S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5836
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 26, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. CUSICK -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Veterans' 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 twenty-three.
   (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' Services; 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.
                                                            LBD04863-01-1
              

 A. 5836                             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  efforts
 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 1, 2022,
 and a final report of its  findings,  conclusions,  recommendations  and
 activities already undertaken by the task force, not later than March 1,
 2023 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, 2023 when upon such  date  the
 provisions of this act shall be deemed to be repealed.