Dean Skelos

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Dean Skelos (Republican) represents District 9 in the New York State Senate, which comprises Elmont, Rockville Centre, Malverne, East Rockaway, Lynbrook and Lawrence, among other towns within Long Island.

Dean Skelos was elected to the state senate in November 1984 defeating Democratic incumbent Carol Berman by approximately 2,000 votes. Two years earlier, Skelos lost to Berman by 6,100 votes. Prior to his election to the senate, Skelos served as the assemblyman for the 19th District from 1980-1981. Senator Skelos has been the Deputy Majority Leader since 1995, when he was appointed by Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno. He also served as the Chairman of the Senate Aging Committee before stepping down from that post after ten years. While serving as chairman Skelos is credited with authoring the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage Program (EPIC), which assists senior citizens in defraying the cost of prescription drugs.

Senator Skelos was also instrumental in the passage of the Sex Offender Registration Act, also known as Megan's Law, which mandated that convicted sex offenders register with local law enforcement authorities and that local communities be apprised of the presence of all known sex offenders.

As Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee on Breast Cancer and Pesticides Senator Skelos helped to draft the Health Research Science Law, which established a Pesticide Registry within New York State.

Intimately involved in events in Long Island he is also credited with creating the Nassau Interim Finance Authority.

In 1993, Senator Skelos was appointed as Chairman of the Task Force on Economic Recovery and Job Development.

In 1998, he was appointed by Governor George Pataki to sit on the four-member Metropolitan Transportation Authority Capital Program Review Board.

Since 1989, Senator Skelos has been Co-Chairman of the Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Apportionment, a position that requires he and his colleagues to redraw the boundaries of Assembly, Senate, and congressional districts within New York State.

Senator Skelos has been a member of the board of directors of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation since 1998, as well as a member of the National Conference of State Legislators and National Conference of Insurance Legislators.

Graduating from Washington College with a B.A. in History in 1970, Skelos would go on to earn a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1975.

In addition to his service in the New York State Senate he is also counsel to Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C.


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Preceded by
Raymond J. McGrath		 New York State Assembly, 19th District
1981–1982		 Succeeded by
Armand D'Amato
Preceded by
Carol Berman		 New York State Senate, 9th District
1985–present		 Incumbent