Provides that the purposes, powers and authorized expenditures of the New York state archives partnership trust board may be exercised for the benefit of the New York state museum and the New York state library, in addition to the New York state archives.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A11526
SPONSOR: Rules (Romero) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the New York state archives partnership trust act, in
relation to authorizing the New York state archives partnership trust
fund to be used for the benefit of the New York state museum and the New
York state library
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To authorize the New York state archives partnership trust fund to be
used for the benefit of the New York state museum and the New York state
library.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends Section 1 of Chapter 758 of the laws of 1992 constitut-
ing the New York state archives partnership trust act by adding a new
section 9 with the following subsections:
Subsection 1 expands the purposes, powers, and authorized expenditures
of the trust board so that they may also be exercised for the benefit of
the New York state museum and the New York state library, in addition to
the New York state archives.
Subsection 2 expands the powers and authorized expenditures of the trust
board as they relate to the New York State Museum and the New York State
Library.
Subsection 3 authorizes the Director of the New York State Museum and
the State Librarian, in collaboration with the Director of the Archives
Partnership Trust and subject to trust board approval, to carry out
fundraising and program development activities pursuant to written
agreements.
Subsection 4 clarifies that nothing in the section alters or transfers
the statutory authority, governance, or operational control of the New
York State Museum or the New York State Library, including the authority
of the Board of Regents or the Commissioner of Education.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The New York State Museum and the New York State Library play vital
roles in preserving and promoting the history, culture, education, and
heritage of New York State. These institutions maintain extensive
collections, records, artifacts, and educational resources of enduring
value to the public, researchers, educators, and future generations.
However, the New York State Museum has not undergone significant modern-
ization or large-scale updates in decades, limiting its ability to
compete with other world-class cultural institutions in New York State,
such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of
Natural History.
To expand and improve exhibits, visitor experiences, educational
programming, and preservation efforts, the Museum must have greater
capacity to secure philanthropic and private funding support. Current
law does not provide sufficient flexibility for the Museum and Library
to fully pursue fundraising opportunities and public-private partner-
ships that could support long-term modernization and institutional
growth. This legislation addresses that gap by authorizing the New York
State Archives Partnership Trust to raise and administer private funds
for the benefit of the Museum and Library, helping these institutions
undertake improvements and enhancements that cannot be achieved through
public funding atone. This will strengthen the New York State Museum
and the New York State Library's ability to preserve important histor-
ical and cultural resources white expanding public access to them.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
11526
IN ASSEMBLY
May 28, 2026
___________
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Romero) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the New York state archives partnership trust act, in
relation to authorizing the New York state archives partnership trust
fund to be used for the benefit of the New York state museum and the
New York state library
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 758 of the laws of 1992, constituting
2 the New York state archives partnership trust act, is amended by adding
3 a new section 9 to read as follows:
4 § 9. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the
5 purposes, powers and authorized expenditures of the trust board
6 prescribed in this act may be exercised for the benefit of the New York
7 state museum and the New York state library, in addition to the New York
8 state archives.
9 2. In addition to the powers of the trust board as prescribed in
10 section five of this act and expenditures authorized by section six of
11 this act, the powers and authorized expenditures of the trust board as
12 they relate to the New York state museum and the New York state library
13 shall include, but not be limited to:
14 a. the acquisition, preservation, conservation, management, and acces-
15 sibility of collections, records, objects, artifacts, specimens and
16 other materials of enduring historical, cultural, educational, scientif-
17 ic or governmental value held by, or intended for, the New York state
18 museum or the New York state library;
19 b. the support of research, exhibitions, interpretive initiatives,
20 educational programming, publications, and public programs related to
21 the collections, holdings, functions, and statutory missions of the New
22 York state museum and the New York state library; and
23 c. the acceptance, administration, investment and expenditure of
24 gifts, grants, donations, bequests and other assistance, including those
25 designated for specific purposes or projects.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15896-01-6
A. 11526 2
1 3. The director of the New York state museum and the New York state
2 librarian may, in collaboration with the director of the archives part-
3 nership trust and subject to the approval of the trust board, and pursu-
4 ant to a written agreement between the New York state archives partner-
5 ship trust and such entities, carry out in their official capacities and
6 consistent with the provisions of this act, activities necessary to
7 fulfill the purposes of the New York state archives partnership trust
8 fund as they relate to the New York state museum and the New York state
9 library, including but not limited to fundraising and program develop-
10 ment.
11 4. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter, diminish or
12 transfer the statutory authority, governance or operational control of
13 the New York state museum or the New York state library, or the authori-
14 ty of the board of regents or the commissioner of education, including,
15 but not limited to, authority over personnel, appointments, and employ-
16 ment decisions, which shall remain with such entities.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
