§ 239-Q — General duties and powers

§ 239-q. General duties and powers. 1. It shall be the duty of the\ncommission:\n (a) To foster mutual respect and understanding among all ages, races,\ncreed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or\nexpression, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic\ncharacteristics, familial status, marital status and domestic violence\nvictim status groups in the community.\n (b) To make such studies in any field of human relationship in the\ncommunity as in the judgment of the commission will aid in effectuating\nits general purposes and where desirable, to make the results of such\nstudies public.\n (c) To inquire into incidents of tension and conflict among or between\nvarious racial, religious and nationality groups, and to take such\naction as may be designed to alleviate such tensions and conflict.\n (d) To conduct and recommend such educational programs as, in the\njudgment of the commission, will increase goodwill among inhabitants of\nthe community and open new opportunities into all phases of community\nlife for all inhabitants.\n 2. In addition to all other powers, the commission, where and to the\nextent authorized by local law or ordinance, shall have the power:\n a. To report complaints to the division of human rights alleging\nunlawful discriminatory practices under article fifteen of the executive\nlaw.\n b. To receive, accept and use and expend public grants and private\ngifts, donations or bequests and other payments, goods and services,\nnotwithstanding any other provision of law.\n