Thomas Duane

{{Short description|American politician}} {{for|the American ophthalmologist|Thomas D. Duane}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2015}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Thomas K. Duane | honorific_suffix = | image = SenTomDuane.jpg | image_size = 250px | state_senate = New York | district = | term_start = January 1, 1999 | term_end = December 31, 2012 | preceded = Catherine M. Abate | succeeded = Brad Hoylman | constituency = {{ubl |27th district (1999-2002) |29th district (2003-2012)}} | office2 = Member of the New York City Council from the 3rd district | term_start2 = January 1, 1992 | term_end2 = December 31, 1998 | preceded2 = Carol Greitzer | succeeded2 = Christine Quinn | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|01|30}} | birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S. | party = Democratic | website = [http://www.tomduane.com tomduane.com] | relatives = John F. Duane (brother) | education = Lehigh University (BA) }}

'''Thomas K. Duane''' (born January 30, 1955) is an American politician from New York, who served in the New York State Senate from 1999 to 2012, and in the New York City Council from 1992 to 1998.

Duane was the first openly gay member of the New York State Senate, and the only such member during his tenure there.<ref>{{cite news |first=Julie |last=Bolcer |url=http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/02/10/NY_Senate_Leader_Would_Give_Marriage_Bill_to_Gay_Lawmaker/ |work=The Advocate |title=N.Y. Leader Wants Gay Senator to Carry Marriage Bill |date=February 10, 2011 | accessdate = July 25, 2011}}</ref> He was also the body's only openly HIV-positive member.<ref>{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Hutchinson |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-openly-gay-state-senator-thomas-duane-won-seek-reelection-article-1.1089339|title=New York's first openly gay state senator, Thomas Duane, won't seek reelection|date=June 4, 2012|work=nydailynews.com}}</ref> He represented the 29th Senate district, which stretched along Manhattan's West Side from 85th Street to Canal Street, and includes the following neighborhoods: Upper West Side, Hell's Kitchen, Chelsea, Greenwich Village, and part of the East Side, including the East Village, Stuyvesant Town, Peter Cooper Village and Waterside Plaza.

==Early life and education== Duane holds a degree in American and Urban Studies from Lehigh University. Born at the old French Hospital on West 30th Street in Manhattan, he was raised in Flushing, Queens,<ref>{{cite news |first=Toni |last=Schlesinger |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2001-04-24/nyc-life/state-sen-tom-duane-s-co-op-in-penn-south/ |work=The Village Voice |title=State Sen. Tom Duane's Co-Op in Penn South |date=April 24, 2001 |access-date=July 18, 2011 |archive-date=December 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213013957/http://www.villagevoice.com/2001-04-24/nyc-life/state-sen-tom-duane-s-co-op-in-penn-south/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> where he attended St. Andrew Avellino School and Holy Cross High School (Flushing). After beginning a career as a Wall Street stockbroker, he moved into public service by volunteering for his community board and working for then-city comptroller Elizabeth Holtzman.<ref name="Chen">{{cite news |first=David W. |last=Chen |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/04/nyregion/state-senator-thomas-duane-a-gay-rights-advocate-to-retire.html |work=New York Times |title= Champion of Gay Rights to Leave New York State Senate |date=June 3, 2012|accessdate=April 26, 2017}}</ref> In 2004, Duane completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.

