The 180th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3, 1973, to May 30, 1974, during the fifteenth and final year of Nelson Rockefeller's governorship, and during Malcolm Wilson'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 1971 by the legislature, 60 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 and the Liberal Party also nominated tickets.
Elections The 1972 New York state election was held on November 7. The only three statewide elective offices up for election were three seats on the New York Court of Appeals. All three seats were won by Republican judges, two with Conservative endorsement, and one with Liberal endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the average vote for Judge of the Court of Appeals, was: Republicans 2,847,000; Democrats 2,709,000; Conservatives 425,000; and Liberals 258,000. To date this was the last time a Republican majority was elected to the State Assembly.
Of the three women members of the previous legislature, Assemblywoman Mary Anne Krupsak (Dem.), a lawyer of Amsterdam, was elected to the state Senate; and Assemblywomen Constance E. Cook (Rep.), a lawyer of Ithaca; and Rosemary R. Gunning (Cons.), a lawyer of Ridgewood, Queens; were re-elected to the assembly. Karen Burstein, a lawyer of Lawrence, and Carol Bellamy, a lawyer of Brooklyn, were also elected to the state Senate; and Estella B. Diggs, of the Bronx, was also elected to the assembly.
The 1973 New York state election was held on November 6. The only statewide elective office up for election was the Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. Republican Charles D. Breitel was elected with Liberal endorsement. One vacancy in the State Senate and five vacancies in the Assembly were filled.3 SEATS IN ALBANY GO TO DEMOCRATS in The New York Times on November 7, 1973 (subscription required) Elizabeth Connelly (Dem.), of Staten Island, was elected to the assembly.
Sessions The legislature met for the first regular session (the 196th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1973;Excerpts From the Message by Governor Rockefeller on the State of the State in The New York Times on January 4, 1973 (subscription required) and adjourned sine die on May 28.SESSION IN ALBANY ENDS WITH PASSING OF WELFARE BILL in The New York Times on May 29, 1973 (subscription required)
Perry B. Duryea Jr. (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker.
Warren M. Anderson (Rep.) was elected temporary president of the state Senate.
The legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on July 25, 1973;Session Starts in Albany With Expanded Agenda in The New York Times on July 26, 1973 (subscription required) and adjourned sine die on July 31.Transit Bond Issue Is Passed; Albany Special Session Ends in The New York Times on July 26, 1973 (subscription required) This session was called to consider the issue of a $3.5 million bond issue to finance the construction of additional public transportation capacities in New York City.
The legislature met for the second regular session (the 197th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 9, 1974;WILSON'S SPEECH CALLS MODERATION HIS PRINCIPAL AIM in The New York Times on January 10, 1974 (subscription required) and adjourned sine die in the early morning of May 17.Long Last Meeting Wilts Legislators in The New York Times on May 17, 1974 (subscription required)
The U.S. Department of Justice found fault with the congressional, senatorial and Assembly districts in Manhattan and Brooklyn under the apportionment of 1971, and ordered a revision to safeguard the rights of minorities.Legislative Expert Sees Hurdle to Redistricting in The New York Times on April 3, 1974 (subscription required)
The legislature met for another special session at the State Capitol in Albany on May 29, 1974; and adjourned sine die on the next day. This session was called to remap the legislative districts in Manhattan and Brooklyn,Redistricting Has Usual Result in The New York Times on June 2, 1974 (subscription required) and to amend the rent-control law passed during the regular session. The Senate passed Governor Wilson's rent law amendment, but the Assembly did not come to a vote on it.SESSION ADJOURNS AS WILSON LOSES RENT-LAW BATTLE in The New York Times on May 31, 1974 (subscription required)
On July 1, the U.S. Department of Justice accepted the revised districts as passed by the legislature.U.S. ACCEPTS PLAN ON DISTRICTS HERE in The New York Times on July 2, 1974 (subscription required)
State Senate
Senators The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Chester J. Straub, Vander L. Beatty, Joseph R. Pisani, Mary Anne Krupsak, Edwyn E. Mason and James T. McFarland changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of the session.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."
