New York State Commission on Pensions Minutes and Memorandums

Chronological within record type (minutes, general memoranda, legislative memoranda, etc.) in each volume.

The 1954 Legislature created a seven-member State Commission on Pensions in the Executive Department (L. 1954, Ch. 98).

Members were appointed by the Governor. The Commission was authorized to study and analyze types and cost of public employee pension and retirement systems; methods to improve the operations and effectiveness of such systems; effects of proposed legislation on retirement, income after retirement, disability, and death benefits; and other topics relating to retirement and pensions. The results of the Commission's studies and legislative recommendations were reported to the Governor, Legislature, and other appropriate public bodies and officials. In 1960, on the Governor's recommendation, the Commission was abolished by law (Ch. 330) and its functions and records transferred to the Civil Service Commission.

This series consists of six binders containing the Commission's minutes and related memoranda.

The minutes for each meeting are identified by date and attendees. They run from one to four pages and give a narrative account of the Commission's discussions and actions. Included with the minutes are agendas listing topics to be discussed by the Commission. Memoranda are catergorized as general or legislative. Most legislative memoranda contain lists of proposed or passed pension or retirement bills. Each entry on a list usually contains the bill's Senate and/or Assembly number, sponsor's name, and contents summarized in one or two sentences. If it lists legislation already passed, each entry will also include the Commission's recommendation and the Governor's action. Among the legislative memoranda are a few containing a detailed description and analysis of one or more bills. General memoranda include routine announcements, some copies of correspondence, legal opinions by the Commission's counsel and detailed sub-committee and Commission reports on various retirement and pension-related topics and issues (e.g. extension of mandatory retirement age beyond seventy). The series also contains the Commission's budget and financial statements which give detailed breakdowns of its expenditures and resource needs.

This series contains information on the Commission's work, retirement and pension legislation, issues concerning retirees and older workers, and the general development of public employee pensions and retirement systems in New York.

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