Charles D. Lavine
Charles D. Lavine (born August 14, 1947) is a member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 13th district, which includes portions of the towns of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay in Nassau County. First elected in 2004, Lavine is a Democrat. Early life and education. Lavine was born in Marinette, Wisconsin. He graduated from Marinette High School in 1965 and received a B.A. degree in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1969. After coming to New York, he earned a J.D. from New York Law School in June 1972. Lavine has been  a Glen Cove resident since 1980. He and his wife Ronnie have two grown children, Gregory and Andria. Career. From 1972 to 1976 worked as a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of New York. From 1977 to 1995 he served as a partner in the law firm of Grossman, Lavine & Rinaldo in Forest Hills, New York. Since 1996, he has been a sole practitioner specializing in criminal defense work. In 2000 Nassau County Executive and Glen Cove Mayor Thomas Suozzi appointed Lavine to the Glen Cove Planning Board. In May 2003 Lavine was appointed to fill a vacancy  on the Glen Cove City Council, a position to which he was subsequently elected. In 2004 he successfully ran in the Democratic Party primary election for an Assembly seat against six-term incumbent David S. Sidikman and later that year won the seat at the general election, taking office in 2005. In 2016 Lavine had announced that he would run for Nassau County Executive in 2017, saying he would want to weed out corruption and strengthen government ethics in Nassau as he has sought to do in the state Legislature. In May 2017, Lavine dropped out of the race for  Country Executive and endorsed Laura Curran for the position. In January 2021, Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie appointed Assemblymember Lavine as Chair of the Judiciary Committee. Lavine is also a member of the Committee on Codes, Ethics and Guidance, Rules and Insurance. Lavine previously served as Chair of the Election Law Committee, Chair of the Committee on Ethics and Guidance, co-Chair of the New York State Legislative Ethics Commission and as Chair of the bipartisan Taskforce that produced the Assembly Speaker’s Policy on Sexual Harassment, Retaliation and Discrimination. Lavine also serves as President of the New York Chapter  of the National Association of Jewish Legislators and as a member of its national board of directors. As Chair of the Committee on Ethics, Lavine led the investigation of former Assemblyman Vito Lopez for sexual harassment of female staffers, eventually imposing a $330,000 fine in 2013. Lavine voted on March 11, 2014 to re-appoint three members (James Cottrell, Wade Norwood, and Christine Cea) to the Board of Regents, the body responsible for overseeing state education policy and implementation of the Common Core State Standards Initiative. In 2009, he was one of 17 Democrats to cosponsor A8180, which increased  several transportation-related fees to fund the operation of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (including rental car fees, DMV fees and the MTA fee on self-employed workers). On June 8, 2021, the Assembly passed A02666 - The Scott J. Beigel Unfinished Receiver Act, banning the sale and possession of so-called ‘ghost guns,’ which Lavine sponsored. The ‘Ghost Guns’ bill is dedicated to honor Scott Beigel, who lost his life tragically trying to save his students during the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018. It puts restrictions on untraceable firearms used by criminals  to evade background checks by requiring that any guns made by an individual must be assigned a serial number. Lavine supports LGBT rights including same-sex marriage as well as opposing gender discrimination. In 2009, he sponsored A7732 that would allow "same-sex couples the same opportunity to enter into civil marriages as opposite-sex couples". Lavine sponsored A5710, a bill that would prohibit "discrimination based on gender identity or expression." In 2011, Lavine renewed his support for this legislation. In 2011, Lavine supported an extension of the temporary New York State income tax surcharge on individuals earning over $ 200,000 annually. This temporary surcharge was enacted in January 2009 to balance the New York State budget. Legislation and policy positions. In 2013, Lavine sponsored A2189, which would improve health care services for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries. Voting rights In April 2018, Lavine sponsored A09608B, a bill to allow early voting in the State of New York. The bill died in the Republican-held State Senate. In 2019, after Democrats took back control of the State Senate, the bill was reintroduced on the first day of the legislative session and passed the Assembly and  the State Senate. On June 8, 2021, the Assembly passed A07654 establishing a North Shore Water Authority which would take over the assets and functions currently provided by New York American Water. This legislation will provide financial relief for overburdened ratepayers in the villages of Sea Cliff, Old Brookville, Roslyn Harbor and the hamlets of Glenwood Landing and Glen Head who are currently serviced by American Water, a private water utility.