186th New York State Legislature


The 186th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 9, 1985, to December 31, 1986, during the third and fourth years of Mario Cuomo'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 1982 by the Legislature, 61 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 contiguously without restrictions regarding county boundaries.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the Right to Life Party, the Libertarian Party, the Communist Party, the New Alliance Party and the Workers World Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1984, was held on November 6. No statewide elective offices were up for election. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for U.S. President, was: Republicans 3,377,000; Democrats 3,120,000; Conservatives 288,000; Liberals 118,000; Libertarians 12,000; Communists 4,000; New Alliance 3,000; and Workers World 2,000.
Twenty of the 23 women members of the previous legislature—State Senators Mary B. Goodhue, a lawyer of Mount Kisco; and Olga A. Méndez, of East Harlem; and Assemblywomen Elizabeth Connelly, of Staten Island; Pinny Cooke, of Rochester; Geraldine L. Daniels, of the Bronx; Gloria Davis, of the Bronx; Eileen C. Dugan, of Brooklyn; Aurelia Greene, of the Bronx; Julia Harrison, of Queens; Rhoda S. Jacobs, of Brooklyn; Cynthia Jenkins, a librarian of Queens; Gerdi E. Lipschutz, of Queens; Helen M. Marshall, a teacher and librarian of Queens; Nettie Mayersohn, of Queens; Mary M. McPhillips, of Middletown; May W. Newburger, of Great Neck; Barbara Patton, a lawyer of Hempstead; Toni Rettaliata, of Huntington; Louise M. Slaughter, of Fairport; and Helene Weinstein, a lawyer of Brooklyn—were re-elected. Nancy Larraine Hoffmann, of Syracuse; Velmanette Montgomery, of Brooklyn; and Suzi Oppenheimer, of Mamaroneck; were also elected to the State Senate. Catherine Nolan, of Queens, was also elected to the Assembly. Thus the 186th Legislature began having 24 women members, surpassing the previous record of 23 in the 185th New York State Legislature.
The New York state election, 1985, was held on November 5. One vacancy in the State Senate was filled.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the first regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 9, 1985; and recessed indefinitely on June 30.
Stanley Fink was re-elected Speaker of the Assembly.
Warren M. Anderson was re-elected Temporary President of the Senate. On February 1, 1985, Lt. Gov. DelBello resigned, and Anderson acted as lieutenant governor until the end of 1986.
The Legislature met for a special session on December 10, 1985. This session was called by Governor Cuomo to consider legislation concerning malpractice insurance rates; the sale of all State holdings in companies which do business in South Africa; the time limit for suits in cases of harm by toxic substances; hostile corporate takeovers; low-income housing in New York City; and municipal liability insurance rates.
The Legislature met for the second regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 8, 1986; and recessed indefinitely on July 3.
The Legislature met for another special session from December 11 to 30, 1986. This session was called by Governor Cuomo to consider legislation concerning the creation of 23 judgeships in New York City; the financing of the mass transit system in New York City; a revision of the State's tax system; and subsidies for elderly people to buy prescription drugs.

State Senate

Senators

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Eugene Levy changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stKenneth LaValle*Rep./Cons.
2ndJames J. Lack*Rep./Cons.
3rdCaesar Trunzo*Rep./Cons./RTL
4thOwen H. Johnson*Rep./Cons./RTL
5thRalph J. Marino*Rep./Cons.Chairman of Banks; Chairman of the Majority Program Committee
6thJohn R. Dunne*Rep./Cons.Chairman of Judiciary
7thMichael J. Tully Jr.*Rep./Cons.
8thNorman J. Levy*Rep./Cons.Chairman of Transportation
9thDean SkelosRep./Cons.
10thAndrew Jenkins*Dem./Lib.
11thFrank Padavan*Rep./Cons./RTL
12thLeonard P. Stavisky*Dem./Lib.
13thEmanuel R. Gold*Dem./Lib.
14thGeorge Onorato*Democrat
15thMartin J. Knorr*Rep./Cons./RTLAssistant Majority Whip
16thJeremy S. Weinstein*Dem./Lib.
17thHoward E. Babbush*Dem./Lib.
18thDonald Halperin*Democrat
19thMartin M. Solomon*Democrat
20thThomas J. Bartosiewicz*Democrat
21stMarty Markowitz*Democrat
22ndVelmanette MontgomeryDemocrat
23rdChristopher J. MegaRep./Cons./RTL
24thJohn J. Marchi*Rep./Dem./Cons.Chairman of Finance
25thMartin Connor*Dem./Lib.
26thRoy M. Goodman*Rep./Lib.
27thManfred Ohrenstein*Dem./Lib.Minority Leader
28thFranz S. Leichter*Dem./Lib.
29thLeon Bogues*Dem./Lib.died on August 6, 1985
29thDavid PatersonDemocraton November 5, 1985, elected to fill vacancy
30thOlga A. Méndez*Democrat
31stJoseph L. Galiber*Dem./Lib.
32ndIsrael Ruiz, Jr.*Dem./Lib.
33rdAbraham Bernstein*Dem./Rep./Lib.
34thJohn D. Calandra*Rep./Cons.Majority Whip; died on January 20, 1986
34thGuy J. VelellaRepublicanon April 22, 1986, elected to fill vacancy
35thJohn E. Flynn*Rep./Cons.
36thSuzi OppenheimerDem./Lib.
37thMary B. Goodhue*Rep./Cons.
38thEugene Levy*Rep./Cons.
39thRichard E. Schermerhorn*Republican
40thCharles D. Cook*Rep./Cons.
41stJay P. Rolison Jr.*Rep./Cons.Assistant Majority Leader
42ndHoward C. Nolan Jr.*Dem./Lib.
43rdJoseph Bruno*Rep./Cons.
44thHugh T. Farley*Rep./Cons./RTLChairman of Environmental Conservation
45thRonald B. Stafford*Rep./Cons.
46thJohn M. McHughRep./Cons.
47thJames H. Donovan*Rep./Cons.Chairman of Education
48thNancy Larraine HoffmannDemocrat
49thTarky Lombardi Jr.*Rep./Cons.
50thLloyd Stephen Riford Jr.*RepublicanChairman of Agriculture
51stWarren M. Anderson*Rep./Cons.re-elected Temporary President
52ndWilliam T. Smith*Rep./Cons.Deputy Majority Leader
53rdL. Paul Kehoe*Rep./Cons.
54thJohn D. Perry*Democrat
55thRalph E. QuattrociocchiDem./Cons.
56thJess J. Present*Republican
57thWilliam Stachowski*Dem./Cons.
58thAnthony M. Masiello*Dem./Lib.
59thDale M. Volker*Rep./Cons.
60thWalter J. Floss Jr.*Rep./Cons.
61stJohn B. Daly*Rep./Cons.

