NY Educ L § 239-C (2021)
2021 New York Laws EDN - Education Title 1 - General Provisions Article 5 - University of the State of New York Part 1 - General Organization 239-C - New York State Firearm Violence Research Institute.

* §  239-c.  New  York  state  firearm violence research institute. 1. Institute  formation  and  goals.  Subject  to  amounts   available   by appropriation,  the  New York state firearm violence research institute, hereinafter the "institute", is hereby created  within  the  university. The purposes of the institute shall include:  (a) advising the governor, governmental agencies, the regents, and the legislature on matters relating to firearm violence in New York state;  (b)  fostering, pursuing and sponsoring collaborative firearm violence research;  (c) increasing understanding by establishing and reporting on what  is known and what is not known about firearm violence of the state;  (d)  identifying  priority  needs  for  firearm  violence research and inventory work within New York that currently are not receiving adequate attention, and identifying public or  private  entities  that  are  best situated  to  address such needs, thereby leading to better coordination of firearm violence research efforts in the state;  (e) promoting  awareness  of  existing  and  new  sources  of  firearm violence  information  and  firearm  violence  while  educating  elected officials, governmental agencies, and  the  general  public  on  firearm violence issues through such means as it may determine;  (f) organizing and sponsoring meetings on firearm violence topics;  (g) encouraging the establishment of networks of collaborating experts engaged in related aspects of firearm violence research;  (h)  raising  sensitivity to firearm violence concerns among state and local  government  agencies,  and  serving  as  a  forum  for   enhanced interagency information sharing and cooperation;  (i)  recommending  priority activities for funding through the firearm violence research fund, created pursuant to  section  ninety-seven-j  of the state finance law;  (j) working on a continuing basis with policymakers in the legislature and  state  agencies  to  identify,  implement,  and evaluate innovative firearm violence prevention policies and programs;  (k) recruiting and providing specialized  training  opportunities  for new  researchers,  including experienced investigators in related fields who are beginning work on firearm violence, young investigators who have completed their education, postdoctoral scholars, doctoral students, and undergraduates; and  (l) providing copies of their research publications to the legislature and to agencies supplying data used in the conduct of such  research  as soon as is practicable following publication.   2.  Research.  The  institute shall foster, pursue, and sponsor basic, translational, and transformative research, field studies, and all other such activities to research:  (a) the nature of firearm violence, including individual and  societal determinants  of  risk for involvement in firearm violence, whether as a victim or a perpetrator;  (b) the individual, community, and societal  consequences  of  firearm violence;  (c)   the   prevention  and  treatment  of  firearm  violence  at  the individual, community, and societal levels; and  (d) the effectiveness of existing laws and policies intended to reduce firearm violence, and efforts to promote the responsible  ownership  and use of firearms.   3.  Education  and  information transfer programs. The institute shall foster the collection, transfer, and  application  of  firearm  violence information in the state by:  (a)  fostering  access,  compatibility,  interchange, and synthesis of data about firearm violence maintained by public entities, academic  and research institutions, and private organizations;  (b) employing advanced technology to coordinate for ease of use of the scattered firearm violence resources of the state; and  (c) supporting the preparation and publication of interpretative works that draw upon firearm violence resources.   4.  Quinquennial  reports.  The  institute  shall prepare and submit a report within one year of the effective date of this section  and  every five  years  thereafter  to  the governor and the legislature describing programs undertaken  or  sponsored  by  the  institute,  the  status  of knowledge  regarding  the  state's  firearm violence, and research needs related thereto.   5. Executive committee. The institute shall be guided by an  executive committee.  Members  of  the committee shall be from varying backgrounds with members selected from the scientific community, academic community, as well as from government service. Such committee shall consist of  ten members including the commissioner, the commissioner of criminal justice services,  the  commissioner of health, the chancellor of the university or their designees, two at large members appointed by the governor,  two members  appointed  by  the  temporary  president of the senate, and two members appointed by the speaker  of  the  assembly.  Appointed  members shall serve for a term of three years, provided that such members may be reappointed. The executive committee shall:  (a)  adopt  policies,  procedures, and criteria governing the programs and operations of the institute;  (b) recommend to the governor and legislature appropriate  actions  to reduce firearm violence within the state;  (c)  develop  and  implement  the  research, education and information transfer programs of the institute;  (d) identify and rate proposals for firearm violence research;  (e) submit to the director of the budget, and the chairpersons of  the senate  finance  committee  and the assembly ways and means committee on the first day of October, two  thousand  twenty-one  and  on  or  before August  first each year thereafter, a budget request for the expenditure of funds available from the firearm  violence  research  fund,  for  the purposes established by section ninety-seven-j of the state finance law; and  (f)  meet  publicly  at least twice a year. The committee shall widely disseminate notice of its meetings at least  two  weeks  prior  to  each meeting. The commissioners on the executive committee and the chancellor of the university shall aid in such dissemination.   6.  Scientific  working group. The executive committee shall appoint a scientific working group composed of not  more  than  eight  individuals representing  governmental  agencies, academic or research institutions, educational organizations, the firearm industry and  related  non-profit organizations.  Members  of  the  scientific  working  group  shall have knowledge and expertise in firearm violence research and shall serve for a term of three years, provided, however that members may be reappointed for more than one term at the discretion of the executive committee. The scientific working group shall make  recommendations  to  the  executive committee with respect to:  (a)  the identification of priority firearm violence research needs in the state;  (b) the development and implementation of  the  institute's  research, education, and information transfer programs;  (c)  the allocation and expenditure of funds from the firearm violence research fund created pursuant to section ninety-seven-j  of  the  state finance law; and  (d)  identification  and  rating  of  proposals  for  firearm violence research.   7. Institute director. The institute shall have a director  who  shall be  appointed  by the executive committee and shall after appointment be an employee of the state university. The institute director shall  serve at the pleasure of the executive committee. The institute director shall serve  as  chief administrative officer of the institute and provide the necessary support for the executive committee.   8. Compensation. The  members  of  the  executive  committee  and  the scientific  working  group  shall serve without additional compensation, but shall be eligible to receive  reimbursement  for  their  actual  and necessary  expenses  from the firearm violence research fund established by section ninety-seven-j of the state finance  law,  provided  however, members  of  the  executive  committee  representing  state agencies may receive reimbursement for their actual and necessary expenses from their respective agencies. Members of the executive committee  and  scientific working  group  shall  be considered state employees for the purposes of sections seventeen and nineteen of the public officers law.   9. Memorandum of understanding.  The  department,  the  department  of health,  the  department of motor vehicles, and the division of criminal justice services shall enter into a written memorandum of  understanding to  facilitate  the  appropriate  implementation of the firearm violence research  institute  and  the  goals,  responsibilities,  and   programs established by this section.   * NB Effective February 6, 2022