NY State Senate Bill 2019-S8673B

Senate Bill S8673B

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Declares racism a public health crisis and establishes a working group to promote racial equity throughout the state

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Nov 25, 2020	print number 8673b
Nov 25, 2020	amend (t) and recommit to rules
Nov 18, 2020	print number 8673a
Nov 18, 2020	amend and recommit to rules
Jul 02, 2020	referred to rules

Bill Amendments

Original

B (Active)

2019-S8673 - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Public Health
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S2987

2019-S8673 - Summary

Declares racism a public health crisis and establishes a working group within the office of the state commissioner of health to promote racial equity throughout the state and address issues related to racism as a public health crisis.

2019-S8673 - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S8673

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to establish a working group to promote racial equity throughout
the state

 
PURPOSE:

To establish a racial equity working group to address issues related to
racism as a public health crisis.

 
SUMMARY PROVISIONS:

Section 1 establishes the racial equity working group within the office
of the state commissioner of health.

Section 2 provides that the working group shall address issues related
to racism as a public health crisis.

Section 3 provides that the working group shall consist of (a) the state
commissioner of health and his or her designee; (b) one member appointed
by the state commissioner of health; (c) two members appointed by the
governor; (d) one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly; (e)
one member appointed by the temporary president of the senate; (f) one
member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and (g) one
member appointed by the minority leader of the senate.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Recently, research has shown the impact of race on health disparities.
We've seen this during the COVID-19 pandemic, African-Americans in
particular have been disproportionately affect by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Black women are up to four times more likely to die of pregnancy related
complications, and Black men are more than twice as likely to be killed
by police. And the average life expectancy of African Americans is four
years lower than the rest of the U.S.  population. This bill seeks to
get at the root of these numerous problems.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Thirtieth day after it shall have become law.

2019-S8673 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8673
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               July 2, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to establish a working group to promote racial equity  throughout
   the state
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. There is hereby established within the office of the  state
 commissioner  of  health  a  working group to be known as "racial equity
 working group".
   § 2. The working group shall address the issues related to racism as a
 public health crisis and do the following: create a publicly  accessible
 glossary  of  terms and definitions concerning racism and health equity;
 promote community engagement and provide tools for  government  agencies
 to engage actively and authentically with communities of color; continue
 to  work  to  build  alliances with organizations that have a legacy and
 track record of confronting racism;  encourage  community  partners  and
 stakeholders in the education, employment, housing, and criminal justice
 and safety arenas to recognize racism as a public health crisis and take
 appropriate  action; continue to promote racially equitable economic and
 workforce development in New York; continue to promote racially  equita-
 ble  hiring  and  promotion  of all employees including state employees;
 provide training to all elected officials, staff, funders, and  grantees
 on  workplace biases and how to mitigate them; promote and encourage all
 policies that prioritize the health of people of color;  support  local,
 state, regional, and federal initiatives that advance efforts to disman-
 tle systematic racism and mitigate exposure to adverse childhood experi-
 ences and trauma; incorporate educational efforts to address and disman-
 tle  racism and to expand understanding of racism and how racism affects
 individual and population  health;  and  secure  adequate  resources  to
 successfully accomplish the aforementioned activities.
   § 3. The working group shall consist of the following:
   (a) the state commissioner of health and his or her designee;
   (b) one member appointed by the state commissioner of health;
   (c) two members appointed by the governor;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD16822-01-0

 S. 8673                             2
 
   (d) one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
   (e) one member appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
   (f) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and
   (g) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
   §  4.  The  members  and  staff personnel of the racial equity working
 group shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible to receive
 reimbursement for  their  reasonable,  actual  and  necessary  expenses,
 provided  however, members of the working group representing state agen-
 cies may receive reimbursement for their actual and  necessary  expenses
 from their respective agencies.
   §  5.  For  the  purposes  of this act, the commissioner of health may
 conduct such study in conjunction with any other  department,  division,
 board,  bureau,  commission, agency, or public authority of the state he
 or she deems necessary. To the maximum extent feasible, the commissioner
 of health shall be authorized to  request,  receive,  and  utilize  such
 resources  and  data  of  any other department, division, board, bureau,
 commission, agency, or public authority of the state as he  or  she  may
 reasonably  request  to  properly carry out his or her powers and duties
 pursuant to this act.
   § 6. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

2019-S8673A - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Public Health
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S2987

2019-S8673A - Summary

2019-S8673A - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S8673a

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to establish a working group to promote racial equity throughout
the state

