REVISERS' NOTE. The committee on general laws in the assembly of 1879 were by resolution directed to fully investigate the subjects involved in the Code of Poor Laws and submit to that, or the next legislature, a bill designed to remedy the evils so onerous to the people, growing out of the existing poor laws and their administration." That committee, in compliance with the resolution, reported to the legislature of 1880 a bill entitled "An act to revise and consolidate the general acts relating to the relief and support of indigent persons." The committee state in their report that it has been their aim to "simplify the laws and thus avoid the confusion in their administration which now exists and is the cause of great annoyance to the superintendents and others charged with their administration." This bill was not, however, adopted by the legislature, and additional legislation upon the subjects involved continued, but with no apparent aim to remove the evils complained of, except that title 8 of part 6 of the criminal code, passed in 1881, prescribes a procedure for compelling the support of poor persons by their relatives of sufficient ability. Provisions for the election and qualification of superintendents of the poor, with certain powers and duties, of boards of supervisors relating to the poor, are assigned by the revisers to the proposed county law. Provisions for the election and qualification of overseers of the poor, with certain powers of towns and town officers relating to the poor, are in the "town law" prepared by the revisers. The commission created by chapter 289, laws of 1889, are therein especially directed to consolidate and revise the general poor laws, and the bill herewith submitted is their compliance with such direction, and includes the remaining unrepealed parts of title 1, chapter 20, part I of the Revised Statutes, and other general acts relating to the poor, as contained in the session laws and the Revised Statutes. It has been the aim of the commissioners to make the system of administering relief to all classes of the unfortunate poor as simple, uniform and certain as possible, so that no officers or bodies having this business in charge shall be excusable for neglect. For this attainment slight changes in existing laws are necessarily made. Federal soldiers and their families, when in need, are to be supported at their homes, and there furnished necessary care and relief, upon the demand of the proper officers of the Grand Army post having jurisdiction; but such relief is not made dependent upon the action or existence of such officers or their compliance with the law. The duty to grant relief is imposed directly upon the public authorities. Other modifications are made to harmonize these provisions with our system and to remove occasion for certain criticisms. (See Law of Supervisors, p. 543.) The sureties required of officers, intrusted with funds, and the reviews required by boards of audit are the safeguards against unwarrantable expenditures. As the powers and duties of the state board of charities relate so generally to the varied conditions of the poor they are inserted in and constitute article 7 of the poor law. The "C" references are to the pages of the bill reported to the legislature in 1881. The "R. S." references are to the pages of the eighth edition of the Revised Statutes. 3616 THE POOR LAW. AN ACT in relation to the poor, constituting chapter XXVII of the general laws. The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows: CHAPTER XXVII OF THE GENERAL LAWS. ARTICLE I. County superintendents of the poor. (§§ 1-13.) III. Settlement and place of relief of poor persons. (§§ 40-56.) V. Soldiers, sailors and marines. (§§ 80-84.) VII. State poor. (§§ 120-133.) ARTICLE I. COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE POOR. SECTION 1. Short title. 2. Definitions. 3. County superintendents of the poor. 4. Appointment of superintendent as 'keeper of alms-house. 5. When they may direct overseers of the poor to take charge of county poor. 6. Idiots and lunatics. 7. Pestilence in alms-house. 8. Accounts of county treasurer with towns. 9. Annual apportionment of town expenses. 10. Tax levy on towns. 11. Expense of county poor, how defrayed. 12. Superintendent's report to state board of charities. 13. Penalty for neglect or false report. |