S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8087
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                            September 29, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  BUTTENSCHON -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT in relation to establishing a task force to be called the  office
   of  asylum management; 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. Office of asylum management task force. A task force to be
 named the "office of asylum management" shall be established  to  study,
 evaluate,  and  develop  recommendations  relating  to the management of
 asylum seekers in this state. For the purposes of  this  act,  the  term
 "asylum  seeker"  shall  mean an individual who changes their country of
 usual residence to seek temporary  or  permanent  residence  in  another
 country,  and  who has applied for asylum under 8 U.S. Code § 1158 or is
 eligible to apply; or who is a refugee as defined by section  101(a)(42)
 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
   §  2.  Membership  of  task  force. 1. The office of asylum management
 shall consist of seventeen members who shall be appointed as follows:
   (a) One member to be appointed by each of the following:
   (i) The head of refugee services within the office  of  temporary  and
 disability assistance;
   (ii) The commissioner of health;
   (iii) The commissioner of labor;
   (iv) The secretary of state;
   (v) The commissioner of children and family services;
   (vi) The commissioner of education;
   (vii) The commissioner of the division of criminal justice services;
   (viii) The commissioner of agriculture and markets;
   (ix)  The  commissioner of the division of homeland security and emer-
 gency services;
   (x) The commissioner of human rights; and
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13277-01-3
              

 A. 8087                             2
 
   (xi) The director of the budget; and
   (b) Two members to be appointed by each of the following:
   (i) The speaker of the assembly;
   (ii) The temporary president of the senate; and
   (iii) The governor.
   2.  All  appointments  pursuant to this section shall be made no later
 than the thirtieth day after the effective date of this  act.  Vacancies
 in  the  membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner
 provided for by the original appointments. The task force shall organize
 as soon as practicable following the appointment  of  its  members.  The
 members  of  the  task  force  shall  elect a chairperson from among its
 members to serve as the head of the task force. The members of the  task
 force  shall  receive  no  compensation  for  their  services, but shall
 receive reimbursement for reasonable costs incurred in  the  performance
 of their duties under this act.
   §  3.  Duties  of  task  force.  The office of asylum management shall
 study, evaluate, and develop recommendations relating to  state  manage-
 ment of asylum seekers including, but not limited to, the following:
   (a)  services  that  do  not  exist  or that should be improved in the
 state;
   (b) the regions of the state experiencing, and expected to experience,
 the greatest influx of asylum seekers;
   (c) current state resources that are available;
   (d) the average amount of time asylum  seekers  experience  delays  in
 work authorization;
   (e) work opportunities in the state that are available to asylum seek-
 ers;
   (f)  data collection practices on asylum seekers before they enter the
 state, so the state can be better prepared for such asylum seekers; and
   (g) any other information that the office of asylum  management  shall
 deem important.
   § 4. Powers of task force. The task force shall be entitled to request
 and  receive,  and  shall utilize such facilities, resources and data of
 any court, department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency  of
 the  state  or  any  political  subdivision thereof as it may reasonably
 request to properly carry out its duties under this act.
   § 5. Reporting. The task force shall report its findings and recommen-
 dations to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, and  the
 speaker of the assembly on or before the expiration of this act.
   §  6.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed two years after such date.