Catalina Cruz
Catalina Cruz is the Democratic and Working Families Party incumbent for NY State Assembly District 39, first elected in 2019. An attorney and former DREAMer who grew up undocumented in Queens, she serves on the Codes, Ethics and Guidance, Health, Insurance, Labor, Rules, and Ways and Means committees and has focused her legislative record on immigrant rights, tenant protections, and workers' rights.[2][3]
Floor votes in Albany
- YesProvides that a microbusiness licensee authorized to conduct retail sales may serve as a processor and cultivator for purposes of cannabis showcase event permits · S10113 · Passed Assembly 88–53 · 2026-06-05 official record ↗Provides that a microbusiness licensee authorized to conduct retail sales may serve as a processor and cultivator for purposes of cannabis showcase event permits.
- YesRelates to granting employees access to personnel records · S3460 · Passed Assembly 92–49 · 2026-05-19 official record ↗Grants employees access to personnel records; requires notice of negative information in such records and an opportunity for a review; permits employee to include certain information in personnel records.
- YesConcealed Carry Improvement Act · S51001 · Passed 90–52 · 2022-07-01 official record ↗Enacted after the Bruen decision: added training and character requirements for carry permits and barred guns in designated sensitive places.
- Yes2021–22 budget revenue bill · S2509 · Passed 88–61 · 2021-04-07 official record ↗Raised personal income tax rates on incomes above $1 million and raised the corporate franchise tax rate on large businesses, among other revenue measures.
- YesProtect Our Courts Act · A2176 · Passed 97–44 · 2020-07-20 official record ↗Bars federal civil immigration arrests of people going to, attending, or leaving New York courthouses without a judicial warrant.
- YesClimate Leadership and Community Protection Act · S6599 · Passed 111–35 · 2019-06-20 official record ↗Set statewide targets of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and an 85% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.
- YesHousing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 · S6458 · Passed 95–46 · 2019-06-14 official record ↗Made rent regulation permanent, ended vacancy decontrol and the vacancy bonus, and limited rent increases for major capital improvements.
- YesExtreme risk protection orders (red-flag law) · S2451 · Passed 100–37 · 2019-01-29 official record ↗Allows courts to temporarily bar people found to pose a danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms.
- YesReproductive Health Act · S240 · Passed 95–49 · 2019-01-22 official record ↗Moved abortion from the penal code to the public-health law and protected access to abortion under state law.
Votes on landmark laws since 2019, plus 2026 roll calls where at least five members voted on the losing side — read from the legislature’s official records.
On the record — official actions
- actionServes on the Codes, Ethics and Guidance, Health, Insurance, Labor, Rules, and Ways and Means committees in the 2025-2026 session.[9]
- billSponsored A00270, establishing a right to legal counsel in immigration court proceedings; referred to the Codes Committee, not enacted as of September 2026.[5]
- billSponsored A00176 (print no. A00176A), allowing state agencies, municipalities and authorities to provide public benefits regardless of immigration status; amended and recommitted to the Social Services Committee, not enacted as of September 2026.[7]
- billSponsored A10021, which would bar denying children access to free public education based on their own or their parents' actual or perceived citizenship or immigration status; referred to the Education Committee, not enacted as of September 2026.[6]
- billSponsored A08516, authorizing the DMV to issue standard driver's licenses while restricting what applicant information can be retained or disclosed; referred to the Transportation Committee, not enacted as of September 2026.[10]
- billSponsored A00352, authorizing the state to withhold Medicaid reimbursements from retail entities that refuse to dispense federally approved pregnancy-prevention products; referred to the Health Committee, not enacted as of September 2026.[8]
Positions on the issues
- OpposesExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes
Voted yes on A2176 (Protect Our Courts Act, 2020-07-20): Bars federal civil immigration arrests of people going to, attending, or leaving New York courthouses without a judicial warrant.[19]
What they say: Sponsored bills to establish a right to legal counsel in immigration court proceedings (A00270), to require courts to notify noncitizens of deportation risk before accepting a guilty plea, and to guarantee access to public benefits and public education regardless of immigration status (A00176, A10021), positioning her against expanded enforcement and toward due-process protections for immigrants.[5][6][7]
- SupportsProtect legal access to abortionFrom recorded votes
Voted yes on S240 (Reproductive Health Act, 2019-01-22): Moved abortion from the penal code to the public-health law and protected access to abortion under state law.[18]
What they say: Sponsored A00352, which would let the state health commissioner withhold Medicaid reimbursements from retail entities (such as pharmacies) that decline to dispense a federally approved product that would block, prevent or otherwise negate a pregnancy.[8]
- SupportsStronger rent regulation and tenant protectionsFrom recorded votes
Voted yes on S6458 (Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, 2019-06-14): Made rent regulation permanent, ended vacancy decontrol and the vacancy bonus, and limited rent increases for major capital improvements.[14]
- SupportsFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes
Voted yes on S6599 (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, 2019-06-20): Set statewide targets of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and an 85% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.[15]
- SupportsStricter gun lawsFrom recorded votes
Voted yes on S2451 (Extreme risk protection orders (red-flag law), 2019-01-29): Allows courts to temporarily bar people found to pose a danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms. Voted yes on S51001 (Concealed Carry Improvement Act, 2022-07-01): Enacted after the Bruen decision: added training and character requirements for carry permits and barred guns in designated sensitive places.[16][17]
- SupportsRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes
Voted yes on S2509 (2021–22 budget revenue bill, 2021-04-07): Raised personal income tax rates on incomes above $1 million and raised the corporate franchise tax rate on large businesses, among other revenue measures.[20]
In their words — priorities
- Describes her legislative focus as immigrant rights, tenant protections and workers' rights, citing her background as a formerly undocumented tenant attorney raised by a single working mother.[3]
- Her official biography states she has "passed more than 20 new laws to combat food insecurity, curtail the high cost of healthcare, protect aging New Yorkers and so much more" since taking office in 2019.[3]
Background
- Born in Colombia; came to Queens at age 9 and lived in the United States for more than 10 years as an undocumented immigrant (a "DREAMer") before gaining status.[3]
- Holds a bachelor's degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Juris Doctor from the City University of New York School of Law; admitted to practice law in New York.[3]
- Before elected office, practiced housing law representing tenants in housing court and held government positions including Chief of Staff to then-Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Counsel to the City Council's Committee on Immigration, and Director of the Governor's Exploited Workers Task Force.[3]
- First elected to the Assembly in 2018, defeating incumbent Ari Espinal in the Democratic primary; has been re-elected in 2020, 2022 and 2024.[4]