Research

The 20-month investigation by the Assembly Task Force on Toxic Substances is an important chapter in the story of one of the worst environmental tragedies in United States history. On June 1, 1979, Assembly Speaker Stanley Fink formed the Task Force to investigate allegations that the United States Army and various military contractors beginning in the 1940's had dumped toxic wastes in the Love Canal without proper safeguards or monitoring.

This Commission was created by a law of 1971 (Ch. 413) for the purpose of attaining efficiency, economy and improvement in the operation of city government.

Chapter 655 of the Laws of 1977 amended the Mental Hygiene Law to create the State Commission on Quality Care for the Mentally Disabled in the Executive Department. The commission consists of three persons with "an active interest in or obtained professional knowledge in the care of the mentally disabled or in mental hygiene endeavors generally" who are appointed by the governor to a five year term. Within the commission are two advisory bodies, the Mental Hygiene Medical Review Board and the Advisory Council.

This board was created by Chapter 958, Laws of 1968 (Executive Law, Art. 15, section 297-a) as the Human Rights Review Board in connection with the revision of the State Human Rights Agency in that year. The board reviewed and heard appeals from decisions and orders of the Division of Human Rights and its commissioner. An appeal could be taken by any party to the proceedings. The name was changed by Chapter 368, Laws of 1969 to State Human Rights Appeal Board.

The Legislative Commission on Expenditure Review (LCER) was established after a recommendation by the Joint Legislative Committee on Fiscal Analysis and Review, as a permanent, bipartisan legislative agency by the Laws of 1969, Chapter 176, to determine whether state agencies and departments efficiently and effectively implement their programs in line with legislative intent and authorization.

The election and duties of the Clerk of the Assembly are prescribed in several sections of the Legislative Law (Laws of 1909, Chapter 37). The Clerk is elected by a majority of the Assembly and works under the direction of the Speaker of the Assembly. The position of Clerk of the Assembly has been in existence since 1777, with the its inclusion in the first state constitution.

Created in 1968, the commission consisted of twenty-one citizens: eleven who were appointed by the governor (one of whom was the chief of staff to the governor); five who were appointed by the temporary president of the senate; and another five who were appointed by the speaker of the assembly. The governor appointed John H.G. Pell as chairman and E.K. Fretwell as vice chairman. The remaining members were appointed in June, 1969. In 1974 (Chapter 92), commission membership was expanded to twenty-seven.

The function of this committee is to protect the rights of convicted individuals by developing a system of determinate sentencing to replace open-ended and inconsistent sentences. The committee was to establish firm guidelines to be applied uniformly throughout the state. The committee consisted of 14 members: six appointed by the Governor; 2 appointed by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals; and six by the Legislative leaders. The Committee was established in 1983 (L. 1983 ch. 711) and was required to make its proposals and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by 1985.

The commission was created as an executive agency by Chapter 394 of the Laws of 1969 to insure optimum conservation, protection, preservation, development, and use of the scenic, historical, ecological, economic, and recreational resources of the region. Chapter 74 of the Laws of 1971 reconstituted the commission as an independent unit within the Office of Planning Services, and transferred its staff and activities to that office.

Prior to the establishment of the State Ethics Commission in 1987, and implementation of the "Ethics in Government Act" (section 73 of the Public Officers Law) in 1988, governors Carey and Cuomo issued five executive orders relating to financial disclosure. The boards resulting from the executive orders, with some differences in filing requirements, consisted of the same officials and performed the same functions as the subsequent State Ethics Commission. Governor Carey established the first Board of Public Disclosure in 1975 by Executive Order 10.