His brother, John F. Duane, served in the New York State Assembly in 1983–84 representing the 26th Assembly District in Queens.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nathan |last=Duke |url=http://www.queenscampaigner.com/2010/08/duane-seeks-assembly-return/ |work=Queens Campaigner |title=Duane seeks Assembly return |date=August 19, 2010 |access-date=July 18, 2011 |archive-date=March 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319214911/http://www.queenscampaigner.com/2010/08/duane-seeks-assembly-return/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Duane's partner of 25 years is Louis Webre.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Vanasco |url=http://www.365gay-q.mtvi.com/uncategorized/voices-from-the-floor-tom-duane/ |work=365gay.com |title=Voices from the floor: Tom Duane |date=August 25, 2008 }}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Career== Duane was first elected to the New York City Council in 1991 for the 3rd district. Duane and Antonio Pagán, first elected in the same year, were the first two openly gay city council members in New York.<ref>{{cite news | first=Degen | last=Pener | title=A Gay City Councilman Wants to Tell His Story | date=September 6, 1992 | url =https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE7D81239F935A3575AC0A964958260&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fD%2fDuane%2c%20Thomas%20K%2e | work =The New York Times | accessdate = February 24, 2007}}</ref> For part of that time, Christine Quinn worked as his chief of staff. When he resigned his council seat on being sworn into the Senate, she successfully ran to succeed him.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jonathan A. | last=Hicks | title=Gay-Rights Advocate Wins Village Seat | date=February 17, 1999 | url =https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/17/nyregion/gay-rights-advocate-wins-village-seat.html | work =The New York Times | accessdate = July 25, 2011}}</ref>

In 1994, Duane ran for the U.S. House of Representatives against incumbent Jerrold Nadler, losing the primary election by a margin of two to one.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jennifer | last=Steinhauer | title=In House Races, Incumbents Defeat Challengers Handily| date=September 14, 1994 | url =https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/14/nyregion/the-1994-campaign-congress-in-house-races-incumbents-defeat-challengers-handily-233285.html | work =The New York Times | accessdate = May 17, 2009}}</ref>

Duane has also served as a member of his local Community Board, and four terms as Male Democratic District Leader in the 64th New York State Legislature.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}

First elected to the New York State Senate in 1998, Duane took office the following January and won re-election every two years thereafter until leaving office in 2012.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}

Only the second openly LGBT member of the New York Legislature, he later became one of six, alongside Assemblymembers Micah Kellner, Daniel O'Donnell, Matthew Titone, Harry Bronson and Deborah Glick.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}

Duane was the lead sponsor of same-sex union legislation in the New York State Senate.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/nyregion/03personal.html | work=The New York Times | first=Michael M. | last=Grynbaum | title=From the Floor and the Heart, Senators Make an Issue Personal | date=December 3, 2009}}</ref> Following the failed 2009 Senate vote on the bill, New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn thanked Duane and the State Senate leadership for bringing the bill to a vote and saying "I applaud them for their dogged leadership on this issue."<ref>{{cite web|last=Christine|first=Quinn|title=Re: Senate Vote on Same-Sex Marriage|url=http://council.nyc.gov/html/pr/marriage_bill_12_2_09.shtml|work=Press Release|publisher=NYC City Council|accessdate=February 12, 2014|date=December 2, 2009|archive-date=February 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222035617/http://council.nyc.gov/html/pr/marriage_bill_12_2_09.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> Same-sex marriage was legalized in New York in 2011,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gay-marriage-legalized-new-york_n_884434|title = Gay Marriage Legalized in New York: Senate Passes Bill Allowing Same Sex Marriage|date = June 24, 2011|website=The Huffington Post|agency=Associated Press}}</ref> and the ''New York Daily News'' described Duane as a "leader" in that legislative effort.<ref name="Hutchinson" />

Duane's signature legislative accomplishments in the New York State legislature included the passage of the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA) (2002) and Timothy's Law, which requires mental health parity for patients by insurance companies (2006) which were subsequently signed into law by Governor George Pataki.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nypress.com/tracking-duanes-career/|title=Tracking Duane's Career|last=Manoukian|first=Adel|date=July 26, 2012|work=NY Press|access-date=March 20, 2018}}</ref>

Duane was the prime Senate sponsor of the state's Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2010/02/10/openly-gay-senator-duane-slammed-by-pride-group/|title=Openly gay senator Duane slammed by pride group|last=Haberman|first=Maggie|date=February 11, 2010|work=New York Post}}</ref> which became law in 2019 after he had left office.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harding |first1=Robert |title=Cuomo signs GENDA, NY transgender rights bill, and conversion therapy ban |url=https://auburnpub.com/blogs/eye_on_ny/cuomo-signs-genda-ny-transgender-rights-bill-and-conversion-therapy/article_b22c8ea6-29f2-54d5-960d-12a0bca28577.html |accessdate=10 March 2019 |work=Auburn Citizen |date=26 Jan 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

