NY State Senate · District 11

• YesAssesses a separate tax on distributions from designated settlement funds · S10585 · Passed Senate 39–21 · 2026-06-01 official record ↗Assesses a 100% tax on distributions from the federal anti-weaponization fund; provides that such tax shall not be reduced pursuant to any deduction, exemption or credit.
• 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 Senate 47–13 · 2026-06-01 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 winter road maintenance data collection and monitoring · S10094 · Passed Senate 44–16 · 2026-06-01 official record ↗Establishes a standardized statewide system for collecting, recording, and monitoring winter road maintenance operational data in order to improve efficiency, enhance transparency, and support the protection of water resources in the state of New York; requires calibration of all deicing material application equipment used for winter highway maintenance on public roads.
• YesEstablishes the New York State grid reliability and energy affordability transition (GREAT) act · S9500-A · Passed Senate 39–21 · 2026-06-01 official record ↗Establishes the New York State grid reliability and energy affordability transition (GREAT) act; establishes the virtual power plant program to help reduce energy costs and grid reliability risks; provides incentives to participants for supporting the grid by investing in distributed energy resources and reducing net energy costs.
• YesRelates to placing restrictions on the sale of flare guns · S8455-B · Passed Senate 35–25 · 2026-06-01 official record ↗Establishes the crimes of criminal sale of a flare gun in the first and second degrees; sets restrictions on and requirements for the sale of flare guns.
• YesRequires certain construction project contracts to include siting of renewable energy systems, qualified energy storage systems, or electric major utility transmission facilities · S7898-A · Passed Senate 39–21 · 2026-06-01 official record ↗Requires certain construction project contracts with a value of greater than or equal to five million dollars to include siting of renewable energy systems, qualified energy storage systems, or major electric transmission facilities.
• YesConcealed Carry Improvement Act · S51001 · Passed 43–20 · 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 (raised taxes on income over $1M and corporate franchise tax) · S2509-C · Passed 38–25 · 2021-04-06 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 · S425-A · Passed 42–18 · 2020-07-22 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 41–21 · 2019-06-18 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 36–26 · 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 42–21 · 2019-01-29 official record ↗Allows courts to temporarily bar people found to pose a danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms.
• YesReproductive Health Act · S240 · Passed 38–24 · 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.

• billCo-sponsored S1701 (2023), which would require persons possessing any firearm to hold a firearms safety certificate and establish an application and training process; remained in the Senate Codes Committee as of January 2024.[7]
• actionChairs the Senate Committee on Higher Education; also serves as Vice President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Trustee of the City University Construction Fund, member of the Higher Education Capital Matching Grants Program Board, and Treasurer of the Legislative Women's Caucus. Also serves on the Education, Ethics and Internal Governance, Finance, Judiciary, Racing/Gaming/Wagering, and Women's Issues committees.[2]
• bill2026-05-07 · Sponsored S611A ("Emma's Law"), granting crime victims the right to be heard at sentencing in certain cases where a felony driving charge causing serious injury is pled down to a misdemeanor; passed the Senate unanimously 62–0 on May 7, 2026 and was pending in Assembly committee as of that date.[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.[8]

  What they say: Says she grew up in a rent-controlled apartment and joined other senators pushing for stronger rent laws, saying affordable housing is an investment in the state's communities and families.[6]

  “I grew up in a rent controlled apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, so I understand the importance of affordable housing.”

• ✓SupportsPublic funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)

  As Senate Higher Education Committee chair, praised New York's 2010 Race to the Top application for including an increase in the state's charter school cap, saying the changes would benefit schoolchildren.[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.[10][11]

  What they say: Co-sponsored a 2023 bill requiring anyone possessing a firearm to hold a firearms safety certificate.[7]

• ✓SupportsFaster transition away from fossil fuelsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on S6599 (Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, 2019-06-18): Set statewide targets of 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and an 85% cut in greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050.[9]

• ✓SupportsProtect legal access to abortionFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes 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.[12]

• ✕OpposesExpand immigration enforcement and deportationsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on S425-A (Protect Our Courts Act, 2020-07-22): Bars federal civil immigration arrests of people going to, attending, or leaving New York courthouses without a judicial warrant.[13]

• ✓SupportsRaise taxes on high earners or corporationsFrom recorded votes

  Voted yes on S2509-C (2021–22 Budget Revenue Bill (raised taxes on income over $1M and corporate franchise tax), 2021-04-06): Raised personal income tax rates on incomes above $1 million and raised the corporate franchise tax rate on large businesses, among other revenue measures.[14]

• Supporting a teacher evaluation system that takes student test scores into account and raising the state's charter school cap, which she said would benefit New York schoolchildren, as part of New York's 2010 Race to the Top application.[5]

• Born in New York, New York; graduated from the Bronx High School of Science.[1]
• Earned a B.A. from Syracuse University, and master's degrees from Queens College and Hunter College.[1][2]
• Worked as district manager for Northeast Queens for the 1980 U.S. Census, in the actuarial department of an insurance company, and as a social studies teacher in New York City high schools.[1][2]
• First woman from Queens County elected to the New York State Senate, and the first woman to chair the Senate's Higher Education committee.[2]

• An endorsing club describes her as planning to redirect state spending on services for undocumented immigrants toward a down-payment assistance program for young families.[4]
• An endorsing club describes her as supporting expanded subsidized maternity leave and worker protections.[4]

• A Whitestone, Queens native and self-described finance professional; described by an endorsing club as having "managed billions of dollars."[4]
• A single mother and Greek American who serves as PTA President of the Stefanos and Areti Cherpelis Hellenic School in Flushing.[4]
• Earlier in her career, worked on health literacy and nutrition education for underprivileged communities in New York City.[4]