New York State Governor's Committee to Review New York State Laws and Procedures in the Area of Human Rights Public Hearing,…

Organized into two subseries: 1. Report Files, 1966-1968, 0.7 cubic feet; 2. Subject Files, 1966-1968, 3.3 cubic feet.

Subject Files: Alphabetical by subject or type of record.

In light of the continuing human rights movement in the 1960s, Governor Nelson Rockefeller saw a need to review New York's outdated human rights laws, administrative machinery, and procedures. On August 10, 1967, the Governor appointed a Committee to carry out this review.

Areas of study and activity by the Committee were: improvement in structure, functions, and procedures of the State Commission for Human Rights; the nature of the relations between the State Commission for Human Rights and local, state, and federal agencies, advisory councils, non-governmental bodies, and the public; establishment of responsibility in the state for policy making and continued research in the area of human rights; and new areas for legislation, and review and recommendations for improvement of existing problem legislation.

In carrying out its study, the Committee: consulted experts in human rights including business, labor, and academic leaders and local, state, and federal government officials; reviewed local, state, federal, and model anti-discrimination and civil rights acts and procedures; conducted public hearings in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and New York City; and reviewed other studies and reports.

In its final report to the Governor submitted March 27, 1968, the Committee made a number of recommendations including: abolish the State Commission for Human Rights and establish a new Division of Human Rights and a Human Rights Review Board in the Executive Department; reorganize and expand legislative provisions against discrimination in employment; clarify definition of "places of public accommodation" and define as discriminatory exclusion from such places on the basis of sex; prohibit discrimination in public educational institutions; allow fewer exemptions from provisions prohibiting discrimination in rental housing; prohibit discrimination based on sex in most real estate transactions; prohibit discrimination in provision of public services, in business, trade, or professional associations, and in commercial transactions; and implement and expand the Governor's program to promote equal opportunity in state employment.

The Committee also made a number of recommendations regarding procedures for enforcing human rights provisions by the proposed new Division of Human Rights. Finally, the Committee proposed a new Human Rights Law to establish the Division of Human Rights and prohibit discrimination in employment, public accommodations, educational institutions, and real estate transactions.

This series is the central file of correspondence, public hearing information, and background materials maintained by the Committee in carryiny out its studies and producing its report. The records reflect the Committee's charge to review and make recommendations concerning New York's human rights laws and procedures. The series is organized into two subseries as described below.

Subseries 1: Report Files, 1966-1968, .7 cubic foot. This subseries contains early drafts, final drafts, and the final version of the Committee's report to the Governor and of the proposed statute contained in the report. Also included are comments from Committee members and other interested parties on the drafts of the report and statute.

Subseries 2: Subject Files, 1966-1968, 3.3 cubic feet. This subseries contains conrrespondence and background materials gathered by the Committee during its study. The records concern such issues as: equal opportunity in New York's civil service system application of affirmative action provisions to state contracting; banking and loan guarantee opportunities for minorities; employment discrimination; restrictions on employers' use of arrest records in hiring; segregation and discrimination in education; housing programs and discrimination in housing; and status of migrant workers.

The files contain such records as: correspondence to the Committee from individuals and organizations with an interest in human rights giving advice, statements, or information; public hearing transcripts and statements; reports of consultants regarding equal opportunity; Division of the Budget's management survey of the State Commission for Human Rights; human rights legislation and legislative proposals from New York and other states; meeting minutes; and press releases, clippings, and articles.

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