Establishes the office of Native American affairs

S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2602

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                                    I N  S E N A T E

                                    January 21, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

        AN ACT to amend the executive  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
          office of Native American affairs

          THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new  article  15-D
     2  to read as follows:
     3                                ARTICLE 15-D
     4                      OFFICE OF NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS
     5  SECTION 328-D. OFFICE OF NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS.
     6          328-E. GENERAL FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES.
     7    § 328-D. OFFICE OF NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS. 1. THERE IS HEREBY CREATED
     8  IN  THE  EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT AN OFFICE OF NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS. THE
     9  HEAD OF THE OFFICE SHALL BE THE COMMISSIONER OF NATIVE AMERICAN  AFFAIRS
    10  WHO  SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR AND WHO SHALL HOLD OFFICE AT THE
    11  PLEASURE OF THE GOVERNOR.
    12    2. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL RECEIVE AN ANNUAL SALARY TO BE FIXED BY  THE
    13  GOVERNOR  WITHIN  THE AMOUNT MADE AVAILABLE THEREFOR BY AN APPROPRIATION
    14  AND SHALL BE ALLOWED SUCH COMMISSIONER'S ACTUAL AND  NECESSARY  EXPENSES
    15  IN THE PERFORMANCE OF SUCH COMMISSIONER'S DUTIES.
    16    3.  THE  COMMISSIONER SHALL DIRECT THE WORK OF THE OFFICE AND SHALL BE
    17  THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE OFFICE. THE COMMISSIONER MAY  APPOINT
    18  SUCH  OFFICERS  AND  EMPLOYEES  AS SUCH COMMISSIONER MAY DEEM NECESSARY,
    19  PRESCRIBE THEIR DUTIES, FIX THEIR  COMPENSATION,  AND  PROVIDE  FOR  THE
    20  REIMBURSEMENT  OF  THEIR  EXPENSES,  ALL  WITHIN  AMOUNTS MADE AVAILABLE
    21  THEREFOR BY APPROPRIATION.
    22    § 328-E. GENERAL FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES. THE  OFFICE  OF  NATIVE
    23  AMERICAN  AFFAIRS BY AND THROUGH THE COMMISSIONER OR SUCH COMMISSIONER'S
    24  DULY AUTHORIZED OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES, SHALL:

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03206-01-5
        S. 2602                             2

     1    1. ACT AS A CENTRALIZED OFFICE FOR NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS  TO  ACCESS
     2  INFORMATION ON STATE PROGRAMS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO NATIVE AMERICANS.
     3    2.  DEVELOP  AND  MAINTAIN  COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN NEW YORK
     4  STATE'S NATIVE NATIONS, NATIVE ORGANIZATIONS, NATIVE AMERICAN  CITIZENS,
     5  AND THE STATE.
     6    3.  ESTABLISH,  MANAGE, COORDINATE, AND FACILITATE NATIVE AMERICAN-RE-
     7  LATED POLICIES, POSITIONS, AND PROGRAMS.
     8    4. ADVISE AND ASSIST STATE AGENCIES IN DEVELOPING POLICIES, PLANS, AND
     9  PROGRAMS FOR NATIVE AMERICANS.
    10    5. SERVE AS A CONNECTOR FOR NEW YORK STATE'S NATIVE NATIONS  TO  OTHER
    11  STATE AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS.
    12    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    13  it shall have become a law.