New York State Senator, Patricia Fahy, Chair, Senate Disabilities Committee Senator Patricia Fahy was first elected to the New York State Senate in 2024. Prior to her election to the State Senate, she was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2012, where she served as the 109th District's Assemblymember until 2024. Senator Patricia Fahy represents the 46th District, which includes most of Albany County, part of Schenectady County, and all of Montgomery County. A leading advocate for job creation, environmental conservation, and quality education, Pat has been the prime sponsor of over 300 bills since her election to the State Legislature – more than 110 of which have been signed into law including; the nation’s first Gun Industry Liability Law to hold gun manufacturers accountable for their role in the gun violence crisis; the nation’s first Right to Repair legislation, launched #TurnOnTheTap which expanded the tuition assistance program for the first time in more than 20 years, introduced the first state-wide Short-Term Rental Registry and $5M in feasibility funding to re-imagine parts of I-787 to better reconnect downtown Albany to the waterfront. Pat has championed and passed several key pieces of legislation to accelerate New York State’s transition to clean and renewable energy. These include establishing a 30x30 conservation goal to protect 30% of the state’s land and water by 2030, expanding funding for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and addressing the growing threat of plastic pollution and toxic “forever chemicals” such as PFAS in food packaging. Pat currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Disabilities Committee and on the Senate Higher Education, Local Governments, Racing & Wagering, Cities II, Agriculture, and Environmental Conservation Committees. She is also a member of the Joint Senate Task Force on Opioids, Addiction & Overdose Prevention. Pat was awarded Freshman Legislator of the Year by the New York State School Boards Association during her first term in office and the Advocate for Choice award by Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood. In 2017, she was awarded the “Promoting Excellence in Mandated Representation” Award by the New York State Bar Association for her ILS legislation funding and creating caseload standards. In 2019, she received the New York Library Association’s (NYLA) Senator Hugh Farley Award for her role in securing $20 million in capital funding for library restoration, as well as the Legislative Champion Award from the New York State Industries for the Disabled (NYSID) for her advocacy on behalf of individuals living with developmental disabilities. In 2022, she was honored as Environmental Champion of the Year by the New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV) and named Legislative Champion by Environmental Advocates of New York (EANY) for her leadership on climate and environmental issues. Most recently, in 2025, Pat was awarded the George Michael Award for Bravery in recognition of her fearless advocacy and unwavering commitment to expanding access to reproductive care. Before moving to Albany, Pat served as the Executive Director to the Chicago Workforce Board. Prior to her work in Chicago, she spent nine years in Washington D.C., including: in the Clinton Administration as the Associate Director for Employment and Training in the Congressional Affairs Office of the U.S. Department of Labor under Secretary Robert Reich; as a legislative analyst in the U.S. House and Senate; and as a Presidential Management Intern in the Department of the Treasury. Pat is married to Wayne Bequette, a professor at RPI in Troy, NY. They have two children, Brendan and Eileen, and live in the City of Albany. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Northern Illinois University.