§ 329 — Martin Luther King, Jr

§ 329. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission. 1. A state commission is\nhereby created to develop, promote, coordinate and review plans and\nactivities statewide for the annual commemoration and celebration of the\nbirthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in accordance with chapter fifty\nof the laws of nineteen hundred eighty-five.\n 2. The commission shall develop a plan for the commemoration and\ncelebration of the third Monday in January of each year, the official\nstate holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The commission shall,\namong other things exercise the following powers and duties:\n (a) develop and submit to the governor and the legislature\nrecommendations for specific commemorative activities to be undertaken\nby the state on the third Monday of January of each year celebrating the\nbirthdate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.;\n (b) coordinate state plans and activities with federal plans and\nactivities for the commemoration and celebration of Dr. King's birthday;\n (c) develop, with other agencies of the state, an interpretive program\nwhich explores the historical, social, political and cultural themes\nassociated with the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.;\n (d) develop interpretive materials and publications on the\nsignificance of Dr. King's work and develop a commemorative program for\nstate employees, school children and the general public;\n (e) create a process to facilitate the implementation of the master\nplan project and other recommendations made by the commission;\n (f) prepare and provide to the general public advice, assistance and\ninformation on the holiday activities recommended by the commission; and\n (g) make other studies, reports and recommendations to the governor\nand the legislature as are necessary with respect to activities for the\ncontinued commemoration and celebration of Dr. King.\n 3. The commission shall consist of at least forty members, to be\nappointed as follows: a fifteen member board of directors appointed by\nthe governor; one of whom shall be appointed upon the recommendation of\nthe temporary president of the senate, one of whom shall be appointed\nupon the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate, one of\nwhom shall be appointed upon the recommendations of the speaker of the\nassembly, and one of whom shall be appointed upon the recommendation of\nthe minority leader of the assembly; the commissioners of the department\nof labor, the department of education, the office of general services\nand the division of human rights and the chairman of the council for the\narts, each of whom may appoint a deputy to represent them on the\ncommission; and the remaining general members to be appointed by\nexecutive order.\n 4. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for\ntheir services, however, those members who are not state officers or\nemployees shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred\nin the performance of their duties. The board of directors shall select\na commission chairman from the members of such board.\n 5. The commission shall make a report to the governor and legislature\nof its findings, conclusions, proposals and recommendations for the\nobservance of the January twentieth, nineteen hundred eighty-six,\nbirthday commemoration within ninety days of the effective date of this\nsection and, not later than December first, annually thereafter on its\nfindings, conclusions, proposals and recommendations and shall submit\nwith its reports such legislative proposals as it deems necessary to\nimplement its proposals and recommendations.\n 6. All state agencies are hereby authorized and directed to provide\nassistance and available resources, as requested by the commission, in\norder to effectuate the purposes of this section.\n