139th New York State Legislature

The 139th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5 to April 20, 1916, during the second year of Charles S. Whitman'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.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.

Elections
The New York state election, 1915, was held on November 2. No statewide elective offices were up for election. The voters rejected all amendments proposed by the Constitutional Convention of 1915.

Sessions
The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1916; and adjourned on April 20.

Thaddeus C. Sweet (R) was re-elected Speaker, with 94 votes against 45 for Joseph M. Callahan (D).

On February 8, the Legislature elected three Regents of the University of the State of New York: William Berri to fill the vacancy caused by the death of St. Clair McKelway, for a term to end on April 1, 1917; James Byrne to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Andrew J. Shipman, for a term to end on April 1, 1920; and Walter Guest Kellogg for a term of twelve years, beginning on April 1, 1916.

The Legislature enacted a new apportionment of Senate districts, and the number of assemblymen per county, which became law with the approval by the governor on May 1. The new apportionment was declared unconstitutional by the New York Court of Appeals in July 1916, and the New York state election, 1916, was held under the apportionment of 1907.

Districts
• 1st District: Nassau and Suffolk counties

• 2nd District: Queens County, i.e the Borough of Queens

• 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th District: Parts of Kings County, i.e. the Borough of Brooklyn

• 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th District: Parts of New York County, i.e. the Borough of Manhattan

• 21st and 22nd District: Parts of Bronx County, i.e. the Borough of the Bronx

• 23rd District: Richmond and Rockland counties

• 24th District: Westchester County

• 25th District: Orange and Sullivan counties

• 26th District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam and counties

• 27th District: Greene and Ulster counties

• 28th District: Albany County

• 29th District: Rensselaer County

• 30th District: Saratoga and Washington counties

• 31st District: Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie counties

• 32nd District: Lewis, Fulton, Hamilton and Herkimer counties

• 33rd District: Clinton, Essex and Warren counties

• 34th District: Franklin and St. Lawrence counties

• 35th District: Jefferson and Oswego counties

• 36th District: Oneida County

• 37th District: Chenango, Madison and Otsego counties

• 38th District: Onondaga County

• 39th District: Broome and Delaware counties

• 40th District: Cayuga, Cortland and Seneca counties

• 41st District: Chemung, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins counties

• 42nd District: Ontario, Wayne and Yates counties

• 43rd District: Steuben and Livingston counties

• 44th District: Allegany, Genesee and Wyoming counties

• 45th and 46th District: Monroe County

• 47th District: Niagara and Orleans counties

• 48th, 49th and 50th District: Erie County

• 51st District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties

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)..."

Employees

 * Clerk: Ernest A. Fay
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Charles R. Hotaling
 * Stenographer: John K. Marshall

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

Employees

 * Clerk: Fred W. Hammond
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Harry W. Haines
 * Principal Doorkeeper: Fred R. Smith
 * Stenographer: Paul E. McCarthy
 * Postmaster: James H. Underwood