189th New York State Legislature
# 189th New York State Legislature

The 189th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 9, 1991, to December 31, 1992, during the ninth and tenth years of Mario Cuomo'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 1982 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 Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Conservative Party, the Right to Life Party, the Liberal Party, the New Alliance Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Socialist Workers Party also nominated tickets.

## Elections

The New York state election, 1990, was held on November 6. Governor Mario Cuomo and Lieutenant Governor Stan Lundine were re-elected, both Democrats. The elections to the other two statewide elective offices resulted in the re-election of the two incumbent officeholders: a Republican Comptroller, and a Democratic Attorney General. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,086,000; Republicans 866,000; Conservatives 828,000; Right to Life 138,000; Liberals 71,000; New Alliance 31,000; Libertarians 25,000; and Socialist Workers 13,000.

22 of the sitting 23 women members of the legislature—State Senators Mary B. Goodhue (Rep.), a lawyer of Mount Kisco; Nancy Larraine Hoffmann (Dem.), of Syracuse; Olga A. Méndez (Dem.), of East Harlem; Velmanette Montgomery (Dem.), of Brooklyn; Suzi Oppenheimer (Dem.), of Mamaroneck; and Ada L. Smith (Dem.), of Queens; and Assemblywomen Barbara M. Clark (Dem.), of Queens; Elizabeth Connelly (Dem.), of Staten Island; Geraldine L. Daniels (Dem.), of the Bronx; Gloria Davis (Dem.), of the Bronx; Eileen C. Dugan (Dem.), of Brooklyn; Aurelia Greene (Dem.), of the Bronx; Earlene Hill Hooper (Dem.), of Hempstead; Rhoda S. Jacobs (Dem.), of Brooklyn; Cynthia Jenkins (Dem.), a librarian of Queens; Helen M. Marshall (Dem.), a teacher and librarian of Queens; Nettie Mayersohn (Dem.), of Queens; Patricia McGee (Rep.), of Franklinville; Catherine Nolan (Dem.), of Queens; Audrey Pheffer (Dem.), of Queens; Cecile D. Singer (Rep.), of Yonkers; and Helene Weinstein (Dem.), a lawyer of Brooklyn—were re-elected. Nancy Calhoun (Rep.), of Blooming Grove; Joan Christensen (Dem.), of Syracuse; Vivian E. Cook (Dem.) of Queens; Deborah J. Glick (Dem.), of Manhattan; Susan V. John (Dem.), of Rochester; and Frances T. Sullivan (Rep.), of Fulton; were also elected to the Assembly.

The New York state election, 1991, was held on November 5. Three vacancies in the Assembly were filled. Assemblywoman Helen M. Marshall was elected to the New York City Council.

On January 28, 1992, Joni A. Yoswein (Dem.), of Brooklyn, was elected to fill a vacancy in the Assembly. Thus the 189th Legislature began and ended with 28 women members, setting a new record.

## Sessions

The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 214th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 9, 1991; and recessed indefinitely in the early morning of July 4.

Mel Miller (Dem.) was re-elected Speaker of the Assembly.

Ralph J. Marino (Rep.) was re-elected Temporary President of the Senate.

On December 13, 1991, Speaker Mel Miller was convicted of a felony, and thus vacated his seat in the Assembly. On December 16, 1991, Saul Weprin (Dem.) was elected Speaker.

The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 215th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 8, 1992; and recessed indefinitely on July 3.

In June, the Legislature re-apportioned the legislative districts. On June 24, 1992, the U.S. Department of Justice approved the redrawn districts with one exception. On June 30, 1992, the New York Court of Appeals also validated the new apportionment.

The Legislature met again from July 28 to 30, 1992.

## State Senate

### Senators

The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Joseph R. Holland, William J. Larkin Jr., Stephen M. Saland and William R. Sears changed from the Assembly to the Senate.

