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Running forState Assembly, District 57

Phara Souffrant Forrest

Democrat, Working FamiliesHas the job now

Overview

Phara Souffrant Forrest is an American politician, nurse, and tenant activist. A member of the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, she is the assembly member for the 57th district of the New York State Assembly.

Official site →Ballotpedia →

Facts from Wikipedia.

How to reach them
Source: Open States

Bills they wrote

Bills and joint resolutions where they're the main author, since 2023. Laws first, then the ones that got furthest.

Wrote

105 bills

Became law

2 became law. Another 25 passed the House or Senate but didn't.

  • Introduced Feb 27, 2023A 4942: Requires the SUNY and CUNY boards of trustees to establish a policy for the awarding of posthumous degrees
    Became law
  • Introduced Jan 12, 2023A 997: Limits availability and coverage for non-invasive prenatal testing for Medicaid patients based on age if such limits are recommended by certain federal agencies
    Became law
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2026A 10045: Establishes an awareness campaign on the use of hormone replacement therapy in treating the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause
    Passed both chambers
  • Introduced Jan 9, 2025A 1428: Requires insurers to cover the substitution of a brand name prescription drug when the federal food and drug administration has declared that there is a supply issue with a generic drug
    Passed both chambers
  • Introduced Mar 6, 2025A 6606: Establishes protections for the rights of pregnant students, parenting students, and students with pregnancy-related conditions in schools
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5452: Prohibits imprisonment for sleeping or camping in public spaces
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5420: Requires menstrual products to be provided in drop-in centers, intake shelters and emergency congregate housing
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Feb 13, 2025A 5361: Relates to access to and signage for lactation rooms in public buildings
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 3998: Relates to employee access to lactation rooms in the workplace
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 3926: Relates to enacting the medical civil rights act
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 4018: Establishes the New York dignity in pregnancy and childbirth act and requires hospitals and other facilities that provide perinatal care to implement an evidence-based implicit bias program
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 3842: Establishes the insure our communities act
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 27, 2025A 3251: Enacts "Cecilia's act for rights in the sex trades" relating to the decriminalization of sex work; repealer
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 22, 2025A 2692: Establishes a working group to create a pilot program for an alternative system to a credit score
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 9, 2025A 1261: Protects the rights of people in prisons, jails and forensic facilities
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 9, 2025A 1119: Relates to the transparency and quality of care of operators of adult care facilities
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 9, 2025A 1430: Prohibits the sale of medical adhesives and bandages containing perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 821: Relates to the persons authorized to visit facilities operated by the department of social services or a social services district and homeless projects
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 895: Requires insurance to cover a car seat to be provided upon discharge of a newborn from a hospital
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 911: Clarifies the definition of persons with a disability for purposes of the definition of special populations
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Apr 26, 2024A 9905: Establishes the insuring our future act
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 12, 2024A 8605: Relates to the decriminalization of sex work; repealer
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Dec 13, 2023A 8403: Provides that certain persons who are not residents of the state but who have resided in the state for a certain period of time shall be eligible for in-state tuition rates
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Sep 27, 2023A 8080: Enacts "SUNY for all: the New York State higher education equality act" to provide free tuition to students who attend SUNY
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Sep 1, 2023A 7994: Relates to the persons authorized to visit facilities operated by the department of social services or a social services district and homeless projects
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Feb 10, 2023A 4141: Prohibits cost sharing for insulin
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Jan 13, 2023A 1263: Relates to judicial diversion programs; repealer
    Passed the Assembly
  • Introduced Apr 23, 2026A 11041: Requires the establishment of an appeals process for students who are denied the state resident tuition rate at any public university or college
    Introduced
  • Introduced Apr 21, 2026A 11019: Requires that the average annual wage and average weekly wage of the state of New York be adjusted for inflation each year
    Introduced
  • Introduced Apr 21, 2026A 11018: Relates to establishing the banking bill of rights
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 20, 2026A 10699: Establishes procedures to be followed when the body scan of an incarcerated individual, employee or visitor to a correctional facility displays alleged abnormalities
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 19, 2026A 10644: Relates to increasing fines for the late filing of rent registration statements
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 19, 2026A 10646: Provides voice communication service to incarcerated people at no cost; repealer
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 13, 2026A 10565: Directs the chair of the board of trustees of the city university of New York shall conduct an audit of such university's participation in retirement systems
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 6, 2026A 10451: Establishes a bill of rights for the unhoused
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2026A 10053: Relates to nursing employees
    Introduced
  • Introduced Sep 12, 2025A 9103: Enacts the "health insurance preauthorization disclosure act"
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jul 16, 2025A 8953: Enacts the "fair share act"
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jun 9, 2025A 8862: Establishes the immigrant in-home child care training pilot program in the office for new Americans to help immigrants establish licensed in-home daycare services
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jun 9, 2025A 8861: Establishes the community accompaniment and post-release support program in the office for new Americans to provide grants to community-based organizations to offer services after immigration detention
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jun 9, 2025A 8855: Establishes the detention support program in the office for new Americans to provide financial assistance to individuals and families of detained persons
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jun 2, 2025A 8757: Establishes the "SNAP for students act"
    Introduced
  • Introduced May 16, 2025A 8435: Provides for the designation by a general hospital of persons to identify infectious disease processes
    Introduced
  • Introduced Apr 22, 2025A 8049: Provides that certain persons who are not residents of the state but who have resided in the state for a certain period of time shall be eligible for in-state tuition rates
    Introduced
  • Introduced Apr 16, 2025A 7953: Provides for coverage of screenings for elevated lead levels
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 18, 2025A 7015: Relates to parole eligibility for crimes committed at age twenty-one or younger
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 6, 2025A 6560: Relates to the transfer, acceptance, or purchase of military weapons from the United States government
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 24, 2025A 5889: Relates to enacting the worker healthcare protection act
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 24, 2025A 5913: Clarifies the meaning of actively seeking work for purposes of unemployment benefits
