Creates the "New York state civil war 150th anniversary commemoration commission" to plan and execute an organized series of reenactment tourism events.

---

S197A-2011 Actions

• Jan 4, 2012: REFERRED TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS, TOURISM, PARKS AND RECREATION
• May 10, 2011: PRINT NUMBER 197A
• May 10, 2011: AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS, TOURISM, PARKS AND RECREATION
• Jan 5, 2011: REFERRED TO CULTURAL AFFAIRS, TOURISM, PARKS AND RECREATION

S197A-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S197A

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to create a temporary New York state civil war 150th anniversary
commemoration commission; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To establish a New York state civil
war 150th anniversary commemoration commission to promote the 150th
anniversary of the American civil war which will take place between
the years 2011 and 2015.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Legislative findings that
the creation of a commemoration commissions is necessary to
coordinate and facilitate such an event.

Section 2: Creates and defines the commission, which will consist of
14 members. One member will be the commissioner of the department of
parks, recreation and historic preservation (or their assigned
representative); the commissioner of the department of education (or
their assigned representative); the commissioner of the department of
economic development (or their assigned representative); three people
appointed by the governor; three people appointed by the temporary
president of the senate; three people appointed by the speaker of the
assembly; one person appointed by the senate minority leader; and one
person appointed by the assembly minority leader.
Members of the commission won't be compensated for their service, but
will be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the
performance of their duties.

Section 3: Lays out the powers and duties of the commission. These
powers include (a) coordinating the commemoration; (b) planning and
executing civil war reenactment tourism events;
(c) promoting civil war educational studies in K-12 public schools;
and (d) designing medallions to be issued exclusively to the
re-enactors participating in the commemoration events.

Section 4: Provides that the commission may employ personnel as it
deems necessary; may hold public or private hearings; and shall have
all the Dowers of legislative committee.

Section 5: Provides that the commission may request assistance and
data as it deems necessary for the proper execution of its powers and
duties from the state or any subdivision thereof.

Section 6: Provides that the commission may enter agreements and do
and perform any acts that may be necessary, desirable, or proper to
carry out the purposes and objectives of the act.

Section 7: Provides an expiration date of December 31, 2015, at which
point this act will be repealed and the commission will cease to exist.

Section 8: Effective date


JUSTIFICATION:
The 150th anniversary of the civil war is an important
milestone for our state and nation. The commemoration of this
milestone is a time to reflect on and celebrate the brave men and
women who lost their lives fighting for the American ideals of life,
liberty, and pursuit of happiness for all. The commission this bill
would establish will allow New York to organize commemorative events,
educate our schoolchildren, and encourage tourism from around the
country and the world.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2009/10: A.8157-A/S.4377-A - Passed Assembly

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

S197A-2011 Text

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

                                   197--A

                         2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 (PREFILED)

                               January 5, 2011
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen. MAZIARZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
    Parks and Recreation -- committee discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
    reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

  AN  ACT to create a temporary New York state civil war 150th anniversary
    commemoration  commission;  and  providing  for  the  repeal  of  such
    provisions

    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  and
  declares that there is a need to create a New York state civil war 150th
  anniversary commemoration commission to promote the 150th anniversary of
  the  American civil war which will take place between the years 2011 and
  2015. The primary focus of the New York state civil war  150th  anniver-
  sary  commemoration  commission will be to plan and execute an organized
  series of civil war reenactment tourism events.
    The legislature finds that the creation of a New York state civil  war
  150th anniversary commemoration commission is necessary to bring togeth-
  er  persons  qualified  by experience and/or by powers vested in them by
  their offices to coordinate and facilitate such a multi-year event.
    S 2. New York state civil war 150th anniversary commemoration  commis-
  sion;  created.  1. There is hereby created a temporary state commission
  to be known as the "New York state civil war 150th  anniversary  commem-
  oration commission".
    2. Definitions. As used in this act:

    a.  "Commission"  means the New York state civil war 150th anniversary
  commemoration commission created by this section.
    b. "Re-enactor" means a person who is a recognized member  of  a  duly
  constituted  reenactment  organization approved by the host site and who
  participates in the main civil war reenactment event for the year.

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD01683-03-1

 S. 197--A                           2

    3. a. The commission shall consist of 14 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  commis-
  sioner  of  the  department  of  education or his or her duly designated
  representative, the commissioner of the department of economic  develop-
  ment or his or her duly designated representative, and 11 members of the
  civil war reenactment community of whom three members shall be appointed
  by the governor, three members shall be appointed by the temporary pres-
  ident  of the senate, three 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 economic development
  or his or her duly designated representative shall serve as  chairperson
  of the commission. The eleven appointed members shall serve at the plea-
  sure 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 such staff  as  may  be  necessary  to
  carry out its duties.
    S 3. Powers and duties of the commission. 1. The commission shall have
  the following powers and duties:

    a.  To  coordinate  the  commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the
  civil war for the years 2011 through 2015;
    b. To plan and execute an organized series of  civil  war  reenactment
  tourism events;
    c.  To  promote  civil  war educational studies in grades kindergarten
  through twelve in New York state schools; and
    d. To design two special "metal alloy" medallions to issue exclusively
  to those re-enactors who are duly authorized and who participate in  the
  main  reenactment  event of each year. A medallion shall be prepared for
  issuance to American forces and a separate and distinct medallion  shall
  be prepared for issuance to Confederate forces.
    2. The commission shall work with forts within New York state that are
  planning  civil  war  reenactment events. Each fort shall have authority
  over how such events are handled.
    S 4. The commission may employ and at pleasure remove  such  personnel
  as  it  may  deem necessary for the performance of its functions and fix
  their compensation within the amounts made  available  by  appropriation
  therefor.  The  commission may meet and hold public and/or private hear-
  ings within or without the state, and shall have all  the  powers  of  a
  legislative  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.
    S  5.  The  commission may request and shall receive from any subdivi-
  sion, department, board, commission, office, agency, or other instrumen-
  tality of the state or of any political subdivision thereof such facili-
  ties, assistance and data as it deems necessary  or  desirable  for  the

 S. 197--A                           3

  proper execution of its powers and duties and to effectuate the purposes
  set forth in this act.
    S  6.  The commission is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into
  any agreements and to do and perform any acts  that  may  be  necessary,
  desirable  or  proper  to  carry out the purposes and objectives of this
  act.
    S 7. The commission shall continue in  existence  until  December  31,
  2015, at which time it shall be deemed to be repealed.
    S 8. This act shall take effect immediately.