S195

The Senate passed S195, sponsored by Sen. Martinez, an act to amend the Public Health Law, on a roll call vote of 62-0. The bill proceeded directly to a vote without floor debate. The measure takes effect immediately upon enactment.

The Senate passed S195, an act to amend the Public Health Law, by a vote of 60-0 on the noncontroversial calendar. The bill's passage came after the presiding officer rejected an amendment proposed by Sen. Helming that would have addressed contraband in state correctional facilities. Helming appealed the ruling, arguing her amendment was germane to the underlying bill because both addressed contraband prevention—the bill targeting contraband among youth in schools while her amendment focused on dangerous contraband in prisons. Helming emphasized the safety crisis in state correctional facilities, citing hospitalizations from dangerous substances and weapons, and advocated for specific measures including narcotics-detecting canine patrols, secure vendor mail programs, and mandatory body scanners at prison entrances. The appeal failed on a show of hands vote of 22 ayes, sustaining the presiding officer's ruling that the amendment was nongermane. The bill was then restored to the noncontroversial calendar and passed unanimously.