District Senator Party Notes1stLeon E. Giuffreda* RepublicanChairman of Education2ndBernard C. Smith* Republican3rdCaesar Trunzo Republican4thOwen H. Johnson Republican5thRalph J. Marino* Republican6thJohn R. Dunne* Republican7thJohn D. Caemmerer* Republican8thNorman J. Levy* Republican9thKaren Burstein Democrat10thJohn J. Santucci* Democrat11thFrank Padavan Rep./Cons.12thJack E. Bronston* Dem./Lib.13thEmanuel R. Gold* Dem./Lib. 14thNicholas Ferraro* Democraton November 6, 1973, elected D.A. of Queens CountyJohn J. Moore Democraton February 14, 1974, elected to fill vacancyNew Oueens Senator Is Aiming at a Role on Investigative Committees in The New York Times on February 17, 1974 (subscription required)15thMartin J. Knorr* Rep./Cons.16thA. Frederick Meyerson* Democrat17thChester J. Straub* Democrat18thVander L. Beatty* Democrat19thJeremiah B. Bloom* Democrat20thDonald Halperin* Democrat21stWilliam T. Conklin* Rep./Cons.Deputy Majority Leader22ndAlbert B. Lewis* Democrat23rdCarol Bellamy Democrat24thJohn J. Marchi* RepublicanChairman of FinanceMARCHI, CONKLIN GET SENATE POSTS in The New York Times on January 4, 1973 (subscription required)25thPaul P. E. Bookson* Democrat26thRoy M. Goodman* Rep./Lib.27thManfred Ohrenstein* Dem./Lib.28thSidney A. von Luther* Dem./Lib.29thJoseph Zaretzki* Dem./Lib.Minority Leader30thRobert García* Dem./Rep./Lib. 31stHarrison J. Goldin* Dem./Lib.on November 6, 1973, elected New York City Comptroller The seat remained vacant throughout the session of 197432ndJoseph L. Galiber* Dem./Rep./Lib.33rdAbraham Bernstein* Dem./Lib.34thJohn D. Calandra* Rep./Dem./Cons.35thJohn E. Flynn* Republican36thJoseph R. Pisani* Republican37thBernard G. Gordon* Rep./Cons.38thDonald R. Ackerson Republican39thJay P. Rolison Jr.* Rep./Cons.40thRichard E. Schermerhorn* Rep./Cons.41stDouglas Hudson* Republican42ndWalter B. Langley* Republican43rdRonald B. Stafford* Rep./Cons.44thMary Anne Krupsak* Dem./Lib.on November 5, 1974, elected Lieutenant Governor of New York45thHugh Douglas Barclay* Republican46thJames H. Donovan* Rep./Cons.47thWarren M. Anderson* Republicanelected Temporary President; acting as Lt. Gov. from December 18, 197348thEdwyn E. Mason* Rep./Cons.49thMartin S. Auer Republican50thTarky Lombardi Jr.* Rep./Cons.51stWilliam T. Smith* Rep./Cons.52ndFrederick L. Warder* Republican53rdGordon J. DeHond Rep./Cons.54thFred J. Eckert Rep./Cons. 55thFrank J. Glinski* Dem./Lib.resigned in 1973Joseph A. Tauriello Democraton November 6, 1973, elected to fill vacancy56thJames D. Griffin* Dem./Cons.57thJess J. Present* Republican58thThomas F. McGowan* Rep./Cons.59thJames T. McFarland* Rep./Cons.60thLloyd H. Paterson Rep./Lib.
Employees Secretary: Albert J. Abrams
State Assembly
Assemblymen The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. George A. Murphy and John J. LaFalce changed from the Senate to the Assembly at the beginning of the session.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."