cultivated this music, and created community. And Mr. President, do you know that La Reina de Salsa herself, Celia Cruz, rests in power for eternity in the great Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx. And of course hip-hop. I know we love that. Hip-hop did start in the Bronx. Don't let anybody ever tell you that it started anywhere else besides 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. Because if it wasn't for the Bronx, this rap stuff wouldn't be going on. (Dancing) "Uptown baby, uptown baby, we gets down baby, up the crown baby." We had to have a dance break, because we are the boogie-down Bronx. The Bronx has always been bigger than its borough lines. And yet for the world it has been given sometimes a bad name: The Forgotten Borough, the Stepchild Borough. But history tells a different story. Even when the recognition didn't always follow, many of our most notable leaders, voices and visionaries came to the Bronx, from Edgar Allan Poe -- you can visit his house today in Poe Park. From James Baldwin, who graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School. Also from Stanley Lee, the father of our Marvel Comics and many superheroes that we love. And of course our current U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. We have raised pioneers who challenged and changed the world for the better. Even Cardi B. (Laughter.)
And Chazz Palminteri, Sonny from A Bronx Tale, will tell you, the worst thing in the world is wasted talent. And so many of us heard him, because we're not wasting our talent. On our borough flag -- we have a borough flag, as every borough does. It has a saying, Ne Cede Malis, "yield not to evil." There were times when people looked at the borough and only saw struggle. The era where the nation watched images of fires and declared that the Bronx was burning. But the spirit of the Bronx did not stay down. It rebuilded, neighborhood by neighborhood, block by block, family by family. It even built this country, Mr. President. Another fun fact, a Fernandez fun fact: Did you know that at our nation's capital the Lincoln Memorial, that statue was made in the Bronx? It was carved in a studio in the South Bronx and brought in pieces to our nation's capital. So when you go visit Washington, D.C., you know the Bronx is looking at you. The spirit of the Bronx, when the world handed us a tough deck, the Bronx played it handily, returning the favor with music -- hip-hop, salsa, doo-wop. The New York Yankees, 27 rings, okay. The New York Botanical Garden, the first botanical garden in this state. We have Brooklyn, we have Queens, but the New York Botanical Garden is in the Bronx because that is where it started, as did so many other things. We have the best zoo -- the Bronx Zoo, where you can see Happy the Elephant -- and fashion icons, from Calvin Klein -- I know a lot of us love to wear his suits -- to original still Edwin Reyes. And if you were watching the Olympics, the Winter Olympics, those very nice outfits were designed by Bronx native Ralph Lauren. And may I say that the Bronx is beautiful. It is so beautiful. We are the greenest borough, with the most parkland space. From Pelham Bay Park to Orchard Beach, Van Cortlandt, St. Mary's and Crotona, we are so beautiful, and every day we continue to bloom. I say before you, Mr. President, if you didn't know, again, the Bronx is the only borough on the mainland USA. The Bronx is the gateway to the United States. You have to come through us if you want to see anything else. And that is fitting, because the story of the Bronx is the story of America. We are the city. We are God's country. And we are the hopes and dreams of generations past, fighting for our place in the world -- and we are winning. As a State Senator, I know that to represent the Bronx is to carry that spirit with you. It means speaking for communities who have fought to be heard. It means honoring resilience, creativity, and the pride that defines our borough. And it means making sure that the Bronx is never overlooked in places where decisions are made, like right here in our State Capitol. That is why today matters. Today's leaders, artists, entrepreneurs, community members from the Bronx have come today to see you so you can see them. Today we recognize the borough that has given so much to the world. To my baby borough, the Bronx, I'm so proud of you. And we are reminded that the Bronx is not just a part of New York City, it is not just where we live, it is who we are. We are the vibe. We are the Bronx. And we are the best. Thank you.
Thank you. (Applause.)
Senator Bailey.
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you to Senator Fernandez for revitalizing Bronx Day, to the Chamber of Commerce and all of our esteemed guests. Mr. President, today I get to be a lawyer again. I'm going to submit to you a motion for summary judgment about the Bronx, the greatest place on God's green earth. Now, a philosopher once said: "New York to the heart, but we got love for all. Lie and die in the fire where I learned to ball. Uptown is the place where I lay my dome. On the streets of the Bronx where my family roam. Now, we heard that Brooklyn's in the house. (Laughter.)
