VoterLens
New York State Senate District 44
Union College—B.A. in Psychology; College of Saint Rose—graduate degree in Special Education
Data last updated 10/21/2026
James Nicholas Tedisco was first elected to the New York State Senate on November 8, 2016, and represents New York's 44th Senate District. Before joining the Senate, he served in the New York State Assembly from 1983 to 2016, including as Assembly Minority Leader from 2005 to 2009. Earlier in his career, he worked for about ten years as a special education teacher, guidance counselor, coach, and athletic director.
Committee Assignments: Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation · Education · Racing, Gaming and Wagering · Libraries · New York City Education · Rules
James Tedisco, Republican/Conservative New York State Senator for District 44, has focused his health-care positions on patient access, nursing-home oversight after COVID-19, and health-care decision-making records. He supports banning non-compete agreements specifically for health-care providers, has sponsored nursing-home COVID-19 investigation legislation, voted for a health-care proxy registry, and voted against a nursing-home closure oversight bill.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Tedisco called on Governor Hochul to issue an executive order or call a special legislative session to ban non-compete agreements in the health-care field so Ellis Medicine cardiology patients could keep access to their doctors.
SourceJames Tedisco emphasizes lowering taxes, limiting state spending and regulations, and using targeted tax credits to support hiring, small businesses, farms, and workforce retention in New York. As State Senator for District 44, he has proposed or co-sponsored credits tied to farmworker housing, employer-provided child care, and employment of Guard, reservist, volunteer firefighter and EMS personnel, while criticizing high taxes and spending as drivers of outmigration and labor shortages.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Tedisco supported legislation to cap and phase in suspension of New York's state gas tax as gasoline prices rose, saying it would leave residents and small businesses with more money to spend in the economy.
SourceTedisco argued that New York should cap runaway state spending, reduce burdensome regulations and focus on affordability to keep people, workers and businesses in the state.
SourceJames Tedisco supports legal immigration and a path to citizenship but opposes New York sanctuary-style policies and calls for stricter border security and more cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. He has sponsored or co-sponsored state legislation to restrict migrant relocation without local approval and require notification to ICE when arrested defendants are not U.S. citizens.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Tedisco called for passage of Laken's Law, saying New York should enable law enforcement cooperation with ICE and criticizing sanctuary-state policies as dangerous.
SourceTedisco stated that he supports legal immigration and a path to citizenship, but criticized migrant placements in Rotterdam and said the federal crisis starts at the border, which must be secured.
SourceJames Tedisco, Republican/Conservative state senator for New York's 44th Senate District, generally emphasizes energy affordability, reliability, and cost-benefit review while opposing or seeking to replace parts of New York's existing climate mandates. He has also co-sponsored a bipartisan energy-storage tax exemption, indicating support for some clean-energy infrastructure when framed around affordability and deployment.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Tedisco publicly called to rescind New York's all-electric school bus mandate and supported legislation to replace it with a state-funded pilot program testing electric buses in rural, suburban, and urban districts.
SourceJames Tedisco, Republican/Conservative state senator for New York Senate District 44 and ranking member of the Senate Education Committee, emphasizes school safety, anti-bullying policies, parental notification, and support for local school districts. His education record includes sponsoring Jacobe’s Law, school-bus camera access for bullying incidents, posthumous diplomas, and co-sponsoring state funding for mandates on schools.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Tedisco publicly supported Jacobe’s Law in an op-ed, arguing that parents have a right to know about school bullying and should be notified so they can help protect their children.
SourceJames Tedisco, Republican/Conservative senator for New York State Senate District 44, frames public safety around repealing cashless bail and discovery-law changes, expanding judicial discretion, supporting law enforcement, and increasing penalties for serious child neglect and animal cruelty. He has also proposed school-safety legislation requiring parental notification after verified bullying or harassment incidents.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Tedisco supports repealing New York's cash bail law and giving judges discretion to detain defendants he views as threats to community safety.
SourceTedisco joined Republican colleagues in backing a public-safety package to support law enforcement, roll back bail and discovery laws, crack down on illegal gun crime, and protect crime victims.
