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Jeffrey Dinowitz | |
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| Member of theNew York State Assembly from the81st district | |
| Assumed office February 28, 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Oliver Koppell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1954-12-03)December 3, 1954 (age 70) New York City,New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 2, Kara andEric |
| Residence(s) | The Bronx,New York, U.S. |
| Education | City University of New York, Lehman(BA) Brooklyn Law School(JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Campaign website Official website |
Jeffrey Dinowitz (born December 3, 1954) is an American politician who represents District 81 in theNew York State Assembly, which comprisesKingsbridge,Marble Hill,Norwood,Riverdale,Van Cortlandt Village,Wakefield, andWoodlawn Heights. Dinowitz has served in the New York State Assembly since 1994.
Dinowitz was born and raised in theBronx. He grew up in Soundview before moving to Kingsbridge Heights at age 10.[1] He is a graduate of theBronx High School of Science,Lehman College of theCity University of New York, andBrooklyn Law School.
Dinowitz first entered politics as a volunteer on theGeorge McGovern1972 presidential campaign. He was also involved in community issues such as tenant advocacy and volunteering on the board of Bronx Council for Environmental Quality during the 1970s.
Prior to entering the Assembly, Dinowitz served for a decade as an administrative law judge for New York.
He and his wife Sylvia Gottlieb have been married since 1978 and now live in the Riverdale section of theBronx after previously living together inKingsbridge and Kingsbridge Heights. They have two children: Kara andEric, and four grandchildren.
Dinowitz was first elected in aspecial election held in 1994 to replaceG. Oliver Koppell. Dinowitz is currently serving as chair of the New York State Assembly Committee on Codes, as well as the Bronx Delegation. He is also a member of Committees on Ways and Means, Rules, Health, Election Law, and is a member of the Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force.
Previously, Dinowitz served as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Judiciary from 2018 to 2020. In 2017, Dinowitz served as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions, which has oversight of the MTA and public utilities, among other entities. Before that, Dinowitz served as Chair of the Committees on Consumer Affairs and Protection, Aging, and Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.[2]
Dinowitz has passed hundreds of bills over the course of his tenure in the New York State Assembly. In 2020, Dinowitz was able to pass legislation to protect tenants and homeowners including the Tenant Safe Harbor Act[3] as well as the Emergency Eviction & Foreclosure Prevention Act.[4] Also in 2020, Dinowitz passed legislation to expedite court-ordered apartment repairs[5] in honor of a child (Jashawn Parker) who was tragically killed in a fire while the apartment's landlord was fighting tenants in court to avoid making repairs.[6] Also in 2020, Dinowitz passed legislation to allow absentee voting through 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
In 2019, Dinowitz passed a personal record 28 bills through both the Assembly and State Senate.[8] One of these bills, which eliminated all non-medical exemptions to school vaccine requirements attracted worldwide attention and praise from the medical community.[9][10]
Dinowitz has also passed legislation in 2016 to enter New York State into the National Popular Vote compact,[11] to enact then-strongest in the nation protections against human trafficking,[12] and more.
Dinowitz was a key figure in the 2008 so-called "Rainbow Rebellion" which united several factions of the Bronx Democratic Party in order to overthrow the party chair, who had been accused of nepotism and patronage in his time as county leader.[13] Dinowitz joined with then-AssemblymanRuben Diaz Jr., AssemblymanCarl Heastie, AssemblymanMichael Benedetto, then-AssemblywomanAurelia Greene, and others to overthrow former county leaderJose Rivera.[14][15][16] The Rainbow Rebellion ushered in a new era of Bronx Democratic politics and brought nearly unprecedented levels of unity across the borough.
Dinowitz previously served asDemocratic District Leader from 1986 to 1994, originally beating the preferred candidate of the Bronx Democratic Party machine at the time. He has also served as a Democratic State Committeeman (1978), and as a delegate to theDemocratic National Convention on multiple occasions.[17] Dinowitz was first elected as a DNC delegate in 1980 as one of the youngest delegates, and was originally committed to the slate for former U.S. SenatorTed Kennedy who was challengingJimmy Carter (the preferred candidate of the Bronx political machine at the time). He has also served as President of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club three times in the past and remains an active member of the club to this day.
Dinowitz is a former Chair of the Bronx Democratic County Committee[18] and is the current Secretary of the Bronx Democratic Party.[19]
Dinowitz was a vociferous of opponent of theCroton Water Filtration Plant, due to the requiredalienation of 23 acres inVan Cortlandt Park[20] and the expenditure of $3.2 billion,[21] a project spearheaded by former NYC Department of Environmental Protection CommissionerChristopher O. Ward.[22]
| New York State Assembly | ||
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| Preceded by | New York State Assembly, 81st District 1994–present | Incumbent |
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| National | |
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