We heard that Queens gets the money. We know about all the world: Money-making Manhattan, money-earning Mount Vernon. But I submit to you in this motion for summary judgment, as Senator Fernandez, if it wasn't for the Bronx, this rap thing probably never would be going on. So tell me where you from. Uptown, the greatest place where life tastes sweeter. People talk about food. Mr. President, there are Starbucks in Manhattan. We go to the White Plains Road for jerked chicken spots. Little Jamaica, the most Jamaicans outside of the country of Jamaica reside uptown. Wah gwaan, with my brethren. They know what's going on because they made a life, they've come to the Bronx. My grandparents came to the Bronx from North Carolina. Migration. All great roads lead through the boogie-down Bronx. And all great leaders happen to go to high school in the Bronx. Leader Stewart-Cousins, Evander Childs High School, boogie-down Bronx. Speaker Carl Heastie, Truman High School, boogie-down Bronx. I don't think it's a coincidence. I think it's something that happens. There's something in the air. There's something rich about the tapestry, the fabric. We talk about the fashion designers, we talk about Ralph and Calvin. I know all of you have Polo. That's from the Bronx. You may not know about up-and-coming fashion designers like Mugzy McFly out of Baychester, an uptown representative doing great things. We talk about Stan Lee, Marvel. When they think that this is (crossed arms on chest) Wakanda -- no, this is the Bronx. Stan Lee, also a Bronxite. So when you think Wakanda, you think the Bronx. It's the only borough with the sign. I know some of you all try to make other signs. There's only one borough with the sign (crossed arms on chest). (Laughter.)
As much as I may not like the team that resides on 161st Street and River Avenue, they do have a lot of championships. But we are the home of great basketball players like Jamal Mashburn and Rod Strickland, Mr. President, the greatest NBA player, in my opinion, to ever make an All-Star game. Just let NYU to an NCAA tournament for the first time in a long time. But it's not just about the braggadocio, Mr. President. You heard the facts about the borough. There's a sense of resilience that the Bronx has taken on. Sports announcer -- clown, in my book -- Howard Cosell said that the Bronx was burning. The Bronx was never burning, Mr. President. Those fires were a result of disinvestment. Not just financially, but a disinvestment in the people of the Bronx. Now that we have stewards -- and Stewart-Cousinses and Heasties -- that really invested in the borough, look at how far we have come. Those fires were set by people that wanted us to burn. But now, Mr. President, we're on fire. What we have done -- the undisputed birthplace of hip-hop, for those in the back -- (Laughter.)
-- for those in the front, it all comes from, all comes from 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in Senator Jose Marcos Serrano's district. August 11, 1973, a date that will live forever in history, when hip-hop started out in the park. Mr. President, we are the home of the world's largest cooperative development in Co-Op City. New York City's largest indoor shopping mall at Bay Plaza. And those of us who are from uptown, we know about going through Burger King to get to the movie theater. (Laughter.)
Those of us from uptown, we know about buy-one-get-one-free Wednesdays at Carvel on 233rd. But everybody from the Bronx has their own Bronx story, their own little slice of heaven, Mr. President. And as I close, I'm just glad that God made me be from the Bronx. We are the only borough that was born in the same century that we were born in. All the other boroughs got 16s and 17s and 18s. The Bronx, 1912. Youngest and freshest. The last etching on the stairs, but the first in your heart. So as I close, I invite you all to come, come down the hill. Enjoy the Bronx. Savor the Bronx. Just don't root for the team there, professional team there. But I am really excited that Bronx Day in Albany is back. And to all my colleagues, let us continue to live out -- oh, one more thing, Mr. President. Ogden Nash, famous poet. He infamously wrote: "The Bronx? No thonx!" But much like the resurgence that everybody knows about the Bronx, Ogden Nash made amends: "I can't seem to escape the sins of my smart-Alec youth. Here are my amends. "I wrote those lines, 'The Bronx? No thonx!' I shudder to confess them. "Now I'm an older, wiser man, I cry: 'The Bronx? God bless them!'" And God bless the Borough of the Bronx. Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.)
Thank you. Senator Myrie.
Thank you, Mr. President. Let me thank Senator Fernandez for bringing this resolution. I also want to -- hold on, hold on, hold on, I'ma get to it. I'ma get to it. (Laughter.)
Let me also recognize that we are joined by history-making women in a month where we are recognizing that. We have the first woman ever, first Black woman ever, first Black person ever to assume the Bronx borough presidency, the Honorable Vanessa Gibson. (Applause.)
A former member of this august State Legislature. And then we have the Bronx district attorney, the first Black woman in the State of New York history to assume the office of district attorney. So the Bronx -- yeah, we can give it up for her. (Applause.)
So in addition to all the great things you are going to hear about the Bronx today, I want to ensure that we recognize that it isn't just within the confines of the borough's boundaries, but that they are setting an example for many women that look just like them, who will set an example for future generations. Now, you're probably wondering why this Brooklyn kid is standing up on the Bronx Day resolution, Senator Rivera. But I would argue that I have the strongest dual citizenship between the two boroughs -- (Laughter.)