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

| District | Senator | Party | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1st | Kenneth LaValle* | Republican | |
| 2nd | James J. Lack* | Republican | |
| 3rd | Caesar Trunzo* | Republican | |
| 4th | Owen H. Johnson* | Republican | |
| 5th | Ralph J. Marino* | Republican | re-elected Temporary President |
| 6th | Kemp Hannon* | Republican | |
| 7th | Michael J. Tully Jr.* | Republican | Chairman of Health |
| 8th | Norman J. Levy* | Republican | Chairman of Transportation |
| 9th | Dean Skelos* | Republican | |
| 10th | Alton R. Waldon Jr. | Democrat | |
| 11th | Frank Padavan* | Republican | |
| 12th | Leonard P. Stavisky* | Democrat | |
| 13th | Emanuel R. Gold* | Democrat | |
| 14th | George Onorato* | Democrat | |
| 15th | Serphin R. Maltese* | Conservative | |
| 16th | Jeremy S. Weinstein* | Democrat | |
| 17th | Howard E. Babbush* | Democrat | |
| 18th | Donald Halperin* | Democrat | |
| 19th | Martin M. Solomon* | Democrat | |
| 20th | Ada L. Smith* | Democrat | |
| 21st | Marty Markowitz* | Democrat | |
| 22nd | Velmanette Montgomery* | Democrat | |
| 23rd | Christopher J. Mega* | Republican | |
| 24th | John J. Marchi* | Republican | |
| 25th | Martin Connor* | Democrat | |
| 26th | Roy M. Goodman* | Republican | |
| 27th | Manfred Ohrenstein* | Democrat | Minority Leader |
| 28th | Franz S. Leichter* | Democrat | |
| 29th | David Paterson* | Democrat | |
| 30th | Olga A. Méndez* | Democrat | |
| 31st | Joseph L. Galiber* | Democrat | |
| 32nd | Efrain Gonzalez Jr.* | Democrat | |
| 33rd | Jeffrey R. Korman* | Democrat | |
| 34th | Guy J. Velella* | Republican | |
| 35th | Nicholas A. Spano* | Republican | |
| 36th | Suzi Oppenheimer* | Democrat | |
| 37th | Mary B. Goodhue* | Republican | |
| 38th | Joseph R. Holland* | Republican | |
| 39th | William J. Larkin Jr.* | Republican | |
| 40th | Charles D. Cook* | Republican | |
| 41st | Stephen M. Saland* | Republican | |
| 42nd | Howard C. Nolan Jr.* | Democrat | |
| 43rd | Joseph Bruno* | Republican | |
| 44th | Hugh T. Farley* | Republican | Chairman of Banks |
| 45th | Ronald B. Stafford* | Republican | Deputy Majority Leader |
| 46th | John M. McHugh* | Republican | on November 3, 1992, elected to the 103rd U.S. Congress |
| 47th | William R. Sears* | Republican | |
| 48th | Nancy Larraine Hoffmann* | Democrat | |
| 49th | Tarky Lombardi Jr.* | Republican | Chairman of Finance |
| 50th | James L. Seward* | Republican | |
| 51st | Thomas W. Libous* | Republican | |
| 52nd | Randy Kuhl* | Republican | |
| 53rd | L. Paul Kehoe* | Republican | on November 3, 1992, elected to the New York Supreme Court |
| 54th | John D. Perry* | Democrat | |
| 55th | Ralph E. Quattrociocchi* | Democrat | |
| 56th | Jess J. Present* | Republican | |
| 57th | William Stachowski* | Democrat | |
| 58th | Anthony M. Masiello* | Democrat | |
| 59th | Dale M. Volker* | Republican | |
| 60th | John B. Sheffer II* | Republican | |
| 61st | John B. Daly* | Republican | |

