Longtime Republican New York StateAssemblyman and State Police veteran Thomas Kirwan has died. He was78. "Tonight we mourn the passing of a dedicated public servant,Assemblyman Tom Kirwan," Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-N.Y.) said in a statementreleased Monday night. "For the more than a decade that Tom servedin the Assembly, he was an ardent voice for his community and thepeople of New York State," Cuomo said. Town of Chester supervisor Steve Neuhaus said that Kirwan died Monday night at St.Luke's Cornwall Hospital after battling an illness. He had apacemaker installed in 2008. A 28-year veteran of the New York State Police and lifelongNewburgh resident, Kirwan first served in the State Assembly from1995 to 2008, when he was narrowly defeated by Democrat FrankSkartados. He recaptured the seat in 2010 after a lengthy courtbattle, depriving Democratic Speaker Sheldon Silver of hisveto-proof supermajority. He was instrumental in the creation and passage of the SchoolTax Relief Program (STAR), the Sexual Assault Reform Act of 2000and a law requiring civil confinement of violent sexual predators,according to Kirwan's Assembly website. Kirwan represented the 100th Assembly District, which includesthe Town and City of Newburgh in Orange County, the cities ofBeacon and Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County, and the Ulster Countytowns of Marlboro, Lloyd and Shawangunk.AP wire services contributed to this report