Brabenec, the son of Czech refugees, was raised in Orange County and graduated from Minisink Valley High School in 1997. He earned his B.A. at Mount Saint Mary College and his M.P.A. from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Karl lives in Westbrookville and is the proud father of son, Karl and daughter, Kimberlee.

Biography | Karl Brabenec - Assembly District 98

Karl Brabenec was raised in Orange County. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Saint Mary College and a Master of Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He lives in Westbrookville and is the father of two children.

Brabenec believes in governing with integrity, he reestablished the town’s ethics committee and dramatically expanded communication and transparency in government. He was an assistant to former Orange County Executive Edward A. Diana, a member of the Deerpark Zoning Board of Appeals and later served as a Councilman on the Deerpark Town Board in 2008 to 2010 before being elected Town Supervisor.

Karl previously worked as an assistant to former Orange County Executive Edward A. Diana.

Biography

Karl Brabenec was elected to serve the constituents of the 98th Assembly District on November 4, 2014. The district includes parts of Orange and Rockland counties which include Deerpark, Port Jervis, Greenville, Minisink, Warwick, Monroe, Mount Hope, Wawayanda, Tuxedo and Ramapo.

Brabenec has been active in the community, government, and politics since the age of 14. Previous to serving in the Assembly, Brabenec was Deerpark Town Supervisor from 2010 to 2014. He focused on common-sense principles to save taxpayer dollars, including improving the local business climate through zoning restriction reforms and by providing long-term financial planning and responsibility by saving reserve funds for future expenses.

Karl was elected to represent the 98th Assembly District in 2014. He previously served as Deerpark Town Supervisor from 2010 to 2014.

2026 New York General Election

Another major focus of mine was addressing skyrocketing auto insurance premiums. This session, we passed initiatives to crack down on insurance fraud, increase oversight of rate hikes and establish safeguards against excessive profits that drive up costs for consumers.

Prioritizing Affordability at the End of the Legislative Session

Support small businesses and workforce development.
Affordable communities require good jobs. We must invest in training programs that equip residents with skills for growing industries, while providing tax relief and regulatory certainty for small businesses that are the bedrock of our local economies.

Affordability Should Be Our Shared Priority

Rein in wasteful spending and target resources where they do the most good.
The comptroller has underscored the need for fiscal discipline. Every dollar we spend should be evaluated for results and efficiency. That doesn’t mean cutting essential services—it means prioritizing investments that truly enhance quality of life and economic opportunity.

Expand access to affordable childcare and transportation.
Working families shouldn’t have to choose between paying rent and paying for childcare. Smart, targeted investments in these areas enhance workforce participation and strengthen communities.

As lawmakers, we should be working to make it easier, not harder, as Albany often does, for these businesses to succeed. That means cutting unnecessary regulations, reducing burdensome mandates and creating an economic environment where entrepreneurs can grow, hire and invest with confidence. Small businesses don't ask for special treatment. They simply want a fair opportunity to compete and thrive.

Independent Retailer Month

Said the Assembly passed initiatives to combat insurance fraud, oversee increases in automobile-insurance rates, and safeguard consumers from excessive profits.

Supports initiatives to combat insurance fraud, monitor increases in automobile insurance rates, and safeguard consumers from excessive profits.

Supports workforce training, small-business tax relief, and regulatory certainty for small businesses.

Calls for evaluating spending for results and efficiency while prioritizing essential services and investments in economic opportunity.

Supports targeted investments to expand access to affordable child care and transportation.

Calls for cutting unnecessary regulations and burdensome mandates affecting small businesses.

- Supports initiatives to combat insurance fraud, monitor increases in automobile insurance rates, and safeguard consumers from excessive profits.
- Supports workforce training, small-business tax relief, and regulatory certainty for small businesses.
- Calls for evaluating spending for results and efficiency while prioritizing essential services and investments in economic opportunity.
- Supports targeted investments to expand access to affordable child care and transportation.
- Calls for cutting unnecessary regulations and burdensome mandates affecting small businesses.

