191st New York State Legislature


The 191st New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4, 1995, to December 31, 1996, during the first and second years of George Pataki's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938 and the U.S. Supreme Court decision to follow the One man, one vote rule, re-apportioned in 1992 by the Legislature, 61 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts for two-year terms. Senate and Assembly districts consisted of approximately the same number of inhabitants, the area being apportioned contiguously without restrictions regarding county boundaries.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Conservative Party, the Independence Party, the Liberal Party, the Right to Life Party, the Tax Cut Now Party, the Libertarian Party and the Socialist Workers Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1994, was held on November 8. State Senator George Pataki was elected Governor, and Betsy McCaughey Ross was elected Lieutenant Governor, both Republicans with Conservative and Tax Cut Now endorsement, who defeated the incumbent Democrats Mario Cuomo and Stan Lundine. The elections to the other three statewide elective offices resulted in the re-election of State Comptroller Carl McCall and U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, both Democrats; and the election of Dennis Vacco as Attorney General, a Republican with Conservative endorsement who defeated the incumbent Democrat G. Oliver Koppell. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,273,000; Republicans 2,156,000; Conservatives 329,000; Independence 217,000; Liberals 92,000; Right to Life 68,000; Tax Cut Now 54,000; Libertarians 9,500; and Socialist Workers 5,500.
36 of the sitting 39 women members of the legislature—State Senators Nancy Larraine Hoffmann, of Syracuse; Mary Ellen Jones, of Irondequoit; Olga A. Méndez, of East Harlem; Velmanette Montgomery, of Brooklyn; Suzi Oppenheimer, of Mamaroneck; Mary Lou Rath, of Williamsville; Nellie R. Santiago, of Brooklyn; and Ada L. Smith, of Queens; and Assemblywomen Patricia Acampora, of Mattituck; Carmen E. Arroyo, of the Bronx; Nancy Calhoun, of Blooming Grove; Joan Christensen, of Syracuse; Barbara M. Clark, of Queens; Elizabeth Connelly, of Staten Island; Vivian E. Cook of Queens; RoAnn Destito, of Rome; Gloria Davis, of the Bronx; Eileen C. Dugan, of Brooklyn; Donna Ferrara, a lawyer of Westbury; Sandy Galef, of Ossining; Deborah J. Glick, of Manhattan; Aurelia Greene, of the Bronx; Audrey Hochberg, of Scarsdale; Elizabeth C. Hoffman, of North Tonawanda; Earlene Hill Hooper, of Hempstead; Rhoda S. Jacobs, of Brooklyn; Susan V. John, of Rochester; Melinda Katz, a lawyer of Queens; Naomi C. Matusow, a lawyer of Armonk; Nettie Mayersohn, of Queens; Patricia McGee, of Franklinville; Catherine Nolan, of Queens; Chloe Ann O'Neil, an elementary school teacher of Parishville; Audrey Pheffer, of Queens; Frances T. Sullivan, of Fulton; and Helene Weinstein, a lawyer of Brooklyn—were re-elected. Catherine M. Abate, of Manhattan, was also elected to the State Senate. Debra J. Mazzarelli, of Patchogue; and Sandra Lee Wirth, of West Seneca, were also elected to the Assembly.
The New York state election, 1995, was held on November 7. Four vacancies in the Assembly were filled. Betty Little, of Queensbury, was elected to fill one of the vacancies.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the first regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1995; and recessed indefinitely in the morning of June 30.
Sheldon Silver was re-elected Speaker of the Assembly.
Joseph Bruno was elected Temporary President of the Senate.
The Legislature met for the second regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 3, 1996; and recessed indefinitely on July 13.
The Legislature met for a special session from December 17 to 18, 1996, to consider legislation concerning the administration of the public school system in New York City.

