Sam Sutton
DFight Anti-Semitism PartyINCUMBENTNY State Senator, District 22 (since May 2025)
Sam Sutton is the Democratic incumbent state senator for District 22, a South Brooklyn seat with a large Sephardic Jewish community. He won a May 2025 special election after Simcha Felder left the seat, and before that spent over 30 years as a lay leader of Sephardic communal and educational organizations. He faces Republican/Conservative nominee Nachman Caller in the general election.[1][4]
Floor votes in Albany
- Didn't voteAssesses 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.
- Didn't voteProvides 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.
- Didn't voteRelates 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.
- Didn't voteEstablishes 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.
- Didn't voteRelates 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.
- Didn't voteRequires 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.
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.
On the record — official actions
- bill2026-01-07 · Sponsored S8599 (2025-26), which would create a 25-foot buffer zone restricting demonstrations near houses of worship and reproductive health care facilities; referred to the Senate Codes Committee on January 7, 2026 and has not received a floor vote.[5]
- actionJoined Governor Hochul and other officials at a November 2025 event condemning antisemitic vandalism at a Brooklyn yeshiva and cemetery, at which the state announced $20 million in additional funding for the nonpublic school safety equipment grant program.[6]
- actionServes on the Senate Aging, Education, Health, Disabilities, NYC Education and Social Services committees.[1]
Positions on the issues
- SupportsPublic funding for school choice (vouchers / charters)
Co-founded and chairs Teach NYS, which advocates for state funding to support nonpublic schools including yeshivas.[4]
In their words — priorities
- Said he ran because "given our community's growth and needs, we deserve a representative who is deeply rooted in our community and understands its dynamics."[7]
- Has made funding and security for yeshivas and other nonpublic schools a central focus, including sponsoring buffer-zone legislation and securing state nonpublic-school-security grant funding.[5][6]
Background
- Graduated Yeshiva of Flatbush (1967) and Yeshiva University (1971).[4]
- Led his family business for more than three decades before selling it to an international conglomerate.[4]
- Served over 30 years on the board of Sephardic Bikur Holim, a Brooklyn social-services organization, including five years as its president.[4]
- Co-founder and board chair of Teach NYS, an organization that advocates for government funding for nonpublic schools such as yeshivas and Jewish day schools.[4]
- Appointed by Governor George Pataki to the CUNY Board of Trustees, serving from 2006 to 2012.[4]