164th New York State Legislature

164th New York State Legislature
163rd 165th
The facade of the New York State Capitol building in bright daylight
Overview
Legislative bodyNew York State Legislature
JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJanuary 1, 1943 – December 31, 1944
Senate
Members51
PresidentLt. Gov. Thomas W. Wallace (R), until July 17, 1943;
Lt. Gov. Joe R. Hanley [1944]
Temporary PresidentJoe R. Hanley (R) [1943];
Benjamin F. Feinberg (R) [1944]
Party controlRepublican (31–20)
Assembly
Members150
SpeakerOswald D. Heck (R)
Party controlRepublican (90–59–1)
Sessions
1stJanuary 6 – March 26, 1943
2ndJanuary 5 – March 18, 1944
3rdOctober 30, 1944 –

The 164th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6, 1943, to October 30, 1944, during the first and second years of Thomas E. Dewey's governorship, in Albany.

Background

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Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1917, and amended in 1937, 51 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 New York (nine districts), Kings (eight), Bronx (three), Erie (three), Monroe (two), Queens (two) and Westchester (two). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The American Labor Party, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party and the Socialist Labor Party (running under the name of "Industrial Government Party") also nominated tickets.

Elections

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The New York state election, 1942, was held on November 3. Thomas E. Dewey and Thomas W. Wallace were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor, both Republicans. Of the other four statewide elective offices, three were also carried by Republicans, and one by a Democrat with American Labor endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Republicans 2,149,000; Democrats 1,501,000; American Labor 404,000; Communists 45,000; Socialists 22,000; and Industrial Government 3,500.

All four women legislators—State Senator Rhoda Fox Graves (Rep.), of Gouverneur; and Assemblywomen Jane H. Todd (Rep.), of Tarrytown; Edith C. Cheney (Rep.), of Corning; and Mary A. Gillen (Dem.), of Brooklyn—were re-elected.

Lt. Gov. Thomas W. Wallace died on July 17, 1943.

The New York state election, 1943, was held on November 2. Temporary President of the State Senate Joe R. Hanley (Rep.) was elected Lieutenant Governor; and Thomas D. Thacher (Rep.) was elected unopposed to succeed himself as Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. Two vacancies in the State Senate and seven vacancies in the Assembly were filled.[1]

Sessions

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The legislature met for the first regular session (the 166th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1943; and adjourned on March 26.[2]

Oswald D. Heck (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker.

Joe R. Hanley (Rep.) was re-elected temporary president of the state Senate.

The legislature finally re-apportioned the Senate and Assembly districts. Re-apportionment was overdue since the figures of the 1925 state census had been published, but the Assembly, the Senate and the governor had been at odds over the question ever since. Now, for the first time since then, both houses of the legislature had majorities of the same party of which the governor was a member, all Republican. The Re-Apportionment Bill was introduced in the Legislature on March 8;[3] and signed by Gov. Dewey on April 8.[4] The re-apportionment was contested in the courts by the Democrats, but was upheld unanimously by the New York Court of Appeals on November 18, 1943.[5]

The total number of state senators was increased to 56. Chautauqua, Dutchess, Monroe, Oneida, Rensselaer, St. Lawrence, Schenectady and Steuben counties lost one Assembly seat each; and New York County lost seven seats. Kings and Westchester counties gained one seat each; Nassau County gained two; Bronx County gained five; and Queens County gained six seats.[6]

The legislature met for the second regular session (the 167th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1944; and adjourned on March 18.

Benjamin F. Feinberg (Rep.) was elected Temporary President of the state Senate.

The legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on October 30, 1944. This session was held to enact an extension of the voting time on the next election day, and to increase the pay for election workers.[7]

State Senate

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Districts

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Members

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The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Floyd E. Anderson changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assemblymen John V. Downey and James A. Corcoran were elected to fill vacancies in the Senate.

