Senate Resolution No. 5467

BY: Senator FLANAGAN

CELEBRATING the life and distinguished career of
former Assemblyman Herman D. Farrell, Jr., a
well-respected public servant and a credit to the
institution of government

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend those individuals of distinguished purpose whose lives have been
committed to public service in the pursuit of excellence in the conduct
of the legislative process in this great Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. of Manhattan, New York, a 22-term
New York State Assemblyman, died on Saturday, May 26, 2018, at the age
of 86; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr., known by all as Denny, was born in
Manhattan on February 4, 1932, to Herman Farrell, Sr. and Amy Gladys
Paterson; the couple owned Farel Frocks, a manufacturer where the father
and son duo designed cocktail dresses; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from George Washington High School in
upper Manhattan, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. went on to take classes at New
York University; and

WHEREAS, Prior to holding elected office, Herman D. Farrell, Jr.
worked in the Washington Heights office of Mayor John V. Lindsay before
serving as the confidential aide to a State Supreme Court justice; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. won his first election in 1970,
becoming a Democratic State Committeeman for two years; three years
later, he was elected as a Democratic District Leader; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. was first elected to the New York
State Assembly in 1974, to represent the 71st Assembly District which
encompassed West Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood; in 1979, he
became the Chair of the Assembly Banks Committee; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. championed many critical and
landmark pieces of legislation during his time in the Assembly, with one
of his first victories being the passage of the Neighborhood
Preservation Companies Act, which allowed the state to fund community
groups dedicated to fighting housing abandonment and providing tenant
advocacy; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. also proudly sponsored the Omnibus
Consumer Protection and Banking Legislation Act, which included landmark
protections for consumers in the auto leasing industry, established a
toll-free line to the New York Banking Department that provided
consumers with free information on credit card interest rates, fees, and
grace periods, and required banks to provide low-cost lifeline checking
accounts while barring discrimination based on residency when opening a
bank account; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. sponsored legislation that
effectuated changes to state banking laws that would become models for
federal legislation, including check-clearing legislation which requires
banks to clear checks in a shorter timeframe and notify depositors on
how long it takes to cash checks, and legislation to require banks to
disclose interest rates and other important information in clear, easy
to read, concise chart form in all mail solicitations; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. was also responsible for laws
combating redlining by requiring stricter enforcement provisions of the
community reinvestment act and legislation that monitored bank branch
closings; and

WHEREAS, In 1994, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. was named the Chair of the
Ways and Means Committee, a position he would hold until his retirement
in 2017; he also held a number of other positions in the Assembly,
including: member of the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus, the
New York State Assembly Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force, and the
American Irish Legislators Society of New York; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. also held numerous positions in the
Democratic Party in New York and nationally; in 1981, he was elected the
County Leader of the New York County Democratic Committee, a post he
held until 2009; in 1983, he was elected as the Vice Chair of the New
York State Democratic Party, a position he held until 2002, when he was
made the Chair of the State Democratic Party, a position he held until
2006; and in 1988, he was elected to the Democratic National Committee
and was a member of the Electoral College multiple times; and

WHEREAS, During his long and distinguished career with the New York
State Assembly and the Democratic Party, Herman D. Farrell, Jr.
advocated for many important causes and the adequate funding of
important social programs; and

WHEREAS, Upon the occasion of his retirement in 2017, the New York
State Legislature saw it fit to honor Herman D. Farrell, Jr. by renaming
Riverbank State Park along the west side of Manhattan as the Denny
Farrell Riverbank State Park, for his vital work in securing funding for
the construction of the park; and

WHEREAS, Herman D. Farrell, Jr. is survived by his partner, Barbara
Klar; and three children, Herman III, Monique Farrell-Guidry, and Sophia
Ilene Farrell; as well as two grandchildren, Simone Adele Guidry and
Madeleine Jones-Farrell; and

WHEREAS, Every citizen in New York State has most certainly
benefited, in one way or another, from the deep dedication, intelligence
and commitment that Assemblyman Herman D. Farrell, Jr. brought to his
work as a legislator, loyal friend, and trusted advisor; he will be
deeply missed and truly merits the grateful tribute of this Legislative
Body; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
celebrate the life and distinguished career of former Assemblyman Herman
D. Farrell, Jr., and to offer its sincere condolences to his family; and
be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Herman D. Farrell, Jr.