New York State Assembly, Jenifer Rajkumar

Jenifer earned her bachelor's degree from University of Pennsylvania and her law degree from Stanford Law School.

Jenifer previously served as the director of immigration affairs & special counsel for New York State. She has also worked as a civil rights lawyer and a professor at CUNY’s Lehman College.

Jenifer Rajkumar is an assemblymember in State Assembly District 38. She was first elected to this role in 2020 and is serving her 2nd term.

Candidate website

Supports eliminating the cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.

Supports investing pension funds in New York City’s small businesses.

Supports job training and placement for marginalized groups within their neighborhoods.

Supports advancing New York City as a leader in cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing.

Supports overhauling the property tax system to make it equitable and provide relief to lower-income homeowners.

Supports changing the property tax system to make it equitable and to help lower-income homeowners.

Believes city government functions best with an active Comptroller focused on safeguarding public funds and ensuring city programs are effective.

- Supports eliminating the cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.
- Supports investing pension funds in New York City’s small businesses.
- Supports job training and placement for marginalized groups within their neighborhoods.
- Supports advancing New York City as a leader in cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing.
- Supports changing the property tax system to make it equitable and to help lower-income homeowners.
- Believes city government functions best with an active Comptroller focused on safeguarding public funds and ensuring city programs are effective.

Economy

Supports implementing advanced energy infrastructure, such as virtual power plants and heat pumps.

Supports newer energy infrastructure like virtual power plants and heat pumps.

Supports legislation requiring waste railcars to be covered.

Supports legislation requiring train cars carrying waste to be covered.

As a state representative, introduced a bill to authorize cameras to catch illegal dumping.

Sponsored a bill to authorize cameras to catch illegal dumping.

Supports environmental conservation, and received a perfect score on her environmental legislative record from the New York League of Conservation Voters.

Supports environmental conservation and received a perfect score on her environmental legislative record from the New York League of Conservation Voters.

Supports new tax deductions for energy efficiency upgrades.

- Supports newer energy infrastructure like virtual power plants and heat pumps.
- Supports legislation requiring train cars carrying waste to be covered.
- Sponsored a bill to authorize cameras to catch illegal dumping.
- Supports environmental conservation and received a perfect score on her environmental legislative record from the New York League of Conservation Voters.
- Supports new tax deductions for energy efficiency upgrades.

Energy & the Environment

Supports single-payer healthcare and authored a bill to establish capitation payments in healthcare.

Supports single-payer healthcare and authored a bill to establish predictable payments to providers.

Supports abortion access and is "fully committed to fighting for women’s reproductive rights and freedoms."

As a state representative, introduced a bill to reduce costs on state employee prescription drug benefits.

Sponsored the New York Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act to produce cheap generics.

Sponsored the New York Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act to produce cheap generic medication.

Supports investing in NYC Health + Hospitals to ensure quality, accessible healthcare for all.

Supports investing in NYC hospitals to ensure quality, accessible healthcare for all.

- Supports single-payer healthcare and authored a bill to establish predictable payments to providers.
- Supports abortion access and is "fully committed to fighting for women’s reproductive rights and freedoms."
- As a state representative, introduced a bill to reduce costs on state employee prescription drug benefits.
- Sponsored the New York Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act to produce cheap generic medication.
- Supports investing in NYC hospitals to ensure quality, accessible healthcare for all.

Healthcare

Believes that "our freedoms and our very democracy are fragile" and wants to divest pension dollars from entities that give to anti-democracy causes.

- Believes that "our freedoms and our very democracy are fragile" and wants to divest pension dollars from entities that give to anti-democracy causes.

Voting & Elections

As a city council member, organized communities to combat hate crimes targeting the Jewish, Sikh, and Hindu communities.

Organized communities to combat hate crimes targeting the Jewish, Sikh, and Hindu communities.

As a state representative, passed a bill to provide compensation to more crime victims.

Passed the SMOKEOUT Act to authorize New York City to close illegal smoke shops.

As a state representative, led a coalition of over 50 lawmakers urging federal leadership to address the migrant crisis.

Led a coalition of over 50 lawmakers urging federal leadership to address the migrant crisis.

Believes in granting work authorization to asylum seekers.

- Organized communities to combat hate crimes targeting the Jewish, Sikh, and Hindu communities.
- As a state representative, passed a bill to provide compensation to more crime victims.
- Passed the SMOKEOUT Act to authorize New York City to close illegal smoke shops.
- Led a coalition of over 50 lawmakers urging federal leadership to address the migrant crisis.
- Believes in granting work authorization to asylum seekers.

Public Safety

Supports accessible preschool for all children.

Supports evidence-based policies to enhance education, including a longer school year and smaller schools.

Supports restoring free tuition at the City University of New York (CUNY).

Supports a "whole child approach" to education, ensuring children receive comprehensive support to enhance their learning.

