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Sen. Roxanne J. Persaud
District 19
Democrat
Majority Conference Secretary
First elected 2015
Roxanne J. Persaud is a Democratic state senator representing New York's 19th Senate District (D+70), a heavily Democratic Brooklyn-based district, and has served in the chamber since 2015. In the 2025 session, she has sponsored 265 bills with a primary focus on public health, social services, and education, while casting 1,443 votes with a 99.9% party loyalty rate — among the highest in the chamber. She has raised $45,624 in campaign contributions between 2022 and 2025, with 86.3% coming from individual donors, and has been most visibly engaged in committee hearings on shelter system oversight, school funding equity, and social services policy affecting her district's residents, nearly 20% of whom live below the poverty line.AI
Topic Focus AI
Shelter System Oversight & Performancehearinghearing
Benefits Cliffs & Economic Mobility Programshearing
Direct Support Professional Compensation & Workforce Retentionhearing
HEAP Cooling Assistance Expansionhearing
Mandatory Overtime Regulationshearing
Prison Accountability & Correctional Facility Closurehearing
Public Transit Reliability & Accessibilityhearing
Raise the Age Implementation Fundinghearing
School Funding Equity & Charter School Colocationhearing
Sex Trafficking Victim Protection & Witness ImmunityS3967B
Summer Youth Employment Program Expansionhearing
Teacher Retention & Compensationhearing
Topics extracted by AI from floor speeches, committee hearing transcripts, and sponsored legislation. Bill and hearing citations link to source records for verification. Tag size reflects number of supporting citations.
Key Issues
Summer Youth Employment Program expansion
Migrant services funding allocation
Prison culture and accountability
Marcy Correctional Facility closure
CEO work in her district
housing developments
Raise the Age funding in NYC
NYSSHP housing stock conditions
HEAP cooling component funding
Federal funding cuts preparation
Benefits cliffs and Monroe County Ladders Program
EBT chip card implementation timeline
Temporary shelter operator authorizations
Shelter system performance and oversight
Wonderschool's resources and competitive advantage
From committee hearings, floor debate, and bill sponsorship.
Legislative Activity (2025–2026)
Floor votes
1,402
Party alignment
99.9%
Hearing engagements
25
Bills sponsored
265
Floor mentions
4
Based on complete Senate roll call records.
Bill Outcomes 2025 Session
Introduced
102
Reached floor
21 20.6%
Passed Senate
12 11.8%
Signed into law
7 6.9%
Vetoed
2
Covers Senate-sponsored bills only. Status from Open Legislation API.
Committee Assignments
Social Services
Chair
Children And Families
Member
Cities 1
Member
Codes
Member
Disabilities
Member
New York City Education
Member
Transportation
Member
Electoral History SD-19
General Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Roxanne J. Persaud 100.0% (74,011) | Uncontested | — |
| 2022 | Roxanne J. Persaud 100.0% (44,772) | Uncontested | — |
| 2020 | Roxanne J. Persaud 100.0% (95,755) | Uncontested | — |
| 2018 | Roxanne J. Persaud 89.9% (69,320) | Jeffrey J. Ferretti 10.1% (7,820) | 79.7pts |
| 2016 | Roxanne J. Persaud 100.0% (90,219) | Uncontested | — |
| 2015 | Roxanne J. Persaud 87.7% (7,546) | Jeffrey J. Ferretti 9.1% (779) | 78.7pts |
| 2014 | John L. Sampson 86.1% (29,741) | Elias J. Weir 8.2% (2,816) | 77.9pts |
| 2012 | John L. Sampson 90.4% (78,974) | Jane Neal 8.3% (7,226) | 82.1pts |
| 2010 | John L. Sampson 93.4% (43,450) | Rose Laney 6.6% (3,071) | 86.8pts |
| 2008 | John L. Sampson 95.1% (69,811) | Godfrey Jelks 4.9% (3,577) | 90.3pts |
| 2006 | John L. Sampson 94.6% (31,471) | Mary J. Vicino 5.4% (1,807) | 89.1pts |
| 2004 | John Sampson 93.1% (60,172) | A. Brinmore Britton 6.2% (4,018) | 86.8pts |
| 2002 | John Sampson 88.4% (31,657) | Walter Moseley 11.6% (4,138) | 76.9pts |
| 2000 | John L. Sampson 100.0% (61,966) | Uncontested | — |
| 1998 | John Sampson 95.6% (40,607) | Joachim А. Harris 4.4% (1,890) | 91.1pts |
| 1996 | John Sampson 93.0% (44,182) | Howard E. Babbush 4.1% (1,958) | 88.9pts |
Primary Elections
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 (Democratic) | Roxanne J. Persaud 75.0% (19,924) | Keron Alleyne 25.0% (6,627) | 50.1pts |
| 2016 (Democratic) | Roxanne J. Persaud 75.9% (10,358) | Mercedes Narcisse 24.1% (3,284) | 51.9pts |
| 2014 (Democratic) | John L. Sampson 54.4% (7,572) | Dell Smitherman 29.6% (4,123) | 24.8pts |
Source: NYS Board of Elections certified results. ⚡ = margin under 10 pts.
