2023 New York Laws › PAR - Parks, recreation and historic preservation › Title C - Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation › Article 14 - Historic Preservation › 14.12 - New York State Two Hundred Fiftieth Commemoration Commission.

* §   14.12   New   York  state  two  hundred  fiftieth  commemoration
commission.  1. As used in this section, the following terms shall  mean
and include:
(a)  "Commission"  means  the  New  York  state  two  hundred fiftieth
commemoration commission created by subdivision two of this section.
(b) "Heritage organization" means a historic site, historical society,
battlefield,  historic  park,  history-based  museum,  friends   groups,
library,    archive,    academic   institute,   historical   anniversary
organization, historical awareness group  or  Native  American  cultural
center whose mission is to preserve and promote the history of a locale,
region, people, or the entirety of the state.
2. (a) The office shall create the New York state two hundred fiftieth
commemoration  commission. From the effective date of this section until
December thirty-first, two thousand thirty-three, such commission  shall
develop  plans  to  promote and coordinate activities to commemorate the
two hundred fiftieth anniversary of the American Revolution. Such  plans
may include:
(i)  including  heritage  organizations  as  the  focal points for the
commemoration;
(ii) coordinating forums across the  state  to  seek  ideas  from  the
public  on  the  commemoration  including how New Yorkers, Americans and
those from other countries may celebrate such anniversary;
(iii) coordinating activities with  civic,  educational  and  heritage
organizations to develop public interest and involvement in the planning
and development of the commemoration;
(iv)  promoting  and  encouraging  educational outreach programs using
media and technology  including  electronic  communications  to  achieve
national and international impact;
(v)   coordinating  the  planning  of  commemorative  events  for  all
interested communities throughout the state;
(vi) inviting other interested states and nations  to  participate  in
programs and events for the commemoration;
(vii) coordinating and promoting the holding of meetings, conferences,
seminars   and   conventions   in   interested  communities  using  such
anniversary as an attraction and theme;
(viii) coordinating and promoting the holding of community  engagement
and  educational events in interested communities using such anniversary
as an attraction and theme;
(ix)  seeking  funding  from  private  individuals,  foundations   and
corporations   to   support   capital   improvements,  preservation  and
conservation needs associated with events and sites  commemorating  such
anniversary;
(x)  coordinating  and  cooperating  with  state  entities and tourist
promotion agencies,  as  defined  in  article  five-A  of  the  economic
development law;
(xi)  coordinating  and  cooperating  with  local,  state  and federal
entities including those relating to heritage  area  promotion  and  any
federal commission created to participate in planning and development of
such anniversary observance; and
(xii) setting goals and benchmarks for the work of the commission.
(b)  The commission may coordinate and consult with the New York state
military  museum  and  veterans  research  center,   Saratoga   national
historical  park,  Champlain  Valley National Heritage Partnership, Erie
Canalway National Heritage Corridor, Maurice  D.  Hinchey  Hudson  River
Valley  National  Heritage  Area,  Niagara Falls National Heritage Area,
Humanities New York, Association of Public Historian of New York  State,
the  Preservation League of New York State, national historic landmarks,
national historic  landmark  stewardship  organizations  and  any  other

organizations it deems necessary in the development, planning, promotion
and  coordination  of activities to commemorate the two hundred fiftieth
anniversary of the American Revolution.
(c)  The  commission  may  coordinate  and  consult  with  each of the
following: the Cayuga Nation, the Oneida  Indian  Nation,  the  Onondaga
Indian  Nation,  the  Saint  Regis  Mohawk  Tribe,  the Seneca Nation of
Indians, the Shinnecock Indian Nation, the Stockbridge-Munsee  Community
Band of Mohican Indians, the Tonawanda Band of Seneca, and the Tuscarora
Nation.
