189th New York State Legislature


The 189th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 9, 1991, to December 31, 1992, during the ninth and tenth 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 Right to Life Party, the Liberal Party, the New Alliance Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Socialist Workers Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1990, was held on November 6. Governor Mario Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundine were re-elected, both Democrats. The elections to the other two statewide elective offices resulted in the re-election of the two incumbent officeholders: a Republican Comptroller, and a Democratic Attorney General. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,086,000; Republicans 866,000; Conservatives 828,000; Right to Life 138,000; Liberals 71,000; New Alliance 31,000; Libertarians 25,000; and Socialist Workers 13,000.
22 of the sitting 23 women members of the legislature—State Senators Mary B. Goodhue, a lawyer of Mount Kisco; Nancy Larraine Hoffmann, of Syracuse; Olga A. Méndez, of East Harlem; Velmanette Montgomery, of Brooklyn; Suzi Oppenheimer, of Mamaroneck; and Ada L. Smith, of Queens; and Assemblywomen Barbara M. Clark, of Queens; Elizabeth Connelly, of Staten Island; Geraldine L. Daniels, of the Bronx; Gloria Davis, of the Bronx; Eileen C. Dugan, of Brooklyn; Aurelia Greene, of the Bronx; Earlene Hill Hooper, of Hempstead; Rhoda S. Jacobs, of Brooklyn; Cynthia Jenkins, a librarian of Queens; Helen M. Marshall, a teacher and librarian of Queens; Nettie Mayersohn, of Queens; Patricia McGee, of Franklinville; Catherine Nolan, of Queens; Audrey Pheffer, of Queens; Cecile D. Singer, of Yonkers; and Helene Weinstein, a lawyer of Brooklyn—were re-elected. Nancy Calhoun, of Blooming Grove; Joan Christensen, of Syracuse; Vivian E. Cook of Queens; Deborah J. Glick, of Manhattan; Susan V. John, of Rochester; and Frances T. Sullivan, of Fulton; were also elected to the Assembly.
The New York state election, 1991, was held on November 5. Three vacancies in the Assembly were filled. Assemblywoman Helen M. Marshall was elected to the New York City Council.
On January 28, 1992, Joni A. Yoswein, of Brooklyn, was elected to fill a vacancy in the Assembly. Thus the 189th Legislature began and ended with 28 women members, setting a new record.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the first regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 9, 1991; and recessed indefinitely in the early morning of July 4.
Mel Miller was re-elected Speaker of the Assembly.
Ralph J. Marino was re-elected Temporary President of the Senate.
On December 13, 1991, Speaker Mel Miller was convicted of a felony, and thus vacated his seat in the Assembly. On December 16, 1991, Saul Weprin was elected Speaker.
The Legislature met for the second regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 8, 1992; and recessed indefinitely on July 3.
In June, the Legislature re-apportioned the legislative districts. On June 24, 1992, the U.S. Department of Justice approved the redrawn districts with one exception. On June 30, 1992, the New York Court of Appeals also validated the new apportionment.
The Legislature met again from July 28 to 30, 1992.

