167th New York State Legislature

New York state legislative session February 2025 October 2019 167th January 1, 1949 December 31, 1950 Lt. Gov. Joe R. Hanley (R) Benjamin F. Feinberg (R), until March 30, 1949; Arthur H. Wicks (R), from March 30, 1949 Oswald D. Heck (R) 56 150 Republican (31–25) Republican (87–63) 1st January 5 March 31, 1949 2nd January 4 March 22, 1950 166th 168th The 167th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5, 1949, to March 22, 1950, during the seventh and eighth years of Thomas E. Dewey's governorship, in Albany. Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938, re-apportioned in 1943, 56 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), Bronx (five), Queens (four), Erie (three), Westchester (three), Monroe (two) and Nassau (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 American Labor Party also nominated tickets. Elections The 1948 New York state election was held on November 2. No statewide elective offices were up for election. Seven of the eight women members of the previous legislature—Assemblywomen Gladys E. Banks (Rep.), of the Bronx; Mary A. Gillen (Dem.), of Brooklyn; Janet Hill Gordon (Rep.), a lawyer of Norwich; Elizabeth Hanniford (Rep.), a statistician of the Bronx; Genesta M. Strong (Rep.), of Plandome Heights; Mildred F. Taylor (Rep.), a coal dealer of Lyons; and Maude E. Ten Eyck (Rep.), of Manhattan—were re-elected. The 1949 New York state election was held on November 8. Both statewide elective offices up for election were carried by the Democratic/Liberal nominees. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for U.S. Senator, was: Republicans 2,378,000; Democrats 2,149,000; and Liberals 426,000. Two vacancies in the State Senate, and two vacancies in the Assembly were filled. Sessions The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 172nd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1949; and adjourned in the morning of March 31.LEGISLATURE ENDS; ILLNESS PAY VOTED in The New York Times on March 31, 1949 (subscription required) Oswald D. Heck (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker. Benjamin F. Feinberg (Rep.) was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate. On March 30, 1949, Feinberg was appointed as Chairman of the New York Public Service Commission, and Arthur H. Wicks (Rep.) was elected Temporary President of the State Senate.DEWEY, IN PERSON, APPOINTS FEINBERG; PSC Chairmanship Given to Majority Leader; A. H. Wicks Chosen to Succeed Him in The New York Times on March 31, 1949 (subscription required) The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 173rd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1950; and adjourned on March 22. State Senate Districts 30em 1st District: Suffolk County 2nd and 3rd District: Parts of Nassau County 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th District: Parts of Queens County, i.e. the Borough of Queens 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th District: Parts of Kings County, i.e. the Borough of Brooklyn 17th District: Richmond County, i.e. the Borough of Richmond (now the Borough of Staten Island) 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd District: Parts of New York County, i.e. the Borough of Manhattan 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th District: Parts of Bronx County, i.e. the Borough of the Bronx 29th, 30th and 31st District: Parts of Westchester County 32nd District: Orange and Rockland counties 33rd District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam counties 34th District: Delaware, Greene, Sullivan and Ulster counties 35th District: Albany County 36th District: Rensselaer and Saratoga counties 37th District: Montgomery and Schenectady counties 38th District: Clinton, Essex, Warren and Washington counties 39th District: St. Lawrence and Franklin counties 40th District: Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer and Lewis counties 41st District: Oneida County 42nd District: Jefferson and Oswego counties 43rd District: Onondaga County 44th District: Chenango, Cortland, Madison, Otsego and Schoharie counties 45th District: Broome County 46th District: Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins counties 47th District: Cayuga, Seneca and Wayne counties 48th District: Ontario, Steuben and Yates counties 49th District: Allegany, Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming counties 50th and 51st District: Parts of Monroe County 52nd District: Niagara and Orleans counties 53rd, 54th and 55th District: Parts of Erie County 56th District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties Senators The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Harry Gittleson and Louis Bennett changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assemblyman Henry Neddo was elected to fill a vacancy in the Senate. Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..." District Senator Party Notes1stS. Wentworth Horton* Republican2ndJohn D. Bennett* Republican3rdWilliam S. Hults Jr.* Republican4thSeymour Halpern* Republican5thJames F. Fitzgerald Democrat6thFrank D. O'Connor Democrat7thWilliam N. Conrad Democrat8thJames J. Crawford* Dem./Lib.9thHarry Gittleson* Dem./Am. Labor10thHerbert I. Sorin Dem./Lib.11thFred G. Moritt* Dem./Am. Labor12thSamuel L. Greenberg* Dem./Am. Labor13thJohn F. Furey Dem./Lib.14thMario M. DeOptatis Dem./Am. Labor15thLouis L. Friedman* Dem./Lib.16thWilliam Rosenblatt* Dem./Am. Labor17thJohn M. Braisted Jr.* Democrat18thElmer F. Quinn* DemocratMinority Leader19thFrancis J. Mahoney* Democrat20thMacNeil Mitchell* Republican21stHarold I. Panken* Democrat22ndAlfred E. Santangelo* Dem./Am. Labor23rdJoseph Zaretzki* Dem./Lib.24thSidney A. Fine* Democraton November 7, 1950, elected to the 82nd U.S. Congress25thArthur Wachtel* Dem./Rep. 26thLouis Bennett* Democratresigned on July 22, 1949,Elected Public Officials of the Bronx since 1898 https://web.archive.org/web/20140311043122/http://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/Elected%20Officials%20Website%20Version.pdf March 11, 2014 (2014; pg. 11) to run for the Municipal CourtNathaniel T. Helman Democraton November 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy27thPaul A. Fino* Republicanon May 29, 1950, appointed to the Municipal Civil Service CommissionFINO, JUDGE TO JOIN CIVIL SERVICE BODY in The New York Times on March 30, 1950 (subscription required)28thCharles V. Scanlan* Rep./Dem.29thWilliam F. Condon* Republican30thJ. Raymond McGovern* Republicanon November 7, 1950, elected New York State Comptroller31stPliny W. Williamson* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary32ndThomas C. Desmond* Republican33rdErnest I. Hatfield* Republican34thArthur H. Wicks* Republicanuntil March 30, 1949, Chairman of Finance; on March 30, 1949, elected Temporary President35thPeter J. Dalessandro* Democrat36thGilbert T. Seelye* Republican37thThomas F. Campbell* Republican 38thBenjamin F. Feinberg* Republicanre-elected Temporary President; on March 30, 1949, appointed as Chairman of the New York Public Service CommissionHenry Neddo* Republicanon November 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy39thPaul D. Graves Republican 40th(Fred A. Young)* Republicanon January 5, 1949, appointed to the Court of ClaimsWalter Van Wiggeren Republicanon February 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy41stJohn T. McKennan Democrat42ndHenry A. Wise* RepublicanChairman of General Laws (1950)43rdJohn H. Hughes* Republican44thWalter W. Stokes* Republican45thFloyd E. Anderson* Republican46thChauncey B. Hammond* Republican47thHenry W. Griffith* Republican48thFred S. Hollowell* Republican49thAustin W. Erwin* Republican50thGeorge T. Manning* Republican51stRay B. Tuttle Democrat52ndEarl W. Brydges Republican53rdWalter J. Mahoney* RepublicanChairman of Finance, from March 30, 194954thEdmund P. Radwan* Republicanon November 7, 1950, elected to the 82nd U.S. Congress55thBenjamin Miller Democrat56thGeorge H. Pierce* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages (1950) Employees Clerk (1949), office renamed Secretary (1950): William S. King State Assembly Assemblymen Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..." District Assemblymen Party Notes Albany1stD-Cady Herrick 2nd* Dem./Lib.2ndGeorge W. Foy* Dem./Lib.3rdJames F. Dillon Dem./Lib. AlleganyWilliam H. MacKenzie* Republican Bronx1stBernard C. McDonnell* Dem./Rep.2ndRichard M. Goldwater* Dem./Rep.3rdEdward T. Galloway* Dem./Rep.4thA. Joseph Ribustello* Republican5thJoseph A. Martinis* Democratresigned on February 11, 1950, appointed as a City MagistrateElected Public Officials of the Bronx Since 1898 https://web.archive.org/web/20140311043122/http://www.bronxhistoricalsociety.org/Elected%20Officials%20Website%20Version.pdf March 11, 2014 (2014; pg. 21)6thJulius J. Gans* Democrat7thLouis Peck* Democrat8thJohn T. Satriale Democrat9thElizabeth Hanniford* Republican10thJohn J. DePasquale* Republican11thGladys E. Banks* Republican12thNathan A. Lashin* Democrat13thWilliam J. Drohan* Republican Broome1stRichard H. Knauf* Republican2ndOrlo M. Brees* Republican CattaraugusLeo P. Noonan* Republican CayugaCharles A. Cusick* Republican ChautauquaE. Herman Magnuson* Republican ChemungHarry J. Tifft* Republican ChenangoJanet Hill Gordon* Republican ClintonJames A. FitzPatrick* Republican ColumbiaWillard C. Drumm* Republican CortlandHarold L. Creal* Republican DelawareElmer J. Kellam* Republican DutchessRobert Watson Pomeroy* Republican Erie1stLeonard S. Capizzi Democrat2ndJustin C. Morgan* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary from July 7, 1950Judiciary Chairman Named in The New York Times on July 8, 1950 (subscription required)3rdWilliam