Bill Text: NY A02715 | 2015-2016 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Bill 2715 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Establishes a task force to study and assess the condition of African American men in New York; provides such task force shall consist of 17 members and report its findings no later than December 31, 2017.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-01-22 - print number 2715a [A02715 Detail]

Download: New_York-2015-A02715-Introduced.html

                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         2715
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                   January 20, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  M.  of A. PEOPLES-STOKES, AUBRY, CAMARA, WRIGHT, CUSICK,
         SCARBOROUGH, BROOK-KRASNY, COOK, ROBINSON, CLARK -- Multi-Sponsored by
         -- M. of A. BRENNAN, CAHILL, GALEF, HEASTIE, JAFFEE, RIVERA, TITONE --
         read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
       AN ACT to establish a task force on the condition  of  African  American
         men in New York state
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Legislative intent.  The  legislature  finds  that  African
    2  American  men:  (a)  are disproportionately less likely to complete high
    3  school and to obtain a post-secondary education; (b) are more likely  to
    4  be incarcerated or on parole; (c) are more likely to have lower lifetime
    5  economic  earnings; (d) are more likely to have been a part of the child
    6  welfare population; (e) are more likely to have a shorter life expectan-
    7  cy; and (f) are more likely to have health problems, such  as  HIV/AIDS,
    8  drug  dependency,  heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. The legislature
    9  additionally finds that the state of New York has a compelling  interest
   10  in  determining the causes of these problems and in developing appropri-
   11  ate remedies.
   12    S 2. The New York state task force on the condition of African  Ameri-
   13  can  men  is hereby established. The role of the task force includes but
   14  is not limited to:
   15    (a) assessing the causal factors for the condition of African American
   16  men;
   17    (b) assessing state programs and initiatives that serve to improve the
   18  condition of African American men  and  identifying  the  gaps  in  such
   19  services;
   20    (c)  developing  strategies  to  reduce duplication of services and to
   21  maximize coordination between state agencies, providers and  educational
   22  institutions, including developing benchmarks to measure progress; and
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD01321-01-5
       A. 2715                             2
    1    (d) preparing a report for submission to the governor and the legisla-
    2  ture  that  provides  specific  recommendations regarding existing state
    3  laws, regulations, programs, policies, and  practices  relating  to  the
    4  condition of African American men in the state.
    5    S 3. The task force shall issue its findings, in the form of a report,
    6  no later than December 31, 2016.
    7    S  4. The task force shall consist of 17 members and shall include the
    8  commissioner of temporary and disability assistance, the commissioner of
    9  children and family services, the commissioner of corrections and commu-
   10  nity supervision, the commissioner of economic development, the  commis-
   11  sioner  of health, the commissioner of human rights, the commissioner of
   12  education, the commissioner of labor and the  chancellor  of  the  state
   13  university  of  New  York,  or  a  designee of any of such officers. The
   14  remaining eight shall be appointed, within 60 days of the effective date
   15  of this act, as follows:  two shall be appointed by the temporary presi-
   16  dent of the senate; two shall be appointed by the minority leader of the
   17  senate; two shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;  and  two
   18  shall  be  appointed  by the minority leader of the assembly. The member
   19  from the office of temporary and disability assistance  shall  serve  as
   20  the  director  of  the  task  force and he or she may assign staff as is
   21  necessary to carry out  the  provisions  of  this  section.  Task  force
   22  members  shall  receive  no compensation for their services but shall be
   23  reimbursed for travel expenses incurred  in  the  performance  of  their
   24  duties.
   25    S  5.  The  task  force may consult with any organization, educational
   26  institution, governmental agency, or person, that advocates for  African
   27  American men.
   28    S 6. The director of the task force may reconvene the task force, with
   29  the  same or different members, after issuance of the report, to address
   30  any further issues associated with the condition of African American men
   31  in New York state.
   32    S 7. All departments or agencies of the state or subdivisions  thereof
   33  shall,  at the request of the director, provide the task force with such
   34  facilities, assistance, and data as will enable the task force to  carry
   35  out its powers and duties.
   36    S 8. This act shall take effect immediately.