Biography

01/08/1947 -

Richard A. Kasunic (D32) Fayette, Somerset (Part), Washington (Part), Westmoreland (Part) Counties 1995-2014

Early Life:

Richard A. Kasunic, born January 8, 1947, Dunbar, Fayette County, Pennsylvania; son of Walter A. and Gertrude Bashinsky Kasunic; Dunbar Township High School, 1964; Robert Morris College (A.A.), business administration; Youngstown State University (B.S.), business administration; Pennsylvania National Guard, 1970-1976; real estate sales and appraisals; chief assessor, Fayette County, 1971-1982; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1983-1994; appointed, Special Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Industrial Plant Closings, 1984; appointed, Special Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Flooding of the Monongahela River Basin, 1986; appointed, Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, 1989-1994; not a candidate for reelection to the House, 1994; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1995-2014; elected, chair, Senate Minority Policy Committee, 1997-2010; elected, Senate Minority Caucus Chair, 2011-2014; appointed, Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, 1995-2008; appointed, Joint Conservation Committee, 2009-2014; appointed, Joint State Government Commission, 2011-2014; appointed, member, Legislative Data Processing Center, 2011-2014; appointed, PennVEST, 2011-2014; appointed, Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council; appointed, Pennsylvania Athletic Oversight Commission; appointed, State Transportation Advisory Commission; not a candidate for reelection, State Senate 2014; one son, Richard A., II.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1983-1994; appointed, Special Bipartisan Committee to Investigate Industrial Plant Closings, 1984; appointed, Special Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Flooding of the Monongahela River Basin, 1986; appointed, Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, 1989-1994; not a candidate for reelection to the House, 1994. 

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1995-2014; elected, chair, Senate Minority Policy Committee, 1997-2010; elected, Senate Minority Caucus Chair, 2011-2014; appointed, Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution Control and Conservation Committee, 1995-2008; appointed, Joint Conservation Committee, 2009-2014; appointed, Joint State Government Commission, 2011-2014; appointed, member, Legislative Data Processing Center, 2011-2014; appointed, PennVEST, 2011-2014; appointed, Pennsylvania Hardwoods Development Council; appointed, Pennsylvania Athletic Oversight Commission; appointed, State Transportation Advisory Commission; committee assignments, Game and Fisheries, (Minority Chairman), Labor and Industry, Rules and Executive Nominations,  Transportation; not a candidate for reelection, State Senate, left office November 30, 2014.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Cited: 

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members K". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1999). Crowell, G.; Secretary, Department of General Services. (Volume 114) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 3-36, 3-42; Biographies of Members of the Senate, page 3-16.

The Pennsylvania Manual, (2013-2014). Phillips, S. (Editor). (Volume 121). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; pages 3-35, 3-40. Biographies of Members of the Senate, page 3-19.