Sen. Rachel May

The bill addresses the environmental impact of American lawns, which consume 40-50 million acres and use four times more water than most crops while contributing to water, air, and noise pollution. The legislation enables New Yorkers to convert lawns into productive food gardens and native habitat that supports beneficial species rather than non-native invasive species.

Argued the state has a responsibility to fund the Equal Rights Heritage Center it built and that relocating the Welcome Center there is smart economics. Contended the Welcome Center at Destiny Mall is in a distant corner with minimal actual visitors and that Auburn's central location near City Hall and the Seward House makes it a superior tourist destination.

Defended the budget as asserting New York's values of feeding the hungry, housing the homeless, caring for children, and defending immigrant and trans communities against federal attacks.

Expressed surprise that the Legislature doesn't already have this procedure and praised it as smart policy that would simplify the amendment process compared to current cumbersome procedures.

Sponsor argued the bill primarily enables transmission lines across state lands to connect remote renewable energy projects, reducing barriers to clean energy development. Emphasized projects must not interfere with reforestation purposes, include SEQR review protections, and involve mitigation plans; noted solar production facilities would likely be off-site, with transmission being the main purpose.

Supported the bill as necessary to prevent PFAS from entering the environment through consumer products. Stated that PFAS is found in nearly everyone's bodies and mother's milk, and argued it is the Senate's responsibility to ensure safe cookware is sold going forward without removing existing cookware from homes.

Argued that abortion care is healthcare and that a history of seeking reproductive health services should not be used against parents in custody cases, as it protects both children's best interests and access to reproductive services without fear.

The bill protects patients from having sensitive medical information weaponized across state lines, such as abortion or gender-affirming care records, which could deter people from seeking necessary emergency medical care in hostile jurisdictions.

The bill creates equity in early voting access by allowing boards of elections to bring voting to underserved areas, particularly rural counties where voters may drive 45 minutes to an hour to reach a polling place. The measure is voluntary for boards of elections and can be more cost-effective than establishing full 10-day sites, and similar programs have proven popular in Idaho, Texas, California, and Washington.

Cited a congressional race in Central New York where elections commissioners' errors necessitated multiple recounts and lawsuits, demonstrating the need for standardized and reliable training for elections commissioners.

The bill streamlines SEQR for housing in areas with existing employers, transit, and walkability. The current process creates litigation opportunities that delay permits and increase costs, discouraging development and making affordable housing construction difficult.

The bill allows local municipalities to remove EMS from property tax limits, enabling greater investment in emergency medical services. She emphasized that smaller municipalities have requested this relief and that the state's EMS system is struggling with lack of investment and staffing.

Expressed concern that residents of Syracuse have never had the opportunity to appear before a Supreme Court justice who looked like them. Noted that the current districts have created an enormous imbalance in judicial representation and that the new districts may lead to more competitive races and voter choice rather than justices choosing themselves.

The bill addresses serious entrapment situations where employees are charged undefined amounts for training, creating debt traps similar to company store arrangements. Good employers who clearly communicate expectations will retain employees naturally, but the bill protects vulnerable workers from predatory practices.

Praised the bill as an elegant solution to help rural municipalities advertise job openings through a centralized portal on the state jobs website, noting local governments are excited about the measure.

Shared personal experience of her husband's painful cancer death and emphasized the bill is about having control at end of life, noting that over one-third of people who obtain the prescription in other states never use it.

Sponsor argued the bill applies only to defects in manufacturer-supplied components and does not affect existing federal and state warranty laws regarding unreasonable modifications. Noted that restrictions apply to used vehicles based on mileage and time in service, and that modifications are specifically excluded from coverage.

Arts and music education develops children as whole human beings and are often the first programs cut during budget reductions. For some students, these subjects are the only reason they attend school or look forward to the school day.

May expressed gratitude for the bill and noted she represents zip codes with the highest incidence of elevated blood lead levels in children. She shared that her own child had elevated blood lead levels and received early interventions that made a significant difference.

