New York Laws
Article 1 - The Militia of the State
24 - Bureau of War Records; Completion and Preservation of the Records and Relics; Free Inspection of the Same and Quarters in the Capitol.

(1) colors, standards, battle flags and guidons received from the
United States may be turned over by the chief of staff, with the
approval of the governor, under such conditions as the governor may
prescribe, to active organizations of the New York national guard and
New York naval militia, representing the organizations which carried
such colors, standards, battle flags and guidons while in the active
military service of the United States;
(2) the chief of staff of the state, subject to the approval of the
adjutant general, may lend any of the property placed in such bureau for
the purposes of this section to a public corporation or agency thereof;
state institution or other state agency; educational corporation or
institution; museum; or historical society under such conditions as the
chief of staff may prescribe;
(3) notwithstanding any other provision of law, the chief of staff of
the state, subject to the approval of the adjutant general, may destroy,
sell or otherwise permanently dispose of any property in such bureau,
except books and records, provided he:
(a) advises the state historian of the nature of the property;
(b) certifies to the state historian that such property no longer has
sufficient administrative, historical or military value to warrant its
retention; and
(c) receives the consent of the state historian to the destruction,
sale or other permanent disposition of the property;
(4) books and records in such bureau shall be disposed of or destroyed
in accordance with the provisions of subdivision eleven of section 57.05
of the arts and cultural affairs law.
7. The commissioner of general services is authorized and directed to
provide suitable and convenient quarters in the capitol for the bureau
of war records whenever the adjutant general shall require and make
demand therefor, and to properly fit up and prepare the same for the
safe-keeping of such records, books and property, and for the display of
such colors, standards, battle flags and relics which shall be known and
maintained as the hall of military records. The several municipalities
of the state may deposit their record books and papers relating to the
wars in which the state participated in the archives of the hall for
safe-keeping, and transcripts therefrom shall be furnished on
application by the chief officer of the municipality without cost to it.

Officers or soldiers may deposit therein their discharge papers,
descriptive lists, muster rolls or company or regimental books and
papers for safe-keeping.