The 174th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 9, 1963, to December 30, 1964, during the fifth and sixth years of Nelson Rockefeller's governorship, in Albany.

Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938, re-apportioned in 1953, 58 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 Kings (nine districts), New York (six), Queens (five), Bronx (four), Erie (three), Nassau (three), Westchester (three), Monroe (two) and Onondaga (two). The Assembly districts consisted either of a single entire county (except Hamilton Co.), or of contiguous area within one county.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the Socialist Workers Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets.

Elections The 1962 New York state election was held on November 6. Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Lieutenant Governor Malcolm Wilson were re-elected, both Republicans. The other four statewide elective offices were carried by two Republicans; and two Democrats with Liberal endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, was: Republicans 3,082,000; Democrats 2,310,000; Liberals 243,000; Conservatives 142,000; Socialist Workers 20,000; and Socialist Labor 10,000.

3 of the 4 women members of the previous legislature—Assemblywomen Dorothy Bell Lawrence (Republican), a former school teacher of Manhattan; and Aileen B. Ryan (Democrat), a former school teacher of the Bronx—were re-elected. Constance E. Cook (Republican), a lawyer of Ithaca, was also elected to the Assembly.

The 1963 New York state election was held on Tuesday November 5. The only statewide elective office up for election was a seat on the New York Court of Appeals. Democrat Francis Bergan was elected with Republican and Liberal endorsement. One vacancy in the State Senate, and two vacancies in the Assembly, were filled.Complete Results of the Election in the City, Suburbs, State and New Jersey in The New York Times on November 7, 1963 (subscription required)

On February 4, 1964, Constance Baker Motley, a lawyer of Manhattan, was elected to the State Senate, to fill a vacancy.

Sessions The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 186th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 9, 1963;TAX CURB URGED BY ROCKEFELLER in The New York Times on January 10, 1963 (subscription required) and adjourned on April 6.BILL ON HOSPITALS PASSED IN ALBANY AS SESSION ENDS in The New York Times on April 7, 1963 (subscription required)

Joseph F. Carlino (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker.

Walter J. Mahoney (Rep.) was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate.

The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 187th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 8, 1964;GOVERNOR SETS MILD PROGRAM IN HIS MESSAGE in The New York Times on January 9, 1964 (subscription required) and adjourned on March 27.2 HOUSES ADJOURN in The New York Times on March 27, 1964 (subscription required)

The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on April 15, 1964;LEGISLATORS GET G.O.P. PLAN TO BAR LIQUOR-PRICE ADS in The New York Times on April 16, 1964 (subscription required) and adjourned on the next day.ROCKEFELLER URGES U.S. TAX REVISION in The New York Times on April 18, 1964 (subscription required) This session was called to revise the liquor laws.

In 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down several decisions establishing that State legislatures should follow the One man, one vote rule to apportion their election districts. A special Federal Statutory Court declared the New York apportionment formulae for both the State Senate and the State Assembly unconstitutional, and the State Legislature was ordered to re-apportion the seats by April 1, 1965. The court also ruled that the 1964 legislative election should be held under the 1954 apportionment, but those elected could serve only for one year (in 1965), and an election under the new apportionment should be held in November 1965. Senators John H. Hughes and Lawrence M. Rulison (both Rep.) questioned the authority of the federal court to shorten the term of the 1964 electees,2 STATE SENATORS FIGHT TERM RULING in The New York Times on August 2, 1964 alleging excessive costs for the additional election in an off-year.Two State Senators Fight Redisricting in The New York Times on August 25, 1964

At the New York state election, 1964, on November 3, Democratic majorities were elected to both the State Senate and the State Assembly for the session of 1965.

The lame-duck Legislature met for another special session at the State Capitol in Albany on December 15, 1964;G.O.P. BILLS LATE, ALBANY EXTENDS SESSION A WEEK in The New York Times on December 16, 1964 (subscription required) and adjourned on December 30.Republicans End 30-Year Reign In the Legislature as It Adjourns in The New York Times on December 31, 1964 This session was called to re-apportion the legislative districts for the 1965 election, gerrymandering the districts according to the wishes of the Republican majority before the Democrats would take over the Legislature in January.ROCKEFELLER CALLS SESSION FOR DEC. 15; Legislature Told to Draw Redistricting Formula in The New York Times on December 2, 1964 (subscription required)Reapportioning New York State in The New York Times on December 3, 1964 The number of seats in the State Senate was increased to 65, and the number of seats in the Assembly to 165. County representation was abandoned in favor of population-proportional districts, and the new Assembly districts were numbered from 1 to 165.

