New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 9 - EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT › Subtitle A - Governor's Office › Chapter I - Executive Orders › Part 4 - Executive Orders (Mario M. Cuomo) › Section 4.172 - Executive order no. 172: establishing a temporary commission on constitutional revision

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
WHEREAS, New York will enter the centennial year of our
					 fourth and current State Constitution in 1994;
WHEREAS, since 1846, our State Constitution has provided
					 that the people of New York must be asked in each generation whether a
					 constitutional convention should be held;
WHEREAS, it is important that the people be educated so
					 that they make an informed decision on whether a convention is desirable in
					 1997 or earlier if the Legislature agrees to pose the question;
WHEREAS, the State government must be prepared if the
					 people decide that a convention should be held;
WHEREAS, citizens throughout New York have expressed a
					 strong desire for governmental restructuring and reform;
WHEREAS, numerous proposals for constitutional change have
					 been brought forward in New York in recent years, but have not been given
					 careful and systematic scrutiny in the context of a review of the entire
					 document;
WHEREAS, numerous issues have been identified that may only
					 be resolved by constitutional change; and
WHEREAS, the process for convening and holding a
					 constitutional convention, established in our current State Constitution, needs
					 to be explored and critically examined;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mario M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
					 New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and Laws
					 of the State of New York, do hereby establish a Temporary Commission on
					 Constitutional Revision, to be staffed and supported through the Rockefeller
					 Institute of Government of the State University of New York.
I. Membership
The Commission shall be comprised of at least fifteen
					 persons appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be designated by the
					 Governor as chair. The members of the Commission shall serve without
					 compensation for their services, but shall be reimbursed for all actual and
					 necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
II. Purpose, Character and
				  Responsibilities of the Commission
The Commission shall be nonpartisan in nature, and shall
					 have as its general purpose the improvement of the structure of government in
					 New York through an objective examination of the constitutional change process
					 and the range of constitutional issues to be considered by the people of New
					 York. Specifically, the Commission shall be responsible for examining and
					 evaluating the processes for convening, staffing, holding and acting on the
					 recommendations of a state constitutional convention in New York, and for
					 developing a broad-based agenda of issues and concerns which might be
					 considered by such a convention.
III. Commission Reporting
The Commission shall begin issuing interim reports to the
					 Governor as soon as possible but no later than December 31, 1993. The first
					 reports shall describe the procedures for revising the New York State
					 Constitution, the areas under review by the Commission and discuss the
					 activities of the Commission. The Commission may issue such other reports as it
					 deems necessary and desirable.
The Commission shall issue a final report to the Governor
					 on or before May 15, 1995. It shall make concrete recommendations concerning
					 the facilitation of the constitutional change process in New York State,
					 provide an objective and nonpartisan outline of the range of constitutional
					 issues that the Commission has identified as a result of its work throughout
					 the State and recommend the timing of and manner in which any proposed
					 constitution or constitutional amendments shall be submitted to a vote of the
					 people of the State.
IV.
				  Other Commission Activities
The Commission shall engage in a range of activities
					 designed to focus attention on constitutional change and obtain the views of
					 New Yorkers on this subject, including but not limited to:
(a) holding public hearings, forums and other
				  meetings throughout New York State;
(b) encouraging independent and objective
				  research prepared for and accessible to the public on constitutional issues and
				  constitutional reform;
(c)
				  supporting activities of interested civic, educational, community based and
				  other organizations representative of New York's diverse interests and views
				  throughout the State concerning constitutional processes and issues;
				  and
(d) establishing nonpartisan
				  regional groups that would provide the basis for discussion on constitutional
				  issues.