STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6856--A
IN SENATE
March 1, 2016
___________
Introduced by Sen. MARTINS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
Parks and Recreation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to create a temporary New York State World War I 100th anniver-
sary commemoration commission; and providing for the termination of
such commission
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature hereby finds that
2 Armistice Day has been marked on November 11th every year since 1918
3 commemorating the day the Allied forces signed an agreement with the
4 Germans that would end World War I. The cost in human suffering during
5 World War I, originally known as the Great War, was on a scale
6 unprecedented in human history. Between 1914 and 1918, there were over
7 37 million casualties with over 13,000 New Yorkers losing their lives.
8 Among the noteworthy New York regiments fighting in World War I include
9 New York's 69th Infantry Regiment, referred to as the "Fighting 69th"
10 and New York's 369th Infantry Regiment, popularly known as the "Harlem
11 Hellfighters", the first African American regiment to serve with the
12 American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. There are several
13 sites in New York with historical significance to World War I including:
14 the Pier A clock tower in Battery Park, the armory of the 14th New York
15 regiment in Park Slope, the Chelsea World War I statute on 9th and 28th,
16 the 7th Regiment statute in Central Park, the Brooklyn World War I memo-
17 rial in Prospect Park, the Richmond Hill statute in Queens, and others.
18 The legislature, therefore, declares that there is a need to create a
19 New York State World War I 100th anniversary commemoration commission to
20 develop and execute plans for projects and activities recognizing the
21 100th year anniversary of World War I, with particular emphasis on those
22 New Yorkers who made the supreme sacrifice and those who returned home
23 wounded.
24 § 2. New York State World War I 100th anniversary commemoration
25 commission created. (1) There is hereby a temporary state commission to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14441-02-6
S. 6856--A 2
1 be known as the "New York State World War I 100th anniversary commem-
2 oration commission".
3 (2) Definitions. As used in this act: "Commission" means the New York
4 State World War I 100th anniversary commemoration commission created by
5 this section.
6 (3) Tasks. The Commission is charged with the following duties:
7 a. To plan, develop and execute programs, projects, and activities to
8 commemorate the centennial of World War I and New York's and New York-
9 ers' role in it;
10 b. To encourage private organizations, state agencies, and local
11 government in New York to organize and participate in activities commem-
12 orating the centennial of World War I;
13 c. Assist with efforts to protect, improve, and develop educational
14 and interpretive institutions, sites, and museums related to World War I
15 for educational, recreational, and tourism purposes; and
16 d. Perform other actions necessary to carry out the duties of the
17 Commission.
18 (4) Membership:
19 a. The Commission shall consist of 11 members to be appointed as
20 follows: The commissioner of the department of parks, recreation and
21 historic preservation or his or her duly designated representative, the
22 commissioner of the department of education or his or her duly desig-
23 nated representative, the commissioner of the department of economic
24 development or his or her duly designated representative, and eight
25 at-large members, of which, two members shall be appointed by the gover-
26 nor, two members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the
27 senate, two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly,
28 one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate and
29 one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.
30 The commissioner of the department of parks, recreation and historic
31 preservation or his or her duly designated representative shall serve as
32 chairperson of the Commission. The eight appointed members shall serve
33 at the pleasure of the appointing official. Vacancies shall be filled in
34 the manner provided for original appointments.
35 b. The members of the Commission shall receive no compensation for
36 their services.
37 c. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of any general, special
38 or local law, ordinance, resolution or charter, no officer, member or
39 employee of the state or of any public corporation shall forfeit his or
40 her office or employment by reason of his or her acceptance of appoint-
41 ment as a member of the Commission, nor shall service as such Commission
42 member be deemed incompatible or in conflict with such office or employ-
43 ment.
44 d. The Commission shall appoint, designate, or remove such staff from
45 the Commission as may be necessary to carry out its duties and perform-
46 ance of its functions, from current state agency personnel.
47 e. The Commission may meet and hold public and/or private hearings
48 within or without the state, and shall have all the powers of a legisla-
49 tive committee pursuant to the legislative law; except it shall not have
50 the power to issue subpoenas pursuant to section 62-a of the legislative
51 law.
52 f. The Commission may request and shall receive from any subdivision,
53 department, board, commission, office, agency, or other instrumentality
54 of the state or of any political subdivision thereof such facilities,
55 assistance and data as it deems necessary or desirable for the proper
S. 6856--A 3
1 execution of its powers and duties and to effectuate the purposes set
2 forth in this act.
3 g. The Commission is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into any
4 agreements and to do and perform any acts that may be necessary, desira-
5 ble or proper to carry out the purposes and objectives of this act.
6 (5) Action Plan: By June 30th, 2017, the Commission shall present to
7 the Governor and Legislature an Action Plan to achieve the Commission's
8 tasks. The report shall contain recommendations to commemorate the
9 centennial of World War I. The Commission shall update the Action Plan
10 as necessary.
11 (6) Termination: The Commission shall continue in existence until
12 November 12, 2018 at which time it shall be deemed to be repealed.
13 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.