{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kemp Hannon | image = <!--Current office--> | state_senate = New York | district = 6th | term_start = December 27, 1989 | term_end = December 31, 2018 | predecessor = John R. Dunne | successor = Kevin Thomas | state_assembly2 = New York | district2 = 17th | term_start2 = January 1, 1977 | term_end2 = December 26, 1989 | preceded2 = Joseph M. Margiotta | succeeded2 = Michael Balboni <!--Personal data--> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|1|10}} | birth_place = Garden City, New York, U.S | party = Republican | website = {{URL|http://www.kemphannon.com|Campaign website}} }}

thumb|right|alt=J. Kemp Hannon an American Politician|J. kemp Hannon Give Kids A Smile.jpg '''J. Kemp Hannon''' (born January 10, 1946) is an American politician. A Republican, Hannon was a member of the New York State Senate from the 6th district in Nassau County between 1989 and 2018.

==Biography== Hannon graduated from Chaminade High School (1963), Boston College (1967) and Fordham University School of Law (1970). During the presidential primary season of 1976, Hannon was a panelmember for an episode of ''Firing Line with William F. Buckley, Jr.'', discussing whether Reagan or Ford was the better nominee.

He was Special Counsel to the law firm Farrell Fritz, P.C., ending the association on January 31, 2017. Hannon resides in Garden City, New York, with his wife Bronwyn and their twin daughters, Alexandra and Madeleine.<ref name="NYLA">{{Cite web |url=http://ny.ala.capwiz.com/bio/id/6961 |title=New York Library Association: Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-New York) biography |access-date=2008-11-07 |archive-date=2011-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210223018/http://ny.ala.capwiz.com/bio/id/6961 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Bio"/>

Hannon served in the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 1989, sitting in the 182nd, 183rd, 184th, 185th, 186th, 187th and 188th New York State Legislatures. In 1989, he was elected to the New York State Senate<ref>{{cite news|author=Lynn, Frank|title=Legislative Races Linked to City Problems|agency=Associated Press|work=The New York Times|date= October 28, 1990|pages=1–2}}</ref> to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John R. Dunne.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/08/10/nyregion/influential-li-senator-quits.html|title=Influential L.I. Senator Quits|work=The New York Times|date=August 10, 1989}}</ref> Hannon represented the 6th State Senate District, which includes Levittown, Massapequa, Garden City, Uniondale, Hempstead, Farmingdale, Franklin Square, Old Bethpage, Salisbury, Garden City South, Plainview, Lakeview, Plainedge, Island Trees and East Meadow.<ref name="Bio">[http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/kemp-hannon/bio Bio from official website]</ref><ref>[http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/kemp-hannon New York State Senate: Kemp Hannon]</ref>

A Republican, Hannon chaired the New York State Senate Health Committee for nearly two decades.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2016/11/experience-in-health-committee-at-stake-this-election-cycle-106925|author=Velasquez, Josefa|title=Health care community watching Hannon race closely|date=November 1, 2016|agency=Politico|accessdate=September 27, 2019}}</ref>

In 2011, Hannon voted against allowing same-sex marriage in New York during a Senate roll-call vote on the Marriage Equality Act, which passed after a close 33-29 vote.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://liherald.com/stories/New-York-says-yes-to-gay-marriage,33883?page=2&content_source=|title=New York says 'yes' to gay marriage|website=LIHerald.com|page=2}}</ref><ref>[https://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/a8354-2011 Assembly Bill A8354]</ref> On January 14, 2013, Hannon voted in favor of the NY SAFE Act (a gun control bill), which the Senate passed 43-18.<ref>[https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2013/s2230#Votes senate Bill S2230]</ref> On June 10, 2014, the State Senate passed medical marijuana legislation that was later signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo; Hannon, along with nine other Senate Republicans, voted against the bill.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wamc.org/post/new-york-state-senate-passes-medical-marijuana-bill|author=Karen DeWitt|title=New York State Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Bill|publisher=WAMC|date=June 20, 2014|accessdate=September 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2013/s7923 senate Bill S7923]</ref>

On November 6, 2018, after having served 29 years in the New York State Senate, Hannon was unexpectedly defeated in his re-election bid by Democratic challenger Kevin Thomas.<ref>{{cite news|author=Yancey Roy|url=https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/thomas-hannon-senate-m44949|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113144621/https://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/thomas-hannon-senate-1.23181627|url-status=live|archive-date=November 13, 2018|title=Anatomy of an upset: LI's Thomas scores biggest state Election Day surprise|work=Newsday|date=November 13, 2018|access-date=September 27, 2019}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.kemphannon.com}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110710224713/http://www.farrellfritz.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?a=va&r=54 Farrell Fritz, P.C: J. Kemp Hannon]

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ny-hs}} {{succession box|title=New York State Assembly<br>17th District|before=Joseph M. Margiotta|years=1977–1989|after=Michael Balboni}} {{s-par|us-ny-sen}} {{s-bef|before=John R. Dunne}} {{s-ttl|title=New York State Senate<br>6th District|years=1989–2018}} {{s-aft|after=Kevin Thomas}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hannon, Kemp}} Category:Republican Party New York (state) state senators Category:Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly Category:Politicians from Nassau County, New York Category:Chaminade High School alumni Category:Boston College alumni Category:Fordham University alumni Category:People from Garden City, New York Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature Category:20th-century members of the New York State Legislature