-- out of anybody in this chamber because my dad moved to the Bronx when I was very, very, very young. So I got street cred in the Bronx. I know about Baychester Avenue. I know about the Carvel special. I played handball at Van Cortlandt. I played hoops at Sousa. I bought bootleg CDs off Fordham Road. (Laughter.)
When I was young. When I was young. (Laughter.)
I was educated at Fordham University. I would not be who I am today if not for the great borough of the Bronx. So I wanted to ensure that I gave my just due, that I gave praise to this borough for all that you continue to do, not just for the City of New York but the entire State of New York. Thank you, and Happy Bronx Day! (Applause.)
Thank you. Senator Serrano.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. And many thanks to all my colleagues and Senator Fernandez and all who have spoken about the importance of the Bronx, and all who are here to celebrate all that is great about this wonderful borough. And we heard our colleagues talk about all the different ways that the Bronx is special. And it is all of that, and very personal for me. As a kid growing up in the 1970s in the Bronx, I was really made to feel that this was not a good place. I would tell people I was from the Bronx, and they would go, "Ooh, how did you survive? And, you know, all this, you know, nonsense. There was this belief, this mythology that the Bronx was not magic. But I knew that it was. I was watching Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in the World Series. I was witnessing all of the magic that was there all around -- all of the great music and the architecture and the largest collection of art-deco apartments anywhere outside of Miami Beach. And when I had children, my wife and I, and I would talk to my son about the Bronx, you know, he had heard the rumors that the Bronx was not great. And I said, Let's talk about that for a minute. Let's talk about all the great things that came from this borough that we love. Now, my son is a big fan of Batman. There would be no Batman if it wasn't for the Bronx. The Dark Knight got his start in the borough, as did many other of our superheroes, as Senator Fernandez mentioned, through the Marvel Universe and otherwise. And from Stanley Kubrick, who revolutionized the way we watch movies, from Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, who revolutionized the way we look at fashion. I could go on and on. I could talk about Neil DeGrasse Tyson. I could talk about Sonia Sotomayor. I could talk about all the amazing musicians and thinkers and poets and writers. And really, what it boils down to is pride. It's pride that we were denied through redlining and through benign neglect. There was nothing benign about the neglect that happened in the 1960s and '70s in the Bronx. This was purposeful. This was something that was done that was a tremendous tragedy. And it had repercussions for generations. Indeed, I grew up thinking that this was not the place to be. I grew up thinking that what I saw on TV in The Brady Bunch was the epitome of the American dream, not realizing that the diversity and the beauty that was in the Bronx was the dream. So as I stand here as the father of two teenage kids, and my son in his second year at the University of Pennsylvania -- and I'm so proud of him, and my daughter and all that the Bronx gave to us. We would not be anything if it was not for the Bronx. And I congratulate everyone here to celebrate it. Thank you. (Applause.)
Thank you. Senator Sepúlveda. SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: Thank you, Mr. President. Before I speak, I just have to make it clear to Senator Myrie that you don't get street-cred citizenship just because you set foot in the Bronx. To get credibility in the Bronx, you've got to live there, you've got to work there, you've got to be with us every single day. And I want to deny Senator Bailey his motion for summary judgment because even though what he said was accurate about the Bronx, the reality is that he's still a New York Mets fan. (Laughter.) SENATOR SEPÚLVEDA: The Bronx -- I've lived in most counties in the City of New York and several places throughout the state, but there's no greater place than the Bronx. You know, I moved into the Bronx after graduating from law school in 1991, and stayed there. And I've been there for the last 30-something years. And I tell you that it's been one of the best experiences of my life. I've raised one son there and another one I raised for most of his life there. And I could not think of a greater place to raise a family. Now, of course I want to thank Nathalia for the great work for this day today, and I saw a lot of the presentation. You should be very proud of the work that you've done. I want to thank the Bronx Chamber of Commerce for the great work that they do in economic development for the county. Now, it's important that we celebrate, as we celebrate almost 400 years of New York City and 250 years of this country, that we celebrate the Bronx. You know, people don't know this, but the Bronx played a critical role in the Revolutionary War of this country. And there are many sites that you can go visit and you can see where actual battles took place. The Bronx is one of the