Native plants provide critical habitat for native wildlife and are uniquely adapted to New York's soils and climate. Adding them to the Grown and Certified Program will encourage nurseries and landscapers to use them, creating more habitat for native wildlife.

As chair of the Committee on Consumer Protection, she thanked the sponsor for reminding the chamber that monopolies are symptoms of a broken economy and embodiments of an uneven playing field, contrasting the original educational purpose of The Landlord's Game with the morally neutral strategy of modern Monopoly.

Sponsor explained that Jawonio, founded in 1969, provides inclusive learning for children with developmental and physical disabilities but faces administrative burden from duplicate personnel requirements and conflicting rules from two state agencies. The bill streamlines certification and licensure into a single process to facilitate development of similar institutions.

Spoke about Syracuse's waste crisis with trash trucks ferrying downstate waste to Seneca Meadows landfill. Argued the bill shifts responsibility from taxpayers to producers and protects communities from bearing costs of throwaway culture.

Sponsor argued the bill combats ideological censorship efforts targeting books with LGBTQ and minority voices, noting a 92 percent increase in censorship attempts and emphasizing librarians' role in providing validating literature to marginalized youth.

The bill will help grassroots organizations like FAHNN in Syracuse realize their goal of bringing a grocery store to South Salinas Street, where 30 percent of residents lack cars and have limited access to healthy food.

She highlighted that stigma was identified as the number-one problem in rural communities dealing with substance abuse and overdose prevention. She noted that even first responders carried stigma, sometimes dragging their feet on repeat calls to the same addresses, and expressed hope the language change will help address the epidemic of stigma in rural areas.

The bill empowers residents to grow food or create pollinator habitat in their yards, which is important for food security and supporting pollinators across the state. Local ecosystems are significantly impacted by how people manage their lawns and gardens.

Praised the budget for funding a new emergency department at Upstate University Hospital and supporting the Central Tech High School STEAM program in Syracuse with BOCES funding for CTE programs.

Voted aye, acknowledging agreement with concerns about executive power but noting that any emergency budget authority discussion stems from federal policies under President Trump.

PFAS chemicals are widespread in the environment and human bodies, causing serious health effects. This bill is groundbreaking in requiring industrial and municipal disclosure of PFAS discharges into waterways, which is essential to protecting drinking water supplies.

The bill was developed by a former session assistant with personal experience with color blindness discrimination. It will allow more people to become police officers without blanket disqualification based on color blindness.

The bill allows water and sewer authorities to manage stormwater, enabling proactive approaches to flooding through green infrastructure and water diversion methods to protect municipalities from severe storm events.

Stated the bill makes it easier for school districts to participate in Farm-to-School programs, helping New York farmers and providing students with fresh food, particularly important as the federal government cuts funding from farm-to-school meal programs.

Sponsor argued the bill allows the Board of Elections to be more nimble in siting polling places where people are, particularly to help rural voters who struggled with early voting access. Emphasized that polling places are already located at schools, colleges, and workplaces, and that opposition claims about fraud and insecurity chip away at voter confidence in elections without factual basis.

The Equal Rights Heritage Center in Auburn was built for this purpose and currently lacks operating funds. The welcome center at Destiny USA receives minimal foot traffic despite the mall's high visitor volume, while Auburn's location would attract more visitors through school field trips and historic site tourism. Taste NY products can be available in both locations.

Spoke from personal experience about noise pollution from landscaping equipment preventing a cancer patient from sleeping, and expressed gratitude for incentivizing quieter electric technology to create healthier environments.

Highlighted that the bill enables smart, cost-effective technical solutions to grid efficiency challenges, including sensor technology and grid system optimization that can move electrons faster without requiring expensive new infrastructure.

Argued that extended producer responsibility is the gold standard for environmental protection, noting that there is no 'away' for discarded products and that manufacturers must consider the full lifecycle of their packaging.

