▁the ▁Assembly ▁R ules ▁Committee ▁and ▁the ▁Black , ▁Puerto ▁R ican , ▁His pan ic ▁and ▁Asian ▁Legisl ative ▁C au cus . ▁He ▁previously ▁served ▁as ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Assembly ▁Committee ▁on ▁B anks ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁Far rell ▁played ▁a ▁p iv otal ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁several ▁significant ▁pieces ▁of ▁legisl ation , ▁including ▁the ▁Om n ibus ▁Cons umer ▁Prote ction ▁and ▁Bank ing ▁Legisl ation ▁Act , ▁which ▁established ▁a ▁to ll - free ▁number ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁Bank ing ▁Department ▁that ▁disp enses ▁information ▁about ▁credit ▁card ▁interest ▁rates , ▁fe es ▁and ▁grace ▁periods , ▁and ▁a ▁mand ate ▁for ▁banks ▁to ▁furn ish ▁low - cost ▁checking ▁accounts ▁to ▁its ▁customers . ▁He ▁also ▁played ▁an ▁important ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁Ne igh bor hood ▁Pres ervation ▁Comp an ies ▁Act , ▁where by ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁funds ▁community ▁organizations ▁that ▁" prov ide ▁ten ant ▁advoc acy ." ▁ ▁However , ▁Far rell ▁is ▁most ▁widely ▁known ▁for ▁having ▁been ▁a ▁prominent ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁( and ▁to ▁a ▁less er ▁extent , ▁national ) ▁Democratic ▁Party . ▁He ▁was ▁first ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Democratic ▁State ▁Comm itte eman ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁serving ▁a ▁two - year ▁term . ▁Sub sequently , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁County ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁( 1 9 8 1 -