S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  9524

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                             March 10, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  DenDEKKER  --  read once and referred to the
  Committee on Governmental Operations

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:

  Section  1.  Legislative  findings.  The legislature hereby finds that
Armistice Day has been marked on November 11th  every  year  since  1918
commemorating  the  day  the  Allied forces signed an agreement with the
Germans that would end World War I. The cost in human  suffering  during
World  War  I,  originally  known  as  the  Great  War,  was  on a scale
unprecedented in human history. Between 1914 and 1918, there  were  over
37  million  casualties with over 13,000 New Yorkers losing their lives.
Among the noteworthy New York regiments fighting in World War I  include
New  York's  69th  Infantry Regiment, referred to as the "Fighting 69th"
and New York's 369th Infantry Regiment, popularly known as  the  "Harlem
Hellfighters",  the  first  African  American regiment to serve with the
American Expeditionary Forces during World  War  I.  There  are  several
sites in New York with historical significance to World War I including:
the  Pier A clock tower in Battery Park, the armory of the 14th New York
regiment in Park Slope, the Chelsea World War I statute on 9th and 28th,
the 7th Regiment statute in Central Park, the Brooklyn World War I memo-
rial in Prospect Park, the Richmond Hill statute in Queens, and  others.
The  legislature,  therefore,  declares that there is a need to create a
New York State World War I 100th anniversary commemoration commission to
develop and execute plans for projects and  activities  recognizing  the
100th year anniversary of World War I, with particular emphasis on those
New  Yorkers  who made the supreme sacrifice and those who returned home
wounded.
  S 2. New York  State  World  War  I  100th  anniversary  commemoration
commission  created. (1) There is hereby a temporary state commission to
be known as the "New York State World War I  100th  anniversary  commem-
oration commission".

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD14441-03-6

A. 9524                             2

  (2)  Definitions. As used in this act: "Commission" means the New York
State World War I 100th anniversary commemoration commission created  by
this section.
  (3) Tasks. The Commission is charged with the following duties:
  a.  To plan, develop and execute programs, projects, and activities to
commemorate the centennial of World War I and New York's and  New  York-
ers' role in it;
  b.  To  encourage  private  organizations,  state  agencies, and local
government in New York to organize and participate in activities commem-
orating the centennial of World War I;
  c. Assist with efforts to protect, improve,  and  develop  educational
and interpretive institutions, sites, and museums related to World War I
for educational, recreational, and tourism purposes; and
  d.  Perform  other  actions  necessary  to carry out the duties of the
Commission.
  (4) Membership:
  a. The Commission shall consist of  11  members  to  be  appointed  as
follows:  The  commissioner  of  the department of parks, recreation and
historic preservation or his or her duly designated representative,  the
commissioner  of  the  department of education or his or her duly desig-
nated representative, the commissioner of  the  department  of  economic
development  or  his  or  her  duly designated representative, and eight
at-large members, of which, two members shall be appointed by the gover-
nor, two members shall be appointed by the temporary  president  of  the
senate,  two  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.
The commissioner of the department of  parks,  recreation  and  historic
preservation or his or her duly designated representative shall serve as
chairperson  of  the Commission. The eight appointed members shall serve
at the pleasure of the appointing official. Vacancies shall be filled in
the manner provided for original appointments.
  b. The members of the Commission shall  receive  no  compensation  for
their services.
  c.  Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of any general, special
or local law, ordinance, resolution or charter, no  officer,  member  or
employee  of the state or of any public corporation shall forfeit his or
her office or employment by reason of his or her acceptance of  appoint-
ment as a member of the Commission, nor shall service as such Commission
member be deemed incompatible or in conflict with such office or employ-
ment.
  d.  The Commission shall appoint, designate, or remove such staff from
the Commission as may be necessary to carry out its duties and  perform-
ance of its functions, from current state agency personnel.
  e.  The  Commission  may  meet and hold public and/or private hearings
within or without the state, and shall have all the powers of a legisla-
tive committee pursuant to the legislative law; except it shall not have
the power to issue subpoenas pursuant to section 62-a of the legislative
law.
  f. The Commission may request and shall receive from any  subdivision,
department,  board, commission, office, agency, or other instrumentality
of the state or of any political subdivision  thereof  such  facilities,
assistance  and  data  as it deems necessary or desirable for the proper
execution of its powers and duties and to effectuate  the  purposes  set
forth in this act.

A. 9524                             3

  g. The Commission is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into any
agreements and to do and perform any acts that may be necessary, desira-
ble or proper to carry out the purposes and objectives of this act.
  (5)  Action  Plan: By June 30th, 2017, the Commission shall present to
the Governor and Legislature an Action Plan to achieve the  Commission's
tasks.  The  report  shall  contain  recommendations  to commemorate the
centennial of World War I.  The Commission shall update the Action  Plan
as necessary.
  (6)  Termination:  The  Commission  shall  continue in existence until
November 12, 2018 at which time it shall be deemed to be repealed.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.