Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol, Democrat, is a life-long resident of Brooklyn. He represents the communities of Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Fort Greene. Born in 1943, Mr. Lentol was educated in Most Holy Trinity High School, the University of Dayton, St. John's University Law School, and the Baltimore University of Law. Mr. Lentol's political career began at the early age of ten when he worked in the first presidential campaign of Adlai Stevenson.
After graduation from law school, Mr. Lentol served two years, 1971-72, as Kings County Assistant District Attorney. He is a member of the New York State Bar and currently practices law in Brooklyn. He was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 1972.
As the third generation of his family to serve in the Legislature. Mr. Lentol is the only member every to have this distinction. His father, the late Hon. Edward S. Lentol, served from the same Assembly District from 1948 until he was elected to the Sta te Senate, remaining there until he was elected to the Supreme Court in 1972. Mr. Lentol's grandfather served in the Assembly in 1919-20 session.
He was appointed Chairman of the Committee on Codes on January 8, 1992. Since becoming Chairman of Codes, the Committee has approved a variety of major legislative initiatives. These measures include: permitting crime victims the right to make a statem ent at the time of sentencing; increasing the penalties for stalking; establishing the crime of counterfeiting trademarks; enactment of the Scofflaw Drivers Act of 1993;l creation of a DNA Databank; increasing penalties for selling drugs on or near school grounds; and the enactment of the Family Protection and Domestic Violence Intervention Act of 1994. In addition, Mr. Lentol co-sponsored the Assembly's Omnibus Crime Bill and sponsored legislation which allocated 27 million dollars in federal drug money.
Mr. Lentol's other legislative accomplishments include passage of the pension supplementation for New York's state and local public employees; strengthening of the crime victims compensation law; strengthening of the open meetings law; passage of safety s tandards for the handling and storage of natural gas; and, as the first chairman of the Administrative Regulations Review Commission Register, a weekly compilation of proposed rules and regulations. In those two years, the Commission also re-established many legislative prerogatives formerly relinquished to State agencies.
As Chairman of the Committee on Governmental Employees from 1979 to 1991, he guided that Committee to focus on improvement of state and local retirement systems, and the rights of public employees, including safe working conditions.
Mr. Lentol is a member of the powerful Rules, Ways and Means, and Ethics and Guidance Committees. He also served as a member of the Judiciary Committee for over ten years. He served as Chairman of the Committee on Governmental Operations from 1977-79, and earlier as Chairman of the Subcommittee o Juvenile Justice.
Mr. Lentol is an active member of his community. He is a member of the Seneca Democratic Club; the John Smolenski Democratic Club; the Consolidated Democratic Club; the Greenpoint Civic Council; the 94th Precinct Community Council; the Green Oaks Citizen 's Club; the Knights of Columbus, Fidelity Council #495; the Northside Community Development Council; the Sons of Italy, Williamsburg Lodge; the Concerned Citizens of Withers Street, the 90th Precinct Community Council; the 94th Precinct Federation of Block Associations and a member of the Board of Directors of the Greenpoint YMCA. He is also an Honorary Member of the New York City Police Department Honor Legion; the Transit Police Honor Legion; the Detective's Endowment Association; the New York State Police Conference; the Federal Criminal Investigations Association and a former P resident and current member of the Italian-American Legislators. He is a Lt. Colonel in the New York State Guard.