Duane was also instrumental in the ultimate passage of the Hate Crimes Protection Act of 2000,<ref>{{cite news |first=Stevenson |last=Swanson |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1999/08/25/advocates-seek-hate-laws-but-cant-prove-they-work/|title= Advocates Seek Hate Laws But Can't Prove They Work |date=August 25, 1999|access-date = April 25, 2017|work=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> which stipulates longer penalties for those convicted of alleged hate crimes and mandates that New York State keep an active database of these crimes. Duane's advocacy of this cause was personal as well as principled; in 1983, he was hospitalized after being assaulted by two men shouting anti-gay epithets, yet the perpetrators were charged only with a misdemeanor. He also took the lead on "Manny's Law", which requires hospitals to disclose to indigent patients the availability of state-sponsored funds for health care costs, and worked to enact a rental cap of 30 percent of income for people who are living with AIDS and eligible for government financial assistance.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://gaycitynews.nyc/2016-gay-city-news-impact-award-honorees/|title=2016 Gay City News Impact Award Honorees|date=March 7, 2016|accessdate=April 25, 2017|work=gaycitynews.com|archive-date=April 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428052817/http://gaycitynews.nyc/2016-gay-city-news-impact-award-honorees/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He was also a leader in bipartisan moves to require health insurers to cover mental health treatment, to improve health care for prisoners, and to make it harder for people to avoid paying child and spousal support.<ref name="Chen"/>

Duane has also fought overdevelopment in historic districts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hundreds of Village Residents Turn Out For Rally and March to Save the Historic Far West Village from Overdevelopment|url=http://www.gvshp.org/fwvaprilrally.htm|website=GVSHP.org|date=April 18, 2004|accessdate=April 26, 2017|archive-date=July 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723174917/http://www.gvshp.org/fwvaprilrally.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2003, he was honored with a Village Award<ref>{{cite web|title=Past Village Award Winners|url=http://www.gvshp.org/_gvshp/pdf/past-winners-text%202016.pdf|website=GVSHP.org|accessdate=June 2, 2015}}</ref> from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.

At one time he was Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, and he later served as that committee's Ranking Minority Member.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newsli.com/2011/01/18/chair-of-senate-health-committee-joins-with-healthcare-experts-to-determine-best-methods-to-reform-medicaid/|title=Chair Of Senate Health Committee Joins With Healthcare Experts To Determine Best Methods To Reform Medicaid|date=January 18, 2011|work=NewsLI.com}}</ref>

In June 2012, Duane announced that he would be leaving the Senate, citing weariness with commuting between New York City and Albany and in general being ready for "another chapter in my life."<ref name="Hutchinson">{{cite news |first=Bill |last=Hutchinson |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/new-york-openly-gay-state-senator-thomas-duane-won-seek-reelection-article-1.1089339|title=New York's first openly gay state senator, Thomas Duane, won't seek reelection|date=June 4, 2012|work=New York Daily News}}</ref>

Since retiring from the State Senate, he has continued his advocacy work on behalf of the LGBTQ community, disadvantaged children, people with HIV/AIDS, and others. He established Tom Duane Strategies, Inc., dedicated to working with organizations that improve the quality of life for New Yorkers. He has been an outspoken critic of Republican Party agendas, including the first Trump Administration, and an ongoing supporter of LGBTQ rights.<ref>{{cite news | first=Matt | last=Hansen | title= Rally in New York supports immigrants and rights for gays and lesbians | date=February 4, 2017 | url =https://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-rally-in-new-york-supports-immigrants-1486248619-htmlstory.html | work =Los Angeles Times | accessdate = April 25, 2017}}</ref> He has done philanthropic work with New York City's Anti-Violence Project, which coordinates the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, and has served on its board of directors.<ref>{{cite news | title =NYC anti-violence project sees LGBT advocate join board | date =March 6, 2013 | url =http://fourtwonine.com/2013/03/06/1601-nyc-anti-violence-project-sees-lgbt-advocate-join-board/ | work =FourTwoNine | accessdate =April 25, 2017 | archive-date =April 28, 2017 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20170428052239/http://fourtwonine.com/2013/03/06/1601-nyc-anti-violence-project-sees-lgbt-advocate-join-board/ | url-status =dead }}</ref>

