STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3174
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 28, 2019
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Introduced by M. of A. ORTIZ, GUNTHER, COLTON, WEPRIN, COOK -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to enacting the "behav-
ioral health services for veterans act"
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "behavioral
2 health services for veterans act".
3 § 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 368-a to
4 read as follows:
5 § 368-a. Behavioral health services for veterans advisory board. 1.
6 There is hereby established within the division, a behavioral health
7 services for veterans advisory board. Such board shall consist of nine
8 members, three of whom shall be appointed by the governor, two of whom
9 shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate, two of whom
10 shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one of whom shall be
11 appointed by the minority leader of the senate and one of whom shall be
12 appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. Such members shall
13 serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority. Vacancies on the
14 board shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment. Members
15 of the board shall receive no compensation for their services but shall
16 be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the perform-
17 ance of their duties.
18 2. The behavioral health services for veterans advisory board shall
19 study and analyze both the adequacy of existing and the need for new
20 behavioral health services for veterans. In providing such analysis, the
21 board shall work in cooperation with the division, the office of alco-
22 holism and substance abuse services, the department of health and the
23 department of mental hygiene. The board shall report the findings of
24 such study to the governor and the legislature along with recommenda-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07232-01-9
A. 3174 2
1 tions it deems necessary for expanded and improved behavioral health
2 services on or before October first, two thousand twenty.
3 § 3. This act shall take effect April 1, 2020. Effective immediately
4 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
5 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
6 authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.
