The 157th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3 to August 18, 1934, during the second year of Herbert H. Lehman's governorship, in Albany.

Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1917, 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 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 Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Socialist Party and the Communist Party also nominated tickets. The Prohibition Party adopted at this time the name Law Preservation Party: to emphasize that Prohibition should be preserved while it was in the process of being repealed. They endorsed the "dry" candidates (mostly Republicans) and nominated own candidates in many districts where "wet" candidates were the front-runners. In New York City, a "City Fusion" (generally allied with the Republicans) and a "Recovery" (Anti-Tammany Democrats supporting Joseph V. McKee) ticket were nominated for the local elections held at the same time.

Elections The 1933 New York state election was held on November 7. The only statewide elective office up for election was a judgeship on the New York Court of Appeals which was carried by the incumbent Democrat Leonard C. Crouch who was nominated by the Democrats and endorsed by the Republicans, the Law Preservation Party and the City Fusion.

The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Judge of the Court of Appeals, was: Democrats/Republicans/Law Preservation/City Fusion 3,250,000; Socialists 100,000; and Communists 31,000.

Doris I. Byrne (Dem.), a lawyer from the Bronx, was the only woman elected to the 157th Legislature.

Sessions The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1934; and adjourned at 2.30 a.m. on April 28.FINISH COMES AT 2.30 A.M.; Scenes of Wild Disorder Mark the End of the Assembly Session in The New York Times on April 28, 1934 (subscription required)

Joseph A. McGinnies (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker.

Marguerite O'Connell (Dem.) was elected Clerk of the New York State Senate to fill the unexpired term of her deceased husband Patrick H. O'Connell, becoming the first woman to hold this office.STATE SENATE HAS ITS FIRST WOMAN CLERK in The Troy Times, of Troy, on January 4, 1934

Assembly Clerk Fred W. Hammond (Rep.) encountered opposition from the Republican State Committee Chairman W. Kingsland Macy who instructed his followers not to vote for Hammond. The second ballot for assembly clerk, on January 4, stood: Hammond 66; Louis A. Cuvillier (Dem.) 62; Charles F. Close (Rep.) 16; Ward H. Arburry 3; and Clement Curry 1.HAMMOND JUST HOLDS HIS 66 VOTES in The Troy Times, of Troy, on January 4, 1934 The split persisted, and no clerk could be elected. On January 12, in an unprecedented move, Speaker McGinnies appointed Hammond as Clerk without election.HAMMOND IS NAMED CLERK BY SPEAKER UNDER LEGAL RULING in NYT on January 13, 1934 (subscription required)

State Senator Warren T. Thayer (Rep.) was accused to act as a lobbyist for a utility company while having been chairman of the senate committee in charge of the pertaining legislation. He resigned his seat on June 11. He was tried before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and on June 19, the State Senate in special session found Thayer guilty of official misconduct by the unanimous vote of the 47 senators present.THAYER HELD GUILTY BY STATE SENATE in The New York Times on June 20, 1934 (subscription required)

The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on July 10, 1934;REPUBLICANS BACK GOV. LEHMAN'S PLAN ON COUNTY REFORM in The New York Times on July 11, 1934 (subscription required) and adjourned on August 18.PUSH COMPROMISE ON MORTGAGE BILL in The New York Times on August 18, 1934 (subscription required)

State Senate

Districts

Members 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 Senator Party Notes1stGeorge L. Thompson* Republican2ndJoseph D. Nunan Jr.* DemocratChairman of Civil Service3rdFrank B. Hendel* DemocratChairman of Public Printing4thPhilip M. Kleinfeld* DemocratChairman of Excise5thJohn J. Howard* DemocratChairman of Penal Institutions6thMarcellus H. Evans* DemocratChairman of General Laws; on November 6, 1934, elected to the 74th U.S. Congress7thGeorge Blumberg* Republican8thJoseph A. Esquirol* DemocratChairman of Public Health9thHenry L. O'Brien* DemocratChairman of Labor and Industry10thJeremiah F. Twomey* DemocratChairman of Finance11thJames J. Crawford* DemocratChairman of Pensions12thElmer F. Quinn* DemocratChairman of Codes13thThomas F. Burchill* DemocratChairman of Public Service14thSamuel Mandelbaum* DemocratChairman of Cities15thJohn L. Buckley* DemocratChairman of Taxation and Retrenchment16thJohn J. McNaboe* DemocratChairman of Conservation; and of Re-Apportionment17thAlbert Wald* DemocratChairman of Revision18thJohn T. McCall* DemocratChairman of Banks19thDuncan T. O'Brien* DemocratChairman of Insurance20thA. Spencer Feld* DemocratChairman of Public Education21stLazarus Joseph Democratelected to fill vacancy, in place of Henry G. Schackno; Chairman of Printed and Engrossed Bills22ndJulius S. Berg* DemocratChairman of Privileges and Elections23rdJohn J. Dunnigan* DemocratTemporary President; Chairman of Rules24thHarry J. Palmer* DemocratChairman of Internal Affairs25thWalter W. Westall* Republican26thSeabury C. Mastick* Rep./Law P.27thThomas C. Desmond* Republican 28thJ. Griswold Webb* Republicandied on May 5, 1934Frederic H. Bontecou Republicanelected on July 5 to fill vacancySTATE SENATE SEAT IS WON BY BONTECOU in The New York Times on July 6, 1934 (subscription required)29thArthur H. Wicks* Rep./Law P.30thWilliam T. Byrne* DemocratChairman of Judiciary; and of Agriculture31stOgden J. Ross* DemocratChairman of Military Affairs32ndAlexander G. Baxter* Republicandied on August 30, 193433rdBenjamin F. Feinberg* Republican34thWarren T. Thayer* Republicanresigned his seat on June 11W. T. THAYER QUITS HIS SEAT IN SENATE FOR GOOD OF PARTY in The New York Times on June 12, 1934 (subscription required)35thHenry I. Patrie* Rep./Law P.36thMichael J. Kernan* DemocratChairman of Affairs of Villages37thPerley A. Pitcher* Republican38thGeorge R. Fearon* RepublicanMinority Leader39thWalter W. Stokes* Republican40thBert Lord* Rep./Law P.on November 6, 1934, elected to the 74th U.S. Congress41stFrank A. Frost* Rep./Law P.42ndCharles J. Hewitt* Republican43rdEarle S. Warner* Republican44thJoe R. Hanley* Rep./Law P.45thCosmo A. Cilano* Republican46thFred J. Slater* Republican47thWilliam H. Lee* Republican48thLawrence G. Williams* Republican49thStephen J. Wojtkowiak* DemocratChairman of Commerce and Navigation50thNelson W. Cheney* Republican51stLeigh G. Kirkland* Rep./Law P.

Employees Clerk: Marguerite O'Connell

State Assembly

Assemblymen

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