S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1548--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 11, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. REYES, O'DONNELL, FERNANDEZ, WOERNER, DICKENS,
   WEPRIN, SEAWRIGHT, HEVESI, McDONOUGH, GOTTFRIED, OTIS, EPSTEIN, ENGLE-
   BRIGHT, BURDICK, GLICK, DINOWITZ -- Multi-Sponsored by  --  M.  of  A.
   TAGUE  --  read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health --
   recommitted to the Committee  on  Mental  Health  in  accordance  with
   Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  establish  an LGBT youth and young adult suicide prevention
   task force; and provides for the repeal of such provisions upon  expi-
   ration thereof
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. LGBT youth and young adult suicide prevention  task  force.
 (a)  There  is hereby created the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
 (LGBT) youth and young adult suicide prevention task force  to  examine,
 evaluate  and  determine  how  to  improve  mental  health  and  suicide
 prevention for New York's LGBT youth and young  adults  up  to  age  24,
 consisting  of  nine  members,  each  to serve until two years after the
 effective date of this act.
   (b)(1) Such members shall be appointed as follows: three member  shall
 be  appointed  by  the  governor;  two members shall be appointed by the
 temporary president of the senate; two members shall be appointed by the
 speaker of the assembly; one member shall be appointed by  the  minority
 leader of the assembly; and one member shall be appointed by the minori-
 ty leader of the senate. 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 and knowledge related to LGBT youth and young
 adults. 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.
                                                            LBD00074-02-2
              

 A. 1548--A                          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 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;
   (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 LGBT youth and
 young adult suicides.
   (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 may hold public hearings, take testimony and make
 investigations at such places as it deems necessary.
   (g) 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  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.