Vulnerability Index SD-19
Base lean: D+78
Favorable D
Neutral
Favorable R
- Uncontested in 3 of last 4 cycles — opposition quality unknown
Scenario model: ±5pt national environment shift applied to district base lean (D+78). Base lean blends voter registration (40%) with recent contested general election margins (60%), using up to the last 4 general elections with margins under 40 points. Ratings: Safe D/R = 20+ pts, Likely = 10–19 pts, Lean = 4–9 pts, Toss-up = within 3 pts. "Generic ballot" refers to national partisan polling used to model favorable/unfavorable cycle environments. Not a prediction — reflects structural competitiveness under different cycle environments.
Top Co-Sponsors
District 19 Profile
Population
303,641
Median income
$59,306
Median rent
$1,490
Homeownership
30.6%
Education (BA+)
21.4%
Poverty rate
19.8%
Uninsured rate
5.5%
Unemployment rate
10.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024). Voter registration: NYS Board of Elections (Nov. 2025).
Voter Registration
Campaign Finance (2022–2025)
Total raised
$45,624
From individuals
$39,374
From corporations/PACs
$3,000
Other
$3,250
Top Donors
The Durst Organization LP
$2,500
Scott Rechler
$2,500
Marty Burger
$2,500
Roopnarine Singh
$2,000
Anthony Argento
$2,000
Kamla Millwood
$1,250
Valarie Woodford
$1,200
Ashook Ramsaran
$1,050
Nervana Singh
$1,000
Yoswein New York Inc.
$1,000
Donor Industries top donors
Other Org
$2,500
Legal / Consulting
$1,000
Source: NYS Board of Elections via data.ny.gov. Itemized monetary contributions only. ↔ Bills = donor industry aligns with bill sponsorship focus area.
Data through 2026-03-28.
Lobbying Activity 2023
Top Lobbying Issues
Insurance - Health
↔ Overlap
306 disclosures
Health - Health Professions
↔ Overlap
233 disclosures
Health – Health Services / HMOs
↔ Overlap
219 disclosures
Public Utilities - General
208 disclosures
Energy & Natural Resources - general
170 disclosures
Energy & Natural Resources – Oil/Fuel/Gas
160 disclosures
Real Estate – General
157 disclosures
Transportation – General
↔ Overlap
156 disclosures
Public Utilities - Gas
150 disclosures
Public Utilities - Cable/Broadband
↔ Overlap
148 disclosures
Top Organizations Lobbying This Senator
AARP
3040 disclosures
1199 SEIU UNITED HEALTHCARE WORKERS EAST
543 disclosures
REAL ESTATE BOARD OF NEW YORK, INC.
20 disclosures
Source: NY Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government via data.ny.gov. Counts reflect bi-monthly disclosure records filed with the Ethics Commission — not individual meetings. ★ Chair = lobbying issue overlaps with a committee this senator chairs. ↔ Overlap = matches committee membership or bill sponsorship focus.
Demographics
White
7.1%
Black
64.9%
Hispanic
18.6%
Asian
4.9%
Median age
39.6
Foreign born
38.8%
Limited English households
9.2%
Veterans
2.2%
Disability rate
13.7%
Commute Mode
Drive alone
29.0%
Public transit
50.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024). Race and ethnicity figures may not sum to 100% — Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity category that overlaps with racial groups.
Voting Record
1400 Aye
2 Nay
41 Excused
2 additional dissenting votes across other topics
From 1,443 recorded floor votes via OpenLeg API. Dissenting votes grouped by law section to reveal policy patterns.
Votes through 2026-02-10.
Floor Speeches: In Support (2) AI
The bill protects trafficking victims and witnesses from criminalization when cooperating with law enforcement. Persaud emphasized the urgent need to address sex trafficking in her district, the Penn Track area, where victims as young as 10 years old are being trafficked but fear coming forward due to potential criminal charges.
Sponsor of the bill who credited her staff member Michelle Edwin with bringing the issue to her attention. Emphasized that blood clots can be fatal and that people need to be informed about warning signs, particularly after surgery, and thanked colleagues for their input and support.
