183rd New York State Legislature

New York state legislative session February 2025 October 2019 183rd January 1, 1979 December 31, 1980 Lt. Gov. Mario Cuomo (D) Warren M. Anderson (R) Stanley Fink (D) 60 150 Republican (35–25) Democratic (86–64) 1st January 3 June 17, 1979 2nd October 25 November 27, 1979 3rd January 9 June 15, 1980 4th November 19 23, 1980 182nd 184th The 183rd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3, 1979, to December 31, 1980, during the fifth and sixth years of Hugh Carey's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938 and the U.S. Supreme Court decision to follow the One man, one vote rule, re-apportioned in 1971, and amended in 1974, by the legislature, 60 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts for two-year terms. Senate and Assembly districts consisted of approximately the same number of inhabitants, the area being apportioned contiguously without restrictions regarding county boundaries. At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Conservative Party, the Right to Life Party, the Liberal Party, the Libertarian Party, the Socialist Workers Party, the Communist Party and the Labor Party also nominated tickets. Elections The 1978 New York state election was held on November 7. Governor Hugh Carey was re-elected, and Secretary of State Mario Cuomo was elected Lieutenant Governor, both Democrats. The elections to the other two statewide elective offices resulted in a Republican Comptroller and a Democratic Attorney General. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,306,000; Republicans 1,913,000; Conservatives 243,000; Right to Life 130,000; Liberals 123,000; Libertarians 19,000; Socialist Workers 13,000; Communists 11,000; and Labor 9,000. Seven of the ten women members of the previous legislature were elected again: State Senators Olga A. Méndez (Dem.), of East Harlem, and Linda Winikow (Dem.), of Spring Valley; and Assemblywomen Elizabeth Connelly (Dem.), of Staten Island; Pinny Cooke (Rep.), of Rochester; Estella B. Diggs (Dem.), of the Bronx; and Gerdi E. Lipschutz (Dem.), of Queens, were re-elected; and Assemblywoman Mary B. Goodhue (Rep.), a lawyer of Mount Kisco, was elected to the state Senate. Carol Berman (Dem.), of Lawrence, was also elected to the state Senate. Rhoda S. Jacobs (Dem.), of Brooklyn; Joan B. Hague (Rep.), of Glens Falls; May W. Newburger (Dem.), of Great Neck; Toni Rettaliata (Rep.), of Huntington; and Florence M. Sullivan (Rep.), a lawyer of Brooklyn, were also elected to the Assembly. Thus the 183rd Legislature had 13 women members, surpassing the previous record of 11 in the 181st New York State Legislature (1976). The 1979 New York state election was held on November 6. No statewide elective offices were up for election, and there were no vacancies in the legislature. Sessions The legislature met for the first regular session (the 202nd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1979;GOVERNOR PROPOSES ADDITIONAL TAX CUT TO FOSTER ECONOMY in The New York Times on January 4, 1979 (subscription required) and recessed indefinitely in the early morning of June 17.Albany Session Closes in Flurry Of Late Voting in The New York Times on June 18, 1979 (subscription required) Stanley Fink (Dem.) was elected Speaker. Warren M. Anderson (Rep.) was re-elected temporary president of the state Senate. The legislature was again in session on and off in October and November 1979, to consider legislation concerning energy matters.Albany Assembly Votes to End Sales Tax on Fuel Next October in The New York Times on October 26, 1979 (subscription required)ASSEMBLY OVERRIDES CAREY'S TWO VETOES ON HEATING BILL AID in The New York Times on November 21, 1979 (subscription required)State Senate Overrides 2 Vetoes By Carey of Bills for Heating Aid in The New York Times on November 28, 1979 (subscription required) The legislature met for the second regular session (the 203rd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 9, 1980;Carey Calls for Limits on Spending And More Federal Funds for State in The New York Times on January 10, 1980 (subscription required) and recessed indefinitely on June 15.Albany 'Recess' Allows Leaders to Call Session in The New York Times on June 16, 1980 (subscription required) The legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany from November 19Albany Agenda May Run Into Trouble in The New York Times on November 20, 1980 (subscription required) to 23.Aid for Troubled Housing Projects Voted as Legislature Ends Session in The New York Times on November 24, 1980 (subscription required) This session was called by Governor Carey to consider legislation on banking, the State budget, and housing in New York City.A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE LEGISLATURE IS CALLED BY CAREY in The New York Times on November 19, 1980 (subscription required) State Senate Senators The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Christopher J. Mega, Mary B. Goodhue, Charles D. Cook and John B. Daly changed from the Assembly to the Senate. Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..." District Senator Party Notes1stKenneth LaValle* Republican2ndJames J. Lack Republican3rdCaesar Trunzo* Republican4thOwen H. Johnson* Republican5thRalph J. Marino* Republican6thJohn R. Dunne* Republican7thJohn D. Caemmerer* RepublicanChairman of Transportation8thNorman J. Levy* Republican9thCarol Berman Democrat10thJeremy S. Weinstein Democrat11thFrank Padavan* Republican12thGary L. Ackerman Democrat13thEmanuel R. Gold* DemocratDeputy Minority Leader14thAnthony V. Gazzara* Democrat15thMartin J. Knorr* Republican16thHoward E. Babbush* Democrat17thMajor Owens* Democrat18thThomas J. Bartosiewicz* Democrat19thMarty Markowitz Democrat20thDonald Halperin* Democrat21stChristopher J. Mega* Republican22ndMartin M. Solomon* Democrat23rdVander L. Beatty* Democrat24thJohn J. Marchi* RepublicanChairman of Finance25thMartin Connor* Democrat26thRoy M. Goodman* Republican27thManfred Ohrenstein* DemocratMinority Leader 28thCarl McCall* Democratin December 1979, appointed as Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the U.N.McCall gets U.N. job in post-Young shuffleJune 2026 InternetArchiveBot in the Columbia Daily Spectator on January 23, 1980Leon Bogues Democraton February 12, 1980, elected to fill vacancyW. Side Community Board Head Wins Vote for State Senate Seat in The New York Times on February 13, 1980 (subscription required)29thFranz S. Leichter* Democrat30thOlga A. Méndez* Democrat31stIsrael Ruiz Jr.* Democrat32ndJoseph L. Galiber* Democrat33rdAbraham Bernstein* Democrat34thJohn D. Calandra* RepublicanMajority Whip35thJohn E. Flynn* Republican36thJoseph R. Pisani* Republican37thMary B. Goodhue* Republican38thLinda Winikow* Democrat39thJay P. Rolison Jr.* Republican40thRichard E. Schermerhorn* Republican41stJoseph Bruno* Republican42ndHoward C. Nolan Jr.* Democrat43rdRonald B. Stafford* Republican44thHugh T. Farley* Republican45thHugh Douglas Barclay* Republican46thJames H. Donovan* Republican47thWarren M. Anderson* Republicanre-elected Temporary President48thCharles D. Cook* Republican49thMartin S. Auer* Republican50thTarky Lombardi Jr.* RepublicanChairman of Health51stWilliam T. Smith* RepublicanDeputy Majority Leader52ndFrederick L. Warder* Republicandied on July 23, 198053rdJohn D. Perry* Democrat54thFred J. Eckert* RepublicanChairman of Conservation and Recreation55thJoseph A. Tauriello* DemocratMinority Whip; in 1980 appointed to the NYS Workers' Compensation Board56thRaymond F. Gallagher* Democrat57thJess J. Present* Republican58thDale M. Volker* RepublicanChairman of Energy59thWalter J. Floss Jr. Republican60thJohn B. Daly* Republican Employees Secretary: Roger C. Thompson State Assembly Assemblymen The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..." District Assemblymen Party Notes1stJohn L. Behan Republican2ndGeorge J. Hochbrueckner* Democrat3rdIcilio W. Bianchi Jr.* Democrat4thRobert C. Wertz* Republican5thPaul E. Harenberg* Democrat6thJohn C. Cochrane* Republican7thJohn J. Flanagan* Republican8thToni Rettaliata Republican9thLouis T. Howard Republican10thLewis J. Yevoli* Democrat11thPhilip B. Healey* Republican12thFrederick E. Parola Republican13thThomas S. Gulotta* Republican14thJoseph M. Reilly* Republican15thAngelo F. Orazio* DemocratChairman of Energy16thMay W. Newburger Democrat17thKemp Hannon* Republican18thArmand P. D'Amato* Republican19thRaymond J. McGrath* Republicanon November 4, 1980, elected to the 97th U.S. Congress20thArthur J. Kremer* DemocratChairman of Ways and Means21stGeorge H. Madison* Republican22ndGerdi E. Lipschutz* Democrat23rdJohn A. Esposito* Republican24thSaul Weprin* Democrat25thVincent F. Nicolosi* Democrat26thLeonard P. Stavisky* Democrat 27thArthur J. Cooperman* Democraton November 6, 1979, elected to the New York City Civil CourtDavid L. Cohen Democraton February 12, 1980, elected to fill vacancyCohen Wins in Queens Proving Ground for Politicians in The New York Times on February 13, 1980 (subscription required)28thAlan G. Hevesi* DemocratDeputy Majority Leader29thAndrew Jenkins Democrat30thRalph Goldstein* Democrat31stAnthony S. Seminerio Democrat32ndEdward Abramson* Democrat33rdJohn T. Flack* Republican34thIvan C. Lafayette* Democrat35thJohn G. Lopresto* Republican36thDenis J. Butler* Democrat37thClifford E. Wilson* Democrat38thFrederick D. Schmidt* Democrat39thStanley