185th New York State Legislature

The 185th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5, 1983, to December 31, 1984, during the first and second years of Mario Cuomo's governorship, in Albany.

185th New York State Legislature
←184th 186th→
The facade of the New York State Capitol building in bright daylight
New York State Capitol (2009)
Overview
Legislative bodyNew York State Legislature
JurisdictionNew York, United States
TermJanuary 1, 1983 – December 31, 1984
Senate
Members61
PresidentLt. Gov. Alfred DelBello (D)
Temporary PresidentWarren M. Anderson (R)
Party controlRepublican (35–26)
Assembly
Members150
SpeakerStanley Fink (D)
Party controlDemocratic (98–52)
Sessions
1stJanuary 5 – June 28, 1983
2ndSeptember 15, 1983 –
3rdJanuary 4 – July 1, 1984
4thDecember 6, 1984 –

Background

On May 8, 1982, Senate Republicans and Assembly Democrats announced that they had agreed upon a new apportionment. The number of seats in the State Senate was increased from 60 to 61.[1] The new district lines were gerrymandered by the Republican Senate majority to increase Republican strength, and by the Democratic Assembly majority to increase Democratic strength.[2]

On June 23, 1982, a special panel of three federal judges ordered Special Master Robert P. Patterson Jr. to revise the new apportionment proposed by the Legislature.[3]

On July 3, 1982, the revised re-apportionment was approved by the U.S. Department of Justice.[4]

Thus, 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, a "Statewide Independent Party", a "Unity Party", the New Alliance Party, and the Socialist Workers Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1982, was held on November 2. Lieutenant Governor Mario Cuomo was elected Governor, and Westchester County Executive Alfred DelBello was elected Lieutenant Governor, both Democrats. The elections to the other three statewide elective offices resulted in the re-election of the three incumbent officeholders: a Republican Comptroller, a Democratic Attorney General and a Democratic U.S. Senator. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,560,000; Republicans 2,249,000; Conservatives 230,000; Liberals 116,000; Right to Life 52,000; Libertarians 17,000; Statewide Independents 16,000; Unity 6,000; New Alliance 5,000; and Socialist Workers 4,000.

Sixteen of the nineteen women members of the previous legislature—State Senators Carol Berman (Dem.), of Lawrence; Mary B. Goodhue (Rep.), a lawyer of Mount Kisco; Olga A. Méndez (Dem.), of East Harlem, and Linda Winikow (Dem.), of Spring Valley; and Assemblywomen Elizabeth Connelly (Dem.), of Staten Island; Pinny Cooke (Rep.), of Rochester; Geraldine L. Daniels (Dem.), of the Bronx; Gloria Davis (Dem.), of the Bronx; Eileen C. Dugan (Dem.), of Brooklyn; Aurelia Greene (Dem.), of the Bronx; Rhoda S. Jacobs (Dem.), of Brooklyn; Gerdi E. Lipschutz (Dem.), of Queens; May W. Newburger (Dem.), of Great Neck; Toni Rettaliata (Rep.), of Huntington; Gail S. Shaffer (Dem.), of North Blenheim; and Helene Weinstein (Dem.), a lawyer of Brooklyn—were re-elected. Anna V. Jefferson (Dem.), an accountant of Brooklyn, was also elected to the State Senate. Cynthia Jenkins (Dem.), a librarian of Queens; Helen M. Marshall (Dem.), a teacher and librarian of Queens; Nettie Mayersohn (Dem.), of Queens; Mary M. McPhillips (Dem.), of Middletown; Barbara Patton (Dem.), a lawyer of Hempstead; and Louise M. Slaughter (Dem.), of Fairport; were also elected to the Assembly. Gail S. Shaffer did not take her seat in the Assembly, and was appointed as Secretary of State of New York instead.

On May 24, 1983, Julia Harrison (Dem.), of Queens, was elected to fill a vacancy in the Assembly. Thus the 185th Legislature finished having 23 women members, surpassing the previous record of 19 in the 184th New York State Legislature (in 1982).

The New York state election, 1983, was held on November 8. One vacancy in the Assembly was filled.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 206th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1983;[5] and recessed indefinitely on June 28.[6]

Stanley Fink (Dem.) was re-elected Speaker of the Assembly.

