Lawmakers want Gov. Kathy Hochul to take action after she signed legislation more than one year ago to establish a commission to develop a plan to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution that will begin in 2026.

Sponsor Sen. Shelley Mayer and co-sponsor Sen. James Skoufis penned a letter to the governor Monday urging her to make appointments to the state's 250th Commemoration Commission and put New York back on track to properly celebrate the upcoming anniversary of the nation's founding.

"To date, the commission has not been seated and no plan has been delivered to your desk," according to the letter. "The only serious planning efforts underway are all at the local level and predominantly within the Hudson Valley."

Skoufis March 20 2023 NY250 Sign-On by Adam Penale on Scribd

Several critical battles of the Revolutionary War, or the American War of Independence from Great Britain, took place in the state from 1775 through its end in 1783.

Lawmakers passed legislation in 2021 to divulge a commission to plan how to properly commemorate the 250th anniversary of the state's role in the American Revolution and highlight marginalized groups who impacted the conflict, including women, African Americans and Native Americans, initially excluded from national liberties.

The state commission must help assume responsibility to develop plans to mark the national anniversary after the federal America 250 Foundation Inc. is embroiled in reports of corruption and scandal.

Congress passed legislation in 2016 to establish the group to develop plans for the commemoration. The 2021 state law requires a special commission to develop a strategic plan to the governor about New York's celebrations within one year of member appointments.

"The impact and disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be understated; however, history-rich communities across the state have recovered and resumed their planning efforts over the past two years," according to the senators' letter. "Discouragingly, these efforts have not yielded action from state stakeholders."

Lawmakers added it is not too late for the state to properly plan celebrations for the 250th anniversary if Hochul takes action imminently.

"The neglect now occurring at the state level will potentially cost New York dearly in years to come, with the most serious impacts hitting the fields of heritage tourism and education," according to the letter. "With so many sites and museums ready to welcome visitors, our state stands to make millions of dollars from a successful, coordinated, supported Rev250 commemorative cycle."

New York is one of more than a dozen U.S. states to create a separate initiative to celebrate the state's role in the early days of American history and the civil rights battles that continue through present day.