State, Department of
skip breadcrumbsAgency 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 2022 Executive Budget recommends $352.6 million for the Department, an increase of almost $27 million from the FY 2021 Budget, primarily due to an expected increase in certain Federal funding and support for the Office of Renewable Energy Siting. This includes $102 million in capital funding for the Department, to support another round of DRI and Cemetery Maintenance.
The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 572 FTEs for the Department, an increase of 31 FTE’s from revised FY 2021 levels, primarily to support the Office of Renewable Energy Siting.
Major budget actions include:
- $10 million in funding to support the continuation of the Liberty Defense Program.
- $100 million in capital funding for another round of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).
- Legislation to make permanent provisions of law permitting the Secretary of State to charge increased fees from the expedited handling of documents issued by or requested from, the Department's Division of Corporations.
- Legislation to authorize the Secretary of State to forward notice of service of process to entities by email and then make copies of process available to such entities.
- Legislation to permit notaries to rely on approved technologies to verify identity and to notarize documents and exercise notarial authority remotely.
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.
| Category | Available FY 2021 |
Appropriations Recommended FY 2022 |
Change From FY 2021 |
Reappropriations Recommended FY 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Operations | 90,253,000 | 103,501,000 | 13,248,000 | 50,261,605 |
| Aid To Localities | 128,983,751 | 147,140,000 | 18,156,249 | 212,182,751 |
| Capital Projects | 102,000,000 | 102,000,000 | 0 | 393,269,000 |
| Total | 321,236,751 | 352,641,000 | 31,404,249 | 655,713,356 |
| Program | FY 2021 Estimated FTEs 03/31/21 |
FY 2022 Estimated FTEs 03/31/22 |
FTE Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 60 | 60 | 0 |
| Authorities Budget Office | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| Code Enforcement | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 12 | 12 | 0 |
| Consumer Protection Program | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| Business and Licensing Services | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 182 | 222 | 40 |
| Local Government and Community Services | |||
| General Fund | 142 | 133 | (9) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 14 | 11 | (3) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 81 | 81 | 0 |
| Office for New Americans | |||
| General Fund | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Tug Hill Commission | |||
| General Fund | 15 | 15 | 0 |
| Total | 541 | 572 | 31 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2021 |
Recommended FY 2022 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 10,796,000 | 10,796,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 12,051,000 | 13,851,000 | 1,800,000 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 67,406,000 | 78,854,000 | 11,448,000 |
| Total | 90,253,000 | 103,501,000 | 13,248,000 |
| Program | Available FY 2021 |
Recommended FY 2022 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | |||
| General Fund | 1,956,000 | 1,956,000 | 0 |
| Authorities Budget Office | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 2,050,000 | 2,050,000 | 0 |
| Business and Licensing Services | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 47,805,000 | 51,305,000 | 3,500,000 |
| Code Enforcement | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 2,165,000 | 2,165,000 | 0 |
| 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 | 13,130,000 | 23,130,000 | 10,000,000 |
| Lake George Park Commission | |||
| Special Revenue Funds - Other | 2,052,000 | 0 | (2,052,000) |
| Local Government and Community Services | |||
| General Fund | 5,560,000 | 5,560,000 | 0 |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 12,000,000 | 13,800,000 | 1,800,000 |
| 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 | 90,253,000 | 103,501,000 | 13,248,000 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service Regular (Annual Salaried) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Program | Temporary Service (Nonannual Salaried) |
Holiday/Overtime Pay | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Program | Total | Supplies and Materials | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Program | Travel | Contractual Services | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Program | Equipment | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| Tug Hill Commission | 2,000 | 0 |
| Total | 2,000 | 0 |
| Program | Maintenance Undistributed | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | |
| State of NY Commission on Uniform State Laws | 20,000 | 0 |
| Total | 20,000 | 0 |
| Program | Total | Personal Service | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Authorities Budget Office | 2,050,000 | 0 | 1,115,000 | 0 |
| Business and Licensing Services | 51,305,000 | 3,500,000 | 21,261,000 | 0 |
| Code Enforcement | 2,165,000 | 0 | 900,000 | 0 |
| Consumer Protection Program | 23,181,000 | 10,000,000 | 4,177,000 | 0 |
| Lake George Park Commission | 0 | (2,052,000) | 0 | (723,000) |
| Local Government and Community Services | 13,954,000 | 1,800,000 | 9,109,000 | 2,200,000 |
| Tug Hill Commission | 50,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 92,705,000 | 13,248,000 | 36,562,000 | 1,477,000 |
| Program | Nonpersonal Service | Maintenance Undistributed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Change | Amount | Change | |
| Authorities Budget Office | 935,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Business and Licensing Services | 30,044,000 | 3,500,000 | 0 | 0 |
| Code Enforcement | 1,265,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Consumer Protection Program | 9,004,000 | 0 | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 |
| Lake George Park Commission | 0 | (1,329,000) | 0 | 0 |
| Local Government and Community Services | 4,845,000 | (400,000) | 0 | 0 |
| Tug Hill Commission | 50,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 46,143,000 | 1,771,000 | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000 |
| Fund Type | Available FY 2021 |
Recommended FY 2022 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Fund | 18,783,751 | 16,440,000 | (2,343,751) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 110,200,000 | 130,700,000 | 20,500,000 |
| Total | 128,983,751 | 147,140,000 | 18,156,249 |
| Program | Available FY 2021 |
Recommended FY 2022 |
Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government and Community Services | |||
| General Fund | 2,343,751 | 0 | (2,343,751) |
| Special Revenue Funds - Federal | 110,200,000 | 130,700,000 | 20,500,000 |
| Office for New Americans | |||
| General Fund | 16,440,000 | 16,440,000 | 0 |
| Total | 128,983,751 | 147,140,000 | 18,156,249 |
| Comprehensive Construction Program | Available FY 2021 |
Recommended FY 2022 |
Change | Reappropriations FY 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Revitalization | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund - Authority Bonds | 100,000,000 | 100,000,000 | 0 | 295,355,000 |
| Infrastructure Investment – Settlement Funds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 93,489,000 |
| Maintenance and Repair | ||||
| Capital Projects Fund | 2,000,000 | 2,000,000 | 0 | 1,776,000 |
| Solid and Hazardous Waste Management | ||||
| Hazardous Waste Remedial Fund | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,649,000 |
| Total | 102,000,000 | 102,000,000 | 0 | 393,269,000 |
Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/19/2021