J. Gustavo Rivera
Unopposed; no Republican or third-party opponent has filed for the general election.
J. Gustavo Rivera is the Democratic and Working Families Party nominee for re-election to New York State Senate District 33 in the central Bronx. First elected in 2010, he chairs the Senate Health Committee — the first person of color to lead it — and is unopposed in the general election.[1][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.
- YesConcealed Carry Improvement Act · S51001 · Passed 43–20 · 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.
- Yes2021–22 Budget Revenue Bill (raised taxes on income over $1M and corporate franchise tax) · S2509-C · Passed 38–25 · 2021-04-06 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 · S425-A · Passed 42–18 · 2020-07-22 official record ↗Bars federal civil immigration arrests of people going to, attending, or leaving New York courthouses without a judicial warrant.
- 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.
- YesClimate Leadership and Community Protection Act · S6599 · Passed 41–21 · 2019-06-18 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.
- YesHousing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 · S6458 · Passed 36–26 · 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.
- YesExtreme Risk Protection Orders (Red Flag Law) · S2451 · Passed 42–21 · 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.
- YesReproductive Health Act · S240 · Passed 38–24 · 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
- bill2026-06-02 · Sponsored S9573, authorizing the state Health Commissioner to establish regional Medicaid waiting lists for the Nursing Home Transition and Diversion waiver program once federally approved capacity is reached; passed the Senate 61–0 on June 2, 2026 and passed the Assembly by June 4, 2026.[5]
- bill2026-05-13 · Sponsored S9401-A, directing the Health Department to enable data exchange between the state's Prescription Monitoring Program registry and certified electronic health record systems; passed the Senate 60–0 on May 13, 2026 (via substitute A8849) and returned to the Assembly.[6]
- billSponsored S9589, which would create a state-funded premium-assistance program and expand Essential Plan eligibility for New Yorkers losing insurance coverage because of the federal H.R. 1 reconciliation law; in Senate Health Committee as of March 26, 2026.[4]
- actionChairs the Senate Health Committee in the 2025–2026 session and also sits on the Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Housing, Mental Health, Crime Victims Crime and Correction, Finance, and Higher Education committees.[2][3]
Positions on the issues
- SupportsExpand public health coverage
Sponsors the New York Health Act, which would create a state single-payer health plan, and sponsored S9589, which would create a state-funded premium-assistance program and expand Essential Plan eligibility for New Yorkers losing coverage due to federal policy changes under H.R. 1.[3][4]
- 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. 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.[7][8]
- 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. Voted yes on S6599 (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, 2019-06-18): Set statewide targets of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and an 85% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.[9][10]
- 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. 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.[11][12][13][14]
- 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. 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.[15][16]
- 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. Voted yes on S425-A (Protect Our Courts Act, 2020-07-22): Bars federal civil immigration arrests of people going to, attending, or leaving New York courthouses without a judicial warrant.[17][18]
- 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. Voted yes on S2509-C (2021–22 Budget Revenue Bill (raised taxes on income over $1M and corporate franchise tax), 2021-04-06): Raised personal income tax rates on incomes above $1 million and raised the corporate franchise tax rate on large businesses, among other revenue measures.[19][20]
In their words — priorities
- Healthcare expansion, including sponsorship of the New York Health Act to create a state single-payer health plan.[3]
- Reducing medical debt for New Yorkers.[3]
- Substance-use treatment and harm reduction, including through the Opioid Settlement Fund and a Safer Consumption Services Act.[3]
- Safe-staffing standards in hospitals and nursing homes.[3]
- Advocacy for Latino communities in the Bronx.[3]
Background
- Earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Puerto Rico (1998) and pursued doctoral studies in political science at the CUNY Graduate Center.[2][3]
- Worked as a community organizer for local and state campaigns, including for State Senators Jose Serrano and Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Fernando Ferrer's 2001 New York City mayoral campaign.[3]
- In 2008 worked for the Service Employees International Union on Barack Obama's presidential campaign and, after the election, served as the campaign's Constituency Director in Florida and later as Director of Outreach for U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.[3]
- Taught political science as an adjunct professor at Pace University and Hunter College.[2][3]
- Elected to the State Senate in 2010; served as Ranking Member of the Senate Health Committee before becoming its chair in 2018, becoming the first person of color to lead that committee.[3]