Photo: assembly.state.ny.usNY · Officeholder
DAssembly Member · District 52
On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: NY State Assembly · District 52
Jo Anne Simon is the incumbent Democratic and Working Families Party nominee for NY State Assembly District 52 (parts of Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill and nearby neighborhoods). A disability civil rights attorney and longtime Brooklyn civic and party figure, she was first elected in 2014 and took office in January 2015; she chairs the Assembly's Mental Health Committee and is a member of the Higher Education, Judiciary, Transportation and Ways and Means committees.[1][2][3]
Jo Anne Simon grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Yonkers, NY, the oldest girl in a family of five and the daughter of Italian immigrants, and she was the first in her family to attend college.[1] She earned a bachelor's degree in Communication Sciences from Iona College, a master's degree in Education of the Deaf from Gallaudet University, and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law, which she completed at night while working full-time.[1] Simon worked as a judicial law secretary and taught in Hofstra University School of Law's clinical program before establishing a disability civil rights law firm in Downtown Brooklyn.[1] She is also an adjunct assistant professor of law at Fordham and general counsel of the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD).[1]
Simon has lived in Brooklyn since 1981.[1] She served as President of the Boerum Hill Association, founded or co-founded several Brooklyn civic organizations, including the Downtown Brooklyn Coalition, BrooklynSpeaks.net and the Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods, and chaired the Gowanus Community Stakeholder Group.[1] In 2004 she was elected female District Leader and State Committeewoman for the 52nd Assembly District, according to her official biography; the Brooklyn Paper reported in 2014 that she had served as female district leader since 2004.[1][4] According to the Brooklyn Paper, she ran for New York City Council in 2009, when she and Doug Biviano lost that race to Steve Levin.[4]
Simon won the 2014 Democratic primary for the open Assembly seat of retiring Assembly Member Joan Millman, defeating Peter Sikora and Doug Biviano, and then won the general election, taking office on January 1, 2015.[5][3][4] Ballotpedia lists her as a candidate in the 2021 Democratic primary for Brooklyn Borough President and the 2022 Democratic primary for U.S. House in New York's 10th District; she did not win either primary and remained in the Assembly.[3] According to the Assembly website, she chairs the Committee on Mental Health and is a member of the Higher Education, Judiciary, Transportation and Ways and Means committees.[2] Her official biography also describes her as a member of the ARISE Coalition, which seeks to improve outcomes for New York City children with disabilities.[1]
Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.
Full candidate research ›NY State Assembly · District 52 ›
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
Most contested
Relates to certain mandatory disclosures for job advertisements
Requires certain mandatory disclosures for printed or digital job advertisements by an employer or third-party job posting entity; provides for the imposition of a fine of $2,500 for violations.
Jun 2, 2026 · Passed Assembly 86–54 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Relates to labeling requirements for gas stoves
Requires the display of certain labels and warnings on gas stoves sold, displayed for sale, or offered for sale at retail to a consumer in this state; authorizes the department of state to adopt regulations regarding the placement and format of such labels; provides for penalties; authorizes the attorney general to enforce such provisions.
Jun 1, 2026 · Passed Assembly 91–48 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Relates to the payment of restitution by registered and unregistered repair shops
Establishes that if financial loss has been made and a registrant or unregistered repair shop fails to comply with an order to pay restitution, the commissioner shall, by order, increase the amount of the penalty assessed.
Jun 1, 2026 · Passed Assembly 92–47 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Facilitates appellate review of rulings that implicate issues of public concern
Relates to facilitating appellate review of rulings that implicate issues of public concern.
May 18, 2026 · Passed Assembly 81–56 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Provides that an accusatory instrument or supporting deposition consisting of factual allegations by a deponent with limited English proficiency is not sufficient unless accompanied by a sworn statement from an interpreter affirming the accuracy of the English interpretation.
Apr 28, 2026 · Passed Assembly 83–53 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Requires certain elections take place in even-numbered years for certain municipal and judicial officials except in the city of New York.