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
1stJoseph Sawicki Jr.*Rep./Cons.
2ndJohn L. Behan*Rep./Cons.
3rdIcilio W. Bianchi, Jr.*Democrat
4thRobert J. GaffneyRep./Cons./RTL
5thPaul E. Harenberg*Democrat
6thRobert C. Wertz*Rep./Cons./RTL
7thThomas F. Barraga*Rep./Cons./RTL
8thJohn C. Cochrane*Rep./Cons.
9thJohn J. Flanagan*Rep./Cons./RTL
10thToni Rettaliata*Rep./Cons.
11thPatrick G. Halpin*Democrat
12thPhilip B. Healey*Rep./Cons.
13thLewis J. Yevoli*Democrat
14thFrederick E. Parola*Rep./Cons.
15thDaniel FrisaRep./Cons.
16thMay W. Newburger*Dem./Lib.
17thKemp Hannon*Rep./Cons.
18thBarbara Patton*Dem./Lib.
19thArmand P. D'Amato*Rep./Cons.
20thArthur J. Kremer*Dem./Lib.Chairman of Ways and Means
21stGregory R. Becker*Rep./Cons.
22ndGeorge H. Madison*Rep./Cons.
23rdGerdi E. Lipschutz*Dem./Lib.
24thSaul Weprin*Dem./Lib.Chairman of Judiciary
25thDouglas PrescottRep./Cons./RTL
26thJulia Harrison*Dem./Lib.on November 5, 1985, elected to the New York City Council
26thDavid M. KramerDemocraton February 18, 1986, elected to fill vacancy
27thNettie Mayersohn*Dem./Lib.
28thAlan G. Hevesi*Dem./Lib.
29thCynthia Jenkins*Dem./Lib.
30thRalph Goldstein*Dem./Lib.
31stAnthony S. Seminerio*Dem./Cons.
32ndEdward Abramson*Democrat
33rdAlton R. Waldon Jr.*Dem./Lib.on June 10, 1986, elected to the 99th U.S. Congress
34thIvan C. Lafayette*Dem./Lib.
35thHelen M. Marshall*Dem./Lib.
36thDenis J. Butler*Democrat
37thCatherine NolanDemocrat
38thFrederick D. Schmidt*Dem./RTL
39thStanley Fink*Dem./Lib.re-elected Speaker
40thEdward Griffith*Dem./Lib.
41stHelene Weinstein*Democrat
42ndRhoda S. Jacobs*Dem./Lib.
43rdClarence Norman Jr.*Democrat
44thMel Miller*Dem./Lib.Chairman of Codes
45thDaniel L. Feldman*Democrat
46thHoward L. Lasher*Dem./Lib.
47thFrank J. Barbaro*Democrat
48thDov Hikind*Democrat
49thArnaldo FerraroRep./Cons./RTL
50thJoseph R. Lentol*Democrat
51stJames F. BrennanDemocrat
52ndEileen C. Dugan*Dem./Lib.
53rdVito J. LopezDemocrat
54thThomas F. Catapano*Dem./Lib.
55thWilliam F. Boyland*Dem./Lib.
56thAlbert Vann*Democrat
57thRoger L. Green*Democrat
58thElizabeth Connelly*Democrat
59thEric N. Vitaliano*Dem./Cons.
60thRobert A. Straniere*Rep./Cons./RTL
61stWilliam F. Passannante*Dem./Lib.
62ndSheldon Silver*Dem./Lib.
63rdSteven Sanders*Dem./Lib.
64thRichard N. Gottfried*Dem./Lib.
65thAlexander B. Grannis*Dem./Lib.
66thMark Alan Siegel*Dem./Lib.
67thJerrold Nadler*Dem./Lib.
68thAngelo Del Toro*Dem./Lib.
69thEdward C. Sullivan*Dem./Lib.
70thGeraldine L. Daniels*Dem./Lib.
71stHerman D. Farrell, Jr.*Democrat
72ndJohn Brian Murtaugh*Dem./Lib.
73rdJosé E. Serrano*Dem./Lib.
74thHector L. Diaz*Democrat
75thJohn C. Dearie*Dem./Lib.
76thAurelia Greene*Democrat
77thJose Rivera*Dem./Lib.
78thGloria Davis*Dem./Lib.