Committee Hearing Engagement (25) AI
| Date | Committee | Engagement | Stance | Focus Areas | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-13 | FINANCE | low | neutral | Prison culture and accountability Marcy Correctional Facility closure | Sen. Persaud asked about prison culture and whether closing Marcy would address systemic issues. |
| 2025-02-13 | FINANCE | low | supportive | CEO work in her district housing developments | Sen. Persaud expressed appreciation for CEO's work in her district and indicated support for their budget request, expressing interest in expanding their programs to additional housing developments. |
| 2025-02-12 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | Raise the Age funding in NYC NYSSHP housing stock conditions HEAP cooling component funding Federal funding cuts preparation Benefits cliffs and Monroe County Ladders Program EBT chip card implementation timeline | Sen. Persaud engaged extensively with both commissioners, pressing for details on Raise the Age implementation, supportive housing preservation, HEAP adequacy, and EBT chip card rollout. She expressed particular skepticism about the Monroe County Ladders Program as a statewide solution and indicated ongoing concern about benefits cliffs, requesting data collection and broader policy changes. |
| 2025-02-12 | FINANCE | high | supportive | Summer Youth Employment Program expansion Temporary shelter operator authorizations Shelter system performance and oversight | Sen. Persaud advocated for expanding youth employment opportunities and proposed allocating $1 billion to youth employment programs. She inquired about temporary shelter operator authorizations and asked commissioners to identify underperforming shelter systems, demonstrating commitment to both youth services and shelter oversight. |
| 2025-02-12 | FINANCE | moderate | skeptical | Wonderschool's resources and competitive advantage Wage rates for Wonderschool staff Fairness of allocating funds to well-resourced organizations Why Wonderschool should receive state funding over other nonprofits | Sen. Persaud questioned why Wonderschool, with significant fundraising resources, should receive state funding from the same pool as organizations without comparable resources, and asked about wage rates for Wonderschool staff. |
| 2025-02-06 | Joint Legislative Hearing - Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee | low | neutral | Express bus service reliability Accessibility improvements | Sen. Persaud asked limited questions, primarily thanking witnesses for their work and expressing appreciation for DOT responsiveness. She inquired about express bus service improvements and accessibility projects. |
| 2025-02-05 | Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee | moderate | supportive | Mandatory overtime Workforce retention DSP compensation | Sen. Persaud asked about mandatory overtime and workforce retention, expressing concern about the impact on service quality. |
| 2025-02-04 | Joint Legislative Hearing - Senate Finance Committee and Assembly Ways and Means Committee | moderate | neutral | shelter oversight police staffing poll worker training voter turnout | Sen. Persaud asked about shelter management, police precinct staffing, and election administration improvements. |
| 2025-01-29 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | School funding equity Teacher retention Charter school colocation inequities | Senator Persaud questioned why schools remain underfunded despite allocations and raised concerns about inequitable treatment of public school students in collocated spaces with charter schools. She appeared skeptical of current funding mechanisms. |
| 2024-02-06 | FINANCE | moderate | neutral | Migrant services funding Food assistance programs Prepaid card pilot program | Sen. Persaud asked pointed questions about the cost of migrant services and the rationale behind shifting from food delivery to prepaid debit cards. She sought clarification on whether similar accommodations were being provided to other populations in temporary housing. |
| 2024-01-31 | FINANCE | moderate | neutral | Social Services oversight | Persaud, Chair of the Senate Committee on Social Services, was present and participated in the hearing but did not ask questions during the transcript excerpt provided. |
| 2024-01-31 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | Public assistance application processing backlogs and denials Fiscal cliff task force and benefit cliffs Year-round youth employment program funding and expansion Summer Youth Employment Program expansion | Sen. Persaud questioned Commissioner Guinn about rising denials despite reduced backlogs in NYC, requesting data on duplicate applications. She advocated for a fiscal cliff task force to understand benefit cliff issues and pressed for expanded year-round youth employment funding beyond the current 2,500-youth capacity. |
| 2024-01-31 | FINANCE | moderate | supportive | After-school program consolidation and student impact SNAP benefits increases and indexing Public Assistance benefits increases Cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for human services workers | Sen. Persaud advocated for broader SNAP and Public Assistance increases, noting that Public Assistance has not been increased in many years. She pushed for COLA across all human services populations and requested detailed data on after-school program consolidation impacts. |
