Assemblywoman Margaret Markey was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 1998 as the representative of the 30th Assembly District and is now serving her 16th year in the Legislature. The 30th Assembly District is comprised of the Queens neighborhoods of Maspeth, Woodside and parts of Long Island City, Middle Village, Astoria and Sunnyside. FROM COMMUNITY ACTIVIST TO ASSEMBLY - Assemblywoman Markey has worked for many years to improve and strengthen the quality of life in Queens. As a community activist, she served as a member of Community Boards Two and Five and is the founder of Maspeth Town Hall, Inc., a community center that serves over 1000 families. Mrs. Markey began her public service career as the Assistant Director of Economic Development for former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman, and then became Director of Marketing & Tourism for the borough. In that capacity Mrs. Markey was responsible for creating many of the marketing materials that are still currently used to promote the tourism industry in Queens. She continued her focus on promoting Queens tourism in 2014 by co-chairing the World’s Fair Anniversary Committee which has mounted a six-month campaign this year to mark the 50th and 75th anniversaries of the New York World’s Fairs. PART OF THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP IN THE ASSEMBLY - In Albany, Assemblywoman Markey has focused on legislation to protect consumers and improve the quality of life for Queens residents and all New Yorkers. She became a member of the influential Ways and Means Committee of the Assembly in the current session giving her significant input into the annual state budget process. She is also Chair of the Assembly Standing Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development where she is a leading advocate for the state’s marvelous range of physical and natural wonders, from the state’s parks, recreational and historic sites to cultural and entertainment attractions. The tourism industry is a vital economic engine for the state, the fifth largest sector of New York’s economy which generates more than $50 billion in direct spending every year. Assemblywoman Markey’s highest priority for the committee is to do everything possible to help it grow in the coming years, while balancing the expenditure of the state’s tourist-promotion spending between upstate and downstate regions. PRIORITIES INCLUDE CONSUMER PROTECTION - Funding increases for education, healthcare and senior services have been some of Assemblywoman Markey’s top priorities in Albany and she has been fully committed to improving New York’s economy, healthcare, education and affordable housing through her work in the Assembly. Early in her tenure, Assemblywoman Markey chaired a Child Product Safety sub-committee that fought for stronger consumer protections to safeguard New York’s children, including enactment of a the law that banned the sale of box cutters to minors statewide, among other measures. FIGHTING TO REFORM CHILD SEX ABUSE CODES - Assemblywoman Markey first introduced important legislation concerning child sexual abuse in 2005. Her Child Victims’ Act of New York bill would eliminate the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse crimes to ensure that victims of these crimes get justice for the wrongs done against them. It would also completely suspend the civil statutes of limitations for one year to provide justice for victims who have been time-barred, and expose pedophiles who continue to prey on youngsters. Experts say that one in five boys and girls are abused during their childhood. The issue has received wide media attention in recent years as a result of child abuse scandals that have been revealed in religious, educational and sports organizations where institutions have deliberately and systematically covered up cases of child sexual abuse and protected pedophiles from exposure and prosecution. Her legislation has been overwhelmingly adopted by the Assembly four times but has been not yet been able to be presented on the floor of the State Senate. In addition to her role as Chair of the Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee and her membership on the Ways and Means Committee, Assemblywoman Markey is also a sitting member of the Government Operations, Labor, Racing & Wagering, Consumer Affairs & Protection Committees. Mrs. Markey is a member of the Legislative Women’s Caucus and is past President of the New York State American Irish Legislators Society. She is a graduate of the Berkeley Business School and a member of the Maspeth Kiwanis. Assemblywoman Markey has received awards in recognition of her work from the New York Irish Center; New York City Department of Parks; American Irish Legislators Society; New York State Court Clerks Association; United Federation of Teachers; Police & Fire Line of Duty Widows of New York City; Samaritan Village; Maspeth SelfHelp; Woodside on the Move; SNAP; and others. Assemblywoman Markey is married to State Supreme Court Justice (Ret.) Charles Markey and lives in Maspeth.