SourceNYSenate.gov - About James Tedisco
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/james-tedisco/aboutFetched: biography, education, background, committees, district
Jim Tedisco campaign website - About Candidate
https://www.jimtedisco.com/aboutFetched: biography, education, background, district
Wikipedia - Jim Tedisco
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_TediscoFetched: age, birthdate, background, residence
NYSenate.gov - Tedisco Sworn-In for 5th Term as New York State Senator
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/james-tedisco/tedisco-sworn-5th-term-new-york-state-senatorFetched: location, district, currentOffice
New York State Board of Elections - Certification for the June 23, 2026 Primary Election
https://elections.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/05/accessible-june-23-2026-primary-certification-amended-5.13.26_0.pdfFetched: candidateVerification, district, party
NYSenate.gov About James Tedisco
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/james-tedisco/aboutFetched: votingRecord
Election.org / Open States current officeholder page
https://www.election.org/state/new-york/legislature/upper/district-44Fetched: votingRecord
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/candidate/james-n-tedisco?filer=citizens-for-lon-hofstein-16483Fetched: campaignFinance
New York State Board of Elections
https://elections.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/05/accessible-june-23-2026-primary-certification-amended-5.13.26_0.pdfFetched: endorsements
Voters for Animal Rights
https://vfar.org/?vfar_endorsement=2026-candidate-endorsement-questionnaire-for-nys-senate-nys-assembly-and-us-houseFetched: endorsements
Detectives' Endowment Association
https://nycdetectives.org/political-endorsements/Fetched: endorsements
Environmental Advocates NY
https://eaaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/eaaction_scorecard_2021_final-10-19.pdfFetched: endorsements
Environmental Advocates NY
https://eaaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2019-Environmental-Scorecard.pdfFetched: endorsements
NYSenate.gov
https://www.nysenate.gov/sites/default/files/in-the-news/attachment/2018-scorecard-final.pdfFetched: endorsements
NYSenate.gov - James Tedisco senator profile
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/james-tediscoFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Tedisco Calls on Hochul to Protect Ellis Medicine Cardiology Patients
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/james-tedisco/tedisco-calls-hochul-protect-ellis-medicine-cardiology?page=1Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S33
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S33Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S2518
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2518Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S6547
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2017/S6547Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S4275
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4275Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S23
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S23Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S2720
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2720/amendment/originalFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S3471
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3471Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Gas tax press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/daphne-jordan/tedisco-and-jordan-cap-gas-tax-then-suspend-it-why-wait?page=0Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Tedisco on State of the State
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/james-tedisco/tedisco-state-stateFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S836
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S836Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S2538
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2538Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Laken's Law press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/james-tedisco/tedisco-end-new-yorks-sanctuary-state-danger-passingFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Rotterdam migrant statement
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/james-tedisco/statement-senator-jim-tedisco-rotterdam-migrantFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Migrant Home Rule Transfer Transparency Act announcement
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/james-tedisco/tedisco-intro-new-migrant-home-rule-transfer?page=1Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov Senator James Tedisco profile
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/james-tediscoFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov press release on electric school bus mandate
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/james-tedisco/tedisco-walsh-and-shen-and-burnt-hills-school-officialsFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov Senate Bill S8669
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8669Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov Senate Bill S8607
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8607/amendment/originalFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov Senate Bill S1527
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1527Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - James Tedisco profile
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/james-tedisco/aboutFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S16
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S16Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S1958
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1958Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S831
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S831Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S4504
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4504Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Parents Have a Right to Know About School Bullying
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/james-tedisco/parents-have-right-know-about-school-bullyingFetched: issuePositions
NY State Senate - Senator James Tedisco profile
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/james-tediscoFetched: issuePositions
NY State Senate press release on Tedisco public safety agenda
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/james-tedisco/tedisco-state-state-ny-needs-agenda-change-stopFetched: issuePositions
NY Senate and Assembly Republicans Create a Safer NY release
https://www.nysenate.gov/sites/default/files/article/attachment/1.23.public.safety.press_.release.pdfFetched: issuePositions
NY State Senate Bill S10670
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S10670Fetched: issuePositions
NY State Senate Bill S8510
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8510Fetched: issuePositions