NY State Senate · District 20

• 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.

• bill2026-06-23 · Sponsored the Challenging Wrongful Convictions Act, which the Senate passed in June 2026; the bill would let defendants seek to overturn convictions based on since-decriminalized conduct or on withheld evidence, inadequate counsel, new forensic findings, or unlawful searches.[5]
• bill2026-05 · Sponsored the New York Bivens Act, which Governor Hochul signed into law in May 2026, creating a state civil-rights cause of action against federal agents for constitutional violations.[4]
• bill2021 · Authored a 2021 state law making illegal firearm sales a public nuisance, exposing gun manufacturers to civil liability; the first law of its kind in the nation.[3]
• billAuthored the John R. Lewis New York Voting Rights Act, described by his official biography as the strongest state-level voting rights law in the country.[3]
• actionChairs the Senate Codes Committee in the 2025-2026 session.[3]

• ✕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.[12]

  What they say: Sponsored the New York Bivens Act, signed by Governor Hochul in May 2026, which holds federal agents civilly liable for constitutional-rights violations; issued a statement after ICE shootings in Texas and Maine defending New York's accountability law.[4]

  “This year New York passed strong laws to hold agents accountable when they violate our constitutional rights.”

• ✓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.[9][10]

  What they say: Authored New York's first-in-the-nation law making illegal gun sales a public nuisance exposing manufacturers to liability (2021), and authored the Community Violence Intervention Act, which declared gun violence a public health crisis.[3][2]

• ✓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.[7]

  What they say: According to his official Senate biography, authored tenant-protection legislation described as among New York's strongest affordable-housing and tenant-protection laws in a generation; Wikipedia reports he supported the 2019 Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act.[3][2]

• ✓SupportsLoosen zoning rules to build more housing

  Ran for Mayor in 2025 on a platform of increasing New York City's housing supply by 700,000 homes through loosened zoning rules in areas with stringent restrictions.[2]

• ✓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.[8]

  What they say: Voted yes on S7898-A, requiring certain state construction contracts to include siting of renewable energy systems, energy storage systems, or major electric transmission facilities; passed the Senate 39-21.[6]

• ✓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.[11]

• ✓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.[13]

• Housing supply and tenant protection[2]
• Gun violence prevention and accountability for the gun industry[3]
• Criminal justice reform, including easing the path to challenge wrongful convictions[5]
• Accountability for federal agents who violate New Yorkers' constitutional rights[4]

• Graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School, then earned a B.A. in Communications and an M.A. in Urban Studies from Fordham University and a J.D. from Cornell Law School, where he served as student government president.[3][2]
• His mother immigrated from Costa Rica; he has said this shaped his commitment to public service.[3]
• Worked as legislative director for New York City Council Member Fernando Cabrera and later as an attorney at the law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell before his 2018 election.[2]
• Elected to the State Senate in 2018, defeating incumbent Jesse Hamilton.[1]
• Chairs the Senate Codes Committee in the 2025-2026 session; previously chaired the Elections Committee.[3]