Biography

Assemblymember  Paula Elaine Kay

Paula Elaine Kay has been part of the 100th Assembly District for over 28 years. She and her husband, Jonathan, raised their two children in Rock Hill.

Paula graduated with a bachelor’s degree in government from Wesleyan University (as the Captain of the Women’s Ice Hockey Team) and a Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School. She began her legal career working as counsel at the New York City Council to the Housing and Buildings Committee, General Welfare Committee, and Speaker Peter Vallone’s Special Commission on the Homeless. She wrote legislation and staffed public hearings on the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, conditions in city-owned housing, and incentives for private developers to produce affordable housing.

After moving to Sullivan County, Paula became Director of Special Projects for Assembly Member Jake Gunther, where she championed the one-of-a-kind Adopt an Exit Program in the State of New York on Route 17 (I-86). In 2004, when she was first elected, Paula became Legislative Director for Assembly Member Aileen Gunther. In that position, she wrote proposed legislation, reviewed bills, and worked to advance them. She also provided direct services to constituents in Orange and Sullivan counties.

In 2008, Paula formed the Law Office of Paula Elaine Kay, specializing in municipal law, land use and zoning, corporate law and estate planning, including providing legal services to volunteer fire departments and not-for-profit corporations. For the last 20 years, she has represented the Planning and Zoning Boards of the Town of Thompson, first as Deputy Town Attorney and later as a Consulting Attorney. The projects she reviewed included Resorts World Catskills, The Kartrite Resort and Indoor Water Park, and YO1, as well as numerous housing developments and improvements to the Thompson Square Mall. Paula was the Town Prosecutor through 2021, working closely with law enforcement personnel. In addition, Paula represented the Town of Fallsburg as the Town Attorney where she handled Town Board, Planning Board, and Zoning Board matters, including helping shepherd the town through a major Comprehensive Plan Update.

Paula performs pro bono work for local community organizations and not-for-profits. She is a member and past President of the Rock Hill Business and Community Organization and Rock Hill’s Sullivan Renaissance Committee. She also volunteered in various positions for her children’s public schools and extracurricular activities and is a former President of a local homeowner’s association.

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Assembly Member Kay: 2025-26 Enacted Budget Makes Communities Safer and More Affordable

Assembly Member Paula Elaine Kay (D-Rock Hill) helped pass the 2025-26 enacted budget, addressing top priorities. From providing financial relief to millions of New Yorkers and local businesses to increasing access to higher education and improving public...

Assemblymember Kay honors our Active Troops and Their Families on Yellow Ribbon Day

Assemblymember Paula Elaine Kay (D-Rock Hill) sponsored a resolution to designate April 9, 2025, as Yellow Ribbon Day in New York State. The Assembly passed the resolution to honor the sacrifices of those serving in the military, bravely protecting our...

Assemblymember Kay: Woodbourne Correctional Facility Substance Exposures Highlight Staff’s Safety Concerns

“I am deeply disturbed by the toxic chemical exposure that correctional officers and National Guard members recently suffered at Woodbourne Correctional Facility, and I’m appalled that this has happened repeatedly without effective countermeasures...

Assemblymember Kay: Assembly Proposal Supports a More Affordable NY, But Prisons Should Not Be Shuttered

“The Assembly budget proposal addresses critical affordability issues such as childcare, quality education, housing and transportation infrastructure, and healthcare. However, the proposal does nothing to stop the closure of up to five correctional...

Assemblymember Paula Elaine Kay’s statement on Governor Hochul’s State of the State Address

The hard-working residents of the 100th Assembly District are certainly feeling the impact of sustained inflation and high living costs, and I’m committed to passing measures that make our communities more affordable and support the most vulnerable...
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