The 190th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6, 1993, to December 31, 1994, during the eleventh and twelfth years of Mario Cuomo's governorship, in Albany.
Background 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 1992 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 Right to Life Party, the Liberal Party, the Libertarian Party, the New Alliance Party, the Natural Law Party, and the Socialist Workers Party also nominated tickets.
Elections The 1992 New York state election was held on November 3. The only statewide elective office up for election was a U.S. Senator from New York. Republican Al D'Amato was re-elected with Conservative and Right-to-Life endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for U.S. Senator, was: Democrats 2,943,000; Republicans 2,653,000; Conservatives 289,000; Right to Life 225,000; Liberals 143,000; Libertarians 109,000; New Alliance 57,000; and Socialist Workers 17,000.
25 of the sitting 28 women members of the legislature—State Senators Nancy Larraine Hoffmann (Democrat), of Syracuse; Olga A. Méndez (Democrat), of East Harlem; Velmanette Montgomery (Democrat), of Brooklyn; Suzi Oppenheimer (Democrat), of Mamaroneck; and Ada L. Smith (Democrat), of Queens; and State Representatives Nancy Calhoun (Republican), of Blooming Grove; Joan Christensen (Democrat), of Syracuse; Barbara M. Clark (Demo6), of Queens; Elizabeth Connelly (Dem.), of Staten Island; Vivian E. Cook (Democrat) of Queens; Gloria Davis (Democrat), of the Bronx; Eileen C. Dugan (Democrat), of Brooklyn; Deborah J. Glick (Democrat), of Manhattan; Aurelia Greene (Democrat), of the Bronx; Earlene Hill Hooper (Dem.), of Hempstead; Rhoda S. Jacobs (Democrat), of Brooklyn; Cynthia Jenkins (Dem.), a librarian of Queens; Susan V. John (Democrat), of Rochester; Nettie Mayersohn (Democrat), of Queens; Patricia McGee (Rep.), of Franklinville; Catherine Nolan (Democrat), of Queens; Audrey Pheffer (Democrat), of Queens; Cecile D. Singer (Rep.), of Yonkers; Frances T. Sullivan (Republican), of Fulton; and Helene Weinstein (Democrat), a lawyer of Brooklyn—were re-elected. Nellie R. Santiago (Democrat), of Brooklyn; and Mary Ellen Jones (Dem.), of Irondequoit, were also elected to the State Senate. RoAnn Destito (Democrat), of Rome; Donna Ferrara (Republican), a lawyer of Westbury; Sandy Galef (Dem.), of Ossining; Eileen Hickey (Dem.), a registered nurse of Rhinebeck; Audrey Hochberg (Democrat), of Scarsdale; Elizabeth C. Hoffman (Rep.), of North Tonawanda; and Naomi C. Matusow (Democrat), a lawyer of Armonk; were also elected to the Assembly.
On February 16, 1993, Chloe Ann O'Neil (Rep.), an elementary school teacher of Parishville, was elected to fill a vacancy in the Assembly.
The 1993 New York state election was held on November 2. Two vacancies in the State Senate and two vacancies in the Assembly were filled. Mary Lou Rath (Rep.), of Williamsville, was elected to fill one of the vacancies in the Senate; and Patricia Acampora (Rep.), of Mattituck, was elected to fill one of the vacancies in the Assembly.
On February 15, 1994, Melinda Katz (Lib.), a lawyer of Queens; and Carmen E. Arroyo (Dem.), of the Bronx; were elected to fill vacancies in the Assembly. Thus the 190th Legislature ended having 39 women members, surpassing the previous record of 28 in the 189th New York State Legislature (1991–1992).
Sessions The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 216th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1993;The Plans May Be New, But Are They Improved? by James Dao, in The New York Times on January 7, 1993 and recessed indefinitely on July 8.Albany All-Nighter: Cleared Desks and Unresolved Issues by James Dao, in The New York Times on July 9, 1993
Saul Weprin (Dem.) was re-elected Speaker of the Assembly.
Ralph J. Marino (Rep.) was re-elected Temporary President of the Senate.
