Research


Administrative History

The Governor's Conference arose from a 1960 executive order that established the New York State Committee of One Hundred, which was designed to develop priorities and recommendations for the 1961 White House Conference that were of importance to New Yorkers. As part of the Governor's Conference, recommendations were developed through a series of workshops, "town meetings," and other sessions, and then priorities were determined by vote. These priorities, as well as the general platform, were then presented to the New York State delegates of the national conference, who then tried to get these incorporated into the final recommendations made to the President and Congress. Some delegates to the White House convention were chosen by the Governor, while others were selected by the state's congressional delegation. These delegates included the Lieutenant Governor, seniors, agencies on aging, local community offices, representatives of nursing homes, and others who were involved in aging-related issues and activities.

Congressional legislation in 1968 directed that another conference be held in 1971, and as a result of the recommendations from that conference both the Senate Special Committee on Aging and the Federal Council on Aging were founded. Legislation in 1977 led to a 1981 conference, which was the first to use a quota-like system to ensure that various segments of the population - such as women, minorities and the disabled - were sufficiently represented. Ethnic, racial, demographic and other subgroups were also encouraged to hold their own caucuses, seminars and workshops in conjunction with the conference.