Intro. Res. No. 1851-2009                                                                         Laid on Table 9/17/2009
Introduced by Legislators Viloria-Fisher, Montano, Alden and Gregory

RESOLUTION  NO. 881 -2009, ESTABLISHING A TEEN PREGNANCY TASK FORCE

                        WHEREAS, teen pregnancy is a serious issue that concerns the health and welfare of Suffolk County’s young people; and

                        WHEREAS, teen pregnancies are at an increased risk of complications in the health of both the mother and child, including hypertension in the mother, premature birth and low birth weight for the child, which raises the probability that the child will develop blindness, respiratory problems, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and/or other serious health problems; and

                        WHEREAS, children born to unwed teens are also at an increased risk of growing up in poverty and being abused; and

                        WHEREAS, nationally, teen childbearing results in over $9 billion of public sector costs like healthcare and child welfare; and

                        WHEREAS, while teen pregnancy rates across the nation dropped from 1991-2005, they have been on the rise since 2006; and

                        WHEREAS, the teen pregnancy rate in Suffolk County has seen a corresponding rise over the past few years as well; and

                        WHEREAS, it is essential that Suffolk County address this trend to ensure that teen pregnancy rates decline to protect the health and welfare of our current and future County residents; now, therefore be it

1st                   RESOLVED, that a special Suffolk County Teen Pregnancy Task Force is hereby created to study and analyze the increased rates of teen pregnancy in Suffolk County and develop recommendations to reduce the County’s teen pregnancy rate now and in the future; and be it further

2nd                  RESOLVED, that this Task Force shall consist of the following ten (10) members:

1.) a woman’s advocate, to be selected by the Presiding Officer of the Suffolk County Legislature;

2.) the County Executive's, or his designee;

3.) the Chairperson of the Suffolk County Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee, or his or her designee;

4.) the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services, or his or her designee;

5.) the Commissioner of the Department of Health Services, or his or her designee;

6.) the Commissioner of the Department of Labor, or his or her designee;

7.) a representative from the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association;

8.) a representative from the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association;

9.) a representative from the Professional Nurses Association of Suffolk County; and

10.) a representative of a not-for-profit teen sexuality and pregnancy education agency; to be appointed by the Suffolk County Legislature.

and be it further

3rd                   RESOLVED, that the Chairperson of the Task Force shall be selected by a majority of the membership of said Task Force; 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 Chairperson 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 six (6) 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 clerical services involving the month-to-month operation of this Task Force, as well as supplies and postage as necessary, will be provided by the staff of the County Department of Health Services; and be it further

10th                 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

11th                 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

12th                 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

13th                 RESOLVED, that the Task Force is hereby authorized, empowered, and directed to hold at least three (3) 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

14th                 RESOLVED, that said Task Force shall issue a written report, after a comprehensive study and analysis of the increased rate of teen pregnancy in Suffolk County and propose methods to decrease the teen pregnancy rate both immediately as well as developing a long term plan to address this issue; and be it further

15th                 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

16th                 RESOLVED, that the Task Force shall expire, and the terms of office of its members terminate as of October 31, 2010, at which time the Task Force shall deposit all the records of its proceedings with the Clerk of the Legislature; and be it further

17th                 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

18th                 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: October 13, 2009

                        APPROVED BY:

                        /s/ Steve Levy
County Executive of Suffolk County

Date:  October 28, 2009