VoterLens
New York State Assembly District 101
Empire State College—Bachelor's in Public Affairs
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Brian Maher was elected to the New York State Assembly on November 8, 2022, representing Assembly District 101. Before joining the Assembly, he served as Town of Montgomery Supervisor, executive director of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission, director of communications for State Sen. Bill Larkin, and three-term mayor of the Village of Walden; he also joined the United States Navy Reserves in 2018 and co-founded Hudson Valley Honor Flight and Big Apple Honor Flight.
Committee Assignments: Children & Families · Mental Health · Alcoholism & Drug Abuse · Health · Education · Housing
Brian Maher, Republican Assembly member for New York Assembly District 101, emphasizes healthcare affordability and access while stressing fiscal caution and program accountability. His healthcare record includes support for EMS funding, long-term care study legislation, biomarker testing coverage, opioid/xylazine overdose response, and stronger Medicaid oversight.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Maher supported bipartisan legislation directing the Department of Health to conduct a feasibility and actuarial study of long-term care services and supports, including a possible public long-term care insurance option.
SourceMaher urged the Legislature to reject proposed Medicaid crossover payment cuts for dual-eligible patients, saying the cuts would worsen financial strain on emergency medical services and threaten access to emergency care.
SourceBrian Maher emphasizes affordability, workforce development, local job creation, and keeping young people in New York. His economy-and-jobs record includes sponsoring workforce-sector partnership legislation, supporting community college workforce investments, backing local-labor requirements for certain business tax exemptions, and advocating pay support/tax relief for working families and essential workers.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Maher supported budget investments for SUNY Orange and other community colleges, including maintaining the funding floor, increasing operating assistance, expanding SUNY Reconnect, and improving career pathways with employers.
SourceMaher advocated a targeted 4% inflationary increase for direct service professionals and co-sponsored legislation to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for working families from 30% to 45% of the federal amount.
SourceBrian Maher has taken a restrictive, enforcement-oriented position on immigration-related issues, including supporting ICE notification for noncitizen arrestees, refugee registration/background-screening requirements, and citizenship verification for voter registration. He also opposed siting a proposed ICE detention facility in Chester, citing proximity to a population center, infrastructure limits, and local bipartisan opposition.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Maher contacted senior ICE officials about a potential detention facility in the Village of Chester and stated that he did not support choosing that location because of infrastructure limits and proximity to a population center.
SourceBrian Maher supports an affordability- and reliability-focused energy approach, including an "all-of-the-above" mix of natural gas, nuclear, renewables, pipelines, and advanced technologies. He has criticized rapid electrification or renewable mandates when he says they raise utility costs or strain grid reliability, while stating support for cleaner energy if it remains affordable.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Maher supported the Assembly Minority's LOWER plan to provide income-based utility rebates and return surplus NYSERDA climate-investment funds to ratepayers while pursuing an all-of-the-above energy policy.
SourceMaher signed a bipartisan letter urging Governor Hochul to veto legislation eliminating the 100-foot rule for natural gas service, arguing repeal would raise household costs, reduce energy choice, and strain the electric grid.
SourceBrian Maher emphasizes education funding that he says is predictable, affordable and tied to workforce development, including support for community colleges, SUNY Reconnect and Universal Pre-K reimbursement. He also supports targeted school-policy changes such as addressing chronic absenteeism and easing or modifying mandates he argues burden school districts.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Maher supported bipartisan legislation to create a statewide task force of education, child welfare, mental health and other stakeholders to study chronic absenteeism and recommend policies to improve attendance and student well-being.
SourceMaher supported education organizations raising financial, operational and safety concerns about New York’s zero-emission school bus mandate and called for practical, phased solutions that protect students, taxpayers and classroom resources.
SourceMaher supported state budget investments in community colleges, including maintaining the funding floor, increasing operating assistance, expanding SUNY Reconnect, and funding facilities, childcare access and employer pathways.
