Flanagan Assigned Senate Duties

New York State Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno has announced that Senator John J. Flanagan (R,C-East Northport) will be Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Elections and Co-Chairman of the Administrative Regulations Review Commission. In addition, Flanagan will serve as a member on six Senate committees: Aging, Higher Education, Insurance, Labor, Transportation and Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs

"I am honored that Senate Majority Leader Bruno has appointing me to Chair the Senate Elections Committee. This is a very important position which will allow me the opportunity to deal with issues such as campaign finance reform and modernizing the state's election system," said Senator Flanagan. "I look forward to the challenge of enacting meaningful legislation that will implement the Help America Vote Act of 2002."

"Elections are critical to the proper functioning of democracy, and it is extremely important that we have an electoral system that our citizens can have confidence in when they choose their leaders to represent them before government," said State Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno. "Senator John Flanagan is a dedicated individual and his experience and commitment to issues regarding the electoral process make him extremely qualified to be Chairman of the Elections Committee. I am extremely confident that Senator Flanagan will serve with distinction in this important assignment."

As Co-Chairman of the Administrative Regulations Review Commission, Senator Flanagan works closely with state agencies to review agency rules with respect to a rule’s statutory authority, compliance with legislative intent, impact on the economy and on state and local government operations, and impact on regulated parties. Often, the Commission acts as a facilitator to bring together agencies, regulated parties and concerned legislators to discuss particular rules and to develop responsible alternatives when conflicts arise.

"I am pleased and excited about these committee assignments. The issues of education, transportation, aging and homeland security are among those crucial to families throughout our district. My committee assignments should prove beneficial to the residents of the 2nd Senatorial District," said Senator Flanagan.

In addition to his Senate committee appointments, Senator Flanagan serves as a member of the Medicaid Reform Task Force, the Government Reform Task Force, the Economic Development and the Emerging Industries Task Force and on the Higher Education subcommittee on the nursing shortage. He is also Chairman of a newly created Senate Majority committee, the Senate Majority Strategic Planning and Program Committee, an eight-member panel that will develop short and long term programs to address important issues facing the State of New York.

For the past two years, Senator Flanagan served as Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Ethics. During his tenure in that post, he was instrumental in passing legislation that would for the first time, extend provisions of the lobbying law beyond the Legislature, to cover lobbying for state, legislative, judicial and municipal procurement contracts for sale of goods and services and real estate contracts.