State Senate

Senators

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Vincent Leibell changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this legislature. Assemblymen Larry Seabrook and James S. Alesi were elected to fill vacancies in the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stKenneth LaValle*Republican
2ndJames J. Lack*Republican
3rdCaesar Trunzo*Republican
4thOwen H. Johnson*Republican
5thRalph J. Marino*Republicanresigned on February 8, 1995
5thCarl L. MarcellinoRepublicanon March 14, 1995, elected to fill vacancy
6thKemp Hannon*Republican
7thMichael J. Tully Jr.*Republican
8thNorman J. Levy*RepublicanChairman of Transportation
9thDean Skelos*Republican
10thAlton R. Waldon Jr.*Democrat
11thFrank Padavan*Republican
12thAda L. Smith*Democrat
13thEmanuel R. Gold*Democrat
14thGeorge Onorato*Democrat
15thSerphin R. Maltese*Cons./Rep.
16thLeonard P. Stavisky*Democrat
17thNellie R. Santiago*Democrat
18thVelmanette Montgomery*Democrat
19thHoward E. Babbush*Democrat
20thMarty Markowitz*Democrat
21stCarl Kruger*Democrat
22ndMartin M. Solomon*Democraton November 7, 1995, elected to the New York City Civil Court
22ndSeymour P. LachmanDemocraton February 15, 1996, elected to fill vacancy
23rdRobert DiCarlo*Republican
24thJohn J. Marchi*Republican
25thMartin Connor*DemocratMinority Leader
26thRoy M. Goodman*Republican
27thCatherine M. AbateDemocrat
28thOlga A. Méndez*Democrat
29thDavid Paterson*Democrat
30thFranz S. Leichter*Democrat
31stEfrain Gonzalez Jr.*Democrat
32ndPedro Espada Jr.Democrat
33rdJoseph L. Galiber*Democratdied on November 21, 1995
33rdLarry Seabrook*Democraton February 15, 1996, elected to fill vacancy
34thGuy J. Velella*Republican
35thNicholas A. Spano*Republican
36thSuzi Oppenheimer*Democrat
37thVincent Leibell*Republican
38thJoseph R. Holland*Republican
39thWilliam J. Larkin, Jr.*Republican
40thCharles D. Cook*Republican
41stStephen M. Saland*Republican
42ndMichael J. Hoblock, Jr.Republican
43rdJoseph Bruno*Republicanelected Temporary President
44thHugh T. Farley*RepublicanChairman of Banks
45thRonald B. Stafford*RepublicanChairman of Finance
46thJames W. Wright*Republican
47thWilliam R. Sears*Republican
48thNancy Larraine Hoffmann*Democrat
49thJohn A. DeFrancisco*Republican
50thJames L. Seward*Republican
51stThomas W. Libous*Republican
52ndRandy Kuhl*Republican
53rdMichael F. Nozzolio*Republican
54thRichard A. Dollinger*Democrat
55thMary Ellen Jones*Democratappointed to the New York State Parole Board
55thJames S. Alesi*Republicanon February 15, 1996, elected to fill vacancy
56thJess J. Present*Republican
57thAnthony Nanula*Democrat
58thWilliam Stachowski*Democrat
59thDale M. Volker*Republican
60thMary Lou Rath*Republican
61stJohn B. Daly*Republicanon January 9, 1995, appointed as NYS Commissioner of Transportation
61stGeorge D. MaziarzRepublicanon March 14, 1995, elected to fill vacancy

