The 167th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5, 1949, to March 22, 1950, during the seventh and eighth years of Thomas E. Dewey's governorship, in Albany.

Background Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938, re-apportioned in 1943, 56 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), Bronx (five), Queens (four), Erie (three), Westchester (three), Monroe (two) and Nassau (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 and the American Labor Party also nominated tickets.

Elections The 1948 New York state election was held on November 2. No statewide elective offices were up for election.

Seven of the eight women members of the previous legislature—Assemblywomen Gladys E. Banks (Rep.), of the Bronx; Mary A. Gillen (Dem.), of Brooklyn; Janet Hill Gordon (Rep.), a lawyer of Norwich; Elizabeth Hanniford (Rep.), a statistician of the Bronx; Genesta M. Strong (Rep.), of Plandome Heights; Mildred F. Taylor (Rep.), a coal dealer of Lyons; and Maude E. Ten Eyck (Rep.), of Manhattan—were re-elected.

The 1949 New York state election was held on November 8. Both statewide elective offices up for election were carried by the Democratic/Liberal nominees. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for U.S. Senator, was: Republicans 2,378,000; Democrats 2,149,000; and Liberals 426,000. Two vacancies in the State Senate, and two vacancies in the Assembly were filled.

Sessions The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 172nd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1949; and adjourned in the morning of March 31.LEGISLATURE ENDS; ILLNESS PAY VOTED in The New York Times on March 31, 1949 (subscription required)

Oswald D. Heck (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker.

Benjamin F. Feinberg (Rep.) was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate. On March 30, 1949, Feinberg was appointed as Chairman of the New York Public Service Commission, and Arthur H. Wicks (Rep.) was elected Temporary President of the State Senate.DEWEY, IN PERSON, APPOINTS FEINBERG; PSC Chairmanship Given to Majority Leader; A. H. Wicks Chosen to Succeed Him in The New York Times on March 31, 1949 (subscription required)

The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 173rd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1950; and adjourned on March 22.

State Senate

Districts

Senators The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Harry Gittleson and Louis Bennett changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assemblyman Henry Neddo was elected to fill a vacancy in the Senate.

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

District Senator Party Notes1stS. Wentworth Horton* Republican2ndJohn D. Bennett* Republican3rdWilliam S. Hults Jr.* Republican4thSeymour Halpern* Republican5thJames F. Fitzgerald Democrat6thFrank D. O'Connor Democrat7thWilliam N. Conrad Democrat8thJames J. Crawford* Dem./Lib.9thHarry Gittleson* Dem./Am. Labor10thHerbert I. Sorin Dem./Lib.11thFred G. Moritt* Dem./Am. Labor12thSamuel L. Greenberg* Dem./Am. Labor13thJohn F. Furey Dem./Lib.14thMario M. DeOptatis Dem./Am. Labor15thLouis L. Friedman* Dem./Lib.16thWilliam Rosenblatt* Dem./Am. Labor17thJohn M. Braisted Jr.* Democrat18thElmer F. Quinn* DemocratMinority Leader19thFrancis J. Mahoney* Democrat20thMacNeil Mitchell* Republican21stHarold I. Panken* Democrat22ndAlfred E. Santangelo* Dem./Am. Labor23rdJoseph Zaretzki* Dem./Lib.24thSidney A. Fine* Democraton November 7, 1950, elected to the 82nd U.S. Congress25thArthur Wachtel* Dem./Rep. 26thLouis Bennett* Democratresigned on July 22, 1949,Elected Public Officials of the Bronx since 1898 (2014; pg. 11) to run for the Municipal CourtNathaniel T. Helman Democraton November 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy27thPaul A. Fino* Republicanon May 29, 1950, appointed to the Municipal Civil Service CommissionFINO, JUDGE TO JOIN CIVIL SERVICE BODY in The New York Times on March 30, 1950 (subscription required)28thCharles V. Scanlan* Rep./Dem.29thWilliam F. Condon* Republican30thJ. Raymond McGovern* Republicanon November 7, 1950, elected New York State Comptroller31stPliny W. Williamson* RepublicanChairman of Judiciary32ndThomas C. Desmond* Republican33rdErnest I. Hatfield* Republican34thArthur H. Wicks* Republicanuntil March 30, 1949, Chairman of Finance; on March 30, 1949, elected Temporary President35thPeter J. Dalessandro* Democrat36thGilbert T. Seelye* Republican37thThomas F. Campbell* Republican 38thBenjamin F. Feinberg* Republicanre-elected Temporary President; on March 30, 1949, appointed as Chairman of the New York Public Service CommissionHenry Neddo* Republicanon November 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy39thPaul D. Graves Republican 40th(Fred A. Young)* Republicanon January 5, 1949, appointed to the Court of ClaimsWalter Van Wiggeren Republicanon February 8, 1949, elected to fill vacancy41stJohn T. McKennan Democrat42ndHenry A. Wise* RepublicanChairman of General Laws (1950)43rdJohn H. Hughes* Republican44thWalter W. Stokes* Republican45thFloyd E. Anderson* Republican46thChauncey B. Hammond* Republican47thHenry W. Griffith* Republican48thFred S. Hollowell* Republican49thAustin W. Erwin* Republican50thGeorge T. Manning* Republican51stRay B. Tuttle Democrat52ndEarl W. Brydges Republican53rdWalter J. Mahoney* RepublicanChairman of Finance, from March 30, 194954thEdmund P. Radwan* Republicanon November 7, 1950, elected to the 82nd U.S. Congress55thBenjamin Miller Democrat56thGeorge H. Pierce* RepublicanChairman of Affairs of Villages (1950)

Employees Clerk (1949), office renamed Secretary (1950): William S. King

State Assembly

Assemblymen

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