S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  5868

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              March 7, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of A. BROOK-KRASNY -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.
  COOK, GIBSON, WEISENBERG -- read once and referred to the Committee on
  Aging

AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing  a  telephone
  reassurance program for senior citizens

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The elder law is amended by adding a  new  section  224  to
read as follows:
  S  224. TELEPHONE REASSURANCE PROGRAM. 1. THE OFFICE IS HEREBY AUTHOR-
IZED AND DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH AND ADMINISTER  A  TELEPHONE  REASSURANCE
PROGRAM.  SUCH PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE A SYSTEM FOR SENIOR CITIZENS RESID-
ING IN THIS STATE TO RECEIVE AUTOMATED TELEPHONE CALLS AT REGULAR INTER-
VALS AT THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE. UPON THE FAILURE OF SUCH SENIOR  CITI-
ZEN  TO  ANSWER  SUCH  AUTOMATED  CALL,  LOCAL  LAW ENFORCEMENT SHALL BE
DISPATCHED TO SUCH RESIDENCE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE WELFARE  OF  SUCH
SENIOR  CITIZEN.  SUCH  PROGRAM  SHALL  PROVIDE  THAT PARTICIPATION BY A
SENIOR CITIZEN IN SUCH  PROGRAM  IS  VOLUNTARY.  FOR  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
SECTION,  THE TERM "SENIOR CITIZEN" SHALL MEAN A PERSON SIXTY-FIVE YEARS
OF AGE OR OLDER.
  2. IN ESTABLISHING SUCH PROGRAM, THE OFFICE SHALL CONSULT AND  COOPER-
ATE  WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN ORDER TO EFFECT AN EFFICIENT
SYSTEM FOR SENDING AND RECEIVING TELEPHONE CALLS, AND FOR THE  DISPATCH-
ING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
  3.  THE  OFFICE  IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO PROMULGATE RULES
AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS SECTION.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
have  become  a  law, provided, however, that effective immediately, the
addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule  or  regulation  necessary
for  the  implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized
to be made and completed on or before such date.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD07962-01-3