172nd New York State Legislature

New York state legislative session February 2025 October 2019 172nd January 1, 1959 December 31, 1960 Lt. Gov. Malcolm Wilson (R) Walter J. Mahoney (R) Oswald D. Heck (R), until May 21, 1959; Joseph F. Carlino (R), from July 1, 1959 58 150 Republican (34–24) Republican (92–58) 1st January 7 March 25, 1959 2nd July 1, 1959 3rd January 6 April 1, 1960 171st 173rd The 172nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7, 1959, to April 1, 1960, during the first and second years of Nelson Rockefeller's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938, re-apportioned in 1953, 58 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts for two-year terms. The senatorial districts consisted either of one or more entire counties; or a contiguous area within a single county. The counties which were divided into more than one senatorial district were Kings (nine districts), New York (six), Queens (five), Bronx (four), Erie (three), Nassau (three), Westchester (three), Monroe (two) and Onondaga (two). The Assembly districts consisted either of a single entire county (except Hamilton Co.), or of contiguous area within one county. At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Liberal Party and the Independent-Socialist Party also nominated tickets. Elections The 1958 New York state election, was held on November 4. Nelson Rockefeller was elected Governor, and Assemblyman Malcolm Wilson was elected Lieutenant Governor, both Republicans, defeating the incumbent Democrats W. Averell Harriman and George B. DeLuca. The elections of the other four statewide elective offices resulted in a Democratic State Comptroller with Liberal endorsement, a Republican Attorney General, a Democratic Court of Appeals judge with Liberal and Republican endorsement, and a Republican U.S. Senator. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor/Lieutenant Governor, was: Republicans 3,127,000; Democrats 2,270,000; Liberals 284,000; and Independent-Socialists 32,000. Assemblywoman Janet Hill Gordon (Rep.), a lawyer of Norwich, was elected to the State Senate. The other four women members of the previous legislature—Assemblywomen Bessie A. Buchanan (Dem.), a retired musical actress and dancer of Harlem; Frances K. Marlatt (Rep.), a lawyer of Mount Vernon; Genesta M. Strong (Rep.), of Plandome Heights; and Mildred F. Taylor (Rep.), a coal dealer of Lyons—were re-elected. Aileen B. Ryan (Dem.), of the Bronx; and Dorothy Bell Lawrence (Rep.), of Manhattan, both former school teachers, were also elected to the Assembly. The 1959 New York state election, was held on November 3. The only statewide elective office up for election was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. The senior associate judge, Charles S. Desmond, a Democrat, was elected with Republican and Liberal endorsement. Three vacancies in the State Senate and eight vacancies in the Assembly were filled. Assemblywoman Genesta M. Strong (Rep.) was elected to the State Senate, but did not take her seat in 1960. Sessions The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 182nd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1959;ROCKEFELLER FOR TAX RISE TO BAR "FISCAL DISASTER" in The New York Times on January 8, 1959 (subscription required) and adjourned on March 25. Oswald D. Heck (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker. Heck died on May 21, 1959. Walter J. Mahoney (Rep.) was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate. The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on July 1, 1959. Majority Leader Joseph F. Carlino (Rep.) was elected Speaker of the Assembly.STATE ACTS TODAY IN MONAGHAN CASE in The New York Times on July 1, 1959 (subscription required) The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 183rd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1960; and adjourned in the early morning of April 1, 1960.1,014 BILLS LEFT FOR ROCKEFELLER in The New York Times on April 1, 1960 (subscription required) State Senate Districts 30em 1st District: Suffolk County 2nd, 3rd and 4th District: Parts of Nassau County 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th District: Parts of Queens County, i.e. the Borough of Queens 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th District: Parts of Kings County, i.e. the Borough of Brooklyn 19th District: Richmond County, i.e. the Borough of Richmond (now the Borough of Staten