Warren M. Anderson (Rep.) was re-elected Temporary President of the Senate.

The Legislature met for a special session on September 15, 1983, to consider changes to the laws concerning transportation of cargoes.[7]

The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 207th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1984;[8] and recessed indefinitely shortly before 2 a.m. on July 1.[9]

An hour after midnight, on May 30, the State Assembly rejected after a stormy debate of many hours the proposal to raise the legal drinking age from 19 to 21 years; the vote stood 80 to 69.[10]

The Legislature met for another special session on December 6, 1984. At this session, the legislators raised the wages of the legislators who were elected to the next Legislature; approved a sales tax increase for Erie County; and extended a corporate tax surcharge used to subsidize the New York City mass transit system.[11]

State Senate

Senators

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Andrew Jenkins and Lloyd Stephen Riford Jr. changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assemblyman Leonard P. Stavisky was elected to fill a vacancy in the Senate.

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

District Senator Party Notes
1st Kenneth LaValle* Rep./Cons.
2nd James J. Lack* Rep./Cons.
3rd Caesar Trunzo* Rep./Cons./RTL
4th Owen H. Johnson* Rep./Cons./RTL
5th Ralph J. Marino* Rep./Cons.
6th John R. Dunne* Rep./Cons.
7th Michael J. Tully Jr.* Rep./Cons.
8th Norman J. Levy* Rep./Cons. Chairman of Transportation
9th Carol Berman* Dem./Lib.
10th Andrew Jenkins* Dem./Lib.
11th Frank Padavan* Rep./Cons./RTL
12th Gary L. Ackerman* Dem./Lib. on March 1, 1983, elected to the 98th U.S. Congress
Leonard P. Stavisky* Democrat on April 12, 1983, elected to fill vacancy[12]
13th Emanuel R. Gold* Dem./Lib.
14th Anthony V. Gazzara* Dem./Cons./RTL on May 23, 1983, appointed as Chairman of the NYS Liquor Authority[13]
George Onorato Democrat on June 28, 1983, elected to fill vacancy[14]
15th Martin J. Knorr* Rep./Cons./RTL
16th Jeremy S. Weinstein* Dem./Lib.
17th Howard E. Babbush* Dem./Lib.
18th Donald Halperin* Democrat
19th Martin M. Solomon* Democrat
20th Thomas J. Bartosiewicz* Democrat
21st Marty Markowitz* Democrat
22nd Anna V. Jefferson Democrat
23rd Joseph G. Montalto Dem./Lib.
24th John J. Marchi* Rep./Dem./Cons. Chairman of Finance
25th Martin Connor* Dem./Lib.
26th Roy M. Goodman* Rep./Lib.
27th Manfred Ohrenstein* Dem./Lib. Minority Leader
28th Franz S. Leichter* Dem./Lib.
29th Leon Bogues* Dem./Lib.
30th Olga A. Méndez* Dem./Lib.
31st Joseph L. Galiber* Dem./Lib.
32nd Israel Ruiz Jr.* Dem./Lib.
33rd Abraham Bernstein* Dem./Lib.
34th John D. Calandra* Rep./Cons./RTL
35th John E. Flynn* Rep./Cons./RTL
36th Joseph R. Pisani* Rep./Cons. resigned on June 27, 1984[15]
37th Mary B. Goodhue* Rep./Cons.
38th Linda Winikow* Dem./Lib.
39th Richard E. Schermerhorn* Rep./Cons./RTL
40th Charles D. Cook* Rep./Cons.
41st Jay P. Rolison Jr.* Rep./Cons.
42nd Howard C. Nolan Jr.* Dem./Lib.
43rd Joseph Bruno* Rep./Cons.
44th Hugh T. Farley* Rep./Cons./RTL
45th Ronald B. Stafford* Rep./Cons.
46th Hugh Douglas Barclay* Rep./Cons.
47th James H. Donovan* Rep./Cons. Chairman of Education
48th Martin S. Auer* Rep./Cons.
49th Tarky Lombardi Jr.* Rep./Cons.
50th Lloyd Stephen Riford Jr.* Rep./Cons.
51st Warren M. Anderson* Rep./Cons. re-elected Temporary President
52nd William T. Smith* Rep./Cons.
53rd L. Paul Kehoe* Rep./Cons.
54th John D. Perry* Democrat
55th William M. Steinfeldt* Republican
56th Jess J. Present* Republican
57th William Stachowski* Democrat
58th Anthony M. Masiello* Dem./Lib.
59th Dale M. Volker* Rep./Cons./RTL
60th Walter J. Floss Jr.* Rep./Cons./RTL
61st John B. Daly* Rep./Cons.