Economy

With utility costs continuing to climb, I was proud to support measures aimed at providing relief for ratepayers. These proposals would require utilities to operate under constrained budgets, tie executive compensation to customer affordability.

Supports utility-affordability measures requiring constrained utility budgets and tying executive compensation to customer affordability.

- Supports utility-affordability measures requiring constrained utility budgets and tying executive compensation to customer affordability.

Energy & the Environment

As of September 9, 2026, Karl Brabenec’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Healthcare

Voting & Elections

Public Safety

For students, early identification and support can make a world of difference. When schools, families and communities work together to provide the proper resources and accommodations, students with learning disabilities are better equipped to reach their full potential. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn in an environment that recognizes their individual needs and empowers them to succeed.

Learning Disability Week

Supports early identification, resources, and accommodations for students with learning disabilities.

- Supports early identification, resources, and accommodations for students with learning disabilities.

Education

Here’s how we can get there:

Reform and modernize regulations that drive up housing costs.
Across New York, zoning restrictions and outdated regulations limit housing supply and drive up prices. Incentivizing smart growth, reforming land use laws, and encouraging diverse housing options will help lower costs for families and workers.

Proposes reforming land-use laws and zoning regulations to expand housing supply and encourage diverse housing options.

- Proposes reforming land-use laws and zoning regulations to expand housing supply and encourage diverse housing options.

Housing & Urban Development

Karl Brabenec

- Supports workforce training, small-business tax relief, and regulatory certainty for small businesses.
- Calls for evaluating spending for results and efficiency while prioritizing essential services and investments in economic opportunity.
- Supports targeted investments to expand access to affordable child care and transportation.
- Calls for cutting unnecessary regulations and burdensome mandates affecting small businesses.

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

TikTok

Bluesky

Threads

New York State Assembly biography

Karl Brabenec was raised in Orange County. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Saint Mary College and a Master of Public Administration from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He lives in Westbrookville and is the father of two children.

Karl Brabenec previously served as an assistant to former Orange County Executive Edward A. Diana.

Biography

Karl Brabenec was elected to serve the constituents of the 98th Assembly District on November 4, 2014. The district includes parts of Orange and Rockland counties which include Deerpark, Port Jervis, Greenville, Minisink, Warwick, Monroe, Mount Hope, Wawayanda, Tuxedo and Ramapo. He is currently the ranking Minority member of the Assembly's Committee of Standing Committees. He formally served as Minority Whip and ranking member of the Assembly's Labor Committee. In addition, Brabenec serves on the Labor, Rules, and Election Law committees.

Karl currently serves as a member of the New York State Assembly for the 98th District. He was elected in 2014. He previously served as Deerpark town supervisor from 2010 to 2014.

Support small businesses and workforce development. Affordable communities require good jobs. We must invest in training programs that equip residents with skills for growing industries, while providing tax relief and regulatory certainty for small businesses that are the bedrock of our local economies.

Rein in wasteful spending and target resources where they do the most good. The comptroller has underscored the need for fiscal discipline. Every dollar we spend should be evaluated for results and efficiency. That doesn’t mean cutting essential services—it means prioritizing investments that truly enhance quality of life and economic opportunity.

Sponsored Legislation

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A05162	Creates the "I love NY outdoors" program; appropriation
A05202	Relates to establishing an electoral voting system for electing the governor, lieutenant-governor, comptroller and attorney general
A05217	Relates to dimensions and weights of vehicles
A05233	Relates to establishing the New York small business relief fund

Karl Brabenec - Assembly District 98 | New York State Assembly

Advocates for workforce-training programs, tax relief, and regulatory certainty for small businesses.

Calls for reducing wasteful spending and evaluating state spending for results and efficiency.

Sponsored A05233 to establish the New York small business relief fund.

- Advocates for workforce-training programs, tax relief, and regulatory certainty for small businesses.
- Calls for reducing wasteful spending and evaluating state spending for results and efficiency.
- Calls for cutting unnecessary regulations and burdensome mandates affecting small businesses.
- Sponsored A05233 to establish the New York small business relief fund.

