Biography

MARY LOU RATH
Senator, 61st District
(Part of Erie and all of Genesee County)

Chair, New York State Senate Standing Committee on Tourism, Recreation and Sports Development

Mary Lou Rath, Republican-Conservative-Independence, is a lifelong resident of Erie County, New York. Senator Rath earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Buffalo State Teacher's College.

She represents the 61st District, which includes part of the City of Tonawanda, the Towns of Amherst, Clarence, Newstead and Tonawanda, and the Villages of Akron, Kenmore and Williamsville in Erie County and all of Genesee County. She was first elected to office in 1978 as an Erie County Legislator. She served as the Republican Leader from 1989 until her election to the New York State Senate in November, 1993.

Senator Rath has the distinction of being the first woman elected to the 61st Senate District of New York State and, as the Deputy Majority Leader for State/Federal Relations, she is also the first woman to serve in a leadership position in the Senate Majority. She has received many awards and honors in recognition of her record of public service, including: the Buffalo State College Distinguished Alumni Award, the Buffalo-Niagara Partnership President's Award, and induction into the Western New York Women's Hall of Fame.

Since taking office, Senator Rath has pursued the legislative goals of economic development, health care reform, prevention and treatment of drug and alcohol abuse, quality primary and secondary education, tax and welfare reform, violence as a public health issue, family issues such as childcare and domestic violence, and the continuation of excellence in our state's universities and colleges.

One of Senator Rath’s top priorities is broadening access to quality health care. She sponsored legislation which established the New York State Osteoporosis Prevention Program and was one of the Senate sponsors of a comprehensive women's health bill that increased access to health services. Also, Senator Rath launched New York Wellness Works, a program aimed at providing incentives for employers that offer employees worksite wellness opportunities, with the long-term goal of containing the sky-rocketing costs of health care.

Noted for her authorship of several Medicaid reform measures, Senator Rath serves on the Senate Task Force on Medicaid Reform and established the Western New York "Fix Medicaid" Coalition. Senator Rath has been acclaimed for her smart growth initiatives and commitment to preserving the aesthetics of New York's communities. She also founded the Senate's Women of Distinction Program, which honors women throughout the state.

At present, Senator Rath is Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Tourism, Recreation and Sports Development, where she established the "Explore NY" state grant program which encourages an integrated thematic approach to tourism promotion. The program offers matching funds to entities -- defined as two or more counties or a series or collection of thematically related entities -- that commit to working together.

In addition to her standing committee duties, Senator Rath is a member of the Senate Rural Resources Commission.

Senator Rath resides in Williamsville. Her husband, the late Edward A. Rath, Jr., was a New York State Supreme Court Justice. She has three children and eight grandchildren.

Standing Committee Assignments: Tourism, Recreation and Sports Development (Chair); Elections; Finance; Health; Higher Education; Local Government; Racing, Gaming and Wagering.