VoterLens
New York State Assembly District 39
John Jay College of Criminal Justice—Bachelor's degree; City University of New York School of Law—Juris Doctor
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Catalina Cruz was born in Colombia, came to Queens at age 9, and grew up as a DREAMer after living in the United States for more than 10 years as an undocumented American. She is an attorney focused on tenant protections, immigration reform, and workers' rights; before representing Assembly District 39, she practiced housing law and held city and state government roles including Chief of Staff to former Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Counsel to the City Council’s Committee on Immigration, and Director of the Governor’s Exploited Workers Task Force.
Committee Assignments: Committee on Agriculture · Committee on Codes · Committee on Ethics and Guidance · Committee on Labor · Committee on Insurance · Committee on Rules · Committee on Ways and Means · Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus · Legislative Women's Caucus · Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force · Task Force on Women's Issues · Task Force on New Americans
Catalina Cruz, Democratic Assemblywoman for New York Assembly District 39, has emphasized lowering healthcare costs and expanding access, including for immigrants, reproductive healthcare, culturally competent care, and maternal/infant needs. She is a member of the Assembly Standing Committee on Health and has prime-sponsored multiple healthcare-related bills in the 2025-2026 session.
Catalina Cruz emphasizes workers' rights, wage protection, unemployment support, and economic security for low-income and immigrant workers in Assembly District 39. Her economy-and-jobs record includes sponsoring wage-theft legislation, supporting equal pay/workplace anti-discrimination priorities, and backing unemployment and labor protections for workers excluded from traditional benefits.
Specific Actions & Proposals
States support for fighting for equal pay rights and against workplace discrimination as part of her campaign priorities.
SourceCatalina Cruz, the Democratic Assemblymember for New York State Assembly District 39, supports expanding immigrant legal protections and access to public benefits regardless of immigration status. Her record includes sponsoring bills for immigration-court counsel, immigrant legal defense infrastructure, benefits eligibility, transplant-related medical assistance, and deportation-risk notices in criminal pleas.
Catalina Cruz supports climate and clean-energy measures as a New York Assembly District 39 Democratic legislator, including microgrid planning, clean fuel standards, zero-emissions freight zones, and climate/community investment. Her legislative record shows co-sponsorship or sponsorship of bills aimed at renewable energy deployment, fossil-fuel transition planning, and transportation emissions reductions.
Catalina Cruz's education record emphasizes immigrant students' access to public and higher education, student food security, and expanding equitable learning opportunities. As the Democratic Assembly member for New York Assembly District 39, she has sponsored or co-sponsored education measures involving free public education regardless of immigration status, school-based food pantries, career and technical education, social-emotional learning, and advanced coursework access.
Catalina Cruz's public-safety record emphasizes police accountability, limits on surveillance and restraints, and safety protections in correctional and community settings. As the Democratic Assemblymember for New York Assembly District 39, she has sponsored bills shifting final discipline over civilian police complaints to the CCRB, restricting warrantless surveillance-device access, and limiting police restraints and warrantless arrests of minors except where public safety requires it.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Cruz supported the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus agenda calling for measures such as repeal of 50-a, chokehold restrictions, special prosecutor reforms, police statistics reporting, and body-camera expansion.
SourceNew York State Assembly biography
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=039&sh=bioFetched: biography, location, education, background
New York State Assembly committee membership
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=039&sh=commFetched: committees
New York State Assembly Member Directory
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Catalina-Cruz/office/Fetched: votingRecord
New York State Public Campaign Finance Board 2024 End of Cycle Report
https://pcfb.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2025/01/2024-new-york-state-public-campaign-finance-board-election-cycle-report-final.pdfFetched: campaignFinance
New York State Public Campaign Finance Board Commissioner Report 04/15/2026
https://pcfb.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/04/commissioner-report-for-the-approval-to-disburse-public-matching-funds-04.15.2026-002.pdfFetched: campaignFinance
New York Open Data Campaign Finance Disclosure Reports Contributions
https://data.ny.gov/Government-Finance/Campaign-Finance-Disclosure-Reports-Contributions-/4j2b-6a2jFetched: campaignFinance
Vote Smart
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/185172/catalina-cruzFetched: candidate identity, ratings search
Public Employees Federation
https://www.pef.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-Assembly-Endorsed-Candidates.pdfFetched: endorsements
New York League of Conservation Voters
https://www.nylcv.org/wp-content/uploads/NYS-Scorecard-2025.pdfFetched: ratings
New York League of Conservation Voters
https://nylcv.org/wp-content/uploads/NYLCV_2023_StateScorecard_DIGITAL.pdf?ceid=1325221&emci=fe786068-a69e-ee11-bea1-002248223f36&emdi=e3059448-4ca0-ee11-bea1-002248223f36&sourceid=1014473Fetched: ratings
New York League of Conservation Voters
https://nylcv.org/wp-content/uploads/NYLCV_2022_StateScorecard_FINAL_WEB.pdfFetched: ratings
New York League of Conservation Voters
https://nylcv.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-state-scorecard-web.pdfFetched: ratings
New York State Assembly - Catalina Cruz Assembly District 39 About
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=039&sh=aboutFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Standing Committee on Health Membership
https://nyassembly.gov/comm/?id=19&sec=membershipFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Assembly Bill A187
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A187Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Assembly Bill A300
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A300Fetched: issuePositions
LegiScan - New York Assembly Bill A304
https://legiscan.com/NY/bill/A00304/2025Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Assembly Bill A319
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A319Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Assembly Bill A2449
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A2449Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member bio
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=039&sh=bioFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly legislation A00154
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?Memo=Y&Text=Y&bn=A00154&leg_video=1&term=2023Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly legislation A09606
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A09606&leg_video=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly legislation A03582
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?Actions=Y&Memo=Y&bn=A03582&term=2025Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly legislation A8419
https://www.nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A.8419&term=2019Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A270Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A2689Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A176Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A300Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A694Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Member Directory
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Catalina-Cruz/bio/Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member bio
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Catalina-Cruz/bio/Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A1392
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1392Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A11645
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A11645Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A10100
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A10100Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A3575B
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3575/amendment/BFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A472
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A472/amendment/originalFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Member Directory - Catalina Cruz Biography
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=039&sh=bioFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Catalina Cruz Sponsored Legislation
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=039&sh=sponsorFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A10021
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A10021Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A9556
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A9556Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A4903
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4903Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A7159
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A7159Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A514
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/A514Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member biography for Catalina Cruz, Assembly District 39
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=039&sh=bioFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly sponsored legislation page for Catalina Cruz, Assembly District 39
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=039&sh=sponsorFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly bill page for CCRB final discipline authority
https://www.nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A00126&leg_video=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly bill page for correctional health care worker safety policies
https://www.nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A00187&leg_video=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly bill page for juvenile restraints and warrantless arrest limits
https://www.nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A03118&leg_video=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly bill page for smart surveillance device warrant requirement
https://www.nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A09062&leg_video=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release on BPHA Caucus criminal justice reforms
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Catalina-Cruz/story/92789Fetched: issuePositions