Micah Kellner

Micah Kellner
PFLAG Awards Luncheon, February 2010
Member of the New York State Assembly from the 65th district
Incumbent
Assumed office June 2007
Preceded by	Alexander "Pete" Grannis
Personal details
Born	December 5, 1978 (1978-12-05) (age 32)[1] Morristown, New Jersey[1]
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Manhattan, New York
Alma mater	New York University
Profession	politician
Website	Official website

Micah Z. Kellner^[2] (born December 5, 1978)^[1] is an American politician from the state of New York. A Democrat, he serves as a member of the New York State Assembly from the 65th district, which includes Manhattan's Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island (map).^[3]

Early life and career

An advocate for the disabled, Kellner was born with cerebral palsy.^[3] He attended the Pingry School, graduating in the class of 1997.^[4]

He graduated from New York University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film, television and radio. He worked as an aide to Senator Chuck Schumer, Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney and City Controller William C. Thompson before being elected to the assembly.^[5]

New York State Assembly

Following the appointment of Assemblyman Alexander "Pete" Grannis as New York State's Environment Commissioner early in 2007, Kellner was selected as the Democratic nominee for the special election held to fill the vacancy. In the election held on June 5, 2007 he received 64% of the vote, comfortably defeating his Republican opponent.^[6]

While serving in Albany, Kellner is a member of the Committee on Banks, Committee on Cities, Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection and Committee on Environmental Conservation.^[7] He has pursued legislatons in the area of affordable housing, fairer government funding formulas for New York City’s public schools, mass transit and a cleaner environment, reproductive freedom and stem cell research, marriage equality for same-sex couples and the rights of persons with disabilities.^[8]

He also is keenly interested in animal rights and is the sponsor in the New York State Assembly of A. 9449—A better known as "Oreo’s Law",^[9] that would requires the release of a shelter animal to a rescue group upon request of the rescue group prior to euthanasia of the animal. The law is named in memory of Oreo, a dog who became well known after she survived abuse at the hands of her former owner, recovered from her injuries but was then euthanized by the ASPCA in New York City, despite the offer of a No Kill sanctuary to guarantee her lifetime care.^[10][11]

Personal life

Kellner is openly bisexual^[12][13] and is one of six LGBT members of the New York Legislature, alongside Assemblymembers Deborah Glick, Daniel O'Donnell, Matthew Titone and Harry Bronson, as well as Senator Thomas Duane. His assembly campaign won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which provided financial and strategic assistance.^[14]

Election results

• June 2007 special election, NYS Assembly, 65th AD^[15]

Micah Z. Kellner (DEM - WOR)	...	4,254
Gregory T. Camp (REP - IND)	...	2,273

• November 2008 general election, NYS Assembly, 65th AD^[16]

Micah Z. Kellner (DEM - WOR)	...	36,682
Georgiana Viest (REP)	...	11,636

• November 2010 general election, NYS Assembly, 65th AD^[17]

Micah Z. Kellner (DEM - WOR)	...	22,741
Michael K. Zumbluskus (REP)	...	7,998

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "State Assembly: Micah Z. Kellner (D-WFP), District 65". Capitol Info. Archived from the original on April 4, 2011. http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:fzOjzn9uNyIJ:https://www.ny-leg.com/directory/NY/micah-kellner/2852/. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
2. ^ "Assembly Member Micah Z. Kellner (NY)". Project Vote Smart. http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=72703. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Hicks, Jonathan P. (June 6, 2007). "Comptroller’s Aide Wins Upper East Side Assembly Seat". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/06/nyregion/06primary.html. Retrieved May 12, 2010. 
4. ^ "Class Notes: 1997, Micah Kellner". The Pingry Review. Winter 2008. http://www.pingry.org/uploaded/Student_Life/Publications/Review/review-winter-2008.pdf. 
5. ^ "Assembly District 65, Micah Kellner: Biography". New York State Assembly. http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=065&sh=bio. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
6. ^ Mahoney, Joe (June 6, 2007). "Dem notches win in Assembly special elex". New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/06/06/2007-06-06_dem_notches_win_in_assembly_special_elex.html. 
7. ^ Committee Membership
8. ^ Micah Z. Kellner Assemblyman: Bills
9. ^ State of New York S. 6412--A and A. 9449--A^{[dead link]}
10. ^ Sulzberger, A. G. (November 19, 2009). "Oreo, Abused Then Euthanized, Inspires Legislation". The New York Times. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/oreo-abused-then-euthanized-inspires-legislation/. 
11. ^ "Oreo's Law". Friends of Animals. December 1, 2009. http://www.friendsofanimals.org/news/2009/december/oreos-law.html. 
12. ^ Miz M (August 11, 2009). "Micah Kellner: New York’s Openly Bisexual Assemblyman". Bi Social News. http://bisocialnews.com/my-interview-with-new-yorks-openly-bisexual-assemblyman-micah-kellner/. ^{[dead link]}
13. ^ "NY Assemblymember Kellner Given Brenda Howard Award". BiNet USA News and Updates. February 21, 2009. http://binetusa.blogspot.com/2010/02/ny-assemblymember-kellner-given-brenda.html. 
14. ^ "Micah Kellner". Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. http://www.victoryfund.org/endorsed_candidates/profile/candidate:38. ^{[dead link]}
15. ^ "Special Election Results, 65th Assembly District: June 5, 2007" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. 2007. http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/elections/2007/Special/200765ADResults.pdf. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
16. ^ "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 4, 2008" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 4, 2008. http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/elections/2008/General/NYSAssembly08.pdf. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 
17. ^ "General Election Results, State Assembly: November 2, 2010" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. December 13, 2010. http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE/elections/2010/general/2010Assembly.pdf. Retrieved April 13, 2011. 

External links

• New York State Assembly: Micah Kellner
• Campaign website
• Facebook page
• New York Observer archive of Micah Kellner campaign coverage
• Kellner's response to the 2008 Candidate Questionnaire for State Senate and Assembly from the 504 Democratic Club of New York City

New York Assembly
Preceded by Alexander "Pete" Grannis	New York State Assembly, 65th district 2007–present	Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Kellner, Micah
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	December 5, 1978
Place of birth	Morristown, New Jersey
Date of death
Place of death