New York State Legislature

The New York State Legislature, which is called such often in order to differentiate it from the New York City Legislature, is the legislative body for the state of New York. This means that the New York State Legislature has the power to pass, repeal, or modify bills and laws within the state of New York, along with having power with regard to the budget for the state of New York.

The New York Legislature is a bicameral institution, meaning that it is made up of two houses, one upper and one lower. The upper house of the New York Legislature is the New York Senate, while the lower house of the New York Legislature is the New York Assembly.

Both of the houses of the New York State Legislature give members two-year terms, meaning that elections happen for both houses every two years. The New York State Legislature consists of, in total, 212 members at the current time, though the exact number of members can vary.

This is because the New York Constitution allows the upper house of the New York Legislature to vary in number of members, while the New York Assembly, which is the lower house of the New York Legislature, remains consistent at 150 members, each elected from a single district. Districts for the upper house of the New York Legislature are currently 2 to 3 times the size of districts for the lower house of the New York Legislature.

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