James Tedisco

James Tedisco is an American politician and educator serving as a member of the New York State Assembly for the 112th district. A member of the Republican Party, he has represented parts of the Capital District in the New York State Legislature since 1993, first in the Assembly and later in the Senate before returning to the Assembly. Tedisco is known for his advocacy on issues such as animal welfare, government ethics, and fiscal conservatism, and he served as the Minority Leader of the New York State Senate from 2009 to 2010.

Early life and education

James Tedisco was born in Schenectady, New York, and grew up in the city's Hamilton Hill neighborhood. He attended local public schools before earning a Bachelor of Arts in history from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. He later received a Master of Science in special education from the Sage Graduate School in Troy, New York. Before entering politics, Tedisco worked as a special education teacher and a varsity basketball coach at Schenectady High School.

Political career

Tedisco began his legislative career in 1993, winning election to the New York State Assembly to represent the 110th district. In the Assembly, he served as the ranking Minority Member on the Education Committee. In 2004, he was elected to the New York State Senate to succeed retiring Senator Hugh T. Farley. During his tenure in the Senate, Tedisco rose to become Minority Leader of the New York State Senate following the 2008 elections. He served in that leadership role until the end of 2010. Following redistricting, he returned to the New York State Assembly in 2017, representing the newly created 112th district. Throughout his career, he has sponsored significant legislation, including "Buster's Law," a 1999 statute that established felony penalties for animal cruelty in New York.

Electoral history

Tedisco first won election to the New York State Assembly in 1992, defeating Democratic candidate Michael Brockbank. He was re-elected consistently in the 110th district until 2004. That year, he won a special election to the New York State Senate for the 44th district after the resignation of Hugh T. Farley. He was re-elected to the Senate in 2006 and 2008. In 2009, he was the Republican nominee in the closely watched special election for New York's 20th congressional district, narrowly losing to Scott Murphy. Following the 2010 redistricting, he was elected to the 49th Senate district in 2012. He returned to the New York State Assembly in the 2016 election for the 112th district and has been re-elected every term since.

Political positions

Tedisco is a fiscally conservative Republican who often focuses on issues of government spending, tax relief, and governmental ethics. He is a prominent advocate for animal rights, having authored the landmark "Buster's Law." He has been a vocal opponent of the SAFE Act, New York's gun control legislation passed under Governor Andrew Cuomo. On education, he has supported increasing aid to public schools and providing more local control. He has also sponsored legislation to strengthen penalties for assaults on EMS personnel and to combat the opioid epidemic.

Personal life

Tedisco resides in Glenville. He is an avid sports fan and maintains close ties to his alma mater, the College of Saint Rose. His work on "Buster's Law" was inspired by a case of animal torture in his district, cementing his reputation as a leading voice on animal welfare in the New York State Legislature. He is active in numerous community organizations throughout the Capital Region.

Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:New York (state) Republicans Category:Members of the New York State Assembly Category:New York (state) state senators