156th New York State Legislature


The 156th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to October 19, 1933, during the first year of Herbert H. Lehman's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1917, 51 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. 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 New York, Kings, Bronx, Erie, Monroe, Queens and Westchester. The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Socialist Party, the Communist Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets. The Prohibition Party adopted at this time the name Law Preservation Party: to emphasize that Prohibition should be preserved while encountering rampant opposition to it. They endorsed the "dry" Republicans and nominated own candidates in many districts where "wet" Republicans were running.

Elections

The New York state election, 1932, was held on November 8. Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected U.S. President; Lieutenant Governor Herbert H. Lehman was elected Governor; and M. William Bray was elected Lieutenant Governor; all three Democrats. Of the other six statewide elective offices, five were carried by Democrats and one by a Republican judge with Democratic endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,660,000; Republicans 1,812,000; Socialists 103,000; Law Preservation 83,000; Communists 26,000; and Socialist Labor 7,000.
Assemblywoman Rhoda Fox Graves, of Gouverneur, a former school teacher who after her marriage became active in women's organisations and politics, ran for the State Senate in the 34th district, but was defeated in the Republican primary by the incumbent Warren T. Thayer. No women were elected to the 156th Legislature.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1933; and adjourned on April 10.
Joseph A. McGinnies was re-elected Speaker.
John J. Dunnigan was elected Temporary President of the State Senate.
On June 27, a state convention met to ratify the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution which proposed to repeal Prohibition.
The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on July 26; and adjourned on August 24.
The Legislature met for another special session at the State Capitol in Albany on October 18; and adjourned on the next day.

State Senate

Districts

Members

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Joseph A. Esquirol and Samuel Mandelbaum changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stGeorge L. Thompson*Republicanre-elected
2ndJoseph D. Nunan, Jr.*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Civil Service
3rdFrank B. Hendel*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Public Printing
4thPhilip M. Kleinfeld*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Excise
5thJohn J. Howard*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Penal Institutions
6thMarcellus H. Evans*Democratre-elected; Chairman of General Laws
7thGeorge BlumbergRepublican
8thJoseph A. Esquirol*DemocratChairman of Public Health
9thHenry L. O'Brien*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Labor and Industry
10thJeremiah F. Twomey*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Finance
11thJames J. Crawford*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Pensions
12thElmer F. Quinn*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Codes
13thThomas F. Burchill*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Public Service
14thSamuel Mandelbaum*DemocratChairman of Cities
15thJohn L. Buckley*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Taxation and Retrenchment
16thJohn J. McNaboe*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Conservation; and of Re-Apportionment
17thAlbert WaldDemocratChairman of Revision; and of Printed and Engrossed Bills
18thJohn T. McCall*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Banks
19thDuncan T. O'Brien*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Insurance
20thA. Spencer Feld*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Public Education
21stHenry G. Schackno*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Judiciary; on November 7, 1933, elected
to the City Court ; resigned his seat on November 21
22ndJulius S. Berg*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Privileges and Elections
23rdJohn J. Dunnigan*Democratre-elected; elected Temporary President; Chairman of Rules
24thHarry J. Palmer*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Internal Affairs
25thWalter W. Westall*Republicanre-elected
26thSeabury C. Mastick*Rep./Law P.re-elected; contested by Richard E. FitzGibbons
27thThomas C. Desmond*Republicanre-elected
28thJ. Griswold Webb*Republicanre-elected
29thArthur H. Wicks*Rep./Law P.re-elected
30thWilliam T. Byrne*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Agriculture
31stOgden J. RossDemocratChairman of Military Affairs
32ndAlexander G. Baxter*Rep./Law P.re-elected
33rdBenjamin F. FeinbergRepublican
34thWarren T. Thayer*Republicanre-elected
35thHenry I. Patrie*Rep./Law P.re-elected
36thMichael J. KernanDemocratChairman of Affairs of Villages
37thPerley A. Pitcher*Republicanre-elected
38thGeorge R. Fearon*Republicanre-elected; Minority Leader
39thWalter W. StokesRepublican
40thBert Lord*Rep./Law P.re-elected
41stFrank A. Frost*Rep./Law P.re-elected
42ndCharles J. Hewitt*Republicanre-elected
43rdEarle S. WarnerRepublican
44thJoe R. Hanley*Rep./Law P.re-elected
45thCosmo A. Cilano*Republicanre-elected
46thFred J. Slater*Republicanre-elected
47thWilliam H. LeeRepublican
48thLawrence G. WilliamsRepublican
49thStephen J. Wojtkowiak*Democratre-elected; Chairman of Commerce and Navigation
50thNelson W. Cheney*Republicanre-elected
51stLeigh G. Kirkland*Rep./Law P.re-elected

Employees

Assemblymen

Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."

Employees