The New York State Senate

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

                                  4945

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                            February 9, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. WALTER -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Aging

AN  ACT  to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing a veterans'
  gerontological advisory committee

  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. VETERANS' GERONTOLOGICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 1. THERE IS HEREBY
ESTABLISHED  WITHIN  THE  OFFICE  A  VETERANS'  GERONTOLOGICAL  ADVISORY
COMMITTEE  WHICH  SHALL  CONSIST  OF NO MORE THAN NINETEEN MEMBERS TO BE
APPOINTED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION. MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED FOR A
TERM OF SIX YEARS AND MAY  SERVE  UNTIL  THEIR  SUCCESSORS  ARE  CHOSEN.
MEMBERS  SHALL SERVE WITHOUT SALARY. ANY MEMBER CHOSEN TO FILL A VACANCY
CREATED OTHERWISE THAN BY EXPIRATION OF TERM SHALL BE APPOINTED FOR  THE
UNEXPIRED  TERM OF THE MEMBER HE OR SHE IS TO SUCCEED. A CHAIRPERSON AND
VICE-CHAIRPERSON SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE DIRECTOR, AND  THE  COMMITTEE
SHALL BE COMPRISED OF:
  (A)  TWO  MEMBERS  APPOINTED  BY  THE  GOVERNOR, BOTH OF WHOM SHALL BE
VETERANS;
  (B) NINE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE DIRECTOR, INCLUDING:
  (1) AT LEAST ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE A PHYSICIAN IN THE FIELD OF  PRIMARY
CARE GERIATRIC MEDICINE;
  (2)  AT LEAST ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE A RESEARCHER IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL
GERONTOLOGY;
  (3) AT LEAST ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE CERTIFIED AS A GERIATRIC NURSE PRAC-
TITIONER;
  (4) AT LEAST ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE A CLINICAL PRACTITIONER OF GERIATRIC
PSYCHIATRY;
  (5) AT LEAST ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE A FACILITY  OR  HEALTH  CARE  SYSTEM
VETERANS'  HOME-BASED  PRIMARY  CARE  PROGRAM DIRECTOR AS DEFINED BY THE

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02136-01-5

A. 4945                             2

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS VETERANS' HEALTH  ADMINIS-
TRATION DIRECTIVE ELEVEN HUNDRED FORTY-ONE;
  (6)  AT  LEAST ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE A CAREGIVER IN THE FIELD OF VETER-
ANS' RESPITE CARE;
  (7) AT LEAST ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD OF  ELDERCARE
PLANNING  AND  MANAGEMENT  FROM THE NEW YORK STATE VETERANS' HOME ESTAB-
LISHED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE TWENTY-SIX-A OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW;
  (8) AT LEAST ONE OF WHOM SHALL BE AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD  OF  GERONTO-
LOGICAL SOCIAL WORK WHO SPECIALIZES IN SERVICES FOR AGING VETERANS; AND
  (9)  AT  LEAST  ONE  OF WHOM SHALL BE AN ECONOMIST WITH A FOCUS IN THE
FIELDS OF AGING, HOUSEHOLD SAVING, PENSIONS, SOCIAL SECURITY,  TAXATION,
AND HOUSING MARKETS;
  (C) THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR UPON THE NOMINATION OF THE
TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, EACH OF WHOM SHALL BE VETERANS;
  (D) THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR UPON THE NOMINATION OF THE
SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, EACH OF WHOM SHALL BE VETERANS;
  (E)  ONE  MEMBER  APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR UPON THE NOMINATION OF THE
MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE WHO SHALL BE A VETERAN; AND
  (F) ONE MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR UPON THE  NOMINATION  OF  THE
MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY WHO SHALL BE A VETERAN.
  2. SIXTY PERCENT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPOINTED ON
AND AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDIVISION SHALL BE SIXTY YEARS OF
AGE OR OVER.
  3. THE COMMITTEE SHALL PROVIDE ADVICE, COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO
ADVISE THE DIRECTOR ON POLICIES, PROGRAMS, SERVICES AND TRENDS IMPACTING
THE STATE'S AGING VETERAN POPULATION AND THE LARGER CONTEXT OF VETERANS'
HEALTHCARE  SYSTEMS,  AND SUCH OTHER MATTERS AS THE DIRECTOR MAY REQUEST
IN RELATION TO THIS ARTICLE.
  4. THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE SHALL MEET AT LEAST ONCE ANNUALLY  AT  TIMES
AND PLACES SET BY THE CHAIRPERSON.
  5.  THE  DIRECTOR  MAY ASK OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO ATTEND THE COMMITTEE'S
MEETINGS OR WORK WITH IT ON AN OCCASIONAL OR REGULAR BASIS.
  6. MEMBERSHIP ON THE COMMITTEE SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE THE HOLDING OF  AN
OFFICE,  AND  MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO TAKE AND
FILE OATHS OF OFFICE BEFORE SERVING  ON  THE  COMMITTEE.  THE  COMMITTEE
SHALL NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE ANY PORTION OF THE SOVEREIGN POWERS
OF THE STATE.
  7.  NO  MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM HOLDING ANY
PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT, NOR SHALL HE OR SHE FORFEIT ANY SUCH OFFICE
OR EMPLOYMENT, BY REASON OF HIS OR HER APPOINTMENT  HEREUNDER,  NOTWITH-
STANDING  THE PROVISIONS OF ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL OR LOCAL LAW, ORDINANCE
OR CITY CHARTER.
  8. FOR THE PURPOSES OF  THIS  SECTION,  THE  TERM  "VETERAN"  MEANS  A
PERSON,  MALE  OR  FEMALE, RESIDENT OF THIS STATE, WHO HAS SERVED IN THE
ACTIVE MILITARY OR NAVAL SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES DURING  A  WAR  IN
WHICH  THE  UNITED  STATES  ENGAGED  AND WHO HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM SUCH
SERVICE BY ANY MEANS OTHER THAN BY DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE,  OR  WHO  HAS
BEEN FURLOUGHED TO THE RESERVE.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.