Employees
  • Secretary: Stephen F. Sloan

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)..."

District Assemblymen Party Notes
1st Joseph Sawicki Jr. Rep./RTL
2nd John L. Behan* Rep./Cons./RTL
3rd Icilio W. Bianchi Jr.* Democrat
4th George J. Hochbrueckner* Democrat
5th Paul E. Harenberg* Democrat
6th Robert C. Wertz* Rep./Cons./RTL
7th Thomas F. Barraga Rep./Cons./RTL
8th John C. Cochrane* Rep./Cons.
9th John J. Flanagan* Rep./Cons./RTL
10th Toni Rettaliata* Rep./Cons. Chairwoman of the Minority Steering Committee
11th Patrick G. Halpin* Democrat
12th Philip B. Healey* Rep./Cons.
13th Lewis J. Yevoli* Democrat
14th Frederick E. Parola* Rep./Cons. Assistant Minority Whip
15th Angelo F. Orazio* Dem./Lib.
16th May W. Newburger* Dem./Lib.
17th Kemp Hannon* Rep./Cons. Minority Leader pro tempore
18th Barbara Patton Dem./Lib.
19th Armand P. D'Amato* Rep./Cons.
20th Arthur J. Kremer* Dem./Lib. Chairman of Ways and Means
21st Gregory R. Becker Rep./Cons.
22nd George H. Madison* Rep./Cons.
23rd Gerdi E. Lipschutz* Democrat
24th Saul Weprin* Dem./Lib.
25th John F. Duane Democrat
26th Leonard P. Stavisky* Dem./Lib. on April 12, 1983, elected to the State Senate
Julia Harrison Dem./Lib. on May 24, 1983, elected to fill vacancy[16]
27th Nettie Mayersohn Democrat
28th Alan G. Hevesi* Dem./Lib.
29th Cynthia Jenkins Dem./Lib.
30th Ralph Goldstein* Dem./Lib.
31st Anthony S. Seminerio* Dem./Cons.
32nd Edward Abramson* Democrat
33rd Alton Waldon Dem./Lib.
34th Ivan C. Lafayette* Dem./Lib.
35th Helen M. Marshall Democrat
36th Denis J. Butler* Democrat
37th Clifford E. Wilson* Dem./Lib.
38th Frederick D. Schmidt* Dem./RTL
39th Stanley Fink* Dem./Lib. re-elected Speaker
40th Edward Griffith* Dem./Lib.
41st Helene Weinstein* Democrat
42nd Rhoda S. Jacobs* Dem./Lib.
43rd Clarence Norman Jr. Dem./Lib.
44th Mel Miller* Dem./Lib.
45th Daniel L. Feldman* Democrat
46th Howard L. Lasher* Dem./Lib.
47th Frank J. Barbaro* Dem./Lib.
48th Dov Hikind Democrat
49th Louis Freda* Dem./Lib.
50th Joseph R. Lentol* Democrat
51st Joseph Ferris* Dem./Lib.
52nd Eileen C. Dugan* Dem./Lib.
53rd Victor L. Robles* Dem./Rep./Lib. on November 6, 1984, elected to the New York City Council
54th Thomas F. Catapano Dem./Lib.
55th William F. Boyland* Dem./Lib.
56th Albert Vann* Dem./Lib.
57th Roger L. Green* Dem./Lib.
58th Elizabeth Connelly* Democrat
59th Eric N. Vitaliano Dem./RTL
60th Robert A. Straniere* Rep./Cons./RTL
61st William F. Passannante* Dem./Lib.
62nd Sheldon Silver* Dem./Lib.
63rd Steven Sanders* Dem./Lib.
64th Richard N. Gottfried* Dem./Lib.
65th Alexander B. Grannis* Dem./Lib.
66th Mark Alan Siegel* Dem./Lib.
67th Jerrold Nadler* Dem./Lib.
68th Angelo Del Toro* Dem./Lib.
69th Edward C. Sullivan* Dem./Lib.
70th Geraldine L. Daniels* Dem./Lib.
71st Herman D. Farrell Jr.* Dem./Lib.
72nd John Brian Murtaugh* Dem./Lib.
73rd José E. Serrano* Dem./Lib.
74th Louis Niñé* Democrat died on March 14, 1983
Hector L. Diaz Dem./Rep. on May 24, 1983, elected to fill vacancy[17]
