Create Youth Advisory Panel

Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 19-I to read as follows:

ARTICLE 19-I

STATE YOUTH COMMISSION Section 535. State youth commission

§ 535. State youth commission. 1. There is hereby established within the executive department the state youth commission. The commission shall have the authority to advise the governor and the legislature on youth-related issues in New York. The commission shall consist of individuals who have an understanding of the needs of young people in the state, or experience with children and youth programs or youth organizations, or involvement with school or community activities. The members of the commission shall represent the diversity of ethnicity, race, gender and sexual orientation of the people of New York and shall be residents of the state.

2. The commission shall consist of seventeen members, each of whom shall be between the ages of twelve and twenty-three years at the time of appointment. One member shall be appointed by each of the Mayors of the city of New York, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse, Albany and Mount Vernon; ten members shall be appointed by the governor from each of the following regions of the state:

(a) the western region, which shall consist of Niagara, Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties;

(b) the finger lakes region, which shall consist of Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, Ontario, Yates, and Seneca counties;

(c) the southern tier, which shall consist of Steuben, Schuyler, Tompkins, Chemung, Tioga, Chenango, Broome, and Delaware counties;

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD17092-01-0

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(d) the central region, which shall consist of Oswego, Cayuga, Onondaga, Madison, and Cortland counties;

(e) the northern region, which shall consist of St. Lawrence, Lewis, Jefferson, Hamilton, Essex, Clinton, and Franklin counties;

(f) the Mohawk valley region, which shall consist of Oneida, Herkimer, Fulton, Montgomery, Otsego, and Schoharie counties;

(g) the capital district region, which shall consist of Albany, Columbia, Greene, Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Schenectady, and Rensselaer counties;

(h) the Hudson valley region, which shall consist of Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, and Westchester counties;

(i) the New York city region, which shall consist of Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Richmond counties; and

(j) the Long Island region, which shall consist of Nassau and Suffolk counties.

3. Members shall serve at the pleasure of their appointing authorities. The governor shall designate one of the members of the youth commission to serve as chair.

4. Members shall serve a term of two years. Vacancies in membership of the commission occurring from any cause shall be filled by the appointing authority authorized to make the original appointment of the member whose office becomes vacant.

5. Members of the commission shall not be compensated for their services nor shall they be reimbursed for their expenses.

6. The commission shall meet at least quarterly. The deliberations, meeting and other proceedings of the commission shall be governed by article seven of the public officers law. Any one or more members of the commission may participate in a meeting by means of a conference telephone, conference video or similar communications equipment allowing all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting.

7. The commission shall have the authority to create, amend, and repeal its own code of bylaws.

8. The commission shall have the following duties:

(a) to identify the concerns and needs of the children and youths of New York;

(b) to examine existing social, economic, educational, and recreational programs for children and youths of New York;

(c) to develop and propose plans that support or improve such programs; and

(d) to make recommendations thereon to the governor and legislature.

9. The commission shall submit a report to the governor and legislature of its recommendations on or before October first of each calendar year. Such report shall include recommendations on juvenile crime prevention, job opportunities for youth, recreational activities for teenagers, opportunities for effective participation by youth in the governmental process, and changes in city and county regulations that are necessary to improve the social, economic, educational, and recreational advantages of children and youth.

§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.