John Bonacic

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = John J. Bonacic

| state_senate = New York State

| district = 42nd

| term_start = January 1, 2003

| term_end = December 31, 2018

| preceded = Neil Breslin

| succeeded = Jen Metzger

| state_senate2 = New York State

| district2 = 40th

| term_start2 = January 1, 1999

| term_end2 = December 31, 2002

| preceded2 = Charles D. Cook

| succeeded2 = Vincent Leibell

| office3 = Member of the New York State Assembly from the 95th district

| term_start3 = January 1, 1993

| term_end3 = December 31, 1998

| predecessor3 = Nancy Calhoun

| successor3 = Howard Mills III

| office4 = Member of the New York State Assembly from the 94th district

| term_start4 = February 20, 1990

| term_end4 = December 31, 1992

| predecessor4 = Mary M. McPhillips

| successor4 = Nancy Calhoun

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1942|06|14}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| spouse = Pat Bonacic

| alma_mater = Iona College (B.A.)
Fordham University (J.D.)

| residence = Mount Hope, New York

|signature=John Bonacic Signature.png

| website = [http://www.nysenate.gov/senator/john-j-bonacic Official website]

| image =

| party = Republican

}}

John J. Bonacic (born June 14, 1942 in New York City) is a retired politician from New York. A Republican, Bonacic represented New York State Senate District 42 (which includes all or parts of Delaware, Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster Counties) from November 1998 to 2018. Prior to his Senate service, Bonacic served in the New York State Assembly.

Personal life and education

Bonacic's grandparents were immigrants from Croatia.{{cite web|title = Statement by Senator John Bonacic|work = NYSenate.gov|date = 9 March 2011|url = http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/statement-senator-john-bonacic|accessdate = February 5, 2012}}[http://www.dnevno.hr/magazin/lifestyle/los_pr_u_dijaspori__koje_su_svjetski_poznate_osobe_podrijetlom_hrvati_a_da_to_niste_ni_znali/1142313.html Dnevno.hr] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121030173830/http://www.dnevno.hr/magazin/lifestyle/los_pr_u_dijaspori__koje_su_svjetski_poznate_osobe_podrijetlom_hrvati_a_da_to_niste_ni_znali/1142313.html |date=2012-10-30 }} Ratko Martinović: Loš PR u dijaspori - Koje su svjetski poznate osobe podrijetlom Hrvati, a da to niste ni znali, 28. listopada 2012. (Croatian) He received his Bachelor of Arts from Iona College in 1964, majoring in Economics. He received his JD at Fordham University School of Law in 1968.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

Political career

On February 20, 1990, Bonacic was elected to the New York State Assembly, to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Mary M. McPhillips as Orange County Executive.[https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/21/nyregion/metro-datelines-3-assembly-victors-favor-death-penalty.html 3 Assembly Victors Favor Death Penalty] in the New York Times on February 21, 1990 Bonacic was re-elected four times and remained in the Assembly until 1998, sitting in the 188th, 189th, 190th, 191st and 192nd New York State Legislatures. In November 1998, he was elected to the New York State Senate.{{citation needed|date=January 2019}}

Bonacic, a Republican, was the Chair of the Senate Racing, Gaming, and Wagering Committee.{{cite web|url=https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/politics/2018/04/27/john-bonacic-wont-seek-re-election/557982002/|title=3 NY Senate Republicans drop re-election bids in 3 days|website=The Poughkeepsie Journal}} He sponsored a bill that would legalize online poker.{{cite web|url=https://www.lohud.com/story/news/politics/albany-watch/2015/09/09/new-york-online-poker/71970762/|title=NY casinos make pitch for online poker|website=lohud.com}} He supported the opening of a casino in Sullivan County, New York.{{cite web |url=http://cityandstateny.com/27/all-videos/policy/john-bonacic.html#.WlLYUTdG3iV |title=City & State - John Bonacic on casino expansion |website=cityandstateny.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180108180257/http://cityandstateny.com/27/all-videos/policy/john-bonacic.html |archive-date=2018-01-08}}

While Bonacic cast a procedural vote against a 2013 bill that would have expanded abortion rights,{{cite web|url=https://www.syracuse.com/news/2013/06/abortion_stalemate_ny_womens_r.html|title=Abortion stalemate: NY women's rights bills die, for now, in Albany|first=Teri|last=Weaver|date=22 June 2013|website=syracuse.com}} he expressed support for the Reproductive Health Act in 2016. At a January 25, 2016 gathering of abortion advocates in Albany, the Senator commented, "'Both my daughter and my bride of 50 years believe in pro-choice and we should never deprive women of access of health care that they choose and their medical providers say is best for them.'"{{cite web|url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-abortion-bill-finally-support-republican-article-1.2509127|title=John Bonacic becomes first New York GOP senator to support improving state's abortion rights law|first=Glenn|last=Blain|website=nydailynews.com|date=25 January 2016 }} In 2015, Bonacic introduced a bill to legalize physician-assisted suicide.{{cite web|url=https://www.syracuse.com/state/2015/06/report_gop_ny_senator_agrees_to_sponsor_assisted_suicide_bill.html|title=Report: GOP NY senator introduces physician-assisted suicide bill|first=Teri|last=Weaver|date=5 June 2015|website=syracuse.com}}

In 2011, Bonacic voted against allowing same-sex marriage in New York in a roll-call vote on the Marriage Equality Act, which passed in a close 33-29 vote.

On May 6, 2018, Bonacic announced that he would not seek re-election in November 2018.{{cite web|last1=Reynolds|first1=Hugh|title=A farewell to John Bonacic|url=https://hudsonvalleyone.com/2018/05/06/hugh-reynolds-a-farewell-to-john-bonacic/|website=Hudson Valley One|date=6 May 2018|publisher=Ulster Publishing|accessdate=6 May 2018}}