NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2123A
SPONSOR: Abinanti TITLE OF BILL:
An act relating to establishing the aging in place task force, and
providing for its powers and duties
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To establish an aging in place task force to study how the state can
encourage aging in place.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill establishes the aging in place task force with the
office for the aging to study how the state can encourage aging in place
including, but not limited to, an examination of:
(a) infrastructure and transportation improvements,
(b) zoning changes to facilitate home care,
(c) enhanced nutrition programs and delivery options,
(d) improved fraud and abuse protections,
(e) expansion of home medical care options,
(f) tax incentives, and
(g) incentives for private insurance.
Section 2 provides that the aging in place task force shall consist of a
total of sixteen members and shall include: the commissioner of the
state office of temporary and disability assistance or his or her desig-
nee; the director of the office for the aging or his or her designee;
the chairperson and ranking member of the standing senate and assembly
committees of aging or his or her designee; two people appointed by the
governor; two people appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
one person appointed by the majority leader of the senate; one person
appointed by the minority leader of the senate; two people appointed by
the speaker of the assembly; one person appointed by the majority leader
of the assembly; and one person appointed by the minority leader of the
assembly.
The chairperson and ranking members of the standing senate and assembly
committees of aging and the appointees of the temporary president of the
senate, majority leader of the senate, minority leader of the senate,
speaker of the assembly, majority leader of the assembly and minority
leader of the assembly may be members of the legislature.
All appointments to the aging in place task force shall be made no later
than thirty days after the effective date of this act and any vacancy
shall be filled by the appointing authority.
Section 3 provides that there shall be two chairpersons selected from
among the members of the aging in place task force. One chairperson
shall be selected by the temporary president of the senate and one
chairperson shall be selected by the speaker of the assembly. Such
chairperson shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which
shall be held no later than sixty days after the effective date of this
act.
Section 4 provides that the members of the aging in place task force
shall serve without compensation, except that members shall be allowed
their necessary and actual expenses incurred in the performance of their
duties under this act.
Section 5 provides that the office for the aging shall provide the aging
in place task force with such facilities, assistance, and data as will
enable such task force to carry out its powers and duties. Addi-
tionally, all other departments or agencies of the state or subdivisions
thereof shall, at the request of the chairpersons, provide such task
force with such facilities, assistance, and data as will enable such
task force to carry out its powers and duties.
Section 6 provides that the aging in place task force shall issue a
report of its findings and recommendations to the governor, the tempo-
rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly no later
than January 1, 2018.
Section 7 provides that the aging in place task force shall terminate on
the date that it submits the report required in section six of this act
or December 31, 2017, whichever is later.
Section 8 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
According to a survey conducted by the American Association of Retired
Persons (AARP) the number of Americans who want to remain in their homes
for the rest of their lives, to "age in place", is greater than 80%.
The Center for Disease control defines "aging in place" as "the ability
to live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and
comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level."
Often as people age, the houses they have raised families in no longer
meet their changing needs. One of the greatest concerns they have is
that they may have to leave their home. Whether for physical, monetary
or geographic reasons, much of the aging population will face this
issue. Moving from one's home may mean leaving a comfortable living
space, family, a familiar community and memories. In addition, many
feel a loss of control when giving up their home. Leaving one's home
out of necessity rather than choice can lead to a loss of dignity, qual-
ity of life and independence and a sense of security.
Additionally, as health care costs rise and stays at hospitals or even
transitional care gets shorter, the aging population must decide how
they want to spend their life's savings.
The aging in place task force will examine the various issues that need
to be addressed to support and encourage senior citizens who want to age
in place and provide a written report and recommendations based on this
examination.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2123--A
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ABINANTI, BARRETT, COLTON, SIMON, JAFFEE,
GUNTHER, BUCHWALD, McDONALD, CLARK, MARKEY, SEAWRIGHT, MAYER, RAIA,
WALTER, OTIS, COOK, ROSENTHAL, SKARTADOS, GALEF, CROUCH, HOOPER --
read once and referred to the Committee on Aging -- committee
discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
to said committee
AN ACT relating to establishing the aging in place task force, and
providing for its powers and duties
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Aging in place task force. There is hereby established
2 within the office for the aging an aging in place task force. The
3 purpose of the task force shall be to study how the state can encourage
4 aging in place including, but not limited to, an examination of:
5 (a) infrastructure and transportation improvements;
6 (b) zoning changes to facilitate home care;
7 (c) enhanced nutrition programs and delivery options;
8 (d) improved fraud and abuse protections;
9 (e) expansion of home medical care options;
10 (f) tax incentives; and
11 (g) incentives for private insurance.
12 § 2. The aging in place task force shall consist of a total of sixteen
13 members and shall include: the commissioner of the state office of
14 temporary and disability assistance or his or her designee; the director
15 of the office for the aging or his or her designee; the chairperson and
16 ranking member of the standing senate and assembly committees of aging
17 or his or her designee; two people appointed by the governor; two people
18 appointed by the temporary president of the senate; one person appointed
19 by the majority leader of the senate; one person appointed by the minor-
20 ity leader of the senate; two people appointed by the speaker of the
21 assembly; one person appointed by the majority leader of the assembly;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04366-02-5
A. 2123--A 2
1 and one person appointed by the minority leader of the assembly. The
2 chairperson and ranking members of the standing senate and assembly
3 committees of aging and the appointees of the temporary president of the
4 senate, majority leader of the senate, minority leader of the senate,
5 speaker of the assembly, majority leader of the assembly and minority
6 leader of the assembly may be members of the legislature. All appoint-
7 ments to the aging in place task force shall be made no later than thir-
8 ty days after the effective date of this act. Any vacancy shall be
9 filled by the appointing authority.
10 § 3. There shall be two chairpersons selected from among the members
11 of the aging in place task force. One chairperson shall be selected by
12 the temporary president of the senate and one chairperson shall be
13 selected by the speaker of the assembly. Such chairperson shall schedule
14 the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held no later than
15 sixty days after the effective date of this act.
16 § 4. The members of the aging in place task force shall serve without
17 compensation, except that members shall be allowed their necessary and
18 actual expenses incurred in the performance of their duties under this
19 act.
20 § 5. The office for the aging shall provide the aging in place task
21 force with such facilities, assistance, and data as will enable such
22 task force to carry out its powers and duties. Additionally, all other
23 departments or agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof shall, at
24 the request of the chairpersons, provide such task force with such
25 facilities, assistance, and data as will enable such task force to carry
26 out its powers and duties.
27 § 6. The aging in place task force shall issue a report of its find-
28 ings and recommendations to the governor, the temporary president of the
29 senate and the speaker of the assembly no later than January 1, 2018.
30 § 7. The aging in place task force shall terminate on the date that it
31 submits the report required in section six of this act or December 31,
32 2017, whichever is later.
33 § 8. This act shall take effect immediately.
