160th New York State Legislature

The 160th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 6 to May 8, 1937, during the fifth 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 American Labor Party appeared for the first time on the ballot, but only endorsed Gov. Herbert H. Lehman, and made no other nominations on the state ticket.

Elections
The New York state election, 1936, was held on November 3. Governor Herbert H. Lehman and Lieutenant Governor M. William Bray were re-elected, both Democrats. The other five statewide elective offices were also carried by the Democrats. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,708,000; Republicans 2,450,000; American Labor 262,000; Socialists 87,000; and Communists 36,000.

All three women legislators were re-elected: State Senator Rhoda Fox Graves (Rep.), of Gouverneur, a former school teacher who after her marriage became active in women's organisations and politics; and Assemblywomen Doris I. Byrne (Dem.), a lawyer from the Bronx, and Jane H. Todd (Rep.), of Tarrytown.

Sessions
The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1937; and adjourned on May 8.

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

At the opening of the session, eight Republican assemblymen (Barrett, Bartholomew, Conway, Hall, Herman, Lupton, Stephens and Wadsworth) refused to re-elect Speaker Irving M. Ives because of the latter's opposition to Gov. Lehman's relief legislation during the previous session. After a week of deadlock, on January 12, Majority Leader Oswald D. Heck was elected Speaker with 72 votes against 67 for Irwin Steingut (Dem.). Heck then appointed Ives as Majority Leader.

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. Peter T. Farrell and Erastus Corning 2nd changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

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

Employees

 * Clerk: James J. Reilly
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: William F. Egloff Jr.
 * Stenographer: Robert Murray

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

Employees

 * Clerk: Ansley B. Borkowski