N.Y. Civil Service Law § 7-a: Commission on increasing diversity in the state government workforce

§ 7-a. Commission on increasing diversity in the state government

workforce. 1. There is hereby established in the department an

independent commission on increasing diversity in the state government

workforce. Such commission shall not be subject to the supervision or

control of the department, the commission or the president. The

commission on increasing diversity in the state government workforce

shall examine, evaluate and make recommendations concerning ways to

increase the number of minority workers in state service.

2. The commission on increasing diversity in the state government

workforce shall be composed of fifteen members, to be appointed as

follows: nine members shall be appointed by the governor, three members

shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate, and three

members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly. Of the nine

members appointed by the governor, at least one member shall represent

each of the following: the department, the office of employee relations,

the governor's appointments office, a prominent civil rights

organization representing blacks, a prominent civil rights organization

representing Hispanics, and a prominent civil rights organization

representing Asians. All the members appointed by the temporary

president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly shall be

representatives of a protected class as established by federal statutory

or case law. Every member of the commission shall serve at the pleasure

of the official who appointed him or her. The members shall be broadly

representative of the geographic areas of the state and the diverse

minority communities of the state. The governor shall designate the

chair and vice-chair of the commission from among his or her appointees.

Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the

manner provided for original appointments.

3. The commission on increasing diversity in the state government

workforce:

(a) shall recommend ways in which to increase the number of minority

workers in state service;

(b) shall study how to diversify the workforce in state service during

the replacement of the existing workforce as it ages out and retires;

(c) shall review the diversity hiring practices of other states and

the federal government, including reviewing the Presidential Management

Interim Program model for recruiting and advancing Hispanic and

African-American college graduates, and recommend the best outcome

practices;

(d) shall review and recommend changes to the existing hiring and

promotion practices that will help diversify the workers in state

service at all levels of service;

(e) shall review and recommend the means by which to best provide

information to students and faculty at colleges and universities in the

state on the employment and promotion opportunities in state service;

(f) shall review and recommend recruiting and employment practices

that will bring Hispanics into jobs classified as shortage category

occupations, as well as other occupations;

(g) shall review and recommend any flexibilities that exist in the

state civil service system to bring minorities into jobs classified as

shortage category occupations, as well as other occupations;

(h) shall review and recommend procedures that the department should

take to develop and promote the participation of minority state

employees in career development programs;

(i) may meet within and without the state, shall hold public hearings

and shall have all the powers of a legislative committee pursuant to the

legislative law;

(j) to the maximum extent feasible, shall be entitled to request and

receive, and shall utilize and be provided with such facilities,

resources and data of any court, department, division, board, bureau,

commission or agency of the state as it may reasonably request to

properly carry out its powers and duties pursuant to this section; and

(k) (1) shall, on or before April first, two thousand seven, report to

the governor and the legislature its findings, conclusions and

recommendations,

(2) shall, on or before April first, two thousand eight, report to the

governor and the legislature on the status of and any actions taken on

the recommendations made pursuant to subparagraph one of this paragraph,

and

(3) shall, on or before April first, two thousand nine, report to the

governor and the legislature on the status of and any actions taken on

the recommendations made pursuant to subparagraph one of this paragraph,

and which actions have and have not been taken to provide for diversity

in the state government workforce.

4. The members of the commission on increasing diversity in the state

government workforce shall receive no compensation for their services,

but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the

performance of their duties pursuant to this section.