LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Joan L. Millman upon the occasion of her
designation for special recognition by Congregation Mount Sinai on June
8, 2016

WHEREAS, Individuals who give of their time and energies and serve the
best interests of their communities are an asset beyond remuneration and
cannot be sufficiently extolled; and
WHEREAS, Joan L. Millman has given not only of her time and energies
but also of her competence, intelligence and leadership and consequently
has been designated for special honor; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Joan L. Mill-
man upon the occasion of her designation for special recognition by
Congregation Mount Sinai, to be celebrated at its Roaring '20s Spring
Gala on Wednesday, June 8, 2016, in Brooklyn Heights, New York; and
WHEREAS, Joan L. Millman has been called upon to contribute her time
and talents to countless civic and charitable endeavors and has always
given of herself unstintingly; and
WHEREAS, Joan L. Millman, Assembly member for the 52nd District for
more than 17 years between 1997 and 2014, served with great distinction
and with a particular dedication to advocating on important issues
facing seniors and youth in our state; and
WHEREAS, In that time, Joan L. Millman represented all or parts of the
Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bay Ridge, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights,
Carroll Gardens, Columbia Waterfront, Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Fulton
Ferry, Gowanus, Greenwood, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Red Hook, South
Slope, Sunset Park, and Vinegar Hill; and
WHEREAS, Joan L. Millman served as Chair of the Elections Committee,
leading the way on Election reforms in our state, and as Chair of the
Assembly Standing Committee on Aging, upholding that committee's dedi-
cation to protecting seniors' quality of life, health, safety, and inde-
pendence through legislative initiatives that created avenues for
combating elder abuse, and expanded access to the Senior Citizen and
Disability Rent Increase Exemptions; and
WHEREAS, Joan L. Millman recognized the importance of connecting the
52nd Assembly District with available resources, organizing her annual
Senior Resource Fair at St. Francis College, regular bus trips to the
Fairway in Red Hook to assist seniors in grocery shopping, district
office flu shot clinics that became neighborhood mainstays, and her
summer reading programs that encouraged a lifelong love of learning; and
WHEREAS, Accessibility and availability to constituents was taken to
new heights in her tenure; continuing the Smith Street storefront
district office, and through her presence at nearly every major event in
the district, Joan L. Millman could be seen at National Night Out, the
Carroll Park tree lighting, Atlantic Antic, local precinct community
council meetings, Brooklyn Bridge Park's Harvest Festival, the Cobble
Hill Halloween Parade, and hosts of other community events, street
fairs, library events, and graduations; and
WHEREAS, Joan L. Millman also honored the legacy of her predecessor,
Eileen C. Dugan, through her support of the annual Eileen C. Dugan Memo-
rial 5K run and unparalleled commitment to the Eileen C. Dugan Senior
Center, of which there has been no bigger cheerleader; and
WHEREAS, Also continuing the legacy of her predecessor, Joan L. Mill-
man championed the creation of Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of New York's
most celebrated public spaces, and helped to secure more park space,
active recreation, the pop-up pool and Squibb Park Bridge; and
WHEREAS, Joan L. Millman took seriously her dedication and commitment
to our most vulnerable citizens, young people with intellectual and

developmental disabilities, sponsoring and fighting for the passage of
the legislation most dear to her heart, "Billy's Law," and thus ensuring
that students with such disabilities would be protected against the
abuses suffered by Billy Albanese by requiring that facilities which
educate and treat such children (including out-of-state facilities to
which New York sends its students) are inspected before they are deemed
eligible for state support, and are thereafter regularly inspected for
such purposes, and by requiring that New York create and support more
such facilities within New York, so as to increase and improve their
monitoring and service provision; and
WHEREAS, Throughout her service, Joan L. Millman exemplified a deep
commitment to public education and local schools, as well as a strong
commitment to public libraries and access to cultural institutions in
our communities; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the entire period of her community service, a
period of constructive involvement, Joan L. Millman has stood constant
in dignity, good grace and humor; and
WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individ-
ual for the benefit of others which Joan L. Millman has displayed
throughout her life; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Joan L. Millman upon the occasion of her designation for special
recognition by Congregation Mount Sinai on June 8, 2016; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Joan L. Millman.