Bill Text: NY S00709 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes a temporary commission on AMBER Alert effectiveness to study and make recommendations on any improvements that may be taken toward the activation and dissemination of the alert; makes an appropriation therefor.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [S00709 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-S00709-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 709 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN SENATE (Prefiled) January 9, 2019 ___________ Introduced by Sens. BOYLE, ADDABBO, BROOKS, GALLIVAN, RITCHIE, SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance AN ACT establishing a temporary state commission to study and make recommendations on the effectiveness of the AMBER Alert; making an appropriation therefor; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. A temporary state commission, to be known as the commission 2 on AMBER Alert effectiveness, hereafter referred to as the commission, 3 is hereby created to evaluate and make recommendations concerning the 4 effectiveness of the AMBER Alert system. 5 § 2. (a) The commission shall consist of thirteen members, to be 6 appointed as follows: three members to be appointed by the temporary 7 president of the senate; three members to be appointed by the speaker of 8 the assembly; two members to be appointed by the governor; one member to 9 be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; one member to be 10 appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; two members shall be 11 from the New York State Police and one member shall be from the Depart- 12 ment of Criminal Justice Services. The appointees shall have demon- 13 strated expertise in the AMBER Alert system and shall include but not be 14 limited to members from district attorney's offices and local law 15 enforcement. The governor shall designate the chairperson and vice- 16 chairperson of the commission. Vacancies in the membership of the 17 commission and among its officers shall be filled in the manner provided 18 for original appointments or designations. 19 (b) The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for 20 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 21 incurred in the performance of their duties under this act. The commis- EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04575-01-9S. 709 2 1 sion may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel as it may deem 2 necessary for the performance of its functions and fix their compen- 3 sation within the amounts made available by appropriation therefor. 4 (c) All departments or agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof 5 shall, at the request of the chairperson, provide the commission such 6 facilities, assistance, and data as will enable the commission to carry 7 out its powers and duties. 8 § 3. Specifically the commission shall evaluate at least the follow- 9 ing: 10 (a) the current activation criteria of the AMBER Alert; 11 (b) the notification procedures once the AMBER Alert is activated; 12 (c) the partners used to disseminate information and interstate coop- 13 eration; 14 (d) methods of disseminating information to the public including the 15 technology and any current limitations of the system; and 16 (e) the effectiveness of the AMBER Alert system. 17 § 4. (a) For the accomplishment of its purposes, the commission may 18 meet and hold public and/or private hearings within or without the 19 state, and shall have all the powers of a legislative committee pursuant 20 to the legislative law. The commission is authorized and empowered to 21 undertake any studies, inquiries, surveys or analyses it may deem rele- 22 vant through its own personnel or in cooperation with or by agreement 23 with any other public or private agency. 24 (b) To the maximum extent feasible, the commission may request and 25 shall be entitled to receive and shall utilize and be provided with such 26 facilities, resources and data from any court in the state and from any 27 subdivision, department, board, bureau, commission, office, agency or 28 other instrumentality of the state or of any political subdivision ther- 29 eof as it deems necessary or desirable for the proper execution of its 30 powers and duties and to effectuate the purposes set forth in this act. 31 (c) The commission is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into 32 any agreements and to do and perform any acts that may be necessary, 33 desirable or proper to carry out the purposes and objectives of this 34 act. 35 § 5. The commission shall make recommendations and submit a report of 36 its findings. The commission shall submit such recommendations and 37 report developed by it relating to the effectiveness of the AMBER Alert 38 system and any improvements that may be taken towards the activation and 39 dissemination of the alert, including any recommendations for legisla- 40 tive action as it may deem necessary and appropriate, to the governor, 41 the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly no 42 later than the three months after this act shall have become a law. The 43 commission shall issue a binding recommendation which shall be presented 44 to the legislature to completely accept or reject such recommendation. 45 § 6. The sum of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), or so much thereof 46 as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to pay the expenses 47 incurred, including personal service, in carrying out the provisions of 48 this act. Such moneys shall be payable out of the state treasury in the 49 general fund to the credit of the state purposes account after audit by 50 and on the warrant of the comptroller upon vouchers certified or 51 approved by the chairperson or vice-chairperson of the commission as 52 prescribed by law. 53 § 7. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the 54 provisions of this act shall expire and be deemed repealed on the first 55 day next succeeding the date of the submission of the report as required 56 in section five of this act; and provided further, however, that theS. 709 3 1 chairperson of the temporary commission on AMBER Alert effectiveness 2 shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the 3 submission of its report as provided for in section five of this act in 4 order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective 5 data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in 6 furtherance of effecting the provisions of section 44 of the legislative 7 law and section 70-b of the public officers law.