State Senate

Districts

Senators The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Guy James Mangano, Edward S. Lentol and Jeremiah J. Moriarty changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assemblyman Irwin R. Brownstein was elected to fill a vacancy in the Senate.

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

District Senator Party Notes1stElisha T. Barrett* RepublicanChairman of Finance2ndNorman F. Lent Republican3rdHenry M. Curran* Republican4thEdward J. Speno* Republican5thJack E. Bronston* Dem./Lib.6thIrving Mosberg* Dem./Lib.7thSeymour R. Thaler* Dem./Lib.8thThomas A. Duffy* Dem./Lib.9thThomas J. Mackell* Dem./Lib.10thSimon J. Liebowitz* Dem./Lib.11thWalter E. Cooke* Democrat12thJeremiah B. Bloom* Dem./Lib.13thGuy James Mangano* Dem./Lib.14thWilliam T. Conklin* Republican 15thFrank J. Pino* Dem./Lib.resigned to run for the New York Supreme CourtIrwin Brownstein* Democraton November 5, 1963, elected to fill vacancy16thWilliam Rosenblatt* Dem./Lib.17thSamuel L. Greenberg* Dem./Lib.18thEdward S. Lentol* Dem./Lib.19thJohn J. Marchi* Republican20thMacNeil Mitchell* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary 21stJames Lopez Watson* Dem./Lib.on November 5, 1963, elected to the New York City Civil CourtConstance Baker Motley Democraton February 4, 1964, elected to fill vacancyMRS. MOTLEY WINS SENATE ELECTION in The New York Times on February 5, 1964 (subscription required)22ndJerome L. Wilson Dem./Lib.23rdJoseph Zaretzki* Dem./Lib.Minority Leader24thJoseph R. Marro* Dem./Lib.on November 3, 1964, elected to the New York City Civil Court25thManfred Ohrenstein* Dem./Lib.26thHarry Kraf* Democrat27thIvan Warner* Democrat28thAbraham Bernstein* Democrat29thJoseph E. Marine* Democrat30thHunter Meighan* Republican31stGeorge W. Cornell* RepublicanChairman of Public Service32ndWilliam F. Condon* Republican33rdD. Clinton Dominick III* Rep./Lib.34thE. Ogden Bush* Republican35thErnest I. Hatfield* RepublicanChairman of Banking; and of Ethics36thJulian B. Erway* Dem./Lib.37thAlbert Berkowitz* Republican38thOwen M. Begley* Dem./Lib.39thGeorge Eustis Paine* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages40thRobert C. McEwen* Republicanon November 3, 1964, elected to the 89th U.S. Congress41stWalter Van Wiggeren* Republican42ndFred J. Rath* RepublicanChairman of Penal Institutions43rdHenry A. Wise* RepublicanChairman of Public Welfare44thLawrence M. Rulison* Republican45thJohn H. Hughes* Republican46thLeighton A. Hope Republican47thWarren M. Anderson* Republican48thGeorge R. Metcalf* Republican49thWilliam T. Smith Republican50thDutton Peterson* Republicandied on October 20, 196451stFrank E. Van Lare* Republican52ndThomas Laverne* Rep./Lib.53rdBarber B. Conable Jr. Republicanon November 3, 1964, elected to the 89th U.S. Congress54thEarl W. Brydges* RepublicanChairman of Education55thWalter J. Mahoney* Republicanre-elected Temporary President56thFrank J. Glinski* Dem./Lib.57thRichard T. Cooke Republican58thJeremiah J. Moriarty* Republican

Employees Secretary: Albert J. Abrams Deputy Secretary: Fred Forbes

State Assembly

Assemblymen 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 (the)..."