S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6441
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 7, 2017
                                ___________
 
 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.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10384-01-7
              

 A. 6441                             2
 
   § 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".
   (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,

 A. 6441                             3
 
 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.
   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, 2018, 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, 2019 at which time it shall be deemed to be repealed.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.