S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3204
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 4, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT establishing the 400 Years of  African-American  History  Commis-
   sion;  and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration
   thereof

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The 400 Years of African-American History Commission, here-
 inafter the "commission", is hereby established within the department of
 state.  The commission shall develop and carry out activities throughout
 the state to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival  of  Afri-
 cans in the English colonies at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619.
   §  2.  (a) The commission shall consist of thirteen members, including
 the secretary of state, or his or  her  designee,  the  commissioner  of
 education, or his or her designee, three members appointed by the gover-
 nor,  three  members appointed by the temporary president of the senate,
 three members appointed by the  speaker  of  the  assembly,  one  member
 appointed by the senate minority leader, and one member appointed by the
 assembly  minority  leader.  Appointed  members shall include but not be
 limited to historians and those with a  background  in  African-American
 history,  arts,  or  culture.  Such appointments shall be made within 30
 days of the effective date of this act.
   (b) A vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same manner  in
 which the original appointment was made.
   (c) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but
 shall  be  entitled to reimbursement for all necessary expenses incurred
 in the performance of their duties.
   (d) The secretary of state, or his or her designee, shall serve as the
 chair and shall appoint the vice-chair of the commission.  The  presence
 of  a  majority  of the authorized membership of the commission shall be
 required for the conduct of official business.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD06194-01-9

 S. 3204                             2
 
   (e) The department of state shall  provide  technical  assistance  and
 data  to  the commission as may be necessary for the commission to carry
 out its responsibilities pursuant to this act.
   § 3. The commission shall:
   (a) plan programs appropriate for the commemoration to:
   (1)  acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial
 discrimination had on New York and the United States;
   (2) recognize and highlight the resilience and contributions of  Afri-
 can-Americans since 1619; and
   (3)  educate  the  public  about the arrival of Africans in the United
 States and the contributions of African-Americans to New  York  and  the
 United States;
   (b)  encourage  civic,  patriotic,  historical, educational, artistic,
 religious, economic and other organizations to organize and  participate
 in  anniversary  activities  to expand understanding and appreciation of
 the significance of the arrival of Africans in New York and  the  United
 States  and  the  contributions of African-Americans to New York and the
 United States;
   (c) assist localities  and  nonprofit  organizations  to  further  the
 commemoration;
   (d)  coordinate  for  the  public scholarly research on the arrival of
 Africans in the United States and their contributions to  New  York  and
 the United States;
   (e)  ensure that the commemoration provides a lasting legacy and long-
 term public benefit by  assisting  in  the  development  of  appropriate
 programs; and
   (f) ensure that the observances of the commemoration are inclusive and
 appropriately  recognize the experiences and heritage of all individuals
 present at the arrival of Africans in New York and the United States.
   § 4. The  commission  may,  from  any  monies  appropriated  for  such
 purposes, provide:
   (a) grants to communities and nonprofit organizations for the develop-
 ment of programs; and
   (b)  grants  to  research  and  scholarly  organizations  to research,
 publish, or distribute information relating to the arrival  of  Africans
 in New York and the United States.
   §  5.  The  commission  shall  submit a report to the governor and the
 legislature that contains  a  summary  of  its  planned  activities,  an
 accounting  of  its  received  and  expended funds, and its findings and
 recommendations on or before October 1, 2019.
   § 6. The commission shall submit a report  to  the  governor  and  the
 legislature  that contains a summary of its activities, a final account-
 ing of its received and expended funds, and its findings and recommenda-
 tions on or before June 1, 2021.
   § 7. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed July 1, 2021.