most diverse places in the world. I lived in Queens, I lived in Jackson Heights, so I know how diverse Jackson Heights is. But the Bronx is almost as diverse and has a great community. In the 1940s to the 1970s there was a big migration from Puerto Rico. Subsequently you've had people from West Africa, from Africa, you've had people from South Asia, the Bangladeshi community is a thriving community there now. You have a large Dominican community which is the largest ethnic group now in the County of the Bronx. And I know we've mentioned some of the great and famous people that were born or lived or were raised in the Bronx. I know someone mentioned Neil DeGrasse Tyson, who as you all know has changed the way we live and we think about the universe. I know DeGrasse's father was African-American and his mother was Puerto Rican, we had other great people like Roscoe Brown, W.E.B. Du Bois. They were all born in the Bronx and lived there most of their lives. We have other famous musicians. I know we spoke about Cardi B. But we also have Jennifer Lopez. We have Grandmaster Flash, and we have KRS-One, two pioneers of hip-hop music. Fat Joe is another Bronx-born-and-bred musician. And one that probably many of you don't know, especially if you're from Long Island, is that Billy Joel was actually born in the Bronx. You know, we have a lot of pride that hip-hop is the birthplace -- the Bronx is the birthplace of hip-hop. It transformed music, and it also changes social expressions around the world and fashion and other ways. You know, our borough has the best zoo in the entire country, it has the best botanical gardens in the entire world. It has Orchard Beach, it has Van Cortlandt Park, which are wonderful places to go. And of course it is a location where you have -- a county where you have many educational centers like Fordham, you have Lehman College and many, many other institutions of higher learning in the county. I invite all of my colleagues to come and visit the Bronx. We can take you to Little Italy to eat foods from not only the Italian community, but also the Mexican-American community, which has grown in that sector. We can take you to areas where you could eat Jamaican food, you could eat Arabic food. I mean, so many different kinds of flavors and food and flavors from different countries that we invite you to come in. Of course if you come, we'll take you to a Yankee game, we'll take you to the greatest zoo, the Bronx Zoo, and then after you're done there we'll walk you over to the botanical gardens and you'll have the greatest experience you have in your life. So we urge you, come to the Bronx. I'm so honored to be recognizing the Bronx. As I said, I can't think of a greater place to live. God bless the Bronx {in Spanish; crossed arms on chest}. (Applause.)
Senator Krueger.
Thank you very much. I never lived in the Bronx. (Laughter.)
But my first job in New York City when I moved to New York in 1983 was to actually work in the Hunts Point area of the Bronx, which was a tough place at that time. And so I'm delighted to hear all these wonderful things that are the Bronx today, and all the great people who come from the Bronx and came from the city today to visit with us. But I needed to stand up to point out that when my very close friend Senator Serrano got up to talk about his life in the Bronx, he forgot to mention this little detail. I knew his father, the Congressman, long before I knew him, because he was part of the great renewal of the Bronx and was so committed to the community where I started to work in 1983. And he was so helpful to me in my efforts when I started the New York City Food Bank back then. And his commitment to social justice and his own people. And I have no question where this amazing man {indicating} came from, because he came from Congressman Serrano, who I just wanted to make sure we talked about today. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Senator Borrello on the resolution.
I just want to rise to run a little cover for Senator Serrano. You talked about Batman, but you launched into Stan Lee and Marvel. So I don't want a bunch of Batman fan boys calling your office saying you misinterpreted this. Indeed, Bob Kane and Bill Finger are both from the Bronx, the co-creators of Batman. I wanted to clarify that so you don't get a bunch of emails and phone calls. (Laughter.)
Good? To Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and District Attorney Clark, to all of our guests here today representing the boogie-down Bronx, I welcome you on behalf of the Senate. We extend to you the privileges and courtesies of the house. Please, all of you, rise and be recognized. (Standing ovation.)
The resolution was adopted on March 5th. Senator Gianaris.
Mr. President, before we move on, I want to state clearly for the record that the best superhero is Spider-Man, who is in fact from Queens. He is from Queens. (Laughter.)
You develop it wherever you want -- he lived in Queens, Senator Serrano. (Laughter.)
All right, let's move on to more serious matters: Resolution 1718, by Senator May. Please read that resolution's title and recognize Senator May.
The Secretary will read.
Resolution 1718, by Senator May, recognizing Tuesday, March 10, 2026, as Harriet Tubman Day.