Supports passing the City University of New York (CUNY) New Deal to enhance campus infrastructure and student support services.

Supports passing the City University of New York (CUNY) New Deal to fund campus infrastructure and student support services.

Supports making Diwali a school holiday in NYC schools, recognizing over 600,000 Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain New Yorkers.

Believes many students, especially in communities of color, perform below grade level, highlighting ongoing educational disparities.

- Supports accessible preschool for all children.
- Supports evidence-based policies to enhance education, including a longer school year and smaller schools.
- Supports restoring free tuition at the City University of New York (CUNY).
- Supports a "whole child approach" to education, ensuring children receive comprehensive support to enhance their learning.
- Supports passing the City University of New York (CUNY) New Deal to fund campus infrastructure and student support services.
- Supports making Diwali a school holiday in NYC schools, recognizing over 600,000 Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Jain New Yorkers.
- Believes many students, especially in communities of color, perform below grade level, highlighting ongoing educational disparities.

Education

Supports investing pension funds in affordable housing.

Supports "more financial assistance for homeownership."

Supports creating a New York City Land Bank to acquire properties for affordable housing development.

Supports creating a New York City Land Bank to buy properties for affordable housing development.

Wants to hold the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) accountable for providing high-quality and safe affordable housing.

Supports using Economically Targeted Investments to develop affordable housing by making direct equity investments in local projects.

Supports using Economically Targeted Investments to develop affordable housing.

Supports using innovative project delivery methods like progressive design-build to reduce project timelines.

- Supports investing pension funds in affordable housing.
- Supports "more financial assistance for homeownership."
- Supports creating a New York City Land Bank to buy properties for affordable housing development.
- Wants to hold the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) accountable for providing high-quality and safe affordable housing.
- Supports using Economically Targeted Investments to develop affordable housing.
- Supports using innovative project delivery methods like progressive design-build to reduce project timelines.

Housing & Urban Development

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Jenifer Rajkumar

Jenifer previously served as the Director of Immigration Affairs & Special Counsel for New York State. She has also worked as a civil rights lawyer and a professor at CUNY’s Lehman College.

Jenifer Rajkumar is currently an assemblymember for New York's 38th Assembly District. She was first elected to this role in 2020 and is serving her 2nd term.

Supports creating security around retirement for all city employees.

Believes utility rates and transit fares should not increase.

Supports using the latest waste management technology, including containerized waste, to keep streets clean.

- Supports newer energy infrastructure like virtual power plants and heat pumps.
- Supports legislation requiring train cars carrying waste to be covered.
- Sponsored a bill to authorize cameras to catch illegal dumping.
- Supports environmental conservation, and received a perfect score on her environmental legislative record from the New York League of Conservation Voters.
- Supports new tax deductions for energy efficiency upgrades.

Supports abortion access. Her site says she is "fully committed to fighting for women’s reproductive rights and freedoms."

Wants to improve health outcomes in public hospitals.

Aims to address health disparities across the city.

- Supports single-payer healthcare and authored a bill to establish predictable payments to providers.
- Supports abortion access. Her site says she is "fully committed to fighting for women’s reproductive rights and freedoms."
- As a state representative, introduced a bill to reduce costs on state employee prescription drug benefits.
- Sponsored the New York Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act to produce cheap generic medication.
- Supports investing in NYC Health + Hospitals to ensure quality, accessible healthcare for all.

Believes "government inefficiency is costing lives."

Believes in addressing "longstanding issues" in the Comptroller’s Office to improve efficiency and accountability.

Believes "our freedoms and our very democracy are fragile," highlighting the importance of protecting voting rights and ensuring fair elections.

Opposes "double-dipping" among nonprofit organizations and businesses serving vulnerable populations.

Believes there are "unprecedented levels of auditing offices with the least transparency, including NYCHA."

Believes quality of life issues persist in NYC, citing illegal smoke shops, e-bike traffic law violations, and increased shoplifting and package theft.

Plans to regulate e-bikes and e-scooters by requiring licensing, registration, and insurance.

Believes in honoring the promise of opportunity through public service.

As of September 23, 2024, Jenifer Rajkumar’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Jenifer Rajkumar is currently a New York State Assemblywoman. She previously served as the Director of Immigration Affairs & Special Counsel for New York State. She has also worked as a civil rights lawyer and a professor at CUNY’s Lehman College.

- Your assembly member is involved in the legislative process at the state level as part of the New York State Assembly, which consists of 150 members and serves as the lower house of the New York State Legislature.  
- Assembly members are responsible for representing your interests and assisting you with navigating state services while bringing resources back to your district.  
- Assembly members draft laws, approve budgets, oversee the state executive branch, and engage in debates and votes on proposed legislation.  
- In addition to drafting and voting on bills, your assembly member can serve on committees, where many bills may be delayed before reaching a vote.  
- Assembly members are elected for a two-year term with no term limits.  
- Their annual salary is $142,000.  