VoterLens
New York State Senate District 19
Pace University—Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Education Administration
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Roxanne Jacqueline Persaud was elected to the New York State Senate in November 2015 after serving in the State Assembly. Before becoming a legislator, she worked in higher education administration and was active in community advocacy, including service as president of the 69th Precinct Community Council in Canarsie, a member of Community Board 18, and a commissioner on the New York City Districting Commission.
Committee Assignments: Social Services · Children and Families · Cities 1 · Codes · Disabilities · Joint Senate Task Force on Opioids, Addiction & Overdose Prevention · Legislative Women's Caucus · New York City Education · Transportation
Roxanne J. Persaud, Democratic New York State Senator for District 19, identifies quality healthcare as a legislative priority and has sponsored or co-sponsored bills focused on healthcare access, patient information, women’s health, autism services, insulin access, and insurance coverage protections.
Roxanne Persaud emphasizes economic security, workforce stability, and removing barriers that keep low-income New Yorkers from advancing economically. Her record includes sponsoring bills on fiscal cliffs, true cost-of-living measurement, human-services worker wage funding, youth employment, and small-business relief.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Persaud sponsored Human Services Council Lobby Day and advocated for a targeted inflationary increase to stabilize providers, support workers, and improve wage equity in the nonprofit human-services workforce.
SourcePersaud's campaign issues page highlights support for authorizing outdoor dining and beverage sales in municipal spaces and prohibiting COVID-19-related negative experience rating charges in employers' unemployment insurance premiums.
SourceRoxanne Persaud’s record indicates a pro-immigrant-access position: she has sponsored legislation to allow state and local public benefits regardless of immigration status, co-sponsored limits on immigration-status inquiries and immigration-enforcement cooperation, and supported access to education, health coverage, and legal services for immigrant New Yorkers.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Persaud supported passage of the DREAM Act, saying immigrant children should have the same access to financial aid as citizens.
SourceRoxanne J. Persaud, Democratic New York State Senator for District 19, has supported climate and energy measures focused on clean-energy investment, renewable-energy workforce standards, local notice for energy-storage siting, and ecological restoration in Jamaica Bay. Her record includes sponsoring environmental restoration legislation, proposing energy-storage notification requirements, co-sponsoring a climate investment bill, and voting yes on renewable-energy labor standards.
Roxanne Persaud supports funding for schools, libraries, after-school programs, STEM/STEAM, arts education, school safety, and educator diversity. As the Democratic New York State Senator for District 19, she has sponsored legislation to recruit and retain underrepresented teachers and has secured district education grants for classroom, after-school, and enrichment programs.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Persaud sponsored the Underrepresented Teachers of Tomorrow Program as part of a Senate package to improve educator diversity, recruitment, and retention in New York schools, stating that education is a powerful equalizer and students benefit from teachers who reflect their communities.
SourcePersaud announced state grant funding secured in the 2019-2020 budget to supplement classroom expenses, support after-school programs, and expand youth access to STEM/STEAM and arts education in Senate District 19.
SourceIn a back-to-school message to constituents, Persaud stated that she would continue to advocate for quality education for all students.
SourcePersaud hosted a youth-led roundtable at South Shore Educational Campus with District 19 students to discuss school safety concerns and student perspectives.
SourceRoxanne Persaud, Democratic New York State Senator for District 19, identifies safer communities and combating gun violence among her legislative priorities. Her public-safety record includes sponsoring a small-business crime-prevention program and co-sponsoring measures on safe firearm storage, pistol converters, and domestic-violence lethality assessments.
NYSenate.gov
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/roxanne-j-persaud/aboutFetched: biography, location, education, committees
Vote Smart
https://j.futurefacts.votesmart.io/candidate/key-votes/155565/roxanne-persaudFetched: votingRecord
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/candidate/roxanne-j-persaudFetched: campaignFinance
Blue Voter Guide
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Senate_District_19/51808/830Fetched: endorsements
New York League of Conservation Voters
https://www.nylcv.org/news/our-spring-2020-endorsements/Fetched: endorsements
Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts
https://cdn.plannedparenthood.org/uploads/filer_public/af/44/af443976-e40e-4f37-9bd3-4622156c08e2/ppesa_2024_senate_scorecard.pdfFetched: ratings
New York League of Conservation Voters
https://www.nylcv.org/press-item/lawmakers-grades-are-in-nylcvs-2024-environmental-scorecard/Fetched: ratings
New York State Senate
https://www.nysenate.gov/sites/default/files/in-the-news/attachment/2018-scorecard-final.pdfFetched: ratings
New York State Senate - About Roxanne J. Persaud
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/roxanne-j-persaud/aboutFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S8138
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8138Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S1720
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1720Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S9589
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9589Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S1917
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1917Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S3820
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3820Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senator Roxanne J. Persaud profile
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/roxanne-j-persaudFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Fiscal Cliff Task Force bill S8750
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8750Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senator Persaud Introduces Senate Bill S10702
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/2026/roxanne-j-persaud/senator-persaud-introduces-senate-bill-s10702Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Targeted Inflationary Increases bill S3669A
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3669/amendment/AFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S9491
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9491Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S1066
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1066Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S2237
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/S2237Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - DREAM Act press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2019/senate-passes-jose-peralta-new-york-state-dream-actFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S963
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2017/S963Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S3346
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3346Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S10594
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S10594Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S8752
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S8752Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S9311
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9311Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S1126
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1126Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - About Roxanne J. Persaud
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/roxanne-j-persaud/aboutFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S519
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S519Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Educator Diversity Press Release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/legislation-improve-educator-diversity-recruitment-and-retention-newFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - District 19 Education Grants
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2019/roxanne-j-persaud/senator-roxanne-j-persaud-announces-state-grantFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Back to School Message
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/articles/2018/roxanne-j-persaud/senator-roxanne-j-persauds-back-school-messageFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - School Safety Roundtable
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/roxanne-j-persaud/senator-roxanne-j-persaud-hosts-youth-led-roundtableFetched: issuePositions
LegiScan - S03187 Small business crime prevention services program
https://legiscan.com/NY/bill/S03187/2025Fetched: issuePositions
LegiScan - S09629 Francesco's Law safe firearm storage
https://legiscan.com/NY/bill/S09629/2025Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - S2280 domestic violence lethality assessment
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S2280/amendment/BFetched: issuePositions