### Employees

* Secretary: Stephen F. Sloan

## State Assembly

### 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 (the)..."

| District | Assembly member | Party | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1st | Joseph Sawicki Jr.* | Republican | |
| 2nd | John L. Behan* | Republican | |
| 3rd | Icilio W. Bianchi Jr.* | Democrat | |
| 4th | Robert J. Gaffney* | Republican | on November 5, 1991, elected as County Executive of Suffolk County |
| 4th | Steve Englebright | Democrat | on February 18, 1992, elected to fill vacancy |
| 5th | Paul E. Harenberg* | Democrat | |
| 6th | Robert C. Wertz* | Republican | |
| 7th | Thomas F. Barraga* | Republican | |
| 8th | John C. Cochrane* | Republican | |
| 9th | John J. Flanagan* | Republican | |
| 10th | James D. Conte* | Republican | |
| 11th | Robert K. Sweeney* | Democrat | |
| 12th | Philip B. Healey* | Republican | |
| 13th | Lewis J. Yevoli* | Democrat | on November 5, 1991, elected Supervisor of the Town of Oyster Bay |
| 13th | David Sidikman | Democrat | on February 18, 1992, elected to fill vacancy |
| 14th | Frederick E. Parola* | Republican | |
| 15th | Daniel Frisa* | Republican | |
| 16th | Thomas DiNapoli* | Democrat | |
| 17th | Michael Balboni* | Republican | |
| 18th | Earlene Hill Hooper* | Democrat | |
| 19th | Charles J. O'Shea* | Republican | |
| 20th | Harvey Weisenberg* | Democrat | |
| 21st | Gregory R. Becker* | Republican | |
| 22nd | George H. Madison* | Republican | resigned |
| 22nd | Vincent T. Muscarella | Republican | on November 5, 1991, elected to fill vacancy |
| 23rd | Audrey Pheffer* | Democrat | |
| 24th | Saul Weprin* | Democrat | Chairman of Ways and Means (1991); elected Speaker on December 16, 1991 |
| 25th | Douglas Prescott* | Republican | |
| 26th | Morton C. Hillman* | Democrat | |
| 27th | Nettie Mayersohn* | Democrat | |
| 28th | Alan G. Hevesi* | Democrat | |
| 29th | Cynthia Jenkins* | Democrat | |
| 30th | Joseph Crowley* | Democrat | |
| 31st | Anthony S. Seminerio* | Democrat | |
| 32nd | Vivian E. Cook | Democrat | |
| 33rd | Barbara M. Clark* | Democrat | |
| 34th | Ivan C. Lafayette* | Democrat | |
| 35th | Helen M. Marshall* | Democrat | on November 5, 1991, elected to the New York City Council |
| 35th | Jeffrion L. Aubry | Dem./Lib. | on January 28, 1992, elected to fill vacancy |
| 36th | Denis J. Butler* | Democrat | |
| 37th | Catherine Nolan* | Democrat | |
| 38th | Frederick D. Schmidt* | Democrat | |
| 39th | Anthony J. Genovesi* | Democrat | |
| 40th | Edward Griffith* | Democrat | |
| 41st | Helene Weinstein* | Democrat | |
| 42nd | Rhoda S. Jacobs* | Democrat | |
| 43rd | Clarence Norman Jr.* | Democrat | |
| 44th | Mel Miller* | Democrat | re-elected Speaker; on December 13, 1991, convicted of a felony |
| 44th | Joni A. Yoswein | Dem./Lib. | on January 28, 1992, elected to fill vacancy |
| 45th | Daniel L. Feldman* | Democrat | |
| 46th | Howard L. Lasher* | Democrat | |
| 47th | Frank J. Barbaro* | Democrat | |
| 48th | Dov Hikind* | Democrat | |
| 49th | Peter J. Abbate Jr.* | Democrat | |
| 50th | Joseph R. Lentol* | Democrat | Chairman of Codes (1992) |
| 51st | James F. Brennan* | Democrat | |
| 52nd | Eileen C. Dugan* | Democrat | |
| 53rd | Vito J. Lopez* | Democrat | |
| 54th | Thomas F. Catapano* | Democrat | |
| 55th | William F. Boyland* | Democrat | |
| 56th | Albert Vann* | Democrat | |
| 57th | Roger L. Green* | Democrat | |
| 58th | Elizabeth Connelly* | Democrat | |
| 59th | Eric N. Vitaliano* | Democrat | |
| 60th | Robert A. Straniere* | Republican | |
| 61st | Deborah J. Glick | Democrat | |
| 62nd | Sheldon Silver* | Democrat | Chairman of Codes (1991); Chairman of Ways and Means (1992) |
| 63rd | Steven Sanders* | Democrat | |
| 64th | Richard N. Gottfried* | Democrat | |
| 65th | Alexander B. Grannis* | Democrat | |
| 66th | John Ravitz | Republican | |
| 67th | Jerrold Nadler* | Democrat | on November 3, 1992, elected to the 102nd and 103rd U.S. Congresses |
| 68th | Angelo Del Toro* | Democrat | Chairman of Education |
| 69th | Edward C. Sullivan* | Democrat | Chairman of Higher Education |
| 70th | Geraldine L. Daniels* | Democrat | |
| 71st | Herman D. Farrell Jr.* | Democrat | |
| 72nd | John Brian Murtaugh* | Democrat | |
