167th New York State Legislature


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, New York, Bronx, Queens, Erie, Westchester, Monroe and Nassau. The Assembly districts consisted either of a single entire county, 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 New York state election, 1948, 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, of the Bronx; Mary A. Gillen, of Brooklyn; Janet Hill Gordon, a lawyer of Norwich; Elizabeth Hanniford, a statistician of the Bronx; Genesta M. Strong, of Plandome Heights; Mildred F. Taylor, a coal dealer of Lyons; and Maude E. Ten Eyck, of Manhattan—were re-elected.
The New York state election, 1949, 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 at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1949; and adjourned in the morning of March 31.
Oswald D. Heck was re-elected Speaker.
Benjamin F. Feinberg 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 was elected Temporary President of the State Senate.
The Legislature met for the second regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1950; and adjourned on March 22.

State Senate

Districts

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..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stS. Wentworth Horton*Republican
2ndJohn D. Bennett*Republican
3rdWilliam S. Hults, Jr.*Republican
4thSeymour Halpern*Republican
5thJames F. FitzgeraldDemocrat
6thFrank D. O'ConnorDemocrat
7thWilliam N. ConradDemocrat
8thJames J. Crawford*Dem./Lib.
9thHarry Gittleson*Dem./Am. Labor
10thHerbert I. SorinDem./Lib.
11thFred G. Moritt*Dem./Am. Labor
12thSamuel L. Greenberg*Dem./Am. Labor
13thJohn F. FureyDem./Lib.
14thMario M. DeOptatisDem./Am. Labor
15thLouis L. Friedman*Dem./Lib.
16thWilliam Rosenblatt*Dem./Am. Labor
17thJohn M. Braisted, Jr.*Democrat
18thElmer F. Quinn*DemocratMinority Leader
19thFrancis J. Mahoney*Democrat
20thMacNeil Mitchell*Republican
21stHarold I. Panken*Democrat
22ndAlfred E. Santangelo*Dem./Am. Labor
23rdJoseph Zaretzki*Dem./Lib.
24thSidney A. Fine*Democraton November 7, 1950, elected to the 82nd U.S. Congress
25thArthur Wachtel*Dem./Rep.
26thLouis Bennett*Democratresigned on July 22, 1949, to run for the Municipal Court
26thNathaniel T. HelmanDemocraton November 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy
27thPaul A. Fino*Republicanon May 29, 1950, appointed to the Municipal Civil Service Commission
28thCharles V. Scanlan*Rep./Dem.
29thWilliam F. Condon*Republican
30thJ. Raymond McGovern*Republicanon November 7, 1950, elected New York State Comptroller
31stPliny W. Williamson*RepublicanChairman of Judiciary
32ndThomas C. Desmond*Republican
33rdErnest I. Hatfield*Republican
34thArthur H. Wicks*Republicanuntil March 30, 1949, Chairman of Finance;
on March 30, 1949, elected Temporary President
35thPeter J. Dalessandro*Democrat
36thGilbert T. Seelye*Republican
37thThomas F. Campbell*Republican
38thBenjamin F. Feinberg*Republicanre-elected Temporary President; on March 30, 1949, appointed
as Chairman of the New York Public Service Commission
38thHenry Neddo*Republicanon November 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy
39thPaul D. GravesRepublican
40th*Republicanon January 5, 1949, appointed to the Court of Claims
40thWalter Van WiggerenRepublicanon February 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy
41stJohn T. McKennanDemocrat
42ndHenry A. Wise*RepublicanChairman of General Laws
43rdJohn H. Hughes*Republican
44thWalter W. Stokes*Republican
45thFloyd E. Anderson*Republican
46thChauncey B. Hammond*Republican
47thHenry W. Griffith*Republican
48thFred S. Hollowell*Republican
49thAustin W. Erwin*Republican
50thGeorge T. Manning*Republican
51stRay B. TuttleDemocrat
52ndEarl W. BrydgesRepublican
53rdWalter J. Mahoney*RepublicanChairman of Finance, from March 30, 1949
54thEdmund P. Radwan*Republicanon November 7, 1950, elected to the 82nd U.S. Congress
55thBenjamin MillerDemocrat
56thGeorge H. Pierce*RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages

Employees

Assemblymen

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

Employees