Senate Floor Session — Regular Session

The Senate will come to order. I ask everyone to please rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. (Whereupon, the assemblage recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.)

Reading of the Journal.

Without objection, the Journal stands approved as read. Presentation of petitions. Messages from the Assembly. The Secretary will read.

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.

The amendments are received, and the bills will retain their place on the Third Reading Calendar. Senator Gianaris.

Senator Harckham.

Thank you, Senator. 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.)

Mr. President, Senator Harckham didn't want to mention his wife's name, but I can. So welcome to Jin-Hee Stevens, who is part of the delegation that was just introduced. We have a privileged resolution at the desk. Let's take that up right now, Resolution 1753, and recognize Senator Kavanagh after reading that resolution's title.

Resolution 1753, by Senator Kavanagh, honoring St. Patrick and all persons of Irish descent upon the occasion of the celebration of St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, and memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim March 2026 as Irish-American Heritage Month in the State of New York.

Thank you, Mr. President. And happy St. Patrick's Month to everybody. We are -- as a proud Irish-American whose father emigrated to the United States from County Donegal and whose maternal grandparents also made that journey somewhat earlier, it's an honor to introduce this resolution proclaiming March 2026 as Irish Heritage Month in the State of New York and celebrating St. Patrick's Day, a day that acknowledges the resilience, heritage, and enduring spirit of the Irish people and our great contributions to the State of New York. Today of course we honor St. Patrick, who is the patron saint not only of Ireland, but also of the Archdiocese of New York. And we also celebrate the generations of Irish immigrants, many of whom turned hardship into hope and really have enriched New York and our entire nation. In the mid-19th century, millions of Irish began flowing into the United States through what's known as the "Golden Door," often, of Ellis Island, seeking refuge from famine, from political oppression, and from injustice. Among them was Annie Moore, of Cork, Ireland, who was the very first immigrant from anywhere in the world to arrive at Ellis Island in pursuit of a new life in America. Many, many of them arrived with very little, and yet contributed so much to New York, building the Erie Canal -- many, many thousands of Irish were involved in that -- as well as lots of our infrastructure, in a continuing tradition of being very important in our trades, our workers who construct and maintain all kinds of infrastructure around the state. The spirit of public service of the Irish runs very deep. A quarter of the Continental Army was Irish-born, including the Fighting 69th that served on the battlefields of the Civil War and through many of our conflicts up to this day, and is headquartered in the 69th Regiment Armory in Manhattan. One of the very first Medal of Honor recipients post-9/11 was Navy Seal Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy of Smithtown. And of course I had the honor yesterday of joining an Irish delegation at 9/11, at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, and many, many of my Irish brethren and sisters gave their lives on that day, answering the call of service as police officers and firefighters. That proud tradition really has sort of been consistent throughout our history as a country. Again, I mentioned the Continental Army and also nine signers of the original Declaration of Independence, and 23 United States presidents and a few governors I'll get to in a moment. This is also Irish History Month, so it is important to recognize also the many Irish-American women who have been visionaries and trailblazers, including Annie Sullivan, who opened up the world to Helen Keller as her teacher; Nellie Bly, who changed the face of journalism; and Colonel Eileen Collins, who was the first woman to command a space shuttle and is a New Yorker. And their legacy reminds us that the Irish spirit of courage has never been confined to one arena, one area of life, but across many sectors and activities in our society. Their legacy also lives on through, again, public service right here in New York. Of course a leader like Al Smith, New York's first "Happy Warrior," who really defined much of the great changes in our country, starting with services and programs in New York that made sure that we lifted up the neediest, made sure we took care of everyone in society, and became the New Deal programs of the '40s and into the '50s and still are some of our basic safety-net programs to this day. The labor movement, of course, has been led by many, many Irish-Americans and continues to be -- to do so today. And of course we're very proud, as Irish-Americans, to have a Governor who is of Irish descent and also very much embraces that experience as a formative experience of her own and something that really defines her work and her commitment to making sure we're caring for all New Yorkers. St. Patrick's Day is more, of course, than a tribute to the past. It's a living celebration of values that unite Irish people all over the world and us also as New Yorkers: Resiliency in the face of struggle, solidarity in times of division, and the belief that every person deserves dignity. The Irish island, of course, has been divided at times. There has been discrimination and oppression based on religion and other divisions in our society. We are very proud now that we are hopefully moving past those in a permanent way. But we know that also Irish-Americans and the Irish have learned from those experiences and, again, we try to apply them to our work here. As president of the American-Irish Legislators Society, I'm happy to work with leaders in this chamber and across -- and, you know, across the other side of the building, including our vice president, Senator Patrick Gallivan, and our treasurer, Pat Fahy, as well as Mary Beth Walsh and Mike Fitzpatrick, our Assembly colleagues. So as we honor St. Patrick, who stood against intolerance and discrimination suffered by the Irish people, we are mindful of the continuing need to stand for justice, inclusion and mutual understanding here in New York, and Ireland, and around the world. This includes, again, our steadfast commitment to the Good Friday Agreements and the peace and reconciliation it has brought to the north of Ireland since 1998. And we know we are very much as Americans proud of the fact that American leaders of Irish descent and others were very instrumental in bringing that peace process to fruition in 1998, and continue to support that process. So again, tomorrow is the biggest St. Patrick's Day parade not just in New York State, but anywhere in the world. We're expecting, as we usually do, about 2 million spectators, about 150,000 marchers. And it's not just a day for the Irish, it's a day when countless New Yorkers and many people from Ireland and other parts of the world join us in the spirit of Ireland and in the spirit of celebration. And so for anyone who might be considering joining us who's within earshot of this speech, I say "Céad Míle Fáilte," which means, of course, "100,000 welcomes." I'm sure that's on the tip of all of your tongues. And again, St. Patrick's Day has very much become not just a day but really a month of celebration across our communities. I know many of my colleagues have participated in parades and other events. So again, thank you for the opportunity to speak with you. And just to end, there's an old Irish blessing that says "We all live in each other's shelter," and I hope we can continue in that spirit. Happy St. Patrick's Day, and I vote aye on the resolution.

