Jo Anne Simon, a former teacher of the deaf, pushed for equitable school funding (Campaign for Fiscal Equity), advocates for students with disabilities especially dyslexia, founded Dyslexia Awareness Day at the Capitol, and promotes evidence-based reading instruction aligned with the science of reading.

Jo Anne Simon advocates for community input, responsible city planning, and real affordable housing. She fought for affordability and accountability in the Atlantic Yards project and led community planning for Boerum Hill, including the Hoyt-Schermerhorn development with 37.5% low-to-moderate-income housing.

Jo Anne Simon passed a campaign finance reform bill closing the LLC loophole, does not take donations from real estate developers, special interests, or corporate PACs, and worked to ease voter registration deadlines and modernize voting systems.

Jo Anne Simon, a former plaintiff-side employment lawyer, introduced the EMPIRE Worker Protection Act to allow private enforcement of wage theft and safety violations. She supports good-paying jobs with benefits and has walked picket lines and attended rallies.

Jo Anne Simon sponsored a red flag law, supported New York's first firearms violence research institute, and pushed for comprehensive background checks, bump stock bans, gun buyback programs, and safe storage. She has an F rating from the NRA.

Jo Anne Simon helped codify Roe v. Wade into state law, passed gender-neutral legislation for police and firefighters, supported Paid Family Leave, equal pay, workplace discrimination protections, contraceptive coverage, and fought against fake health clinics.

Jo Anne Simon advocates for equitable public transit, congestion pricing, accessible subway system, expanded bike lanes, car shares, improved bus service, and supported the Safe Streets Program and speed camera program.