New York State Temporary State Commission on Revision of the Civil Service Law Working Files

In 1950 the Legislature created a Temporary State Commission on Revision of the Civil Service Law to study and propose changes to modernize civil service law.

The Commission consisted of eleven members appointed as follows: five by the Governor, one of whom represented and was nominated by the Civil Service Commission; three Senators by the Temporary President of the Senate; and three Assemblymen by the Speaker of the Assembly. Assemblyman Fred W. Preller was selected Commission Chairman and the Commission was commonly known as the "Preller Commission". Civil Service Commissioner A.A. Falk was appointed to the Preller Commission and Department of Civil Service (D.C.S.) officials served on its legal and research staff.

During its existence between 1950 and 1956 the Commission engaged in broad studies of civil service operations and law, solicited suggestions for changes in the law, held hearings, recommended hundreds of changes in the law, and drafted legislation embodying these changes. The bills drafted and sponsored by the Commission never passed the Legislature but many of its recommendations were incorporated into a 1958 law sponsored by Assemblyman Preller (L. 1958, Ch. 790).

This series consists of the Commission's working files.

It contains the following types of records: memoranda prepared by Commission staff and committees on proposed legislation, veterans rights, local civil service administration, personnel changes, and recruitment; written recommendations for revisions in civil service law by D.C.S. and other government officials; special research studies conducted by D.C.S. Division of Personnel Research for the Commission on topics such as appeals procedures, provisional employment, and civil service law in other states; copies of Preller Commission members' speeches on civil service law reform; D.C.S. publications and memoranda describing the Department's organization and work; draft and published copies of Preller Commission annual reports; the Preller Commission's and its committee's meeting minutes summarizing their discussions and actions; blank copies of questionnaires sent to State and local government officials; public hearing transcripts, summaries, and agendas; various draft and printed versions of proposed legislation; and general correspondence with State officials.

This series provides detailed information on the Commission's work and the operation of the civil service law and system in New York. The series also serves as a source of background data on civil service law reform after 1956.

Series B0537, Executive Office Subject and Correspondence Files

B0541, Municipal Services Division Director's and Assistant Director's Files

and Series B0513, Personnel Council Subject and Correspondence Files, contain additional records concerning the Commission and Civil Service Law reform.

Because of the close association of the Commission with the Department of Civil Service, some seemingly Department records were originally interfiled in this series.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.