State Senator - District 11
Toby Ann Stavisky
First elected to the State Senate on Nov. 2, 1999, and re-elected 13 times; has represented District 11 since 2023.
Where they stand
Cost of living and housing
Points to $350 million for the child tax credit, discounted LIRR and Metro-North rides for city residents, and authority for New York City to expand its senior rent freeze to incomes up to $75,000, all of which her campaign credits to her. Also says she voted to expand the RESTORE program of free home repairs for seniors.
Health care
Sponsored a law providing coverage for scalp cooling to preserve hair during chemotherapy and a bill allowing nursing programs to complete one-third of clinical education through simulation. Voted for the Medical Aid in Dying Act. Her campaign says she cosponsors universal health care.
Issues Toby is raising
Public safety and hate crimes
Sponsors a bill adding ammunition to the items people with certain convictions may not buy, which passed the Senate in May 2026. Her campaign says she wrote a law requiring counseling for anyone convicted of a hate crime and introduced legislation for a satellite police precinct in northern Queens.
Colleges and universities
Chairs the Senate Higher Education Committee. Sponsored bills to phase out certain mandatory fees for graduate students and to add an elected faculty or staff member to community college boards, both vetoed in December 2025, and a 2025 law opening college admission and aid to graduates of U.S. online high school programs accredited under the Job Corps Policy and Requirements Handbook.
Climate and energy
Says she co-sponsors the Climate Community and Protection Act, which she says aims to substantially reduce the state's emissions, and secured funding to buy wetlands in Douglaston with the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee. Voted for a 2025 law on utilities' gas service to new customers.
Local ballot questions
Voted against a 2025 bill to end the rule that lets a city charter commission's ballot proposal keep other local referendum questions off the same ballot; the governor later vetoed the bill.
Background
Based in Whitestone
Chairs the Senate Higher Education Committee and serves as the Senate's Vice President Pro Tempore. A former New York City high school social studies teacher, she lives in Whitestone.
- Vice President Pro Tempore of the New York State Senate
- Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Higher Education; the first woman to chair it
- Vice-Chair of the Senate's Democratic Majority Conference
- First woman from Queens County elected to the State Senate
- 2025 committee assignments: Higher Education, Education, Ethics and Internal Governance, Finance, Judiciary, Racing, Gaming and Wagering, and Women's Issues
- Trustee of the City University Construction Fund and member of the Higher Education Capital Matching Grants Program Board
- Treasurer of the bipartisan, bicameral Legislative Women's Caucus
- Taught social studies in New York City public high schools after working in the actuarial department of an insurance company
- Graduate of the Bronx High School of Science; bachelor's degree from Syracuse University (1960); graduate courses at Hunter College and Queens College
- Was married to Dr. Leonard Stavisky, who served in the State Assembly and Senate until his death in June 1999
- Won District 11 in 2022 with 56.7% of the vote over Stefano Forte and in 2024 with 54.1% over Yiatin Chu
Support
Mark Levine
New York City Comptroller
John Liu
New York State Senator
Leroy Comrie
New York State Senator
Roxanne Persaud
New York State Senator
Edward Braunstein
New York State Assembly Member
Money
$229K
raised
Top donors: CWA District 1, VOTE COPE, IBEW NY PAC
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