Senate Bill S3986

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3986
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 31, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT to establish a task force on the condition  of  African  American
   men in New York state
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Legislative intent.  The  legislature  finds  that  African
 American  men:  (a)  are disproportionately less likely to complete high
 school and to obtain a post-secondary education; (b) are more likely  to
 be incarcerated or on parole; (c) are more likely to have lower lifetime
 economic  earnings; (d) are more likely to have been a part of the child
 welfare population; (e) are more likely to have a shorter life expectan-
 cy; and (f) are more likely to have health problems, such  as  HIV/AIDS,
 drug  dependency,  heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. The legislature
 additionally finds that the state of New York has a compelling  interest
 in  determining the causes of these problems and in developing appropri-
 ate remedies.
   § 2. The New York state task force on the condition of African  Ameri-
 can  men  is hereby established. The role of the task force includes but
 is not limited to:
   (a) assessing the causal factors for the condition of African American
 men;
   (b) assessing state programs and initiatives that serve to improve the
 condition of African American men  and  identifying  the  gaps  in  such
 services;
   (c)  developing  strategies  to  reduce duplication of services and to
 maximize coordination between state agencies, providers and  educational
 institutions, including developing benchmarks to measure progress; and
   (d) preparing a report for submission to the governor and the legisla-
 ture  that  provides  specific  recommendations regarding existing state
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02025-01-5
 S. 3986                             2
              

 
 laws, regulations, programs, policies, and  practices  relating  to  the
 condition of African American men in the state.
   § 3. The task force shall issue its findings, in the form of a report,
 no later than December 31, 2026.
   §  4. The task force shall consist of 17 members and shall include the
 commissioner of temporary and disability assistance, the commissioner of
 children and family services, the commissioner of corrections and commu-
 nity supervision, the commissioner of economic development, the  commis-
 sioner  of health, the commissioner of human rights, the commissioner of
 education, the commissioner of labor and the  chancellor  of  the  state
 university  of  New  York,  or  a  designee of any of such officers. The
 remaining eight shall be appointed, within 60 days of the effective date
 of this act, as follows:  two shall be appointed by the temporary presi-
 dent of the senate; two shall be appointed by the minority leader of the
 senate; two shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;  and  two
 shall  be  appointed  by the minority leader of the assembly. The member
 from the office of temporary and disability assistance  shall  serve  as
 the  director  of the task force and may assign staff as is necessary to
 carry out the provisions of  this  section.  Task  force  members  shall
 receive  no  compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for
 travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
   § 5. The task force may consult  with  any  organization,  educational
 institution,  governmental agency, or person, that advocates for African
 American men.
   § 6. The director of the task force may reconvene the task force, with
 the same or different members, after issuance of the report, to  address
 any further issues associated with the condition of African American men
 in New York state.
   §  7. All departments or agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof
 shall, at the request of the director, provide the task force with  such
 facilities,  assistance, and data as will enable the task force to carry
 out its powers and duties.
   § 8. This act shall take effect immediately.