Thank you, Mr. President. I join my colleague in noting Irish Heritage Day. Every March we do hear the bagpipes echo down the streets and a lot of green appears around the Capitol and certainly in New York City tomorrow. But today, here, is a day to remind ourselves it's more than parades or even pints, it really is about heritage, the shared sacrifices, resilience, and then that enduring promise of America. It's a month that I -- that puts me down memory lane. My story is a very personal one, and I certainly share the pride. And I have to say the older I get, the more I believe that my roots have become a compass for my life. I was born in Chicago to Depression-era immigrant parents who left small farms. Didn't really want to leave those farms, but they arrived here after immigration reopened after World War II. They were the very last of a generation to come off the boat right here in the New York City harbor -- or right south of us, I should say. Mine is a very universal story. My parents came for the same reasons we see again universally, and that is that they had a chance at a job that they didn't have in their own country, and the chance that their children would ultimately have an education. Both of my parents only had a primary school education. My father had a year of technical school. But again, education was out of reach financially for their families. So like many Irish, they helped build this country. My father started in the Chicago stockyards, my mother as a domestic servant. And as we've seen so many communities build, brick by brick, many ultimately found their way into public service. And I, as their daughter, ultimately did, against my father's best wishes, I have to say. Or against his recommendation. But it was this unshakable belief in fairness and that opportunity -- we're reminded, opportunity should never be because of where you were born, because of who your parents were, or because of an accent or color of those who arrived on these shores. The parallels to today's immigration battles are absolutely uncanny. My parents, through a lot of hard work, were afforded one version of an American dream, as many generations were. But that has really turned into more of a fairy tale for way too many. And we have seen Lady Liberty's torch dim in recent years, dim with a lack of opportunity and that unshakable belief in fairness that we experienced and grew up hearing about. We must not forget -- so it's a reminder to me not to forget the roots, not forget our shared roots, the repression that held Ireland back for centuries, and the suffering for centuries, because of an autocratic rule. And I think it has led me to become so outspoken as I reflect on those. But it's also that spirit of community, perseverance, and standing up for the underdog that the Irish have done so much on. So as we celebrate the culture, the traditions, and the values of generosity, courage, and more, it is a reminder of the shoulders we stand on, the shared sacrifices. And one of the many beautiful sayings from Ireland is "May your troubles be less, your blessings be more, and may nothing but happiness come through your door." And with that, Mr. President, I wish all smiling eyes shine down upon all of us here and throughout the state. Thank you.