Noted the cider component has passed the Senate six times previously. Stated New York cider producers using only state apples deserve to compete equally with Washington and Oregon cideries that can already ship to New York.

The bill solves a problem identified at Dutch Hill Maple Farm in her district by extending state forestland leases from five to 10 years, enabling long-term productive uses like maple syrup production rather than just short-term timber harvesting.

Shared a personal experience of discovering anorexia instructional material on a family computer accessed by her preteen, expressing gratitude for legislation that will help parents protect children from harmful online content.

Praised the EPR system for shifting responsibility to producers to design recyclable materials, noting mattresses are a significant waste stream problem. Called it an elegant solution that benefits both environment and consumers.

Sponsor explained that college closures devastate host communities economically and operationally, citing Wells College's role in housing water treatment, schools, and healthcare. The bill treats closures like natural disasters, triggering state agency assistance for recovery.

Cited a Syracuse incident where two officers were killed by a shooter using an illegally modified AR-15 obtained online. Argued the bill would require coding of firearm attachments, allowing credit card companies to flag suspicious purchases and prevent illegal modifications from being obtained out of state.

The bill streamlines administration for inclusive schools combining daycare and pre-K by harmonizing conflicting OCFS and SED regulations. This will allow schools like Jowonio to operate more rationally and provide services to children and families across the state.

School librarians are trained professionals who should make curation decisions to provide students with diverse, age-appropriate materials that challenge them and expand horizons. The bill defends freedom to read against extreme political agendas being pushed at school board meetings by vocal minorities.

The bill addresses increasing flood emergencies across New York by giving wastewater authorities tools to manage stormwater through green infrastructure incentives, helping municipalities avoid costly treatment system investments while beautifying neighborhoods.

Praised the bill as preventing New York State taxpayers from subsidizing rainforest degradation, calling rainforests the lungs of Planet Earth. Noted the bill represents environmental leadership on the same day another large state moved backward on climate action.

Sponsor noted that water quality and harmful algal blooms are the top concern in her expanded district covering four Finger Lakes. The bill provides tools to understand, monitor, study, and create a database and grant program for municipalities to prevent and mitigate HABs.

Acknowledged hard work by leadership and staff while expressing concerns about CDPAP changes, voting yes with a heavy heart as the best achievable outcome.

Sponsor explained the bill allows for more nuanced testing of color blindness rather than blanket disqualification, enabling those with lesser forms of color blindness that don't affect critical tasks like distinguishing red from green lights to potentially qualify for law enforcement careers.

As chair of the Cities 2 Committee, she emphasized that smaller cities across the state have vibrant arts and cultural areas that are important engines of economic development, job creation, and quality of life.

As the proud daughter of a Korean War veteran, Sen. May thanked all Korean War veterans for their service.

Praised the bill as a smart way to allocate resources for capital improvements to libraries in underserved neighborhoods that serve as critical community anchors for families, seniors, and people experiencing homelessness.

The bill allows New York to adopt apartment building designs structured around entryways instead of corridors, reducing wasted floor space and making apartment production more affordable to address the state's housing crisis.

Described quality-of-life impacts of fracking in Pennsylvania communities, including 24/7 truck traffic, noise, and companies building derricks next to residents' homes without restrictions. Called fracking both an environmental and quality-of-life nightmare.

Supports the bill for both climate and health/safety reasons, citing personal experience with carbon monoxide risks from natural gas appliances and the mounting climate crisis.

Arts and music education build character and whole brains, reduce disciplinary problems, and improve graduation and college attendance rates. Currently in regulation but not statute, making programs vulnerable to budget cuts.

Urban agriculture is overlooked but increasingly important for upstate cities with vacant land and limited access to fresh produce. An office to help navigate the complicated legal and zoning issues surrounding urban farming is essential for economic development and community benefit.

