Shelley received a JD from SUNY Buffalo School of Law in 1979 and a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in 1975.

Shelley lives in her childhood home in Yonkers with her husband, Lee Smith. Shelley and Lee have three adult children – Aaron, Julia, and Arthur Smith -- and five wonderful grandchildren.

Senator Shelley B. Mayer | New York State Legislative Ethics Commission

Shelley B. Mayer is from Yonkers. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Los Angeles and a law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law. She lives in her childhood home in Yonkers with her husband, Lee Smith.

Senator Shelley B. Mayer | NYS Legislative Ethics Commission

Earlier in her career Shelley served as Chief Counsel to the New York State Senate Democrats, as Senior Counsel at the National State Attorney General Program at Columbia Law School, and as Vice President of Government and Community Affairs at Continuum Health Partners (previously St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center and Beth Israel Medical Center), some of New York City’s largest teaching hospital systems, working to protect Medicaid and Medicare services.

From 1982 to 1994, Shelley was an Assistant Attorney General in the office of New York Attorney General Bob Abrams where she handled major reproductive health litigation. Shelley served in the Civil Rights Bureau, as Chief of the Westchester Regional Office, as the legislative liaison for the Attorney General, and ultimately as a senior advisor to the Attorney General.

Shelley previously worked as an assistant attorney general in the New York attorney general's office, chief counsel to the New York State Senate Democrats, senior counsel at the National State Attorney General Program at Columbia Law School, and vice president of government and community affairs at Continuum Health Partners.

Shelley Mayer was elected to the New York State Senate to represent the 37th District in an April 2018 Special Election, and she was subsequently re-elected in November 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. Before serving in the State Senate, she served in the State Assembly for six years representing the City of Yonkers exclusively. Her Senate district includes northeast Yonkers, Eastchester, Scarsdale, all of the Sound Shore communities, White Plains, North Castle and Pound Ridge.

Shelley Mayer was elected to the New York State Senate representing the 37th District in a 2018 special election and was reelected in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. She previously served in the State Assembly for six years representing the City of Yonkers.

2026 New York General Election

As of September 9, 2026, Shelley B. Mayer’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Economy

S.7693 requires utilities to return every penny in excess profit, above what is approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC), to ratepayers. Utilities are allowed under federal case law to earn just and reasonable rates; but there is no reason why utilities should be allowed to earn more than is approved at the expense of rate payers. According to research by the Public Utility Law Project of New York (PULP), this bill could result in millions of dollars being returned to ratepayers.

Senator Shelley B. Mayer Leads in Albany in the Fight Against Utility Rate Hikes | NYSenate.gov

S.3734 caps how much utilities can recover from ratepayers for executive salaries and costs associated with their participation in rate cases. Under current practice, utilities are allowed to recover 100% of their operating expenses from ratepayers –– even excessive executive salaries and their legal fees from applying to the PSC to raise rates. This bill will set reasonable limits on what utilities can recover, protecting ratepayers from having to foot the bill for utilities’ largess.

Supports Senate Bill (S.) 7693, requiring utilities to return profits above Public Service Commission-approved amounts to ratepayers.

Supports Senate Bill (S.) 3734, limiting the costs utilities can charge ratepayers for executive salaries and rate-case participation.

- Supports Senate Bill (S.) 7693, requiring utilities to return profits above Public Service Commission-approved amounts to ratepayers.
- Supports Senate Bill (S.) 3734, limiting the costs utilities can charge ratepayers for executive salaries and rate-case participation.

Energy & the Environment

While many states are turning their backs on millions of women, New York will continue to honor its commitment to protect healthcare access for New Yorkers and those who have had their rights taken away and seek care with licensed medical providers here. With this bill, NYS will protect licensed New York providers to engage in telehealth for abortion services to women in states with limited or no access. I am proud to sponsor this proposed legislation, which passed the Senate in January, and help advocate for its passage in the Assembly.

NYS SENATOR MAYER AND NYS ASSEMBLYMEMBER REYES HOLD PRESS CONFERENCE WITH ACT ACCESS AND ABORTION MEDICATION ADVOCATES TO RALLY FOR THE PASSAGE OF A1709/S1066A

(Port Chester, NY) – Standing in front of Port Chester - Rye - Rye Brook EMS, New York State Senator Shelley B. Mayer and Assemblyman Steve Otis today called on state lawmakers to pass their legislation (S.8432 /A.9509 ) to classify “Emergency Medical Services” as “Essential Services” under the law and to combat the shortage of EMS personnel by ensuring they have access to health and pension benefits.

