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10 Facts About the Government of New York State

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New York's state government has a long and colorful history and has molded many a successful politician. Read on for New York state gov facts.

New York State Senate

The state's senators are 63 members that represent citizens across New York. They belong to one or more parties and a single conference.

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Martin Van Buren

President Martin Van Buren gained political experience in New York state, beginning with his election to the U.S. Senate. From 1816-1819 he served as the New York Attorney General. He later served as New York's governor for 43 days before being appointed secretary of state by President Andrew Jackson.

Alexander Hamilton

President Alexander Hamilton had great influence in shaping New York state, including through his election to the state legislature.

Anti-Flirting Law

In 1902, the New York State Legislature passed a bill outlawing public flirting. The law criminalized those who tried too hard to get women to look their way. Technically, New Yorkers could still be fined today for flirting, though the law isn't enforced.

Women's Equality Act

The New York State Legislature failed to pass the Women's Equality Act in 2013, which would have assured women protections under Roe v. Wade even if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to narrow its ruling.

Nail Salon Crackdown

New York State created an emergency task force in 2015 to protect workers exposed to stolen wages and toxic chemicals after an exposé by The New York Times. The state took emergency action, including requiring manicurists to wear gloves and masks to safeguard themselves from infections and hazardous materials.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo

New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo restored via executive order voting rights to the state's felons on parole in 2018.

Suing the President

Acting New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood filed a lawsuit in 2018 against President Trump, his adult children and the Trump Foundation. She also sent referral letters to the Federal Election Commission and the IRS regarding possible violations of federal law.

Census Lawsuit

In 2018, New York joined 16 other states and seven cities in suing the federal government's Census Bureau and Commerce Department over attempts to include a citizenship question in the 2020 census.

Lead Levels

In 2018, New York City and the Centers for Disease Control both created more stringent measures to find whether a child has dangerous levels of lead in the blood, aCC0rding to the state's data. The outdated lead poisoning standard has unhealthy effects on children upstate compared to those in New York City.