VoterLens
New York State Assembly District 47
St. John's University—B.A. in Urban Education; Brooklyn College—M.S. in Urban Education; St. John's School of Law—J.D.
Data last updated 10/21/2026
William Colton was elected to the New York State Assembly in November 1996 to represent Assembly District 47 in Brooklyn. He previously worked as a public school teacher for eleven years, served as a UFT chapter chairperson for six years, attended law school in the evening, and was admitted as a New York lawyer in 1979. He has also been active in community affairs, including co-founding the Bensonhurst Tenants Council and founding the Bensonhurst Straphangers Committee.
Committee Assignments: Committee on Correction · Committee on Environmental Conservation · Committee on Governmental Employees · Committee on Labor · Committee on Rules · Committee on Ways and Means · Asian Pacific American Task Force · Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force
William Colton supports expanding affordable, quality healthcare, including prescription-drug access for seniors and residents on fixed incomes, and has backed universal healthcare for New Yorkers. His healthcare record also includes sponsoring or co-sponsoring bills on patient medical-bill defenses, Medicaid eligibility, nursing-home transparency, and health-insurance protections.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Colton helped pass the New York Health Act to create a universal health plan covering every New York State resident, including comprehensive care and no patient co-pays or other charges.
SourceWilliam Colton emphasizes higher wages, worker protections, and affordability as part of his Economy & Jobs agenda for New York Assembly District 47. His record includes sponsoring or co-sponsoring measures to raise minimum wages, protect low-wage workers' schedules and pay, support job training, and provide targeted tax relief for working professionals.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Colton supported Assembly legislation to raise the minimum wage, expand child care access, and strengthen protections against workplace discrimination as part of a family economic security agenda.
SourceWilliam Colton, the Democratic incumbent Assemblymember for New York Assembly District 47, has supported immigrant legal protections and access to services through co-sponsorships and at least one recorded vote. His actions include backing counsel in immigration court, deportation-risk notice for criminal pleas, health coverage protections tied to immigration status, and limits on courthouse civil immigration arrests.
William Colton supports aggressive climate action and renewable energy, including a transition away from fossil fuels and policies that encourage electric vehicles, cool roofs, and waste reduction. As Assembly District 47 incumbent, he has sponsored or voted for multiple climate and energy-related measures in New York.
William Colton emphasizes education through civic instruction, school safety, teacher support, preservation of merit-based specialized high school admissions, and equitable access to afterschool and enrichment programs. As the Democratic Assemblymember for New York State Assembly District 47, his education-related actions include sponsoring bills and publicly pressing education officials to protect local programs.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Colton stated that the SHSAT should remain intact and called for broader access to high-quality early education and Gifted and Talented programs across New York City.
SourceColton wrote to the New York City Department of Education urging rapid and equitable distribution of state afterschool funds to restore impacted local programs serving District 47 families.
SourceWilliam Colton, Democratic incumbent Assemblymember for New York Assembly District 47, emphasizes enforcement-oriented public safety, including school emergency alerts, retail-theft deterrence, subway and mental-health safety measures, and support for NYPD resources. He has also opposed policies he says would reduce police response capacity or "defund" police.
Specific Actions & Proposals
Colton strongly supported budget measures increasing penalties for assaulting retail workers, allowing aggregation of stolen-goods values, creating a crime for fostering the sale of stolen goods, and funding retail-theft enforcement teams.
SourceColton warned that proposed New York City Council police reporting requirements could keep officers off the street and impair response times, while stating that accountability and transparency would not be enhanced by that level of documentation.
SourceColton praised Governor Hochul’s public-safety agenda including expanded involuntary commitment for dangerous individuals with severe mental illness, long-term supportive services, enforcement of revised bail laws, and uniformed police on overnight subway trains.
SourceNew York State Assembly Biography
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=047&sh=bioFetched: biography, education, background
New York State Assembly Committee Membership
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=047&sh=commFetched: committees
Legislative Action Center
https://app7.vocusgr.com/webpublish/Controller.aspx?Definition=ViewLegislator&LegislatorID=5746&SiteName=AIADAFetched: age, location
Blue Voter Guide
https://bluevoterguide.org/district/NY/New_York_State_Assembly_District_47/51899/Fetched: endorsements
New York League of Conservation Voters
https://www.nylcv.org/candidate/william-colton/Fetched: endorsements
New York State United Teachers
https://www.nysut.org/resources/special-resources-sites/voter-guide/endorsementsFetched: endorsements
Professional Staff Congress/CUNY
https://psc-cuny.org/issues/psc-endorsements-general-election-2026/Fetched: endorsements
New York League of Conservation Voters 2018 Scorecard
https://www.nysenate.gov/sites/default/files/in-the-news/attachment/2018-scorecard-final.pdfFetched: ratings
New York State Assembly member page
https://www.assembly.ny.gov/mem/?ad=047&sh=welcomeFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/64075Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate legislation page A3149
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3149Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate legislation page A3522
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3522Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate legislation page A6305
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A6305Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate legislation page A4776
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4776Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Member Directory - William Colton
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=047&sh=aboutFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Colton minimum wage statement
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/47316Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Colton Families First agenda statement
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/63347Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation - A1434
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2023/A1434Fetched: issuePositions
LegiScan - NY A01991 Fair Pay for Home Care Act
https://legiscan.com/NY/bill/A01991/2025Fetched: issuePositions
LegiScan - NY A06950 Construction Reporting Pay Act
https://legiscan.com/NY/bill/A06950/2025Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly Member Directory
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/William-Colton/office/Fetched: issuePositions
NY State Senate Open Legislation - A270
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A270Fetched: issuePositions
NY State Senate Open Legislation - A694
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A694Fetched: issuePositions
NY State Senate Open Legislation - A1285
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1285Fetched: issuePositions
NY State Senate Open Legislation - A5199
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A5199Fetched: issuePositions
NY State Senate Open Legislation - A2176
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/A2176Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly member page
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=047&sh=sponsorFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly press release on 100% renewable energy
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/87977Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly S06599 floor vote and summary
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?Actions=Y&Floor%26nbspVotes=Y&Summary=Y&bn=S06599&default_fld=&leg_video=&term=2019Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly A01798 bill summary
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A01798&leg_video=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly A01895 bill summary
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A01895&leg_video=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly A02569 bill summary
https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?bn=A02569&leg_video=Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - William Colton official member page
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/?ad=047&sh=aboutFetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Civics education legislation press release
https://assembly.ny.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/116788Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - School silent alarms legislation press release
https://www.assembly.ny.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/118041Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Teacher classroom supplies tax relief press release
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/117839Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - SHSAT statement
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/118444Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - Afterschool funding statement
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/118064Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - William Colton Assembly District 47
https://www.assembly.ny.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/118041Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Senate Open Legislation
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A9290Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - William Colton Assembly District 47
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/William-Colton/story/118210Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - William Colton Assembly District 47
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/William-Colton/story/118422Fetched: issuePositions
New York State Assembly - William Colton Assembly District 47
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/William-Colton/story/117944Fetched: issuePositions