ɪt wʌz ɪstˈæblɪʃt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti θɹuː ɐ bˈɪl ˌɪntɹədˈuːst ɪnðə nˈuː jˈɔːɹk stˈeɪt lˈɛdʒɪslətʃɚ baɪ nˈuː jˈɔːɹk stˈeɪt sˈɛnəɾɚ mˈæk nˈiːl mˈɪtʃəl nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈaɪv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks, wɪð bˈækɪŋ fɹʌm ɡˈʌvɚnɚ nˈɛlsən ɹˈɑːkɪfəlɚ, ænd bɪɡˈæn ɪts wˈɜːk ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn.
It was established in 1960 through a bill introduced in the New York State Legislature by New York State Senator MacNeil Mitchell (1905–1996), with backing from Governor Nelson Rockefeller, and began its work in 1961.