S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4642
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 23, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Securi-
   ty and Military Affairs
 
 AN ACT to create a veterans' mental health and suicide  prevention  task
   force; and providing 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. Legislative intent. The legislature is concerned  with  the
 health,  safety,  and  welfare  of  all returning veterans of the United
 States armed forces to New York and the high rate of mental health prob-
 lems and suicides of members of the United States armed forces.
   § 2. Veterans' suicide task force. (a) There  is  hereby  created  the
 veterans'  mental  health  and suicide prevention task force to examine,
 evaluate  and  determine  how  to  improve  mental  health  and  suicide
 prevention  for our veterans, consisting of seven members, each to serve
 until May first, two thousand seventeen.
   (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; one member shall be appointed by the director of
 the New York State Division of Veterans' Affairs; and one  member  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 manner provided for original appoint-
 ments.
   (2) All appointees shall  have  expertise  in  fields  or  disciplines
 related  to  mental  health.  All  appointments  shall be coordinated to
 ensure geographic representation from the entire state.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01870-01-7

 S. 4642                             2
 
   (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 then 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.
   (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; and
   (2) recommend  mental  health  practices  and  suicide  prevention  to
 increase effectiveness across the state.
   (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  June  first,
 two  thousand eighteen, and a final report of its findings, conclusions,
 recommendations and activities already undertaken by the task force, not
 later than March first, two thousand nineteen and shall submit with  its
 reports  legislative  proposals  as  it deems necessary to implement its
 recommendations.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth  day  after  it  shall
 have  become  a law and shall expire May 1, 2019 when upon such date the
 provisions of this act shall be deemed to be repealed.