 
PURPOSE:

To establish a racial equity working group to address issues related to
racism as a public health crisis.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Legislative finds and declaration Section 2. establishes the
racial equity working group within the office of the state commissioner
of health. Section 3 provides that the working group shall address
issues related to racism as a public health crisis.  Section 4 provides
that the working group shall consist of (a) the state commissioner of
health and his or her designee; (b) one member appointed by the state

commissioner of health; (c) two members appointed by the governor; (d)
one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly; (e) one member
appointed by the temporary president of the senate; (f) one member
appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and (g) one member
appointed by the minority leader of the senate.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Research has shown the impact of race on health disparities; we've seen
this during the COVID-19 pandemic, African-Americans in particular have
been disproportionately affect by the COVID-19 pandemic. Black women are
up to four times more likely to die of pregnancy related complications,
and Black men are more than twice as likely to be killed by police. And
the average life expectancy of African Americans is four years lower
than the rest of the U.S.  population. This bill seeks to get at the
root of these numerous problems.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Thirtieth day after it shall have become law.

2019-S8673A - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8673--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               July 2, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be  committed  to  the  Committee  on  Rules  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT to establish a working group to promote racial equity throughout
   the state
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  findings  and  declarations. The legislature
 hereby finds and declares that racism is a  public  health  crisis  that
 poses  a threat to the health, safety, and quality of life to as many as
 forty-seven million Americans; and that racism  negatively  impacts  and
 exacerbates  health  inequities among historically marginalized communi-
 ties. The legislature further finds and declares that racism contributes
 to a national disparity between black and white infant mortality  rates;
 and  that  racism contributes to inequalities in housing, education, and
 employment, and that racism negatively impacts the lives  of  people  of
 color  in New York.  The legislature further finds that race is a social
 construct not rooted in  meaningful  biological  differences,  and  this
 system  unfairly  disadvantages  specific  individuals  and communities,
 while giving advantages to  other  individuals  and  communities.    The
 legislature  further  finds  and  declares  that the impact of racism on
 public health deserves action from all levels of government.  Therefore,
 this  legislation  establishes a working group to address issues related
 to racism and ensure the health and safety of the citizens of the state.
   § 2. There is hereby  established  within  the  office  of  the  state
 commissioner of health a working group to be known as the "racial equity
 working group".
   § 3. The working group shall address the issues related to racism as a
 public  health crisis, and annually, shall study and provide recommenda-
 tions for legislative or other actions that can be undertaken to  reduce
 or eliminate racial and ethnic disparities, including:
   (a)  community  engagement and tools for government agencies to engage
 actively and authentically with communities of color;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD16822-02-0

 S. 8673--A                          2
 
   (b) partnerships in the education, employment, housing,  and  criminal
 justice arenas to reduce or eliminate racial or ethnic disparities ther-
 ein;
   (c) measures to promote racially equitable hiring and promotion of all
 employees;
   (d)  support  of  local, state, regional, and federal initiatives that
 advance efforts to reduce or eliminate racism;
   (e) measures to expand understanding of racism and how racism  affects
 individual and population health; and
   (f) secure adequate resources to successfully accomplish the aforemen-
 tioned activities.
   § 4. The working group shall consist of the following:
   (a) the state commissioner of health and his or her designee;
   (b) one member appointed by the state commissioner of health;
   (c) two members appointed by the governor;
   (d) one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
   (e) one member appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
   (f) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and
   (g) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
   §  5.  The  members  and  staff personnel of the racial equity working
 group shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible to receive
 reimbursement for  their  reasonable,  actual  and  necessary  expenses,
 provided  however, members of the working group representing state agen-
 cies may receive reimbursement for their actual and  necessary  expenses
 from their respective agencies.
   §  6.  For  the  purposes  of this act, the commissioner of health may
 conduct such annual study in  conjunction  with  any  other  department,
 division,  board, bureau, commission, agency, or public authority of the
 state he or she deems necessary. To the  maximum  extent  feasible,  the
 commissioner  of  health  shall  be  authorized to request, receive, and
 utilize such resources and  data  of  any  other  department,  division,
 board,  bureau,  commission, agency, or public authority of the state as
 he or she may reasonably request to properly carry out his or her powers
 and duties pursuant to this act.
   § 7. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law.

2019-S8673B (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Public Health
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S2987

2019-S8673B (ACTIVE) - Summary

2019-S8673B (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S8673B

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to declare racism a public health crisis and to establish a work-
ing group to promote racial equity throughout the state

 
PURPOSE:

To establish a racial equity working group to address issues related to
racism as a public health crisis.

