Research

Administrative History

The Temporary State Commission on Revision and Simplification of the Constitution was created by Chapter 814 of the Laws of 1956 to initiate studies, inquiries, surveys, or analyses in order to propose to the legislature revision of the state constitution. In this it continued studies undertaken by the Special Legislative Commission on the Constitutional Convention and by the Special Legislative Committee on the Revision and Simplification of the Constitution. It became known as the "Peck Commission" after its head, David W. Peck (former Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department).

The commission was set up in 1956 to prepare issues for a constitutional convention in 1958. The convention was turned down in a referendum when republicans promised to continue revision through the commission. Pertinent to the bulk of this series, the commission received an additional appropriation of $160,000 by Chapter 141 of the Laws of 1960 and was required to report to the governor and legislature on March 31, 1961.