179th New York State Legislature


The 179th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6, 1971, to May 12, 1972, during the thirteenth and fourteenth years of Nelson Rockefeller's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938, and the U.S. Supreme Court decision to follow the One man, one vote rule, re-apportioned in 1966 by order of the New York Court of Appeals, 57 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts for two-year terms. Senate and Assembly districts consisted of approximately the same number of inhabitants, the area being apportioned without restrictions regarding county boundaries.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the Communist Party, the Socialist Workers Party, the Socialist Labor Party, a "Civil Service Independent Party" and an "Independent Alliance" also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1970, was held on November 3. Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Lieutenant Governor Malcolm Wilson were re-elected, both Republicans. The elections to the other three statewide elective offices resulted in a Republican Attorney General with Liberal endorsement; a Democratic State Comptroller with Liberal endorsement; and a Conservative U.S. Senator with Independent Alliance endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Republicans/C.S.I.P. 3,151,000; Democrats/Liberals 2,421,000; Conservatives 423,000; Communists 8,000; Socialist Workers 6,000; and Socialist Labor 4,000. However, Conservative James L. Buckley polled almost 2.3 million votes and was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Three of the four women members of the previous legislature—Assemblywomen Constance E. Cook, a lawyer of Ithaca; Rosemary R. Gunning, a lawyer of Ridgewood, Queens; and Mary Anne Krupsak, a lawyer of Amsterdam—were re-elected.
The New York state election, 1971, was held on November 2. No statewide elective offices were up for election. Two vacancies in the State Senate and four vacancies in the Assembly were filled.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the first regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1971; and adjourned sine die on June 9.
Perry B. Duryea, Jr. was re-elected Speaker.
Earl W. Brydges was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate.
The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on December 14, 1971; and adjourned sine die on December 18. This session was called to enact a new apportionment of the state's legislative districts.
The Legislature met for another special session at the State Capitol in Albany on December 27, 1971; and adjourned sine die on January 4, 1972. This session was called to consider measures to balance the state's finances, and ended with the enactment of tax increases.
The Legislature met for the second regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1972; and adjourned sine die on May 12.
On May 9, the Assembly passed a bill to repeal the permissive 1970 abortion law. The bill also passed the Senate, but was vetoed by Governor Rockefeller.

State Senate

Senators

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Assemblymen William J. Giordano and Emanuel R. Gold were elected to fill a vacancies in the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stLeon E. Giuffreda*Republican
2ndBernard C. Smith*Republican
3rdRalph J. Marino*Republican
4thEdward J. Speno*Republicandied on February 17, 1971
4thGeorge A. MurphyRepublicanon November 2, 1971, elected to fill vacancy
5thJohn D. Caemmerer*Rep./Cons.
6thJohn R. Dunne*Republican
7thNorman J. LevyRep./Cons.
8thMurray Schwartz*Dem./Lib.
9thJack E. Bronston*Dem./Lib.
10thSeymour R. Thaler*Dem./Lib.resigned to run for the New York Supreme Court
10thEmanuel R. Gold*Dem./Lib.on November 2, 1971, elected to fill vacancy
11thJohn J. Santucci*Democrat
12thMartin J. Knorr*Rep./Cons.
13thNicholas Ferraro*Democrat
14thEdward S. Lentol*Democraton November 7, 1972, elected to the New York Supreme Court
15thA. Frederick Meyerson*Dem./Lib.
16thDonald HalperinDemocrat
17thJeremiah B. Bloom*Democrat
18thWaldaba Stewart*Dem./Lib.
19thSamuel L. Greenberg*Dem./Lib.
20thAlbert B. Lewis*Democrat
21stWilliam T. Conklin*Rep./Cons.
22ndvacantSenator-elect William J. Ferrall died on December 13, 1970
22ndWilliam J. Giordano*Democraton February 9, 1971, elected to fill vacancy
23rdJohn J. Marchi*Rep./Cons.
24thPaul P. E. Bookson*Democrat
25thManfred Ohrenstein*Dem./Lib.
26thRoy M. Goodman*Rep./Lib.
27thSidney A. von LutherDemocrat
28thJoseph Zaretzki*Dem./Lib.Minority Leader
29thRobert García*Dem./Rep./Lib.
30thHarrison J. Goldin*Dem./Lib.
31stJoseph L. Galiber*Dem./Rep./Lib.
32ndAbraham Bernstein*Dem./Lib.
33rdJohn D. Calandra*Rep./Cons.
34thJohn E. Flynn*Republican
35thAnthony B. Gioffre*Rep./Cons.
36thBernard G. Gordon*Rep./Cons.
37thRichard E. SchermerhornRep./Cons.
38thJay P. Rolison, Jr.*Rep./Cons.
39thDouglas Hudson*Rep./Cons.
40thWalter B. Langley*Republican
41stDalwin J. Niles*Rep./Cons.
42ndRonald B. Stafford*Rep./Dem./Cons./Lib.
43rdHugh Douglas Barclay*Rep./Cons.
44thJames H. Donovan*Rep./Cons.
45thJohn H. Hughes*RepublicanChairman of Judiciary; died on October 13, 1972
46thTarky Lombardi, Jr.*Rep./Cons.
47thWarren M. Anderson*RepublicanChairman of Finance
48thWilliam T. Smith*Rep./Cons.
49thTheodore D. Day*Rep./Cons.on July 1, appointed as Asst. NYS Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets
50thThomas Laverne*Rep./Lib.
51stJames E. Powers*Democrat
52ndEarl W. Brydges*Republicanre-elected Temporary President
53rdJohn J. LaFalceDem./Lib.
54thThomas F. McGowan*Rep./Lib.
55thFrank J. Glinski*Dem./Lib.
56thJames D. Griffin*Democrat
57thJess J. Present*Republican