State Senate

Senators

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Joseph R. Holland, William J. Larkin Jr., Stephen M. Saland and William R. Sears changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stKenneth LaValle*Republican
2ndJames J. Lack*Republican
3rdCaesar Trunzo*Republican
4thOwen H. Johnson*Republican
5thRalph J. Marino*Republicanre-elected Temporary President
6thKemp Hannon*Republican
7thMichael J. Tully Jr.*RepublicanChairman of Health
8thNorman J. Levy*RepublicanChairman of Transportation
9thDean Skelos*Republican
10thAlton R. Waldon Jr.Democrat
11thFrank Padavan*Republican
12thLeonard P. Stavisky*Democrat
13thEmanuel R. Gold*Democrat
14thGeorge Onorato*Democrat
15thSerphin R. Maltese*Conservative
16thJeremy S. Weinstein*Democrat
17thHoward E. Babbush*Democrat
18thDonald Halperin*Democrat
19thMartin M. Solomon*Democrat
20thAda L. Smith*Democrat
21stMarty Markowitz*Democrat
22ndVelmanette Montgomery*Democrat
23rdChristopher J. Mega*Republican
24thJohn J. Marchi*Republican
25thMartin Connor*Democrat
26thRoy M. Goodman*Republican
27thManfred Ohrenstein*DemocratMinority Leader
28thFranz S. Leichter*Democrat
29thDavid Paterson*Democrat
30thOlga A. Méndez*Democrat
31stJoseph L. Galiber*Democrat
32ndEfrain Gonzalez Jr.*Democrat
33rdJeffrey R. Korman*Democrat
34thGuy J. Velella*Republican
35thNicholas A. Spano*Republican
36thSuzi Oppenheimer*Democrat
37thMary B. Goodhue*Republican
38thJoseph R. Holland*Republican
39thWilliam J. Larkin, Jr.*Republican
40thCharles D. Cook*Republican
41stStephen M. Saland*Republican
42ndHoward C. Nolan Jr.*Democrat
43rdJoseph Bruno*Republican
44thHugh T. Farley*RepublicanChairman of Banks
45thRonald B. Stafford*RepublicanDeputy Majority Leader
46thJohn M. McHugh*Republicanon November 3, 1992, elected to the 103rd U.S. Congress
47thWilliam R. Sears*Republican
48thNancy Larraine Hoffmann*Democrat
49thTarky Lombardi Jr.*RepublicanChairman of Finance
50thJames L. Seward*Republican
51stThomas W. Libous*Republican
52ndRandy Kuhl*Republican
53rdL. Paul Kehoe*Republicanon November 3, 1992, elected to the New York Supreme Court
54thJohn D. Perry*Democrat
55thRalph E. Quattrociocchi*Democrat
56thJess J. Present*Republican
57thWilliam Stachowski*Democrat
58thAnthony M. Masiello*Democrat
59thDale M. Volker*Republican
60thJohn B. Sheffer II*Republican
61stJohn B. Daly*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
1stJoseph Sawicki Jr.*Republican
2ndJohn L. Behan*Republican
3rdIcilio W. Bianchi, Jr.*Democrat
4thRobert J. Gaffney*Republicanon November 5, 1991, elected as County Executive of Suffolk County
4thSteve EnglebrightDemocraton February 18, 1992, elected to fill vacancy
5thPaul E. Harenberg*Democrat
6thRobert C. Wertz*Republican
7thThomas F. Barraga*Republican
8thJohn C. Cochrane*Republican
9thJohn J. Flanagan*Republican
10thJames D. Conte*Republican
11thRobert K. Sweeney*Democrat
12thPhilip B. Healey*Republican
13thLewis J. Yevoli*Democraton November 5, 1991, elected Supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay
13thDavid SidikmanDemocraton February 18, 1992, elected to fill vacancy
14thFrederick E. Parola*Republican
15thDaniel Frisa*Republican
16thThomas DiNapoli*Democrat
17thMichael Balboni*Republican
18thEarlene Hill Hooper*Democrat
19thCharles J. O'Shea*Republican
20thHarvey Weisenberg*Democrat
21stGregory R. Becker*Republican
22ndGeorge H. Madison*Republicanresigned
22ndVincent T. MuscarellaRepublicanon November 5, 1991, elected to fill vacancy
23rdAudrey Pheffer*Democrat
24thSaul Weprin*DemocratChairman of Ways and Means ;
elected Speaker on December 16, 1991
25thDouglas Prescott*Republican
26thMorton C. Hillman*Democrat
27thNettie Mayersohn*Democrat
28thAlan G. Hevesi*Democrat
29thCynthia Jenkins*Democrat
30thJoseph Crowley*Democrat
31stAnthony S. Seminerio*Democrat
32ndVivian E. CookDemocrat
33rdBarbara M. Clark*Democrat
34thIvan C. Lafayette*Democrat
35thHelen M. Marshall*Democraton November 5, 1991, elected to the New York City Council
35thJeffrion L. AubryDem./Lib.on January 28, 1992, elected to fill vacancy
36thDenis J. Butler*Democrat
37thCatherine Nolan*Democrat
38thFrederick D. Schmidt*Democrat
39thAnthony J. Genovesi*Democrat
40thEdward Griffith*Democrat
41stHelene Weinstein*Democrat
42ndRhoda S. Jacobs*Democrat
43rdClarence Norman Jr.*Democrat
44thMel Miller*Democratre-elected Speaker;
