State Senator - District 19

Roxanne J. Persaud

DemocraticIncumbent

Has represented Senate District 19 since winning a November 2015 special election, after serving in the state Assembly, and chairs the Senate Social Services Committee.

Overview Issues Support Money Events Record

Health care and medical aid in dying

In coverage

Voted against the medical aid in dying act in 2025 and against a bill setting requirements for providing medication for medical aid in dying in 2026. Sponsored laws requiring insurers and Medicaid to cover biomarker testing and letting doulas be present during cesarean sections, and a bill barring hospitals and health care providers from storing credit card information without signed written consent.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Voted no on A136, the medical aid in dying act, on June 9, 2025; it passed the Senate 35-27 and was signed into law as Chapter 714 of the Laws of 2025 on Feb. 6, 2026. Voted no on A9515, on requirements for providing medication for medical aid in dying, on Feb. 4, 2026; it passed both houses that day and was signed into law as Chapter 1 on Feb. 6, 2026. Sponsored S1196, requiring health insurance policies and Medicaid to cover biomarker testing; voted yes on S1196A on June 5, 2023, and it was signed into law as Chapter 754 on Dec. 22, 2023. Sponsored S5991, permitting doulas in the operating room during a cesarean section; voted yes on June 1, 2023 and on the final Senate vote on Jan. 22, 2024, and it was signed into law as Chapter 654 on Dec. 21, 2024. Sponsored S2393, barring hospitals and health care providers from storing credit card information without signed written consent; voted yes when it passed the Senate on April 22, 2026, and it passed the Assembly on June 1, 2026.

Voted no on A136 and A9515; sponsor of S1196, S5991 and S2393, voting yes on each in the Senate · 2023-06-01 to 2026-04-22 · A136 signed into law as Chapter 714 of the Laws of 2025 on Feb. 6, 2026; A9515 signed into law as Chapter 1 on Feb. 6, 2026; S1196 signed into law as Chapter 754 on Dec. 22, 2023; S5991 signed into law as Chapter 654 on Dec. 21, 2024; S2393 passed the Senate on April 22, 2026 and the Assembly on June 1, 2026

NY Senate — A136 (2025) bill page and floor vote ↗NY Senate — A9515 (2025) bill page and floor vote ↗NY Senate — S1196 (2023) bill page and floor vote ↗NY Senate — S5991 (2023) bill page and floor votes ↗NY Senate — S2393 (2025) bill page and floor vote ↗

NY Senate — A136 (2025) bill page ↗

Child care and public assistance

In coverage

Backs a state task force to study fiscal cliffs in public assistance programs, saying no family should be penalized for working harder or earning a little more. Sponsored a law requiring social services districts to keep waiting lists of eligible families seeking child care assistance and legislation increasing a child care center tax abatement in cities of one million or more.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Sponsored S7830, establishing a fiscal cliff task force to study the state's public assistance programs; voted yes on S7830A on March 25, 2024; it passed the Assembly on May 30, 2024 and was vetoed by the governor on Nov. 22, 2024. Sponsored S1926, requiring social services districts to keep a waiting list of families who applied for child care assistance and report data on their incomes; voted yes on March 19, 2025, and it was signed into law as Chapter 676 of the Laws of 2025 on Dec. 19, 2025. Sponsored S7685, increasing the child care center tax abatement for certain properties in a city of one million or more; voted yes on June 5, 2025, and it was signed into law as Chapter 609 on Dec. 5, 2025.

Sponsor of S7830, S1926 and S7685, voting yes on each in the Senate · 2024-03-25 to 2025-12-19 · S7830 passed both houses and was vetoed by the governor on Nov. 22, 2024; S1926 signed into law as Chapter 676 of the Laws of 2025 on Dec. 19, 2025; S7685 signed into law as Chapter 609 on Dec. 5, 2025

NY Senate — S7830 (2023) bill page and floor vote ↗NY Senate — S1926 (2025) bill page and floor vote ↗NY Senate — S7685 (2025) bill page and floor vote ↗

NY Senate — Senator Roxanne J. Persaud ↗

Housing and rents

In coverage

Lists affordable housing among her legislative priorities, and voted for a 2025 law on landlords' use of algorithmic pricing that bars facilitating agreements among residential landlords not to compete, including through software or algorithms that coordinate on their behalf.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Voted yes on S7882, on the use of algorithmic pricing by landlords to set residential rents, on June 9, 2025; it was signed into law as Chapter 437 on Oct. 16, 2025.

