N.Y. Education Law § 355-e: New York state firearm violence research institute

§ 355-e. 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 state

university of New York. The purposes of the institute shall include:

(a) advising the governor, governmental agencies, 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;

(d) the effectiveness of existing laws and policies intended to reduce

firearm violence, and efforts to promote the responsible ownership and

use of firearms; and

(e) other research as deemed by the institute to be aligned with its

core mission.

3. Education and information transfer programs. To the extent

possible, 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 of education, the commissioner of

criminal justice services, the commissioner of health, the chancellor of

the state university of New York 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 state university of New York shall aid in such dissemination.

6. Scientific working group. The institute shall appoint a scientific

working group consisting of individuals having knowledge and expertise

in firearm violence research which shall advise and make recommendations

to the institute regarding its research and information programs.

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 state university of New York, 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.