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October 1998

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Subject:
Re: Moreland Act Commissions
From:
Jim Folts <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State history." <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 20 Oct 1998 08:42:10 -0400
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The "Moreland Act" (now Executive Law Sect. 6) was originally enacted in 1907, and was named for its sponsor in the Assembly, Sherman Moreland.  The Moreland Act authorizes the governor or a designated commission to "examine and investigate the management and affairs of any department, board, bureau or commission of the state."  The investigator has the subpoena power.

The New York State Archives holds records of several Moreland Act commissions.  Moreland Act investigations have dealt with such topics as workers' compensation, harness racing regulation, alcoholic beverage control, and government procurement and contracting.

Portions of Moreland Act commission records are exempt from disclosure under New York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL).  In particular, transcripts of testimony given privately and other investigative notes and documents are not disclosed without permission from the governor's office.  However, Moreland Act commission records also contain much disclosable information, such as transcripts of public hearings and public commission meeting minutes.

For more information on Moreland Act commission records in the New York State Archives, see the Guide to Records of the Governor's Office in the New York State Archives (1995), available on the Archives World-Wide Web site [http://www.sara.nysed.gov].

Jim Folts
New York State Archives

>>> philip terrie <[log in to unmask]> 10/16 4:21 PM >>>
Does "Moreland Commission" have some special meaning in New York politics?
I've been poking around in the on-line catalog for the NY State Archives, and I've run across several different commissions called "Moreland Commission," yet they were apparently set up to investigate quite different things: alcoholic beverage control laws, e.g., or welfare, or official corruption.  Is there some specific act called the Moreland Act, under which such commissions are established?

tnx,
phil

Philip G. Terrie, Director
American Culture Studies
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403-0237
USA
phone: (419) 372-8886
fax: (419) 372-7537
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