Voted yes on S7882 on the Senate floor · 2025-06-09 · Signed into law as Chapter 437 on Oct. 16, 2025

NY Senate — S7882 (2025) bill page and floor vote ↗

NY Senate — About Roxanne J. Persaud ↗

Schools and the state budget

In coverage

Lists funding for schools and libraries among her legislative priorities, and voted for the 2024-25 state budget bill covering education, labor, housing and family assistance.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Voted yes on S8306C, which enacted major components of the state education, labor, housing and family assistance budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, on April 19, 2024; it was signed into law as Chapter 56 on April 20, 2024.

Voted yes on S8306C on the Senate floor · 2024-04-19 · Signed into law as Chapter 56 on April 20, 2024

NY Senate — S8306 (2023) bill page and floor vote ↗

NY Senate — About Roxanne J. Persaud ↗

Transit and accessible transportation

In coverage

Sponsored laws requiring one voting member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to be a transit-dependent individual and requiring electric vehicle charging stations to include at least one space large enough for wheelchair-accessible electric vehicles.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Sponsored S8037, requiring one voting member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to be a transit-dependent individual; voted yes on Jan. 17, 2024, and it was signed into law as Chapter 68 on Feb. 7, 2024. Sponsored S787, requiring electric vehicle charging stations to include at least one space to accommodate wheelchair-accessible electric vehicles; voted yes on Jan. 14, 2025, and it was signed into law as Chapter 86 on Feb. 14, 2025.

Sponsor of S8037 and S787, voting yes on each in the Senate · 2024-01-17 to 2025-02-14 · S8037 signed into law as Chapter 68 on Feb. 7, 2024; S787 signed into law as Chapter 86 on Feb. 14, 2025

NY Senate — S8037 (2023) bill page and floor vote ↗NY Senate — S787 (2025) bill page and floor vote ↗

NY Senate — S8037 (2023) bill page ↗

Adult-use dispensaries and alcohol sales

In coverage

Voted for a 2026 law amending the limits on how close retail adult-use dispensaries may be to schools and houses of worship, and voted against a 2023 law permitting the retail sale of beer on Sundays.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Voted yes on S9155, amending provisions limiting the location of retail adult-use dispensaries near schools and houses of worship, on Feb. 11, 2026; it was signed into law as Chapter 2 on Feb. 11, 2026. Voted no on A6941, permitting the retail sale of beer on Sundays, on June 7, 2023; it was signed into law as Chapter 524 on Oct. 13, 2023.

Voted yes on S9155 and no on A6941 on the Senate floor · 2023-06-07 to 2026-02-11 · S9155 signed into law as Chapter 2 on Feb. 11, 2026; A6941 signed into law as Chapter 524 on Oct. 13, 2023

NY Senate — S9155 (2025) bill page and floor vote ↗NY Senate — A6941 (2023) bill page and floor vote ↗

NY Senate — S9155 (2025) bill page ↗

Gas service

In coverage

Voted for a 2025 law on gas service to new customers, covering a utility's or municipality's obligation to provide gas service when a building without gas applies for it.

✓ Track record — what they've actually done

Voted yes on S8417, on the provision of gas service to new customers, on June 12, 2025; it was signed into law as Chapter 709 of the Laws of 2025 on Dec. 19, 2025.

Voted yes on S8417 on the Senate floor · 2025-06-12 · Signed into law as Chapter 709 of the Laws of 2025 on Dec. 19, 2025

NY Senate — S8417 (2025) bill page and floor vote ↗

NY Senate — S8417 (2025) bill page ↗

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