Daniel O’Donnell on retirement: ‘I would very much enjoy working in the tourism industry’

After more than 20 years, Assembly Member Daniel O’Donnell decided not to seek reelection. The Manhattan Democrat has passed many influential bills in the Legislature throughout his tenure, particularly related to LGBTQ+ rights. But he has also chaired the Assembly Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development, steering the passage of legislation focused on state tourism. City & State spoke with the outgoing lawmaker about the state’s approach to tourism and his final term in office. The interview was edited for length and clarity.

Are there any key bills that have come through the Assembly Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development Committee this session?

In Western New York, there was a tragedy with an underground cave where – what do you call it, it’s being pulled by a mechanical thing – it overturned and somebody died. And, for strange quirks of laws, because it was not a boat, certain regulations weren’t applied to it. Obviously, if we’re going to bring people here to sell the things that we have, we have to make sure that people will be safe. My colleague, (Assembly Member Michael) Norris, who represents where this occurred, has been diligently educating me about this, and we’ll be passing that bill soon.

Tourism is obviously a very big industry in New York state and New York City, and it never really gets the attention it deserves. We do a variety of things at the state level. We have tourism matching money to give to local county and town tourism groups to do what they need to do. Saratoga is hosting the Belmont Stakes this year, because Belmont is being rebuilt, and that will be a very big boon for the economy of Saratoga and the surrounding areas. People often think that tourism in New York is just about Times Square, but I can assure you that it’s not. It’s much bigger than that. 

How well do you think Empire State Development is doing in its efforts to promote tourism across the state?

I think they generally do a good job. I think they could do a better job. And part of the problem is politicians, in general, like when people talk about them and they like when people give them attention. And sometimes things that are not going to get attention may have more merit than the ones that will get you attention. Sometimes I feel their decision-making is clouded by the desire to get their principal entry. So I think they could do it better, but I think they generally do a good job.

Are there areas of importance that are not getting as much attention as they need on the tourism front?

Part of the problem is, no matter where you go, you’re going to get told we don’t get enough state money and the county next door gets more. Honest to God, it makes no difference. Also true of arts funding. They say we want (what) Suffolk County has. I fought in my time to not delineate that way, to make it that we shouldn’t just find what is local to you or to an individual, but people want what they want.

You’re set to retire at the end of this term. What are your biggest policy accomplishments both on the tourism front and in general?

I wrote a couple of bills about the LGBTQ community. I wrote the Dignity for All Students Act – New York state’s anti-bullying law. I also wrote the Marriage Equality Act. And third, I would say the repealing of the 50-a civil rights law. If you don’t know what that was, that was a 1970s law that shielded police disciplinary records from public access and again, it took five years. I have a lot more, if you really want to know, but those are the three big ones.

As you wrap up your final term, is there anything you’re hoping to visit or do in New York or beyond?

Everyone is asking me, do I have a job? I do not have a job lined up. I don’t have enough money to not work. So that’s a problem. And I would very much enjoy working in the tourism industry because I’ve come to really enjoy and love it.

The museums are just spectacular in New York. That’s something that I’m going to do. When you’re a politician, let’s say it’s a Tuesday, and you have nothing on your schedule, you can do whatever you want. But when you’re running for reelection, you don’t want to show up at the Met. There will be senior voters there who think, “Well, it’s a Tuesday afternoon, why isn’t he working?” So that will give me a lot of freedom to do things that I haven’t done …, but museums will certainly be a start of it. I’m a big Broadway guy, live theater guy. Haven’t gone that much lately, but I used to go all the time. I’m certainly going to try to do that as well.