| Keith L. T. Wright | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 70th district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1992 |
|
| Preceded by | Geraldine Daniels |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 3, 1955 Harlem, New York City |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Susan Wright |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Harlem |
Keith L. T. Wright (born January 3, 1955) is an American politician and a member of the New York State Assembly.[1] He was first elected to the assembly in 1992 and has been reelected ever since. In early 2007, he proposed a bill limiting retail sale of violent video games to individuals below 30 years of age.[2] This proposed law stirred up controversy and protest amongst gamer communities.[3] Wright is also the author of the bill to apologize for African slavery in New York, which was second only to South Carolina in the American slave trade, the first Northern State make such an apology. Wright is also credited with coining the term "super-duper Tuesday" in response to the shifting of New York's election primary date to the 5th of February. This is now the common terminology for the change of dates nationwide.
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Upon graduating from the Fieldston School, Wright attended Tufts University where he made the Dean's Honor List. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1977 and continued his educational career, obtaining a Juris Doctor from Rutgers University.
Prior to his election to the Assembly, Wright was an associate in the Law Office of Ruffin E. Cotton, Jr., specializing in corporate and securities law.
In 1983, he joined the staff of the Human Resources Administration (HRA) as Special Assistant to the General Counsel. He served in this capacity until 1986, leaving the HRA to assume a key position, Director of the Uptown Office, on the staff of then-Manhattan Borough President David Dinkins.
Following Dinkins' successful bid for office of Mayor for the City of New York, Wright left city government for the position of Assistant Director of Government Relations at the New York City Transit Authority.
Wright's father was also politically active. He was New York State Supreme Court Justice Bruce M. Wright. Wright is married to the former Susan I. Gayles and they have two sons, Keith "Jared" and Jordan.
The Assemblyman's current assignments in the New York State Assembly are: Chairman of the Standing Committee on Social Services, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Public Housing, and the Chairman of the Subcommittee of Equal Economic Opportunity and Human Rights; he is a member of the following committees: Codes, Correction and Housing. He is also a member of the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative Caucus, the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force and the Task Force on Criminal Justice Reform.
Wright is sponsor of legislation that would allow seniors to travel free on public transportation on off-peak hours. He was also a co-sponsor of legislation that sought to protect rent controls. He chairs the Subcommittee on Public Housing.
A member of the Correction Committee and the Task Force on Criminal Justice Reform, Wright is a strong opponent of the death penalty and the Rockefeller Drug Laws and an advocate for criminal justice reform. Following the Alberta Spruill incident, a case of mistaken identity that led to death when police stormed the wrong apartment, Wright introduced legislation that attempted reform "no knock" search warrants.
Other committee assignments include Banks and Codes. Wright is also the former chair and current member of the Black, Puerto Rican and Hispanic Legislative Caucus and a member of the Puerto Rican/ Hispanic Task Force.
Wright is an active community member and a regularly publicly speaker.
| New York Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Geraldine Daniels |
New York State Assembly, 70th District 1993–present |
Incumbent |