Intro Res. No. 2227-2008                                                                         Laid on Table 12/16/2008

Introduced by Legislators Gregory, Viloria-Fisher, Cooper, Romaine, Schneiderman, Eddington, and Browning

RESOLUTION  NO.  31 -2009, ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE ON HATE CRIMES IN SUFFOLK COUNTY

WHEREAS, the recent murder of Marcelo Lucero in Patchogue and the related attacks on two other individuals, who were allegedly targeted by their assailants because they were Hispanic, has led to an increased sensitivity to bias-related crimes in the County; and

WHEREAS, other bias-related crimes have occurred in recent years in Suffolk County, including high profile violent attacks on immigrant workers in Farmingville in 2000 and an arson in 2003; and

 WHEREAS, studies conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations show that hate crimes against Latinos have been steadily increasing nationally over the past four (4) years; and

WHEREAS, following the murder of Mr. Lucero, members of the  Hispanic community have stated that undocumented workers are reluctant to make reports when they are victims of crime because they fear reprisal; and

WHEREAS, the fact that only one verified hate crime was reported in Suffolk County in 2007 suggests that bias and hate crimes occurring in Suffolk County are failing to be reported and addressed; and

WHEREAS, in order to combat the occurrence of bias and hate crimes in the County, government officials need help from the entire community to determine how frequently these acts occur and how often are they reported to the police; and

WHEREAS, County leaders also need more information to determine why bias-related crimes are not reported to police so that appropriate actions may be taken to ensure that bias-related crimes are reported and investigated; and

WHEREAS, the Suffolk County Legislature wants to ensure that racial tensions are addressed within the community and hate crimes of all forms are reported, with all possible steps taken to address these problems and prevent their occurrence; and

WHEREAS, the Suffolk County Legislature wants to be a leader in determining the sources of hate crimes in the community and finding the best ways to combat them; now, therefore be it

1st                   RESOLVED, that a special Task Force on Hate Crimes in Suffolk County (“Task Force”) is hereby created to examine the sources of racial tension in the County, to study and analyze the mechanisms used to report hate crimes in the County, and provide recommendations on current hate crime legislation; and be it further

2nd                  RESOLVED, that this Task Force shall consist of the following thirteen (13) members:

 1.) two (2) representatives from the County Legislature, to be selected by the Presiding Officer;

 

 2.) a representative from the County Executive's office, to be selected by the County Executive;

 

 3.) a Clergyman, to be selected by the County Legislature;

 

 4.) two (2) representatives from the Suffolk County community at large, to be selected by the County Legislature;

 

 5.) a representative from the Suffolk County Police Department Hate Crimes Unit;

 

 6.) a representative from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office;

 

 7.) a representative from the Suffolk County Anti-Bias Task Force;

 

 8.) a representative from one of the Suffolk County School Districts, to be selected by the County Legislature;

 

    9.) a representative from the Suffolk County Human Rights Commission;

 

  10.) a representative from the gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender community in Suffolk County, to be selected by the County Legislature;

 

  11.)   a representative from the Suffolk County Hispanic Advisory Board;

and be it further

3rd             RESOLVED, that the chairperson of the Task Force shall be chosen from one of the representatives from the Legislature appointed to the Task Force by the Presiding Officer; and be it further

4th                   RESOLVED, that the Task Force shall hold its first meeting no later than thirty (30) days after the oaths of office of all members have been filed, which meeting shall be convened by the chairman of the Task Force, for the purpose of organization and the appointment of a vice chairperson and a secretary; and be it further

5th                   RESOLVED, that the members of said Task Force shall serve without compensation and shall serve at the pleasure of their respective appointing authorities; and be it further

6th                   RESOLVED, that the Task Force shall hold regular meetings, keep a record of all its proceedings, and determine the rules of its own proceedings with special meetings to be called by the chairperson upon his or her own initiative or upon receipt of a written request therefor signed by at least three (3) members of the Task Force.  Written notice of the time and place of such special meetings shall be given by the secretary to each member at least four (4) days before the date fixed by the notice for such special meeting; and be it further

7th                   RESOLVED, that seven (7) members of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum to transact the business of the Task Force at both regular and special meetings; and be it further

8th                   RESOLVED, that the Task Force may submit requests to the County Executive and/or the County Legislature for approval for the provision of secretarial services, travel expenses, or retention of consultants to assist the Task Force with such endeavors, said total expenditures not to exceed Five Thousand ($5,000.00) per fiscal year, which services shall be subject to Legislative approval; and be it further

9th                   RESOLVED, that the Task Force may conduct such informal hearings and meetings at any place or places within the County of Suffolk for the purpose of obtaining necessary information or other data to assist it in the proper performance of its duties and functions as it deems necessary; and be it further

10th                 RESOLVED, that the Task Force may delegate to any member of the Task Force the power and authority to conduct such hearings and meetings; and be it further

11th                 RESOLVED, that the Task Force shall cooperate with the Legislative Committees of the County Legislature and make available to each Committee's use, upon request, any records and other data it may accumulate or obtain; and be it further

12th                 RESOLVED, that the Task Force is hereby authorized, empowered, and directed to hold at least four (4) public hearings throughout the County of Suffolk to assemble the data and information necessary to complete the valuation, study, and report required with all reasonable efforts to be made to ascertain the views, wishes, and opinions of the residents of Suffolk County; and be it further

13th                 RESOLVED, that said Task Force shall issue a written report, after a comprehensive study and analysis of the impact of racial tensions and hate crimes on Suffolk County, as well as the rate at which hate crimes occur in the County and the manners in which they may be reported; and be it further

14th                 RESOLVED, that this special Task Force shall submit a written report of its findings and determinations together with its recommendations for action, if any, to each member of the County Legislature and the County Executive no later than one hundred eighty (180) days subsequent to the effective date of this Resolution for consideration, review, and appropriate action, if necessary, by the entire County Legislature; and be it further

15th                 RESOLVED, that the Task Force shall expire, and the terms of office of its members terminate, as of one (1) year from the date of the enactment of the resolution at which time the Task Force shall deposit all the records of its proceedings with the Clerk of the Legislature; and be it further

16th                 RESOLVED, that this study shall not be performed by any outside consultant or consulting firm unless explicit approval and authorization for such consultant or consulting firm is granted pursuant to a duly enacted resolution of the County Legislature; and be it further

17th                 RESOLVED, that this Legislature, being the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) lead agency, hereby finds and determines that this resolution constitutes a Type II action pursuant to Section 617.5(c)(20), (21), and (27) of Title 6 of the NEW YORK CODE OF RULES AND REGULATIONS (6 NYCRR) and within the meaning of Section 8-0109(2) of the NEW YORK ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW as a promulgation of regulations, rules, policies, procedures, and legislative decisions in connection with continuing agency administration, management and information collection, and the Suffolk County Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is hereby directed to circulate any appropriate SEQRA notices of determination of non-applicability or non-significance in accordance with this resolution.

DATED: February 3, 2009
APPROVED BY:
/s/ Steve Levy
 County Executive of Suffolk County
Date: February 18, 2009