In November 1974, he ran for re-election, but was defeated by Democrat Vincent J. Graber, Sr. On February 4, 1975, Volker was elected to the New York State Senate, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Thomas F.
His other committee assignments included the Senate Standing Committees on Banks, Cities, Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections, Finance, Judiciary, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and Rules.
An April 26, 2007 article in the Times Union, noted that Volker was a vocal opponent of Rockefeller drug law reform in the state.
Volker helped put the original Rockefeller laws in place as a way of combating the commutation of drug sentences by downstate, and particularly NYC circuit judges.
Gabriel Sayegh, author of the piece and project director of New York City's Drug Policy Alliance office, explained that Volker's district benefited heavily from the state's prison industrial complex.