A 4435: Establishes the New York State Muslim American Advisory Council.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 4435 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY February 4, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. FALL -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to establish the New York State Muslim American Advisory Council The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The New York State Muslim American Advisory Council. The 2 New York State Muslim American Advisory Council is hereby established. 3 For the purposes of this act, the term "council" shall mean the New York 4 State Muslim American Advisory Council established pursuant to this act. 5 The council shall advise the legislature on ways to advance the role and 6 civic participation of Muslim Americans in New York state. Additionally, 7 the council shall recommend strategies to better integrate Muslims in 8 New York state socially, educationally, culturally and economically. The 9 council shall facilitate relationship-building in the Muslim community 10 to achieve goals related to international commerce in Muslim 11 countries/communities, and identify ways to more effectively disseminate 12 information and outreach to Muslim Americans regarding state programs 13 and services. The council shall advise the legislature on appropriate 14 policy developments, official directives, and other issues of signif- 15 icance impacting New York state's Muslims. The council shall bring 16 important faith-based issues based on factual findings to the legisla- 17 ture's attention and make recommendations to address such issues. The 18 council shall also strengthen communication between the state and Muslim 19 leadership and the general community. 20 § 2. The council shall consist of ten members, as follows: 21 a. five members shall be representatives of community-based/faith- 22 based organizations that advise or assist Muslim American communities. 23 b. one member shall be appointed by the temporary president of the 24 senate. 25 c. one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. 26 d. one member shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07856-02-5 
 A. 4435 2 1 e. one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assem- 2 bly. 3 f. one remaining member shall be appointed by the governor. 4 § 3. Each member of the council shall serve for a term of four years 5 or until such member's successor is appointed. A member appointed to 6 fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the term of the member such 7 member is appointed to succeed. 8 § 4. The members of the council shall receive no compensation for 9 their services but shall be reimbursed for their expenses actually and 10 necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder. 11 § 5. The council shall select a chair and a secretary from among the 12 members. 13 § 6. The council shall meet as frequently as necessary, but not less 14 than four times per year. Such meetings shall be held at such locations 15 as the council may determine. All such meetings shall be subject to the 16 open meetings law. 17 § 7. Each member of the council shall be entitled to designate in 18 writing a representative to attend meetings in such member's place and 19 to vote or otherwise act on such member's behalf in such member's 20 absence. 21 § 8. The council shall present strategies to the legislature to better 22 integrate Muslims in New York state socially, educationally, culturally 23 and economically in writing in the form of an annual report approximate- 24 ly sixteen months from the establishment of the council and annually 25 thereafter. 26 § 9. The report shall consist of factual findings, progress analyses, 27 and recommendations regarding the implementation of state programs and 28 services as it affects Muslim Americans. 29 § 10. This act shall take effect immediately.