STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3026 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 26, 2023 ___________ Introduced by Sen. STEC -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to create a commission to plan for the celebration in the year 2025 of New York state's canal system and the bicentennial of the opening of the Erie Canal; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. A temporary commission to be known as the "Erie Canal 2 Bicentennial Commission," hereafter referred to as the "commission," is 3 hereby created to arrange preliminary details, adopt plans, and devise 4 ways and means for a statewide celebration in 2025 of the bicentennial 5 of the opening of the Erie Canal. Such plans shall include a celebration 6 of New York's canal network, including the Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga 7 and Seneca canals, and its cultural, economic and historic import. 8 § 2. (a) The commission shall consist of 11 members to be appointed as 9 follows: two members appointed by the governor; two members appointed by 10 the temporary president of the senate; two members appointed by the 11 speaker of the assembly; one member appointed by the minority leader of 12 the senate; one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; 13 the chief executive officer of the New York State Canal Corporation or 14 his or her designated representative; the commissioner of parks, recre- 15 ation and historic preservation or his or her designated representative; 16 and the commissioner of education or his or her designated represen- 17 tative. The commission shall appoint a chair. Vacancies in membership 18 shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appoint- 19 ments or designations. 20 (b) The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for 21 their services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 22 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD06367-01-3S. 3026 2 1 (c) The commission may hold public hearings and is hereby authorized 2 and empowered to undertake any studies, inquiries and analysis deemed 3 relevant. 4 (d) The commission shall be entitled to request and be provided with 5 such resources and data of any relevant department, division, board, 6 bureau, commission, or agency of the state to carry out properly its 7 duties pursuant to this act. 8 (e) Commission members may participate in meetings of such commission 9 or committee by means of telephone conference, provided that all meet- 10 ings shall operate in accordance with article 7 of the public officers 11 law. 12 § 3. The commission shall: 13 (a) Plan and execute a statewide celebration in 2025 that focuses on 14 the economic, historic and cultural import of New York's canal system. 15 (b) The commission shall issue a report of its proceedings to the 16 governor, temporary president of the senate, minority leader of the 17 senate, speaker of the assembly, and minority leader of the assembly on 18 or before January 1, 2025. The report shall detail the commission's plan 19 for celebratory events pursuant to this act. 20 § 4. The commission is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into 21 any agreements and perform any acts that may be necessary, desirable, or 22 proper to carry out the purposes and objectives of this act. 23 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed 24 repealed January 1, 2026.