on December 13, 1991, convicted of a felony
44thJoni A. YosweinDem./Lib.on January 28, 1992, elected to fill vacancy
45thDaniel L. Feldman*Democrat
46thHoward L. Lasher*Democrat
47thFrank J. Barbaro*Democrat
48thDov Hikind*Democrat
49thPeter J. Abbate Jr.*Democrat
50thJoseph R. Lentol*DemocratChairman of Codes
51stJames F. Brennan*Democrat
52ndEileen C. Dugan*Democrat
53rdVito J. Lopez*Democrat
54thThomas F. Catapano*Democrat
55thWilliam F. Boyland*Democrat
56thAlbert Vann*Democrat
57thRoger L. Green*Democrat
58thElizabeth Connelly*Democrat
59thEric N. Vitaliano*Democrat
60thRobert A. Straniere*Republican
61stDeborah J. GlickDemocrat
62ndSheldon Silver*DemocratChairman of Codes ; Chairman of Ways and Means
63rdSteven Sanders*Democrat
64thRichard N. Gottfried*Democrat
65thAlexander B. Grannis*Democrat
66thJohn RavitzRepublican
67thJerrold Nadler*Democraton November 3, 1992, elected to the 102nd and 103rd U.S. Congresses
68thAngelo Del Toro*DemocratChairman of Education
69thEdward C. Sullivan*DemocratChairman of Higher Education
70thGeraldine L. Daniels*Democrat
71stHerman D. Farrell, Jr.*Democrat
72ndJohn Brian Murtaugh*Democrat
73rdDavid Rosado*Democrat
74thHector L. Diaz*Democrat
75thJohn C. Dearie*Democrat
76thAurelia Greene*Democrat
77thRoberto RamirezDemocrat
78thGloria Davis*Democrat
79thGeorge Friedman*DemocratDeputy Majority Leader
80thG. Oliver Koppell*DemocratChairman of Judiciary
81stStephen B. Kaufman*Democrat
82ndLarry Seabrook*Democrat
83rdTerence M. Zaleski*Democraton November 5, 1991, elected Mayor of Yonkers
83rdMike SpanoRepublicanon February 18, 1992, elected to fill vacancy
84thCecile D. Singer*Republican
85thRonald C. Tocci*Democrat
86thRichard L. Brodsky*Democrat
87thPeter M. Sullivan*Republican
88thGregory P. Young*Democrat
89thHenry William Barnett*Rep./Cons.
90thVincent Leibell*Republican
91stGeorge E. Pataki*Republican
92ndAlexander J. GromackDemocrat
93rdSamuel Colman*Democrat
94thJohn Bonacic*Republican
95thNancy CalhounRepublican
96thLawrence E. Bennett*Democrat
97thDonald H. McMillenRepublican
98thRichard I. Coombe*Republican
99thNorman E. GreigDemocrat
100thNeil W. Kelleher*Republican
101stMaurice D. Hinchey*Democraton November 3, 1992, elected to the 103rd U.S. Congress
102ndJohn Faso*Republican
103rdArnold W. Proskin*Republican
104thRichard J. Conners*Democrat
105thPaul D. Tonko*Democrat
106thRonald Canestrari*Democrat
107thJames Tedisco*Republican
108thRobert A. D'Andrea*Republican
109thJames P. KingRepublican
110thChris Ortloff*Republican
111thBill MageeDemocrat
112thJohn G. A. O'Neil*Republicandied on December 10, 1992
113thAnthony J. Casale*Republican
114thH. Robert Nortz*Republican
115thDavid R. Townsend Jr.Republican
116thRalph J. Eannace Jr.*Republican
117thFrances T. SullivanRepublican
118thMichael J. Bragman*Democrat
119thJoan ChristensenDemocrat
120thMelvin N. Zimmer*Democratresigned on July 31, 1991
120thJoseph A. NicolettiDemocraton November 5, 1991, elected to fill vacancy
121stHarold C. Brown Jr.*Republican
122ndClarence D. Rappleyea Jr.*RepublicanMinority Leader
123rdRichard H. Miller*Republican
124thJames R. Tallon Jr.*DemocratMajority Leader; Acting Speaker from December 13 to 16, 1991
125thMartin A. Luster*Democrat
126thGeorge H. Winner, Jr.*Republican
127thDonald R. Davidsen*Republican
128thMichael F. Nozzolio*Republican
129thFrank G. Talomie Sr.*Republican
130thRobert L. King*Republicanon November 5, 1991, elected as County Executive of Monroe County
130thDavid Van VarickRep./Cons.on February 18, 1992, elected to fill vacancy
131stSusan V. JohnDemocrat
132ndJoseph D. MorelleDemocrat
133rdDavid F. Gantt*Democrat
134thRoger J. Robach*DemocratDeputy Majority Leader; died on September 29, 1991
134thJoseph RobachDemocraton November 5, 1991, elected to fill vacancy
135thJames F. Nagle*Republican
136thJohn W. Hasper*Republican
137thR. Stephen Hawley*Republican
138thJoseph T. Pillittere*Democrat
139thMatthew J. Murphy, Jr.*Democrat
140thRobin L. Schimminger*Democrat
141stArthur O. Eve*Democrat
142ndRichard R. Anderson*Republican
143rdPaul Tokasz*Democrat
144thWilliam B. Hoyt*Democratdied on March 25, 1992
144thSam HoytDemocraton May 5, 1992, elected to fill vacancy
145thRichard J. Keane*Democrat
146thFrancis J. Pordum*Democrat
147thThomas M. Reynolds*Republican
148thVincent J. Graber Sr.*Democrat
149thPatricia McGee*Republican
150thWilliam L. Parment*Democrat

Employees