VoterLens
New York State Senate District 23
College of Staten Island (CUNY)—Bachelor's degree in Political Science
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Jessica Scarcella-Spanton represents New York's 23rd Senate District, covering the North and East Shores of Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn. She began her government career in 2009 as an intern with the New York State Assembly, later served as Legislative Director, worked for Senator Diane Savino as Director of Operations for 4.5 years, and briefly worked at the MTA as Assistant Director of Government and Community Relations.
Committee Assignments: Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs · Civil Service and Pensions · Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation · Disabilities · Labor · Legislative Women's Caucus · Women's Issues
Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, Democratic New York State Senator for District 23, has advanced healthcare-related legislation focused on expanding insurance coverage, access to care, patient protections, health workforce support, and specialized residential or home-based care. Her record includes sponsoring bills on postpartum pelvic floor therapy coverage, respiratory therapy in residential health care facilities, health care nondiscrimination, and patient diagnostic-result disclosure, as well as co-sponsoring bills on nurse overtime limits and Medicaid billing for creative arts therapists.
Jessica Scarcella-Spanton emphasizes labor and workforce policy through measures supporting apprenticeships, worker protections, job-training alignment, and public-safety protections for retail employees and small businesses. As the Democratic incumbent for New York State Senate District 23, her economy-and-jobs record is strongest on pro-labor legislation and workforce pipeline bills rather than broad tax or macroeconomic proposals.
Jessica Scarcella-Spanton describes her immigration stance as a "common sense approach" that combines compassion with safety. Her record includes cosponsoring guardianship protections for children whose parents are deported or detained, sponsoring restrictions on converting senior-care facilities into asylum-seeker shelters, and sponsoring legal assistance for military families that includes immigration-law help.
Specific Actions & Proposals
In her 2026 NYC Votes candidate profile for State Senate District 23, Scarcella-Spanton said she supports a common-sense immigration approach that joins compassion with safety and cited her cosponsorship of guardianship legislation for children of deported or detained parents.
SourceJessica Scarcella-Spanton, the Democratic state senator for New York Senate District 23, has emphasized resiliency funding, water and sewer infrastructure, open-space protection, and an energy policy that pursues New York climate goals while protecting grid reliability and affordability. Her legislative record includes sponsoring renewable-energy workforce rules, low-cost power for disability-service providers, and local oversight for battery energy storage, while also proposing an exemption to protect fuel-burning cooking appliances from Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act compliance.
Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, the Democratic State Senator for New York Senate District 23, has sponsored and co-sponsored education measures focused on practical K-12 instruction, support for military-connected students and veterans, special education due-process rights, fentanyl education, and elementary-school play time.
Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, the Democratic New York State Senator for District 23, emphasizes public safety through bills that increase protections for first responders, law enforcement and public employees, expand bail eligibility for arson felonies, and criminalize false AI-generated incident reports that divert emergency resources.
NYSenate.gov
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/jessica-scarcella-spanton/aboutFetched: biography, hometown, current office, committees
NYC Votes
https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/june-2026-primary-election-voter-guide/state-senator-june-2026-primary-election-voter-guide-nyc-votes/candidate-profile-june-2026-primary-election-voter-guide-nyc-votes/?bannerTitle=Jessica+Scarcella-Spanton&boroughCode=&candidateId=V953&districtID=&electionCycle=2026P&geoAreaAbbr=23&officeType=8&officelevel=2&partyId=DFetched: education, occupation, background
Citizens Union
https://citizensunion.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CU-Candidate-Questionnaire-Senate-23-Jessica-Scarcella-Spanton.pdfFetched: age, education, background
BallotReady
https://www.ballotready.org/people/jessica-scarcella-spantonFetched: education, professional background, current office
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/candidate/jessica-scarcella-spanton/contributorsFetched: campaignFinance
Blue Voter Guide candidate endorsements page
https://bluevoterguide.org/NY/candidate_Jessica_Scarcella-Spanton/360819Fetched: endorsements
Jessica for New York endorsements page
https://www.jessicafornewyork.com/endorsementsFetched: endorsements
New York State Nurses Association 2026 endorsements
https://www.nysna.org/news/nysna-2026-endorsementsFetched: endorsements
New York State United Teachers 2026 endorsements
https://www.nysut.org/news/2026/may/media-release-endorsementsFetched: endorsements
Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts 2024 Senate Scorecard
https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/uploads/filer_public/f2/02/f202ff2c-c444-49b0-b57d-795cc2cf2b3c/2024_ratings_senate_oct.pdfFetched: endorsements
New York League of Conservation Voters 2025 State Scorecard
https://www.nylcv.org/wp-content/uploads/NYS-Scorecard-2025.pdfFetched: endorsements
Vote Smart Jessica Scarcella-Spanton profile
https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/208788/jessica-scarcella-spantonFetched: endorsements
NYSenate.gov - About Jessica Scarcella-Spanton
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/jessica-scarcella-spanton/aboutFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton Legislation
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/jessica-scarcella-spanton/legislationFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S4917A
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4917/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S5767
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5767Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S5204
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5204Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S10513
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S10513Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S7994
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S7994Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S4881
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4881/amendment/originalFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S8752
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8752Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S6376A
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S6376/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S3337
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3337Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S9843
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9843Fetched: issuePositions
NYC Votes
https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2026-general-election-voter-guide/representative-in-congress/profile/?bannerTitle=Jessica+Scarcella-Spanton&candidateId=V953&electionCycle=2026&geoAreaAbbr=23&officeType=8&officelevel=2&partyId=D%2COTHFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/jessica-scarcella-spanton/aboutFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8854/amendment/originalFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S6284/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
New York League of Conservation Voters candidate profile
https://www.nylcv.org/candidate/jessica-scarcella-spanton/Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate official member page
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/jessica-scarcella-spantonFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S4881A
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4881/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S8752
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8752Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S9837
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9837Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S5391
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5391Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S4198
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4198Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S7743/amendment/originalFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8842/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Jessica Scarcella-Spanton member directory
https://www.nysenate.gov/sites/default/files/pdfs/9-2-26-member-directory.pdfFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S9974
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9974Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S5390
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5390Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S5110A
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5110/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S9229
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9229Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Bill S9236
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9236Fetched: issuePositions