Int. No. 1324
By Council Members Maisel, Grodenchik, Rosenthal, Levin, Adams, Miller, Kallos, Koslowitz and Ampry-Samuel
A Local Law in relation to establishing a task force to develop strategies to prevent white supremacist violence
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. As used in this local law, the term “hate crime” means a hate crime as described by section 485.05 of the penal law.
§ 2. There is hereby established a temporary task force to study white supremacist organizations and acts of violence committed or encouraged by such organizations, and to make recommendations to the mayor and the council for improving citywide safety procedures to prevent such acts of violence. The task force shall be composed of the following members:
1. The director of the mayor’s office of criminal justice or such director’s designee, who shall serve as chair;
2. The chief of crime control strategies of the police department or such chief’s designee;
3. The chief of counterterrorism of the police department or such chief’s designee;
4. The commissioner of the emergency management department or such commissioner’s designee;
5. Two members to be appointed by the mayor, chosen from individuals with relevant expertise in the area of preventing hate crimes and white supremacist violence; and
6. Two members to be appointed by the speaker of the council, chosen from individuals representing victim assistance programs specializing in hate crimes and crimes committed by white supremacists.
§ 3. In addition to these 8 members, the mayor shall invite the district attorney in each county within the city to appoint a representative to the task force.
§ 4. The members of such task force shall be appointed within 90 days after the effective date of this local law. Each member of the task force shall serve for a term of 2 years, to commence after the final member of the task force is appointed. All members of the task force shall serve without compensation.
§ 5. The task force shall issue a report of its findings and recommendations to the mayor and the council no later than 12 months after the final member of the task force is appointed. In formulating its recommendations, the task force shall consider the following:
1. Existing policies and procedures of the police department relating to hate crimes and violence committed by white supremacists and white supremacist organizations;
2. Existing policies of schools in the city school district of the city of New York relating to incidents motivated by race, religion, ethnicity, national origin or alienage or citizenship status;
3. Existing strategies of the mayor’s office of criminal justice relating to enhancing law enforcement’s ability to address hate crimes and violent crimes committed by white supremacists and white supremacist organizations; and
4. The level of coordination among appropriate city agencies and other relevant organizations with regards to efforts to prevent and address hate crimes and violence committed by white supremacists and white supremacist organizations.
§ 6. The task force shall meet at least quarterly and shall convene a public hearing in each borough prior to the submission of the report required pursuant to section five of this local law.
§ 7. No appointed member of the task force shall be removed except for cause by the appointing authority. In the event of a vacancy on the task force during the term of an appointed member, a successor shall be selected in the same manner as the original appointment to serve the balance of the unexpired term.
§ 8. Following the submission of the initial report, the task force shall continue to meet at least quarterly and shall make supplemental recommendations, as needed, to the mayor and the council.
§ 9. The task force shall dissolve 4 years after the submission of its initial report.
§ 10. This local law takes effect immediately and expires and is deemed repealed upon dissolution of the task force in accordance with section nine of this local law.
JEF
LS # 8623
12/13/2018