STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6021--A 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY February 25, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the Committee on People with Disabilities -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit- tee AN ACT establishing the "blue-ribbon commission on the future of New York state's service delivery system for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities act"; 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: 1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "blue-ribbon commission on the future of New York state's service 3 delivery system for individuals with intellectual and developmental 4 disabilities act". 5 § 2. A temporary commission, to be known as the "blue-ribbon commis- 6 sion on the future of New York state's service delivery system for indi- 7 viduals with intellectual and developmental disabilities", hereinafter 8 referred to as the "commission", is hereby established to conduct a 9 comprehensive study and prepare a report to examine, evaluate and make 10 recommendations for systemic reforms to ensure a sustainable set of 11 supports and services that meets the needs of all individuals with 12 intellectual and developmental disabilities. 13 § 3. 1. The commission shall consist of fifteen members appointed by 14 the governor as follows: 15 (a) two members who are individuals with developmental or intellectual 16 disabilities; one of whom must represent a self-advocacy group for 17 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; 18 (b) one member who is a representative of organized labor that repres- 19 ents a facility operated by the office for people with developmental 20 disabilities; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02956-02-5
A. 6021--A 2 1 (c) one member who is a representative of a provider agency that is 2 certified by the office for people with developmental disabilities; 3 (d) one member who is a not-for-profit housing developer with experi- 4 ence building a supervised living facility or a supportive living facil- 5 ity as such terms are defined in section 1.03 of the mental hygiene law, 6 or a group home operated by a provider agency certified by the office 7 for people with developmental disabilities; 8 (e) one member who is a representative of an organization established 9 by section forty-four hundred three-g of the public health law; 10 (f) one member who is a direct support professional certified by the 11 office for people with developmental disabilities; 12 (g) two members upon recommendation of the temporary president of the 13 senate; 14 (h) one member upon recommendation of the minority leader of the 15 senate; 16 (i) two members upon recommendation of the speaker of the assembly; 17 (j) one member upon recommendation of the minority leader of the 18 assembly; 19 (k) one member who is the commissioner of the office for people with 20 developmental disabilities or such commissioner's designee; and 21 (l) one member who is the chief disability officer or such chief disa- 22 bility officer's designee. 23 2. At least one-third of the membership of the commission shall 24 consist of consumer representatives including persons with developmental 25 disabilities, or their parents or guardians. 26 3. The commissioner of the office for people with developmental disa- 27 bilities shall serve as the chair of the commission. Additionally, the 28 commission shall elect a vice-chair and a secretary from amongst its 29 members. Vacancies in the membership of the commission and among its 30 officers shall be filled in the manner provided for original appoint- 31 ments. 32 4. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for 33 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 34 incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder. 35 § 4. The study shall examine systemic reforms to ensure a sustainable 36 set of supports and services that meets the evolving needs of all indi- 37 viduals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including but 38 not limited to: 39 1. solutions to address the recruitment and retention of the direct 40 care workforce; 41 2. access to person centered supports and services that reduce racial 42 and socio-economic inequities and disparities and anticipates changing 43 demographics of the population; 44 3. technology and infrastructure needs, including potential future 45 needs and uses to improve effectiveness of the service system; 46 4. the evolving service needs of individuals with intellectual and 47 developmental disabilities, especially those with co-occurring behav- 48 ioral health needs and other cross-systems issues; 49 5. evolving housing needs and opportunities, that support the state's 50 Olmstead plan and independent living in community-based settings; 51 6. increasing competitive, integrated employment for individuals with 52 intellectual and developmental disabilities. 53 § 5. Not later than fifteen months after the effective date of this 54 act, the commission shall prepare and submit to the governor, the tempo- 55 rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly a report of 56 the study's findings, together with specific recommendations for system-
A. 6021--A 3 1 ic reforms to ensure a sustainable set of supports and services that 2 meets the needs of all individuals with intellectual and developmental 3 disabilities. 4 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 5 deemed repealed two years after it shall have become a law.