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 20, 2025A 5831: Relates to providing for taxpayer gifts for uterine fibroids education and establishes the uterine fibroids education fund
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 20, 2025A 5830: Requires health insurers to provide coverage for diagnosis and treatment of fibroids
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 18, 2025A 5635: Relates to requiring telephones capable of making local and long-distance telephone calls be in every nursing home patient's room
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5553: Establishes the New York state nursing faculty scholarship incentive program
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5416: Relates to enacting the "books save lives act"
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5470: Establishes the rapid employment assistance and counseling hub (REACH) program to dispatch a mobile unit to provide information, assistance and other services concerning unemployment compensation insurance
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5454: Establishes the New York smart work week pilot program to promote, incentivize and support the use of a four-day work week by qualifying employers and to study the benefits and impacts of such work arrangements
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5549: Doubles the empire state child credit for young children
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5485: Provides that local state of emergency orders issued by a chief executive of a county, city, town or village shall not violate section 291 of the executive law providing equality of opportunity of a civil right
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5537: Relates to licensing consumer debt collectors
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025A 5423: Establishes a four-day workweek pilot program for state employees
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 6, 2025A 4869: Relates to judicial diversion programs; repealer
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 4, 2025A 4666: Requires a local social services district to accept or deny an application for public assistance no later than thirty days after the date of the application; repealer
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 4, 2025A 4715: Establishes the nurse loan repayment program
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 3993: Prohibits discrimination through the use of clinical algorithms
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 3989: Requires state agencies to develop plans for new Americans
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 3962: Requires the commissioner of health to conduct a study considering banning private equity ownership in hospice care
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 3991: Establishes requirements for the use of artificial intelligence, algorithm, or other software tools in utilization review and management
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 3983: Establishes the freedom to rally and engage equitably (FREE) act
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025A 3974: Creates the office of the ombudsperson for behavioral health access
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 22, 2025A 2698: Establishes an awareness campaign on the use of hormone replacement therapy in treating the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 15, 2025A 2111: Requires suicide prevention hotline centers to meet certain requirements for individuals who are in the perinatal period
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 15, 2025A 2148: Exempts infant car seats from sales and compensating use tax
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 15, 2025A 2147: Exempts breast pumps and breast pump kits from sales and compensating use taxes
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 15, 2025A 2108: Exempts baby bottles and bottle nipples from sales and compensating use tax
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 15, 2025A 2100: Grants public access to employer lactation rooms under certain circumstances
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 10, 2025A 1603: Relates to succession rights for rent stabilized housing
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 9, 2025A 1394: Creates a joint committee to provide oversight on unemployment insurance
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 9, 2025A 1399: Increase the amount of family leave time that may be taken in a year
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 865: Requires the appointment of an independent fiduciary upon the dissolution of a charter school
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 861: Relates to services available to immigrants residing in certain family and adult shelter facilities
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 864: Establishes an immigrant integration advisory board for each economic development region
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 829: Excludes unemployment compensation from state income tax
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 820: Relates to crimes committed during periods of post-release supervision
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 892: Requires employers to provide paid vacation time
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 832: Relates to requiring at least a ratio of one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per one thousand students on all SUNY and CUNY campuses
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 890: Enacts "SUNY for all: the New York State higher education equality act" to provide free tuition to students who attend SUNY
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 8, 2025A 875: Requires public agencies to establish preliminary license application procedures to determine whether an applicant for a license would be ineligible for such license based on criminal history
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 18, 2024A 8833: Establishes the New York dignity in pregnancy and childbirth act to require hospitals and other facilities that provide perinatal care to implement an evidence-based implicit bias program
    Introduced
  • Introduced Dec 29, 2023A 8465: Increase the amount of family leave time that may be taken in a year
    Introduced
  • Introduced Dec 29, 2023A 8436: Creates a joint committee to provide oversight on unemployment insurance
    Introduced
  • Introduced Dec 13, 2023A 8364: Protects the rights of people in prisons, jails and forensic facilities
    Introduced
  • Introduced Dec 13, 2023A 8354: Requires employers to provide paid vacation time
    Introduced
  • Introduced Dec 13, 2023A 8406: Establishes an immigrant integration advisory board for each economic development region
    Introduced
  • Introduced Sep 29, 2023A 8091: Defines humanitarian emergency response and relief centers
    Introduced
  • Introduced Sep 29, 2023A 8088: Relates to services available to immigrants residing in certain family and adult shelter facilities
    Introduced
  • Introduced Sep 27, 2023A 8071: Relates to succession rights for rent stabilized housing
    Introduced
  • Introduced Sep 27, 2023A 8057: Requires insurance to cover a car seat to be provided upon discharge of a newborn from a hospital
    Introduced
  • Introduced Sep 1, 2023A 8018: Requires domestic violence and sexual assault awareness training for the licensing of nail specialty, natural hair styling, esthetics and cosmetology
    Introduced
  • Introduced May 25, 2023A 7567: Relates to crimes committed during periods of post-release supervision
    Introduced
  • Introduced May 25, 2023A 7533: Clarifies the definition of persons with a disability for purposes of the definition of special populations
    Introduced
  • Introduced Apr 3, 2023A 6112: Requires the appointment of an independent fiduciary upon the dissolution of a charter school
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 23, 2023A 5728: Excludes unemployment compensation from state income tax
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 24, 2023A 4893: Requires public agencies to establish preliminary license application procedures to determine whether an applicant for a license would be ineligible for such license based on criminal history
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 10, 2023A 4142: Relates to requiring at least a ratio of one clinical, non-student mental health staff member per one thousand students on all SUNY and CUNY campuses
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 13, 2023A 1124: Relates to the transparency and quality of care of operators of adult care facilities
    Introduced

