Senator James Donovan is remembered for his many contributions to New York and its education. He served as chairman of the Senate Education Committee for fourteen years, as well as chairman of the Committee on Roads and Public Works, and the Committee on Mental Hygiene and Addiction Control.
Donovan worked to boost literacy and decrease pregnancy among the state’s teenage population. He also supported new schools by creating the New York City School Construction Authority, which reduced the bureaucracy and red tape required to begin new construction projects.