158th New York State Legislature

The 158th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 2 to April 17, 1935, during the third 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, the Communist Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets. The Prohibition Party ran for the last time under the name of Law Preservation Party. In New York City, the "Recovery Party", the "City Fusion Party" and several other minor parties also nominated tickets.

Elections
The New York state election, 1934, was held on November 6. Governor Herbert H. Lehman and Lieutenant Governor M. William Bray were re-elected, both Democrats. Of the other eight statewide elective offices, six were carried by Democrats, one by the Republican chief judge with Democratic endorsement, and one by a Republican judge who ran on the Democratic ticket only. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,202,000; Republicans 1,394,000; Socialists 127,000; Communists 46,000; Law Preservation 20,500; and Socialist Labor 7,000.

For the first time there were three women in the Legislature: Ex-Assemblywoman Rhoda Fox Graves (Rep.), of Gouverneur, a former school teacher who after her marriage became active in women's organisations and politics, was the first woman elected to the State Senate; Assemblywoman Doris I. Byrne (Dem.), a lawyer from the Bronx, was re-elected; and Jane H. Todd (Rep.), of Tarrytown, was also elected to the Assembly.

For the first time since 1913, Democratic majorities were elected to both Houses of the Legislature. It remained the only time until 1965.

Sessions
The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 2, 1935; and adjourned on April 17.

Irwin Steingut (Dem.) was elected Speaker.

John J. Dunnigan (Dem.) as re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate.

On April 16, the Legislature passed a bill making nudism a misdemeanor.

Districts
• 1st District: Nassau and Suffolk counties

• 2nd and 3rd District: Parts of Queens County, i.e. the Borough of Queens

• 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th District: Parts of Kings County, i.e. the Borough of Brooklyn

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

• 21st, 22nd and 23rd District: Parts of Bronx County, i.e. the Borough of the Bronx

• 24th District: Richmond County, i.e. the Borough of Richmond (now the Borough of Staten Island), and Rockland County

• 25th District: Part of Westchester County

• 26th District: Cortlandt, Greenburgh, Mount Pleasant, Ossining and part of Yonkers; in Westchester County

• 27th District: Orange and Sullivan counties

• 28th District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam counties

• 29th District: Delaware, Greene and Ulster counties

• 30th District: Albany County

• 31st District: Rensselaer County

• 32nd District: Saratoga and Schenectady counties

• 33rd District: Clinton, Essex, Warren and Washington counties

• 34th District: Franklin and St. Lawrence counties

• 35th District: Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer and Lewis counties

• 36th District: Oneida County

• 37th District: Jefferson and Oswego counties

• 38th District: Onondaga County

• 39th District: Madison, Montgomery, Otsego and Schoharie counties

• 40th District: Broome, Chenango and Cortland counties

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

• 42nd District: Cayuga, Seneca and Wayne counties

• 43rd District: Ontario, Steuben and Yates counties

• 44th District: Allegany, Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming

• 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. Edward J. Coughlin, Martin W. Deyo and George B. Kelly changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

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

Employees

 * Clerk: James J. Reilly

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

Employees

 * Clerk: Homer W. Storey