Susan A. Berland, County Legislator, 16th Legislative District

SUSAN A. BERLAND

Democratic

BACKGROUND:

• Berland, 60, of Dix Hills, has been a Suffolk County legislator since 2018. The Democratic majority leader chairs the veterans and consumer affairs committee. She is also running on the Working Families party line.
• Berland, a licensed attorney, previously worked in private practice and as a state assistant attorney general and an assistant Huntington Town attorney. Berland, a former State Senate aide, spent 16 years as a Huntington Town Board member.
• She has a bachelor’s degree from the University at Albany and a law degree from Hofstra University, where she is an adjunct professor.

ISSUES:

• Berland touted her government experience, including passing legislation to create a women veterans advisory board, ban employers from asking about criminal history on job applications and increase remote access to legislative meetings. She also sponsored legislation to require water and amusement parks to report crimes that occur on their premises to police after four preteen girls were inappropriately touched at Splish Splash Water Park in Calverton.
• Berland said she is focused on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, including making people feel comfortable going back to work. She said her office reached out to thousands of constituents to check on them during the height of the pandemic.
• Berland said she wants to extend sewer districts into Brentwood and North Bay Shore. She also said she helped install free sunscreen dispensers at parks and beaches.

By Rachelle Blidner

rachelle.blidner@newsday.com@rachelleblidner

Rachelle Blidner covers Suffolk County government, politics and breaking news.