174th New York State Legislature

The 174th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 9, 1963, to December 30, 1964, during the fifth and sixth 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, the Conservative Party, the Socialist Workers Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets.

Elections
The 1962 New York state election, was held on November 6. Governor Nelson Rockefeller and Lieutenant Governor Malcolm Wilson were re-elected, both Republicans. The other four statewide elective offices were carried by two Republicans; and two Democrats with Liberal endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, was: Republicans 3,082,000; Democrats 2,310,000; Liberals 243,000; Conservatives 142,000; Socialist Workers 20,000; and Socialist Labor 10,000.

3 of the 4 women members of the previous legislature—Assemblywomen Dorothy Bell Lawrence (Republican), a former school teacher of Manhattan; and Aileen B. Ryan (Democrat), a former school teacher of the Bronx—were re-elected. Constance E. Cook (Republican), a lawyer of Ithaca, was also elected to the Assembly.

The New York state election, 1963, was held on Tuesday November 5. The only statewide elective office up for election was a seat on the New York Court of Appeals. Democrat Francis Bergan was elected with Republican and Liberal endorsement. One vacancy in the State Senate, and two vacancies in the Assembly, were filled.

On February 4, 1964, Constance Baker Motley, a lawyer of Manhattan, was elected to the State Senate, to fill a vacancy.

Sessions
The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 186th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 9, 1963; and adjourned on April 6.

Joseph F. Carlino (Rep.) was re-elected Speaker.

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

The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 187th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 8, 1964; and adjourned on March 27.

The Legislature met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany on April 15, 1964; and adjourned on the next day. This session was called to revise the liquor laws.

In 1964, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down several decisions establishing that State legislatures should follow the One man, one vote rule to apportion their election districts. A special Federal Statutory Court declared the New York apportionment formulae for both the State Senate and the State Assembly unconstitutional, and the State Legislature was ordered to re-apportion the seats by April 1, 1965. The court also ruled that the 1964 legislative election should be held under the 1954 apportionment, but those elected could serve only for one year (in 1965), and an election under the new apportionment should be held in November 1965. Senators John H. Hughes and Lawrence M. Rulison (both Rep.) questioned the authority of the federal court to shorten the term of the 1964 electees, alleging excessive costs for the additional election in an off-year.

At the New York state election, 1964, on November 3, Democratic majorities were elected to both the State Senate and the State Assembly for the session of 1965.

The lame-duck Legislature met for another special session at the State Capitol in Albany on December 15, 1964; and adjourned on December 30. This session was called to re-apportion the legislative districts for the 1965 election, gerrymandering the districts according to the wishes of the Republican majority before the Democrats would take over the Legislature in January. The number of seats in the State Senate was increased to 65, and the number of seats in the Assembly to 165. County representation was abandoned in favor of population-proportional districts, and the new Assembly districts were numbered from 1 to 165.

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. Guy James Mangano, Edward S. Lentol and Jeremiah J. Moriarty changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assemblyman Irwin R. Brownstein was elected to fill a vacancy in the Senate.

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

Employees

 * Secretary: Albert J. Abrams
 * Deputy Secretary: Fred Forbes

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