Research

The State Traffic Commission, established by the legislature in 1936 (Chapter 910), was New York State's first agency with traffic safety responsibilities, but its main responsibilities related to traffic engineering and traffic control. The first State agency responsible solely for traffic safety was the Traffic Safety Policy Coordination Committee, established by an executive order of May 4, 1957, to advise the governor and coordinate State traffic safety efforts.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services was established within the Executive Department in 1972 (Chapter 399). The division was the result of the consolidation of three separate governmental units: the New York State Identification and Intelligence System (NYSIIS), the Office of Local Government's Division for Local Police, and the Office of Planning Service's Division of Criminal Justice. NYSIIS had been established in 1965 (Chapter 353) as a service agency within the Executive Department to gather, computerize, retrieve, and disseminate criminal justice information.

The Office of Employee Relations was created by the Laws of 1969 (Chapter 491). The office is headed by a director appointed by the governor. Its basic functions have remained unchanged since 1969, but it has assumed additional responsibilities such as providing partial funding (along with public employee unions) of employee training and development, health benefits, safety and health, and day-care programs.

In 1995, a number of agencies, which had previously functioned independently, were consolidated in order to increase efficiency, reduce overhead and enhance the delivery of the State's economic development initiatives. The functions of the Department of Economic Development (DED) and the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) were consolidated, along with other State economic development entities: the Job Development Authority (JDA) and the Science and Technology Foundation (STF).

The Authority Budget Office was established by the Public Authorities Reform Act of 2005 (Chapter 766). It was a separate and autonomous unit within the State Division of the Budget and was responsible for reviewing and reporting on the operations, practices and finances of state and local government authorities, encouraging effective governance, and providing information about public authority performance to the Governor and the Legislature. The Public Authorities Reform Act of 2009 (Chapter 506) established the Authorities Budget Office as an independent office with expanded powers.

The New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) was created by the Jobs 2000 for New York State Act (Chapter 684, Laws of 1999). The office funded research into and development of "job-creating technologies" at public and private institutions of higher learning within the State of New York. It also supported a network of non-profit Regional Technology Development Centers to help smaller manufacturers modernize their facilities and facilitate the development of high-tech industry. NYSTAR worked closely with the Empire State Development Corporation.

The Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century was established in April 2005 (Ch. 63) and charged with was charged with reviewing the state's acute and long-term care systems and submitting its recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than December 1, 2006. The commission, which was chaired by Stephen Berger and commonly referred to as the Berger Commission, consisted of eighteen statewide members and thirty-six regional members.

The Environmental Facilities Corporation was created by the Laws of 1970, Chapter 744. The corporation is a reconstitution and continuation of the New York State Pure Waters Authority created in 1967 (Chapter 722) to plan, finance, construct, and operate sewage treatment and solid waste disposal facilities. In 1995 (Chapter 83), the Corporation's mandate was expanded to include projects focused on the removal, disposal, and remediation of petroleum storage tanks and the remediation of the sites on which such tanks are housed.

The Temporary State Commission on the Restoration of the Capitol was created in 1979 to study New York's National Historic Landmark Capitol and prepare a long-range, comprehensive plan for the building's restoration and rehabilitation. Between 1979 and 1982, the Capitol Commission carried out one of the most exhaustive studies ever undertaken on a public building and prepared a master plan that is recognized as a professional standard.

A Temporary State Commission on Judicial Conduct was created by the Legislature in 1974, beginning operations in January 1975, to investigate and prosecute cases of judicial misconduct make confidential suggestions and recommendations in the nature of admonitions to judges when appropriate and, in more serious cases, recommend that formal disciplinary proceedings be commenced in the appropriate court. The temporary Commission was composed of two judges, five lawyers and two lay persons.