Jun 5, 2026 · Passed Assembly 82–52 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Relates to the effectiveness of provisions of law relating to providing that in the case of any application for gas service to a building which is not supplied with gas, a utility corporation or municipality shall be obligated to provide gas service to such building.
Mar 31, 2026 · Passed Assembly 83–61 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Provides that the assignment, transfer, or modification of leases for exploration, development, and production of gas or oil in state forests, reforestation areas and wildlife management areas shall not allow expansion or extension of such provisions.
Mar 10, 2026 · Passed Assembly 93–50 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Relates to portable solar generation devices
Defines "portable solar generation device"; exempts portable solar generation devices from interconnection or net metering requirements; requires the state energy conservation construction code to allow for portable solar generation devices to be connected to a building's wiring through an electrical outlet.
May 28, 2026 · Passed Assembly 89–47 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Relates to requirements for the provision of medication for medical aid in dying
Relates to requirements for medical professionals and health care facilities that provide medication to patients for medical aid in dying; extends the initial effectiveness of certain provisions relating thereto.
Feb 4, 2026 · Passed Assembly 83–62 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Relates to determining the capacity of a defendant to stand trial
Provides for the use of restoration services when determining the capacity of a defendant to stand trial.
Jun 5, 2026 · Passed Assembly 83–49 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Relates to labeling requirements for gas stoves
Requires the display of certain labels and warnings on gas stoves sold, displayed for sale, or offered for sale at retail to a consumer in this state; authorizes the department of state to adopt regulations regarding the placement and format of such labels; provides for penalties; authorizes the attorney general to enforce such provisions.
Jun 1, 2026 · Passed Assembly 91–48 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Establishes a comprehensive electric vehicle fast charging station implementation plan; requires the New York state energy and research development authority to further establish a "Fast Charge NY working group" to develop such plan; makes related provisions.
Mar 18, 2026 · Passed Assembly 108–35 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Provides that a rental vehicle company or peer-to-peer car sharing program administrator may act as an agent for an authorized insurer with respect to accident and health insurance that provides coverage to shared vehicle owners, shared vehicle drivers, or a combination thereof, and any other coverage that the superintendent of financial services may approve as meaningful and appropriate in connection with the sharing of a shared vehicle.
Feb 10, 2026 · Passed Assembly 101–42 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Relates to adjudications and owner liability for a violation of traffic-control signal indications in the city of Ithaca.
Jun 2, 2026 · Passed Assembly 105–34 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Requires children enrolled in an overnight camp, summer day camp, or travelling summer day camp to be vaccinated against a specified list of diseases.
Apr 28, 2026 · Passed Assembly 90–47 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Requires name and contact information to be provided in certain calls made to the statewide central register of child abuse and maltreatment.
Jan 29, 2026 · Passed Assembly 98–36 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Enacts the "freedom to read act"
Requires each board of education to adopt a written policy for reconsideration of school library materials and make such policy available on its website; requires such policies to include provisions for the creation of a reconsideration committee to review complaints regarding school library materials; requires the commissioner of education to develop one or more model policies for school districts.
Jun 4, 2026 · Passed Assembly 114–27 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Prohibits landlords from including incorrect information relating to rent decontrol in certain leases and renewals thereof; imposes a violation punishable by a fine of $1000 for a violation by a landlord; requires the standardization of certain notices pertaining to units subject to the Affordable New York Housing Program.
May 5, 2026 · Passed Assembly 89–50 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Requires the modification of restrictive covenants prior to the sale of real property
Requires the modification of restrictive covenants prior to the sale of real property when covenants, conditions and restrictions exist which discriminate on the basis of a protected class in violation of state or federal law.
Feb 3, 2026 · Passed Assembly 95–46 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Requires that when a complaint is made to local code enforcement of a violation of the uniform fire prevention and building code or a local code which results in the issuance of a compliance order, the complainant shall also be provided a copy of such order.
