Assemblywoman Barbara M. Clark 33rd Assembly District
Nothing concerns Barbara M. Clark more than the problems young people face every day. As an Assemblywoman for the people of the 33rd district for the past eight years, Clark has focused her considerable energies on improving the quality of education in N ew York.
Her accomplishments include successfully converting a failing Andrew Jackson High School to a progressive, new magnet school. This massive effort, which took more than three years to complete, would not be serving students today if not for Assemblywoman Clark's determination and managerial efforts.
Recognizing her vigilant advocacy on behalf of children, the Legislature recommended, and the then Governor, Mario M. Cuomo swiftly approved Clark's appointment as one of New York's representatives to the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Clark's leadership was again quickly recognized and she garnered an appointment to the ECS Executive Steering Committee, a much coveted appointment among the national education leaders. This past legislative session, Clark forced attention on the need to increase both the quality and accessibility of day care. She succeeded in securing $5 million for this effort as well as the commissioning of a comprehensive child care facility strateg ic plan in the 1994 budget.
Assemblywoman Barbara M. Clark played a key role in the recent expansion of the state's Child Health Insurance Program to cover 13 and 14 year old children starting in 1995. She also supported tough new domestic violence laws and better legal protection for nursing mothers.
Assemblywoman Clark will continue advocating for young people and will again direct her efforts to addressing the crime problem in her communities. Working closely with law enforcement officials, the local district attorney and the police commissioner, C lark continues to encourage neighborhood watch programs and closer relations with community leaders and law enforcement. She is especially proud of a neighborhood watch program she initiated that allows residents to report suspicious activities while rem aining anonymous. She also continues to develop a communications network to inform her community on way to eliminate an environment conducive to crime.
One of Assemblywoman Barbara Clark's greatest assets is her courage to speak out for her community; the other is her knowledge of the legislative process-both of which serve her well as the new Chair of the Assembly Committee on State and Federal Relation s As Chair, she is charged with monitoring and reporting on the actions of the federal government and its effect on New Yorkers. Also, she Chairs the Subcommittee on Public Authorities. Additionally, Assemblywoman Clark is a member of the following Asse mbly Standing Committees: Children and Families, Cities, Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, Education and Labor. Assemblywoman Barbara M. Clark is married to Thomas Clark, Jr. and they have four grown children Jan, Crystal, Thomas II and Brian.
