Creates the people's history project within the department of parks, recreation and historic preservation to foster the recognition of heretofore overlooked personages, sites, and events of historical significance; provides for the establishment of a committee to pass on nominations made by the citizens of this state for the inclusion of personages, sites, and events in the project; provides for suitable commemorative markers, a map and website listings of such.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6246--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 11, 2017
___________
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism,
Parks and Recreation -- recommitted to the Committee on Cultural
Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation in accordance with Senate Rule
6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the parks, recreation and historic preservation law, in
relation to providing for the people's history project
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The parks, recreation and historic preservation law is
2 amended by adding a new section 19.07 to read as follows:
3 § 19.07 People's history project. 1. The legislature hereby finds and
4 declares that the history of New York state is replete with persons,
5 sites, and events of both local and statewide importance that have here-
6 tofore been overlooked by mainstream, established history. The state's
7 historical sites and history as it is taught in school and popularly
8 recorded fail to take into consideration the multitude of peoples who
9 have built this state, a state that has been significantly impacted by
10 immigrant and ethnic populations of this country and home to the majori-
11 ty of social and economic movements of the last four hundred years. It
12 is time to recognize those from every background who have contributed to
13 the history of this state, and give new cause for pride and create new
14 role models for all people. Recognizing such historical sites, events
15 and persons will also contribute to tourism, especially special niche
16 tourism, and consequently contribute to the economic development of the
17 state, especially in areas that are underdeveloped economically and
18 disadvantaged.
19 2. The commissioner shall establish within the office a people's
20 history committee. The members of the committee shall be appointed by
21 the commissioner and shall be representative of academic and profes-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10619-11-8
S. 6246--A 2
1 sional historians, members of local historical societies and other such
2 groups. Such members of the committee shall reflect the diversity of the
3 residents of this state with regard to race, ethnicity, gender,
4 language, and geographic residence. The members of the committee shall
5 serve without compensation, but shall be allowed their actual and neces-
6 sary expenses.
7 3. The commissioner shall establish a process whereby the people of
8 the state may nominate persons, sites, and events of historical signif-
9 icance each year for inclusion in the people's history project who may
10 be of local, regional, statewide or national significance. The commit-
11 tee, in consultation with local historians, historical societies, and
12 other authorities, where appropriate, shall evaluate the merits of such
13 nominees, and may select up to ten persons, sites or events per year for
14 inclusion in the people's history project. In its evaluation of the
15 merits of nominees, such commission shall consider, including but not
16 limited to, the following factors: the historical impact of such person,
17 site or event, how such impact changed history, and the effect that such
18 person, site or event had on the state and whether such person, site, or
19 event that has been overlooked.
20 4. For nominees approved by the committee, suitable commemorative
21 markers of selected sites may be erected at the appropriate location or
22 locations as determined by the commissioner. The office shall maintain a
23 website listing the persons, sites, and events selected by the commit-
24 tee, a description thereof, a map showing the locations thereof if
25 applicable, and any other relevant information.
26 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
27 it shall have become a law; provided that effective immediately the
28 commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation is author-
29 ized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take any other
30 measures necessary to implement this act on its effective date.