Employees

Assembly 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..."
DistrictAssembly memberPartyNotes
1stPatricia Acampora*Republican
2ndJohn L. Behan*Republicanappointed as NYS Commissioner of Veterans' Affairs
2ndFred W. Thiele, Jr.Republicanon March 14, 1995, elected to fill vacancy
3rdDebra J. MazzarelliRepublican
4thSteve Englebright*Democrat
5thPaul E. Harenberg*Democrat
6thRobert C. Wertz*Republican
7thThomas F. Barraga*Republican
8thPhil Boyle*Republican
9thJohn J. Flanagan*Republican
10thJames D. Conte*Republican
11thRobert K. Sweeney*Democrat
12thPhilip B. Healey*Republicandied on May 27, 1996
13thDavid Sidikman*Democrat
14thMarc Herbst*Republican
15thDonna Ferrara*Republican
16thThomas DiNapoli*Democrat
17thMichael Balboni*Republican
18thEarlene Hill Hooper*Democrat
19thCharles J. O'Shea*Republican
20thHarvey Weisenberg*Democrat
21stGregory R. Becker*Republican
22ndVincent T. Muscarella*Republicanon November 5, 1995, elected to the Nassau County Legislature
22ndThomas AlfanoRepublicanon February 15, 1996, elected to fill vacancy
23rdAudrey Pheffer*Democrat
24thMark Weprin*Democrat
25thBrian M. McLaughlin*Democrat
26thDouglas Prescott*Republican
27thNettie Mayersohn*Democrat
28thMelinda Katz*Democrat
29thWilliam ScarboroughDemocrat
30thJoseph Crowley*Democrat
31stGregory W. Meeks*Democrat
32ndVivian E. Cook*Democrat
33rdBarbara M. Clark*Democrat
34thIvan C. Lafayette*Democrat
35thJeffrion L. Aubry*Democrat
36thDenis J. Butler*Democrat
37thCatherine Nolan*Democrat
38thAnthony S. Seminerio*Democrat
39thAnthony J. Genovesi*Democrat
40thEdward Griffith*Democrat
41stHelene Weinstein*Democrat
42ndRhoda S. Jacobs*Democrat
43rdClarence Norman Jr.*Democrat
44thJames F. Brennan*Democrat
45thDaniel L. Feldman*Democrat
46thJules Polonetsky*Democrat
47thFrank J. Barbaro*Democrat
48thDov Hikind*Democrat
49thPeter J. Abbate Jr.*Democrat
50thJoseph R. Lentol*Democrat
51stFélix W. OrtizDemocrat
52ndEileen C. Dugan*Democratdied on November 8, 1996
53rdVito J. Lopez*Democrat
54thDarryl C. Towns*Democrat
55thWilliam F. Boyland*Democrat
56thAlbert Vann*Democrat
57thRoger L. Green*Democrat
58thN. Nick PerryDemocrat
59thElizabeth Connelly*Democrat
60thEric N. Vitaliano*Democrat
61stRobert A. Straniere*Republican
62ndSheldon Silver*Democratre-elected Speaker
63rdSteven Sanders*Democrat
64thRichard N. Gottfried*Democrat
65thAlexander B. Grannis*Democrat
66thDeborah J. Glick*Democrat
67thScott Stringer*Democrat
68thvacantAssemblyman-elect Angelo Del Toro died on December 30, 1994
68thFrancisco Diaz Jr.Liberalon March 14, 1995, elected to fill vacancy
69thEdward C. Sullivan*Democrat
70thKeith L. T. Wright*Democrat
71stHerman D. Farrell, Jr.*DemocratChairman of Ways and Means
72ndJohn Brian Murtaugh*Democrat
73rdJohn Ravitz*Republican
74thCarmen E. Arroyo*Democrat
75thHector L. Diaz*Democratresigned in December 1995 to become County Clerk of Bronx County
75thPedro Gautier EspadaDemocraton February 15, 1996, elected to fill vacancy
76thPeter M. Rivera*Democrat
77thAurelia Greene*Democrat
78thRoberto Ramirez*Democrat
79thGloria Davis*Democrat
80thJeffrey D. KleinDemocrat
81stJeffrey Dinowitz*Democrat
82ndStephen B. Kaufman*Democrat
83rdLarry Seabrook*Democraton February 15, 1996, elected to the State Senate
83rdSamuel Bea Jr.Democraton April 25, 1996, elected to fill vacancy
84thJ. Gary Pretlow*Democrat
85thRonald C. Tocci*Democrat
86thRichard L. Brodsky*Democrat
87thMike SpanoRepublican
88thAudrey Hochberg*Democrat
89thNaomi C. Matusow*Democrat
90thSandy Galef*Democrat
91stWillis StephensRepublican
92ndAlexander J. Gromack*Democrat
93rdSamuel Colman*Democrat
94thNancy Calhoun*Republican
95thJohn Bonacic*Republican
96thThomas J. KirwanRepublican
97thJoel M. MillerRepublican
98thJacob E. Gunther III*Democrat
99thPatrick R. ManningRepublican
100thRobert A. D'Andrea*Republican
101stJohn J. GuerinRepublican
102ndJohn Faso*Republican
103rdJames Tedisco*Republican
104thJohn McEneny*Democrat
105thPaul D. Tonko*Democrat
106thRonald Canestrari*Democrat
107thRobert G. PrentissRepublican
108thPat M. Casale*Republican
109thJames P. King*Republicanappointed to the New York Court of Claims
109thBetty LittleRepublicanon November 7, 1995, elected to fill vacancy
110thChris Ortloff*Republican
111thBill Magee*Democrat
112thChloe Ann O'Neil*Republican
113thAnthony J. Casale*Republicanappointed as Chairman of the New York State Liquor Authority
113thMarc W. ButlerRepublicanon November 7, 1995, elected to fill vacancy
114thH. Robert Nortz*Republican
115thDavid R. Townsend Jr.*Republican
116thRoAnn Destito*Democrat
117thFrances T. Sullivan*Republican
118thMichael J. Bragman*DemocratMajority Leader
119thJoan Christensen*Democrat
120thBernard J. MahoneyRepublican
121stHarold C. Brown Jr.*Republican
122ndClarence D. Rappleyea Jr.*RepublicanMinority Leader;
on June 29, 1995, appointed to the New York Power Authority
122ndClifford W. CrouchRepublicanon November 7, 1995, elected to fill vacancy
123rdJay J. DingaRepublican
124thRobert J. Warner*Republican
125thMartin A. Luster*Democrat
126thDaniel J. Fessenden*Republican
127thGeorge H. Winner, Jr.*Republican
128thBob Oaks*Republican
129thCraig J. Doran*Republican
130thDonald R. Davidsen*Republicanin October 1995 appointed as NYS Commissioner of Agriculture
130thJames BacallesRepublicanon November 7, 1995, elected to fill vacancy
131stSusan V. John*Democrat
132ndJoseph D. Morelle*Democrat
133rdDavid F. Gantt*Democrat
134thJoseph Robach*Democrat
135thJames S. Alesi*Republicanresigned to run for the State Senate
135thDavid KoonDemocraton February 15, 1996, elected to fill vacancy
136thJerry Johnson*Republican
137thCharles H. Nesbitt*Republican
138thJoseph T. Pillittere*Democrat
139thElizabeth C. Hoffman*Republicanresigned in February 1995 to run for the State Senate
139thDavid E. SeamanRepublicanon March 14, 1995, elected to fill vacancy
140thRobin L. Schimminger*Democrat
141stArthur O. Eve*Democrat
142ndRichard R. Anderson*Republican
143rdPaul Tokasz*Democrat
144thSam Hoyt*Democrat
145thRichard J. Keane*Democrat
146thFrancis J. Pordum*Democrat
147thThomas M. Reynolds*RepublicanMinority Leader from June 30, 1995
148thSandra Lee WirthRepublican
149thPatricia McGee*Republican
150thWilliam L. Parment*Democrat

Employees