NY State Assembly · District 71

• YesProvides that a microbusiness licensee authorized to conduct retail sales may serve as a processor and cultivator for purposes of cannabis showcase event permits · S10113 · Passed Assembly 88–53 · 2026-06-05 official record ↗Provides that a microbusiness licensee authorized to conduct retail sales may serve as a processor and cultivator for purposes of cannabis showcase event permits.
• YesRelates to granting employees access to personnel records · S3460 · Passed Assembly 92–49 · 2026-05-19 official record ↗Grants employees access to personnel records; requires notice of negative information in such records and an opportunity for a review; permits employee to include certain information in personnel records.
• YesConcealed Carry Improvement Act · S51001 · Passed 90–52 · 2022-07-01 official record ↗Enacted after the Bruen decision: added training and character requirements for carry permits and barred guns in designated sensitive places.
• Yes2021–22 budget revenue bill · S2509 · Passed 88–61 · 2021-04-07 official record ↗Raised personal income tax rates on incomes above $1 million and raised the corporate franchise tax rate on large businesses, among other revenue measures.
• YesProtect Our Courts Act · A2176 · Passed 97–44 · 2020-07-20 official record ↗Bars federal civil immigration arrests of people going to, attending, or leaving New York courthouses without a judicial warrant.
• YesClimate Leadership and Community Protection Act · S6599 · Passed 111–35 · 2019-06-20 official record ↗Set statewide targets of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and an 85% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.
• YesHousing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019 · S6458 · Passed 95–46 · 2019-06-14 official record ↗Made rent regulation permanent, ended vacancy decontrol and the vacancy bonus, and limited rent increases for major capital improvements.
• YesExtreme risk protection orders (red-flag law) · S2451 · Passed 100–37 · 2019-01-29 official record ↗Allows courts to temporarily bar people found to pose a danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms.
• NoReproductive Health Act · S240 · Passed 95–49 · 2019-01-22 official record ↗Moved abortion from the penal code to the public-health law and protected access to abortion under state law.

Votes on landmark laws since 2019, plus 2026 roll calls where at least five members voted on the losing side — read from the legislature’s official records.

• actionSits on the Banks, Cities, Education, Election Law, Labor and Rules committees in the 2025-2026 session.[2]
• billSponsored legislation creating the Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office to oversee cases of police misconduct, which was signed into law.[3]
• billSponsored a law requiring childcare services to adopt anaphylaxis policies to protect children with severe allergies, which was signed into law.[3]
• billSponsored legislation clarifying emergency-response protocols for incidents involving lithium-ion batteries, which was signed into law.[3]
• billSponsored the "Make Voting Easy Act," which requires counties to designate early-voting polling places based on registered-voter populations, and which was signed into law.[3]

• ✓SupportsStronger rent regulation and tenant protectionsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on S6458 (Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019, 2019-06-14): Made rent regulation permanent, ended vacancy decontrol and the vacancy bonus, and limited rent increases for major capital improvements.[4]

• ✓SupportsFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on S6599 (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, 2019-06-20): Set statewide targets of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and an 85% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.[5]

• ✓SupportsStricter gun lawsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on S2451 (Extreme risk protection orders (red-flag law), 2019-01-29): Allows courts to temporarily bar people found to pose a danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms. Voted yes on S51001 (Concealed Carry Improvement Act, 2022-07-01): Enacted after the Bruen decision: added training and character requirements for carry permits and barred guns in designated sensitive places.[6][7]

• ✕OpposesProtect legal access to abortionFrom recorded votes

  Voted no on S240 (Reproductive Health Act, 2019-01-22): Moved abortion from the penal code to the public-health law and protected access to abortion under state law.[8]

• ✕OpposesExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on A2176 (Protect Our Courts Act, 2020-07-20): Bars federal civil immigration arrests of people going to, attending, or leaving New York courthouses without a judicial warrant.[9]

• ✓SupportsRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on S2509 (2021–22 budget revenue bill, 2021-04-07): Raised personal income tax rates on incomes above $1 million and raised the corporate franchise tax rate on large businesses, among other revenue measures.[10]

• Education and mental-health support for children, particularly children living in temporary housing.[3]
• Public safety, including law enforcement accountability and reducing community violence.[3]
• Civil rights and addressing racial disparities in housing, education and healthcare.[3]
• Veteran services, including support for military families.[3]

• Earned a B.A. in Public Communication from Lehman College, a Master of Divinity from Nyack College Alliance Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Ministry from Northeastern Seminary.[3]
• Served as Chief of Staff to former Assemblyman Herman "Denny" Farrell Jr. and as a Democratic district leader before his own election.[3]
• Founded the "Man Up! in Harlem" anti-gun-violence program in 2008, organizing weekly prayer walks at Rucker Park; the model was later replicated in other Upper Manhattan housing projects.[3]
• Is the pastor of Infinity Mennonite Church in Harlem.[3]
• Assumed office in the New York State Assembly in a special election in fall 2017.[2]