George Maziarz

Senator George D. Maziarz proudly represents the 62nd District in the New York State Senate, which encompasses all of Niagara County outside the City of Niagara Falls, all of Orleans County, and the western portion of Monroe County. Maziarz has spent a career in government service. He was appointed City Clerk in his hometown of North Tonawanda in 1978 at the young age of 25, and he eventually became Niagara County Clerk in 1989. Six years later, esteemed Senator John Daly resigned his seat to become Commissioner of the NYS Department of Transportation, and Maziarz entered the Senate after winning a hotly-contested special election. Since 1995, the voters of his district have consistently returned him to office for his tireless work ethic on behalf of the public good. During his Senate career, Senator Maziarz has been associated with many landmark pieces of legislation. He helped develop “Megan’s Law,” the registry which helps law enforcement officers and communities track the whereabouts of convicted sex offenders. He authored the Assisted Living Reform Act, which created a host of long-desired reforms in the assisted living industry to better protect seniors and consumers. He sponsored an historic workers’ compensation reform law which is now saving New York businesses more than $1 billion per year while providing greater benefits to injured workers. And he successfully championed the effort to have New York State sign the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact to help manage the Great Lakes for generations to come. While helping enact these bills and many others into law, Senator Maziarz has held several leadership positions in the Senate. He has previously served as Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee; the Senate Tourism, Recreation, and Sports Development Committee; and the Senate Labor Committee. He currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee, and he also serves as a member of the Judiciary; Crime Victims, Crime & Corrections; Finance; and Higher Education Committees. As Energy Committee Chairman, Senator Maziarz championed the landmark 2008 net metering law and he continues to advocate for a 21st century energy policy that capitalizes on new technology and regional assets like the Niagara hydropower facility, which is located in his district. Although these committee assignments have allowed Senator Maziarz the chance to specialize in many areas of policy, he believes there are four broader goals his constituents expect him to work towards: relief from taxes, the restoration of Western New York’s economic health and job base, greater crime prevention and victims’ assistance, and increased attention to senior citizens’ needs. Senator Maziarz was educated in parochial and public schools in North Tonawanda, and graduated from Niagara County Community College and Niagara University. He has always been active in community life, despite his demanding schedule. He has served as President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas, member of the Board of Directors of the United Way of the Tonawandas, member of the Corporate Advisory Board of DeGraff Memorial Hospital, and Chairman of the popular Canal Festival of the Tonawandas. He is also a past officer and long-time member of Live Hose Co. #4, member of the Niagara County Volunteer Firemen’s Association, Knights of Columbus Council 2535, S.C.O.P.E., and the Niagara University Booster Club. He attends All Saints R. C. Church in Lockport. Senator Maziarz resides in Newfane with his wife, Beverly.