J. Butler* Republican4thFrank J. Caffery Democrat5thPhilip V. Baczkowski* Democrat6thGeorge F. Dannebrock* Republican7thJulius Volker* Republican8thJohn R. Pillion* Republican EssexL. Judson Morhouse* Republican FranklinWilliam L. Doige* Republican 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* Democrat2ndJ. Sidney Levine* Democrat3rdMary A. Gillen* Democrat4thBernard Austin* Democrat5thHarry Morr Democrat6thJohn J. Ryan* Democrat7thLouis Kalish* Democrat 8thArthur A. Low Democratresigned on August 31, 1949, to run for the New York City CouncilFrank Composto Dem./Lib.on November 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy9thFrank J. McMullen* Republican10thLewis W. Olliffe* Republican11thEugene F. Bannigan* Democrat12thJames W. Feely Democrat13thLawrence P. Murphy* Democrat14thEdward S. Lentol Democrat15thJohn Smolenski* Democrat16thFrank J. Pino* Democrat17thBertram L. Baker Democrat18thIrwin Steingut* DemocratMinority Leader19thPhilip J. Schupler* Democrat20thJoseph R. Corso Democrat21stThomas A. Dwyer* Democrat22ndAnthony J. Travia Democrat23rdAlfred A. Lama* Democrat24thBen Werbel Democrat LewisBenjamin H. Demo* Republican LivingstonJoseph W. Ward* Republican MadisonWheeler Milmoe* Republican Monroe1stJ. Eugene Goddard Republican2ndA. Gould Hatch Republican3rdRaymond H. Combs* Republican4thCharles F. Stockmeister Democrat MontgomeryJohn F. Bennison* Republican Nassau1stFrank J. Becker* Republican2ndJoseph F. Carlino* Republican3rdGenesta M. Strong* Republican4thDavid S. Hill Jr.* Republican New York1stMaude E. Ten Eyck* Republican2ndLouis DeSalvio* Democrat3rdOwen McGivern* Democrat4thLeonard Farbstein* Democrat 5thvacant Irwin D. Davidson (D) was re-elected, but resigned on December 31, 1948Monroe Flegenheimer Dem./Lib.on February 15, 1949, elected to fill vacancySPECIAL ELECTIONS WON BY DEMOCRATS in The New York Times on February 16, 1949 (subscription required)6thFrancis X. McGowan* Democrat7thJames T. McNamara Democrat8thArchibald Douglas Jr.* Republican9thJohn R. Brook* Republican10thHerman Katz Democrat11thThomas Dickens Democrat12thElijah Crump Democrat13thHarold A. Stevens* Democraton November 7, 1950, elected to the Court of General Sessions14thHulan E. Jack* Democrat15thSamuel Roman* Republican16thLouis A. Cioffi* Democrat Niagara1stJacob E. Hollinger* Republican2ndErnest Curto* Republican Oneida1stIra Francis Domser Democrat2ndJeremiah J. Ashcroft Democrat Onondaga1stSearles G. Shultz* Republican2ndDonald H. Mead Republican3rdLawrence M. Rulison* Republican OntarioHarry R. Marble* Republican Orange1stLee B. Mailler* RepublicanMajority Leader2ndWilson C. Van Duzer* Republican OrleansAlonzo L. Waters Republican OswegoHenry D. Coville* Republican OtsegoPaul L. Talbot* Republican PutnamD. Mallory Stephens* RepublicanChairman of Ways and Means Queens1stAlexander Del Giorno* Democrat2ndWilliam E. Clancy* Democrat3rdAnthony R. Carus Democrat4thThomas A. Duffy Democrat5thWilliam G. Giaccio Democrat6thWilliam F. Bowe Democrat7thAnthony P. Savarese Jr. Republican8thSamuel Rabin* Republican9thFred W. Preller* Republican10thAngelo Graci* Republican11thThomas Fitzpatrick Democrat12thJ. Lewis Fox Democrat RensselaerThomas H. Brown Republican Richmond1stWilliam N. Reidy Democrat2ndEdward V. Curry Democrat RocklandRobert Walmsley* Republican St. LawrenceAllan P. Sill* Republican SaratogaJohn L. Ostrander* Republican SchenectadyOswald D. Heck* Republicanre-elected Speaker SchoharieSharon J. Mauhs Dem./Lib. SchuylerJerry W. Black* Republican SenecaLawrence W. Van Cleef* Republican SteubenWilliam M. Stuart* Republican Suffolk1stEdmund R. Lupton* Republican2ndElisha T. Barrett* Republican SullivanJames G. Lyons* Democrat TiogaMyron D. Albro* Republican TompkinsRay S. Ashbery Republican UlsterJohn F. Wadlin* Republican WarrenHarry A. Reoux* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary; resigned in June 1950 to become Counsel to the Joint Legislative Committee on Re-Apportionment WashingtonHenry Neddo* Republicanresigned to run for the State SenateWilliam J. Reid Republicanon November 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy WayneMildred F. Taylor* Republican Westchester1stMalcolm Wilson* Republican2ndFred A. Graber* Republicandied on March 22, 19503rdHarold D. Toomey* Republican4thFrank S. McCullough* Republican5thSamuel Faile Republican6thTheodore Hill Jr.* Republican WyomingHarold C. Ostertag* Republicanon November 7, 1950, elected to the 82nd U.S. Congress YatesVernon W. Blodgett* Republican Employees Clerk: Ansley B. Borkowski Sergeant-at-Arms: Joseph C. Williams Notes Sources Your Representatives in Merit (Winter 1948, Vol. 17, No. 4, pg. 118f) Members of the New York Senate (1940s) at Political Graveyard Members of the New York Assembly (1940s) at Political Graveyard 167 State Legislature State Legislature New York State Legislature New York State Legislature