VoterLens
New York State Senate District 61
Buffalo State College—bachelor’s degree in Business Administration; George Washington University—master’s degree in Political Management
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Jonathan D. Rivera is the Assemblymember for New York State’s 149th Assembly District and is running for New York State Senate District 61 in 2026. He began his public-service career in Congressman Brian Higgins’ office, later worked in the private sector at HSBC Bank, and then served in Erie County government as liaison to the County Legislature and Special Assistant to the Commissioner of Public Works. He has served in the New York State Assembly since 2021, focusing on issues including lead poisoning and housing reforms, refugee resettlement, education investment, waterfront issues, and tourism.
Committee Assignments: Commission on Administrative Regulations Review · Subcommittee on Regional Tourism Development · Committee on Election Law · Committee on Energy · Committee on Housing · Committee on Labor · Committee on Local Governments · Committee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development · Asian Pacific American Task Force · Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus · Task Force on New Americans · Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force
Jonathan Rivera, the Democratic nominee for New York State Senate District 61 and current New York Assemblymember, has supported healthcare policies focused on patient access, healthcare staffing, nursing-home accountability, primary-care investment, pharmacy reimbursement, and protecting retiree health benefits.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rivera supported Assembly-passed legislation to establish hospital clinical staffing committees and minimum nursing-home staffing standards, saying it would ensure safe nurse-to-patient ratios and improve conditions for healthcare workers and patients.
SourceJonathan Rivera’s Economy & Jobs record emphasizes pro-worker economic development, accountability for corporate subsidies, transportation access for workers, and public investment in Western New York infrastructure and labor-focused research. As a sitting Assemblymember and 2026 Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District 61, he has proposed or supported measures tying public dollars to good jobs, worker rights, and regional economic growth.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rivera advocated including $250 million in the state budget for the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition so Buffalo Niagara and Niagara Falls airports could compete for capital investments supporting regional jobs and economic activity.
SourceRivera announced $300,000 in state budget funding for Cornell ILR Buffalo Co-Lab to expand labor education, workplace training, research, and inclusive economic development programming in Western New York.
SourceJonathan Rivera supports pro-immigrant policies, including refugee resettlement funding, limits on state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, legal representation in immigration proceedings, asylum-seeker work permits, and protections against discrimination based on immigration status.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rivera chaired a SOMOS legislative workshop that identified support for the New York for All Act, which seeks to disentangle state and local authorities from federal immigration enforcement.
SourceJonathan Rivera supports climate action centered on building electrification, geothermal heat pumps, transportation emissions reductions, environmental bond funding, water protection, and local climate resilience investments. As a sitting New York Assemblymember and 2026 Democratic nominee for New York State Senate District 61, he has backed policies to reduce fossil-fuel heating, fund clean-energy and environmental infrastructure, and expand urban tree canopy to address heat and air-quality impacts.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rivera announced passage of legislation providing a 25% tax credit up to $5,000 for geothermal heat pump installation and said New York must transition away from fossil-fuel heating to meet its climate goals.
SourceRivera promoted the $4.2 billion Environmental Bond Act, Environmental Protection Fund funding, and Western New York waterway appropriations as measures to support climate mitigation, flood reduction, water quality, and green infrastructure.
SourceJonathan Rivera supports increased investment in public education, stronger schools, expanded pre-K and child care, higher-education affordability, and targeted supports such as bilingual educator pipelines. As an Assemblymember and 2026 Democratic candidate for New York State Senate District 61, he has also proposed stronger oversight for Buffalo Public Schools and sought local revenue protections for school districts.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rivera announced and advocated for $250,000 in the FY 2026-27 state budget to launch a Buffalo State bilingual educator pipeline for multilingual learners and immigrant-origin communities.
SourceRivera helped facilitate a revenue-sharing agreement expected to provide about $5.5 million over 20 years to Hamburg Central School District for educational support, staff salaries, utilities, and bus fleet upkeep.
SourceRivera supported the FY 2022-23 state budget’s education investments, including a $31 billion statewide school-aid package, Foundation Aid increases, and expanded universal pre-K slots.
