New York Laws
Article 8 - State University and State Financial Assistance for Higher Education
355-E - New York State Firearm Violence Research Institute.

(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.