Text of NY A 6599 (2024)

STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6599 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY April 24, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. REYES, WOERNER, WEPRIN, DICKENS, SEAWRIGHT, HEVE- SI, McDONOUGH, OTIS, EPSTEIN, BURDICK, GLICK, DINOWITZ -- Multi-Spon- sored by -- M. of A. TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health 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. 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. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00465-03-3 A. 6599 2 1 (4) A majority of the members of the task force in office shall 2 constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the exercise of 3 any power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci- 4 sion of the majority of the members present during the presence of a 5 quorum shall be held to be the act, determination, or decision of the 6 task force. 7 (5) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the 8 chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be 9 called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the 10 task force. 11 (6) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their 12 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in 13 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force. 14 (c) The task force shall: 15 (1) study current mental health practices and suicide prevention 16 efforts; 17 (2) recommend mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts 18 to increase effectiveness across the state; and 19 (3) determine potential reasons for the high number of LGBT youth and 20 young adult suicides. 21 (d) The task force may establish such advisory committees as it deems 22 appropriate on matters relating to the task force's functions, powers 23 and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but 24 may be composed of task force members as well as other individuals 25 selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to 26 the charge of such committees. 27 (e) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies, 28 surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be 29 performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori- 30 ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities 31 shall provide information and advice in a timely manner and otherwise 32 assist the task force with its work. 33 (f) The task force may hold public hearings, take testimony and make 34 investigations at such places as it deems necessary. 35 (g) The task force shall make a preliminary report to the governor and 36 the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activ- 37 ities already undertaken by the task force, not later than thirteen 38 months after the effective date of this act, and a final report of its 39 findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken 40 by the task force, not later than twenty-two months after the effective 41 date of this act and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals 42 as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations. 43 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall 44 have become a law and shall expire 2 years after such effective date 45 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.