Opposed, nay. (No response.)

Mr. President, Senator Kavanagh would like to open that resolution for cosponsorship.

Let's take up the calendar, please.

Calendar Number 102, Senate Print 3852B, by Senator Hinchey, an act to amend the Environmental Conservation Law.

Section 3. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after it shall have become a law.

Announce the results.

The bill is passed.

Read the last section.

Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)

Ayes, 60.

Calendar Number 159, Senate Print 119, by Senator Cleare, an act to amend the Emergency Tenant Protection Act.

The bill will be laid aside for the day.

Read the last section.

Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)

In relation to Calendar 336, voting in the negative are Senators Ortt, Rhoads and Walczyk. Ayes, 57. Nays, 3.

Calendar Number 366, Senate Print 630, by Senator Stavisky, an act to amend the Criminal Procedure Law.

Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

Announce the results.

The bill is passed.

Read the last section.

Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)

In relation to Calendar 431, voting in the negative are Senators Rhoads and Walczyk. Ayes, 58. Nays, 2.

Calendar Number 446, Senate Print 1052, by Senator May, an act to direct the Department of Economic Development to move the Central New York Welcome Center to the Equal Rights Heritage Center in the City of Auburn.

Lay it aside.

Read the last section.

Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)

In relation to Calendar 452, voting in the negative are Senators Chan and Rhoads. Ayes, 58. Nays, 2.

Calendar Number 456, Senate Print 257, by Senator Martinez, an act in relation to authorizing a study on lithium-ion battery fires and prevention.

Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

Senator Borrello to explain his vote.

Senator Borrello will be recorded in the affirmative. Senator Weik.

Senator Weik will be recorded in the affirmative. Announce the results.

The bill is passed.

Read the last section.

Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)

Thank you, Mr. President. This is a great bill, plain and simple. And I'm grateful to Senator Fernandez for bringing this forward. And again, it kind of shows that when we sit down, discuss, talk, be able to work things out, great things can be accomplished. And the fact that this bill will take potentially much-needed opioid antagonists and put them in an area where, if there is a health issue, most people know where these AEDs are anyway. I think it's just well thought out, a great bill. And again, Senator Fernandez, thank you for bringing it forward. Every once in a while, I say, in Albany we get it right. Today we got it right. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Mr. President. And through you, I really want to thank the comments by my colleague here, because this is a very common-sense approach. First aid kits, AEDs are the tools that we run to when there is someone in distress, when they are unconscious. And many times maybe they don't need that, or maybe they do need Narcan. But this does provide more tools in a secure location to help somebody in their most desperate time of need for whatever may be the cause. So I thank everyone for voting for this bill and for making New Yorkers safer by having the tools all together. Thank you.

In relation to Calendar 473, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk. Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

Calendar Number 474, Senate Print 410, by Senator Gounardes, an act to amend the Civil Practice Law and Rules.

Section 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

Announce the results.

The bill is passed.

Read the last section.

Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)

In relation to Calendar 479, voting in the negative: Senator Walczyk. Ayes, 60. Nays, 1.

Calendar Number 483, Senate Print 661, by Senator Gianaris, an act to amend the Insurance Law.

Section 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January.

Announce the results.

The bill is passed.

Read the last section.

Call the roll. (The Secretary called the roll.)

Ayes, 61.

Mr. President, not since Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in 1858 have a series of debates taken on such great importance as those between Mark Walczyk and Rachel May. (Laughter.)

The Secretary will ring the bell. The Secretary will read.

Senator Walczyk, why do you rise?

-- I rise in hopes that the sponsor will yield for some questions.

Mr. President, I am happy to debate this bill once again.

In 2018, the state spent $10 million to build the Equal Rights Heritage Center, which opened in 2018. Is that correct?

Through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield?

I do.

So at the time that the state spent $10 million to build the Heritage Center in the City of Auburn, it was under agreement that the City of Auburn was going to run the operations, be responsible for running the operations of the Equal Rights Heritage Center, is that correct?

And through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield.

I will.

But the CNY Welcome Center was actually placed in Destiny USA, not in Auburn, is that correct?

And through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield.

I do.