| 73rd | David Rosado* | Democrat | |
| 74th | Hector L. Diaz* | Democrat | |
| 75th | John C. Dearie* | Democrat | |
| 76th | Aurelia Greene* | Democrat | |
| 77th | Roberto Ramirez | Democrat | |
| 78th | Gloria Davis* | Democrat | |
| 79th | George Friedman* | Democrat | Deputy Majority Leader (1992) |
| 80th | G. Oliver Koppell* | Democrat | Chairman of Judiciary |
| 81st | Stephen B. Kaufman* | Democrat | |
| 82nd | Larry Seabrook* | Democrat | |
| 83rd | Terence M. Zaleski* | Democrat | on November 5, 1991, elected Mayor of Yonkers |
| 83rd | Mike Spano | Republican | on February 18, 1992, elected to fill vacancy |
| 84th | Cecile D. Singer* | Republican | |
| 85th | Ronald C. Tocci* | Democrat | |
| 86th | Richard L. Brodsky* | Democrat | |
| 87th | Peter M. Sullivan* | Republican | |
| 88th | Gregory P. Young* | Democrat | |
| 89th | Henry William Barnett* | Rep./Cons. | |
| 90th | Vincent Leibell* | Republican | |
| 91st | George E. Pataki* | Republican | |
| 92nd | Alexander J. Gromack | Democrat | |
| 93rd | Samuel Colman* | Democrat | |
| 94th | John Bonacic* | Republican | |
| 95th | Nancy Calhoun | Republican | |
| 96th | Lawrence E. Bennett* | Democrat | |
| 97th | Donald H. McMillen | Republican | |
| 98th | Richard I. Coombe* | Republican | |
| 99th | Norman E. Greig | Democrat | |
| 100th | Neil W. Kelleher* | Republican | |
| 101st | Maurice D. Hinchey* | Democrat | on November 3, 1992, elected to the 103rd U.S. Congress |
| 102nd | John Faso* | Republican | |
| 103rd | Arnold W. Proskin* | Republican | |
| 104th | Richard J. Conners* | Democrat | |
| 105th | Paul D. Tonko* | Democrat | |
| 106th | Ronald Canestrari* | Democrat | |
| 107th | James Tedisco* | Republican | |
| 108th | Robert A. D'Andrea* | Republican | |
| 109th | James P. King | Republican | |
| 110th | Chris Ortloff* | Republican | |
| 111th | Bill Magee | Democrat | |
| 112th | John G. A. O'Neil* | Republican | died on December 10, 1992 |
| 113th | Anthony J. Casale* | Republican | |
| 114th | H. Robert Nortz* | Republican | |
| 115th | David R. Townsend Jr. | Republican | |
| 116th | Ralph J. Eannace Jr.* | Republican | |
| 117th | Frances T. Sullivan | Republican | |
| 118th | Michael J. Bragman* | Democrat | |
| 119th | Joan Christensen | Democrat | |
| 120th | Melvin N. Zimmer* | Democrat | resigned on July 31, 1991 |
| 120th | Joseph A. Nicoletti | Democrat | on November 5, 1991, elected to fill vacancy |
| 121st | Harold C. Brown Jr.* | Republican | |
| 122nd | Clarence D. Rappleyea Jr.* | Republican | Minority Leader |
| 123rd | Richard H. Miller* | Republican | |
| 124th | James R. Tallon Jr.* | Democrat | Majority Leader; Acting Speaker from December 13 to 16, 1991 |
| 125th | Martin A. Luster* | Democrat | |
| 126th | George H. Winner Jr.* | Republican | |
| 127th | Donald R. Davidsen* | Republican | |
| 128th | Michael F. Nozzolio* | Republican | |
| 129th | Frank G. Talomie Sr.* | Republican | |
| 130th | Robert L. King* | Republican | on November 5, 1991, elected as County Executive of Monroe County |
| 130th | David Van Varick | Rep./Cons. | on February 18, 1992, elected to fill vacancy |
| 131st | Susan V. John | Democrat | |
| 132nd | Joseph D. Morelle | Democrat | |
| 133rd | David F. Gantt* | Democrat | |
| 134th | Roger J. Robach* | Democrat | Deputy Majority Leader; died on September 29, 1991 |
| 134th | Joseph Robach | Democrat | on November 5, 1991, elected to fill vacancy |
| 135th | James F. Nagle* | Republican | |
| 136th | John W. Hasper* | Republican | |
| 137th | R. Stephen Hawley* | Republican | |
| 138th | Joseph T. Pillittere* | Democrat | |
| 139th | Matthew J. Murphy Jr.* | Democrat | |
| 140th | Robin L. Schimminger* | Democrat | |
| 141st | Arthur O. Eve* | Democrat | |
| 142nd | Richard R. Anderson* | Republican | |
| 143rd | Paul Tokasz* | Democrat | |
| 144th | William B. Hoyt* | Democrat | died on March 25, 1992 |
| 144th | Sam Hoyt | Democrat | on May 5, 1992, elected to fill vacancy |
| 145th | Richard J. Keane* | Democrat | |
| 146th | Francis J. Pordum* | Democrat | |
| 147th | Thomas M. Reynolds* | Republican | |
| 148th | Vincent J. Graber Sr.* | Democrat | |
| 149th | Patricia McGee* | Republican | |
| 150th | William L. Parment* | Democrat | |

### Employees

* Clerk: Francine Misasi