Source: Open States

How they voted

Final votes on bills that passed either chamber of the New York legislature, since 2023. Votes on amendments, committees, and procedure are left out.

Votes shown

3,989 votes on bills that passed at least one chamber.

Attendance

Didn't vote on 243 of 3,989 votes (6%). They had permission to be away (excused) for all of them.

By topic
Aging31 votes
    Agriculture44 votes
      Alcoholism and Drug Abuse10 votes
        Alcoholism and Substance Use Disorders6 votes
          Banks60 votes
            Budget and Revenue9 votes
              Children and Families63 votes
                Cities40 votes
                  Cities 127 votes
                    Cities 210 votes
                      Civil Service and Pensions104 votes
                        Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business13 votes
                          Consumer Affairs and Protection119 votes
                            Consumer Protection31 votes
                              Corporations, Authorities and Commissions144 votes
                                Correction35 votes
                                  Crime Victims, Crime and Correction14 votes
                                    Criminal Law (Codes)165 votes
                                      Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation15 votes
                                        Disabilities7 votes
                                          Economic Development64 votes
                                            Education71 votes
                                              Election Law26 votes
                                                Elections24 votes
                                                  Energy55 votes
                                                    Energy and Telecommunications24 votes
                                                      Environmental Conservation168 votes
                                                        Ethics and Internal Governance3 votes
                                                          Finance47 votes
                                                            Governmental Employees109 votes
                                                              Governmental Operations176 votes
                                                                Health280 votes
                                                                  Higher Education93 votes
                                                                    Housing46 votes
                                                                      Housing, Construction and Community Development23 votes
                                                                        Insurance175 votes
                                                                          Internet and Technology16 votes
                                                                            Investigations and Government Operations221 votes
                                                                              Judiciary158 votes
                                                                                Labor96 votes
                                                                                  Libraries9 votes
                                                                                    Libraries and Education Technology7 votes
                                                                                      Local Government188 votes
                                                                                        Local Governments121 votes
                                                                                          Mental Health29 votes
                                                                                            New York City Education1 vote
                                                                                              People With Disabilities19 votes
                                                                                                Procurement and Contracts20 votes
                                                                                                  Racing and Wagering19 votes
                                                                                                    Racing, Gaming and Wagering10 votes
                                                                                                      Real Property Taxation89 votes
                                                                                                        Science and Technology17 votes
                                                                                                          Small Business6 votes
                                                                                                            Social Services39 votes
                                                                                                              Taxes and Budget (Ways and Means)256 votes
                                                                                                                Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development30 votes
                                                                                                                  Transportation220 votes
                                                                                                                    Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs15 votes
                                                                                                                      Veterans' Affairs55 votes
                                                                                                                        Women'S Issues17 votes

                                                                                                                          Source: Open States, New York State Senate and Assembly. Topics from the state legislature.