And in the Heritage Center's first year of operations they received $50,000 from the State of New York to help the City of Auburn with operating, is that correct?

And through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield?

I do.

You may have been in office in 2025 when the city received $200,000 from the state. Is that figure correct, $200,000 for the operations to help the City of Auburn run the Heritage Center?

And through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield?

Yup.

So I noticed you once again provided $200,000 for the City of Auburn for the operations of the Heritage Center in your one-house budget. The city says that it costs about $234,000 annually to run, is that correct?

And through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield?

Yes.

Destiny USA is actually -- so it's a mall in Syracuse. It is the top 20 most -- in the top 20 most-visited shopping centers in the nation, with over 20 million visitors per year. The Equal Rights Center gets about 8,000 visits a year, is that correct?

And through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield.

Yes.

Yeah, in their annual 2024 report, I can read you the specific number. A total of 8,206 walk-ins. That was an increase of 3,000 visits over 2023, so headed in the right direction. But falling pretty short of 20 million, where the Visitor Center is currently. My question is, is Onondaga County in support of moving the Visitor Center from their county into the County of Cayuga in the City of Auburn?

Through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield?

I will.

In fact, at least in their 2024 report, they do clock combined events and tours total, adding another 6400 of combined events and tours. I assume that's things outside of the Heritage Center that rally there, to include the No Kings rally that was held on October 18th at the Heritage Center or on January 22nd, a Democrat running for county court judge having their announcement in the Heritage Center. My question, are there any Republican events or conservative events ever held at the Heritage Center?

And through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield?

I do.

The City of Auburn is often called the "Prison City," for very good reason. There were a number of events in Auburn this time last year as corrections officers were fighting for safety on their job. Were any of the corrections officers' rallies held at the Heritage Center?

And through you, Mr. President, would the sponsor continue to yield?

Yes.

Do you happen to know the party registration of the executive director, the chair of the board, the treasurer, and almost the entire board of directors?

Thank you, Mr. President. On the bill.

So this bill would move the Central New York Welcome Center from one of the largest malls most frequently visited in America. It is in the top 20 largest malls, has over 20 million people visit it each day {sic}. I know it well because I grew up in the Central New York region. I also represent the North Country and have many Canadian friends who talk about doing their Christmas shopping there. That's why it's situated well to be a welcome center. The area where you've got 20 million people in Central New York showing up to shop is a great way to welcome them to the State of New York, show them some of the products that we make in the State of New York, and show them some information that they may spread out to communities, even like communities of Auburn. It's a great place to advertise for Prison City. It's at the confluence of Route 81 and 90, making it very easy for many visitors -- even with traffic changes, still very easy for many visitors across the State of New York. But on top of the strategy of this, what bothers me the most about this bill is that the City of Syracuse and the County of Onondaga, where the CNY Welcome Center is situated today, haven't asked for this, haven't approved of this, and would agree that in Central New York, Syracuse is the beating heart. That makes sense for CNY to have the Welcome Center there and well-placed in the area where people most frequently visit. So it doesn't make strategic sense for us in this body to move CNY's Welcome Center out to the City of Auburn. And no offense to Prison City; I'm sure they love the visitors. But when you look at everything from -- actually, if you should know -- and you should know -- parking was taken away from the City of Auburn. Many residents at the YMCA weren't happy having to park out on the street. Actually, at the Syracuse Mall, at Destiny USA, parking is free. And people, 20 million of them, are already showing up to shop there. So moving this into the City of Auburn could even cause more consternation. And the real reason that this is brought forward is to support the Democrat hangout in the City of Auburn. This is the place where all the events are, this is the place where all the organizations are, this is where people coalesce and have rallies for one side of an issue, not for the other. And that's what makes it difficult in this body, with the State of New York and taxpayer dollars that we're investing here, to say no. So I hope that you will join me in voting no on this bill. Thank you.

Mr. President, we've agreed to restore this to the noncontroversial calendar.

Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

Senator May to explain her vote.

Senator May will be recorded in the affirmative. Announce the results.

The bill is passed. Senator Gianaris, that completes the reading of the controversial calendar.

There is no further business at the desk.

On motion, the Senate stands adjourned until Tuesday, March 17th, at 3:00 p.m. (Whereupon, at 3:39 p.m., the Senate adjourned.)