Senator May on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. After taking in all that Bronx pride, let me transport you 250 miles northwest of the Bronx to the beautiful if diminutive city of Auburn, New York, which proudly calls itself History's Hometown, in part because it was the chosen home of one of America's most courageous heroes, Harriet Tubman. Today is the anniversary of her death. She died in 1913, after a long and remarkable life. And it is fitting now, during Women's History Month, and just after Black History Month, that we pause to remember the life of Harriet Tubman. Born into slavery in Maryland, she occupies a key place in Black history for her incredible bravery and dedication to helping many, many men, women and children escape slavery. As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, she risked her own life and freedom countless times, bringing others northward. She once said, in all those years she never ran her train off the track and never lost a passenger. Harriet Tubman also made women's history when she joined the Union cause in the Civil War as a nurse, cook, scout and spy. And in 1863, she became the first American woman to lead an armed military raid at the Combahee River. The raid resulted in the liberation of over 700 enslaved people, and dealt a serious blow to the Confederate cause. Ms. Tubman was posthumously awarded the rank of brigadier general in the Army for her achievements in that war. Here in New York, Harriet Tubman made a quieter kind of history after she settled in Auburn. She chose that city because of her close friendship with several abolitionists and fighters for women's suffrage, notably Frances Seward and her husband, William Seward. William Seward served in this body as the State Senator from Auburn, then as Governor of New York State and United States Senator from New York State, and eventually as Lincoln's Secretary of State. The Sewards provided Ms. Tubman a home in Auburn, where she lived for the last five decades of her life, continuing her humanitarian activities. She was a pillar of the AME Zion Church in Auburn and worked with the church to found the Harriet Tubman Home for Elderly and Indigent African-Americans, which became essentially a nursing home that she ended up living in at the end of her life. Harriet Tubman was well into her nineties when she died in 1913, and she's buried in Fort Hill Cemetery, a stone's throw from the AME Zion Church and not far from the Seward family plot. Auburn is still home to many of her descendants. And last year the United States Park Service opened the Harriet Tubman National Historic Park in Auburn. On this Harriet Tubman Day in this Women's History Month, I am grateful to the Senate for recognizing the life and legacy of this extraordinary New Yorker. Thank you.
Thank you, Senator May. Senator Webb on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. I want to thank Senator May and also Assemblymember Meeks in the Assembly for bringing in resolution forward today, and of course our Senate Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, for honoring the life, courage and enduring legacy of Harriet Tubman. Harriet Tubman had so many, many esteemed titles and names. Most certainly a few I'll just lift up: Araminta, Moses, conductor, feminist icon, and so many more. And as Senator May very eloquently described, she not only escaped bondage, but her story did not end with her own freedom. Instead, she made the brave and selfless decision to return to the South time and time again, guiding enslaved men, women and children along the Underground Railroad towards safety and liberty. Now, she was a woman of small stature but she was filled with mighty courage, vision and commitment. She not only answered the call to lead, she was driven by an indomitable and divine spirit to make a difference. Harriet Tubman's courage and her commitment to change has made an impact on many lives and strengthened the movement for freedom in this country. At a time when helping someone escape slavery could literally cost a person their life, and when you think about laws at that time, the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, which allowed -- which was a law that literally allowed people to not only be captured but put back into slavery -- she risked all of these things because of this assignment that she was given. Her leadership, resilience, and faith inspired countless people to resist injustice and believe in the possibility of a better future. She not only led enslaved Black people towards freedom, she defied the odds and enshrined the fight for human dignity and rights into our collective story. Mr. President, the Underground Railroad was made possible by a network of communities that believed in that same principle. One of those communities is in my district, in the City of Binghamton, which I am very proud to represent and very proud to have been born and raised there. Binghamton served as a stop along the Underground Railroad where local residents quietly provided shelter and support to individuals seeking freedom. And today that history is remembered through initiatives like the Binghamton Freedom Trail, which highlights important sites throughout the city connected to the Underground Railroad, and the broader struggle for abolition and civil rights. One such site is Trinity AME Zion Church, a historic institution that played a role in that legacy of courage and community leadership. And for the people of Binghamton and the Southern Tier, these sites stand as powerful reminders and calls to action for courage, compassion, and moral conviction that cannot only help to move our community forward but also move our nation closer towards the promise of liberty for all. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution. As we reflect on Harriet Tubman's legacy, may we continue to honor her example by remembering this history of liberation, of human dignity and more, and carry it forward through our efforts here in this chamber to lift up those values of freedom, justice, and human dignity. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you, Senator Webb. The question is on the resolution. All those in favor please signify by saying aye. (Response of "Aye.")
Opposed, nay. (No response.)
The resolution is adopted. Senator Gianaris.
And now let's move on to Resolution 1723, by Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins, read that resolution's title, and recognize Senator Gonzalez to speak on that resolution.
The Secretary will read.
Resolution 1723, by Senator Stewart-Cousins, commemorating the 61st Anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the Selma-to-Montgomery march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, which served as a catalyst for the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Senator Gonzalez on the resolution.
Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you to the leader for bringing forward this resolution honoring the 61st Anniversary of Bloody Sunday. This anniversary is bittersweet as we mourn the loss of civil rights activist Jesse Jackson and celebrate the incredible work he and so many other activists did to defend our most fundamental rights. On March 7, 1965, 600 peaceful activists marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. This was part of a series of civil rights protests against the systemic denial of Black voter registration. Even though the Civil Rights Act of 1964 forbade discrimination in voting on the basis of race, efforts by civil rights organizations such as the Southern Christian Leadership Council and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to register Black voters were met with resistance, violence and intimidation in southern states. The brutality these marchers faced on that bridge at the hands of 150 Alabama state troopers, sheriffs deputies and white vigilante groups shocked the nation. Known later as Bloody Sunday, this action led to the Selma-to-Montgomery march and later to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. This anniversary serves as a sobering reminder that, as Janai Nelson, president of the Legal Defense Fund, put it: "There has not been a moment in this democracy where we have not had to fight for our right to vote, where we have not faced hurdles in casting a vote." Mr. President, there hasn't been a single moment since the passage of the Voting Rights Act that there hasn't been a concerted effort to undermine it. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 banned racist literacy tests as a requirement for voting, but today we see states passing onerous voter I.D. requirements when studies show that nearly 29 million voting-age U.S. citizens lacked a valid driver's license and over 7 million had no other form of non-expired government-issue photo identification. The Voting Rights Act reduced the disparity between Black and white voters and allowed greater numbers of Black voters to participate in local politics. But today we're seeing polling places shut down in Black and brown neighborhoods. In the past year alone, the federal government has taken actions to weaken voting rights for all Americans, from threats to eliminate mail-in voting to nationalizing the electoral process. The Supreme Court, after striking down huge portions of the Voting Rights Act in 2013, is once again hearing a case that could absolutely gut it. The fight for our right to vote and, by extension, the fight for our democracy did not start at Selma, and it certainly has not ended since. Voting rights are the anchor for all of the other rights we fought for and won over the last 60 years. The marchers in Selma understood that. The generations of activists who followed them knew that. And here in New York we understand we have a responsibility to defend each of the rights that we've won. Under the leadership of our Majority Leader, Andrea Stewart-Cousins, we've passed the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act and some of the most robust elections protections, including adding more early voting places and ballot drop-off boxes. We've passed same-day registration on the first day of early voting. We've moved to protect elections officers and have encouraged voter education and transparency. These wins do not mean that we can stop fighting. They remind us that now more than ever, we must keep marching, we must keep organizing, we must keep resisting efforts to undermine the Voting Rights Act of 1965. They are proof that when we do, we have the ability to win. And as we commemorate Bloody Sunday, we are not only remembering the 600 people who marched in Selma, we are honoring a broader tradition of everyday people coming together to defend our most fundamental rights and stand up for the democracy that we all deserve the right to be a part of. So I want to thank again the leader and this chamber for this resolution, and of course I proudly support it. Thank you.
Thank you. The question is on the resolution. All those in favor please signify by saying aye. (Response of "Aye.")
Opposed, nay. (No response.)
The resolution is adopted. Senator Gianaris.
Mr. President, the sponsors of today's resolutions would like to open them for cosponsorship.
The resolutions are open for cosponsorship. Should you choose not to be a cosponsor, please notify the desk. Senator Gianaris.
Please take up the calendar.
The Secretary will read.
Calendar Number 176, Senate Print 2598A, by Senator Mayer, an act to amend the General Municipal Law.
Read the last section.
Section 8. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
In relation to Calendar 176, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk. Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 206, Senate Print 4692, by Senator Cleare, an act to amend the Public Health Law.
Read the last section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Senator Cleare to explain her vote.
Thank you, Mr. President. Period poverty is a real condition. The cost of menstrual products can be astronomical, especially to those who have lower incomes, such as college students. In reality the purpose of these products is simple: To provide essential health options to deal with a naturally occurring bodily process. No one should have to budget for this or go without just to afford period products. Would we make people bear the burden and cost of toilet paper, hand soap, and paper towels? The bill before us continues a movement that was started almost 10 years ago, and that is to make sure that menstrual products are provided free of charge in the restrooms of all educational institutions. This bill is needed because in a recent survey, 48 percent of students said they have struggled to access menstrual products due to cost or other barriers. The study also found that nearly one in five, 19 percent of female college students reported that they felt forced to decide between buying period products and paying for other expenses such as food and other bills. We can do better than that, and we will. In my office we are holding a trio of events this March concerning period poverty, including outreach to schools, a product collection drive, and a day of action. I thank my colleagues for voting for this bill and for all that we have done, individually and collectively, to alleviate period poverty, period. Thank you. (Laughter.)
Senator Cleare will be recorded in the affirmative. Announce the results.
In relation to Calendar 206, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Gallivan, Martins, Walczyk and Weik. Ayes, 56. Nays, 5.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 275, Senate Print 4470A, by Senator Mayer, an act to amend the Executive Law.
Read the last section.
Section 3. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become a law.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Announce the results.
