BILL NUMBER: S6345
SPONSOR: SANDERS
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the arts and cultural affairs law, in relation to enact-
ing the New York civil rights cold case records collection act
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would establish a collection of civil rights cold case records
within the New York State Archives and creates the Civil Rights Cold
Case Records Review Board to review unsolved civil rights crimes commit-
ted not later than December 31, 1979.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Establishes the New York Civil Rights Cold Case Act. Creates
the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board to review unsolved civil
rights crimes committed not later than December 31, 1979. Appointment.
The commission shall consist of thirteen members, to be appointed as
follows: (a) seven members to be appointed by the governor, one of whom
the governor shall appoint as the chair; (b) two members shall be
appointed by the temporary president of the senate; (c) one member shall
be appointed by the senate minority leader; (d) two members shall be
appointed by the speaker of the assembly; and (e) one member shall be
appointed by the assembly minority leader.
Section 2: Effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
In early February 2020, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr.
announced he is reopening the investigation of the murder of the civil
rights leader Malcolm X, which occurred on February 21, 1965 at the
Adubon Ballroom in New York City. This new investigation is in the wake
of the Netflix six-part documentary series, "Who Killed Malcolm X?"
This bill is modelled on the federal law known as the Civil Rights Cold
Case Records Collection Act of 2018. There are numerous unsolved civil
rights crimes going back many decades. This bill seeks justice for the
victims of these crimes by establishing a collection of civil rights
cold case records within the New York State Archives and creating the
Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board to review unsolved civil
rights crimes committed not later than December 31, 1979.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22 REFERRED TO SENATE CULTURAL AFFAIRS, TOURISM, PARKS AND RECRE-
ATION
2021-22 referred to assembly governmental operations
2020 REFERRED TO SENATE CULTURAL AFFAIRS, TOURISM, PARKS AND RECREATION
2020 referred to assembly governmental operations
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.