Island) 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th District: Parts of New York County, i.e. the Borough of Manhattan 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th District: Parts of Bronx County, i.e. the Borough of the Bronx 30th, 31st and 32nd District: Parts of Westchester County 33rd District: Orange and Rockland counties 34th District: Delaware, Greene, Sullivan and Ulster counties 35th District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam counties 36th District: Albany County 37th District: Rensselaer and Washington counties 38th District: Schenectady and Schoharie counties 39th District: Essex, Saratoga and Warren counties 40th District: Clinton, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties 41st District: Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer and Montgomery counties 42nd District: Oneida County 43rd District: Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego 44th and 45th District: Parts of Onondaga County 46th District: Chenango, Cortland, Madison and Otsego counties 47th District: Broome County 48th District: Cayuga, Tioga and Tompkins counties 49th District: Chemung and Steuben counties 50th District: Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties 51st and 52nd District: Parts of Monroe County 53rd District: Allegany, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties 54th District: Niagara County 55th, 56th and 57th District: Parts of Erie County 58th District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties Senators The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Frank Composto, D. Clinton Dominick III, Lawrence M. Rulison and Janet Hill Gordon changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assembly members Genesta M. Strong and Hunter Meighan were elected to fill vacancies in the Senate. Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..." District Senator Party Notes1stElisha T. Barrett* Republican2ndDaniel G. Albert* Republican 3rdWilliam S. Hults Jr.* Republicanon April 1, 1959, appointed as Commissioner of Motor VehiclesHULTS IS SWORN IN in The New York Times on April 2, 1959 (subscription required)(Genesta M. Strong)* Republicanon November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy;NASSAU REMAINS IN G.O.P. COLUMN in The New York Times on November 4, 1959 (subscription required) did not take her seat and resigned on January 6, 1960, due to ill healthMRS. STRONG QUITS AS STATE SENATOR in The New York Times on January 7, 1960 (subscription required) seat remained vacant throughout the 1960 sessionGOVERNOR BALKS NASSAU ELECTION in The New York Times on January 17, 1960 (subscription required)4thEdward J. Speno* Republican5thJack E. Bronston Dem./Lib.6thIrving Mosberg* Dem./Lib.7thSeymour R. Thaler Dem./Lib.8thThomas A. Duffy* Dem./Lib.9thThomas J. Mackell* Dem./Lib. 10thHerbert I. Sorin* Dem./Lib.on September 18, 1959, appointed as a City Magistrate2 CITY JUDGES SWORN in The New York Times on September 19, 1959 (subscription required)Simon J. Liebowitz Democraton November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy11thWalter E. Cooke* Dem./Lib.12thJeremiah B. Bloom* Dem./Lib.13thFrank Composto* Dem./Lib.14thWilliam T. Conklin* Republican15thFrank J. Pino* Dem./Lib.16thWilliam Rosenblatt* Dem./Lib.17thSamuel L. Greenberg* Dem./Lib.18thHarry Gittleson* Dem./Lib.19thJohn J. Marchi* Republican20thMacNeil Mitchell* Republican21stJames Lopez Watson* Dem./Lib.22ndJohn P. Morrissey* Dem./Lib.23rdJoseph Zaretzki* Dem./Lib.Minority Leader24thJoseph R. Marro* Dem./Lib.25thJohn H. Farrell* Dem./Lib.26thHarry Kraf* Democrat27thJacob H. Gilbert* Democraton March 8, 1960, elected to the 86th U.S. CongressDemocrat Wins Easily in Bronx In 3-Way Race for House Seat in The New York Times on March 9, 1960 (subscription required)28thNathaniel T. Helman* Democraton November 8, 1960, elected to the City Court29thJoseph F. Periconi* Republicanon April 14, 1960, appointed to the New York City Transit AuthorityPERICONI NAMED TO TRANSIT POST in The New York Times on April 15, 1960 (subscription required) 30thFrank S. McCullough* Republicanin 1959, appointed as County Judge of Westchester Co.WESTCHESTER G.O.P. RETAINS CONTROL in The New York Times on November 4, 1959 (subscription required)Hunter Meighan* Republicanon November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy31stGeorge W. Cornell Republican32ndWilliam F. Condon* Republican33rdD. Clinton