SourceJonathan Rivera's public safety record emphasizes gun-safety restrictions, survivor protections, criminal-justice reform, and limits on law-enforcement/ICE collaboration. As a sitting Assemblymember and 2026 Democratic nominee for New York State Senate District 61, he has co-sponsored public-safety-related bills and publicly backed stronger gun laws after the Supreme Court struck down New York's prior concealed-carry standard.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Rivera joined Western New York legislators in denouncing the Supreme Court decision striking down New York's proper-cause handgun-carry law, in a statement that said state leaders were preparing a special session response to protect New Yorkers from gun violence.
SourceAs chair of a SOMOS legislative workshop, Rivera elevated discussion of the New York for All Act, which aims to limit state and local collaboration and information-sharing with ICE and Border Patrol and improve immigrant trust in reporting crimes and accessing services.
SourceNew York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera Biography
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-RiveraFetched: biography, location, education, background, current legislative seat
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera Committee Membership
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=149&sh=commFetched: committees
Jon Rivera For NY State Senate - Meet Jon
https://www.riverafornysenate.com/meet-jonFetched: biography, education, background, office context
New York State Assembly Member Directory - Jonathan Rivera
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=149&sh=bioFetched: votingRecord
ThePolitibase - New York state legislature list using OpenStates/Plural Policy data
https://thepolitibase.com/state-ny/Fetched: votingRecord
LegiScan - Jonathan Rivera sponsor profile links including FollowTheMoney
https://legiscan.com/NY/sponsors/A03779/2025Fetched: votingRecord, campaignFinance
FollowTheMoney search results for Jonathan Rivera New York State Senate District 61
https://www.followthemoney.org/search-results/SearchForm?Search=Jonathan%20Rivera%20New%20York%20State%20Senate%20District%2061Fetched: campaignFinance
New York State Board of Elections Public Reporting - candidate Jonathan D. Rivera
https://results.elections.ny.gov/candidate/444Fetched: campaignFinance
City & State / NY State of Politics - Jonathan Rivera wins Democratic nomination for NY Senate District 61
https://nystateofpolitics.com/state-of-politics/new-york/state-senateFetched: votingRecord
Blue Voter Guide
https://bluevoterguide.org/NY/candidate_Jonathan_Rivera/328531?electionId=564Fetched: endorsements
Vote Smart
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/192308/jon-riveraFetched: candidate identity confirmation, ratings search
New York State Assembly
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/97012Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera press release on unfair labor practices and economic incentives
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/115671Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera press release on upstate airport economic development funding
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/117051Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera press release on commuter benefits legislation
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/112895Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera press release on IDA subsidies and local business priorities
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/106698Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera press release on Cornell ILR Buffalo Co-Lab funding
https://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/110401Fetched: issuePositions
LegiScan
https://legiscan.com/NY/people/jonathan-rivera/id/22417?chamber=house&page=1&type=billFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/99115Fetched: issuePositions
NYIC Action
https://nyicaction.org/blog/2024/4/3/nyic-action-endorses-immigrant-champions-for-nys-legislature-as-immigration-emerges-as-top-voter-issueFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member biography for Jonathan Rivera
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/Jonathan-RiveraFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release on geothermal tax credit
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/101655Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly bill page for clean fuel standard legislation
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?Memo=Y&Summary=Y&bn=A00472&default_fld=&leg_video=&term=2025Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release on Re-Tree WNY funding
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/114642Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release on Earth Day and environmental budget victories
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/101842Fetched: issuePositions
Blue Voter Guide for New York State Senate District 61
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Senate_District_61/51850/830Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/119356Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Legislation
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A11634Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/118690Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/112920Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/106698Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/101882Fetched: issuePositions
LegiScan - New York Assemblymember Jonathan Rivera profile
https://legiscan.com/NY/people/jonathan-rivera/id/22417Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Jonathan Rivera statement
https://www.nyassembly.gov/mem/Jonathan-Rivera/story/102536Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly SOMOS workshop report
https://nyassembly.gov/write/upload/postings/2023/pdfs/20231109_0107967.pdfFetched: issuePositions