Provides for the reporting of victims of gun violence to the office of mental health

BILL NUMBER:S5141

Title of bill

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to the reporting of victims of gun violence to the office of mental health

Purpose

provides for the reporting of victims of gun violence to the office of mental health.

Existing law

No

Justification

This bill is part of a three (3) bill packet of legislation that will be going forward, referred to as the "Benny Lyde Packet" addressing the ever rising volume of youth violence in certain high risk areas; due to a failure to provide of accurate information to our high risk youth, mental health issues surrounding past traumas and a lack of psychological anchors and adequate mentoring during key periods in certain youths development. The packet will also address the lack of man-power to investigate and see to fruition the capture of those guilty of committing such crimes.

Benny Lyde, was an up and coming young man who had studied business and accounting and had aspirations of going into politics. Benny was shot and 3 months later died at the age of 21 in 2005.

The police determined that he had been shot in retaliation for something in which he was not involved. A friend had beaten someone up; that person's friend couldn't find him, so he found Benny instead. The police and his parents investigated and searched for his killer for 2 and % years. Benny's younger brother Prince, who was inseparable from him- spent many days watching his brother lying in the hospital, and began coming to the conclusion that doing the right thing "didn't pay off."

Communities need all the pieces to address this ongoing problem. They need counselors to assist when violence does strike home (This piece of legislation directly deals with this portion) and they need manpower to assist in finding the culprits who commit these acts. They need their youth educated with the correct information, they need mentors for the children to talk to and assist them with the correct way to mediate disagreements and problems that may arise. We are in hopes that this bill along with the other two bills incorporated in this packet will begin that process.

Legislative history

New Bill

Fiscal implications

TBD

Local fiscal implications

TBD

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have become a law, provided, however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.