{{Short description|American lawyer and politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Brian Barnwell | image = | caption = | state_assembly = New York | district = 30th | term_start = January 1, 2017 | predecessor = Margaret Markey | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|04|24}} | birth_place = New York, New York, U.S. | party = Democratic | profession = Attorney, politician | education = Arizona State University (BA)<br />Albany Law School (JD) | website = {{URL|nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Barnwell|Assembly website}} | term_end = December 31, 2022 | successor = Steven Raga }}
'''Brian Barnwell''' is an American lawyer and politician, who served as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly.<ref name=spny1081116>{{cite web |url=http://www.ny1.com/nyc/queens/news/2016/11/11/newcomer-brian-barnwell-claims-30th-assembly-district-seat.html|title=Newcomer Brian Barnwell Claims 30th Assembly District Seat|last=McGowan|first=Clodagh|date=November 9, 2016|website=ny1.com|publisher=Spectrum News NY1|access-date=December 20, 2016}}</ref> From January 2017 until December 2022, he represented Assembly District 30 in Queens; the district included Maspeth, Woodside, Middle Village, and portions of Astoria, Sunnyside, Elmhurst, Rego Park and Long Island City.
==Early life, education, and family== Born in New York City on April 24, 1986, Brian Barnwell has been a longtime Woodside resident. He comes from a middle-class family of law enforcement officers, nurses and teachers. Barnwell graduated cum laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. He went on to earn his J.D. degree from Albany Law School.
During his time in law school, Barnwell worked for the Albany County District Attorney's Office and for the Albany Law School Civil Rights and Disabilities Law Clinic.
==Career== After graduating from law school, Barnwell went into private practice and practiced general law. Barnwell then worked as an aide in Queens City Council Member Costa Constantinides’s office.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gothamgazette.com/state/6928-adjusting-to-albany-assemblymember-brian-barnwell|title=Adjusting to Albany: Assemblymember Brian Barnwell|last=Silberstein|first=Rachel|date=May 12, 2017|website=GothamGazette.com|access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref> Barnwell first announced in July 2015 that he would seek the District 30 seat in the Assembly; at the time, he was a political newcomer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://qns.com/story/2015/07/28/woodside-resident-to-seek-assembly-seat-and-fight-for-the-middle-class/|title=Woodside resident to seek Assembly seat and 'fight for the middle class'|last=Altamirano|first=Angy|date=July 28, 2015|website=qns.com|publisher=Queens Courier|access-date=December 20, 2016}}</ref> Incumbent Democratic Assemblymember Margaret Markey had been elected to the seat nine times.
In the September 2016 Democratic primary, Barnwell defeated Markey 1,710 votes to 1,082.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://vote.nyc/sites/default/files/pdf/election_results/2016/20160913Primary%20Election/01402300030Queens%20Democratic%20Member%20of%20the%20Assembly%2030th%20Assembly%20District%20Recap.pdf |title=Queens Democratic Member of the Assembly 30th Assembly District Recap |author=Board of Elections in the City of New York |date=26 September 2016 |access-date=17 May 2024}}</ref> One report on the election result stated that "[this] might be one of the biggest political upsets Queens has ever seen."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://qns.com/story/2016/09/13/breaking-incumbent-assemblywoman-markey-loses-democratic-primary-stunning-upset/|title=Incumbent Assemblywoman Markey loses Democratic primary in a stunning upset |last=Pozarycki|first=Robert|date=September 13, 2016|website=qns.com|access-date=February 19, 2018}}</ref> After defeating Republican candidate Tony Nunziato by a large margin in the November 2016 general election,<ref name=spny1081116/> Barnwell took office in January 2017.
In the summer of 2018, Barnwell was named to City & State's "Albany 40 Under 40"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cityandstateny.com/articles/power-list/40-under-40/2018-albany-40-under-40.html/|title=City & State: The 2018 Albany 40 Under 40|date=August 9, 2018 |access-date=August 16, 2018}}</ref> He joined other "figures crafting groundbreaking legislation, shaping public opinion and driving the news cycle."
=== New York State Assembly ===
During his time in office, Barnwell introduced legislation that provides tax relief for seniors and the middle class. Barnwell drafted legislation to attempt to reform the affordable housing formula, and proposed bills that would allow for tougher sentencing on violent felons.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.qgazette.com/news/2017-02-08/Editorials/Proposals_To_Protect_Seniors_Middle_Class_Crime_Vi.html/|title=Proposals To Protect Seniors, Middle Class, Crime Victims |last=Barnwell|first=Brian|date=February 8, 2017|work=Queens Gazette|access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref> Barnwell also pushed a bill that would outlaw the sale of puppies by "puppy mills."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://queenstribune.com/new-queens-pols-transportation-affordable-housing-top-priorities/|title=New Queens Pols: Transportation and Affordable Housing Top Priorities|last=Cronin|first=Joe|date=January 19, 2017|work=Queens Tribune|access-date=February 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301093900/http://queenstribune.com/new-queens-pols-transportation-affordable-housing-top-priorities/|archive-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Barnwell was the primary sponsor on many other pieces of legislation. He worked to create bills that hold the government accountable and promote citizen well-being.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Barnwell/sponsor/|title=New York State Assembly – Brian Barnwell|website=nyassembly.gov|access-date=April 26, 2019}}</ref> Barnwell was the chair of the Subcommittee on Emerging Workforce within the New York State Assembly. Barnwell also served as a member of the Committee on Aging, the Committee on Banks, the Committee on Children and Families, the Committee on Labor, the Committee on Libraries and Education Technology, the Committee on Real Property Taxation, the Asian Pacific American Task Force, and the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Barnwell/comm/|title=New York State Assembly – Brian Barnwell|website=nyassembly.gov|access-date=April 26, 2019}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {{Election box begin no change|title=New York State Assembly, District 30 Democratic Primary Election, 2018}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate='''Brian Barnwell'''|votes='''5,675'''|percentage='''64.3'''}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Melissa Sklarz|votes=3,149|percentage=35.7}} {{Election box total no change|votes=8,824|percentage=100.0}} {{Election box end}}{{Election box begin no change|title=New York State Assembly, District 30 General Election, 2018}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate='''Brian Barnwell'''|votes='''21,082'''|percentage='''75.9'''}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Eric Butkiewicz |votes=6,644|percentage=23.9}} {{Election box total no change|votes=27,779|percentage=100.0}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=New York State Assembly, District 30 Democratic Primary Election, 2016}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate='''Brian Barnwell'''|votes='''1,710'''|percentage='''61.25'''}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Margaret Markey (incumbent) |votes=1,082|percentage=38.75}} {{Election box total no change|votes=2,792|percentage=100.0}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=New York State Assembly, District 30 General Election, 2016}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate='''Brian Barnwell'''|votes='''24,452'''|percentage='''67.93'''}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Anthony P. Nunziato |votes=11,542|percentage=32.07}} {{Election box total no change|votes=35,994|percentage=100.0}} {{Election box end}}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Barnwell/ New York State Assemblyman Brian Barnwell] official site *{{Twitter|barnwell30}} *{{Instagram|brian_barnwell}} *{{Facebook|Barnwell4NY}}
{{S-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Margaret Markey}} {{s-ttl|title=New York Assembly, 30th District|years=2016–2022}} {{s-aft|after=Steven Raga}} {{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnwell, Brian}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:People from Woodside, Queens Category:Politicians from Queens, New York Category:Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly Category:Arizona State University alumni Category:Albany Law School alumni Category:American prosecutors Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature