Bill Text: NY A07037 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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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, 2020.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - referred to governmental operations [A07037 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-A07037-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          7037
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                      April 3, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  M.  of A. PEOPLES-STOKES, AUBRY, WRIGHT, CUSICK, COOK --
          Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CAHILL, GALEF, JAFFEE, RIVERA  --  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    §  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
    23    (d) preparing a report for submission to the governor and the legisla-
    24  ture that provides specific  recommendations  regarding  existing  state
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10477-01-9
        A. 7037                             2
     1  laws,  regulations,  programs,  policies,  and practices relating to the
     2  condition of African American men in the state.
     3    § 3. The task force shall issue its findings, in the form of a report,
     4  no later than December 31, 2020.
     5    §  4. The task force shall consist of 17 members and shall include the
     6  commissioner of temporary and disability assistance, the commissioner of
     7  children and family services, the commissioner of corrections and commu-
     8  nity supervision, the commissioner of economic development, the  commis-
     9  sioner  of health, the commissioner of human rights, the commissioner of
    10  education, the commissioner of labor and the  chancellor  of  the  state
    11  university  of  New  York,  or  a  designee of any of such officers. The
    12  remaining eight shall be appointed, within 60 days of the effective date
    13  of this act, as follows:  two shall be appointed by the temporary presi-
    14  dent of the senate; two shall be appointed by the minority leader of the
    15  senate; two shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;  and  two
    16  shall  be  appointed  by the minority leader of the assembly. The member
    17  from the office of temporary and disability assistance  shall  serve  as
    18  the  director  of  the  task  force and he or she may assign staff as is
    19  necessary to carry out  the  provisions  of  this  section.  Task  force
    20  members  shall  receive  no compensation for their services but shall be
    21  reimbursed for travel expenses incurred  in  the  performance  of  their
    22  duties.
    23    §  5.  The  task  force may consult with any organization, educational
    24  institution, governmental agency, or person, that advocates for  African
    25  American men.
    26    § 6. The director of the task force may reconvene the task force, with
    27  the  same or different members, after issuance of the report, to address
    28  any further issues associated with the condition of African American men
    29  in New York state.
    30    § 7. All departments or agencies of the state or subdivisions  thereof
    31  shall,  at the request of the director, provide the task force with such
    32  facilities, assistance, and data as will enable the task force to  carry
    33  out its powers and duties.
    34    § 8. This act shall take effect immediately.