The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3083
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 27, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  SALAZAR, BIAGGI, BRISPORT, HARCKHAM, KAPLAN, LIU,
   MYRIE, RAMOS, SEPULVEDA, SKOUFIS -- read twice  and  ordered  printed,
   and when printed to be committed 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:
 
   Section 1. LGBT youth and young adult suicide prevention  task  force.
 (a)  There  is hereby created the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
 (LGBT) youth and young adult suicide prevention task force  to  examine,
 evaluate  and  determine  how  to  improve  mental  health  and  suicide
 prevention for New York's LGBT youth and young  adults  up  to  age  24,
 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; two members shall be appointed by the  tempo-
 rary  president  of  the  senate;  two members shall be appointed by the
 speaker 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 LGBT youth  and  young
 adults.  All  appointments  shall  be  coordinated  to ensure geographic
 representation 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

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD00074-01-1

 S. 3083                             2
 
 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.
   (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 LGBT youth  and
 young adult 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.