S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4435
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 4, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. FALL -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to establish the New York State Muslim American Advisory Council
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  The  New York State Muslim American Advisory Council. The
 New York State Muslim American Advisory Council is  hereby  established.
 For the purposes of this act, the term "council" shall mean the New York
 State Muslim American Advisory Council established pursuant to this act.
 The council shall advise the legislature on ways to advance the role and
 civic participation of Muslim Americans in New York state. Additionally,
 the  council  shall  recommend strategies to better integrate Muslims in
 New York state socially, educationally, culturally and economically. The
 council shall facilitate relationship-building in the  Muslim  community
 to   achieve   goals   related   to  international  commerce  in  Muslim
 countries/communities, and identify ways to more effectively disseminate
 information and outreach to Muslim Americans  regarding  state  programs
 and  services.  The  council shall advise the legislature on appropriate
 policy developments, official directives, and other  issues  of  signif-
 icance  impacting  New  York  state's  Muslims.  The council shall bring
 important faith-based issues based on factual findings to  the  legisla-
 ture's  attention  and  make recommendations to address such issues. The
 council shall also strengthen communication between the state and Muslim
 leadership and the general community.
   § 2. The council shall consist of ten members, as follows:
   a. five members shall  be  representatives  of  community-based/faith-
 based organizations that advise or assist Muslim American communities.
   b.  one  member  shall  be appointed by the temporary president of the
 senate.
   c. one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
   d. one member shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07856-02-5
              

 A. 4435                             2
 
   e. one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the  assem-
 bly.
   f. one remaining member shall be appointed by the governor.
   §  3.  Each member of the council shall serve for a term of four years
 or until such member's successor is appointed.   A member  appointed  to
 fill  a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the term of the member such
 member is appointed to succeed.
   § 4. The members of the council  shall  receive  no  compensation  for
 their  services  but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and
 necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
   § 5. The council shall select a chair and a secretary from  among  the
 members.
   §  6.  The council shall meet as frequently as necessary, but not less
 than four times per year. Such meetings shall be held at such  locations
 as  the council may determine. All such meetings shall be subject to the
 open meetings law.
   § 7. Each member of the council shall  be  entitled  to  designate  in
 writing  a  representative to attend meetings in such member's place and
 to vote or otherwise act  on  such  member's  behalf  in  such  member's
 absence.
   § 8. The council shall present strategies to the legislature to better
 integrate  Muslims in New York state socially, educationally, culturally
 and economically in writing in the form of an annual report approximate-
 ly sixteen months from the establishment of  the  council  and  annually
 thereafter.
   §  9. The report shall consist of factual findings, progress analyses,
 and recommendations regarding the implementation of state  programs  and
 services as it affects Muslim Americans.
   § 10. This act shall take effect immediately.