{"id":5875,"date":"2018-05-08T00:24:09","date_gmt":"2018-05-08T00:24:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/?p=5875"},"modified":"2018-05-08T04:23:19","modified_gmt":"2018-05-08T04:23:19","slug":"bye-bye-bonacic-influential-ny-senator-will-step-aside-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pokerscout.com\/bye-bye-bonacic-influential-ny-senator-will-step-aside-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Bye Bye, Bonacic: Influential NY Senator Will Step Aside This Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some of New York\u2019s<\/strong> most-tenured Republican senators<\/strong> are vacating office<\/strong> this year.<\/p>\n

Sen. John Bonacic<\/strong> is the most recent to announce his retirement<\/strong>, doing so this week via an e-mail statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have decided that I will not seek re-election to the New York Senate,\u201d the letter begins. \u201cNext to being called Pat\u2019s husband and Melissa and Scott\u2019s father and a grandfather to three more, serving in the State Senate has been the honor of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bonacic\u2019s retirement will end a career of more than 40 years<\/strong> as an elected official in NY. He\u2019s the third GOP senator to announce his exit in recent days, following colleagues John DeFrancisco<\/strong> and Kathleen Marchione<\/strong> out the door.\u00a0The news creates some alarm for the Senate GOP, clutching onto a one-vote majority<\/strong> with three seats up for grabs<\/strong> this fall.<\/p>\n

Bonacic\u2019s career is worthy of a brief review, as he\u2019s been a key supporter of the NY gaming industry<\/strong> during his tenure.<\/p>\n

Bonacic on gaming issues<\/span><\/h2>\n

Bonacic sits on a number of NY committees, including the chairman\u2019s position for\u00a0Senate Racing, Gaming,\u00a0and Wagering<\/strong>. That gives him significant input on gaming issues in NY, and he\u2019s been an absolute champion<\/strong> for the industry.<\/p>\n

Most notably, Bonacic was the lead sponsor of the Upstate NY Gaming Economic Development Act<\/strong>, which the governor signed into law in 2013.\u00a0Passage paved the way for the construction of four commercial casinos, and all four have since opened their doors. One of those properties, Resorts World Catskills<\/strong>, is in his own district.<\/p>\n

A couple years later, Bonacic successfully pushed for the legalization of NY daily fantasy sports<\/strong>.\u00a0Both DraftKings<\/strong> and FanDuel<\/strong> occupy office space in New York City<\/strong>, but DFS was temporarily prohibited under an order from attorney general Eric Schneiderman<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Bonacic\u2019s bill provided a mechanism for state oversight, and operations quickly resumed following the governor\u2019s signature.\u00a0The Fantasy Sports Trade Association<\/strong> personally thanked Bonacic for his efforts, as did the two largest operators.<\/p>\n

His gaming\u00a0to-do list<\/strong> still contains two items, though. Bonacic has filed separate proposals to legalize\u00a0NY sports betting<\/strong> and NY online poker<\/strong>, and there\u2019s a good chance one or both will get through during this session.\u00a0His committee has already passed<\/strong> both bills.<\/p>\n

Bonacic\u2019s career in public service<\/span><\/h2>\n

Bonacic represents the 42nd District<\/strong> in the Hudson Valley<\/strong>, which includes parts of Delaware<\/strong>, Green<\/strong>, Orange<\/strong>, Sullivan<\/strong>, and Ulster<\/strong> counties. The senator and his wife make their home in Orange.<\/p>\n

The constituents in Bonacic\u2019s diverse district made an impact on him during his career:<\/p>\n

I want to thank many people for the opportunity to serve, and am so grateful to them. The fact that someone who grew up in the most urban area of the nation \u2014\u00a0Hell\u2019s Kitchen \u2014 could be welcomed into dairy barns in Delhi, and small businesses in Monticello, and mix with today\u2019s college students at New Paltz, while returning home at night to Orange County and being welcomed there also, is something that is a testament to the people of the 42nd Senate District.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Bonacic was first elected into a vacant Assembly<\/strong> seat in 1990<\/strong> following a stint as a county official. He was re-elected four times before moving into the Senate<\/strong> in 1998, and he\u2019s defended his seat every two years since. The incumbent<\/strong> senator earned more than 60 percent<\/strong> of his district\u2019s votes in the 2016 election.<\/p>\n

During his tenure, Bonacic developed a reputation for managing controversial issues<\/strong>, even when it displeased his own party.\u00a0In his announcement, he ran through some of his own personal highlights:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Sponsored the Women\u2019s Health and Wellness Act<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Restored Ellenville Hospital<\/strong> and protected other rural clinics<\/li>\n
  • Helped facilitate relocation<\/strong> for families in upstate flood areas<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • Secured funding for New York Main Street<\/strong> program<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    There\u2019s also this:<\/p>\n

    Partnering with Governor [Andrew] Cuomo, we finally brought casino gaming to Sullivan County. That is something that had been fought for decades, and now it is creating jobs and raising property values.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Bonacic\u2019s personal life<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Bonacic is 75 years old, a third-generation descendant of\u00a0Croatian\u00a0<\/strong>immigrants.<\/p>\n

    As the first member of his family to attend college<\/strong>, Bonacic spent much of his lawmaking career supporting issues related to education<\/strong>.\u00a0He studied Economics<\/strong> in undergrad at Iona University<\/strong>, then entered the Law School at Fordham University<\/strong>. He received his JD in 1968.<\/p>\n

    Bonacic has two children with his wife of more than 50 years, Pat<\/strong>.\u00a0The senator\u2019s retirement announcement expressed a desire to\u00a0focus on family<\/strong> going forward.<\/p>\n

    The twenty years I have spent in the Senate have been rewarding both personally and professionally, despite the frustrations that all of us experience in any career.<\/p>\n

    Twenty years, though, is enough, and I look forward to spending quality time with my bride, Pat, and my children and grandchildren. They have been my rock and my inspiration.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Bonacic says he\u2019ll end his career where it began, at home in Orange County with Pat by his side. He closes his statement with a simple, \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Thank you<\/strong> as well, Senator.<\/p>\n

    The post Bye Bye, Bonacic: Influential NY Senator Will Step Aside This Year appeared first on Play NY.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Some of New York\u2019s most-tenured Republican senators are vacating office this year. Sen. 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