§ 355-E — New York state firearm violence research institute

§ 355-e. New York state firearm violence research institute. 1.\nInstitute formation and goals. Subject to amounts available by\nappropriation, the New York state firearm violence research institute,\nhereinafter the "institute", is hereby created within the state\nuniversity of New York. The purposes of the institute shall include:\n (a) advising the governor, governmental agencies, and the legislature\non matters relating to firearm violence in New York state;\n (b) fostering, pursuing and sponsoring collaborative firearm violence\nresearch;\n (c) increasing understanding by establishing and reporting on what is\nknown and what is not known about firearm violence of the state;\n (d) identifying priority needs for firearm violence research and\ninventory work within New York that currently are not receiving adequate\nattention, and identifying public or private entities that are best\nsituated to address such needs, thereby leading to better coordination\nof firearm violence research efforts in the state;\n (e) promoting awareness of existing and new sources of firearm\nviolence information and firearm violence while educating elected\nofficials, governmental agencies, and the general public on firearm\nviolence issues through such means as it may determine;\n (f) organizing and sponsoring meetings on firearm violence topics;\n (g) encouraging the establishment of networks of collaborating experts\nengaged in related aspects of firearm violence research;\n (h) raising sensitivity to firearm violence concerns among state and\nlocal government agencies, and serving as a forum for enhanced\ninteragency information sharing and cooperation;\n (i) recommending priority activities for funding through the firearm\nviolence research fund, created pursuant to section ninety-seven-j of\nthe state finance law;\n (j) working on a continuing basis with policymakers in the legislature\nand state agencies to identify, implement, and evaluate innovative\nfirearm violence prevention policies and programs;\n (k) recruiting and providing specialized training opportunities for\nnew researchers, including experienced investigators in related fields\nwho are beginning work on firearm violence, young investigators who have\ncompleted their education, postdoctoral scholars, doctoral students, and\nundergraduates; and\n (l) providing copies of their research publications to the legislature\nand to agencies supplying data used in the conduct of such research as\nsoon as is practicable following publication.\n 2. Research. The institute shall foster, pursue, and sponsor basic,\ntranslational, and transformative research, field studies, and all other\nsuch activities to research:\n (a) the nature of firearm violence, including individual and societal\ndeterminants of risk for involvement in firearm violence, whether as a\nvictim or a perpetrator;\n (b) the individual, community, and societal consequences of firearm\nviolence;\n (c) the prevention and treatment of firearm violence at the\nindividual, community, and societal levels;\n (d) the effectiveness of existing laws and policies intended to reduce\nfirearm violence, and efforts to promote the responsible ownership and\nuse of firearms; and\n (e) other research as deemed by the institute to be aligned with its\ncore mission.\n 3. Education and information transfer programs. To the extent\npossible, the institute shall foster the collection, transfer, and\napplication of firearm violence information in the state by:\n (a) fostering access, compatibility, interchange, and synthesis of\ndata about firearm violence maintained by public entities, academic and\nresearch institutions, and private organizations;\n (b) employing advanced technology to coordinate for ease of use of the\nscattered firearm violence resources of the state; and\n (c) supporting the preparation and publication of interpretative works\nthat draw upon firearm violence resources.\n 4. Quinquennial reports. The institute shall prepare and submit a\nreport within one year of the effective date of this section and every\nfive years thereafter to the governor and the legislature describing\nprograms undertaken or sponsored by the institute, the status of\nknowledge regarding the state's firearm violence, and research needs\nrelated thereto.\n 5. Executive committee. The institute shall be guided by an executive\ncommittee. Members of the committee shall be from varying backgrounds\nwith members selected from the scientific community, academic community,\nas well as from government service. Such committee shall consist of ten\nmembers including the commissioner of education, the commissioner of\ncriminal justice services, the commissioner of health, the chancellor of\nthe state university of New York or their designees, two at large\nmembers appointed by the governor, two members appointed by the\ntemporary president of the senate, and two members appointed by the\nspeaker of the assembly. Appointed members shall serve for a term of\nthree years, provided that such members may be reappointed. The\nexecutive committee shall:\n (a) adopt policies, procedures, and criteria governing the programs\nand operations of the institute;\n (b) recommend to the governor and legislature appropriate actions to\nreduce firearm violence within the state;\n (c) develop and implement the research, education and information\ntransfer programs of the institute;\n (d) identify and rate proposals for firearm violence research;\n (e) submit to the director of the budget, and the chairpersons of the\nsenate finance committee and the assembly ways and means committee on\nthe first day of October, two thousand twenty-one and on or before\nAugust first each year thereafter, a budget request for the expenditure\nof funds available from the firearm violence research fund, for the\npurposes established by section ninety-seven-j of the state finance law;\nand\n (f) meet publicly at least twice a year. The committee shall widely\ndisseminate notice of its meetings at least two weeks prior to each\nmeeting. The commissioners on the executive committee and the chancellor\nof the state university of New York shall aid in such dissemination.\n 6. Scientific working group. The institute shall appoint a scientific\nworking group consisting of individuals having knowledge and expertise\nin firearm violence research which shall advise and make recommendations\nto the institute regarding its research and information programs.\n 7. Institute director. The institute shall have a director who shall\nbe appointed by the executive committee and shall after appointment be\nan employee of the state university. The institute director shall serve\nat the pleasure of the executive committee. The institute director shall\nserve as chief administrative officer of the institute and provide the\nnecessary support for the executive committee.\n 8. Compensation. The members of the executive committee and the\nscientific working group shall serve without additional compensation,\nbut shall be eligible to receive reimbursement for their actual and\nnecessary expenses from the firearm violence research fund established\nby section ninety-seven-j of the state finance law, provided however,\nmembers of the executive committee representing state agencies may\nreceive reimbursement for their actual and necessary expenses from their\nrespective agencies. Members of the executive committee and scientific\nworking group shall be considered state employees for the purposes of\nsections seventeen and nineteen of the public officers law.\n 9. Memorandum of understanding. The state university of New York, the\ndepartment of health, the department of motor vehicles, and the division\nof criminal justice services shall enter into a written memorandum of\nunderstanding to facilitate the appropriate implementation of the\nfirearm violence research institute and the goals, responsibilities, and\nprograms established by this section.\n