VoterLens
New York State Senate District 62
Canisius College—BA, Political Science/International Relations
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Robert G. Ortt was sworn into office as New York State Senator for the 62nd District in January 2015 and was elected Senate Republican Conference/Minority Leader in June 2020. Before joining the Senate, he served as mayor, clerk-treasurer, and treasurer of North Tonawanda, worked as an independent personal financial analyst with Primerica Financial Services, and served in the New York Army National Guard as a First Lieutenant and Afghanistan veteran.
Committee Assignments: Rules Committee · State-Native American Relations Committee
Robert Ortt, Republican New York State Senator for District 62, has emphasized accessible and affordable health care, protecting CDPAP funding, and addressing mental health and substance use issues. His legislative record includes sponsoring health workforce compact bills and disability/Medicaid-related measures, while voting against some Democratic health-data and 340B prescription-drug measures.
Robert Ortt emphasizes reducing business regulations, lowering costs for employers, workforce training, and targeted local infrastructure/economic development as ways to create jobs in New York’s 62nd Senate District and statewide. He has sponsored or backed measures framed around cutting "red tape," supporting small businesses, and connecting workers with in-demand jobs.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Accepted appointment as co-chair of the Senate Task Force on Workforce Development to advance employee readiness, connect job seekers with employers, and develop workforce legislation.
SourceAnnounced he secured $76,800 in state funding for Orleans Economic Development Agency infrastructure upgrades intended to support business expansion and hundreds of jobs at Medina Business Park.
SourceArgued that the Climate Action Council scoping plan would raise energy costs for families and businesses and put agriculture and manufacturing livelihoods at risk.
SourceRobert Ortt, the Republican New York State Senator for District 62, takes a hardline immigration-enforcement position: he supports greater cooperation between state/local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, repeal of New York sanctuary-related policies and the Green Light Law, and increased border security. He opposes raising taxes or using additional state taxpayer funds to respond to the migrant crisis, arguing instead for reversing sanctuary and right-to-shelter policies.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ortt publicly supported legislation later called "Laken's Law" that would require New York law enforcement and certain courts to notify ICE when an arrested person or defendant is not a U.S. citizen and would repeal parts of the Protect Our Courts Act.
SourceOrtt and Assembly Republican leadership announced the renaming of S.8533/A.9167 as "Laken's Law" and framed it as a proposal to allow local law enforcement to work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
SourceOrtt said his conference would reintroduce Laken's Law and Green Light Law repealers to allow local and federal law-enforcement partners to work together again.
SourceOrtt and the Senate Republican Conference opposed a proposed "Migrant Tax" and argued that Albany should revoke sanctuary status and right-to-shelter policies instead of raising taxes on New Yorkers.
SourceRobert Ortt, Republican State Senator for New York Senate District 62, emphasizes affordability, reliability, consumer choice, and local control in energy policy. He opposes what he describes as costly or one-size-fits-all climate mandates, including EV mandates and expedited renewable siting that limits local input, while supporting cost-benefit reviews and ratepayer relief tied to New York climate and energy programs.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ortt publicly opposed the RAPID Act and called for greater local control over renewable energy and transmission siting, arguing the state should not fast-track projects over community objections.
SourceOrtt signed a Senate Republican letter urging Governor Hochul to pause and reassess New York's energy transition, support an all-of-the-above energy policy, continue nuclear development, and keep natural gas in the energy mix.
SourceRobert Ortt, Republican state senator for New York Senate District 62, emphasizes parental choice, religious-school autonomy, school safety, patriotic/civic education, and expanded education access for veterans and home-schooled students. His education record includes sponsoring 2025 bills on classroom security, American heritage materials in public schools, and veterans' high school diplomas, plus opposing State Education Department substantial-equivalency regulations for nonpublic schools.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ortt called for repealing State Education Department substantial-equivalency mandates, arguing parents should decide their children’s education and religious schools should retain autonomy.
SourceRobert G. Ortt, the Republican incumbent/candidate for New York State Senate District 62, frames public safety around repealing or changing bail reforms, increasing judicial discretion, tougher penalties for violent crime, and stronger protections for law enforcement. He has sponsored or supported legislation to reinstate the death penalty for specified first-degree murders, make firearm-involved offenses bail eligible, and enact a package of pro-law-enforcement bills.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Ortt and the Senate Republican Conference proposed a public safety package focused on mental health investments, deterring violent crime, firearm-related bail eligibility, and violence-prevention task forces.