Employees

Assembly members

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..."
DistrictAssembly memberPartyNotes
1stPerry B. Duryea, Jr.*Republicanre-elected Speaker
2ndPeter J. Costigan*Rep./Cons.
3rdCharles A. Jerabek*Cons./Rep.
4thRobert C. WertzRepublican
5thWilliam L. Burns*Republican
6thJohn G. McCarthy*Republican
7thJoseph M. Reilly*Republican
8thMartin Ginsberg*Republican
9thPhilip B. HealeyRep./Cons.
10thMilton Jonas*Republican
11thStanley Harwood*Dem./Lib.
12thJoseph M. Margiotta*Republican
13thJohn S. Thorp Jr.*Dem./Lib.
14thArthur J. Kremer*Dem./Lib.
15thEli Wager*Dem./Lib.
16thGeorge J. Farrell, Jr.*Rep./Cons.
17thJohn E. Kingston*RepublicanMajority Leader
18thIrwin J. LandesDem./Lib.
19thHerbert A. Posner*Democrat
20thJoseph J. Kunzeman*Rep./Cons.resigned to run for the New York Supreme Court
20thJohn A. EspositoRep./Cons.on November 2, 1971, elected to fill vacancy
21stMartin Rodell*Dem./Lib.resigned to run for the New York City Civil Court
21stSaul WeprinDem./Lib.on November 2, 1971, elected to fill vacancy
22ndJohn T. Gallagher*Rep./Cons.
23rdLeonard P. Stavisky*Dem./Lib.
24thArthur J. Cooperman*Dem./Lib.
25thEmanuel R. Gold*Dem./Lib.resigned to run for the State Senate
25thAlan G. HevesiDem./Lib.on November 2, 1971, elected to fill vacancy
26thGuy R. Brewer*Democrat
27thHerbert J. Miller*Democrat
28thAlfred D. Lerner*Rep./Cons.resigned to run for the New York Supreme Court
28thAlfred A. DelliBoviRepublicanon November 2, 1971, elected to fill vacancy
29thFrederick D. Schmidt*Democrat
30thJohn T. Flack*Rep./Cons.
31stJoseph F. Lisa*Democrat
32ndJohn G. LoprestoRep./Cons.
33rdJoseph S. Calabretta*Democrat
34thRosemary R. Gunning*Cons./Rep.
35thChester J. Straub*Democrat
36thPeter G. Mirto*Democrat
37thSamuel D. Wright*Democrat
38thVito P. Battista*Rep./Cons.
39thStanley Fink*Democrat
40thAlfred A. Lama*Dem./Lib.
41stStanley Steingut*DemocratMinority Leader
42ndBrian SharoffDemocrat
43rdGeorge A. Cincotta*Democrat
44thMel MillerDemocrat
45thStephen J. Solarz*Democrat
46thLeonard M. Simon*Dem./Lib.
47thSalvatore J. Grieco*Democrat
48thLeonard Silverman*Democrat
49thDominick L. DiCarlo*Rep./Cons.
50thRobert F. Kelly*Rep./Cons.
51stVincent A. Riccio*Rep./Cons.
52ndJoseph M. MartuscelloDemocrat
53rd*Democratresigned on January 6, 1971, to run for the State Senate
53rdFrank J. VerderameDemocraton February 9, 1971, elected to fill vacancy
54thVander L. BeattyDemocrat
55thThomas R. Fortune*Democrat
56thCalvin WilliamsDemocrat
57thHarvey L. Strelzin*Democrat
58thLucio F. Russo*Rep./Cons.
59thEdward J. Amann Jr.*Rep./Cons.
60thLouis DeSalvio*Democrat
61stAnthony G. DiFalco*Dem./Lib.
62ndAndrew J. SteinDem./Lib.
63rdWilliam F. Passannante*Dem./Lib.
64thPeter A. A. Berle*Dem./Lib.
65thRichard N. GottfriedDemocrat
66thAntonio G. OlivieriDem./Lib.
67thAlbert H. Blumenthal*Dem./Lib.
68thFrank G. Rossetti*Dem./Lib.
69thFranz S. Leichter*Dem./Lib.
70thHulan E. Jack*Democraton April 24, 1972, convicted of conspiracy