Sponsor of the bill. Emphasized that New York cider producers face disadvantages compared to producers in Washington and Oregon who can ship directly to consumers, and that this bill would help cideries access markets and opportunities. This is the sixth time the bill has passed the Senate.

Supported the bill based on personal observation of a Black teacher's exceptional engagement with students of color, emphasizing the importance of role models students can identify with and the need to reduce isolation among underrepresented educators.

Emphasized that the bill increases voting flexibility and access by allowing boards of elections to bring voting to where people are, citing examples like rural areas in Idaho and large employers. Stressed that bipartisan election commissioners would make location decisions and that portable sites would meet the same security requirements as traditional polling places.

As chair of the Commission on Rural Resources, she supported the bill as addressing a rural connectivity issue that also affects urban areas. She shared a personal anecdote about poor cell service in Syracuse.

Drew parallels to fallout drills from her childhood and expressed concern about the trauma inflicted on children by realistic active shooter simulations. Supported reducing drills to prevent psychological harm.

The bill represents the most comprehensive state action to identify point source discharges of PFAS, enabling municipalities and regulators to take swift action against these persistent chemicals that contaminate water supplies and pose serious health risks including effects on hormonal activity, immune systems, fertility, and cancer risk.

The bill allows people with minor color vision deficiencies to become police officers while maintaining necessary disqualifications for more severe deficiencies. She credited her session assistant Liam Vaitkus with developing the bill concept and conducting the research.

Fresh water is a precious resource in decline globally, but New York has abundant supplies. The state needs to consolidate water data from multiple sources and make it publicly accessible to effectively protect its water resources.

Cited nearly 1,500 book banning incidents in the last six months of 2022, predominantly affecting books by or about people of color and LGBTQ experiences. Argued that diverse library materials improve student literacy outcomes and that exposure to uncomfortable topics is necessary for children to learn about and address discrimination.

The bill represents an orderly transition away from obsolete fossil fuel infrastructure, comparing it to phasing out horse stables when cars became standard. It is common sense policy that recognizes when technology becomes obsolete.

Noted that 18.2 million mattresses were discarded in 2020 with only 56 recycling facilities available. Praised the extended producer responsibility approach for requiring manufacturers to plan for end-of-life use upfront rather than relying on end-of-pipe solutions, and supported the closed-loop system as necessary direction.

Lead dust from sources like leaded gasoline residue is an environmental crisis and poison for children. The bill will help families understand where lead exists and protect their children from exposure.

Praised the bill as a major milestone in human-centered care and shared a personal story about her late husband's terminal cancer diagnosis and the difficulty obtaining palliative care, emphasizing the importance of pain management in end-of-life care.

Emphasized that food insecurity affects approximately two out of five college students who struggle to balance tuition, rent, books, and food expenses. Noted that Chancellor King announced a complementary million-dollar investment in SUNY food pantries and expressed hope the bill would help create hunger-free campuses.

Supported diversifying arts funding and cited the Everson Museum's efforts to diversify exhibits and boards. Emphasized that smaller organizations are often where communities of color feel more comfortable and engage with underrepresented art forms.

Supported the bill as a matter of basic fairness, noting family caregivers make enormous sacrifices and save the economy billions in medical expenses. Emphasized the need for workplace protections, especially given potential federal work requirements for SNAP benefits.

Sponsor argued the bill makes elections more accessible by allowing voters to cast ballots at any vote center in their county, building on electronic polling books legislation. She noted Auburn has already implemented this and other boards of elections may voluntarily adopt the practice.

Emphasized that rural areas face rising overdose rates and higher stigma than urban areas. She stressed the importance of lifting awareness across all communities in the state and supporting first responders addressing the crisis.

Noted the honor of representing Onondaga Nation territory and Haudenosaunee traditional lands, highlighted the Great Law of Peace as a model for democracy, and stated the office will enable more comprehensive approaches to addressing inequities in school and health clinic funding.

