BILL NUMBER:A10741

TITLE  OF  BILL:    An  act  to  amend chapter 104 of the laws of 2005
enacting the September 11th  worker  protection  task  force  act,  in
relation  to  increasing  the composition of the September 11th worker
protection task force and extending the expiration of such chapter

PURPOSE:  Makes provisions for the appointment to the Task  Force  for
the  medical  director  of the Mount Sinai Center for Occupational and
Environmental Medicine, or his or her designee and  extends  the  Task
Force for another 5 years.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

§1  -  adds  the  medical  director  of  the  Mount  Sinai  Center for
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, or his or her designee to the
Task Force.

§2 - Extends the Task Force for an additional five  years  until  June
10, 2015.

§3 - Provides for an immediate effective date.

EXISTING  LAW:   The Task Force established by Chapter 104 of the laws
of 2005 is set to be repealed on June 10, 2010.

              

The current composition of the Task Force is  as  follow:    The  Task
Force  will  consist  of  19  members;  among  its members include the
following:

* Six by the governor;

* Three members by the temporary president of the senate, two of  whom
shall  be  representatives from the organizations representing workers
at  the  World  Trade  Center  side  and  one  of  whom  shall  be   a
representative of

* a recognized health organization with appropriate expertise;

*  Three  members by the speaker of the assembly, two of whom shall be
representatives from the organizations  representing  workers  at  the
World Trade Center site and one of whom shall be a representative of a
recognized health organization with appropriate expertise;

* The state comptroller or his or her representative;

*   The   comptroller   of  the  city  of  New  York  or  his  or  her
representative;

* The mayor of the city of New York or his or her representative;

* A representative from the Department of Labor;

* A representative from the Department of Health;

* A representative from the Civil Service Commission; and


* A representative from the Division of Budget.

JUSTIFICATION:  The Task force has been very successful in identifying
additional  issues  that  have  arisen  from  the rescue, recovery and
clean-up of the former World Trade Center site  but  there  are  still
issues  to  be  addressed therefore it is necessary to extend the Task
Force for an additional five years.

The Task Force was charged with and will continue to  monitor  workers
and retirees and provide recommendations:

Duties:  The  task  force  shall have the following duties relating to
workers who participated in the World Trade  Center  rescue,  recovery
and cleanup:

*  to  obtain  from  the  department  of  health and the New York City
department of health, such  departments'  review  of  statistical  and
qualitative  data on the prevalence and incidence of sickness, illness
and disability of such workers;

* to obtain from other sources reviews of statistical and  qualitative
data  on  the  prevalence  and  incidence  of  sickness,  illness  and
disability of such workers; assess based upon evidence presented,  the
nature,  scope  and magnitude of the health impacts caused by exposure
to air and elements;

* measure the adverse health effects of exposure on such workers;

* to consult with any organization, health  institution,  governmental
agency  or  person  including,  but  not limited to, the department of
health, the department of health of the city of New York, the  federal
department  of  health,  the department of environmental conservation,
the federal environmental protection agency, the  New  York  committee
for  occupational  safety  and  health and the occupational safety and
health administration;

* to identify and  examine  the  limitations  of  any  existing  laws,
regulations, programs, and services with regard to coverage, extent of
disability,  process  for  determination,  adequacy  of  coverage  and
treatment of specific types  of  disabilities  and  to  undertake  any
recommendations; and

*  to  receive and to consider reports and testimony from individuals,
the health department, community-based organizations, voluntary health
organizations, and other public and private organizations statewide to
learn more about the diagnosis, care, and treatment of such workers at
these designated sites.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New Legislation

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:  None

EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately