Jan 04, 2024 Legislative Session

[ ROLL CALL *A Portion of this Video Contains No Audio*]

[ NOMINATION & ELECTION OF CHAIR - *A Portion of this Video Contains No Audio*]

[00:06:11]

THANK YOU.

[00:06:21]

COLLEAGUES, ONE OF THE GREATEST PRIVILEGES OF MY LIFE IS BEING ABLE TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY.

AND TO WORK WITH EACH OF YOU AND SERVING THE RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY.

SO, I ALWAYS VALUE AND COUNTED IT A GREAT HONOR TO SERVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU, AS WE DO OUR BEST TO PROVIDE GOVERNING FOR THE RESIDENTS OF ERIE COUNTY.

SO, I JUST WANT TO THANK JEREMY ZELLNER FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT HE'S GIVEN ME OVER MY CAREER.

COUNTY EXECUTIVE MARK POLONCARZ, DEPUTY COUNTY EXECUTIVE LISA SHAMARA, ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES, PAST AND PRESENT, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

WE'LL CONTINUE ON WITH OUR AGENDA.

I WILL NOW, AS CHAIR OF THE LEGISLATURE, OPEN THE FLOOR FOR NOMINATIONS FOR THE ELECTION OF THE CLERK OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR 2024.

[ NOMINATION & ELECTION OF CLERK -]

I'D LIKE TO RISE UP WITH THE NAME OF OLIVIA OWENS IN THE NAME FOR CLERK OF THE LEGISLATURE.

SOMEONE WHO IS YOUNG, SPRY, WHO'S DONE A GREAT JOB IN THE LAST TERM, FILLING IN FOR BOBBY GRAVER AND SOMEBODY WHO'D DO GREAT GOING FORWARD.

SO, I RISE HERE. I'LL PUT THE NAME OF OLIVIA OWENS IN WITH A PETITION SIGNED BY THE ENTIRE CAUCUS.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE A PROPER NOMINATION FOR MS. OWENS. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND BY LEGISLATOR MEYERS.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE NOMINATIONS? MOTION TO CLOSE.

NOMINATIONS MADE BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON HAS BEEN SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR GILMOUR.

ALL IN FAVOR OF CLOSING NOMINATIONS? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

WE HAVE A PROPER MOTION.

AND SECOND, FOR OLIVIA OWENS ON THE QUESTION ON THE ELECTION OF OLIVIA OWENS AS CLERK OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR 2024.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CARRIED. MISS OWENS IS ELECTED CLERK OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR 2024.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR ELECTING ME AGAIN AS CLERK.

I'M EXCITED TO SERVE A FULL TERM AND CONTINUE SERVING ALL OF YOU.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, PLEASE JUST LET ME KNOW AND READY TO CLERK THIS 2024 SEASON.

YAY, YAY! CONGRATULATIONS, MS. OWENS. OKAY, MOVING ON WITH OUR AGENDA.

[ DESIGNATION OF MAJORITY LEADER - ]

I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE LEGISLATOR JOHNSON.

YES. AGAIN, IT'S MY HONOR TO PUT THE NAME OF TIMOTHY J.

MYERS FORWARD AS THE MAJORITY LEADER, THE LEGISLATOR.

TO GET THE WORDS OUT.

BUT, HEY, WE HAVE A PROPER MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AND I WON'T SAY ANYTHING, BUT HE'S BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB AS MAJORITY LEADER, VERY STRONG ADVOCATE FOR THE FOR THIS CAUCUS AND THE THINGS THAT WE DO. SO AGAIN, I RISE TO SUBMIT THE NAME OF TIMOTHY J.

MYERS WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE MAJORITY CAUCUS.

WE HAVE A PROPER MOTION AND A SECOND, I'LL TAKE THE PETITION.

LEGISLATOR JOHNSON, UH, PROPER MOTION MADE BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON.

THE SECOND WAS BY LEGISLATOR GILMOUR ON THE QUESTION.

[00:10:07]

SO, YOU DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A VOTE.

THE PETITION IS ENOUGH. OKAY.

I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR NEW MAJORITY LEADER, THE HONORABLE TIMOTHY MEYERS.

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? I'LL KEEP IT VERY BRIEF.

I WAS JUST WAITING FOR AN EXPLAIN MY VOTE AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO BE BEHIND ME.

BUT I APPRECIATE, I LOVE WORKING WITH YOU ALL.

YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DO THE MOST WE CAN WITH THE TIME THAT WE HAVE, BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO END.

SO, I JUST THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. AMEN.

THANK YOU.

WE WILL NOW MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR AGENDA WITH THE DESIGNATION OF THE MINORITY LEADER.

[ DESIGNATION OF MINORITY LEADER -]

MADAM CHAIR, I PRESENT A PETITION SIGNED BY ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE MINORITY CAUCUS DESIGNATING JOHN JAY MILLS AS MINORITY LEADER FOR 2024. ALL RIGHT, ON THE QUESTION.

OKAY. THIS PETITION HAS BEEN RECEIVED, FILED AND PRINTED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR AND I PRESENT TO OUR HONORABLE BODY AND OUR GUESTS, THE MINORITY LEADER FOR 2024, JOHN MILLS.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, AND I WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR AND LOOK FORWARD TO 2024 WORKING WITH EVERYONE.

I THINK WE HAD A GREAT YEAR LAST YEAR AND I WRITE TO YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN, FOR YOUR REELECTION AS THE CHAIR, AND I THINK WE CAN DO SOME GREAT THINGS AND IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGING YEAR.

BUT THANKS AGAIN TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND, UH, BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE FOR WORKING TOGETHER WITH US.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, LEGISLATOR.

CONTINUING ON WITH OUR AGENDA, THE RULES OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR 2024 ARE TABLED UNDER MY AUTHORITY AS CHAIR, THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR

[ RULES OF THE LEGISLATURE FOR 2024 - *A Portion of this Video Contains No Audio*]

[00:15:23]

MOVE TO APPROVE.

MOVE TO APPROVE. THERE'S BEEN A PROPER MOTION TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION MADE BY LEGISLATOR LORIGO.

WE HAVE A SECOND, AS AMENDED.

SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR GREENE.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? THE RESOLUTION IS APPROVED, AS AMENDED.

CONTINUING ON WITH OUR AGENDA.

WHAT ITEM IS THAT? OH, IT WAS THE APPOINTMENT.

OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE ON TO THE.

SO THAT SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S APPROVED, DO WE STILL HAVE TO RECEIVE AND FILE IT? OKAY, SO THE ITEM MIC] INCLUDING COMMUNICATION 1M-3 AS INDICATED.

ANNOUNCEMENTS. THE LEGISLATURE WILL CONDUCT COMMITTEE MEETINGS NEXT THURSDAY, JANUARY 12TH, AND THE SCHEDULE WILL BE DISTRIBUTED.

[ ANNOUNCEMENTS:]

ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR? I BELIEVE ALL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN INVITED TO LEGISLATORS LORIGO'S PRIVATE SWEARING IN FOLLOWING TODAY'S SESSION.

ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE FLOOR? I WAS HE IS HE HERE? IS JUDGE LORIGO WITH US.

I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIM.

I SAW JUDGE LARRY GO HERE.

ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? OKAY. PLEASE RISE FOR MEMORIAL RESOLUTION.

[ MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS:]

AND OUR HEARTS ARE WITH BOBBY.

MINORITY LEADER.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

LIKE TO ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF LEONARD PEROT.

LENNY WAS A SUPERVISOR OF THE TOWN OF BRANT.

ALSO FIRE CHIEF AND CHIEF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OUT THERE.

AND HIS FAMILY IS WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND FARMING, FAMILY AND VEGETABLES AND ALL OVER THE.

THEY FARM ALL OVER OUR COUNTRY.

THEY STARTED A LITTLE FARM IN BRANT, NEW YORK IN ERIE COUNTY.

AND LENNY WAS A VERY INTERESTING GENTLEMAN WHO DID A GREAT JOB FOR THE TOWN OF BRANT, CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERIE COUNTY.

[00:20:10]

OUR HEART IS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.

MINORITY LEADER, LEGISLATOR GILMER.

THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ADJOURN THE MEMORY OF POLICE OFFICER STEVE ALVAREZ, WHO DIED SUDDENLY ON DECEMBER 22ND.

HE LEFT BEHIND A WIFE, A SIX-YEAR-OLD SON AND 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.

I'M SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS, LEGISLATOR.

ANY OTHERS? A MOMENT OF SILENCE. FOR THOSE THAT HAVE GONE ON TO BE WITH THE LORD.

AMEN. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

MOTION TO ADJOURN BY LEGISLATOR JOHNSON.

SECONDED BY LEGISLATOR GILMER.

ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? WE STAND ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.