S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
687
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the tran-
sitional pathway program for students in higher education with autism
spectrum disorder
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 355-f
to read as follows:
§ 355-F. ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRANSITIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM. A TRANSI-
TIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM MAY BE CREATED TO ENCOURAGE ACCESSIBILITY AND
INCLUSIVITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISOR-
DER. THE STATE UNIVERSITY MAY ESTABLISH SUCH PROGRAM THROUGH THE STATE
UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF DISABILITIES, THE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY LIFE AND
OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS. SUCH TRANSITIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM MAY
INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
(A) THE CREATION OF A PEER-SUPPORT PROGRAM WITH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION,
PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL WORK, OR OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD ASSIGN
A PEER OR TRAINED MENTOR TO A STUDENT WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO
PROVIDE ACADEMIC SUPPORT, SOCIAL GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE WITH ACCOMMO-
DATIONS. SUCH PEER-SUPPORT PROGRAM MAY FURTHER INCLUDE A PLAN TO GRADU-
ALLY INCREASE INDEPENDENCE AS THE STUDENT MATRICULATES;
(B) THE PROVISION OF ACCOMMODATION POLICIES AND RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER,
VIA THE SCHOOL WEBSITE AND WITHIN APPLICATION AND ORIENTATION MATERIALS
FOR ALL CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS;
(C) A SEPARATE ORIENTATION HELD FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDER;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02760-01-5
S. 687 2
(D) THE TRAINING OF FACULTY AND STAFF ON SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION POLI-
CIES, PROCEDURES AND BEST PRACTICES TO ASSIST STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPEC-
TRUM DISORDER;
(E) AN EVALUATION OF CURRENT ACCOMMODATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO
ENSURE LEGAL COMPLIANCE AND ASSESS IF SUCH CONSIDERS THE ABILITIES AND
LIMITATIONS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND MODIFY IF
NEEDED. THIS MAY FURTHER INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTOCOL FOR THE
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO
PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE STUDENT AS SUCH STUDENT MATRICULATES; AND
(F) A MECHANISM FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO BUILD
COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHICH MAY INCLUDE THE PROVISION OF
QUIET, LOW-STIMULATING AREAS ON CAMPUS.
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6235 to read
as follows:
§ 6235. ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRANSITIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM. A TRANSI-
TIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM MAY BE CREATED TO ENCOURAGE ACCESSIBILITY AND
INCLUSIVITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISOR-
DER. THE CITY UNIVERSITY MAY ESTABLISH SUCH PROGRAM THROUGH THE CITY
UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF DISABILITIES, THE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY LIFE AND
OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS. SUCH TRANSITIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM MAY
INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
(A) THE CREATION OF A PEER-SUPPORT PROGRAM WITH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION,
PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL WORK, OR OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD ASSIGN
A PEER OR TRAINED MENTOR TO A STUDENT WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO
PROVIDE ACADEMIC SUPPORT, SOCIAL GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE WITH ACCOMMO-
DATIONS. SUCH PEER-SUPPORT PROGRAM MAY FURTHER INCLUDE A PLAN TO GRADU-
ALLY INCREASE INDEPENDENCE AS THE STUDENT MATRICULATES;
(B) THE PROVISION OF ACCOMMODATION POLICIES AND RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
WITH DISABILITIES, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER,
VIA THE SCHOOL WEBSITE AND WITHIN APPLICATION AND ORIENTATION MATERIALS
FOR ALL CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS;
(C) A SEPARATE ORIENTATION HELD FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDER;
(D) THE TRAINING OF FACULTY AND STAFF ON SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION POLI-
CIES, PROCEDURES AND BEST PRACTICES TO ASSIST STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPEC-
TRUM DISORDER;
(E) AN EVALUATION OF CURRENT ACCOMMODATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO
ENSURE LEGAL COMPLIANCE AND ASSESS IF SUCH CONSIDERS THE ABILITIES AND
LIMITATIONS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND MODIFY IF
NEEDED. THIS MAY FURTHER INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTOCOL FOR THE
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO
PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE STUDENT AS SUCH STUDENT MATRICULATES; AND
(F) A MECHANISM FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO BUILD
COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHICH MAY INCLUDE THE PROVISION OF
QUIET, LOW-STIMULATING AREAS ON CAMPUS.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.