SourceOrtt promoted a legislative package to strengthen penalties for assaulting police officers, criminalize doxing or stalking officers, make certain police-related crimes bail eligible, and withhold state funding from municipalities that defund police departments.
SourceOrtt states that New York should repeal bail reform, pass public safety measures protecting crime victims and their families, and make assaulting or killing police a hate crime.
SourceVote Smart
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/155558/robert-orttFetched: biography, age, hometown, education, committees
FollowTheMoney.org
https://www.followthemoney.org/report-grid?dt=1&f-sch-id=1155274Fetched: campaignFinance
The Business Council of New York State
https://www.bcnys.org/news/business-council-new-york-state-pac-announces-2026-political-endorsementsFetched: endorsements
New York State Board of Elections
https://elections.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2026/05/accessible-june-23-2026-primary-certification-amended-4.30.26-.pdfFetched: endorsements
Vote Smart
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/155558/robert-orttFetched: endorsements, ratings
New York State Public Employees Federation
https://www.pef.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-NYS-Senate-Endorsements.pdfFetched: endorsements
North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters
https://www.nasrcc.org/endorseny2022/Fetched: endorsements
Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts
https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/uploads/filer_public/f2/02/f202ff2c-c444-49b0-b57d-795cc2cf2b3c/2024_ratings_senate_oct.pdfFetched: ratings
New York League of Conservation Voters
https://www.nylcv.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-state-scorecard-web.pdfFetched: ratings
The Freedom Index
https://thefreedomindex.org/ny/legislator/16693/votes/report-ny-scorecard-2025/pdf/sca/Fetched: ratings
Medical Society of the State of New York PAC
https://www.mssny.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Monroe-County-Scorecard.pdfFetched: ratings
NYSenate.gov - Senator Robert G. Ortt
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/robert-g-orttFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - District 62
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/robert-g-ortt/districtFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - 2026 Session Wrap-Up
https://www.nysenate.gov/sites/default/files/open-data/Legislative%20Wrap%20Up_Book_2026.pdfFetched: issuePositions
Commons Gallery - S1633B
https://www.commonsgallery.com/bill/S1633B?back=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commonsgallery.com%2FbillsFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Robert G. Ortt District
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/robert-g-ortt/districtFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S869
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S869Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Workforce Development Task Force Press Release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2017/robert-g-ortt/ortt-named-new-co-chair-senates-task-force-workforce?page=0Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Medina Business Park Funding Press Release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/robert-g-ortt/ortt-secures-state-funding-support-medina-business-park?page=4Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S1909
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/S1909Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Climate Policy Press Release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/robert-g-ortt/ny-senate-republican-leader-rob-ortt-urges-common-sense?page=8Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Robert G. Ortt official profile
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/robert-g-orttFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - District 62 page
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/robert-g-ortt/districtFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - ICE cooperation legislation press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/robert-g-ortt/senate-and-assembly-republicans-introduce-legislationFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Laken's Law press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/robert-g-ortt/senate-and-assembly-republicans-rename-bill-would-allow?page=7Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Green Light Law press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/robert-g-ortt/new-york-state-senator-rob-ortt-western-new-york-lawFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - anti-resistance legislation press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2019/robert-g-ortt/ortt-introduces-anti-resistance-pro-law-enforcementFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - migrant tax opposition press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2023/robert-g-ortt/release-senate-republican-conference-oppose-socialistFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - RAPID Act local control press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/robert-g-ortt/new-york-state-senate-republican-leader-rob-ortt-alongFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Energy state of emergency letter
https://www.nysenate.gov/sites/default/files/admin/structure/media/manage/filefile/a/2025-07/2025-7-10.senate-republican-conference.governor-hochul.energy-state-of-emergency.pdfFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Substantial Equivalency Press Release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/robert-g-ortt/senate-republican-leader-ortt-calls-repeal-sedsFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - S3022 Classroom Security Devices
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3022Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - S2425 American Heritage Documents in Public Schools
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2425Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - S2143 Veterans High School Diplomas
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2143Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - S2465 Home-Schooled Student Activities
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2465Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Robert G. Ortt district page
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/robert-g-ortt/districtFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S9326 bill page
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S9326Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Safer NY Plan press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/robert-g-ortt/senate-republican-conference-proposes-safer-ny-planFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S32 bill page
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S32Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Protect Those Who Protect Us press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2021/robert-g-ortt/ortt-promotes-pro-law-enforcement-legislation?page=5Fetched: issuePositions
BallotReady - Robert G. Ortt profile
https://www.ballotready.org/people/robert-g-orttFetched: issuePositions