Jennifer Lunsford

Jennifer Lunsford is an American Democratic Party politician, lawyer, and community volunteer[3] who currently represents New York State Assembly district 135,[1] which includes parts of Monroe County.[2]

Jennifer Lunsford
Member of the New York State Assembly
from the 135th district
Assumed office
January 6, 2021
Preceded byMark Johns[1]
Personal details
Born (1982-02-06) February 6, 1982
Political partyDemocratic
Residence(s)Perinton, New York, U.S.[2]
Education
Website

Personal life

Lunsford was born on Long Island. Her mother was a secretary and sales manager, while her father was a stay-at-home dad. After graduating from Patchogue-Medford High School, she earned an undergraduate degree in political science and philosophy at Hartwick College. She worked as a paralegal before attending the Boston University School of Law, where she focused on health care law. She then moved to Rochester, New York, where she works as a litigator, primarily representing plaintiffs in personal injury, workers' compensation, and Social Security Disability Insurance.[2]

Lunsford has worked as a community volunteer and activist, campaigning for reproductive justice, criminal justice, and universal health care with groups including If/When/How: Lawyering for Reproductive Justice.[2]

Politics

In 2018, Lunsford unsuccessfully ran for the 55th district seat in the New York State Senate, losing narrowly to Republican state senator Rich Funke. She campaigned again in 2020, but dropped out to run for the assembly.[4]

Lunsford narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Mark Johns during the elections of 2020. In the close race, Johns held the lead before absentee and affidavit ballots were counted.[5][6]

Lunsford co-sponsored legislation to outlaw use of tear gas and pepper spray on minors in February 2021, after an incident the previous month in which a suicidal 9-year-old girl was sprayed in the face.[7]

Along with other Rochester area lawmakers, Lunsford supported an independent investigation of the Andrew Cuomo sexual harassment allegations that developed in February 2021.[8]

In early March 2021, Lunsford was among a bipartisan group of legislators from the Rochester area to support revoking the emergency powers that Governor Andrew Cuomo had been granted in order to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, citing the progress that had been made up until that time and allegations that his administration had mishandled death numbers in the New York COVID-19 nursing home scandal.[9]

On March 23, 2021, the assembly passed legislation expanding unemployment insurance eligibility to cover those who had to leave work due to child care obligations. Lunsford noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had worsened the child care situation in New York.[10] Lunsford sponsored the bill, which clarified that child care constitutes good cause, a matter which had been decided inconsistently by courts and the unemployment insurance appeal board at the New York State Department of Labor.[11]

References
  1. Williams, Zach (2021-01-10). "Meet all the new state lawmakers". City & State. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  2. "Jennifer Lunsford - Assembly District 135 | Assembly Member Directory | New York State Assembly". www.nyassembly.gov. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  3. "Jen Lunsford running for New York State Assembly as Democrat". RochesterFirst.com. Rochester, NY: Nexstar Inc. 2020-01-17. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  4. Andreatta, David (January 15, 2020). "Democratic state Senate challenger Jen Lunsford drops out to run for Assembly". CITY. Rochester, NY. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  5. Flasch, Jane (2020-11-18). "Absentee ballots flip election night results in 135th Assembly District". 13wham.com. Perinton, NY: Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  6. "Democrat Jen Lunsford defeats Republican Mark Johns in NYS Assembly 135". RochesterFirst.com. Nexstar Inc. 2020-11-18. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  7. Whittaker, John (February 18, 2021). "Bill would outlaw use of pepper spray on minors in New York state". The Jamestown Post-Journal. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  8. Watson, Jack (2021-02-28). "Several Rochester-area state legislators want investigation after second Cuomo accusation". RochesterFirst.com. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  9. Molineaux, Charles (2021-03-02). "Rochester area lawmakers from both parties express support for revoking Cuomo's emergency powers". News10NBC (WHEC-TV). Rochester, NY: Hubbard Broadcasting. Archived from the original on 2021-03-03. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  10. "Assembly Expands Unemployment Insurance Eligibility to Parents Forced to Leave Workforce in Order to Care for their Children" (Press release). Archived from the original on 2021-04-17. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  11. Meehan, Tim (2021-03-24). "NYS Legislature takes step towards helping parents who've left the workforce during COVID-19". WKBW Buffalo. Buffalo, New York: Scripps Media, Inc. Archived from the original on 26 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
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