In relation to Calendar 275, voting in the negative are Senators Brisport, Griffo, Oberacker and Weik. Ayes, 57. Nays, 4.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 310, Senate Print 627, by Senator Stavisky, an act to amend the Education Law.
Read the last section.
Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Announce the results.
Ayes, 61.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 357, Senate Print 516A, by Senator Persaud, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Lay it aside for the day, please.
Lay it aside for the day.
Calendar Number 360, Senate Print 3249, by Senator Cooney, an act to amend the Vehicle and Traffic Law.
Read the last section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Announce the results.
Ayes, 61.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 368, Senate Print 2491, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.
Read the last section.
Section 3. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become a law.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Announce the results.
In relation to Calendar 368, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Lanza, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec, Walczyk and Weik. Ayes, 46. Nays, 15.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 371, Senate Print 2236A, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Labor Law.
Read the last section.
Section 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Announce the results.
In relation to Calendar 371, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk. Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 390, Senate Print 2278A, by Senator Webb, an act to amend the Public Health Law.
Read the last section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become a law.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Senator Webb to explain her vote.
Thank you, Mr. President. I want to lift up this legislation because it does several things. One, it affirms something we all know to be very true, and that is nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system and quite frankly, their voices deserve to be heard at every table where critical decisions are made, especially at the highest levels. What this bill does is that it requires the governing bodies of hospitals to include at least one registered professional nurse from the community as a sitting and voting member. This is a commonsense step. And nurses, as we know, bring such essential expertise, whether it's to the boardroom, they help shape policies, strengthen hospital reputation, and guide care in ways that directly benefit us, their patients. The nursing profession is incredibly diverse. It encompasses individuals committed to serving patients, families, and our communities. Nurses work on the frontlines of care and bring a wide range of skills and strategic thinking, problem-solving, communication and leadership that go far beyond the bedside. These competencies not only improve patient outcomes but also enhance the overall effectiveness and resilience of our hospitals. Mr. President, our state thrives when decisions are informed by those with the firsthand experience on the frontlines of care. Including nurses on hospital boards is not just simply sound policy, it is essential for stronger hospitals and better healthcare for everyone. I proudly vote aye, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Thank you.
Senator Webb will be recorded in the affirmative. Announce the results.
In relation to Calendar 390, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Gallivan, Griffo, Martins, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Rhoads, Stec, Walczyk and Weber. Ayes, 46. Nays, 15.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 391, Senate Print 2400, by Senator Persaud, an act to amend the Public Health Law.
Read the last section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after it shall have become a law.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Senator Murray to explain his vote.
Thank you, Mr. President. First let me start by sincerely thanking my colleague Senator Persaud for working on this together, and also to a member of her staff who really played a big role in putting this together. We sat and talked for quite some time, sharing our stories. And that is Michelle Edwin Alvarez, who really was instrumental in doing this. I've told this story, so I'll give kind of the Reader's Digest version of this. The importance of this cannot be understated. And I say that because 15 years ago I was much more active than I am now. I was playing softball on Sunday mornings. And rounding third base, blew out my knee one morning. And I had just gotten elected to the Assembly at the time. Blew out the knee. I mean, bad. Surgery was required. So I come up here and I actually used a doctor up here in Albany that was also working for the New York Giants. So I thought okay, this guy knows what he's doing. Had the surgery, and after the surgery -- it was right around Memorial Day. We went home. I wasn't marching in parades, but was going to different parades, and I remember we pulled right up to the stage after one parade, I get out of the car, literally just walked up the steps and over to the microphone to say a few words, and I was completely out of breath. I was having chest pains, wasn't sure what was going on. How could that have anything to do with the knee surgery, right? So I didn't know what was happening. Felt a little bit better. On the drive back to Albany after that weekend, talking to my chief of staff, and he said, "You know, we really need to get that checked out." Okay. So we get up to Albany, and I call the doctor who did the surgery, and he says, "Yeah, we can see you either right now or next Thursday." Right now won, so we jumped in the car, we go see him. He examines me a little bit and then says, "Hmm, I think I need to send you over to get something else done, maybe an ultrasound." So we go over there and do that. And each time I was noticing the doctors and everyone was growing in urgency. But I didn't know why. I didn't understand it. Well, they finally end up sending me to the emergency room. They said, "You have to go there now." So we're driving over, and I called over and said, "Are we going into session? I don't want to miss any votes. Maybe