S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________

                                        2208--A

                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                                   I N  S E N A T E

                                   February 13, 2009
                                      ___________

       Introduced  by  Sen.  DIAZ  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging  --  recommitted  to
         the  Committee  on  Aging  in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --
         committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as  amended  and
         recommitted to said committee

       AN  ACT  to  amend  the  elder law, in relation to establishing a senior
         housing task force

         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

    1    Section  1.  The elder law is amended by adding a new section 203-a to
    2  read as follows:
    3    S 203-A. SENIOR HOUSING TASK FORCE. 1.  THERE  IS  HEREBY  ESTABLISHED
    4  WITHIN  THE OFFICE A SENIOR HOUSING TASK FORCE WHICH SHALL MEET AT LEAST
    5  FOUR TIMES IN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF THE STATE.  THE TASK FORCE
    6  SHALL CONSIST OF SEVENTEEN MEMBERS  AND  SHALL  INCLUDE  REPRESENTATIVES
    7  FROM  THE  FOLLOWING STATE AGENCIES: THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING, THE DIVI-
    8  SION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL, THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  HEALTH,  THE
    9  OFFICE  OF  MENTAL  HEALTH,  THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE
   10  EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE OFFICE OF  MENTAL  RETARDATION
   11  AND  DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, THE DIVISION OF PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR
   12  ADULTS OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES, AND THE  NEW  YORK
   13  CITY  DEPARTMENT  FOR  THE  AGING. OF THE EIGHT REMAINING MEMBERS, THREE
   14  SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  THREE  SHALL  BE
   15  APPOINTED  BY  THE  TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  SENATE,  ONE SHALL BE
   16  APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY  AND  ONE  SHALL  BE
   17  APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE, AND SHALL BROADLY REPRE-
   18  SENT  HOUSING AND SENIOR CITIZEN GROUPS FROM ALL GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE
   19  STATE INCLUDING SERVICE PROVIDERS, ASSOCIATIONS, ADVOCATES, PROPRIETORS,
   20  AND CONSUMERS OF FOR-PROFIT AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT  SENIOR  HOUSING  OPTIONS
   21  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO: ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES, ADULT HOMES,
   22  SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES,  INDEPENDENT  LIVING  FACILITIES,  NATURALLY

        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD03577-02-0
       S. 2208--A                          2

    1  OCCURRING   RETIREMENT  COMMUNITIES,  NEIGHBORHOOD  NATURALLY  OCCURRING
    2  RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES,  AND  CONTINUING  CARE  RETIREMENT  COMMUNITIES.
    3  MEMBERS  SHALL  RECEIVE  NO COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICES BUT SHALL BE
    4  REIMBURSED  FOR  TRAVEL  AND  OTHER  EXPENSES  ACTUALLY  AND NECESSARILY
    5  INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES. THE  TASK  FORCE  SHALL  BE
    6  CO-CHAIRED  BY  THE  DIRECTOR  OF THE OFFICE AND THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
    7  DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL. THE TASK FORCE IS RESPONSIBLE
    8  FOR CONDUCTING A STATE-WIDE ASSESSMENT OF SENIOR  HOUSING  NEEDS  TAKING
    9  INTO CONSIDERATION THE VARIOUS GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS AND DIFFERENT NEEDS OF
   10  THE  SENIORS  IN  THOSE AREAS AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THOSE DIFFERENT
   11  AREAS AND PROJECT THOSE NEEDS OVER THE NEXT  TEN  YEARS;  OTHER  FACTORS
   12  WHICH  SHALL  BE  TAKEN  INTO  CONSIDERATION  ARE:  HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF
   13  SENIORS, THE LONG TERM CARE NEEDS OF SENIORS, FINANCIAL RESOURCES AVAIL-
   14  ABLE TO SENIORS, OR NEEDED  BY  SENIORS,  AND  TRANSPORTATION  NEEDS  OF
   15  SENIORS.  THE ASSESSMENT SHALL INCLUDE A REVIEW OF INNOVATIVE APPROACHES
   16  SUCCESSFULLY BEING IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER STATES AND THEIR  POTENTIAL  FOR
   17  IMPLEMENTATION  IN  THIS  STATE.    SUCH ASSESSMENT SHALL ALSO DEVELOP A
   18  VIABLE PLAN FOR PROVIDING QUALITY SENIOR HOUSING TO MEET  THE  PROJECTED
   19  NEEDS OF SENIORS WITH ACTIONS, STEPS AND TIME FRAMES.
   20    2.  THE TASK FORCE SHALL ISSUE A REPORT BY JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
   21  TWELVE OUTLINING ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS  INCLUDING  THE  STATE
   22  PLAN  WITH  TIME  FRAMES. THE REPORT SHALL BE DELIVERED TO THE GOVERNOR,
   23  THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE,  THE
   24  CHAIRPERSONS  OF  THE AGING, HEALTH AND HOUSING COMMITTEES IN THE ASSEM-
   25  BLY,  AND  THE  CHAIRPERSONS  OF  THE   AGING,   HEALTH   AND   HOUSING,
   26  CONSTRUCTION, AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES IN THE SENATE.
   27    S  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
   28  have become a law.