W W W. TO U R O L AW. E D U 07 S enator John J. Flanagan, the Majority Leader of the New York State Senate and Touro Law Center alum (class of 1990), exhibits a fierce commitment to the people of the 2nd New York State Senate District and state he proudly represents. He was first elected as Senator to represent the 2nd District which includes the entire Town of Smithtown and portions of the Town of Brookhaven and Huntington in 2002. Championing issues that are significant and meaningful to his constituents— including reducing Long Islanders’ tax burden, advocating for education reform, protecting children from drug abuse, and increasing safety on Long Island waterways—resulted in his overwhelming re-elections in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. He added the role of Majority Leader in May 2015. For this current East Northport resident, the roots of his political career began in an effort to foster deeper family connections. His passion to improve the quality of life for New Yorkers, and his drive to sponsor legislation and be an outspoken critic of ineffective practices, have propelled him forward, contributing to his wealth of accomplishments and continued success. He is a constant voice for enriching the lives of individuals living in his district and beyond. In a recent interview with the Touro Lawyer, Flanagan shared his thoughts on being a member of the New York State Senate, the impact of his Touro legal education, and what his future may hold. SENATOR FLANAGAN’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: • Providing tax relief to homeowners and small business owners by supporting a 2% cap on local property taxes and cutting the personal income tax to its lowest level in 50 years for 4.4 million middle-class New Yorkers. • Securing record levels of funding for school districts throughout New York State. • Helping in the fight against breast cancer by sponsoring legislation that provides women with critically important information they need to protect their lives. • Requiring the Department of Environ- mental Conservation to disclose more information concerning toxic spills to the general public on its web site. • Elected Majority Leader Yourlatefather,JohnFlanagan,wasaNewYork StateAssemblymanfrom1972to1986.Whenhe passed,whydidyoudecidetorunforhisseatin theNewYorkStateAssembly? I always had a desire to practice law with my father. Sadly, during my second year in law school, my father passed away suddenly so I was unable to do that. I was 25 years old at the time, and I immediately started campaigning to fill his Assembly seat because I knew that was as close as I would get to working with him. WhydidyoutransferfromSt.John’sUniversity SchoolofLawtoTouroLaw?Whatinfluencedid thistransitionhaveonyou? I transferred from St. John’s to Touro Law shortly after my father passed because it was much more convenient for me to attend law school closer to home. At the time, Touro was in downtown Huntington, which was practically in my backyard, making it easier for me since I was attending law school at night. I am grateful to the administration of both St. John’s and Touro for making this transition seamless during a very difficult time in my life. Whatimpacthasbeingthesonofan assemblymanhadonyouandthechoicesyou’ve madeinyourcareer? My father is my ultimate hero. I would have wanted to work with him and follow in his footsteps regardless of the career path he chose, because he taught me important life values like perseverance, integrity and compassion for others. WhatadvicewouldyougiveTouroLawstudents abouthowtomakethemostoftheirtimeat TouroLaw? I would advise Touro law students and recent graduates to get completely invested in their communities. Also, to find things that are important to them and never walk away from those ideals—be proud of who you are and what you do. WereanyfacultyatTouroLawparticularly significanttoyouwithrespecttohowyouutilize yourlegaleducation?Ifyes,who—andhowwere theyinfluentialtoyou? Dean Emeritus Howard Glickstein was beyond amazing; he was a true leader. He had a certain joie de vivre, he never yelled, and he always had a steady hand. I have a profound respect for him. WhatexperiencesatTourohelpedimpactyour professionalself?FavoriteTouroLawmoment —andwhy? The classes at Touro that impacted my professional life were two that were taught by outstanding educators—Professor Gary Shaw’s Constitutional Law class and Professor Rena Seplowitz’s Trusts and Estates class. My favorite event at Touro was graduation day, and then later passing the bar on my first attempt. DoyoucontinuetoconnectwiththeTouroLaw networkoffellowgrads/classmates?Ifso,how? I respect all those who I graduated with and am fortunate to work and socialize frequently with classmate Keith Sernick both in Albany and on Long Island. Whathavebeenyourgreatestaccomplishments thusfarasaNewYorkStateSenator?What areyourmostsignificantfuturegoalsinthis professionalrole? I believe my greatest accomplishment so far in the Senate was being voted Majority Leader of the New York State Senate by my fellow Senators. My most significant future goal is to increase the number of Senators in the State Senate Republican Conference so that New York State continues to have balance in its state government. AsaNewYorkStateSenator,whatissuesareyou mostpassionateaboutandwhy? I am most passionate about increasing the number of organ donors in New York State and ensuring a quality education for all New York students. Right now, there are more than 10,000 people in the Greater New York area currently awaiting an organ transplant. Sadly, New York ranks 50th out of 50 states in the percentage of residents enrolled as organ donors. In a state as good and as generous as New York, that’s unacceptable. As the former Chair of the Senate Education Committee, I still believe that providing a first- class education is the primary responsibility of government. That’s why I successfully fought to ensure that this year’s state budget included a record level of funding for New York schools so our children have the resources they need to learn and thrive. Wheredoyouseeyourselfin5-10years? In five years, I would like to still be serving as Senate Majority Leader. In 10 years, I hope to be a grandfather.