S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5139
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 14, 2011
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CERETTO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Tourism, Parks, Arts and Sports Development
AN ACT to amend the arts and cultural affairs law, in relation to the
appointment of local historians in the county of Niagara
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 57.07 of the arts and cultural
affairs law, as amended by chapter 737 of the laws of 1987, is amended
to read as follows:
1. A local historian shall be appointed, as provided in this section,
for each city, town or village, except that in a city of over one
million inhabitants a local historian shall be appointed for each
borough therein instead of for the city at large; and a county historian
may be appointed for each county. Such historian shall be appointed as
follows: For a city, by the mayor; for a borough, by the borough presi-
dent; for a town, by the supervisor; for a village, by the mayor; for a
county, by the board of supervisors. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THE COUNTY
HISTORIAN FOR THE COUNTY OF NIAGARA AND THE LOCAL HISTORIAN FOR ANY
CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE LOCATED WITHIN THE COUNTY OF NIAGARA SHALL BE
APPOINTED BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF SUCH COUNTY, CITY, TOWN OR
VILLAGE AND THE APPOINTMENT OF SUCH HISTORIANS, AS WELL AS ANY DEPUTY
HISTORIANS WORKING WITH SUCH HISTORIANS, SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO CIVIL
SERVICE REQUIREMENTS. Such historian shall serve without compensation,
unless the governing board of the city, town, village or county for or
in which he or she was appointed or in the city of New York, the mayor,
shall otherwise provide. In a city having a board of estimate, other
than the city of New York, a resolution or ordinance establishing
compensation or salary for such historian shall not take effect without
the concurrence of such board. Each local government historian shall
promote the establishment and improvement of programs for the management
and preservation of local government records with enduring value for
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01172-01-1
A. 5139 2
historical or other research; encourage the coordinated collection and
preservation of nongovernmental historical records by libraries, histor-
ical societies, and other repositories; and carry out and actively
encourage research in such records in order to add to the knowledge,
understanding and appreciation of the community's history. The local
authorities of the city, town, village or county for which such histori-
an is appointed, may provide the historian with sufficient space in a
safe, vault or other fire proof structure for the preservation of
historical materials collected. Such local authorities and also the
board of supervisors of each of the counties of the state are hereby
authorized and empowered to appropriate, raise by tax and expend moneys
for historical purposes within their several jurisdictions, including
historical edifices, the erection of historical markers and monuments,
the collection of war mementos, and, either alone or in cooperation with
patriotic or historical organizations, the preparation and publication
of local histories and records and the printing and issuing of other
historical materials in aid of the work of the local historian.
S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.