(d)  The  commission  shall consist of twenty-one voting members to be
appointed as follows:
(i) the commissioner or his or her designee;
(ii) the commissioner of the department of education  or  his  or  her
designee;
(iii)  the  president  and  chief  executive  officer  of empire state
development or his or her designee;
(iv) the commissioner of the office of general services;
(v) the secretary of state or his or her designee;
(vi) chair of the New York state tourism advisory council  or  his  or
her designee;
(vii) chair of the council for the arts or his or her designee;
(viii) director of the canal corporation or his or her designee;
(ix)  four  members  shall be appointed by the governor, three members
shall be appointed by the  temporary  president  of  the  senate,  three
members  shall  be  appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one member
shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate and  one  member
shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly, to the extent
practicable, these appointments shall include a representative from each
of the ten regional economic development councils; and
(x) the New York state historian.
(d)   To   the  extent  practicable,  such  appointees  shall  have  a
professional background in one or more of the  following  fields:  local
government  historian,  academic  historian, museum professional, social
studies  teacher  or  professor,  tourism  professional,   archeologist,
anthropologist,  or  other  expertise  in  the  field  of New York state
history and/or  historic  preservation,  or  professional  or  volunteer
fundraising experience.
(e)  The  commissioner  and  the  commissioner  of  the  department of
education shall be co-chairpersons of the commission. Vacancies  in  the
membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner provided
for original appointments.
(f)  A  majority  of  the members of the commission shall constitute a
quorum.
(g) The members of the commission shall receive  no  compensation  for
their  services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties.
(h) The commission shall hold a meeting at least once each quarter.
3. The commission shall have the power:
(a) to prepare, publish and  disseminate  information  or  reports  to
highlight  for state agencies, local governments, and the general public
issues, problems, and opportunities relevant to the two hundred fiftieth
anniversary of the American Revolution;
(b) to assist local governments and other appropriate organizations to
plan commemorations of the  two  hundred  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the
American  Revolution,  and  to  do  this,  as  far  as possible, through
cooperation  and  through  technical  assistance,   including   planning
assistance,   citizen   education   and  participation  assistance,  and
assistance in preparation of grant applications to other entities;
(c) to apply  for  and  receive  funds  from  the  federal  and  state
government;
(d)  notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, to solicit and
accept gifts for  the  purpose  of  furthering  the  objectives  of  the
commission pursuant to this section;
(e) to conduct historical, economic and cultural studies;
(f) to conduct education programs;
(g)  to  assist  individuals, corporations, heritage organizations and
other public entities on  ways  to  protect  and  promote  the  heritage
resources of the state;
(h) to prepare an annual report on the conduct of its activities which
shall  be  delivered to the governor, temporary president of the senate,
and the speaker of the assembly by January first;
(i) to serve a coordinating role  in  utilizing  the  capabilities  of
other  organizations to carry out the duties prescribed in this section;
and
(j) to exercise and perform such other powers and duties as shall have
been or may be conferred by law.
4. (a) The commission shall develop  a  strategic  plan,  which  shall
recommend  plans  for  commemorating the state's role in the founding of
the nation and the ensuing two hundred fifty years of history.
(b) The strategic plan shall be consistent  with  existing  management
plans for resources included in the plan.
(c)  Such  strategic  plan may include, but shall not be limited to, a
survey or inventory of the following, together with the establishment of
management priorities thereof: (i) historic, cultural and other heritage
resources; (ii) scenic resources; and (iii) educational and recreational
resources.
(d) By December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-two, the  commission
shall  vote  to  finalize  the recommendation contained in the strategic
plan. A copy of the strategic plan shall be provided  to  the  governor,
the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly.
(e)  The  commission  may  propose  amendments  to  the strategic plan
described in this subdivision as they are deemed  to  be  necessary  and
appropriate.
5.  To  effectuate  the  purposes  of this section, the commission may
request from any department, board, bureau, commission or  other  agency
of  the  state, and the same are authorized to provide, such cooperation
and assistance, services and data  as  will  enable  the  commission  to
properly carry out its functions pursuant to this section.
6. In administering the provisions of this section, the commission may
make, within the limitations of appropriations available thereof, grants
to  heritage organizations towards the costs of a project recommended in
the plan. The  commission  may  submit  letters  of  support  for  grant
applications  submitted  by  an  organization  for  projects or programs
recommended in the plan.
* NB Repealed December 31, 2033