A NATIVE OF ELIZABETH, RAYMOND J. LESNIAK began his legislative career in 1978. He served five and one-half years in the New Jersey General Assembly. In 1983, he was elected to the State Senate and currently Chairs the Senate Economic Growth Committee and serves on the Judiciary and Commerce Committees. Some of the Senator’s major legislative initiatives include the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Environmental Cleanup Responsibility Act (ECRA), the Air Pollution Control Act, the New Jersey Domestic Preparedness Act, and the re-authorization of the Transportation Trust Fund. He served as Chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee from 1992 to 1993 and as NJ Chair of the Clinton-Gore and Gore-Lieberman presidential  campaigns. Senator Lesniak is Vice Chairman of the Board of First BankAmericano, a community bank headquartered in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He is also the founder of a non-profit group called Democrats for the Soul. In 1982, Senator Lesniak was named “Citizen of the Year” by the Polish American World, and in 1991, he was named “Man of the Year” by the Jewish National Fund. Senator Lesniak was named “Man of the Year” in 1999 by the American Cancer Society, Union County. In 2002, Senator Lesniak was named “Humanitarian of the Year” by Community Access Unlimited for his legislative efforts on behalf of people with disabilities and for providing support to working poor families and the homeless.

In 2003 he was awarded “Legislator of the Year” by the Medical Society of New Jersey for working to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, expanding the PAAD low-cost prescription drug program to cover more seniors, and expanding cancer and diabetes research and education. Also in 2003, Senator Lesniak received the Phillip M. Scanlan Environmental Award for his contributions to improving the environment, awarded by Quality New Jersey, a not-for-profit organization that promotes performance excellence.

Senator Lesniak was the Grand Marshal of the Pulaski Day Parade in New York City on October 3, 2004. The Senator holds an undergraduate degree from Rutgers University in Economics and a Juris Doctorate degree from St. John’s University School of Law. He served in the U.S. Army 1967-69, Specialist Fourth Class. He is a partner in the law firm Weiner Lesniak.

CONTACT: SENATOR LESNIAK AT SENLESNIAK@NJLEG.ORG OR BY VISITING WWW.NJCOMMUNITYFIRST.COM.