State, Department of

Agency Web Site: https://www.dos.ny.gov/

Mission

Established in 1788, the Department of State (DOS) is the State’s oldest agency. Historically serving as the State’s general recording officer and custodian of the State’s “Great Seal”, the Department’s mission encompasses a broad range of activities that coordinate programs with, and provide services to, local governments, individuals, and businesses. The Department supports public safety through the administration of building and energy code programs; administers programs for community development and local government service activities; and supports businesses through various licensing and registration activities.

Organization and Staffing

The Department is headed by the Secretary of State, who is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2021 Executive Budget recommends $255 million for the Department, a decrease of almost $10.6 million from the FY 2020 Budget, primarily due to one-time adds.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 577 FTEs for the Department, an increase of 12 FTE’s from FY 2020 levels, to support increased code enforcement activities.

Major budget actions include:

Legislation to extend for one year the authority of the Secretary of State to charge increased fees for expedited handling of documents.
Legislation to prohibit Gender-based pricing discrimination.
Legislation to provide the option for individuals to become licensed as a home inspector through New York State testing standards.
Legislation to remove barriers to obtain an occupational license.
Legislation to unmask and fight back against telemarketers, spoofing and robocalls.
Legislation to place responsibility for mailing a copy of service of process on plaintiffs rather than the Department.
Legislation to add 'E Pluribus Unum' to the New York State Coat of Arms.

Program Highlights

The responsibilities of the Department of State are carried out through three programs:

Local Government And Community Services Program: Manages New York’s building and energy codes; offers planning and management services to local governments; supports land use planning activities in the New York City/Catskill watershed; coordinates New York’s coastal resources and waterfront revitalization activities; administers the Department’s Federal grant programs, including the Appalachian Regional Commission; and provides a means for achieving economic self-sufficiency through programs designed to improve opportunities for low-income participants.

Business and Licensing Services Program: Maintains all certificates on file for businesses and corporations; administers qualifying examinations and licensing for various occupations; and prepares the State Register and other publications.

Administration: Provides the basic executive direction, fiscal, personnel, legal and electronic data processing activities that support the Department’s operations.

Additionally, the Department’s appropriations contain funds for the Lake George Park Commission, the Commission on Uniform State Laws, the State Athletic Commission, and the Authorities Budget Office.

ALL FUNDS
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Category	Available FY 2020	Appropriations Recommended FY 2021	Change From FY 2020	Reappropriations Recommended FY 2021
State Operations	74,547,000	76,703,000	2,156,000	24,336,513
Aid To Localities	89,090,000	76,340,000	(12,750,000)	133,689,000
Capital Projects	102,000,000	102,000,000	0	294,470,000
Total	265,637,000	255,043,000	(10,594,000)	452,495,513

ALL FUND TYPES
PROJECTED LEVELS OF EMPLOYMENT BY PROGRAM
FILLED ANNUAL SALARIED POSITIONS
Program	FY 2020 Estimated FTEs 03/31/20	FY 2021 Estimated FTEs 03/31/21	FTE Change
Administration
General Fund	60	60	0
Authorities Budget Office
Special Revenue Funds - Other	12	12	0
Code Enforcement
Special Revenue Funds - Other	0	12	12
Consumer Protection Program
Special Revenue Funds - Other	15	15	0
Lake George Park Commission
Special Revenue Funds - Other	10	10	0
Business and Licensing Services
Special Revenue Funds - Other	292	292	0
Local Government and Community Services
General Fund	55	55	0
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	17	17	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	81	81	0
Office for New Americans
General Fund	8	8	0
Tug Hill Commission
General Fund	15	15	0
Total	565	577	12

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type	Available FY 2020	Recommended FY 2021	Change
General Fund	10,796,000	10,796,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	9,101,000	9,101,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	54,650,000	56,806,000	2,156,000
Total	74,547,000	76,703,000	2,156,000

STATE OPERATIONS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program	Available FY 2020	Recommended FY 2021	Change
Administration
General Fund	1,956,000	1,956,000	0
Authorities Budget Office
Special Revenue Funds - Other	2,059,000	2,050,000	(9,000)
Business and Licensing Services
Special Revenue Funds - Other	47,205,000	47,205,000	0
Code Enforcement
Special Revenue Funds - Other	0	2,165,000	2,165,000
Consumer Protection Program
General Fund	1,586,000	1,586,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	51,000	51,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	3,130,000	3,130,000	0
Lake George Park Commission
Special Revenue Funds - Other	2,052,000	2,052,000	0
Local Government and Community Services
General Fund	5,560,000	5,560,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	9,050,000	9,050,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	154,000	154,000	0
Office for New Americans
General Fund	442,000	442,000	0
State of NY Commission on Uniform State Laws
General Fund	155,000	155,000	0
Tug Hill Commission
General Fund	1,097,000	1,097,000	0
Special Revenue Funds - Other	50,000	50,000	0
Total	74,547,000	76,703,000	2,156,000