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

District Senator Party Notes
1st Perry B. Duryea Sr.* Republican
2nd Seymour Halpern* Rep./Am. Labor
3rd Peter T. Farrell* Dem./Am. Labor resigned on August 11, 1943, to run for the Queens Co. Court
John V. Downey* Democrat on November 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
4th Carmine J. Marasco* Democrat on November 7, 1944, elected to the Kings County Court
5th William Kirnan* Democrat
6th Edward J. Coughlin* Democrat
7th Louis B. Heller Dem./Am. Labor
8th Samuel L. Greenberg Democrat
9th Daniel Gutman* Dem./Am. Labor resigned on August 6, 1943, to run for the Municipal Court[8]
James A. Corcoran* Democrat on November 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
10th Jeremiah F. Twomey* Democrat
11th James J. Crawford* Democrat
12th Elmer F. Quinn* Democrat
13th Francis J. Mahoney Democrat
14th William J. Murray* Dem./Am. Labor
15th Lester Baum Rep./Am. Labor
16th James G. Donovan Democrat
17th Frederic R. Coudert Jr.* Republican
18th Richard A. DiCostanzo Rep./Am. Labor
19th Charles D. Perry* Democrat
20th Alexander A. Falk* Dem./Am. Labor
21st Lazarus Joseph* Democrat
22nd Carl Pack* Democrat
23rd John J. Dunnigan* Democrat Minority Leader
24th Robert S. Bainbridge Republican
25th Pliny W. Williamson* Republican
26th William F. Condon* Republican
27th Thomas C. Desmond* Rep./Am. Labor
28th Frederic H. Bontecou Republican
29th Arthur H. Wicks* Republican Chairman of Finance
30th Julian B. Erway* Democrat
31st Clifford C. Hastings* Rep./Am. Labor on June 3, 1944, appointed as Treasurer of Rensselaer Co.
32nd Gilbert T. Seelye* Republican
33rd Benjamin F. Feinberg* Republican on January 5, 1944, elected Temporary President
34th Rhoda Fox Graves* Rep./Am. Labor
35th Fred A. Young* Rep./Dem.
36th William H. Hampton* Rep./Am. Labor
37th Isaac B. Mitchell* Republican
38th G. Frank Wallace* Republican
39th Walter W. Stokes* Republican Chairman of Conservation
40th Floyd E. Anderson* Republican
41st Chauncey B. Hammond* Republican
42nd Henry W. Griffith* Republican
43rd Earle S. Warner* Republican
44th Joe R. Hanley* Rep./Dem. on January 6, 1943, re-elected Temporary President;
on November 2, 1943, elected Lieutenant Governor
Austin W. Erwin Republican on February 15, 1944, elected to fill vacancy[9]
45th Rodney B. Janes* Republican
46th Allen J. Oliver Republican
47th William Bewley* Republican
48th Walter J. Mahoney* Rep./Am. Labor
49th Stephen J. Wojtkowiak* Dem./Am. Labor
50th Charles O. Burney Jr.* Republican
51st George H. Pierce Rep./Dem.