Dominick III* Republican34thE. Ogden Bush* Republican35thErnest I. Hatfield* Republican36thJulian B. Erway* Dem./Lib.37thAlbert Berkowitz* Republican38thOwen M. Begley* Dem./Lib.39thGilbert T. Seelye* Republican40thRobert C. McEwen* Republican41stWalter Van Wiggeren* Republican42ndFred J. Rath* Republican43rdHenry A. Wise* Republican44thLawrence M. Rulison* Republican45thJohn H. Hughes* Republican46thJanet Hill Gordon* Republican47thWarren M. Anderson* Republican48thGeorge R. Metcalf* Republican49thHarold A. Jerry Jr. Republican50thDutton Peterson* Republican51stFrank E. Van Lare* Republican52ndA. Gould Hatch* Republicanon November 8, 1960, elected Clerk of Monroe County53rdAustin W. Erwin* RepublicanChairman of Finance54thEarl W. Brydges* Republican55thWalter J. Mahoney* Republicanre-elected Temporary President56thFrank J. Glinski Democrat57thJohn H. Cooke* Republican58thGeorge H. Pierce* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary Employees Secretary: William S. King, until June 18, 1959, retired John J. Sandler, acting from June 18, 1959;ALBANY AIDE PROMOTED; J. J. Sandler Becomes Acting Secretary of Senate in The New York Times on June 19, 1959 (subscription required) elected Secretary on January 6, 1960State Senate Elects Sandler as Secretary in The New York Times on January 7, 1960 (subscription required) State Assembly Assemblymen Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..." District Assemblymen Party Notes Albany 1stEdwin Corning Jr.* Dem./Lib.resigned in August 1959 while in hospital after severe car accidentEx-Legislator Quits Hospital in The New York Times on October 5, 1959 (subscription required)Frank P. Cox Democraton November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy2ndHarvey M. Lifset* Dem./Lib. AlleganyWilliam H. MacKenzie* RepublicanChairman of Ways and Means Bronx 1stBernard C. McDonnell* Democratdied on August 1, 1959Donald J. Sullivan Democraton November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy2ndSidney H. Asch* Democrat3rdMoses J. Epstein* Democratdied on October 10, 19604thFelipe N. Torres* Democrat5thMelville E. Abrams* Democrat6thIvan Warner* Democrat7thJohn T. Satriale* Democrat8thAlexander Chananau* Democrat9thWilliam Kapelman* Democrat10thGeorge W. Harrington Republican11thAileen B. Ryan Dem./Lib.12thFred W. Eggert Jr. Dem./Lib. Broome1stDaniel S. Dickinson Jr.* Republican2ndGeorge L. Ingalls* Republican CattaraugusLeo P. Noonan* Republican CayugaCharles A. Cusick* Republican ChautauquaA. Bruce Manley* Republican ChemungHarry J. Tifft* Republican ChenangoGuy L. Marvin Republican ClintonRobert J. Feinberg* Republican ColumbiaWillard C. Drumm* Republican CortlandLouis H. Folmer* Republican DelawareEdwyn E. Mason* Republican DutchessRobert Watson Pomeroy* Republican Erie1stStephen R. Greco Dem./Lib.2ndWilliam E. Adams* Republican3rdWilliam J. Butler* Republican4thFrank J. Caffery* Dem./Lib.5thJohn B. Lis* Dem./Lib.6thGeorge F. Dannebrock* Republican7thJulius Volker* Republican8thWilliam Sadler* Republican EssexGrant W. Johnson* Republican FranklinRobert G. Main* Republicanon November 3, 1959, elected to the New York Supreme CourtHayward H. Plumadore Republicanon January 5, 1960, elected to fill vacancyPlumadore Wins Seat in The New York Times on January 6, 1960 (subscription required) Fulton and HamiltonJoseph R. Younglove* Republican GeneseeJohn E. Johnson* Republican GreeneWilliam E. Brady* Republican HerkimerLeo A. Lawrence* Republican JeffersonOrin S. Wilcox* Republican Kings1stMax M. Turshen* Dem./Lib.2ndSamuel Bonom* Democrat3rdHarry J. Donnelly* Republican 4th(Bernard Austin)* Dem./Lib.died on January 6, 1959Harold W. Cohn Democratelected on February 17, 1959, to fill vacancy 5thJohn A. Monteleone* Dem./Lib.resigned to run for the City CourtJames V. Mistretta Democraton November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy6thBertram L. Baker* Dem./Lib.7thLouis Kalish* Dem./Lib.8thGuy James Mangano Dem./Lib.9thFrank J. McMullen* Republican10thJohn J. Ryan* Dem./Lib.11thGeorge A. Cincotta Dem./Lib.12thLuigi R. Marano* Republican13thLawrence P. Murphy* Dem./Lib.14thEdward S. Lentol* Democrat15thAlfred A. Lama* Democrat 16thBernard Haber* Democratdied on February 26, 1959Irwin Brownstein Democraton November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy17thSamuel I. Berman* Dem./Lib.18thStanley Steingut* Dem./Lib.19thJoseph Kottler Democrat20thJoseph R. Corso* Democrat21stBertram L. Podell* Democrat22ndAnthony J. Travia* DemocratMinority Leader LewisDwight N. Dudo Republican LivingstonKenneth R. Willard* Republican MadisonHarold I. Tyler* Republican Monroe1stJ. Eugene Goddard* Republican2ndJohn J. Conway Jr.