Carlucci worked as a financial planner for American Express from 2002 to 2003 and worked in Congressman Eliot Engel's office as a staff assistant from 2004 to 2005. In 2003, Carlucci made his first political run for the office of Town Clerk in the Town of Clarkstown. Carlucci lost to the 28-year incumbent, Republican Patricia Sheridan. In 2006, he defeated Sheridan by 294 votes at the age of 24.
New York Senate
Elections
In May of 2010, Carlucci announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for New York State Senate in District 38. That same month incumbent, Republican Thomas Morahan announced he would not be seeking re-election. Morahan who was 78-years-old was seeking treatment for Leukemia. In June of 2010, Rockland republicans nominated then Rockland County Executive C. over Rockland County Legislator Ed Day, as the Republican nominee. Carlucci defeated Vanderhoef and won 53 percent of the vote, picking up a seat that had not been held by a Democrat since 1984..He was one of the youngest senators elected to the New York State Senate at just 29-years-old. Carlucci went on to win four more general elections. He also defeated a primary challenger, Julie Goldberg, in 2018. All of his former IDC colleagues faced similar primary challenges and most were defeated. Carlucci is in his 5th term of office.
Legislation
Carlucci has passed more than 130 bills that were signed into law since 2011. He supported the SAFE Act, raise the age of criminal responsibility, a $15/hr minimum wage plan, and paid family leave policy. Carlucci co-sponsored the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act ; the law aims to have New York’s electricity entirely from emission-free sources by 2040 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85% by 2050. Carlucci also sponsored the Green Amendment, a constitutional amendment to the New York State Constitution which guarantees “each person shall have the right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment.” In 2020, Carlucci's amended version of Dream's Law was signed by Governor Cuomo. The bill requires hospitals to have a discharge plan in place before a person can leave. Carlucci sponsored Lauren's Law, which requires individuals who apply for a driver’s license to complete the organ donor registry section of the application by selecting either “yes” or “skip this question.” Carlucci helped expand the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage, which provides discount drugs for senior citizens. In June 2014, Carlucci’s bill to create a relapse prevention program to combat heroin addiction in New York State became a law. Carlucci sponsored legislation in 2019 banning employers from asking job applicants their salary history as a requirement for a job interview, job application, job offer, or promotion. Carlucci sponsored legislation signed into law, allowing survivors of domestic violence to report the incident of abuse to any law enforcement agency in New York State, regardless of where it happened. In 2019, Carlucci sponsored legislation requiring the State Office of Mental Health to regularly review suicide prevention programs and recommend changes to be meet the needs of at risk individuals and address risk factors for minority and underrepresented populations. Carlucci also sponsored legislation to establish a Black Youth Suicide Task Force to address an increasing rate of suicide among black children ages 5-years to 18-years-old. The task force would be made up of mental health professionals with knowledge of the black community who can examine, evaluate and determine remedies to tailor youth suicide prevention efforts in the back community. Carlucci sponsored the Pension Poaching Prevention Act. The will crackdown on scammers trying to profit off a veteran’s service by selling them financial products they don't need or charging them to apply for benefits they do not quality for. In 2013, Carlucci sponsored a bill that was signed into law called Jobs for Heroes, which gives a tax credit to businesses for hiring returning veterans.
Independent Democratic Caucus (IDC)
On January 5, 2011, David Carlucci entered into the Senate and formed the Independent Democratic Conference, with three other Democratic senators, Jeffrey D. Klein, Diane Savino, and David J. Valesky. The formation of the IDC created a third legislative conference in the State Senate. The senators said the IDC would "push for commonsense solutions to the problems facing New York State, break the hyper-partisan gridlock that has gripped the Senate and work to restore the public's trust in its public officials." In 2013, the IDC and the Senate Republicans announced a majority coalition agreement. Their Democratic colleagues called the move a power grab and liberal Democrats blamed the group for enabling a Republican agenda. In April 2018, the IDC was dissolved and Carlucci joined the Senate Democratic Conference. In the 2018 Democratic Primary, Carlucci defeated challenger Julie Goldberg by a 54% to 46% margin, becoming one of only two former IDC members, along with Diane Savino, to defeat primary challengers.
In October 2019, Carlucci announced his bid for. Previously, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, who represents the district, had announced she would not be seeking another term and would be retiring after 30+ years in office. After Carlucci announced his run, he told the Journal News that he has "the experience, work ethic, energy to get the job done. For me, public service isn’t just a job or career: it’s my life." The focuses of his campaign include education, climate change, gun reforms, women's rights, and comprehensive immigration reform. His campaign has been denounced by several local Democratic groups, including Indivisible, Rockland United, and ProChoice Voter, due to his previous IDC membership.
Controversies
In June 2017, several members of the IDC, including Carlucci, sent a pro-choice mailer to their constituents that, according to Planned Parenthood, “misleads constituents by implying electoral support from Planned Parenthood.” The mailer used the Planned Parenthood logo and read "Supported by Planned Parenthood" on the front. In a letter to the IDC, Planned Parenthood stated that they had not made any endorsements and misuse of their logo "undermines confidence and integrity in this endorsement process." The mailer also touted Carlucci's support of two major pieces of pro-choice legislation, the Reproductive Health Act and the Comprehensive Contraception Coverage Act, while referring to both bills by the wrong names. A spokesperson for the IDC said in a statement: "Constituents have a right to know where their senators stand on women's health issues and this is what the IDC communicated to voters. Every member of the IDC supports women's health rights and universally stand at the ready to pass these vital issues."
Personal life
On January 15, 2011, Carlucci married his high school sweetheart and longtime girlfriend, Lauren Grossberg. Grossberg is a Rockland County native and an elementary school teacher. The pair met in high school on the track team. They have two children. They live in the town of Clarkstown, New York.
