The New York legislature: how it works
What your state legislature controls covers the general powers. This page profiles New York's legislature.
The basics
New York's legislature is bicameral, with a 63-member Senate and a 150-member Assembly, both elected from single-member districts to 2-year terms with no term limits. The entire legislature is therefore on the ballot every two years, including in November 2026. The 2026 session convened January 7, with scheduled session days running through early June. New York is generally counted among the small group of full-time, highly professionalized state legislatures, alongside states like California, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, reflecting substantial legislative staff, year-round committee and constituent work, and legislator salaries well above the median for state lawmakers nationally.
Who controls it now
New York has a Democratic trifecta. Democrats hold a 41-22 majority in the Senate and a 103-47 majority in the Assembly, following the 2024 elections, alongside a Democratic governor.
Where to go
- New York State Senate, about: https://www.nysenate.gov/about
- New York State Assembly: https://nyassembly.gov/
- 2026 session calendar: https://nyassembly.gov/write/upload/leg/session_cal/session_calendar_2026.pdf