With utility costs continuing to climb, I was proud to support measures aimed at providing relief for ratepayers. These proposals would require utilities to operate under constrained budgets, tie executive compensation to customer affordability. Another major focus of mine was addressing skyrocketing auto insurance premiums.

A05233	Relates to establishing the New York small business relief fund
A05257	Establishes the Defund Municipalities that Defund the Police Act
A05526	Creates a religious exemption to the ban on fossil fuel equipment and systems
A06103	Relates to exempting certain counties from the metropolitan commuter transportation district supplemental registration fee

Supported utility-ratepayer relief measures that would constrain utility budgets and tie executive compensation to customer affordability.

Sponsored A05526 to create a religious exemption to the ban on fossil-fuel equipment and systems.

- Supported utility-ratepayer relief measures that would constrain utility budgets and tie executive compensation to customer affordability.
- Sponsored A05526 to create a religious exemption to the ban on fossil-fuel equipment and systems.

A02385	Relates to the provision of certain services to students in nonpublic schools in certain school districts
A02386	Proposes a constitutional amendment to increase the terms of office of members of the legislature to four years
A02387	Relates to establishing the animal abuse hotline
A02388	Provides for any city, town or village in the state of New York to control the town speed limits

Sponsored A02386, a constitutional amendment to increase state legislators' terms to four years.

- Sponsored A02386, a constitutional amendment to increase state legislators' terms to four years.

A06103	Relates to exempting certain counties from the metropolitan commuter transportation district supplemental registration fee
A06104	Authorizes local school districts and municipalities to determine and establish school speed limits
A06127	Relates to providing a tax exemption for volunteer firefighters and volunteer ambulance workers
A06134	Establishes the fourteenth judicial district

A04847	Discontinues service fees for distinctive license plates issued to veterans
A04853	Authorizes imposition of life imprisonment without parole sentence for persistent violent felony offenders; repealer
A04856	Elevates killing a police work dog or police work horse from being a class E felony to a class D felony
A04863	Relates to the criminal possession of fentanyl

“After a brutal winter, we are now dealing with what can only be called pothole season,” said Brabenec. “You see it everywhere across Orange and Rockland. It is unacceptable. Last year, I fought hard to secure $120 million for NYSDOT Region 8 to repair and improve our roads. This year, we are pushing to do it again. But let’s be honest: Money alone will not fix this. We need accountability. That is why our office launched FixTheRoadsNY.com. If you see a pothole or a dangerous stretch of road, report it. We will take it directly to the appropriate agency and stay on it until it is addressed.”

Sponsored A06104 to authorize local school districts and municipalities to set school speed limits.

Sponsored A04853 to authorize life imprisonment without parole for persistent violent felony offenders.

Secured $120 million for New York State Department of Transportation Region 8 road repairs and calls for accountability in repair efforts.

- Sponsored A06104 to authorize local school districts and municipalities to set school speed limits.
- Sponsored A04853 to authorize life imprisonment without parole for persistent violent felony offenders.
- Secured $120 million for New York State Department of Transportation Region 8 road repairs and calls for accountability in repair efforts.

Every year, these allocations are negotiated during budget talks and directed to particular districts. It is sometimes also referred to as legislative grants or special aid. That’s why I’m proud to announce that I’ve secured much-needed funding for our local school districts and libraries in the Hudson Valley.

In addition to this funding, as a part of the state budget, I proudly voted to make meaningful changes to the Tier 6 pension program to improve benefits and retirement for our state’s teachers, police officers, firefighters and correction officers. I also supported a sweeping package of auto insurance reforms aimed at combating fraud, limiting legal loopholes and lowering premiums for consumers. Additionally, I was able to throw my support behind a proposal in the budget to give a 2% increase in Foundation Aid for our public schools, as well as increase funding for our state’s pre-K programs.

Sponsored Legislation

Prime-Sponsored Legislation:

A02279	Requires nonpublic schools to provide the same services that public schools currently provide to nonpublic schools; repealer
A02370	Relates to repealing the driver's license access and privacy act
A02385	Relates to the provision of certain services to students in nonpublic schools in certain school districts
A02386	Proposes a constitutional amendment to increase the terms of office of members of the legislature to four years

Secured funding for Hudson Valley school districts and libraries.

