173rd New York State Legislature


The 173rd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4, 1961, to March 31, 1962, during the third and fourth years of Nelson Rockefeller's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution 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, New York, Queens, Bronx, Erie, Nassau, Westchester, Monroe and Onondaga. 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 also nominated tickets.

Elections

The 1960 New York state election, was held on November 8. The only two statewide elective offices were two seats on the New York Court of Appeals. Two Republican judges were elected, Stanley H. Fuld with Democratic and Liberal endorsement; and Sydney F. Foster with Liberal endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the average vote for the judges on the different tickets, was: Republicans 3,281,000; Democrats 3,247,000; and Liberals 413,000.
Four of the seven women members of the previous legislature—State Senator Janet Hill Gordon, a lawyer of Norwich; and Assemblywomen Bessie A. Buchanan, a retired musical actress and dancer of Harlem; Dorothy Bell Lawrence, a former school teacher of Manhattan; and Aileen B. Ryan, a former school teacher of the Bronx—were re-elected.
The New York state election, 1961, was held on November 7. No statewide elective offices were up for election. Three vacancies in the Assembly were filled.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the first regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1961; and adjourned on March 25.
Joseph F. Carlino was re-elected Speaker.
Walter J. Mahoney was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate.
The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on August 21, 1961; and adjourned after a session of six hours. This session was called to consider legislation concerning New York City's school system.
The Legislature met for another special session at the State Capitol in Albany on November 9, 1961; and adjourned on the next day. This session was called to consider legislation concerning the creation of fallout shelters at schools and colleges, and the re-apportionment of New York's congressional districts under the 1960 U.S. census.
The Legislature met for the second regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1962; and adjourned on March 31.

State Senate

Districts

Senators

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Ivan Warner changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stElisha T. Barrett*Republican
2ndDaniel G. Albert*Republicanon November 6, 1962, elected to the New York Supreme Court
3rdHenry M. CurranRepublican
4thEdward J. Speno*Republican
5thJack E. Bronston*Democrat
6thIrving Mosberg*Democrat
7thSeymour R. Thaler*Democrat
8thThomas A. Duffy*Democrat
9thThomas J. Mackell*Democrat
10thSimon J. Liebowitz*Democrat
11thWalter E. Cooke*Democrat
12thJeremiah B. Bloom*Democrat
13thFrank Composto*Democraton November 6, 1962, elected to the New York City Civil Court
14thWilliam T. Conklin*Republican
15thFrank J. Pino*Democrat
16thWilliam Rosenblatt*Democrat
17thSamuel L. Greenberg*Democrat
18thHarry Gittleson*Democraton November 6, 1962, elected to the New York City Civil Court
19thJohn J. Marchi*Republican
20thMacNeil Mitchell*Republican
21stJames Lopez Watson*Democrat
22ndJohn P. Morrissey*Democrat
23rdJoseph Zaretzki*DemocratMinority Leader
24thJoseph R. Marro*Democrat
25thManfred OhrensteinDemocrat
26thHarry Kraf*Democrat
27thIvan Warner*Democrat
28thAbraham BernsteinDemocrat
29thJoseph E. MarineDemocrat
30thHunter Meighan*Republican
31stGeorge W. Cornell*Republican
32ndWilliam F. Condon*Republican
33rdD. Clinton Dominick III*Republican
34thE. Ogden Bush*Republican
35thErnest I. Hatfield*Republican
36thJulian B. Erway*Democrat
37thAlbert Berkowitz*Republican
38thOwen M. Begley*Democrat
39thGeorge Eustis PaineRepublican
40thRobert C. McEwen*Republican
41stWalter Van Wiggeren*Republican
42ndFred J. Rath*Republican
43rdHenry A. Wise*Republican
44thLawrence M. Rulison*Republican
45thJohn H. Hughes*Republican
46thJanet Hill Gordon*Republican
47thWarren M. Anderson*Republican
48thGeorge R. Metcalf*Republican
49thHarold A. Jerry, Jr.*Republican
50thDutton S. Peterson*Republican
51stFrank E. Van Lare*Republican
52ndThomas LaverneRepublican
53rdAustin W. Erwin*RepublicanChairman of Finance
54thEarl W. Brydges*Republican
55thWalter J. Mahoney*Republicanre-elected Temporary President
56thFrank J. Glinski*Democrat
57thJohn H. Cooke*Republicanon March 30, 1962, appointed to the New York Court of Claims
58thGeorge H. Pierce*RepublicanChairman of Judiciary

Employees

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..."

Employees