Senate Bill S9391

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9391
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 9, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RAMOS  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation  to  raising  daily
   room and board rates at adult homes proportionally to increases in the
   minimum wage in the city of New York
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative findings and  intent.  The  Legislature  hereby
 finds  and  declares  that adult homes provide essential housing, super-
 vision, and supportive services to thousands of vulnerable New  Yorkers,
 including  seniors  and  individuals  with disabilities. Adult homes are
 funded through multiple streams, including payments that  support  room,
 board,  and non-medical services such as food, housing, case management,
 recreation, and  supervision.  The  adult  home  daily  room  and  board
 reimbursement  rate  has  not  received  a New York state cost-of-living
 adjustment in over seventeen years,  despite  substantial  increases  in
 operating expenses.
   During  this  same  period, New York City has enacted multiple minimum
 wage increases, significantly raising labor costs for adult home provid-
 ers.  Adult homes are required to comply  with  all  applicable  minimum
 wage  laws,  yet  unlike nursing homes and shelters, they do not receive
 corresponding or automatic reimbursement  adjustments  to  offset  these
 mandated increases.
   Minimum  wage  increases  directly  impact frontline staffing costs in
 adult homes, creating ongoing and unfunded financial pressure on provid-
 ers.  Existing reimbursement structures limit the ability  of  providers
 to reward staff seniority and experience, weakening workforce stability,
 retention, and quality of care. It is therefore the intent of the Legis-
 lature  to  establish  a fair, predictable, and transparent mechanism to
 align adult home room-and-board reimbursement rates with New  York  City
 minimum wage increases.
   §  2.  Section 461-c of the social services law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 2-b to read as follows:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15026-01-6
              

 S. 9391                             2
 
   2-B. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE  CONTRARY,  WHEN  THE
 ADULT  CARE FACILITY IS AN ADULT HOME, AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVISION TWENTY-
 FIVE OF SECTION TWO OF THIS CHAPTER, THE AGREEMENT EXECUTED PURSUANT  TO
 SUBDIVISION  ONE  OF  THIS SECTION SHALL INCLUDE LANGUAGE PROVIDING THAT
 WHENEVER  THE  MINIMUM  WAGE  APPLICABLE  WITHIN THE CITY OF NEW YORK IS
 INCREASED PURSUANT TO SECTION SIX HUNDRED FIFTY-TWO OF  THE  LABOR  LAW,
 THE  DAILY  ROOM AND BOARD RATE SHALL BE INCREASED BY AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO
 THE PERCENTAGE OF SUCH MINIMUM  WAGE  INCREASE.  SUCH  ADJUSTMENT  SHALL
 APPLY  SOLELY TO THE PORTION OF SUCH RATE INTENDED TO COVER ROOM, BOARD,
 AND NON-MEDICAL  SUPPORTIVE  SERVICES  AND  SHALL  NOT  AFFECT  MEDICAID
 REIMBURSEMENT  RATES. THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE,
 IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE  FOR
 IMPLEMENTING  THE  RATE ADJUSTMENTS REQUIRED UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION. THE
 OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE  SHALL  BE  AUTHORIZED  TO
 PROMULGATE   ANY  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  NECESSARY  TO  IMPLEMENT  THE
 PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.