Elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate in 1996, Senator Jay Costa is serving his fifth full term as state Senator for the 43rd District. He is currently the Democratic Floor Leader, a position which makes him the highest-ranking member within the Senate Democratic Caucus. Formerly, he served as Allegheny County Deputy Sheriff (1984-1989) and Register of Wills (1992-1996). The Senator has also served as an adjunct professor to the Community College of Allegheny County and currently serves as Treasurer for their Board of Trustees. He also is a member of the Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Bar Associations. He earned his Juris Doctorate at Duquesne University and is a shareholder of Grogan, Graffam, P.C. In addition to serving as Vice Chair of the 3 Rivers Wet Weather Board, he serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the Board of Directors for many Pittsburgh organizations including The Catholic Charities Free Health Care Center, the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, and the Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center. He attended the Allegheny County Police Academy in 1985 and earned a Bachelor of Arts at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1979.