Jean Amatucci

Jean Amatucci was Executive Director of the New York State School Nurse-Teachers Association and was active in several other nurses'  professional organizations. She also owned Candy Cone, a soft serve ice cream business in Bethel, during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

In 1974, Ms. Amatucci entered politics as a Democrat, and was elected to the 98th New York State Assembly District. She served Western Orange and Sullivan counties from 1975 through 1978, sitting in the 181st and 182nd New York State Legislatures.

Ms. Amatucci was the first New York Legislator to have a child while serving in office. During the 1970s, it was considered a “wow” moment, as she called it, because her colleagues were not accustomed to the presence of a new mother in a chamber filled with mostly older male politicians. She recounted that some of the legislation covered during her time in office included having the State take over New York City's water supply and supporting decriminalization of marijuana.

She was appointed as Chairwoman of the New York State Temporary Commission on Lobbying in 1988. “I think it's a good thing that there’s lobbying,” Ms. Amatucci said, adding that with the great number of issues before the Legislature, “it would be absolutely impossible for every one of those people to know everything about every issue.”

In May 1978, she announced her retirement from the Assembly, to take effect at the end of that term. She chose to do this in order to take care of and spend more time with her infant son. She led a mostly private, family-oriented life, and currently resides in Deer Park. Ms. Amatucci is a humble former public servant and Orange County neighbor who broke barriers for all of the young mothers who followed her in the State Legislature.

She was born on November 23, 1938, the daughter of Daniel and Carmela Amatucci. Her father was a Democratic politician and was the Supervisor of the Town of Bethel who approved and signed the permits for the Woodstock Festival. She graduated from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh’s school nurse-teacher education program in 1960, and became a registered nurse. She was honored as Alumnus of the Year of SUNY Plattsburgh in 1976.