It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve alongside Herman "Denny" Farrell, Jr. in the State Assembly. To say that he has been a leader, a social architect and an overall champion for the people of the 71st assembly district is not nearly enough to capture the span of his contributions to our great state these last four decades. Denny has helped inspire many elected officials, myself included, to commit themselves in service to uplift families and strangers alike.

As one of the longest serving members of the People's House, he has been fighting on behalf of the people and issues that have become the cornerstone of the Families First agenda we so proudly champion today. From securing investments in public education, quality healthcare, fair wages, worker protections, LGBTQ equality, consumer protections, criminal justice reform, tax reform, small business growth, public works investment and scores of other victories, Denny has left an indelible mark. In addition to the parks, health clinic and community centers that bear his name, there are so many people for whom he has been a mentor, a conscience and above all, an example for what it means to lead. I know I speak for all my colleagues when I say his presence will be deeply missed and his legacy will never be forgotten in our deliberations or in our halls of government.