Turnover in the New York State Legislature, where lawmakers run every two years, isn't unusual.

However, Democratic political analyst Jack O'Donnell said what is unusual is the timing of the retirement announcements of many veteran lawmakers this year.

"It's really early for people to say, ‘I'm bowing out’ and it's rare for them to do it before session is over,” he said. “They still have a job to do.”

Democratic Assembly members, Speaker Pro Tempore Jeff Aubry and Mental Health Committee Chair Aileen Gunther, will not run for reelection. Nor will two Southern Tier Republicans run, Minority Leader Pro Tempore Andy Goodell and Joe Giglio, who is part of the conference's leadership team. 

Collectively they represent 85 years of Legislature experience.

"I think it's the tenor of the politics and the hyper-partisanship just continues to escalate and it makes it really hard to get things done," O'Donnell said.

GOP Assemblyman Josh Jensen said Giglio and Goodell were important voices not just for the conference and their constituents, but the state.

"I'm going to miss them personally," Jensen said. "I'm going to miss their guidance, their counsel [and] their very nuanced view on the role of government." 

Aubry has been in the Assembly for 32 years and fills in for the speaker in his absence. Goodell has the shortest tenure of the four but is responsible for helping to coordinate floor debates.

"People may not know in the general public who the floor leaders are but if you actually watch the debates or read about them, it's the floor leaders who play a major role in helping determine what comes to the floor, how that's done [and] who gets to speak," O'Donnell said.

Assembly Higher Education Chair Pat Fahy announced her run for state Sen. Neil Breslin's seat. Breslin, the longest-serving member in that house, announced his retirement last month.

The state Senate is also expecting to see other changes with influential Democrats Tim Kennedy and John Mannion both running for Congress. 

"We'll see all the committees that kind of change, and then often people move up one step or two or three and things kind of cascade like that," O'Donell said.

He said he expects to see more incumbents announce they are not running for reelection too.