Assembly Bill A9035

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9035
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             September 5, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. MAHER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to creating a task  force
   on  victim  services  reimbursements;  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. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 637 to
 read as follows:
   § 637. TASK FORCE ON VICTIM SERVICES REIMBURSEMENTS. 1. THE TASK FORCE
 ON  THE STATE OF VICTIM SERVICES REIMBURSEMENTS IS HEREBY CREATED WITHIN
 THE OFFICE TO EXAMINE,  EVALUATE,  AND  DETERMINE  HOW  TO  IMPROVE  THE
 REIMBURSEMENT  PROCESS  BETWEEN  THE  OFFICE  AND ALL APPLICABLE SUBSID-
 IARIES.
   2. (A) SUCH TASK FORCE SHALL CONSIST OF TWELVE MEMBERS, EACH TO  SERVE
 FOR  A  TERM  OF  ONE  CALENDAR YEAR. SUCH MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED AS
 FOLLOWS: TWO MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE  TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF
 THE  SENATE; ONE MEMBER SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE
 SENATE; TWO MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF  THE  ASSEMBLY;
 ONE  MEMBER  SHALL  BE APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY;
 TWO MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE  OF  VICTIM
 SERVICES;  TWO  MEMBERS  SHALL  BE  APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
 DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES OR SUCH  COMMISSIONER'S  DESIGNEE;
 AND  THE REMAINING MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.  APPOINT-
 MENTS SHALL BE MADE WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF  THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS
 SECTION.  VACANCIES  IN  THE  TASK  FORCE  SHALL BE FILLED IN THE MANNER
 PROVIDED FOR ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS.
   (B) ALL APPOINTEES SHALL  HAVE  EXPERTISE  IN  FIELDS  OR  DISCIPLINES
 RELATED  TO  VICTIM  SERVICES AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO VICTIMS INCLUDING,
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO,  THE  FOLLOWING  AREAS:  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE,  TRAUMA
 ASSISTANCE,  DISASTER  RECOVERY, GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, SEXUAL VIOLENCE,
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD10948-01-5
              

 A. 9035                             2
 
 VICTIM  COMPENSATION,  AND  COMMUNITY-VICTIM  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAMS.  ALL
 APPOINTMENTS  SHALL  BE  COORDINATED TO ENSURE GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION
 FROM THE ENTIRE STATE.
   (C) THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE CHAIRED BY THE COMMISSIONER OR SELECTED BY
 THE  COMMISSIONER FROM THE APPOINTED MEMBERS. THE TASK FORCE SHALL ELECT
 A VICE-CHAIR AND OTHER  NECESSARY  OFFICERS  FROM  AMONG  ALL  APPOINTED
 MEMBERS.
   (D)  A  MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE THEN IN OFFICE SHALL
 CONSTITUTE A QUORUM FOR THE TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS OR THE  EXERCISE  OF
 ANY  POWER OR FUNCTION OF THE TASK FORCE. AN ACT, DETERMINATION OR DECI-
 SION OF THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS PRESENT DURING  THE  PRESENCE  OF  A
 QUORUM  SHALL  BE  HELD TO BE THE ACT, DETERMINATION, OR DECISION OF THE
 TASK FORCE.
   (E) THE TASK FORCE SHALL MEET AT LEAST QUARTERLY AT THE  CALL  OF  THE
 CHAIR.  MEETINGS MAY BE HELD VIA TELECONFERENCE. SPECIAL MEETINGS MAY BE
 CALLED BY THE CHAIR AT THE REQUEST OF A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS  OF  THE
 TASK FORCE.
   (F)  MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR
 SERVICES BUT SHALL BE REIMBURSED FOR THEIR ACTUAL EXPENSES  INCURRED  IN
 THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES IN THE WORK OF THE TASK FORCE.
   3. THE TASK FORCE ESTABLISHED SHALL:
   (A)  STUDY  LAWS,  RULES, AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE PROCESSES THAT
 MAKE VICTIM SERVICES REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS UNSUSTAINABLE  FOR  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE  AND  ANTI-TRAFFICKING NONPROFITS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 REIMBURSEMENT RATES, SUPPORT ASSISTANCE  AMOUNTS,  FUNDING  MODELS,  AND
 LACK OF SUSTAINABLE FUNDING MODELS;
   (B)  STUDY  LAWS,  RULES,  AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE OPERATIONS OF
 VICTIM SERVICES PROVIDERS; AND
   (C) RECOMMEND WAYS BY WHICH TO MODERNIZE THE  LAWS  GOVERNING  FUNDING
 FOR VICTIM SERVICES PROVIDERS PROVIDED.
   4.  THE  TASK FORCE MAY ESTABLISH SUCH ADVISORY COMMITTEES AS IT DEEMS
 APPROPRIATE ON MATTERS RELATING TO THE TASK  FORCE'S  FUNCTIONS,  POWERS
 AND DUTIES. SUCH COMMITTEES SHALL BE CHAIRED BY A TASK FORCE MEMBER, BUT
 MAY  BE  COMPOSED  OF  TASK  FORCE  MEMBERS AS WELL AS OTHER INDIVIDUALS
 SELECTED BY THE TASK FORCE TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE OF INTEREST SPECIFIC  TO
 THE CHARGE OF SUCH COMMITTEE.
   5.  THE TASK FORCE MAY, AS IT DEEMS APPROPRIATE, REQUEST THAT STUDIES,
 SURVEYS, OR ANALYSES RELATING TO THE TASK FORCE'S POWERS AND  DUTIES  BE
 PERFORMED BY ANY STATE DEPARTMENT, COMMISSION, AGENCY OR PUBLIC AUTHORI-
 TY.  ALL  STATE DEPARTMENTS, COMMISSIONS, AGENCIES OR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES
 SHALL PROVIDE INFORMATION AND ADVICE IN A TIMELY  MANNER  AND  OTHERWISE
 ASSIST THE TASK FORCE WITH ITS WORK.
   6.  THE OFFICE SHALL PROVIDE STAFF SERVICES TO THE TASK FORCE AND SUCH
 OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THE  TASK  FORCE
 TO CARRY OUT ITS DUTIES, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS.
   7.  THE  TASK FORCE SHALL HOLD A MINIMUM OF THREE PUBLIC HEARINGS: ONE
 IN NEW YORK CITY; ONE IN WESTERN NEW YORK; AND ONE  IN  UPSTATE  EASTERN
 NEW  YORK.  THE  TASK FORCE MAY HOLD ADDITIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS IN OTHER
 LOCATIONS AS IT DEEMS APPROPRIATE.
   8. THE TASK FORCE SHALL MAKE A PRELIMINARY REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR  AND
 THE LEGISLATURE OF ITS FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIV-
 ITIES  ALREADY  UNDERTAKEN  BY  THE  TASK FORCE, NOT LATER THAN ONE YEAR
 AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, AND  A  FINAL  REPORT  OF  ITS
 FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIVITIES ALREADY UNDERTAKEN
 BY  THE TASK FORCE, NOT LATER THAN TWO YEARS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
 A. 9035                             3
 
 THIS SECTION AND SHALL SUBMIT WITH ITS REPORTS LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS  AS
 IT DEEMS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS.
   §  2.  This  act  shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
 have become a law and shall expire twenty-four  months  after  it  shall
 have  become  a law when upon such date the provisions of this act shall
 be deemed repealed.