Mar 30, 2026 · Passed Assembly 96–45 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Most contested
Provides for the protection of health information
Provides for the protection of health information; establishes requirements for communications to individuals about their health information; requires either written consent or a designated necessary purpose for the processing of an individual's health information.
Jun 4, 2026 · Passed Assembly 96–45 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Enacts the responsible data center development act
Places a one year moratorium on the issuance of data center permits; requires utilities to establish an independent classification of service for large data centers; sets energy efficiency goals for data centers; provides for benefits for host communities; sets labor standards for the construction of data centers.
Jun 4, 2026 · Passed Assembly 103–38 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Requires covered businesses to annually report to the department of labor regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on hiring and the nature of artificial intelligence use for the previous year; requires the department of labor to file an annual report on the impact of artificial intelligence on hiring and the nature of artificial intelligence use in the state; establishes penalties for covered business that fail to submit such reports.
Jun 3, 2026 · Passed Assembly 105–35 · with most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Voted against most of their party on 1 of 114 party-divided votes on file.
Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state transportation, economic development and environmental conservation budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year
What it does: Enacts into law major components of legislation necessary to implement the state transportation, economic development and environmental conservation budget for the 2026-2027 state fiscal year; extends provisions of la…
Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 94–6, Republicans 16–27
May 26, 2026Official record ↗
The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank
Facilitates appellate review of rulings that implicate issues of public concern
With most of their party · Passed Assembly 81–56 · Yes 81–No 56 · Democrats 81–11, Republicans 0–45
May 18, 2026Official record ↗
Relates to requirements for the provision of medication for medical aid in dying
With most of their party · Passed Assembly 83–62 · Yes 83–No 62 · Democrats 83–17, Republicans 0–45
Feb 4, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed Assembly 83–53 · Yes 83–No 53 · Democrats 83–9, Republicans 0–44
Apr 28, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed Assembly 83–61 · Yes 83–No 61 · Democrats 83–17, Republicans 0–44
Mar 31, 2026Official record ↗
With most of their party · Passed Assembly 82–52 · Yes 82–No 52 · Democrats 82–9, Republicans 0–43
Jun 5, 2026Official record ↗
Relates to certain mandatory disclosures for job advertisements
With most of their party · Passed Assembly 86–54 · Yes 86–No 54 · Democrats 86–9, Republicans 0–45
Jun 2, 2026Official record ↗
Relates to determining the capacity of a defendant to stand trial
With most of their party · Passed Assembly 83–49 · Yes 83–No 49 · Democrats 83–6, Republicans 0–43
Jun 5, 2026Official record ↗
Enacts the "police radio transparency act"
With most of their party · Passed Assembly 78–62 · Yes 78–No 62 · Democrats 77–18, Republicans 1–44
Jun 3, 2026Official record ↗
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
Provides for a license to sell liquor at retail for consumption on certain premises at 22 N Main Street in the village of Florida, county of Orange.
Increases the occupancy tax in the county of St. Lawrence from three to five percent.
Provides for the use of restoration services when determining the capacity of a defendant to stand trial.
Establishes a school speed zone camera demonstration program in the village of Croton-on-Hudson; repeals authorization of program December 31, 2031.
Relates to a license to sell liquor at retail for consumption on certain premises in the county of Greene.
Relates to labor peace agreements and the cannabis industry wage board.
Prohibits the use of restraints on and the use of force against incarcerated individuals during labor and incarcerated individuals who have experienced different pregnancy outcomes, absent extraordinary circumstances, and on pregnant and post-pregnancy persons during a custodial interrogation; provides for certain exceptions for restraints to be used and in such case limits the use to wrist restraints.
Makes conforming changes reflecting the previously authorized scope of practice of nurse practitioners; adds nurse practitioners as persons who can authorize or make certain determinations authorized to be made or determined by physicians.
Requires certain elections take place in even-numbered years for certain municipal and judicial officials except in the city of New York.
Permits the town of Monroe to impose a hotel and motel tax; provides for the repeal of such provisions upon the expiration thereof.
Showing 10 of 314 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.