Senate Bill S9239A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  9239--A
     Cal. No. 726
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 18, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  CLEARE,  ASHBY, ROLISON -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging --
   reported favorably from said committee, ordered to  first  and  second
   report,  ordered  to  a  third reading, amended and ordered reprinted,
   retaining its place in the order of third reading

 AN ACT to establish the caregiver coordinating commission
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Caregiver  coordinating  commission. 1.   There is hereby
 established a caregiver coordinating commission to review  and  evaluate
 statewide planning, development, and implementation of caregiver support
 services,  including respite care, for informal family caregivers caring
 for those across their lifespan.
   2. (a) The commission shall consist of twelve members who  shall  have
 relevant  experience  with  caregiving  or related services and shall be
 appointed as follows:
   (i) Two persons to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
   (ii) One person to be appointed by the minority leader of  the  assem-
 bly;
   (iii)  Two  persons  to be appointed by the temporary president of the
 senate;
   (iv) One person to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
   (v) Three persons to be appointed by the governor;
   (vi) The director of the office for the aging, or their designee,  who
 shall also serve as chair;
   (vii)  The commissioner of the office of children and family services,
 or their designee; and
   (viii) The commissioner of the office for  people  with  developmental
 disabilities, or their designee.
   (b)  All appointments shall be made within sixty days of the effective
 date of this act.
   (c) The members of the commission shall receive  no  compensation  for
 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
 incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14528-05-6
 S. 9239--A                          2
 
   3.  The  commission shall study, examine and review the issues related
 to caregiving, including, but not limited to:
   (a)  Reviewing  existing  programs  and services available to informal
 family caregivers, including those that are provided or supported by the
 state, and  evaluating  the  effectiveness  and  accessibility  of  such
 programs;
   (b) Identifying challenges faced by informal caregivers when accessing
 such programs and support services, including respite care;
   (c)  Reviewing  best practices and support models used in other states
 as they pertain to caregiver support and respite services; and
   (d) Providing recommendations to improve the accessibility and  effec-
 tiveness  of  caregiver  support  services,  including  providing policy
 recommendations and funding priorities to better support informal family
 caregivers.
   4. For the purposes of this act,  "informal  family  caregiver"  shall
 have  the same meaning as "informal caregiver" as defined in subdivision
 two of section two hundred six of the elder law.
   5. The commission shall report its findings, conclusions and recommen-
 dations to the governor, the temporary  president  of  the  senate,  the
 minority  leader  of  the  senate,  the speaker of the assembly, and the
 minority leader of the assembly no later than one year after the  effec-
 tive date of this act.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.