Research

New York State established a program to monitor occupational diseases in 1914 (Chap. 145) when it created a Division of Industrial Hygiene (DIH) in the State Department of Labor (DOL) to aid in the enforcement of labor laws. This Division was almost entirely staffed by technical experts in various fields, and DOL claimed it was the first unit of its kind in the country. Among the new Division's many functions was the investigation of reported cases of occupational disease and the study of types of industries and workers to determine the causes and prevention of occupational disease.

This commission was created by the Legislature under the Laws of 1946, Chapter 353. The governor and the legislature each appointed half of its 30 members. Its mission was to examine higher education throughout New York State and to make recommendations for future needs. The commission met eight times between August 23, 1946 and January 12, 1948.

Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller appointed this commission on February 15, 1963 following recurring charges of corruption in enforcement of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law lodged against several members of the State Liquor Authority. Critics charged, for instance, that although competition for the limited allowed number of liquor store locations was intense, there was no standard for selecting who was chosen to get a site, encouraging favoritism and bribery in the awarding of locations.

A three member Personnel Council was established by executive order on June 4, 1945, to develop greater uniformity in and to promote understanding of personnel policies and practices throughout State government. The Governor appointed to the Council a department administrator, the Administrative Director of the Department of Civil Service (D.C.S.), and an official from the Division of the Budget.

In view of the high level of civilian casualties caused by German bombing in England and fearing that the worst possible could happen in the United States and New York, in 1942 the War Council's Division of Civilian Protection formed the Emergency Medical Service to respond to the medical needs of bombing casualties.

State government efforts to protect fish, wildlife, and marine resources began with the establishment of the Fisheries Commission in 1868. Established to promote the propagation of fish in the State's rivers, lakes, and streams, the Fisheries Commission was combined with the Forest Commission to form the Fisheries, Game, and Forest Commission in 1895. This commission was renamed the Forest, Fish and Game Commission in 1900.

The Farm Manpower Service began operation upon the appointment of its director, T. Norman Hurd, by a resolution of the New York State War Council in 1943. It was formed in order to coordinate the work of all federal, state, and local agencies as well as farm organizations, groups, and individuals dealing with the severe war-time labor shortage faced by food producers in New York State.

Organized at the department Commissioner's request in 1960, the Departmental Committee on Rehabilitation existed for one year. Its assigned activities were information exchange between medical bureaus, coordination of planning, review of existing programs and recommendations for future programs, and special assignments from the Commissioner.

When the United States declared war on Japan in December 1941, over ninety percent of the nation's crude rubber supply was controlled by the Japanese and instantly lost. Almost immediately, the U.S. government took steps to ensure that civilian consumption would not interfere with military exigencies: in January 1941, all new car sales were frozen and by the end of July 1942, gas rationing had been implemented. New York State, where seventy-five percent of the work force depended on personal automobiles to commute between home and work, was particularly hard hit.

The Temporary Salary Standardization Board was appointed by Governor Herbert H. Lehman (L. 1937, Ch. 859). It was charged with reviewing the State of New York's salary plan "in light of salaries paid in private companies and agencies and in other governmental jurisdictions" (Survey Report of the Salary Standardization Board). Throughout its existence, the Board gathered comparable salary data for the different positions filled by approximately 52,500 State employees during the 1940s.