Senate Bill S3637A

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

                                 3637--A

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 13, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Mental Health and Develop-
  mental Disabilities -- recommitted to the Committee on  Mental  Health
  and  Developmental Disabilities in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec.
  8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended
  and recommitted to said committee

AN  ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing the
  task force on adults with developmental  disabilities;  and  providing
  for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

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

  Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds  that  develop-
mental  disabilities  require a lifetime of person-centered services and
supports, yet much of the focus on developmental disabilities relates to
education and development, and neglects concerns that may arise later in
a person's life. The legislature also finds that  adults  with  develop-
mental  disabilities  may face significant challenges in various aspects
of their lives, including such areas as job placement, housing and long-
term care. Consequently, the legislature finds that there is a  pressing
need for policymakers and advocates in the state to formulate achievable
goals for state government to meet in order to better serve the communi-
ty  of adults with developmental disabilities. To this end, it is in the
public interest to establish a task force on adults  with  developmental
disabilities  to  develop  a  comprehensive plan for meeting the various
needs of adults with developmental disabilities living in New York.
  S 2. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new  section  13.42
to read as follows:
S 13.42 TASK FORCE ON ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
  (A) THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED THE TASK FORCE ON ADULTS WITH DEVELOP-
MENTAL  DISABILITIES  IN THE OFFICE. THE PURPOSE OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL
BE TO STUDY, EVALUATE AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING  TO  SPECIFIC

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD04992-02-6
              

S. 3637--A                          2

ACTIONABLE  MEASURES TO SUPPORT AND MEET THE NEEDS OF ADULTS WITH DEVEL-
OPMENTAL DISABILITIES WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF  THE  STATE,  INCLUDING  SUCH
NEEDS  AS  VOCATIONAL,  RESIDENTIAL  AND SOCIAL NEEDS. ADDITIONALLY, THE
TASK  FORCE SHALL STUDY THE LONG TERM NEEDS OF ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL
DISABILITIES WHO RESIDE WITH CAREGIVERS. THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TASK
FORCE SHALL COMPRISE THE BASIS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR MEETING  THE
NEEDS  OF ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AND SHALL BE SUBMITTED
TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (F) OF  THIS
SECTION.
  (B) THE TASK FORCE SHALL CONSIST OF TEN MEMBERS AS FOLLOWS:
  (1)  THE  COMMISSIONER, THE COMMISSIONER OF MENTAL HEALTH, THE COMMIS-
SIONER OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY   RENEWAL, THE COMMISSIONER  OF  HEALTH,
THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION AND THE COMMISSIONER OF LABOR; AND
  (2) FOUR MEMBERS WITH DEMONSTRATED EXPERTISE IN ISSUES RELATING TO THE
WORK OF THE TASK FORCE; WITH TWO SUCH MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR,
ONE  SUCH MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND
ONE SUCH MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, NO LATER  THAN
THE THIRTIETH DAY AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
  VACANCIES  IN  THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE FILLED IN THE
SAME MANNER PROVIDED FOR BY THE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS.
  (C) THE COMMISSIONER OR THE COMMISSIONER'S  DESIGNEE  SHALL  SERVE  AS
CHAIRPERSON  OF THE TASK FORCE. THE TASK FORCE SHALL ORGANIZE AS SOON AS
PRACTICABLE FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF ITS MEMBERS AND SHALL SELECT  A
VICE-CHAIRPERSON FROM AMONG THE MEMBERS. THE CHAIRPERSON SHALL APPOINT A
SECRETARY WHO NEED NOT BE A MEMBER OF THE TASK FORCE.
  (D)  THE  MEMBERS  OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR
THEIR SERVICES, BUT SHALL BE ALLOWED THEIR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES
INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
  (E) TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT FEASIBLE, THE TASK FORCE SHALL  BE  ENTITLED
TO  REQUEST  AND  RECEIVE,  AND  SHALL UTILIZE AND BE PROVIDED WITH SUCH
FACILITIES, RESOURCES AND  DATA  OF  ANY  COURT,  DEPARTMENT,  DIVISION,
BOARD, BUREAU, COMMISSION OR AGENCY OF THE STATE OR ANY POLITICAL SUBDI-
VISION  THEREOF  AS  IT MAY REASONABLY REQUEST TO PROPERLY CARRY OUT ITS
POWERS AND DUTIES.
  (F) THE TASK FORCE SHALL REPORT ITS FINDINGS  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS  TO
THE  GOVERNOR,  THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF
THE ASSEMBLY ON OR BEFORE JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND EIGHTEEN.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
deemed repealed two years after such effective date.