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2021 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program	Total		Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried)
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration	1,956,000	0	1,915,000	0
Consumer Protection Program	1,586,000	0	1,586,000	0
Local Government and Community Services	5,560,000	0	5,526,000	0
Office for New Americans	442,000	0	442,000	0
Tug Hill Commission	989,000	0	989,000	0
Total	10,533,000	0	10,458,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF PERSONAL SERVICE APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2021 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried)		Holiday/Overtime Pay
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Administration	36,000	0	5,000	0
Local Government and Community Services	30,000	0	4,000	0
Total	66,000	0	9,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2021 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program	Total		Supplies and Materials
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
State of NY Commission on Uniform State Laws	155,000	0	0	0
Tug Hill Commission	108,000	0	13,000	0
Total	263,000	0	13,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2021 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Travel		Contractual Services
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
State of NY Commission on Uniform State Laws	0	0	135,000	0
Tug Hill Commission	8,000	0	85,000	0
Total	8,000	0	220,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2021 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Equipment
Program	Amount	Change
Tug Hill Commission	2,000	0
Total	2,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF NONPERSONAL SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE UNDISTRIBUTED
APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2021 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Maintenance Undistributed
Program	Amount	Change
State of NY Commission on Uniform State Laws	20,000	0
Total	20,000	0

STATE OPERATIONS - OTHER THAN GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2021 RECOMMENDED
(dollars)
Program	Total		Personal Service
Program	Amount	Change	Amount	Change
Authorities Budget Office	2,050,000	(9,000)	1,115,000	0
Business and Licensing Services	47,205,000	0	21,261,000	0
Code Enforcement	2,165,000	2,165,000	900,000	900,000
Consumer Protection Program	3,181,000	0	1,177,000	0
Lake George Park Commission	2,052,000	0	723,000	0
Local Government and Community Services	9,204,000	0	5,584,000	0
Tug Hill Commission	50,000	0	0	0
Total	65,907,000	2,156,000	30,760,000	900,000

STATE OPERATIONS - OTHER THAN GENERAL FUND
SUMMARY OF APPROPRIATIONS AND CHANGES
FY 2021 RECOMMENDED CONTINUED
(dollars)
Program	Nonpersonal Service
Program	Amount	Change
Authorities Budget Office	935,000	(9,000)
Business and Licensing Services	25,944,000	0
Code Enforcement	1,265,000	1,265,000
Consumer Protection Program	2,004,000	0
Lake George Park Commission	1,329,000	0
Local Government and Community Services	3,620,000	0
Tug Hill Commission	50,000	0
Total	35,147,000	1,256,000

AID TO LOCALITIES
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY FUND TYPE
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Fund Type	Available FY 2020	Recommended FY 2021	Change
General Fund	19,190,000	6,440,000	(12,750,000)
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	69,900,000	69,900,000	0
Total	89,090,000	76,340,000	(12,750,000)

AID TO LOCALITIES
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Program	Available FY 2020	Recommended FY 2021	Change
Local Government and Community Services
General Fund	1,750,000	0	(1,750,000)
Special Revenue Funds - Federal	69,900,000	69,900,000	0
Office for New Americans
General Fund	17,440,000	6,440,000	(11,000,000)
Total	89,090,000	76,340,000	(12,750,000)

CAPITAL PROJECTS
ALL FUNDS FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS BY PROGRAM
APPROPRIATIONS
(dollars)
Comprehensive Construction Program	Available FY 2020	Recommended FY 2021	Change	Reappropriations FY 2021
Downtown Revitalization
Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds	100,000,000	100,000,000	0	197,000,000
Infrastructure Investment – Settlement Funds	0	0	0	92,000,000
Maintenance and Repair
Capital Projects Fund	2,000,000	2,000,000	0	970,000
Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
Hazardous Waste Remedial Fund	0	0	0	4,500,000
Total	102,000,000	102,000,000	0	294,470,000

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/29/2020

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