Senator James H. Donovan is probably best known for the role that he played as the chairman of the Senate Education Committee. He worked tirelessly in this capacity to expand programs to reduce teenage pregnancy and illiteracy and to create the New York City School Construction Authority. This authority allowed the city to cut red tape in building new schools.
As Senate majority leader, Ralph J. Marino, said when James Donovan died, ”Jim Donovan’s most lasting contribution will be in the area of education, where he assured that quality and affordable education was this state’s top priority.”