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| SUFFOLK COUNTY LEGISLATURE | ||
| We proudly endorse: | ||
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County
Executive
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Steve Levy - D (Open Seat) | |
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As a Suffolk County legislator for 15 years and currently a state assemblyman for 3 years, Steve Levy has worked extensively on behalf of the LGBT community in Suffolk. During his career, he has allied with organizations such as Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY), BiasHelp and Long Island AIDS Care. If elected, he has pledged to sign the bill creating a domestic partnership registry when it is reintroduced and hopefully passed. Levy also plans to continue allocating funding for the enforcement of anti-bias laws. In the Assembly, he voted for SONDA, Hate Crimes and the Dignity for All Students Act. | |
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District
1
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Vincent Villella - D (Challenger) | |
| As the former town supervisor of Riverhead, Vincent Villella created the Anti-Bias Task Force. If elected, he plans to work closely with the LGBT-supportive members of the Legislature to advance equal rights for our community. Villella is running against Michael Caracciolo (R,I,C,WF), a legislator who voted against and spoke in opposition to the domestic partnership registry bill, as well as a bill in 2001 expanding the Suffolk human rights law to cover sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. | ||
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District
2
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George Guldi - D,I,WF (Incumbent) | |
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George Guldi has been and continues to be a strong voice for Suffolk County's LGBT community. In the last session he sponsored, voted for and worked towards the passage of the domestic partnership registry bill. In 2001, he voted for a bill expanding the Suffolk human rights law to cover sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. He has supported legislation and initiatives for a fair and equal society in Suffolk and to protect a woman's right to choose. | |
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District
5
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Vivian Viloria-Fisher - D,I,WF (Incumbent) | |
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As a legislator since 1999, Vivian Viloria-Fisher has been deeply committed to the LGBT community on Long Island, and has specifically supported Long Island Gay And Lesbian Youth (LIGALY). In addition, she has worked with other elected officials, judges and community members to improve conditions for youth in schools and domestic violence victims. In the last session, Viloria-Fisher supported and voted for a bill that would have created a domestic partnership registry in Suffolk County. And in 2001, she voted for a bill expanding the Suffolk human rights law to cover sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. | |
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District
6
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Andrew Tarantino - D,WF (Open Seat) | |
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Andrew Tarantino is running for an important open seat, vacated earlier this year by a legislator who voted against the domestic partnership registry bill. If elected, he has vowed to vote for the bill and work for its passage. This year, he fought for the inclusion of domestic partnership health benefits in the new contract for county teachers. He has a history of openly addressing bias in schools and the government. | |
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District
14
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David Bishop - D,I,WF (Incumbent) | |
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David Bishop has consistently stood for equal rights for the LGBT community, even in the face of a predominantly conservative district. In the next term, he plans to team up with the LGBT community and concerned organizations to build the support the bill needs to pass. In the last session, he sponsored and voted for the domestic partnership registry bill. In 2001, he voted for a bill expanding the Suffolk human rights law to cover sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. Bishop also brought the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program to the county, which trains nurses to meet rape victims in a private setting, provide initial counseling and also conduct evidence gathering examinations resulting in more efficient law enforcement. | |
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District
15
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Maxine Postal - D,I,WF (Incumbent) | |
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As presiding officer, Maxine Postal is also a primary sponsor of the domestic partnership registry bill. She plans to continue the fight for the bill's passage, using her position to educate her colleagues on its importance. In 2001, she voted for a bill expanding the Suffolk human rights law to cover sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. She sponsored legislation to give funding and surplus vehicles to Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth (LIGALY). Additionally, she participates in the Long Island Pride Parade every year. | |
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District
16
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Eric Sachs - D,WF (Challenger) | |
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Eric Sachs is challenging Allan Binder (R,I,C), a legislator who has consistently voted against LGBT equality, recently voted against the domestic partnership registry bill, and voted against expansion of the Suffolk human rights law in 2001. Sachs had pledged to support the registry bill and other pro-LGBT legislation that is introduced in the Legislature. In his current capacity as an attorney, Sachs is representing an individual who was the victim of a bias crime. | |
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District
18
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Jon Cooper - D,I,WF (Incumbent) | |
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Jon Cooper is the only openly gay member of the Suffolk County Legislature. He has championed the LGBT agenda since his election to the Legislature in 1999. Most recently, he introduced and lobbied for a bill that would create a domestic partnership registry in Suffolk County. In 2001, he championed a bill to expand the Suffolk human rights law to cover the categories of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. | |
| Also please note: | ||
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District
17
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Paul Tonna - R,I,WF (Incumbent) | |
| Paul Tonna was the only Republican Suffolk County Legislator to vote for the domestic partnership registry bill last session. He has also expressed support for the LGBT community and initiatives that advance our equality. In 2001, he was one of three Republicans to vote for a bill expanding the human rights law. However, the Pride Agenda was unable to formally endorse Legislator Tonna because he did not return a candidate questionnaire. | ||