VoterLens
New York State Senate District 17
Data last updated 10/21/2026
Steve Chan was born in Hong Kong, immigrated to the United States at age 11, and settled with his family in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn; he later moved to Bensonhurst in 1992. He served six years as a U.S. Marine, joined the NYPD in 1993, and retired as an NYPD Sergeant in 2020 after 27 years. He also owned and operated a small retail florist in Sunset Park for 10 years and has volunteered in public schools as an SLT parent, Title 1 Chairperson, and PTA president.
Committee Assignments: Cities 1 · New York City Education · Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business · Education · Investigations and Government Operations
Steve Chan's identifiable healthcare record as New York State Senator for District 17 emphasizes lowering healthcare-related taxes/costs and supporting targeted care access, including pediatric palliative care and combat-veteran healthcare savings accounts. His roll-call record also includes votes against several 2026 Senate healthcare measures, including sensitive health-information restrictions and the 340B anti-discrimination bill.
Steve Chan emphasizes affordability, lower taxes, reduced government spending and regulation, and a more business-friendly New York economy. As a sitting District 17 state senator, his record includes co-sponsoring tax-relief legislation and voting against a 2026-2027 fiscal-plan bill, while his public statements support reducing costs for middle-class families and small businesses.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Chan supported the Senate Republican Liberate New York agenda calling for lower middle-class taxes, fewer unfunded mandates, reduced small-business regulation, and opposition to congestion pricing.
SourceChan supported the SAVE NY agenda, including tax relief for middle-class families, property-tax freezes, eliminating state income taxes on tips and overtime pay, and reducing utility and housing costs.
SourceChan questioned the Empire State Development Commissioner about New York's business climate, tax policies, economic incentives, and attracting new industries.
SourceSteve Chan frames immigration primarily through the cost and public-safety impacts of New York's migrant/asylum-seeker response. He supports ending what he calls the migrant crisis, opposes taxpayer spending for people in the country illegally when other local needs are unmet, and has questioned migrant-shelter placement and funding decisions affecting New York City and South Brooklyn.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Chan joined Senate Republicans in unveiling an agenda that listed “End the migrant crisis” among its key issues.
SourceChan said he welcomed federal pressure on sanctuary-city funding and would prefer federal help for New York City's needy, homeless, veterans, and disaster victims instead of funding “those here illegally.”
SourceAt a legislative hearing, Chan questioned why New York City would convert a Bronx storage unit into a 2,200-bed migrant shelter while closing other migrant shelters, asking why it would not be used for “our own people.”
SourceSteve Chan frames climate and energy policy primarily around affordability and public safety: he says renewable energy can be supported, but criticizes New York’s CLCPA-related mandates as too costly and insufficiently practical. His most concrete Climate & Energy action is proposing restrictions on large battery energy storage systems near schools and homes in New York City.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Chan criticized Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act implementation costs and said New Yorkers can support renewable energy while being honest about affordability and public-safety concerns.
SourceAt a community forum, Chan raised concerns about a proposed battery storage facility near Eighth Avenue and said residents’ opposition would guide his next steps, citing his S7710 bill as a response.
SourceSteve Chan emphasizes "quality education without bias and bureaucracy" and says Albany should protect meritocracy and merit-based admissions in education. As a sitting senator, he has also introduced legislation to opt New York into a federal elementary and secondary scholarship tax-credit program.
Specific Actions & Proposals
At his 2025 inauguration, Chan said he would demand action from Albany to protect meritocracy in education and merit-based admissions.
SourceChan's campaign website says he wants schoolchildren to receive quality education without bias and bureaucracy.
SourceChan described his office as providing direct constituent support including help with college financial aid forms.
SourceSteve Chan frames public safety as a central priority, emphasizing tougher crime laws, stronger penalties for repeat offenders and transit-related offenses, limits on shelter placement near transit facilities, expanded tools for assisted outpatient treatment, and support for law enforcement resources. His record as a sitting New York State Senator for District 17 includes sponsored bills aimed at transit safety, child murder penalties, mental-health-related public safety, storefront security, and homeless shelter siting near transit facilities.
NYSenate.gov - About Steve Chan
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/stephen-t-chan/aboutFetched: biography, committees
Transparency USA
https://www.transparencyusa.org/ny/candidate/steve-chan?cycle=2024-election-cycleFetched: campaignFinance
New York Public Campaign Finance Board 2024 End of Cycle Report
https://pcfb.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2025/01/2024-new-york-state-public-campaign-finance-board-election-cycle-report-final.pdfFetched: campaignFinance
New York State Board of Elections
https://results.elections.ny.gov/contest/5641Fetched: votingRecord, campaignFinance
The Jewish Press
https://jewishpress.com/jewish-press-endorsement-november-2026-general-elections/Fetched: endorsements
Blue Voter Guide
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Senate_District_17/51806/830Fetched: endorsements
NYSenate.gov - Senator Stephen T. Chan
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/stephen-t-chanFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S219
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S219Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S9323
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9323Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S3326
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3326Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S1633
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1633/amendment/originalFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S1913
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1913Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senator Stephen T. Chan official profile
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/stephen-t-chan/aboutFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Affordable NY Act bill page
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S1559Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - 2026-2027 state fiscal plan bill page
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9009Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Liberate New York agenda press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/stephen-t-chan/senator-stephen-chan-leads-fight-public-safety-andFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - SAVE NY agenda press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/stephen-t-chan/senator-chan-pushes-save-ny-plan-restore-common-sense?page=6Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Economic Development Commissioner questioning
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/video/stephen-t-chan/senator-chan-questions-ny-economic-development-commissioner-businessFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senator Steve Chan & Senate Minority Party Unveil ‘Liberate New York’ Agenda
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/video/stephen-t-chan/senator-steve-chan-senate-minority-party-unveil-liberate-new-yorkFetched: issuePositions
Fox News - Sanctuary city funding article quoting Steve Chan
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/state-officials-react-bondis-order-withholding-sanctuary-city-funding-tough-decisions-make.ampFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Joint Legislative Budget Hearing Transcript 309
https://www.nysenate.gov/transcripts/309Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Session Transcript 2025-05-08T10:32
https://www.nysenate.gov/transcripts/2025-05-08t1032Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Steve Chan legislation
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S7710Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Steve Chan State of the State response
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2026/stephen-t-chan/senator-steve-chan-responds-governor-hochuls-stateFetched: issuePositions
Sunset Park Post
https://www.sunsetpost.org/en/stories/residents-voice-opposition-to-proposed-ninedot-energy-battery-facility-near-homes-and-schools/Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - S9494
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9494Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Inauguration of Stephen T. Chan
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/stephen-t-chan/inauguration-new-york-state-senator-stephen-t-chanFetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate - Inside Government Q&A
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/in-the-news/2025/stephen-t-chan/inside-government-politicsny-qa-state-senator-stephen-t?page=9Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senator Stephen T. Chan official profile
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/stephen-t-chanFetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Liberate New York public safety agenda press release
https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2025/stephen-t-chan/senator-stephen-chan-leads-fight-public-safety-and?page=3Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S9938
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9938Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S5554
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S5554Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S10691
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S10691Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S9185
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S9185Fetched: issuePositions
NYSenate.gov - Senate Bill S10236
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S10236Fetched: issuePositions