STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6740 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY March 18, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. JEAN-PIERRE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health AN ACT to establish a Black youth suicide prevention task force; and providing 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. Black youth suicide prevention task force. (a) There is 2 hereby created the Black youth suicide prevention task force to examine, 3 evaluate and determine how to improve mental health and suicide 4 prevention for our Black New York residents aged 5 though 18 years, 5 consisting of seven members, each to serve until two years after the 6 effective date of this act. 7 (b)(1) Such members shall be appointed as follows: one member shall be 8 appointed by the governor; one member shall be appointed by the tempo- 9 rary president of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the 10 minority leader of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the 11 speaker of the assembly; one member shall be appointed by the minority 12 leader of the assembly; and two members shall be appointed by the 13 commissioner of health. 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 the Black community. 18 All appointments shall be coordinated to ensure geographic represen- 19 tation from the entire state. 20 (3) The task force shall be chaired by the governor's appointee. The 21 task force shall elect a vice-chair and other necessary officers from 22 among all appointed members. 23 (4) A majority of the members of the task force in office shall 24 constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the exercise of 25 any power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD10558-02-9A. 6740 2 1 sion of the majority of the members present during the presence of a 2 quorum shall be held to be the act, determination, or decision of the 3 task force. 4 (5) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the 5 chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be 6 called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the 7 task force. 8 (6) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their 9 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in 10 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force. 11 (c) The task force shall: 12 (1) study current mental health practices and suicide prevention 13 efforts for Black youths aged 5 through 18 years; 14 (2) recommend mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts 15 for such age group to increase effectiveness across the state; and 16 (3) determine potential reasons for the high number of Black youth 17 suicides. 18 (d) The task force may establish such advisory committees as it deems 19 appropriate on matters relating to the task force's functions, powers 20 and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but 21 may be composed of task force members as well as other individuals 22 selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to 23 the charge of such committees. 24 (e) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies, 25 surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be 26 performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori- 27 ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities 28 shall provide information and advice in a timely manner and otherwise 29 assist the task force with its work. 30 (f) The task force shall submit a request for any appropriation as 31 shall be necessary to enable the task force to perform its functions and 32 duties to the governor, director of the division of budget, and chair- 33 persons of the senate finance committee and the assembly ways and means 34 committee. 35 (g) The task force may hold public hearings, take testimony and make 36 investigations at such places as it deems necessary. 37 (h) The task force shall make a preliminary report to the governor and 38 the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activ- 39 ities already undertaken by the task force, not later than thirteen 40 months after the effective date of this act, and a final report of its 41 findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken 42 by the task force, not later than twenty-two months after the effective 43 date of this act and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals 44 as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations. 45 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall 46 have become a law and shall expire 2 years after such effective date 47 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.