Bill Text: NY A02761 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Establishes a Latina suicide prevention task force; provides for the number of members, manner of appointment and the topics to be reviewed.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 19-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to ways and means [A02761 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A02761-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          2761
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    January 25, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  FERNANDEZ  --  read once and referred 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  our Latina New York residents, consisting  of  seven  members,  each  to
     5  serve 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 health. Appointments shall be made within sixty days  of
    13  the  effective  date  of  this act. Vacancies in the task force shall be
    14  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 and knowledge related to the Latina community.
    17  All appointments shall be coordinated  to  ensure  geographic  represen-
    18  tation 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 and other  necessary  officers  from
    21  among all appointed members.
    22    (4)  A  majority  of  the  members  of  the task force in office shall
    23  constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the  exercise  of
    24  any  power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci-
    25  sion of the majority of the members present during  the  presence  of  a
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03620-01-9
        A. 2761                             2
     1  quorum  shall  be  held to be the act, determination, or decision of the
     2  task force.
     3    (5)  The  task  force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the
     4  chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may  be
     5  called  by  the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the
     6  task force.
     7    (6) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for  their
     8  services  but  shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in
     9  the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
    10    (c) The task force shall:
    11    (1) study current  mental  health  practices  and  suicide  prevention
    12  efforts;
    13    (2)  recommend  mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts
    14  to increase effectiveness across the state; and
    15    (3)  determine  potential  reasons  for  the  high  number  of  Latina
    16  suicides.
    17    (d)  The task force may establish such advisory committees as it deems
    18  appropriate on matters relating to the task  force's  functions,  powers
    19  and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but
    20  may  be  composed  of  task  force  members as well as other individuals
    21  selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific  to
    22  the charge of such committees.
    23    (e) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
    24  surveys,  or  analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be
    25  performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
    26  ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or  public  authorities
    27  shall  provide  information  and advice in a timely manner and otherwise
    28  assist the task force with its work.
    29    (f) The task force shall submit a request  for  any  appropriation  as
    30  shall be necessary to enable the task force to perform its functions and
    31  duties  to  the governor, director of the division of budget, and chair-
    32  persons of the senate finance committee and the assembly ways and  means
    33  committee.
    34    (g)  The  task force may hold public hearings, take testimony and make
    35  investigations at such places as it deems necessary.
    36    (h) The task force shall make a preliminary report to the governor and
    37  the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activ-
    38  ities already undertaken by the task  force,  not  later  than  thirteen
    39  months  after  the effective date of this act, and a final report of its
    40  findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken
    41  by the task force, not later than twenty-two months after the  effective
    42  date of this act and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals
    43  as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
    44    §  2.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
    45  have become a law and shall expire 2 years  after  such  effective  date
    46  when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.