Research

The commission was created as an executive agency by Chapter 394 of the Laws of 1969 to insure optimum conservation, protection, preservation, development, and use of the scenic, historical, ecological, economic, and recreational resources of the region. Chapter 74 of the Laws of 1971 reconstituted the commission as an independent unit within the Office of Planning Services, and transferred its staff and activities to that office.

Prior to the establishment of the State Ethics Commission in 1987, and implementation of the "Ethics in Government Act" (section 73 of the Public Officers Law) in 1988, governors Carey and Cuomo issued five executive orders relating to financial disclosure. The boards resulting from the executive orders, with some differences in filing requirements, consisted of the same officials and performed the same functions as the subsequent State Ethics Commission. Governor Carey established the first Board of Public Disclosure in 1975 by Executive Order 10.

This Office investigated and prepared special reports for various Assembly committees. The Office was responsible to Speaker of the Assembly, Stanley Steingut. It was in operation from 1975 to 1978. The Office was headed by William Haddad and was commonly called the Haddad Committee. Among reports prepared by the Office were those on the New York State Lottery (1975), banks and the New York City financial crisis (1976), and the safety of generic drugs (1977).

On October 14, 1981, Governor Carey announced the formation of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Centennial Commission for the purpose of planning a statewide and national commemoration for the centennial of Roosevelt's birth and the fiftieth anniversary of his first presidential election. Arthur Schlesinger, Pulitzer prize winning author and Roosevelt biographer, headed the 80-member commission and Fredrica S. Goodman served as its Executive Director.

The Temporary State Commission to Recodify the Family Court Act was created in 1980 (Chapter 50) to examine and make recommendations concerning the effectiveness of the Family Court in fulfilling its adjudicatory role in the care and protection of the young and the preservation of the family.

The State Board of Equalization was established by Laws of 1859 (Chapter 312) to equalize county property value assessments on the basis of which a State property tax was levied. As a result of the 1925 State government reorganization, the board was placed in the Department of Taxation and Finance with responsibilities for coordinating and equalizing assessments for use in distributing State aid to municipalities and setting municipal tax limits after the State property tax was discontinued in 1928.

During the 1960's there was a growing demand among New Yorkers to hold a convention to revise the State Constitution. This Constitution had been in existence since 1894 and contained a large number of amendments approved by voters during subsequent years. In 1965, the legislature (Laws of 1965, Chapter 371) put the question before the voters of whether or not to hold a convention. The voters approved a convention, to be held in 1967.

The UDC was created as a public-benefit corporation, Laws of 1968 (Chapter 174), to generate industrial, commercial, and civic development in distressed urban areas and to create jobs through construction of low and moderate income housing and the renovation or expansion of industrial and commercial facilities. It originally concentrated on initiating and implementing large-scale housing development to low- and moderate-income people. In the mid-1970s, the UDC had become overextended and its capital base was in danger.

The Commission was created by Chapter 460 of Laws of 1975 to examine possibilities for increasing productivity in the public sector. The Commission examined private sector practices and methods of achieving productivity, particularly financial controls, for possible application to the public sector. The Commission's thirteen members were appointed by the Governor, the Temporary President of the Senate, the Speaker of the Assembly, the Minority Leader of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the Assembly.

The Assembly Standing Committee on Governmental Operations was established in 1969. The Committee considers legislation in a wide range of subject areas including: governmental reform; human rights; Indian affairs; veterans' affairs; police services; crime victims; public lands and buildings; cable television; and the Freedom of Information and Open Meetings Laws. The Committee also considers legislation referred to it by various special legislative task forces and commissions.