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S05082 Summary:

S05082 Actions:

S05082 Committee Votes:

S05082 Floor Votes:

S05082 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          5082
 
                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                    February 22, 2023
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by Sens. FERNANDEZ, RAMOS -- read twice and ordered printed,
          and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health
 
        AN ACT to establish a Latina suicide prevention task force; and provides
          for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section  1.  Latina suicide prevention task force. (a) There is hereby
     2  created the Latina suicide prevention task force  to  examine,  evaluate
     3  and  determine  how  to improve mental health and suicide prevention for
     4  Latina New York residents, consisting of seven members,  each  to  serve
     5  until two years after the effective date of this act.
     6    (b)(1) Such members shall be appointed as follows: one member shall be
     7  appointed  by  the governor; one member shall be appointed by the tempo-
     8  rary president of the senate; one  member  shall  be  appointed  by  the
     9  minority  leader  of  the  senate;  one member shall be appointed by the
    10  speaker of the assembly; one member shall be appointed by  the  minority
    11  leader  of  the  assembly;  and  two  members  shall be appointed by the
    12  commissioner of mental health. Appointments shall be made  within  sixty
    13  days  of  the  effective  date  of this act. Vacancies in the task force
    14  shall be filled in the same manner provided for original appointments.
    15    (2) All appointees shall  have  expertise  in  fields  or  disciplines
    16  related  to  mental  health  suicide prevention services and support and
    17  knowledge related to the Latina community.  All  appointments  shall  be
    18  coordinated to ensure geographic representation from the entire state.
    19    (3)  The  task force shall be chaired by the governor's appointee. The
    20  task force shall elect a vice-chair by a majority vote and other  neces-
    21  sary officers from among all appointed members.
    22    (4)  The  task  force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the
    23  chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may  be
    24  called  by  the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the
    25  task force.
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09580-01-3
        S. 5082                             2
 
     1    (5) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for  their
     2  services  but  shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in
     3  the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
     4    (c) The task force shall:
     5    (1)  study  current  mental  health  practices  and suicide prevention
     6  efforts;
     7    (2) recommend mental health practices and suicide  prevention  efforts
     8  to increase effectiveness across the state; and
     9    (3)  determine  potential  reasons  for  the  high  number  of  Latina
    10  suicides.
    11    (d) The task force may  establish  advisory  committees  as  it  deems
    12  appropriate  on  matters  relating to the task force's functions, powers
    13  and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but
    14  may be composed of task force  members  as  well  as  other  individuals
    15  selected  by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to
    16  the charge of such committees.
    17    (e) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
    18  surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and  duties  be
    19  performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
    20  ty.  All  state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities
    21  shall provide information and advice in a timely  manner  and  otherwise
    22  assist  the task force with its work; provided, however, any information
    23  obtained pursuant to this subdivision shall  be  kept  confidential  and
    24  shall  only  be used by members of the task force in the course of their
    25  tasks and duties as a task force member.
    26    (f) The task force shall provide a preliminary report to the  governor
    27  and  the  legislature  of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and
    28  activities already undertaken by the task force, not later than thirteen
    29  months after the effective date of this act, and a final report  of  its
    30  findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken
    31  by  the task force, not later than twenty-two months after the effective
    32  date of this act and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals
    33  as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
    34    § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
    35  have  become  a  law  and shall expire 2 years after such effective date
    36  when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.