172nd New York State Legislature

The 172nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7, 1959, to April 1, 1960, during the first and second years of Nelson Rockefeller's governorship, in Albany.

Background
Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938, re-apportioned in 1953, 58 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), Queens (five), Bronx (four), Erie (three), Nassau (three), Westchester (three), Monroe (two) and Onondaga (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 Independent-Socialist Party also nominated tickets.

Elections
The 1958 New York state election, was held on November 4. Nelson Rockefeller was elected Governor, and Assemblyman Malcolm Wilson was elected Lieutenant Governor, both Republicans, defeating the incumbent Democrats W. Averell Harriman and George B. DeLuca. The elections of the other four statewide elective offices resulted in a Democratic State Comptroller with Liberal endorsement, a Republican Attorney General, a Democratic Court of Appeals judge with Liberal and Republican endorsement, and a Republican U.S. Senator. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor/Lieutenant Governor, was: Republicans 3,127,000; Democrats 2,270,000; Liberals 284,000; and Independent-Socialists 32,000.

Assemblywoman Janet Hill Gordon (Rep.), a lawyer of Norwich, was elected to the State Senate. The other four women members of the previous legislature—Assemblywomen Bessie A. Buchanan (Dem.), a retired musical actress and dancer of Harlem; ; Frances K. Marlatt (Rep.), a lawyer of Mount Vernon; Genesta M. Strong (Rep.), of Plandome Heights; and Mildred F. Taylor (Rep.), a coal dealer of Lyons—were re-elected. Aileen B. Ryan (Dem.), of the Bronx; and Dorothy Bell Lawrence (Rep.), of Manhattan, both former school teachers, were also elected to the Assembly.

The 1959 New York state election, was held on November 3. The only statewide elective office up for election was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. The senior associate judge, Charles S. Desmond, a Democrat, was elected with Republican and Liberal endorsement. Three vacancies in the State Senate and eight vacancies in the Assembly were filled. Assemblywoman Genesta M. Strong (Rep.) was elected to the State Senate, but did not take her seat in 1960.

Sessions
The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 182nd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 7, 1959; and adjourned on March 25.

Oswald D. Heck (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker. Heck died on May 21, 1959.

Walter J. Mahoney (Rep.) was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate.

The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on July 1, 1959. Majority Leader Joseph F. Carlino (Rep.) was elected Speaker of the Assembly.

The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 183rd) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 6, 1960; and adjourned in the early morning of April 1, 1960.

Districts
• 1st District: Suffolk County

• 2nd, 3rd and 4th District: Parts of Nassau County

• 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th District: Parts of Queens County, i.e. the Borough of Queens

• 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th District: Parts of Kings County, i.e. the Borough of Brooklyn

• 19th District: Richmond County, i.e. the Borough of Richmond (now the Borough of Staten Island)

• 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th and 25th District: Parts of New York County, i.e. the Borough of Manhattan

• 26th, 27th, 28th and 29th District: Parts of Bronx County, i.e. the Borough of the Bronx

• 30th, 31st and 32nd District: Parts of Westchester County

• 33rd District: Orange and Rockland counties

• 34th District: Delaware, Greene, Sullivan and Ulster counties

• 35th District: Columbia, Dutchess and Putnam counties

• 36th District: Albany County

• 37th District: Rensselaer and Washington counties

• 38th District: Schenectady and Schoharie counties

• 39th District: Essex, Saratoga and Warren counties

• 40th District: Clinton, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties

• 41st District: Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer and Montgomery counties

• 42nd District: Oneida County

• 43rd District: Jefferson, Lewis and Oswego

• 44th and 45th District: Parts of Onondaga County

• 46th District: Chenango, Cortland, Madison and Otsego counties

• 47th District: Broome County

• 48th District: Cayuga, Tioga and Tompkins counties

• 49th District: Chemung and Steuben counties

• 50th District: Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Wayne and Yates counties

• 51st and 52nd District: Parts of Monroe County

• 53rd District: Allegany, Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties

• 54th District: Niagara County

• 55th, 56th and 57th District: Parts of Erie County

• 58th District: Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties

Senators
The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Frank Composto, D. Clinton Dominick III, Lawrence M. Rulison and Janet Hill Gordon changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assembly members Genesta M. Strong and Hunter Meighan were elected to fill vacancies in the Senate.

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

Employees

 * Secretary: William S. King, until June 18, 1959, retired
 * John J. Sandler, acting from June 18, 1959; elected Secretary on January 6, 1960

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

Employees

 * Clerk: Ansley B. Borkowski
 * Sergeant-at-Arms: Raymond J. Roche
 * Deputy Journal Clerk: Maude E. Ten Eyck