 
SUMMARY PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Legislative finds and declaration. Section 2. establishes the
racial equity working group within the office of the state commissioner
of health. Section 3 provides that the working group shall address
issues related to racism as a public health crisis.

Section 4 provides that the working group shall consist of (a) the state

commissioner of health and his or her designee; (b) one member appointed
by the state commissioner of health; (c) two members appointed by the
governor; (d) one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly; (e)
one member appointed by the temporary president of the senate; (f) one
member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and (g) one
member appointed by the minority leader of the senate.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Research has shown the impact of race on health disparities; we've seen
this during the COVID-19 pandemic, African-Americans in particular have
been disproportionately affect by the COVID-19 pandemic. Black women are
up to four times more likely to die of pregnancy related complications,
and Black men are more than twice as likely to be killed by police. And
the average life expectancy of African Americans is four years lower
than the rest of the U.S.  population. This bill seeks to get at the
root of these numerous problems.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Thirtieth day after it shall have become law.

2019-S8673B (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  8673--B
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               July 2, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be  committed  to  the  Committee  on  Rules  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to  said  committee  --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to declare racism a public health crisis and to establish a work-
   ing group to promote racial equity throughout the state
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Legislative  findings  and  declarations. The legislature
 hereby finds and declares that racism is a  public  health  crisis  that
 poses  a threat to the health, safety, and quality of life to as many as
 forty-seven million Americans; and that racism  negatively  impacts  and
 exacerbates  health  inequities among historically marginalized communi-
 ties. The legislature further finds and declares that racism contributes
 to a national disparity between black and white infant mortality  rates;
 and  that  racism contributes to inequalities in housing, education, and
 employment, and that racism negatively impacts the lives  of  people  of
 color  in New York.  The legislature further finds that race is a social
 construct not rooted in  meaningful  biological  differences,  and  this
 system  unfairly  disadvantages  specific  individuals  and communities,
 while giving advantages to  other  individuals  and  communities.    The
 legislature  further  finds  and  declares  that the impact of racism on
 public health deserves action from all levels of government.  Therefore,
 this  legislation  establishes a working group to address issues related
 to racism and ensure the health and safety of the citizens of the state.
   § 2. There is hereby  established  within  the  office  of  the  state
 commissioner of health a working group to be known as the "racial equity
 working group".
   § 3. The working group shall address the issues related to racism as a
 public  health crisis, and biennially, shall study and provide recommen-
 dations for legislative or other  actions  that  can  be  undertaken  to
 reduce or eliminate racial and ethnic disparities, including:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD16822-04-0

 S. 8673--B                          2
 
   (a)  community  engagement and tools for government agencies to engage
 actively and authentically with communities of color;
   (b)  partnerships  in the education, employment, housing, and criminal
 justice arenas to reduce or eliminate racial or ethnic disparities ther-
 ein;
   (c) measures to promote racially equitable hiring and promotion of all
 employees;
   (d) support of local, state, regional, and  federal  initiatives  that
 advance efforts to reduce or eliminate racism;
   (e)  measures to expand understanding of racism and how racism affects
 individual and population health; and
   (f) secure adequate resources to successfully accomplish the aforemen-
 tioned activities.
   § 4. The working group shall consist of the following:
   (a) the state commissioner of health and his or her designee;
   (b) one member appointed by the state commissioner of health;
   (c) two members appointed by the governor;
   (d) one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
   (e) one member appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
   (f) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and
   (g) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
   § 5. The members and staff personnel  of  the  racial  equity  working
 group shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible to receive
 reimbursement  for  their  reasonable,  actual  and  necessary expenses,
 provided however, members of the working group representing state  agen-
 cies  may  receive reimbursement for their actual and necessary expenses
 from their respective agencies.
   § 6. For the purposes of this act,  the  commissioner  of  health  may
 conduct  such  annual  study  in  conjunction with any other department,
 division, board, bureau, commission, agency, or public authority of  the
 state  he  or  she  deems necessary. To the maximum extent feasible, the
 commissioner of health shall be  authorized  to  request,  receive,  and
 utilize  such  resources  and  data  of  any other department, division,
 board, bureau, commission, agency, or public authority of the  state  as
 he or she may reasonably request to properly carry out his or her powers
 and duties pursuant to this act.
   §  7.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
 have become a law.

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