What's happening
This bill increases the membership and extends the reporting deadlines of the 400 Years of African-American History Commission.
Why it matters
Expands representation and expertise. By increasing the number of commission members and specifically requiring more appointees from the governor, the bill allows for a broader range of perspectives and potentially greater expertise in African-American history, arts, and culture.
Allows more time for comprehensive research and recommendations. Extending the commission’s reporting and expiration deadlines by nearly a year gives members additional time to conduct research, engage communities, and develop thorough findings and recommendations.
Removes direct grant-making authority. The bill eliminates sections authorizing the commission to provide grants to communities, nonprofits, and scholarly organizations. This change could limit the commission’s ability to directly support educational programs and research projects, possibly shifting its focus more toward advisory and reporting functions.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Change Commission Size, Deadlines
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 14
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by A8946
- Ordered to third reading cal.27
- Referred to rules
- Referred to rules
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Change Commission's Size and Deadlines
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Taylor Darling
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6948
IN SENATE
January 6, 2020
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend a chapter of the laws of 2019 establishing the 400 Years of African-American History Commission, in relation to the amount of members of such commission, the deadline such commission shall submit reports of its findings and to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Sections 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of a chapter of the laws of 2019 establishing the 400 Years of African-American History Commission, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 3204 and A. 7667, are amended to read as follows:
§ 2. (a) The commission shall consist of [thirteen] fifteen members, including the secretary of state, or his or her designee, the commissioner of education, or his or her designee, [three] seven members appointed by the governor, [three] two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate, [three] two 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] 90 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.
S LBD06194-02-9
S. 6948 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.
§ 4. [The commission may, from any monies appropriated for such purposes, provide:
(a) grants to communities and nonprofit organizations for the development 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] 2020.
§ [6] 5. The commission shall submit a report to the governor and the legislature that contains a summary of its activities, a final accounting of its received and expended funds, and its findings and recommendations on or before June 1, [2021] 2022.
§ [7] 6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed July 1, [2021] 2022.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2019 establishing the 400 Years of African-American History Commission, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 3204 and A. 7667, takes effect.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend a chapter of the laws of 2019 establishing the 400 Years of African-American History Commission, in relation to the amount of members of such commission, the deadline such commission shall submit reports of its findings and to the effectiveness thereof
Purpose
This is a chapter amendment that makes changes to provisions of L.2019, c.650.
Summary of provisions
This legislation amends the previous bills establishing the 400 Years of African-American History Commission in a number of ways. The size of the commission is increased from 13 to 15 members, with the Governor now having seven designees, up from 3, while the two legislate leaders now have two appointments each, as opposed to three. This gives the Execu- tive a majority of the appointments on the commission. The time for appointing commissioners is extended from 30 to 90 days, and the time by which the commission's initial report is due to be delivered is moved from October 1,2019 to October 1, 2020, while the final report is now due June 1, 2021, instead of June 1, 2020. The commissions power to provide grants by itself from monies appropriated for the purpose is removed.
Justification
Pursuant to approval memo 41 of 2019, the Executive expressed concerns about the ability of the commission to make grants on its own. In addi- tion, they stated that the work of the commission would require them to use a significant amount of existing agency resources, since no money was appropriated for the workings of the commission, and since they would be responsible for the expenditure of these resources they believe they require overall control of the commission, which is provided by giving the Executive the majority of the appointments. Finally, given the late timing of the signing of the bill, the dates of the start and end of the commission's work had to be moved back in time. This legis- lation is a negotiated change to the underlying chapter that addresses those concerns.
Legislative history
Chapter amendment to Chapter 650 of the Laws of 2019.
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2019 establishing the 400 Years of African-Ameri- can History Commission, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S.3204 and A.7667, takes effect.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.