Duane has received a number of honors, from organizations including Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, Congregation Beit Simchat Torah (where he was the World AIDS Day speaker in December 2015), and The Alpha Workshops, which will be honoring him on May 15, 2017. In 2012 he received a Legends of the Village award from VillageCare, a nonprofit serving people with chronic, continuing, and rehabilitative care needs, which cited his championing of "civil rights, including gay rights in particular, HIV treatment and outreach needs, health care initiatives that reach out to those who are underserved or not served at all, tenant rights and much more."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.villagecare.org/news/devito/oct12/|title=LEGENDS OF THE VILLAGE EVENT TO HONOR SENATOR DUANE ON NOV. 5|date=October 12, 2012|accessdate=April 26, 2017|work=www.villagecare.org|archive-date=April 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428051740/https://www.villagecare.org/news/devito/oct12/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2016 he received an Impact Award from ''Gay City News''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://gaycitynews.nyc/2016-gay-city-news-impact-award-honorees/|title=2016 Gay City News Impact Award Honorees|date=March 7, 2016|accessdate=April 25, 2017|work=gaycitynews.com|archive-date=April 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428052817/http://gaycitynews.nyc/2016-gay-city-news-impact-award-honorees/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2022, Tom Duane endorsed New York State Assembly candidate Tony Simone for the June 28, 2022 Democratic Party Primary.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Stiffler|first=Scott|url=https://chelseacommunitynews.com/2022/02/19/nys-assembly-race-sees-retiring-gottfried-endorse-tony-simone/|title = NYS Assembly Race Sees Retiring Gottfried Endorse Tony Simone|website=Chelsea Community News| date=February 19, 2022 }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://www.tomduane.com/ Campaign website] *[http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/thomas-duane New York State Senate: Thomas K. Duane] *[http://gawker.com/5815451/new-york-sen-tom-duanes-moving-speech-for-marriage-equality Senator Duane’s Speech for Marriage Equality Act] Video of NYS Senate speech, June 24, 2011 *[https://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/georgiegirl/special_tglawtd.html POV-Georgie Girl. Transgender Discrimination and the Law] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080322010854/http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2003/georgiegirl/special_tglawtd.html |date=March 22, 2008 }} Interview taped for PBS documentary. *[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F5061FFC3C590C758DDDAB0994DA404482 On Eve of Vote, Gay Rights Bill Is Besieged From Within] *[http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=CNY88239&type=category&category=Environmental%20Issues Project Vote Smart: Interest Group Ratings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218225758/http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=CNY88239&type=category&category=Environmental%20Issues |date=February 18, 2006 }} *[http://www.the504democraticclub.org/questionnaire_2008_statesenate_assembly_duane.html Duane's response to the 2008 Candidate Questionnaire for State Senate from the 504 Democratic Club of New York City] *[http://www.outcomebuffalo.com/duane-7-174600002.htm Tom Duane Stands Up & Is Not Afraid] News article and video of NY Senate speech July 17, 2009 *{{C-SPAN|1011371}} {{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{succession box|title=Member of the New York City Council<br>from the 3rd district|before=Carol Greitzer|years=1992–1998|after=Christine Quinn }} {{s-par|us-ny-sen}} {{succession box|title=Member of the New York State Senate <br>from the 27th district|before=Catherine Abate|years=1999–2002|after=Carl Kruger }} {{succession box|title=Member of the New York State Senate <br>from the 29th district|before=David Paterson|years=2003–2012|after=José M. Serrano}} {{succession box|title=Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health|before=Kemp Hannon|years=2009–2010|after=Kemp Hannon}} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duane, Thomas}} Category:Democratic Party New York (state) state senators Category:LGBTQ state legislators in New York (state) Category:People with HIV/AIDS Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:Lehigh University alumni Category:New York City Council members Category:American gay politicians Category:American LGBTQ city council members Category:LGBTQ people from New York (state) Category:21st-century members of the New York State Legislature Category:20th-century members of the New York State Legislature