Biography:
Diane Yatauro, the Presiding Officer of the Nassau County Legislature, is in her third term as Legislator of the 18th Legislative District. Presiding Yatauro made her mark early by proposing the "Collette Coyne Skin Cancer Prevention Bill," which is designed to protect teens from the dangers of tanning. Her appearance on numerous talk shows and in print interviews has led to the adoption of this bill across the country. Her work was honored by the Collette Coyne Melanoma Awareness Campaign, and she remains active in the prevention and education of skin cancer.
Presiding Officer Yatauro also co-authored the environmental bond referendums which secured a $50 million environmental bond approved by voters in 2004, and a similar $100 million bond approved by voters in 2006. In an effort to keep cigarettes out of schools, Presiding Officer Yatauro co-sponsored "Tobacco 19," a law which pushed the smoking age to 19. She also helped pass a living wage law which increased the minimum wage for county hired contractors.
In 2008, as Presiding Officer, she created three new committees in the Legislature – the Education Committee, the Aging Committee, and the Veterans Committee, which oversee and deal with issues pertinent to those areas. She was also instrumental in the passage of a property tax exemption for Cold War Veterans, regaining budget funding for youth services, and crafting a “Green Procurement” plan that requires Nassau County to purchase recyclable, renewable, environmentally safe products and services. Presiding Officer Yatauro is a leader in the fight to lower our property taxes – She has championed reform in the Department of Assessment, and successfully fought to replace the Assessor with an experienced professional. She is also an outspoken advocate for consolidation, which would lower our taxes by reducing duplication in government services. Additionally, she has championed several county projects that have improved the quality of life in her district and has secured funding for community revitalization projects in Glen Cove, Bayville, Sea Cliff, Locust Valley, Oyster Bay, Jericho, and the Brookvilles.
Presiding Officer Yatauro is actively involved in many community organizations. She is a member of the Glen Cove Sons of Italy, Old Westbury Gardens, Glen Cove Chamber of Commerce, North Shore Boys and Girls Club, Junior League, and the North Shore Historical Museum. She was a religion teacher for 17 years at St. Rocco's Church. Presiding Officer Yatauro is also a class parent and member of the Parent Council. She is a past Vice President of the Oyster Bay East Norwich Boys and Girls Club, a former trustee at Portledge School and a past member of the Raynham Hall Museum Board of Directors.
Presiding Officer Yatauro is a former Second Vice President at Chase Manhattan and lives in Glen Cove with her husband Bernie, and their two children, Michael and Noelle.
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