Mayer, Otis Call on Legislature to Deem EMS as Essential and Address Chronic EMT Shortage | NYSenate.gov

Senator Mayer said: “For years, our voluntary and other emergency medical service providers have been left to survive without acknowledging that they are truly ‘essential’ to our society. In addition, it is outrageous that our first responders can be denied health benefits when we turn to them to address our own medical emergencies. I am proud to fight to deliver the benefits they deserve and to provide every New Yorker with quality emergency medical care.”

Sponsored legislation protecting New York-licensed providers who offer abortion services through telehealth to people in states with limited or no access.

Calls for classifying emergency medical services as essential and providing emergency medical services personnel access to health and pension benefits.

- Sponsored legislation protecting New York-licensed providers who offer abortion services through telehealth to people in states with limited or no access.
- Calls for classifying emergency medical services as essential and providing emergency medical services personnel access to health and pension benefits.

Healthcare

The New District 39
 Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 20236
 VOTE ON ELECTION DAY
 Flip your ballot and VOTE YES on Prop 1/New York Equal Rights Amendment
 You can learn more from the New Yorkers for Equal Rights Coalition website.
 Proposal Number One, An Amendment – Amendment to Protect Against Unequal Treatment

Shelley Mayer for State Senate

Proposal Number One, An Amendment – Amendment to Protect Against Unequal Treatment
 This proposal would protect against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. It also protects against unequal treatment based on reproductive healthcare and autonomy.
 A “YES” vote puts these protections in the New York State Constitution.
 A “NO” vote leaves these protections out of the State Constitution.

Endorsed Proposition 1, the New York Equal Rights Amendment, which adds constitutional protections against unequal treatment.

Endorsed the New York Equal Rights Amendment, which adds constitutional protections against unequal treatment.

- Endorsed the New York Equal Rights Amendment, which adds constitutional protections against unequal treatment.

Voting & Elections

Public Safety

Shelley helped lead the fight for the full funding of Foundation Aid, the funds the State of New York owes to its public schools, which was finally fully achieved in 2024. She has fought to expand pre-K outside New York City, strengthen day care and after-school care, been a strong voice for school boards, teachers and parents on education issues, and authored the bill to delink teacher evaluations from standardized test results.

Through Mayer’s legislation (S.9054), over the next eight years, every district in New York State will be required to collectively bargain a new framework for teacher and principal evaluations. Districts will have the opportunity to design an evaluation process that fits the needs of their students and communities within certain parameters in a new section, 3012-e of the education law.

Senate Passes Senator Mayer Bill Revamping Teacher and Principal Evaluations | NYSenate.gov

Evaluations must be holistic, include classroom observation, and prioritize helping teachers and administrators grow in their roles. Teachers and building principals who receive level 1 or 2 ratings must receive personalized professional development plans. Parents will have a right to know their child’s teacher and building principal’s most recent composite evaluation score, providing transparency and accountability.

Importantly, this legislation decouples evaluation scores from decisions about teacher tenure and does not require districts to consider test scores. Parents should know that test results will no longer be a determinative factor for their teacher’s future.

Advocates for full Foundation Aid funding for New York public schools.

Advocates for expanding pre-kindergarten outside New York City and strengthening child care and after-school care.

Sponsored Senate Bill (S.) 9054, requiring teacher and principal evaluation frameworks negotiated locally that use holistic reviews and do not make test scores determinative.

- Advocates for full Foundation Aid funding for New York public schools.
- Advocates for expanding pre-kindergarten outside New York City and strengthening child care and after-school care.
- Sponsored Senate Bill (S.) 9054, requiring teacher and principal evaluation frameworks negotiated locally that use holistic reviews and do not make test scores determinative.

Education

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Shelley B. Mayer

Shelley received a JD from SUNY Buffalo School of Law in 1979 and a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in 1975.

Shelley lives in her childhood home in Yonkers with her husband, Lee Smith. Shelley and Lee have three adult children – Aaron, Julia, and Arthur Smith -- and five wonderful grandchildren.

