Research

Continuation and expansion of community services during World War II depended largely on volunteers and initially was organized primarily by women. The Office of Civilian Mobilization (OCM) was created to recruit volunteers for participation in the civilian war effort in areas such as child care, recreation, health services, war production, food production and preservation, and salvage. As World War II progressed and the United States' involvement grew, the citizens of New York considered it their duty to support the war effort overseas by volunteering their services at home.

The Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) was established by Presidential Executive Order No. 7034 on May 6, 1935 to coordinate execution of the Federal work relief program. The Federal Writers' Project (FWP) was approved the following July as part of Federal Project One, the WPA Arts Program. The FWP was supervised by WPA's Division of Women's and Professional Projects (1935-1939), Division of Professional and Service Projects (1939-1941), and Division of Community Service Projects (1941-1942).

The 1894 New York State Constitution (Article 14, Section 2) required that the question "Shall there be a convention to revise the Constitution and amend the same" be put to voters during 1936. The legislature (Laws of 1936, Chapter 598) further clarified this constitutional requirement and on November 3, 1936, New York voters approved the holding of a constitutional convention. This Convention was held in Albany from April 5 to August 26, 1938. As delegates to the Convention, voters chose 92 Republications, 75 Democrats, and one member of the American Labor Party.

The Assembly Public Information Office was established in 1975 to assist the public in gaining access to the actions and records of the Assembly. Among the records made available by the Office are: the status of particular bills being considered by the Assembly; voting records on bills acted upon in the Assembly; attendance records of individual Members; debate transcripts; Assembly and committee agendas; memoranda relating to specific legislative proposals; annual reports of Assembly committee; and salary records of Assembly employees.

This Commission was created to make a comprehensive review of the administration and application of the real property tax and make recommendations to assure that the burden of taxation is equitably distributed while sound social, economic and governmental purposes are served. The Commission made its final report to the Governor and Legislature on March 31, 1988.

A series of highly publicized scandals rocked the government of New York City from 1985 to 1986. In response, in March 1986, Governor Mario Cuomo and New York City Mayor Ed Koch appointed a State-City Commission on Integrity in Government to recommend improvements in laws, regulations, and procedures regarding prevention of corruption, favoritism, undue influence, and abuse of government office. The commission's report identified serious flaws in existing laws, regulations, and procedures and recommended appointment of a new commission with investigatory powers.

The Temporary State Commission on Rental Housing was established in 1977 (Chapter 203) to investigate the supplies, conditions, and economics of and demand for rental housing throughout the State of New York. There were four separate rent regulatory programs in simultaneous operation in 1977 in New York. The commission was to analyze the operations and effects of these four rent laws and to make recommendations as to what changes were needed, if any. The Rental Housing Commission submitted its final report to Governor Hugh L. Carey in 1980.

On September 9, 1971 a group of inmates at Attica Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in western New York, began an uprising which lasted for five days. One guard, William Quinn, was killed and forty guards and civilian employees were taken hostage. The prisoners managed to gain control over parts of the prison, including D-yard. Negotiations began and demands were issued for such things as improved living conditions and educational opportunities, but the talks fell through. Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller ordered Attica to be taken by force.

The Legislative Commission on Solid Waste Management was established in 1984 to evaluate existing solid waste management practices in New York with particular attention to areas of the state with a severe shortage of landfill capacity. The Commission consists of five Assemblymen and five Senators and is headed by an Executive Director. The Commission's function was to research solid waste management issues and recommend legislation in this area.

The Bureau is responsible for carrying out the Department of State's function to advise municipalities on law. The Bureau accomplishes this by advising municipalities on such issues as: planning and zoning laws; reapportionment of local legislative bodies; home rule powers; county and city charters; municipal cooperation agreements; and local government incorporations, dissolutions, mergers, and annexations.