The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5082
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 22, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. FERNANDEZ, RAMOS -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed 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
 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 mental 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  suicide prevention services and support and
 knowledge related to the Latina community.  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 by a majority vote and other  neces-
 sary officers from among all appointed members.
   (4)  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.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09580-01-3

 S. 5082                             2
 
   (5) 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  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; provided, however, any information
 obtained pursuant to this subdivision shall  be  kept  confidential  and
 shall  only  be used by members of the task force in the course of their
 tasks and duties as a task force member.
   (f) The task force shall provide a preliminary report to the  governor
 and  the  legislature  of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and
 activities 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.