New York Assembly Bill A06960 Latest Draft

   
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6960 2023-2024 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY May 9, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. DAVILA -- 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: 1 Section 1. Latina suicide prevention task force. (a) There is hereby 2 created the Latina suicide prevention task force to examine, evaluate 3 and determine how to improve mental health and suicide prevention for 4 Latina New York residents, consisting of seven members, each to serve 5 until two years after the effective date of this act. 6 (b)(1) Such members shall be appointed as follows: one member shall be 7 appointed by the governor; one member shall be appointed by the tempo- 8 rary president of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the 9 minority leader of the senate; one member shall be appointed by the 10 speaker of the assembly; one member shall be appointed by the minority 11 leader of the assembly; and two members shall be appointed by the 12 commissioner of mental health. Appointments shall be made within sixty 13 days of the effective date of this act. Vacancies in the task force 14 shall be filled in the same manner provided for original appointments. 15 (2) All appointees shall have expertise in fields or disciplines 16 related to mental health suicide prevention services and support and 17 knowledge related to the Latina community. All appointments shall be 18 coordinated to ensure geographic representation from the entire state. 19 (3) The task force shall be chaired by the governor's appointee. The 20 task force shall elect a vice-chair by a majority vote and other neces- 21 sary officers from among all appointed members. 22 (4) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the 23 chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be 24 called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the 25 task force. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD09580-01-3 
 A. 6960 2 1 (5) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their 2 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in 3 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force. 4 (c) The task force shall: 5 (1) study current mental health practices and suicide prevention 6 efforts; 7 (2) recommend mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts 8 to increase effectiveness across the state; and 9 (3) determine potential reasons for the high number of Latina 10 suicides. 11 (d) The task force may establish advisory committees as it deems 12 appropriate on matters relating to the task force's functions, powers 13 and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but 14 may be composed of task force members as well as other individuals 15 selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to 16 the charge of such committees. 17 (e) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies, 18 surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be 19 performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori- 20 ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities 21 shall provide information and advice in a timely manner and otherwise 22 assist the task force with its work; provided, however, any information 23 obtained pursuant to this subdivision shall be kept confidential and 24 shall only be used by members of the task force in the course of their 25 tasks and duties as a task force member. 26 (f) The task force shall provide a preliminary report to the governor 27 and the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and 28 activities already undertaken by the task force, not later than thirteen 29 months after the effective date of this act, and a final report of its 30 findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken 31 by the task force, not later than twenty-two months after the effective 32 date of this act and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals 33 as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations. 34 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall 35 have become a law and shall expire 2 years after such effective date 36 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.