75th John C. Dearie* Dem./Lib.
76th Aurelia Greene* Democrat
77th Jose Rivera Democrat
78th Gloria Davis* Dem./Lib.
79th George Friedman* Dem./Lib.
80th G. Oliver Koppell* Dem./Lib.
81st Eliot Engel* Dem./Lib.
82nd Vincent A. Marchiselli* Dem./Lib.
83rd Nicholas A. Spano* Rep./Cons.
84th Gordon W. Burrows* Rep./Cons.
85th John M. Perone* Rep./Cons.
86th Richard L. Brodsky Dem./Lib.
87th Peter M. Sullivan* Rep./Cons.
88th John R. Branca Dem./Lib. on July 12, 1983, appointed as Chairman of the NYS Athletic Commission[18]
Gregory P. Young Democrat on November 8, 1983, elected to fill vacancy
89th Henry William Barnett Republican
90th Vincent Leibell Republican
91st William J. Ryan Democrat
92nd Robert J. Connor Dem./Lib.
93rd Eugene Levy* Republican
94th Mary M. McPhillips Democrat
95th William J. Larkin Jr.* Rep./Cons./RTL
96th Lawrence E. Bennett Democrat
97th Stephen M. Saland* Rep./Cons.
98th Richard I. Coombe Rep./Cons.
99th Glenn E. Warren* Rep./Cons.
100th Neil W. Kelleher* Rep./Cons./RTL
101st Maurice D. Hinchey* Dem./Lib.
102nd Clarence D. Lane* Rep./Cons.
103rd Michael J. Hoblock Jr.* Rep./Cons.
104th Richard J. Conners* Dem./Lib.
105th (Gail S. Shaffer)* Dem./Lib. on January 1, 1983, appointed as Secretary of State of New York
Paul D. Tonko Democrat on April 12, 1983, elected to fill vacancy[19]
106th Michael R. McNulty Dem./Lib.
107th James Tedisco Rep./Cons./RTL
108th Robert A. D'Andrea* Rep./Cons.
109th Glenn H. Harris* Rep./Cons.
110th Andrew W. Ryan Jr.* Rep./Cons.
111th John W. McCann Republican
112th John G. A. O'Neil* Republican
113th Anthony J. Casale* Rep./Cons.
114th H. Robert Nortz* Rep./Cons.
115th William R. Sears* Rep./Cons./RTL
116th Richard S. Ruggiero* Democrat
117th Ray T. Chesbro* Rep./Cons.
118th Michael J. Bragman* Dem./Cons.
119th William E. Bush* Rep./Cons.
120th Melvin N. Zimmer* Dem./Cons./RTL
121st Hyman M. Miller* Rep./Cons.
122nd Clarence D. Rappleyea Jr.* Rep./Cons. Minority Leader[20]
123rd James W. McCabe* Democrat
124th James R. Tallon Jr.* Democrat
125th Hugh S. MacNeil* Republican
126th George H. Winner Jr.* Rep./Cons.
127th Randy Kuhl* Rep./Cons.
128th Michael F. Nozzolio Rep./Cons.
129th Frank G. Talomie Sr.* Rep./Cons.
130th Louise M. Slaughter Democrat
131st Gary Proud* Dem./RTL
132nd Pinny Cooke* Republican
133rd David F. Gantt Dem./Lib.
134th Roger J. Robach* Dem./Cons./RTL
135th James F. Nagle* Rep./Cons.
136th Richard C. Wesley Republican
137th R. Stephen Hawley* Republican
138th Joseph T. Pillittere* Dem./RTL
139th Matthew J. Murphy Jr.* Dem./Cons./RTL
140th Robin L. Schimminger* Democrat
141st Arthur O. Eve* Dem./Lib.
142nd John B. Sheffer II* Republican
143rd Dennis T. Gorski* Dem./Cons.
144th William B. Hoyt* Dem./Lib.
145th Richard J. Keane* Dem./Cons.
146th Francis J. Pordum Dem./RTL
147th L. William Paxon Rep./Cons./RTL
148th Vincent J. Graber Sr.* Dem./Cons.
149th Daniel B. Walsh* Democrat Majority Leader
150th William L. Parment Dem./Lib.