71stStephen S. Gottlieb*Democrat
72ndGeorge W. MillerDemocrat
73rdJohn J. Walsh*Ind. Dem.
74thMark T. Southall*Democrat
75thHarry Kraf*Democraton November 7, 1972, elected to the New York City Civil Court
76thSeymour Posner*Dem./Lib.
77thArmando Montano*Dem./Lib.
78thLouis NiñéDemocrat
79thManuel Ramos*Democrat
80thFerdinand J. Mondello*Democraton October 12, 1972, appointed to the NYS Commission of Investigation
81stAlan Hochberg*Dem./Lib.
82ndAlexander Chananau*Dem./Lib.
83rdBurton Hecht*Dem./Lib.
84thG. Oliver Koppell*Dem./Lib.
85thAnthony J. Mercorella*Dem./Lib.
86thAnthony J. Stella*Dem./Lib.
87thThomas J. McInerney*Democrat
88thGeorge E. Van Cott*Rep./Cons.
89thAlvin M. Suchin*Rep./Cons.
90thGordon W. Burrows*Republican
91stJoseph R. Pisani*Republican
92ndJ. Edward MeyerRepublican
93rdPeter R. Biondo*Republican
94thEugene Levy*Rep./Cons.
95thBenjamin A. Gilman*Rep./Cons.on November 7, 1972, elected to the 93rd U.S. Congress
96thLawrence HerbstRep./Cons.
97thWillis H. Stephens*Rep./Cons.Chairman of Ways and Means
98thEmeel S. Betros*Rep./Cons.
99thH. Clark Bell*Rep./Cons.
100thClarence D. Lane*Republican
101stNeil W. Kelleher*Rep./Cons.
102ndThomas W. BrownDemocrat
103rdFred G. Field, Jr.*Republican
104thMary Anne Krupsak*Dem./Lib.
105thClark C. Wemple*Rep./Cons.
106thFred W. Droms, Jr.*Rep./Cons.
107thLawrence E. Corbett Jr.*Republican
108thAndrew W. Ryan, Jr.*Rep./Cons.
109thGlenn H. Harris*Rep./Cons.
110thK. Daniel HaleyDem./Lib.
111thDonald L. Taylor*Republican
112thDonald J. Mitchell*Republicanon November 7, 1972, elected to the 93rd U.S. Congress
113thEdwyn E. Mason*Rep./Cons.
114thRichard A. Brown*Republican
115thWilliam R. Sears*Rep./Cons.
116thJohn T. Buckley*Rep./Lib.
117thEdward F. Crawford*Rep./Cons.Chairman of Judiciary
118thLeonard F. Bersani*Rep./Cons.
119thHyman M. MillerRepublican
120thEdward M. KinsellaRep./Cons.
121stThomas J. MurphyRepublican
122ndLloyd Stephen Riford, Jr.Republican
123rdKenneth S. Leasure*Republican
124thFrancis J. Boland, Jr.*Rep./Cons.
125thConstance E. Cook*Republican
126thL. Richard Marshall*Rep./Cons.
127thCharles D. Henderson*Rep./Cons.
128thFrederick L. Warder*Republican
129thJoseph C. Finley*Rep./Cons.
130thDonald C. Shoemaker*Republican
131stRaymond J. Lill*Dem./Lib.
132ndS. William Rosenberg*Republican
133rdFrank A. Carroll*Rep./Cons.
134thWilliam M. Steinfeldt*Republican
135thDon W. Cook*Republican
136thJames L. Emery*Republican
137thV. Sumner Carroll*Rep./Cons.
138thRichard J. HoganRepublican
139thMichael L. McCarthyDemocrat
140thJames T. McFarland*Rep./Cons.
141stChester R. Hardt*Rep./Cons.
142ndStephen R. Greco*Dem./Lib.
143rdArthur O. Eve*Dem./Lib.
144thAlbert J. Hausbeck*Rep./Cons.
145thJohn B. Lis*Dem./Lib.
146thFrancis J. Griffin*Democrat
147thRonald H. Tills*Rep./Cons.
148thFrank Walkley*Republicanon July 1, took office as NYS Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets
149thLloyd A. Russell*Rep./Cons.
150thJohn W. Beckman*Rep./Cons.

Employees