I could come back, do the votes and then go to the hospital." He said, "What are you, crazy? We're going to the hospital." Well, luckily they were smarter than I was. We went straight to the hospital, and at that point everyone scrambling and running, and I'm starting to get really nervous now. What's going on? Well, they were scrambling and running because I had blood clots. I then had a pulmonary embolism. I didn't know what that was. I had no idea. And I didn't realize that about 40 percent of the people that have that end up dying. So that's why everyone was scrambling. So today I said, I wonder just how bad -- I mean, even today, after going through all this, I wonder how bad that is. I looked it up, and I said, How many people in the United States die of a pulmonary embolism each year? Well, come to find out, it says that it's a leading cause of cardiovascular mortality, often behind only heart attacks and strokes. Anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 people a year die from a pulmonary embolism. For those who don't know what that is, that's throwing a blood clot, basically. You get a clot in one area, and it goes up and it can go to your heart and kill you. Mine, luckily, got caught in my lung, so it never made it. The doc said the next stop was mortality. The next stop, you would not have lived. So luckily, it got caught in my lung. So I ended up in the hospital for a few days. But the point of this long extended story -- sorry, I promised it would be short. But the point of this long extended story is I didn't know any of this. They say ignorance is bliss. I guess I was a little happy because I didn't know how serious this was. It is very, very serious. It says many of these deaths occur rapidly or before a formal diagnosis can be made, as it is a common, often-preventable complication in hospitalized patients. I didn't know after surgery you're supposed to get up and move around. Circulate the blood. Do that. I didn't know this. That's why I formed a clot. To this day I still have and am forming blood clots. We never figured out why. I went through dozens and dozens of tests all over the place; we couldn't figure out why. Many people, it's hereditary or genetic. Others, it can be after surgery or a complication or something. We never figured out why with me. So I kept forming them and we had to do emergency surgery and put a filter in just in case another one gets thrown. So to this day, I'm still learning more and more about it. So putting this working group together, the information that can be gathered from that, is imperative. This is a bill that I'm proud to say could literally save lives. So again, Senator Persaud, I say thank you. To your staffer, Michelle, I say thank you, God bless you. And I'm thrilled to vote yes, Mr. President.
Thank you, Senator Murray. Senator Murray will be recorded in the affirmative. Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick.
Thank you, Mr. President. I too want to rise and thank Senator Persaud and Senator Murray for your advocacy on this issue. Just recently my 21-year-old daughter Elizabeth -- who gave me permission to speak about her today, by the way -- is a senior down at the University of Virginia. Had to have emergency surgery, and about five days after surgery her arm turned blue. She couldn't breathe. Thank God for her roommates. They brought her to the hospital. And she has blood clots, one that's cutting off the circulation to her arm, and it's close to her heart. Multiple blood clots in both of her lungs. And it's something I knew nothing about. A kid that could run an 8-minute mile just the week before could now walk from here to there and was out of breath. She couldn't travel home for her grandfather's funeral because she's not permitted to travel. And I daresay this is something that will likely affect her for the rest of her life. The doctors have said if she wants to have children, she will likely have to be on blood thinners during her whole pregnancy. And the surgery that she had was for an ovarian torsion, so her motherhood is clearly in jeopardy now, which is really scary. But I just want to thank you for bringing this to the floor. I look forward to hearing what this working group has to say. Because the doctors don't understand why this happens, how to treat it, how to detect it. And it's a very scary thing for a young woman to go through this. And certainly as her mom, it's very scary. So thank you both for bringing this to the floor. I proudly vote aye. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Senator Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick will be recorded in the affirmative. Announce the results.
Ayes, 61.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 413, Senate Print 3078, by Senator Comrie, an act to amend the General Business Law.
Read the last section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Announce the results.
In relation to Calendar 413, voting in the negative: Senators Chan and Walczyk. Ayes, 59. Nays, 2.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 437, Assembly Bill Number 4382A, by Assemblymember Paulin, an act to amend the Education Law.
Read the last section.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Announce the results.
In relation to Calendar 437, voting in the negative are Senators Borrello, Chan, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt and Weik. Ayes, 55. Nays, 6.
The bill is passed.
Calendar Number 449, Senate Print 374, by Senator Gianaris, an act to amend the Legislative Law.
Read the last section.
Section 7. This act shall take effect immediately.
Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)
Announce the results.
In relation to Calendar 449, voting in the negative are Senators Ashby, Borrello, Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick, Chan, Gallivan, Griffo, Helming, Mattera, Murray, Oberacker, O'Mara, Ortt, Palumbo, Rhoads, Stec, Tedisco, Walczyk, Weber and Weik. Ayes, 42. Nays, 19.
The bill is passed. Senator Gianaris, that completes the reading of today's calendar.
Is there any further business at the desk?
There is no further business at the desk.
In that case, I move to adjourn until tomorrow, Wednesday, March 11th, at 3:00 p.m.
On motion, the Senate stands adjourned until Wednesday, March 11th, at 3:00 p.m. (Whereupon, at 4:40 p.m., the Senate adjourned.)