Establishes an LGBT youth and young adult suicide prevention task force; provides for the number of members, manner of appointment and the topics to be reviewed.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1548--A
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 11, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. REYES, O'DONNELL, FERNANDEZ, WOERNER, DICKENS,
WEPRIN, SEAWRIGHT, HEVESI, McDONOUGH, GOTTFRIED, OTIS, EPSTEIN, ENGLE-
BRIGHT, BURDICK, GLICK, DINOWITZ -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health --
recommitted to the Committee on Mental Health in accordance with
Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to establish an LGBT youth and young adult suicide prevention
task force; and provides for the repeal of such provisions upon expi-
ration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. LGBT youth and young adult suicide prevention task force.
2 (a) There is hereby created the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
3 (LGBT) youth and young adult suicide prevention task force to examine,
4 evaluate and determine how to improve mental health and suicide
5 prevention for New York's LGBT youth and young adults up to age 24,
6 consisting of nine members, each to serve until two years after the
7 effective date of this act.
8 (b)(1) Such members shall be appointed as follows: three member shall
9 be appointed by the governor; two members shall be appointed by the
10 temporary president of the senate; two members shall be appointed by the
11 speaker of the assembly; one member shall be appointed by the minority
12 leader of the assembly; and one member shall be appointed by the minori-
13 ty leader of the senate. Appointments shall be made within sixty days of
14 the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the task force shall be
15 filled in the same manner provided for original appointments.
16 (2) All appointees shall have expertise in fields or disciplines
17 related to mental health and knowledge related to LGBT youth and young
18 adults. All appointments shall be coordinated to ensure geographic
19 representation from the entire state.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00074-02-2
A. 1548--A 2
1 (3) The task force shall be chaired by the governor's appointee. The
2 task force shall elect a vice-chair and other necessary officers from
3 among all appointed members.
4 (4) A majority of the members of the task force in office shall
5 constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the exercise of
6 any power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci-
7 sion of the majority of the members present during the presence of a
8 quorum shall be held to be the act, determination, or decision of the
9 task force.
10 (5) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the
11 chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be
12 called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the
13 task force.
14 (6) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
15 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in
16 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
17 (c) The task force shall:
18 (1) study current mental health practices and suicide prevention
19 efforts;
20 (2) recommend mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts
21 to increase effectiveness across the state; and
22 (3) determine potential reasons for the high number of LGBT youth and
23 young adult suicides.
24 (d) The task force may establish such advisory committees as it deems
25 appropriate on matters relating to the task force's functions, powers
26 and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but
27 may be composed of task force members as well as other individuals
28 selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to
29 the charge of such committees.
30 (e) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
31 surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be
32 performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
33 ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities
34 shall provide information and advice in a timely manner and otherwise
35 assist the task force with its work.
36 (f) The task force may hold public hearings, take testimony and make
37 investigations at such places as it deems necessary.
38 (g) The task force shall make a preliminary report to the governor and
39 the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activ-
40 ities already undertaken by the task force, not later than thirteen
41 months after the effective date of this act, and a final report of its
42 findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken
43 by the task force, not later than twenty-two months after the effective
44 date of this act and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals
45 as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
46 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
47 have become a law and shall expire 2 years after such effective date
48 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.