Employees

Notes
  1. DISTRICTING PLAN DRAWN IN ALBANY; SOME INCUMBENTS MAY LOSE SEATS by E. J. Dionne Jr, in The New York Times on May 9, 1982
  2. HOW NEW LINES WILL AFFECT POLITICAL RACES by James Feron, in The New York Times on May 16, 1982
  3. COURT APPOINTEES TO MODIFY REDISTRICTING PLAN FOR STATE by Arnold H. Lubasch, in The New York Times on June 24, 1982
  4. NEW REDISTRICTING BY NEW YORK STATE IS APPROVED BY U.S. by Jane Perlez, in The New York Times on July 4, 1982
  5. CUOMO ISSUES CALL FOR "PARTNERSHIP" TO SPARK GROWTH by Josh Barbanel, in The New York Times on January 6, 1983
  6. CUOMO EXPECTS NEW BOND ISSUE TO REBUILD STATE by Josh Barbanel, in The New York Times on June 29, 1983
  7. BILL APPROVED TO PERMIT BIGGER TRUCKS ON ROADS by Edward A. Gargan, in The New York Times on September 16, 1983
  8. CUOMO PROPOSES A BROAD AGENDA IN ANNUAL SPEECH by Josh Barbanel, in The New York Times on January 5, 1984
  9. AFTER ONE FINAL BATTLE, LEGISLATURE GOES HOME by Edward A. Gargan, in The New York Times on July 2, 1984
  10. MEASURE TO RAISE DRINKING AGE TO 21 LOSES IN NEW YORK by Michael Oreskes, in The New York Times on May 30, 1984
  11. EXTENSION OF TAX TO RETAIN FARES VOTED IN ALBANY by Michael Oreskes, in The New York Times on December 7, 1984
  12. STAVISKY WINS RACE FOR STATE SENATE in The New York Times on April 13, 1983
  13. HEAD OF STATE LIQUOR AGENCY GETS EMERGENCY POWERS FOR SIX MONTHS by Selwyn Raab, in The New York Times on July 18, 1983
  14. ONORATO, DEMOCRAT, TAKESSENATE RACE IN A QUEENS DISTRICT in The New York Times on June 29, 1983
  15. ALBANY LEADERS DRAFT A PROPOSAL ON MALPRACTICE in The New York Times on June 28, 1984
  16. DEMOCRATS WIN 2 SPECIAL RACES FOR LEGISLATURE; ...In the 26th Assembly District...Julia Harrison, who had the Liberal Party designation as well as her own Democratic line, defeated... by Glenn Fowler, in The New York Times on May 25, 1983
  17. DEMOCRATS WIN 2 SPECIAL RACES FOR LEGISLATURE; ...In the 74th Assembly District...Hector Diaz, with Republican as well as Democratic endorsement, won... by Glenn Fowler, in The New York Times on May 25, 1983
  18. JOHN BRANCA HEADS SPORTS COMMISSION in The New York Times on July 13, 1983
  19. STAVISKY WINS RACE FOR STATE SENATE; ...Paul Tonko, of Amsterdam, a Democrat, was the winner... in The New York Times on April 13, 1983
  20. G.O.P. MINORITY ELEVATES 4 by Frank Lynn, in The New York Times on February 6, 1983

Sources
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