The 172nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature; the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate.
Partisan com ...
and the
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits.
The Assem ...
, met from January 7, 1959, to April 1, 1960, during the first and second years of
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979), sometimes referred to by his nickname Rocky, was an American businessman and politician who served as the 41st vice president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. A member of t ...
's
governorship
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
, in
Albany.
Background
Under the provisions of the
New York Constitution
The Constitution of the State of New York establishes the structure of the government of the State of New York, and enumerates the basic rights of the citizens of New York. Like most state constitutions in the United States, New York's constitut ...
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 Democratic Party most often refers to:
*Democratic Party (United States)
Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to:
Active parties Africa
*Botswana Democratic Party
*Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea
*Gabonese Democratic Party
*Demo ...
. The
Liberal Party
The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left.
__TOC__ Active liberal parties
This is a li ...
and the
Independent-Socialist Party
John Thomas McManus (1904 – November 1961) was an American journalist active in progressive politics in the 1950s and 1960s best known as co-founder of the ''National Guardian'', a left-leaning newspaper.
Background
McManus was born in New Yo ...
also nominated tickets.
Elections
The
1958 New York state election, was held on November 4.
Nelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979), sometimes referred to by his nickname Rocky, was an American businessman and politician who served as the 41st vice president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. A member of t ...
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
Janet Hill Gordon (January 11, 1915 – September 17, 1990) was an American lawyer and politician.
Life
She was born Janet Hill on January 11, 1915 in Manhattan, the daughter of James P. Hill (1878–1950) and Florine Hill. Her father was Presidin ...
(Rep.), a lawyer of
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
, 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
Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...
; ;
Frances K. Marlatt (Rep.), a lawyer of
Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on ...
;
Genesta M. Strong (Rep.), of
Plandome Heights
Plandome Heights is a village in Nassau County, on the North Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. It is considered part of the Greater Manhasset area, which is anchored by Manhasset. The population was 1,005 at the 2010 census.
The ...
; and
Mildred F. Taylor (Rep.), a coal dealer of
Lyons—were re-elected.
Aileen B. Ryan (Dem.), of
the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
; and
Dorothy Bell Lawrence
Dorothy Bell Lawrence (September 14, 1911 – May 1973) was an American politician from New York.
Life
She was born Dorothy Fleming Bell on September 14, 1911, in Augusta, Georgia, the daughter of Harry Rushton Bell. She graduated from Augusta Tra ...
(Rep.), of
Manhattan
Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, 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
Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals refers to the position of chief judge on the New York Court of Appeals. They are also known as the Chief Judge of New York.
The chief judge supervises the seven-judge Court of Appeals. In addition, th ...
. The senior associate judge,
Charles S. Desmond
Charles Stewart Desmond (December 2, 1896 – February 9, 1987), was an American lawyer and politician from New York (state), New York. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1960 to 1966.
Life
Desmond was born and died in Bu ...
, 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; and adjourned on March 25.
Oswald D. Heck (Rep.) was re-elected
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
. 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
Joseph Francis Carlino (June 23, 1917 – August 13, 2006) was an American lawyer and politician.
Life
He was born on June 23, 1917, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. His father Lorenzo Carlino became the Republican leader of Long Beach, New Y ...
(Rep.) was elected Speaker of the Assembly.
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.
State Senate
Districts
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)..."
Employees
* Secretary:
William S. King, until June 18, 1959, retired
**
John J. Sandler, acting from June 18, 1959; elected Secretary on January 6, 1960
''State Senate Elects Sandler as Secretary''
in ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' on January 7, 1960 (subscription required)
State Assembly
Assemblymen
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."
Employees
* Clerk: Ansley B. Borkowski
Ansley Bernard Borkowski (January 15, 1898 – December 1, 1992) was an American lawyer and politician from New York (state), New York.
Life
He was born on January 15, 1898, in Buffalo, New York. He attended Canisius High School and Canisius Coll ...
* 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)
at Political Graveyard
at Political Graveyard
at Political Graveyard
at Political Graveyard
{{NYLegislatures
172
Year 172 ( CLXXII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Scipio and Maximus (or, less frequently, year 925 '' Ab urbe condita ...
1959 in New York (state)
1960 in New York (state)
1959 U.S. legislative sessions
1960 U.S. legislative sessions