Shelley B. Mayer lives in her childhood home in Yonkers. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA and a law degree from SUNY Buffalo School of Law. She lives with her husband, Lee Smith, and they have three adult children and five grandchildren.

From 1982 to 1994, Shelley was an Assistant Attorney General in the office of New York Attorney General Bob Abrams where she handled major reproductive health litigation.

Shelley served in the Civil Rights Bureau, as Chief of the Westchester Regional Office, as the legislative liaison for the Attorney General, and ultimately as a senior advisor to the Attorney General.

Shelley previously served as vice president of government and community affairs at Continuum Health Partners, senior counsel at the National State Attorney General Program at Columbia Law School, and chief counsel to the New York State Senate Democrats. She also worked as an assistant attorney general in the office of the New York attorney general, including in the Civil Rights Bureau and as chief of the Westchester Regional Office, legislative liaison, and senior advisor to the attorney general.

Shelley Mayer was elected to the New York State Senate to represent the 37th District in an April 2018 Special Election, and she was subsequently re-elected in November 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024.

Shelley Mayer is a member of the New York State Senate, representing the 37th District since 2018. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Mayer previously served in the New York State Assembly from 2013 to 2018, representing the 90th Assembly District.

Shelley Mayer - Ballotpedia

Shelley was elected to the New York State Senate representing the 37th District in a special election in April 2018 and was subsequently reelected in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. She previously served in the New York State Assembly from 2013 to 2018, representing the 90th Assembly District.

We have faced – and will continue to face – many serious challenges, and local leadership matters more than ever because it’s what impacts daily life the most. Shelley will continue to push for policies that help our communities and improve the lives of all New Yorkers. She will continue to prioritize providing quality education for every child, no matter their zip code; addressing climate change, unemployment assistance, or small business support; fighting for workers; and listening to the concerns of her constituents.

Shelley Mayer ~ Democrat for NYS D37

Prioritizes unemployment assistance and small-business support.

- Prioritizes unemployment assistance and small-business support.
- Advocates for workers.

Opposes what her official biography describes as “unconscionable utility rates.”

Flip your ballot and VOTE YES on Prop 1/New York Equal Rights Amendment. Proposal Number One, An Amendment – Amendment to Protect Against Unequal Treatment. This proposal would protect against unequal treatment based on ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, and sex, including sexual orientation, gender identity and pregnancy. It also protects against unequal treatment based on reproductive healthcare and autonomy. A “YES” vote puts these protections in the New York State Constitution.

Bill sponsor Senator Shelley Mayer said, “I am proud to sponsor legislation that will strengthen New York’s telehealth shield law and protect the doctors taking on significant personal risk to care for women in need. My bill, S.36A, will allow pharmacies and providers filling prescriptions to use the provider’s practice name instead of the provider’s name on the prescription label for abortion medication.
New York must continue to fight for our sisters across state lines whose futures, health, and well-being are threatened and the doctors serving them.”

New York State Senate Expands Reproductive Protections, Women’s Health, and Privacy | NYSenate.gov

Advocates for protecting reproductive health care, including abortion.

Endorsed Proposal 1, a constitutional amendment protecting against unequal treatment based on reproductive health care and autonomy.

Sponsored S.36A to let abortion-medication providers use their practice name rather than their personal name on prescription labels.

- Endorsed Proposal 1, a constitutional amendment protecting against unequal treatment based on reproductive health care and autonomy.
- Sponsored S.36A to let abortion-medication providers use their practice name rather than their personal name on prescription labels.

Advocates for protecting emergency medical services workers.

Helped lead efforts to fully fund Foundation Aid for New York public schools.

Advocated for expanded prekindergarten, day care, and after-school care outside New York City.

Authored legislation to separate teacher evaluations from standardized-test results.

Advocated for increased state funding for schools serving vulnerable students.

Authored a law authorizing construction of three new Yonkers public schools.

Prioritizes quality education for every child, regardless of ZIP code.

- Prioritizes quality education for every child, regardless of ZIP code.

Shelley B. Mayer earned a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in 1975 and a law degree from SUNY Buffalo School of Law in 1979.

Shelley previously served as chief counsel to the New York State Senate Democrats, senior counsel at the National State Attorney General Program at Columbia Law School, and vice president of government and community affairs at Continuum Health Partners.

Shelley Mayer was elected to the New York State Senate to represent the 37th District in an April 2018 Special Election, and she was subsequently re-elected in November 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. Before serving in the State Senate, she served in the State Assembly for six years representing the City of Yonkers exclusively.

