Assembly Bill A11326

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   11326
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                            September 19, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of 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:

   Section  1.  Latina suicide prevention task force. (a) There is hereby
 created the Latina suicide prevention task force  to  examine,  evaluate
 and  determine  how  to improve mental health and suicide prevention for
 our Latina New York residents, consisting  of  seven  members,  each  to
 serve until two years after the effective date of this act.
   (b)(1) Such members shall be appointed as follows: one member shall be
 appointed  by  the governor; one member shall be appointed by the tempo-
 rary president of the senate; one  member  shall  be  appointed  by  the
 minority  leader  of  the  senate;  one member shall be appointed by the
 speaker of the assembly; one member shall be appointed by  the  minority
 leader  of  the  assembly;  and  two  members  shall be appointed by the
 commissioner of health. Appointments shall be made within sixty days  of
 the  effective  date  of  this act. Vacancies in the task force shall be
 filled in the same manner provided for original appointments.
   (2) All appointees shall  have  expertise  in  fields  or  disciplines
 related  to mental health and knowledge related to the Latina community.
 All appointments shall be coordinated  to  ensure  geographic  represen-
 tation from the entire state.
   (3)  The  task force shall be chaired by the governor's appointee. The
 task force shall elect a vice-chair and other  necessary  officers  from
 among all appointed members.
   (4)  A  majority  of  the  members  of  the task force in office shall
 constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the  exercise  of
 any  power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci-
 sion of the majority of the members present during  the  presence  of  a
 quorum  shall  be  held to be the act, determination, or decision of the
 task force.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD16082-01-8

 A. 11326                            2
 
   (5) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the  call  of  the
 chair.  Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be
 called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members  of  the
 task force.
   (6)  Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses  incurred  in
 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
   (c) The task force shall:
   (1)  study  current  mental  health  practices  and suicide prevention
 efforts;
   (2) recommend mental health practices and suicide  prevention  efforts
 to increase effectiveness across the state; and
   (3)  determine  potential  reasons  for  the  high  number  of  Latina
 suicides.
   (d) The task force may establish such advisory committees as it  deems
 appropriate  on  matters  relating to the task force's functions, powers
 and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but
 may be composed of task force  members  as  well  as  other  individuals
 selected  by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to
 the charge of such committees.
   (e) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
 surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and  duties  be
 performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
 ty.  All  state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities
 shall provide information and advice in a timely  manner  and  otherwise
 assist the task force with its work.
   (f)  The  task  force  shall submit a request for any appropriation as
 shall be necessary to enable the task force to perform its functions and
 duties to the governor, director of the division of budget,  and  chair-
 persons  of the senate finance committee and the assembly ways and means
 committee.
   (g) The task force may hold public hearings, take testimony  and  make
 investigations at such places as it deems necessary.
   (h) The task force shall make a preliminary report to the governor and
 the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activ-
 ities  already  undertaken  by  the  task force, not later than thirteen
 months after the effective date of this act, and a final report  of  its
 findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken
 by  the task force, not later than twenty-two months after the effective
 date of this act and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals
 as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
 have  become  a  law  and shall expire 2 years after such effective date
 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.