Cited that 72 percent of women ages 45-74 report age discrimination, and emphasized that older workers are among the most productive and reliable in the workforce. Supported the bill as a necessary protection against employers obtaining data that could be used to discriminate.

The bill will make it easier for rural communities to train code enforcement officers, addressing the shortage of inspectors needed to determine if living conditions are safe and enabling tenants across the state to live in safer conditions.

The bill enables municipalities to bond for broadband systems, addressing inequitable distribution of connectivity upstate and providing internet access based on public need rather than profit motive.

Emphasized the bill reduces harm to children experiencing housing instability and homelessness, noting it should be part of a holistic approach including good cause eviction and right to counsel protections.

Highlighted Part DDD establishing the New York Youth Jobs Connector Program for at-risk youth ages 16-24, and Part OO making it easier for schools to source food and milk from New York farms, connecting rural and urban interests.

Expressed gratitude that home care wages were kept separate from minimum wage and continued above minimum wage, though acknowledged long way to go for true fair pay.

The bill addresses a competitive disadvantage for New York's cideries by allowing direct online shipment to consumers, matching the privileges afforded to wineries. The policy was successfully implemented during the pandemic and could significantly boost the state's $1.7 billion cider industry.

Sponsor argued that the program would harness community engagement with waterways for cleanup efforts. Noted that roadways, already included in the program, are far more dangerous than water activities, and that the existing program has had very few injuries. Emphasized that organized group activities with safety instruction are safer than individuals working alone.

Described NORCs as a wonderful New York State invention that allows elderly residents to receive services in their existing buildings and communities. Expressed pride that the bill expands this opportunity to smaller cities and communities across the state that may have different housing structures than the high-rise buildings where NORCs originated.

Praised the bill as economically sensible, noting it reduces road maintenance costs and wear. Stated the rebate would enable her and neighbors to switch from cars to e-bikes, reducing emissions and pollution.

The bill promotes carbon sequestration by preventing gas exploration leases on state forestlands and protecting forests threatened by global warming. She characterized it as one piece of a larger puzzle to combat climate change.

Sponsor argued the bill allows DEC to grant renewable energy leases only when compatible with original land acquisition purposes. Emphasized that 600,000 acres of reforestation lands exist, mostly cleared agricultural or logging land being replanted, and that transmission corridors between remote green energy projects are the primary anticipated use. Stated the bill provides a tool to implement climate goals while protecting forests.

While strongly supporting the bill, she advocated for this to be part of a wider package of bereavement leave policies and called on the state to provide more comprehensive support for families grieving all types of losses.

Supported the bill as part of the Farm Day package, praising the CNY Regional Market for bringing together farmers and consumers across Central New York and supporting diverse vendors including women and minority-owned businesses.

Referenced the Brady Farm in Syracuse as an example of urban agriculture's benefits, including teaching low-income children about food production, job creation, improved nutrition outcomes, and community-supported agricultural programs.

Emphasized the importance of teacher diversity, citing her observation that a Black teacher was significantly more effective at engaging Black and Latino students than white teachers at the same school, demonstrating how teacher diversity improves educational outcomes.

Argued that New York City already has similar tenant protections in place with adequate resources, making the bill's provisions duplicative for the city. Emphasized that the bill makes it easier for tenants to seek remedies for unsafe housing conditions and that landlords have a legal obligation to provide safe housing.

Sponsor argued the bill creates a fair, bipartisan alternative to gubernatorial removal that is less cumbersome and less subject to partisan accusations. She cited a 2020 congressional race where elections commissioners made egregious errors but were difficult to remove, and referenced the Jason Schofield case to show how partisan accusations could arise if only the Governor had removal power.

Sponsor argued portable polling stations provide flexibility for boards of elections to increase voting access in underserved areas, particularly rural counties with limited early-voting sites. Emphasized that electronic poll books ensure security and that the decision to establish such sites would be made jointly by both Republican and Democratic election commissioners.