| 2024-01-31 | FINANCE | high | supportive | Income disregards SNAP benefits increases Inflation adjustment for benefits School Meals for All Summer EBT | Sen. Persaud expressed strong support for income disregard policies and advocated for increased SNAP benefits and inflation adjustments. He thanked testifiers for their support and encouraged continued advocacy for removing policy barriers for poor New Yorkers. He introduced S8374 and other benefit expansion proposals. |
| 2024-01-31 | FINANCE | high | supportive | immigration legal services catchment areas veteran funding domestic violence services child advocacy center funding and inclusion in decision-making SNAP outreach funding | Sen. Persaud asked detailed questions about service catchment areas, expressed commitment to fighting for veteran and DV funding, and emphasized the importance of including service providers in budget allocation decisions. Indicated she is carrying the NOEP funding letter. |
| 2024-01-24 | FINANCE | none | unclear | Present at hearing but no questions or engagement recorded in transcript excerpt. | |
| 2024-01-24 | FINANCE | moderate | supportive | OMNY system expansion to paratransit free bus line ridership results subway safety perception and messaging BM2 bus system improvements | Sen. Persaud asked constructive questions about paratransit OMNY access and safety messaging, noting that he personally feels safe on trains and his constituents report the same. He requested specific follow-up on pilot timelines and study results. |
| 2024-01-24 | FINANCE | moderate | neutral | Bus electrification spending MWBE contract percentages Minority-owned business participation Technical assistance for zero-emission buses | Sen. Persaud asked detailed questions about the allocation and spending of the $80 million bus electrification budget and requested a breakdown of MWBE contracts by minority ownership percentage. She noted that while overall MWBE percentages appear strong, minority-owned businesses may not be receiving proportional contracts. |
| 2024-01-24 | FINANCE | moderate | supportive | DMV mobile offices Data sharing practices Road safety legislation | Sen. Persaud expressed interest in DMV mobile offices for underserved communities and inquired about data sharing practices. She indicated plans to introduce commonsense road safety legislation and sought Commissioner Schroeder's partnership. |
| 2023-02-13 | FINANCE | high | supportive but critical | COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) equity across human services programs Stolen public benefits and EBT card fraud Chip-enabled card technology Supportive housing reimbursement rate disparities ERAP implementation and NYCHA tenant access TANF reimbursement disparity for NYC Migrant services funding allocation | Sen. Persaud engaged extensively with both commissioners, expressing appreciation for their work while raising substantive concerns about equity issues. She questioned why COLA increases don't apply uniformly across human services programs, pressed for details on EBT fraud solutions, and challenged the long-standing 85% TANF reimbursement rate for NYC. She appeared supportive of the migrant services investment but sought detailed accounting. |
| 2023-02-13 | FINANCE | high | skeptical | Migrant services funding allocation National Guard role in migrant services Federal hot meals program status Minimum wage and COLA increases Worker dependency on social services | Sen. Persaud asked pointed questions about how migrant services funding is allocated, the timeline for federal program approvals, and whether minimum wage increases adequately address worker poverty. He expressed concern that critical workers remain dependent on social services despite wage increases. |
| 2023-02-13 | FINANCE | moderate | supportive | Home health attendant compensation and 24-hour work rules Home-delivered meals waitlists SNAP and Medicare Savings Program outreach | Sen. Persaud raised concerns about home health attendant compensation, noting workers are paid for only 13 hours of 24-hour shifts. She inquired about home-delivered meal waitlists and advocated for increased outreach on SNAP and Medicare Savings Program benefits to seniors. |
| 2023-02-13 | FINANCE | moderate | skeptical | Waiting lists for home-delivered meals Discrepancies in agency reporting Geographic variations in service delivery | Sen. Persaud challenged testimony from Director Olsen by asking for clarification on waiting lists, noting a discrepancy between what Olsen said and what aging advocates reported. She followed up on specific numbers and geographic variations. |
| 2023-02-06 | FINANCE | moderate | skeptical | Bus service in Gateway area transit desert Access-A-Ride system reliability Express bus timeliness (BM1, BM2) Brooklyn bus routing system redesign | Sen. Persaud raised concerns about bus service gaps in her district, particularly in the Gateway area, and criticized express bus reliability, noting the BM2 bus is on time only about 2 percent of the time. She also questioned improvements to the Access-A-Ride paratransit system for disabled riders. |
| 2023-02-06 | FINANCE | moderate | neutral | Sound barriers and noise mitigation Mill Basin Drawbridge noise impact Road safety education | Sen. Persaud raised concerns about noise pollution from the Belt Parkway and Mill Basin Drawbridge, asking about the process for installing sound barriers. She also inquired about DOT's road safety education initiatives. |