Relates to the protection and promotion of the mental health of the residents of New York state

• Democratic25
• Republican4

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Pete Harckham says this is needed

The sections of the state Constitution amended by this resolution were first enacted during the 1938 Constitutional Convention. Since then, our knowledge and appreciation of mental health services have advanced greatly. Today, we recognize mental health as equal to other areas of health, but unfortunately, our Constitution does not reflect that senti- ment. While it declares health to be "a matter of public concern," of mental health it says only that "...the protection of the mental health of the inhabitants of the state may be provided by state and local authorities...." This permissive language is clearly less emphatic than other parts of Article XVII, and this amendment fixes that by creating a positive constitutional right. It is crucial that our state constitution reflects the public opinion of New Yorkers. This amendment aligns the Constitution with widely held social beliefs and reinforces the original mission of Article XVII by cementing the obligation to care for the most vulnerable among us, including those struggling with mental health.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.