The 132nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to April 30, 1909, during the third year of Charles Evans Hughes's governorship, in Albany.

Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1906 and 1907, 51 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (twelve districts), Kings County (eight districts), Erie County (three districts) and Monroe County (two districts). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.

On April 27, 1906, the Legislature re-apportioned the Senate districts, increasing the number to 51.see APPORTIONMENT PLAN MADE; ODELL BEATEN in NYT on April 27, 1906 The apportionment was then contested in the courts.

The Legislature also re-apportioned the number of assemblymen per county. Nassau County was separated from the remainder of Queens County; Albany, Broome, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oswego and Rensselaer counties lost one seat each; Erie, Monroe and Westchester gained one each; and Kings and Queens counties gained two each.

On April 3, 1907, the new Senate and Assembly apportionment was declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals.OLD APPORTIONMENT IS DECLARED VOID in NYT on April 4, 1907

On July 26, 1907, the Legislature again re-apportioned the Senate districts, and re-enacted the 1906 Assembly apportionment.see HUGHES WINS ON APPORTIONMENT in NYT on July 24, 1907

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Independence League, the Socialist Party, the Prohibition Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets.

Elections The 1908 New York state election, was held on November 3. Gov. Charles Evans Hughes was re-elected; and State Senator Horace White was elected Lieutenant Governor; both Republicans. The other six statewide elective offices up for election were also carried by the Republicans. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Republican 805,000; Democratic 735,000; Independence League 43,000; Socialists 34,000; Prohibition 19,000; and Socialist Labor 4,000.

Sessions The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1909; and adjourned on April 30.

James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. (R) was re-elected Speaker.

John Raines (R) was re-elected President pro tempore of the State Senate.

On January 19, the Legislature elected U.S. Secretary of State Elihu Root (R) to succeed Thomas C. Platt (R) as U.S. Senator from New York for a six-year term beginning on March 4, 1909.ROOT IS CHOSEN SENATOR in NYT on January 20, 1909

State Senate Districts

Members The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Orlando Hubbs, Robert F. Wagner, George M. S. Schulz, J. Mayhew Wainwright, George L. Meade and Charles Mann Hamilton changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

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

District Senator Party Notes1stOrlando Hubbs* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages2ndDennis J. Harte* Democratre-elected3rdThomas H. Cullen* Democratre-elected4thReuben L. Gledhill Republican5thBarth S. Cronin Democrat6thEugene M. Travis* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Banks7thPatrick H. McCarren* Democratre-elected; died on October 23, 19098thAlvah W. Burlingame Jr. Republican9thJohn Kissel Republican10thCharles Alt Republican11thChristopher D. Sullivan* Democratre-elected12thTimothy D. Sullivan Democrat13thWilliam J. A. Caffrey Democrat14thThomas F. Grady* Democratre-elected; re-elected Minority Leader15thThomas J. McManus* Democratre-elected16thRobert F. Wagner* Democrat17thGeorge B. Agnew* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills18thAlexander Brough Republican19thJosiah T. Newcomb RepublicanChairman of Indian Affairs20thJames J. Frawley* Democratre-elected21stStephen J. Stilwell Democrat22ndGeorge M. S. Schulz* Democrat23rdHoward R. Bayne Democrat24thJ. Mayhew Wainwright* RepublicanChairman of Miscellaneous Corporations25thJohn B. Rose RepublicanChairman of Military Affairs26thJohn F. Schlosser RepublicanChairman of Privileges and Elections27thJohn N. Cordts* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Commerce and Navigation28thWilliam J. Grattan* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Insurance29thVictor M. Allen RepublicanChairman of Canals30thEdgar T. Brackett Republican31stWilliam A. Gardner Democrat32ndSeth G. Heacock* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Internal Affairs of Towns and Counties33rdJames A. Emerson* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Penal Institutions 34thWilliam T. O'Neil* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Revision; died on May 5, 190935thGeorge H. Cobb* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Railroads36thFrederick M. Davenport Republican37thJotham P. Allds* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Finance38thHendrick S. Holden Republican39thHarvey D. Hinman* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Affairs of Cities40thCharles J. Hewitt RepublicanChairman of Public Printing41stBenn Conger RepublicanChairman of Trades and Manufactures42ndJohn Raines* Republicanre-elected; re-elected President pro tempore; Chairman of Rules; died on December 16, 190943rdFrank C. Platt RepublicanChairman of Agriculture44thGeorge H. Witter RepublicanChairman of Public Health45thGeorge L. Meade* RepublicanChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment46thCharles J. White Republican47thJames P. Mackenzie Republican48thHenry W. Hill* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Codes49thSamuel J. Ramsperger* Democratre-elected50thGeorge Allen Davis* Republicanre-elected; Chairman of Judiciary51stCharles Mann Hamilton* RepublicanChairman of Forest, Fish and Game

Employees Clerk: Lafayette B. Gleason Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles R. Hotaling General Committee Clerk: William S. Coffey

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