Supported a budget proposal to increase Foundation Aid by two percent and increase state prekindergarten funding.

Sponsored A02279 to require nonpublic schools to provide services that public schools provide to nonpublic schools.

- Supports early identification, resources, and accommodations for students with learning disabilities.
- Secured funding for Hudson Valley school districts and libraries.
- Supported a budget proposal to increase Foundation Aid by two percent and increase state prekindergarten funding.
- Sponsored A02279 to require nonpublic schools to provide services that public schools provide to nonpublic schools.

Reform and modernize regulations that drive up housing costs.
Across New York, zoning restrictions and outdated regulations limit housing supply and drive up prices. Incentivizing smart growth, reforming land use laws, and encouraging diverse housing options will help lower costs for families and workers.

Proposes reforming land-use and zoning regulations and encouraging diverse housing options to increase housing supply and lower costs.

- Proposes reforming land-use and zoning regulations and encouraging diverse housing options to increase housing supply and lower costs.

Biography

Karl Brabenec was raised in Orange County. He earned a bachelor's degree from Mount Saint Mary College and a master's degree in public administration from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He lives in Westbrookville and has two children.

Karl Brabenec previously worked as an assistant to former Orange County Executive Edward A. Diana.

Karl was elected Town Supervisor of Deerpark.

As lawmakers, we should be working to make it easier, not harder, as Albany often does, for these businesses to succeed. That means cutting unnecessary regulations, reducing burdensome mandates and creating an economic environment where entrepreneurs can grow, hire and invest with confidence.

Advocates for workforce-training programs that prepare residents for jobs in growing industries.

Advocates for tax relief and regulatory certainty for small businesses.

Calls for evaluating state spending for results and efficiency while prioritizing essential services and investments in economic opportunity.

Calls for reducing regulations and mandates on small businesses to support business growth, hiring, and investment.

Supported auto-insurance reforms intended to combat fraud, limit legal loopholes, and lower consumer premiums.

- Advocates for workforce-training programs that prepare residents for jobs in growing industries.
- Advocates for tax relief and regulatory certainty for small businesses.
- Calls for evaluating state spending for results and efficiency while prioritizing essential services and investments in economic opportunity.
- Calls for reducing regulations and mandates on small businesses to support business growth, hiring, and investment.
- Supported auto-insurance reforms intended to combat fraud, limit legal loopholes, and lower consumer premiums.

Supported utility-ratepayer relief measures requiring utilities to constrain their budgets and tying executive compensation to customer affordability.

Secured $120 million for New York State Department of Transportation Region 8 road repairs and launched a website for reporting unsafe roads.

- Secured $120 million for New York State Department of Transportation Region 8 road repairs and launched a website for reporting unsafe roads.

Advocates for early identification, resources, and accommodations for students with learning disabilities.

Supported a budget proposal increasing Foundation Aid for public schools by 2% and increasing state prekindergarten funding.

- Advocates for early identification, resources, and accommodations for students with learning disabilities.
- Supported a budget proposal increasing Foundation Aid for public schools by 2% and increasing state prekindergarten funding.

Proposes reforming zoning and land-use regulations and encouraging diverse housing options to increase housing supply and lower costs.

- Proposes reforming zoning and land-use regulations and encouraging diverse housing options to increase housing supply and lower costs.

Edward Krutsch

Buket Urgen

- Your assembly member is involved in the legislative process at the state level as part of the New York State Assembly, which consists of 150 members and serves as the lower house of the New York State Legislature.  
- Assembly members are responsible for representing your interests and assisting you with navigating state services while bringing resources back to your district.  
- Assembly members draft laws, approve budgets, oversee the state executive branch, and engage in debates and votes on proposed legislation.  
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your assembly member can serve on committees, where many bills may be delayed before reaching a vote.  
- Assembly members are elected for a two-year term with no term limits.  
- Their annual salary is $142,000.  

Your representative and state lawmaker in the New York State Assembly.