|
The 176th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5 to July 6, 1966, during the eighth year 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 Assembly districts consisted either of a single entire county (except Hamilton Co.), or of contiguous area within one county. 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,〔(''2 STATE SENATORS FIGHT TERM RULING'' ) in the ''New York Times'' on August 2, 1964〕 alleging excessive costs for the additional election in an off-year.〔(''Two State Senators Fight Redisricting'' ) in the ''New York Times'' on August 25, 1964〕 The lame-duck Legislature of 1964 met for a special session at the State Capitol in Albany from December 15 to 31, 1964, to re-apportion the legislative districts for the election in November 1965, gerrymandering the districts according to the wishes of the Republican majority before the Democrats would take over the Legislature in January.〔(''ROCKEFELLER CALLS SESSION FOR DEC. 15; Legislature Told to Draw Redistricting Formula'' ) in the ''New York Times'' on December 2, 1964 (subscription required)〕〔(''Reapportioning New York State'' ) in the ''New York Times'' on December 3, 1964〕 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. On February 1, 1965, the United States Supreme Court confirmed the Federal Statutory Court's order to elect a new New York Legislature in November 1965.〔(''HIGH COURT BACKS DISTRICTING EDICT'' ) in the ''New York Times'' on February 2, 1965 (subscription required)〕 On April 14, 1965, the New York Court of Appeals declared the apportionment of December 1964 as unconstitutional, citing that the New York Constitution provides expressly that the Assembly shall have 150 seats, not 165 as were apportioned. The court also held that, although the constitutional State Senate apportionment formula provides for additional seats, the increase from 58 to 65 was unwarranted.〔(''G.O.P. PLAN VOIDED; Constitution Is Cited as Requiring 150 Seats in Assembly State's Legislative Reapportionment'' ) in the ''New York Times'' on April 15, 1965 (subscription required)〕 On May 10, the Federal Statutory Court ordered that the election on November 2, 1965, be held under the December 1964 apportionment, and that the Legislature thus elected re-apportion the seats again by February 1, 1966.〔(''DECISION IS 2 TO 1; ...that a legislative election be held Nov. 2 under a Republican reapportionment plan that had been invalidated by the State Court of Appeals'' ) in the ''New York Times'' on May 11, 1965 (subscription required)〕 On August 24, it was clarified that, if the Governor and Legislature should not have enacted a new apportionment by February 1, 1966, then the courts should draft a new apportionment for the next election.〔(''Justice Gives Rockefeller a Deadline to Submit Formula, With Judicial Proposal as the Alternative'' ) in the ''New York Times'' on August 25, 1965 (subscription required)〕 On October 11, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed four appeals against the ruling of the Federal Statutory Court, and upheld the election of a new New York Legislature on November 2.〔(''SUPREME COURT CLEARS ELECTION FOR LEGISLATURE'' ) in the ''New York Times'' on October 12, 1965 (subscription required)〕 At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Liberal Party and the Conservative Party also nominated tickets. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「176th New York State Legislature」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|