79thGeorge Friedman*Dem./Lib.
80thG. Oliver Koppell*Dem./Lib.
81stEliot Engel*Dem./Lib.
82ndLarry SeabrookDemocrat
83rdNicholas A. Spano*Rep./Cons.
84thGordon W. Burrows*Republican
85thRonald C. TocciDemocrat
86thRichard L. Brodsky*Dem./Lib.
87thPeter M. Sullivan*Rep./Cons.
88thGregory P. Young*Democrat
89thHenry William Barnett*Rep./Cons.
90thVincent Leibell*Rep./Cons.
91stGeorge E. PatakiRep./Cons.
92ndRobert J. Connor*Dem./Lib.
93rdSamuel ColmanDem./Lib.
94thMary M. McPhillips*Democrat
95thWilliam J. Larkin, Jr.*Rep./Cons.
96thLawrence E. Bennett*Democrat
97thStephen M. Saland*Rep./Cons.
98thRichard I. Coombe*Rep./Cons.
99thGlenn E. Warren*Rep./Cons.
100thNeil W. Kelleher*Rep./Cons./RTL
101stMaurice D. Hinchey*Dem./Lib.
102ndClarence D. Lane*Rep./Cons.
103rdArnold W. ProskinRep./Cons.
104thRichard J. Conners*Dem./Lib.
105thPaul D. Tonko*Dem./Lib.
106thMichael R. McNulty*Dem./Lib.
107thJames Tedisco*Rep./Cons.
108thRobert A. D'Andrea*Rep./Cons.
109thGlenn H. Harris*Rep./Cons.
110thAndrew W. Ryan, Jr.*Rep./Cons.on November 5, 1985, elected D.A. of Clinton County
110thChris OrtloffRepublicanon February 18, 1986, elected to fill vacancy
111thJohn W. McCann*Rep./Cons.
112thJohn G. A. O'Neil*Republican
113thAnthony J. Casale*Rep./Cons.
114thH. Robert Nortz*Rep./Cons.
115thWilliam R. Sears*Rep./Cons.
116thRichard S. Ruggiero*Democraton March 21, 1986, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual abuse
117thRay T. Chesbro*Rep./Cons.
118thMichael J. Bragman*Dem./Cons.
119thWilliam E. Bush*Rep./Cons.
120thMelvin N. Zimmer*Dem./Cons.
121stHyman M. Miller*Rep./Cons.
122ndClarence D. Rappleyea Jr.*Rep./Cons.Minority Leader
123rdRichard H. MillerRep./Cons.
124thJames R. Tallon Jr.*Democrat
125thHugh S. MacNeil*Republican
126thGeorge H. Winner, Jr.*Rep./Cons.
127thRandy Kuhl*Rep./Cons.
128thMichael F. Nozzolio*Rep./Cons.
129thFrank G. Talomie Sr.*Rep./Cons.
130thLouise M. Slaughter*Democraton November 4, 1986, elected to the 100th U.S. Congress
131stGary Proud*Dem./Lib.
132ndPinny Cooke*Rep./Cons.
133rdDavid F. Gantt*Dem./Lib.
134thRoger J. Robach*Dem./Cons.
135thJames F. Nagle*Rep./Cons.
136thRichard C. Wesley*Republicanon November 4, 1986, elected to the New York Supreme Court
137thR. Stephen Hawley*Rep./Cons.
138thJoseph T. Pillittere*Dem./Lib.
139thMatthew J. Murphy, Jr.*Dem./Cons.
140thRobin L. Schimminger*Democrat
141stArthur O. Eve*Dem./Lib.
142ndJohn B. Sheffer II*Rep./Cons.
143rdDennis T. Gorski*Dem./Cons.
144thWilliam B. Hoyt*Dem./Lib.
145thRichard J. Keane*Dem./Cons./RTL
146thFrancis J. Pordum*Dem./Cons./RTL
147thL. William Paxon*Rep./Cons.
148thVincent J. Graber Sr.*Dem./Cons.
149thDaniel B. Walsh*DemocratMajority Leader
150thWilliam L. Parment*Dem./Lib.

Employees