Shelley currently serves as the New York State Senator for the 37th District. She was first elected in an April 2018 special election and was reelected in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. She previously served in the State Assembly for six years representing the City of Yonkers.

Senator Shelley Mayer also passed S.1896 – for the third time with bipartisan support –– to totally overhaul how the PSC determines the return on equity (ROE) –– or profit –– a utility is entitled to earn. This bill would rebalance the utility rate setting process, putting interests of ratepayers first.

Passed S.1896 to change how the Public Service Commission calculates utilities’ allowed profits and prioritize ratepayers in utility rate setting.

- Passed S.1896 to change how the Public Service Commission calculates utilities’ allowed profits and prioritize ratepayers in utility rate setting.

Supports protecting reproductive health, including abortion access.

# Senate Bill S7536

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Directing the commissioner of education to conduct a study on the efficacy, adequacy, and equity of the Foundation Aid formula; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

## Sponsored By

Shelley B. Mayer
(D, WF) 37th Senate District

NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7536

State Sen. Shelley Mayer, chair of the upper chamber’s education committee, says that before talk of the formula itself, the first priority needs to be ensuring that any fallout from federal budget cuts is not felt by New York’s students.

“Do no harm. No cuts to last year’s funding,” she said Thursday.

State Senate education chair pushing Foundation Aid changes, bill barring ICE from entering schools without warrant | NYSenate.gov

Mayer hopes the governor will go even further.

“Districts that are not owed Foundation Aid should get at least a 3% increase over last year's numbers, provided the state has sufficient funds, which I am optimistic it will,” she said.

Beyond that, Mayer agrees with a recent request from the State Board of Regents for changes to the formula which would even better accommodate needs relating to for English language learners, address funding issues relating to students experiencing homelessness, and “support districts seeking to maintain existing levels of educational services.”

“As the Regents recommended, we need to reflect the additional cost of the huge number of students who are not in permanent housing and the additional cost of English language learners,” she said.

Sponsored Senate Bill S7536 to study the efficacy, adequacy, and equity of the Foundation Aid formula.

Advocates for no cuts to prior-year school funding and, if state funds suffice, increases of at least 3% for districts not owed Foundation Aid.

Calls for the Foundation Aid formula to account for added costs of students without permanent housing and English language learners.

- Sponsored Senate Bill S7536 to study the efficacy, adequacy, and equity of the Foundation Aid formula.
- Advocates for no cuts to prior-year school funding and, if state funds suffice, increases of at least 3% for districts not owed Foundation Aid.
- Calls for the Foundation Aid formula to account for added costs of students without permanent housing and English language learners.

Shelley B. Mayer earned a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in 1975 and a law degree from SUNY Buffalo School of Law in 1979. She lives in Yonkers with her husband, Lee Smith, and has three adult children and five grandchildren.

Shelley B. Mayer previously served as chief counsel to the New York State Senate Democrats, senior counsel at the National State Attorney General Program at Columbia Law School, and vice president of government and community affairs at Continuum Health Partners. She also worked as an assistant attorney general in the Office of the New York Attorney General.

Shelley currently serves as the New York State senator for the 37th District. She was elected in an April 2018 special election and was reelected in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. Shelley previously served in the New York State Assembly, representing the 90th Assembly District from 2013 to 2018.

Supports investing in local businesses to create jobs and strengthen communities.

Advocates protecting reproductive health care, including abortion.

Advocates protections for emergency medical services workers.

Advocates teacher and principal evaluations that prioritize educator growth, student well-being, and locally negotiated processes.

Advocated for fully funding Foundation Aid for New York public schools.

Advocates expanding prekindergarten outside New York City and strengthening child care and after-school care.

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

Thomas H. Fix Jr

- Your state senator is involved in the legislative process at the state level as part of the New York State Senate, which consists of 63 members and serves as the upper house of the New York State Legislature, the state's lawmaking body. 
- State senators are responsible for representing your interests and assisting you with navigating state services while bringing resources back to your district.  
- State senators draft laws, approve budgets, oversee the state executive branch, and engage in debates and votes on proposed legislation.  
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- State senators are elected for a two-year term with no term limits.  
- Their annual salary is $142,000.  

Your representative and state lawmaker in the New York Senate.