SourceMaher said he would advocate for larger reimbursement of Universal Pre-Kindergarten programs while finalizing the state budget and prioritizing affordability, childcare and schools.
SourceBrian Maher emphasizes public safety through tougher penalties for child murder, safer and better-staffed correctional facilities, support for law enforcement and correction officers, and measures to combat fentanyl and emerging synthetic opioids. He has framed prison staffing, opioid response, EMS, and violent-crime sentencing as core public-safety priorities for Assembly District 101.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Maher called for immediate legislative action to improve safety in correctional facilities, including addressing staffing shortages, reviewing HALT Act impacts, expanding rehabilitation and reentry programs, and strengthening recruitment and retention of correctional staff.
SourceMaher joined Assembly Minority colleagues in signing a letter urging state leaders to address correction officer staffing shortages by supporting pension protection legislation and a 20-year retirement plan for New York City correction officers.
SourceMaher urged action on proposals to expand access to higher-dose opioid reversal agents and pass the Identify Dangerous Drugs Act to better treat overdose patients and respond to fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.
SourceNew York State Assembly
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=101&sh=bioFetched: biography, location, background
Irish Echo
https://www.irishecho.com/events/2025-irish-40-under-40-awards/awardees/brian-maherFetched: biography, location
MyRepTracker
https://myreptracker.com/new-york/legislators/ny-house-101-brian-maher/voting-recordFetched: votingRecord
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/race/new-york-state-assembly-district-101-74512Fetched: campaignFinance
NYSUT
https://www.nysut.org/resources/special-resources-sites/voter-guide/endorsementsFetched: endorsements
Vote Smart
https://j.futurefacts.votesmart.io/election/2026/L/NY/2026-state-legislative-election?p=3&party=5&stageId=PFetched: endorsements
New York State Assembly Member Directory - Brian Maher
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/116892Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A7746
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/A7746Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Bill Search - A01673
https://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?Memo=Y&Summary=Y&bn=A01673&term=2023Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Member Directory - Brian Maher
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/116684Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Member Directory - Brian Maher
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/116631Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Member Directory - Brian Maher Biography
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=101&sh=bioFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A1925
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1925Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Bill Search - A01951
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A01951&leg_video=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A1947
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1947Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Press Release - Community Colleges Workforce Investment
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/story/117688Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Press Release - Direct Service Professionals and Working Families
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/118214Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Brian Maher Assembly District 101
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/story/116995Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member page for Brian Maher, Assembly District 101
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release: Assemblyman Brian Maher Supports 'Lights on with Energy Relief' Plan to Lower Utility Costs
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/story/117048Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release: Maher Supports Legislation to Conduct a Comprehensive Cost-Benefit Analysis of Renewable Energy Systems
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/118088Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release: Maher Co Sponsors New Legislation for Relief as Energy Costs Strain Hudson Valley Families
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/story/117712Fetched: issuePositions
NY Senate Open Legislation: Assembly Bill A6260
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6260Fetched: issuePositions
NY Senate Open Legislation: Assembly Bill A6431
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6431Fetched: issuePositions
NY Senate Open Legislation: Assembly Bill A7417
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A7417Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release: Assemblyman Maher Joins Calls Urging Gov. Hochul to Veto Bill That Would Skyrocket Utility Bills
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/story/116177Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member page: Brian Maher, District 101
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/story/118663Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member page: Brian Maher, District 101
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/story/118593Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member page: Brian Maher, District 101
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/117688Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member page: Brian Maher, District 101
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/113821Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly sponsored legislation page: Brian Maher, District 101
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/sponsor/Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member page
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly biography
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=101&sh=bioFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Danny Meyer Act release
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/119211Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Identify Dangerous Drugs Act release
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Brian-Maher/story/118765Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - correctional safety reforms release
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/117328Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - prison staffing crisis release
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/118104Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - fentanyl crisis release
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Brian-Maher/story/110860Fetched: issuePositions