Employees

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State Assembly

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Assemblymen

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

District Assemblymen Party Notes
Albany 1st George W. Foy* Democrat
2nd Mortimer A. Cullen* Democrat
3rd John McBain* Republican
Allegany William H. MacKenzie* Republican
Bronx 1st Matthew J. H. McLaughlin* Democrat
2nd Patrick J. Fogarty* Democrat
3rd Arthur Wachtel* Democrat
4th Isidore Dollinger* Democrat
5th Julius J. Gans* Democrat
6th Peter A. Quinn* Democrat on November 7, 1944, elected to the 79th U.S. Congress
7th Louis Bennett* Democrat
8th John A. Devany Jr.* Democrat
Broome 1st Richard H. Knauf Republican
2nd Orlo M. Brees* Republican
Cattaraugus Leo P. Noonan* Republican
Cayuga James H. Chase* Republican
Chautauqua 1st E. Herman Magnuson* Republican
2nd Herman B. Graf Republican
Chemung Harry J. Tifft* Republican
Chenango Irving M. Ives* Republican Majority Leader
Clinton Leslie G. Ryan* Rep./Am. Labor
Columbia Frederick A. Washburn* Republican
Cortland Harold L. Creal* Republican
Delaware Elmer J. Kellam Republican
Dutchess 1st Howard N. Allen* Rep./Dem.
2nd Ernest I. Hatfield Republican
Erie 1st Frank A. Gugino* Republican
2nd Harold B. Ehrlich* Rep./Am. Labor
3rd William J. Butler Republican
4th John P. Quinn Dem./Am. Labor
5th Philip V. Baczkowski* Dem./Am. Labor
6th Jerome C. Kreinheder* Republican
7th Justin C. Morgan* Republican
8th John R. Pillion* Republican
Essex Sheldon F. Wickes* Republican
Franklin William L. Doige* Republican
Fulton and Hamilton Joseph R. Younglove* Republican
Genesee Herbert A. Rapp* Republican
Greene William E. Brady* Rep./Am. Labor
Herkimer Leo A. Lawrence* Rep./Am. Labor
Jefferson Russell Wright* Republican
Kings 1st Lewis W. Olliffe* Rep./Am. Labor
2nd Leo F. Rayfiel* Democrat on November 7, 1944, elected to the 79th U.S. Congress
3rd Mary A. Gillen* Democrat
4th Bernard Austin* Dem./Am. Labor
5th John R. Starkey* Dem./Am. Labor
6th Robert J. Crews* Rep./Am. Labor
7th John F. Furey* Dem./Am. Labor
8th Charles J. Beckinella* Democrat
9th Edgar F. Moran* Democrat
10th Walter E. Cooke Democrat
11th Eugene F. Bannigan* Democrat
12th James W. Feely* Democrat
13th Ralph Schwartz* Dem./Am. Labor
14th Harry Gittleson* Democrat
15th John Smolenski* Democrat
16th Louis L. Friedman* Democrat
17th Fred G. Moritt* Dem./Am. Labor
18th Irwin Steingut* Dem./Am. Labor Minority Leader
19th Max M. Turshen* Democrat
20th Roy H. Rudd* Democrat
21st Thomas A. Dwyer* Democrat
22nd James A. Corcoran* Democrat resigned on August 6, 1943, to run for the State Senate[10]
Anthony J. Travia Democrat on November 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
23rd Alfred A. Lama Democrat
Lewis Benjamin H. Demo* Republican
Livingston Joseph W. Ward* Republican
Madison Wheeler Milmoe* Republican Chairman of Public Education
Monroe 1st Frank J. Sellmayer Jr.* Republican
2nd Abraham Schulman* Republican
3rd George T. Manning* Republican
4th Thomas F. Riley Republican
5th William B. Mann* Republican
Montgomery John F. Bennison* Republican
Nassau 1st John D. Bennett* Republican
2nd William S. Hults Jr. Republican
New York 1st John J. Lamula Republican
2nd Louis DeSalvio* Democrat
3rd Maurice E. Downing* Democrat
4th Leonard Farbstein* Democrat
5th Owen McGivern* Democrat
6th Sidney Moses Democrat
7th Irwin D. Davidson* Democrat
8th Stephen J. Jarema* Democrat
9th Ira H. Holley* Democrat
10th MacNeil Mitchell* Republican
11th Patrick H. Sullivan* Democrat
12th Francis X. McGowan Democrat
13th James T. McNamara* Democrat
14th Warren J. McCarron* Democrat
15th Abbot Low Moffat* Republican Chairman of Ways and Means; resigned on August 16,
1943, to accept a post in the U.S. Department of State[11]
John R. Brook Republican on November 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
16th John P. Morrissey* Democrat
17th Hulan E. Jack* Democrat
18th Hamlet O. Catenaccio* Republican
19th Daniel L. Burrows* Democrat
20th Frank G. Rossetti Democrat
21st William T. Andrews* Democrat
22nd Daniel Flynn* Democrat
23rd William J. A. Glancy* Democrat
Niagara 1st Jacob E. Hollinger* Republican
2nd Harry D. Suitor* Republican
Oneida 1st Frank A. Emma* Democrat
2nd William R. Williams* Republican on November 2, 1943, elected Sheriff of Oneida Co.
Harry G. Converse Republican on November 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
3rd C. Dean Williams* Republican
Onondaga 1st Leo W. Breed* Republican
2nd George B. Parsons* Republican
3rd Frank J. Costello* Republican
Ontario Harry R. Marble* Republican
Orange 1st Lee B. Mailler* Republican
2nd Wilson C. Van Duzer Republican
Orleans John S. Thompson* Republican
Oswego Hadwen C. Fuller Republican resigned on September 21, 1943, to run for the 78th U.S. Congress
Henry D. Coville Republican on November 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
Otsego Chester T. Backus* Republican
Putnam D. Mallory Stephens* Republican from August 18, 1943, Chairman of Ways and Means[12]
Queens 1st Charles J. Dalzell* Democrat
2nd vacant George F. Torsney (Dem.) was re-elected, but died on December 28, 1942
William E. Clancy Democrat on March 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
3rd John V. Downey* Democrat resigned on August 19, 1943, to run for the State Senate[13]
Maurice Adda Democrat on November 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
4th William F. Bowe Democrat
5th John H. Ferril* Democrat
6th George Archinal* Republican
Rensselaer 1st J. Eugene Zimmer* Am. Labor/Rep.
2nd Maurice Whitney* Republican resigned on April 22, 1943, and joined the armed forces
John S. Finch Rep./Am. Labor on November 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
Richmond 1st Charles Bormann* Democrat
2nd S. Robert Molinari Republican
Rockland Robert Walmsley Republican
St. Lawrence 1st Grant F. Daniels* Republican
2nd Allan P. Sill* Republican
Saratoga Richard J. Sherman* Republican
Schenectady 1st Oswald D. Heck* Republican re-elected Speaker
2nd Harold Armstrong* Republican resigned on August 21, 1943, to run for Sheriff of Schenectady Co.[14]
Wendell C. Wilber Republican on November 2, 1943, elected to fill vacancy
Schoharie Arthur L. Parsons* Republican
Schuyler Edward K. Corwin Republican
Seneca Lawrence W. Van Cleef* Republican
Steuben 1st Edith C. Cheney* Republican
2nd William M. Stuart* Republican
Suffolk 1st Edmund R. Lupton* Republican
2nd Elisha T. Barrett* Republican
Sullivan Ronald M. Albee Republican
Tioga Myron D. Albro* Republican
Tompkins Stanley C. Shaw* Republican
Ulster John F. Wadlin* Republican
Warren Harry A. Reoux* Republican Chairman of Judiciary
Washington Henry Neddo* Republican
Wayne Henry V. Wilson* Republican
Westchester 1st Christopher H. Lawrence* Republican
2nd Theodore Hill Jr.* Republican
3rd James E. Owens* Republican
4th Jane H. Todd* Republican
5th Malcolm Wilson* Republican served in the U.S. Navy but did not resign his seat
Wyoming Harold C. Ostertag* Republican
Yates Fred S. Hollowell* Republican