Fink* Democratelected Speaker40thEdward Griffith* Democrat41stMurray Weinstein Democrat42ndHarry Smoler Democrat43rdRhoda S. Jacobs Democrat44thMel Miller* Democrat45thChuck Schumer* Democraton November 4, 1980, elected to the 97th U.S. Congress46thHoward L. Lasher* Democrat47thFrank J. Barbaro* Democrat48thSamuel Hirsch* Democrat49thDominick L. DiCarlo* Republican50thFlorence M. Sullivan Republican51stJoseph Ferris* Democrat52ndMichael L. Pesce* Democrat53rdWoodrow Lewis* Democrat54thThomas S. Boyland* Democrat55thThomas R. Fortune* Democrat56thAlbert Vann* Democrat57thHarvey L. Strelzin* Democrat58thJoseph R. Lentol* Democrat59thVictor L. Robles Democrat60thGuy Molinari* Republicanon November 4, 1980, elected to the 97th U.S. Congress61stElizabeth Connelly* Democrat 62ndLouis DeSalvio* Democratresigned on January 9, 1979Paul M. Viggiano Democraton March 20, 1979, elected to fill vacancyViggiano Wins an Assembly Seat In S.I. District in an Easy Victory in The New York Times on March 21, 1979 (subscription required)63rdSheldon Silver* Democrat64thWilliam F. Passannante* Democrat65thSteven Sanders* Democrat66thMark Alan Siegel* Democrat67thRichard N. Gottfried* Democrat68thAlexander B. Grannis* Democrat69thJerrold Nadler* Democrat70thEdward C. Sullivan* Democrat71stGeorge W. Miller* DemocratMajority Whip72ndAngelo Del Toro* Democrat73rdEdward H. Lehner* Democrat74thHerman D. Farrell Jr.* Democrat75thJosé E. Serrano* Democrat76thCharles R. Johnson* Democrat77thArmando Montano* Democrat78thEstella B. Diggs* Democrat79thLouis Niñé* DemocratChairman of the Democratic Conference80thGuy J. Velella* Republican81stEliot Engel* Democrat82ndSean P. Walsh* Democrat83rdGeorge Friedman* Democrat84thG. Oliver Koppell* Democrat85thJohn C. Dearie* Democrat86thVincent A. Marchiselli* Democrat87thNicholas A. Spano Republican88thRichard C. Ross* Republican89thWilliam B. Finneran* Democrat90thGordon W. Burrows* RepublicanDeputy Minority Leader91stJohn M. Perone Republican92ndPeter M. Sullivan* Republican93rdJon S. Fossel Republican94thWillis H. Stephens* Republican95thEugene Levy* Republican96thRobert J. Connor* Democrat97thWilliam J. Larkin Jr. Republican98thRaymond M. Kisor Republican 99thEmeel S. Betros* Republicandied on March 10, 1980Stephen M. Saland Republicanon April 15, 1980, elected to fill vacancySaland captures Betros' seat in the Taconic Newspapers on April 17, 1980100thGlenn E. Warren* Republican101stMaurice D. Hinchey* DemocratChairman of Environmental Conservation102ndClarence D. Lane* Republican103rdMichael J. Hoblock Jr.* Republican104thRichard J. Conners* Democrat105thArlington P. Van Dyke Republican106thNeil W. Kelleher* Republican107thClark C. Wemple* Republican108thRobert A. D'Andrea* Republican109thGlenn H. Harris* RepublicanMinority Whip110thJoan B. Hague Republican111thAndrew W. Ryan Jr.* Republican112thDavid O'Brien Martin* Republicanon November 4, 1980, elected to the 97th U.S. Congress113thAnthony J. Casale Republican114thH. Robert Nortz* Republican115thWilliam R. Sears* Republican116thNicholas J. Calogero* Republican117thJohn R. Zagame* Republican118thLeonard F. Bersani* Republican119thHyman M. Miller* Republican120thMelvin N. Zimmer* Democrat121stWilliam E. Bush* Republican122ndClarence D. Rappleyea Jr.* RepublicanChairman of the Republican Conference123rdJames W. McCabe* Democrat124thJames R. Tallon Jr.* DemocratChairman of Health125thLloyd Stephen Riford Jr.* Republican126thGeorge H. Winner Jr. Republican127thCharles D. Henderson* Republican128thHugh S. MacNeil Republican129thL. Paul Kehoe Republican130thThomas A. Hanna* Republican131stGary Proud* Democrat132ndPinny Cooke* Republican133rdAndrew D. Virgilio* Democrat134thRoger J. Robach* Democrat135thJames F. Nagle* Republican136thJames L. Emery* RepublicanMinority Leader137thR. Stephen Hawley* Republican138thJoseph T. Pillittere Democrat139thMatthew J. Murphy Jr.* Democrat140thRobin L. Schimminger* Democrat141stJohn B. Sheffer II Republican142ndStephen R. Greco* Democrat143rdArthur O. Eve* Democrat144thWilliam B. Hoyt* Democrat145thRichard J. Keane Democrat146thDennis T. Gorski* Democrat147thRichard L. Kennedy Republican148thVincent J. Graber, Sr.* DemocratChairman of Transportation149thDaniel B. Walsh* DemocratMajority LeaderAssemblyman Walsh, an Upstater, Is Named Majority Leader by Fink in The New York Times on January 5, 1979 (subscription required)150thRolland E. Kidder* Democrat Employees Clerk: Catherine A. Carey Notes Sources New York State Information Handbook prepared for the U.S. Dept of Energy (December 31, 1980) 183 Category:1979 in New York (state) Category:1980 in New York (state) Category:1979 U.S. legislative sessions Category:1980 U.S. legislative sessions