New York State Counsel to the Governor Legislative Records
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Overview of the Records
Repository:
New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
Summary:
This series consists of files of the Counsel to the Governor's office relating to state legislation, bills recommended by
state departments, and program bills designed to implement specific aspects of Governor Harriman's legislative program. Records
document state, departmental, and program legislation from the 1957 Extraordinary Session of the State Legislature and the
First Annual Executive Legislative Institute of the same year. Topics of interests include agriculture and markets, mental
health, assistance for the elderly, and unemployment insurance.
Creator:
Title:
Counsel to the Governor legislative records
Quantity:
Inclusive Dates:
1955-1958
Series Number:
B2644
Arrangement
Chronological.
Administrative History
Governor W. Averell Harriman chose Judge Daniel Gutman, President Justice of the Municipal Court of New York, as his counsel.
Mr. Gutman, a former Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and an Assistant District Attorney
of Kings County, served in the New York State Assembly from 1938 to 1939 and the New York State Senate from 1939 to 1943.
In 1943, he was elected as a justice of the Municipal Court and in February 1954, he was appointed President Justice.
The duties of the counsel to the governor included clearing and making recommendations on proposed legislation; acting as
liaison between the Governor's Office and the State Legislature; negotiating interstate or international agreements; clearing
all contracts, as to content and form, which required the governor's signature (Power Authority contracts, etc.); making recommendations
on all appointments to the judiciary; acting as liaison between the governor and all investigative bodies; and making recommendations
on applications for executive clemency.
Milton D. Stewart, the Executive Assistant to the Counsel, served on the staff of the United States Bureau of the Budget from
1951 to 1953. He also served as Director of Research of the President's Committee on Civil Rights, as staff consultant to
the United State Senate Small Business Committee, and as Director of the Mayor's Committee on Unity in New York City. During
the 81st Congress he was Administrative Assistant to a member of the House of Representatives. He served as Executive Assistant
to Averell Harriman prior to the governor's election.
Scope and Content Note
This series consists of files of the Counsel to the Governor's office relating to various types of legislation. Records include
correspondence, memorandums, recommendations, lists, and copies of bills. Records relate to state legislation, bills recommended
by state departments, and program bills designed to implement specific aspects of Governor Harriman's legislative program.
Records document state, departmental, and program legislation from the 1957 Extraordinary Session of the State Legislature
and the First Annual Executive Legislative Institute of the same year. Files maintained by the Executive Assistant to the
Counsel regarding legislation affecting counties in New York State are also included. Topics of interests include agriculture
and markets, mental health, assistance for the elderly, and unemployment insurance.
Custodial History
This series was transferred to Syracuse University by Governor Harriman in 1959, and was transferred to the New York State
Archives in 2006. It was accessioned in June 2018.
Access Restrictions
There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.
Access Terms
Corporate Name(s):
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
Genre(s):
Function(s):
Detailed Description
Dates |
Contents |
Box |
Accretion: B2644-18 |
1955-1956 |
State Legislation -Major Bills - Assignment Sheets |
1 |
19561956 |
State Legislation -Legislative Studies - Permanent Personal Registration |
2 |
1956-1957 |
State Legislation -Permanent Personal Registration - Waterfront Commission |
3 |
1957-1958 |
State Legislation -Workmen's Compensation - Legislative letters (Police Chiefs) |
4 |
1958 |
State Legislation -Legislative Letters (District Attorneys) - Town & Village Governments |
5 |
1958 |
State Legislation - Mitchell Transit Authority Bill - Metropolitan Rapid Transit Commission |
6 |
1957-1958 |
State Legislation -Labor - Veterans of Foreign Wars |
7 |
1956;1955 |
State Legislation - Departmental Legislation - Rules of the Road - Banking |
8 |
1956 |
Departmental Legislation - Budget - Rent Commission |
9 |
1956-1957 |
Departmental Legislation - Division of Safety - Agriculture and Markets |
10 |
1957 |
Departmental Legislation - Audit and Control - Correction #16 |
11 |
1957 |
Departmental Legislation - Education Department - Military and Naval Affairs #9 |
12 |
1956-1957 |
Departmental Legislation - NIagara Frontier Authority - State Police #2 |
13 |
1956-1957 |
Departmental Legislation - State Police #6 - Misc. |
14 |
1958 |
Departmental Legislation - Aging - Conservation #13 |
15 |
1957-1958 |
Departmental Legislation - Conservation #14 - Labor #20 |
16 |
1957-1958 |
Departmental Legislation - Labor #21 - Standards & Purchase #1 |
17 |
1958;1956 |
Departmental Legislation - Program Legislation - State Department - Education Laws |
18 |
1955-1957 |
Program Legislation - Insurance & Banking Law - Audit & Control #1 |
19 |
1957 |
Program Legislation - Banking #29 - Public Works #19a |
20 |
1957-1958 |
Program Legislation - Social Welfare #9 - Consumer Counsel #27 |
21 |
1958 |
Program Legislation - Correction #10 - Tax & Finance #60 |
22 |
1957-1958 |
Program Legislation - Departmental Legislation - Tax & Finance #61 - Workers Compensation |
23 |
1955-1957 |
Special Assistant to the Counsel's records relating to legislation - KEy to Abbreviations - Stueben County |
24 |
1955-1956 |
Special Assistant to the Counsel's records relating to legislation - Sullivan County - Seneca County |
25 |
1956-1957 |
Special Assistant to the Counsel's records relating to legislation - Suffolk County - Yates County |
26 |
1957 |
State Legislation - County Fact Sheets - First Annual Legislative Institute |
27 |