N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 9 § 4.90

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 45, November 2, 2024

Section 4.90 - Executive order no. 90: establishing a governor's task force on bias-related violence

WHEREAS, Several events in our State and in other regions give us reason to give special attention to the link between prejudice and violence;

WHEREAS, The strength of our Constitution is in its guarantee of individual dignity and the responsibility it gives to government to foster the ability to pursue personal happiness and fulfillment free from invidious discrimination and prejudice, permitting us to enjoy a society of rich cultural and religious diversity;

WHEREAS, One of the hallmarks of a civilized society is its ability not only to deter and redress specific instances of violence but also to treat its causes;

WHEREAS, Our commitment to protect our citizens goes beyond the vigorous enforcement of our criminal laws and extends to ensuring that our citizens enjoy the full measure of their civil rights;

WHEREAS, The role of our government extends also to ensuring that the values of tolerance, and respect for the dignity of each individual, values upon which our nation was founded, are fostered throughout our system of government, including our schools and legal institutions;

WHEREAS, Intolerance, bias and prejudice against individuals in our society whose race, nationality, religion or sexual preference may be different from our own too often give rise not only to discrimination, which our civil laws are designed to deter, but also to violence; and

WHEREAS, The establishment of a task force can focus attention on the factors that can result in bias-related violence and can begin the task of developing specific solutions to these problems:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mario M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of New York, do hereby establish the Governor's Task Force on Bias-Related Violence.

I. Membership of the Task Force

1. The chairperson of the Task Force shall be the Commissioner of the Division of Human Rights.

2. Members of the Task Force shall be appointed by the Governor and shall serve at his pleasure.

3. Members of the Task Force shall serve without salary, but shall entitled to compensation for their necessary and reasonable expenses.

II. General Powers and Duties of the Task Force

1. The Task Force shall receive information with respect to, and study and analyze incidents of violence that appear to be bias-related and shall examine the elements of such incidents to identify those factors that are consistently associated with such violence.

2. The Task Force shall identify and analyze the responses to incidents of bias-related violence made by governmental officials, including law enforcement officials and prosecutors, and shall determine whether such responses are based on appropriate policies and procedures governing government action.

3. The Task Force shall conduct such public hearings as may be necessary to carry out its functions hereunder.

4. The Task Force shall make recommendations with respect to the following:

educational programs to teach children the value of tolerance for others;

training programs for law enforcement officials and prosecutors to sensitize them to the special nature of bias-related crime, and to encourage them to recognize its existence and to develop appropriate responses;

the appropriateness and effectiveness of existing civil and criminal laws in redressing bias- related violence, and any changes that should be made in such laws; and such other matters as may be deemed appropriate by the Task Force after consultation with involved parties.

5. The Task Force shall make an initial report no later than 90 days after the date of issuance of this Order and shall make such additional reports thereafter as it deems necessary.

III. Miscellaneous

The Task Force may hire an executive director and such staff as shall be approved by the director of the Division of the Budget to assist it in its activities, and may request and shall receive from any department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the State such assistance as will enable it to carry out its purpose and responsibilities hereunder.

Signed: Mario M. CuomoDated: February 6, 1987

[FN[DAGGER]] [Revoked by Executive Order No. 5 (Eliot Spitzer), infra.]

[Revoked by Executive Order No. 9 (David A. Paterson), infra.]

[Revoked by Executive Order No. 2 (Andrew M. Cuomo), infra.]

N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. Tit. 9 § 4.90