Research

The Office of the Welfare Inspector General (OWIG), an independent agency situated within the Department of Law, was established in 1992 to prevent, investigate, and prosecute public assistance fraud. The office investigates, and when appropriate prosecutes, welfare recipients who are dishonestly receiving benefits for which they are not eligible. The office also investigates instances in which Medicaid, day care or other providers or administrators of services, or government employees are accepting payments fraudulently.

The Law Revision Commission was established in 1934 (Chapter 597) upon the recommendation of the Commission on the Administration of Justice. The latter commission, established in 1930 (Chapter 727) to collect information and to report and make recommendations to the state legislature on the administration of justice in New York State, proposed creation of a Law Revision Commission in its 1934 report.

The New York State Tug Hill Commission was created as a Legislative Commission in 1972 (Chapter 972) and charged with studying the region and recommending means of protecting its environment and strengthening its economy for the long term. Known as the Temporary State Commission on Tug Hill, the commission served its first twenty-five years under various "sunset" provisions of each amendment to Chapter 972.

In 1974, the New York State Legislature enacted legislation creating the Empire State Youth Theatre Institute (ESYTI). In 1982, as part of a collaboration with the Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center in Albany (known as "the Egg"), ESYTI changed its name to the Empire State Institute for the Performing Arts (ESIPA). In 1986, the institute became the first theatre company from the United States to perform in the former Soviet Union upon resumption of cultural relations between the two countries.

The Lake George Park and Lake George Park Commission were established in 1961(chapter 454). The "Lake George park" includes the bed, waters, islands, and shore of Lake George and all land in the counties of Essex, Warren, and Washington surrounding said lake and situated within specifically defined boundaries. The park encompasses 300-square miles of land and water lying within these three counties and twelve individual municipalities. 

The New York State Museum originated with the State Geological and Natural History Survey, established by the legislature in 1836 (Chapter 142). It was charged with completing a geological survey of the State and furnishing "a full and scientific description of its rocks, sails and minerals, and of its botanical and zoological productions, together with specimens of the same" to be deposited in the State Library. The State was divided into four districts, each in charge of a geologist who, along with a staff mineralogist, botanist, and zoologist, completed the initial survey in 1842.

The Adirondack Park Agency was created in 1971 (Chapter 706) to ensure the preservation of the Adirondack wilderness area that had been designated as part of a State forest preserve in 1885, and then as the Adirondack Park in 1892. The agency was directed to cooperate with the Department of Environmental Conservation to prepare master plans for managing State land for approval by the governor and to prepare an Adirondack Park Private Land Use Plan for presentation to the legislature.

In 1921, the New York State Legislature created the Motion Picture Commission to review and license motion pictures (Ch. 715, L. 1921). This agency consisted of three commissioners appointed by the governor, as well as supporting staff. The commission functioned until 1927 when, as part of a general consolidation of state government, it was abolished and its duties transferred to the State Education Department (Ch. 544, L. 1926). The Education Department established a Motion Picture Division to carry out the review and licensing responsibilities formerly executed by the commission.

The Western House of Refuge was established as the first state reformatory of the nation by the State Legislature on May 8, 1846 (Laws of 1846, Ch. 143). The report of the Assembly committee preparing the legislation focused on the problem of juveniles being incarcerated with older criminals. In addition it argued that the state-financed but privately managed New York House of Refuge did not serve the western counties of the state (1846, Assembly Document #93). The new institution was opened in August 1849; by the end of the year there were thirty-eight male inmates.

New York's first publicly-supported institution for dependents was established in New York City in 1734. Opened in 1736, the "House of Correction, Workhouse and Poorhouse" housed the poor who refused to work, the poor who were unable to work, and the poor who were willing but unable to find work. Following the opening of this institution, more poorhouses were opened throughout the province. New York's first general hospital, established in 1771 and opened in 1791, also was in New York City. This was the province's first publicly-funded institution providing medical aid to the poor.