* Republican3rdPaul B. Hanks Jr.* Republican4thThomas F. Riley* Republican MontgomeryDonald A. Campbell* Republican Nassau1stAnthony Barbiero* Republican2ndJoseph F. Carlino* RepublicanMajority Leader; on July 1, 1959, elected Speaker 3rdGenesta M. Strong* Republicanresigned to run for the State SenateJohn E. Kingston Republicanon November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy4thEdwin J. Fehrenbach* Republican5thFrancis P. McCloskey* Republican6thPalmer D. Farrington* Republican New York1stWilliam F. Passannante* Democrat2ndLouis DeSalvio* Democrat3rdFrancis W. Doheny* Democrat4thSamuel A. Spiegel* Democrat5thBentley Kassal* Democrat6thJoseph J. Weiser* Dem./Lib.7thDaniel M. Kelly* Dem./Lib.8thDorothy Bell Lawrence Republican9thJohn R. Brook* Republican10thMartin J. Kelly Jr. Democrat11thLloyd E. Dickens Dem./Lib.12thBessie A. Buchanan* Dem./Lib.13thOrest V. Maresca* Democrat14thJose Ramos-Lopez Democrat15thJohn J. Walsh Democrat16thFrank G. Rossetti* Democrat Niagara1stHarold H. Altro* Republican2ndErnest Curto* Republican Oneida1stDavid R. Townsend* Republican2ndWilliam S. Calli* Republican Onondaga1stDon H. Brown Republican2ndCharles A. Schoeneck Jr.* RepublicanMajority Leader from July 1, 19593rdPhilip R. Chase* Republican OntarioRobert M. Quigley* Republican Orange1stDaniel Becker Republican2ndWilson C. Van Duzer* Republican OrleansAlonzo L. Waters* Republican OswegoEdward F. Crawford* Republican OtsegoPaul L. Talbot* Republican PutnamWillis H. Stephens* Republican Queens1stThomas V. LaFauci* Democrat2ndWilliam C. Brennan* Democrat3rdCharles T. Eckstein* Republican4thJules G. Sabbatino Democrat5thWilliam G. Giaccio* Democrat6thMichael G. Rice* Democrat7thMoses M. Weinstein Democrat8thJohn DiLeonardo* Republican9thFred W. Preller* Republican10thLouis Wallach* Democrat11thAlfred D. Lerner* Republican12thJ. Lewis Fox* Democrat13thAnthony P. Savarese Jr.* Republican RensselaerThomas H. Brown* Republicanon April 15, 1959, appointed as a Deputy Motor Vehicles CommissionerDouglas Hudson Republicanon November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy Richmond1stEdward J. Amann Jr.* Republican2ndLucio F. Russo* Republican RocklandRobert Walmsley* Republican St. LawrenceVerner M. Ingram* Republican SaratogaJohn L. Ostrander* Republican SchenectadyOswald D. Heck* Republicanre-elected Speaker; died on May 21, 1959Joseph F. Egan Republicanon November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy SchoharieRussell Selkirk Republican SchuylerJerry W. Black* Republican SenecaFrancis J. Souhan Democrat SteubenCharles D. Henderson* Republican Suffolk1stIrving L. Price Jr.* Republican2ndPrescott B. Huntington* Republican3rdJames R. Grover Jr.* Republican SullivanHyman E. Mintz* Republican TiogaRichard C. Lounsberry* Republican TompkinsRay S. Ashbery* Republican UlsterKenneth L. Wilson* Republican WarrenRichard J. Bartlett Republican WashingtonWilliam J. Reid* Republican WayneMildred F. Taylor* Republican Westchester1stChristian H. Armbruster Republican2ndP. Boice Esser Republican3rdFrances K. Marlatt* Republican 4thHunter Meighan* Republicanresigned to run for the State SenateAnthony B. Gioffre Republicanon November 3, 1959, elected to fill vacancy5thRobert J. Trainor Republicanon September 29, 1960, appointed as D.A. of Westchester Co.PROSECUTOR NAMED; Governor Appoints Trainor to Westchester Post in The New York Times on September 30, 1960 (subscription required)6thTheodore Hill Jr.* Republican WyomingHarold L. Peet* Republican YatesPaul R. Taylor Republicanpreviously a member from Monroe County Employees Clerk: Ansley B. Borkowski Sergeant-at-Arms: Raymond J. Roche Deputy Journal Clerk: Maude E. Ten Eyck Notes Sources FULL LIST OF LEGISLATORS in the Civil Service Leader (Vol. XXI, No. 23, February 16, 1960; pg. 14) Members of the New York Senate (1950s) at Political Graveyard Members of the New York Assembly (1950s) at Political Graveyard Members of the New York Senate (1960s) at Political Graveyard Members of the New York Assembly (1960s) at Political Graveyard 172 Category:1959 in New York (state) Category:1960 in New York (state) Category:1959 U.S. legislative sessions Category:1960 U.S. legislative sessions