What's happening
This bill establishes a task force to study and recommend ways to prevent suicide among LGBT youth and young adults in New York.
Why it matters
Recognizes the need for specialized mental health strategies. by tasking experts with examining why LGBT youth and young adults in New York face disproportionately high rates of suicide, potentially leading to more targeted and effective interventions.
Ensures diverse expertise and statewide representation. in the task force, increasing the likelihood that the recommendations will be both inclusive and tailored to the varied needs of different communities across New York.
Empowers the task force to propose legislative changes. as part of its final report, meaning its findings could directly shape future laws and resource allocation to support LGBT youth mental health and suicide prevention efforts.
Creates a mechanism for ongoing evaluation and accountability. by requiring both preliminary and final reports to the governor and legislature, keeping policymakers and the public informed about progress and needed actions.
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Who cares
LGBT youth and young adults up to age 24
The task force would examine how to improve their mental health and suicide prevention and investigate potential reasons for suicides among this population.
Mental health practitioners with LGBT youth expertise
Task force appointees would need expertise in mental health and knowledge of LGBT youth and young adults to study current practices and recommend improvements statewide.
State departments, agencies and public authorities
They would be required to provide timely information, advice and assistance to the task force, which could also request studies, surveys or analyses.
Governor and state legislators
They would receive preliminary and final reports with recommendations and any legislative proposals the task force considers necessary to implement them.
Headline styles
Create LGBT Suicide Task Force
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Recommit, enacting clause stricken
- Referred to mental health and developmental disabilities
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Create LGBT Suicide Prevention Task Force
In Senate Committee · Mental Health And Developmental Disabilities · Sponsor Julia Salazar
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6051
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 16, 2019
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities
AN ACT to establish an LGBT youth and young adult suicide prevention task force; and provides for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, 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 seven members, each to serve until two years after the effective date of this act.
(b)(1) Such members shall be appointed as follows: one 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; and two members 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 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.
(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
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11827-02-9
S. 6051 2
any power or function of the task force. An act, determination or decision 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 authority. 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 chairpersons 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 activities 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.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to establish an LGBT youth and young adult suicide prevention task force; and provides for the repeal of such provisions upon expira- tion thereof
Purpose of bill
This bill would establish 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 the age of 24.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill establishes the LGBT youth and young adult task force, which will consist of seven members appointed by the Governor (1), the Senate Majority Leader (2), the Assembly Speaker (2), and the Department of Health (2). The appointees will be required to have exper- tise in issues related to LGBT youth and young adults. The task force is charged with studying current mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts in New York, recommending mental health practices and suicide prevention efforts to increase effectiveness across the state, and determining potential reasons for the high number of LGBT youth and young adult suicides. The task force is required to make a preliminary report to the Governor and Legislature within 13 months of the effective date of the bill, and present a final report within 22 months along with legislative proposals as it deems necessary to implement its recommenda- tions.
Section 2 of the bill is the effective date.
Justification
According to the CDC, suicide is second leading cause of death among young people ages 10 to 24. Lesbian, gay or bisexual youth are five times more likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth, while the study by the National Center for Transgender Equality found that 40% of transgender adults reported having made a suicide attempt and 92% of these individuals reported having attempted suicide before the age of twenty-five.
New York State must take action to protect its vulnerable citizens. Establishing a task force would be the first step to understand the causes of the mental illness and the ways to address those causes.
Legislative history
New Bill.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
To be determined.
Effective date
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.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.