On February 18, 1993, State Comptroller Edward Regan (Rep.) tendered his resignation, effective April 30.Comptroller Resigns Albany Post To Head Institute at Bard College by Kevin Sack, in The New York Times on February 19, 1993 On May 5, the Legislature elected Carl McCall (Dem.) to fill the vacancy, with a vote of 121 to 2, the Republicans boycotting the election.Despite G.O.P. Boycott, Democratic Legislators Elect McCall as Comptroller by Kevin Sack, in The New York Times on May 6, 1993
On September 8, 1993, Attorney General Robert Abrams (Dem.) tendered his resignation, effective December 31.Attorney General Abrams to Quit To Join a Law Firm in Manhattan, by Todd S. Purdum, in The New York Times on September 9, 1993 The Legislature met again in NovemberAssembly Session to Offer Sound, Fury and Politics by James Dao, in The New York Times on November 14, 1993 and December. On December 16, 1993, Assemblyman G. Oliver Koppell was elected by the Legislature to fill the vacancy.Koppell Named Interim Attorney General by James Dao, in The New York Times on December 17, 1993
The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 217th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1994;In Message, Cuomo Echoes G.O.P. Ideas by James Dao, in The New York Times on January 6, 1994 and recessed indefinitely on July 3.Lawmakers Finish Session in Albany At Odds on Issues by James Dao, in The New York Times on July 4, 1994
On January 19, Speaker Weprin suffered a stroke, and was hospitalized.Weprin's Kin Reveal Illness But No Details by James Dao, in The New York Times on January 21, 1994 On January 24, 1994, Sheldon Silver (Dem.) was elected as Interim Speaker.Interim Assembly Speaker Is Elected in the New York Post on January 25, 1994 Weprin died on February 11, and Silver was subsequently elected as Speaker.
State Senate
Senators The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. George E. Pataki and Michael F. Nozzolio changed from the Assembly to the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on (the)..."
District Senator Party Notes1stKenneth LaValle* Republican2ndJames J. Lack* Republican3rdCaesar Trunzo* Republican4thOwen H. Johnson* Republican5thRalph J. Marino* Republicanre-elected Temporary President6thKemp Hannon* Republican7thMichael J. Tully Jr.* RepublicanChairman of Health8thNorman J. Levy* RepublicanChairman of Transportation9thDean Skelos* Republican10thAlton R. Waldon Jr.* Democrat11thFrank Padavan* Republican12thAda L. Smith* Democrat13thEmanuel R. Gold* Democrat14thGeorge Onorato* Democrat15thSerphin R. Maltese* Cons./Rep.16thLeonard P. Stavisky* Democrat17thNellie R. Santiago Democrat18thVelmanette Montgomery* Democrat19thHoward E. Babbush* Democrat20thMarty Markowitz* Democrat 21stDonald Halperin* Democraton October 4, 1993, appointed as NYS Commissioner of HousingCuomo Picks Investment Banker For Municipal Assistance Post in The New York Times on October 5, 1993Carl Kruger Democraton February 15, 1994, elected to fill vacancyIn Special Elections, Democrats Win Two Senate Seats by Ian Fisher, in The New York Times on February 16, 199422ndMartin M. Solomon* Democrat 23rdChristopher J. Mega* Republicanin July 1993, appointed to the New York Court of ClaimsRobert DiCarlo Republicanon November 2, 1993, elected to fill vacancy24thJohn J. Marchi* Republican25thMartin Connor* Democrat26thRoy M. Goodman* Republican27thManfred Ohrenstein* DemocratMinority Leader28thOlga A. Méndez* Democrat29thDavid Paterson* Democrat30thFranz S. Leichter* Democrat31stEfrain Gonzalez Jr.* Democrat32ndPedro Espada Jr. Democrat33rdJoseph L. Galiber* Democrat34thGuy J. Velella* Republican35thNicholas A. Spano* Republican36thSuzi Oppenheimer* Democrat37thGeorge E. Pataki* Republicanon November 8, 1994, elected Governor of New York38thJoseph R. Holland* Republican39thWilliam J. Larkin Jr.* Republican40thCharles D. Cook* Republican41stStephen M. Saland* Republican42ndHoward C. Nolan Jr.* Democrat43rdJoseph Bruno* Republican44thHugh T. Farley* RepublicanChairman of Banks45thRonald B. Stafford* RepublicanChairman of Finance46thJames W. Wright Republican47thWilliam R. Sears* Republican48thNancy Larraine Hoffmann* Democrat49thJohn A. DeFrancisco Republican50thJames L. Seward* Republican51stThomas W. Libous* Republican52ndRandy Kuhl* Republican53rdMichael F. Nozzolio* Republican54thRichard A. Dollinger Democrat55thMary Ellen Jones Democrat56thJess J. Present* Republican 57thAnthony M. Masiello* Democraton November 2, 1993, elected Mayor of Buffalo6 state legislators get new jobs in The Daily Gazette, of Schenectady, on November 4, 1994Anthony Nanula Democraton February 15, 1994, elected to fill vacancy58thWilliam Stachowski* Democrat59thDale M. Volker* Republican 60thJohn B. Sheffer II* Republicanresigned on September 19, 1993, to teach at the University at BuffaloMary Lou Rath Republicanon November 2, 1993, elected to fill vacancy61stJohn B. Daly* Republican
Employees Secretary: Stephen F. Sloan
State Assembly
Assembly 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)..."