John Bonacic

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 Doctorate of Law 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 been re-elected every two years.

He currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing, Construction & Community Development. He is also the Co-Chair of the Senate Task Force on Health & Wellness and is the Senate's Representative on Governor Pataki's Small Cities Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the Senate's Budget Sub-Committee on Housing, Agriculture, Environmental Conservation, and Transportation.

In addition, Senator Bonacic serves as a member of several other Senate committees, including: Tourism, Recreation & Sports Development; Judiciary; Local Government; Commerce, Economic Development & Small Business; Banks; Codes; and Labor.

Senator Bonacic is recognized as an independent leader within the Senate. From nearly his first day in the Senate, he has challenged the conventional thinking of the long-time Majority on issues relating to healthcare, property tax reform, and government reform. Bonacic was the Senate sponsor of the Women's Health and Wellness Act, legislation so significant it was featured nationally on NBC Nightly News and has been called the most comprehensive women's healthcare law in the nation.

Bonacic was also the first voice within the current Senate membership to articulate a series of arguments against the current property tax system. He held statewide hearings in 2003 that led to the development of property tax reform legislation. That legislation, while supported in the Senate, was not brought to a vote in Assembly Committees, which are controlled by downstate Democrats. In addition, he offered legislation to remove the property tax, at local option, on primary residential property. That concept was picked up and passed in the Senate in 2006; again, without any action in the Assembly.

Bonacic voted against same-sex marriage legislation on December 2, 2009; the bill was defeated.^[4] He also voted against the state's 2011 Marriage Equality Act, which the Senate passed 33-29.

External links

• New York State Senate: John J. Bonacic

References