John Bonacic
| John J. Bonacic | |
|---|---|
| Member of the New York State Senate from the 42nd district | |
|
Assumed office January 1, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Neil Breslin |
| Member of the New York State Senate from the 40th district | |
|
In office January 1, 1999 – December 31, 2002 | |
| Preceded by | Charles D. Cook |
| Succeeded by | Vincent Leibell |
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 95th district | |
|
In office January 1, 1993 – December 31, 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Nancy Calhoun |
| Succeeded by | Howard Mills III |
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 94th district | |
|
In office February 20, 1990 – December 31, 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Mary M. McPhillips |
| Succeeded by | Nancy Calhoun |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 14, 1942 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Pat Bonacic |
| Residence | Mount Hope, New York |
| Alma mater |
Iona College (B.A.) Fordham University (J.D.) |
| Website | Official website |
John J. Bonacic (born June 14, 1942 in New York City) is the Republican New York State Senator from the 42nd District (which includes all or parts of Delaware, Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster Counties). Bonacic was first elected in November 1998.
Personal life and education
Bonacic is of Croatian ancestry;[1] his grandparents were immigrants from Croatia.[2] He received his Bachelor of Arts from Iona College in 1964, majoring in Economics. He received his JD at Fordham University School of Law in 1968.
Political career
On February 20, 1990, Bonacic was elected to the New York State Assembly, to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Mary M. McPhillips as Orange County Executive.[3] Bonacic was re-elected four times and remained in the Assembly until 1998, sitting in the 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st and 192nd New York State Legislatures. In November 1998, he was elected to the New York State Senate, and has—as of October 2017—been re-elected every two years since.
As of 2016, Bonacic served as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee, and was a member of several other Senate committees, including: Judiciary; Banks; and Housing, Construction & Community Development.[4]
Bonacic voted against same-sex marriage legislation on December 2, 2009; the bill was defeated.[5] He also voted against the state's 2011 Marriage Equality Act, which the Senate passed 33-29.[6]
Bonacic was the lead sponsor of the 2013 constitutional amendment that allowed for up to seven casinos to be licensed on non-Indian land in upstate New York.[7] Bonacic was also the lead sponsor of the Upstate New York Gaming Economic Development Act of 2013.[8] He has also sponsored a bill that would legalize online poker.[9] Bonacic supported the opening of a casino in Sullivan County, New York.[10]
Bonacic supports the legalization of physician-assisted suicide, and has introduced legislation that would do so.[11]
While Bonacic cast a procedural vote against a 2013 bill that would have expanded abortion rights,[12] he expressed support for the Reproductive Health Act in 2016. At a January 25, 2016 gathering of abortion advocates in Albany, the Senator commented, "'Both my daughter and my bride of 50 years believe in pro-choice and we should never deprive women of access of health care that they choose and their medical providers say is best for them.'"[13]
On May 6, 2018, Bonacic announced that he would not seek re-election in November 2018.[14]
External links
References
- ↑ Dnevno.hr Archived 2012-10-30 at the Wayback Machine. Ratko Martinović: Loš PR u dijaspori - Koje su svjetski poznate osobe podrijetlom Hrvati, a da to niste ni znali, 28. listopada 2012. (Croatian)
- ↑ "Statement by Senator John Bonacic". NYSenate.gov. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
- ↑ 3 Assembly Victors Favor Death Penalty in the New York Times on February 21, 1990
- ↑ "About John J. Bonacic". Retrieved 2016-09-24.
- ↑ Vote against same-sex marriage by Bonacic. Archived 2015-02-11 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2011/a8354
- ↑ https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/john-j-bonacic/senate-and-assembly-pass-bonacic%E2%80%99s-casino-gaming-amendment
- ↑ https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2013/s5883/amendment/original
- ↑ http://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/albany-watch/2015/09/09/new-york-online-poker/71970762/
- ↑ http://cityandstateny.com/27/all-videos/policy/john-bonacic.html#.WlLYUTdG3iV
- ↑ http://www.syracuse.com/state/index.ssf/2015/06/report_gop_ny_senator_agrees_to_sponsor_assisted_suicide_bill.html
- ↑ http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/06/abortion_stalemate_ny_womens_r.html
- ↑ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-abortion-bill-finally-support-republican-article-1.2509127
- ↑ Reynolds, Hugh. "A farewell to John Bonacic". Hudson Valley One. Ulster Publishing. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
| New York Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mary M. McPhillips |
New York State Assembly 94th District 1990–1992 |
Succeeded by Nancy Calhoun |
| Preceded by Nancy Calhoun |
New York State Assembly 95th District 1993–1998 |
Succeeded by Howard Mills III |
| New York State Senate | ||
| Preceded by Charles D. Cook |
New York State Senate 40th District 1999–2002 |
Succeeded by Vincent Leibell |
| Preceded by Neil Breslin |
New York State Senate 42nd District 2003–present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by John L. Sampson |
New York State Senate Chairman of the Judiciary Committee 2011–present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Eric Adams |
New York State Senate Chairman of the Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering 2011–present |
Incumbent |