Employees

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Notes

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  1. ^ LINE-UP UNCHANGED IN THE LEGISLATURE; Seven Vacancies in Assembly and Two in Senate Filled by the Same Parties in The New York Times on November 3, 1943 (subscription required)
  2. ^ LEGISLATURE ENDS; DEWEY IN CONTROL in The New York Times on March 27, 1943 (subscription required)
  3. ^ DEWEY CLEARS WAY ON REDISTRICTING in The New York Times on March 9, 1943 (subscription required)
  4. ^ DEWEY SIGNS BILL ON APPORTIONMENT in The New York Times on April 9, 1943 (subscription required)
  5. ^ COURT VALIDATES STATE DISTRICTING in The New York Times on November 19, 1943 (subscription required)
  6. ^ see the new distribution of seats: Know Your Legislature in The State Employee (January 1945, Vol. 14, No. 1, pg. 20ff)
  7. ^ Voting Time Is Extended 2 Hours; 3 Days Added to War Ballot Limit in The New York Times on October 31, 1944 (subscription required)
  8. ^ GUTMAN QUITS SENATE in The New York Times on August 7, 1943 (subscription required)
  9. ^ Republican Gets Hanley Seat in The New York Times on February 16, 1944 (subscription required)
  10. ^ GUTMAN QUITS SENATE in The New York Times on August 7, 1943 (subscription required)
  11. ^ Abbot Low Moffat Quits Assembly To Accept State Department Post in The New York Times on August 17, 1943 (subscription required)
  12. ^ Assembly Fiscal Post Goes to D. M. Stephens in The New York Times on August 19, 1943 (subscription required)
  13. ^ DOWNEY QUITS ASSEMBLY in The New York Times on August 20, 1943 (subscription required)
  14. ^ Armstrong Quits Assembly in The New York Times on August 22, 1943 (subscription required)

Sources

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