A05141 Summary:

BILL NOA05141B
 
SAME ASSAME AS S04256-B
 
SPONSORSantabarbara
 
COSPNSRRussell, Miller, Crouch, Zebrowski, Gunther, Abinanti, Schimel, Graf, Montesano, Duprey, Finch, McDonald, Fahy, Colton, Skoufis, Mosley, Ortiz, Cook, Walter, Benedetto, Gottfried, Robinson, Blake, Titone, Richardson, Stirpe, Lentol, Palmesano, Linares, Barrett, Ramos, Weprin, Jaffee, Hunter, Harris
 
MLTSPNSRAbbate, Ceretto, Galef, Hyndman, Kearns, Raia, Rivera, Simon, Solages
 
Add 1004-c, Ed L
 
Directs the commissioner of education to include communication support services as a vocational rehabilitation service.
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A05141 Actions:

BILL NOA05141B
 
02/12/2015referred to education
06/05/2015amend and recommit to education
06/05/2015print number 5141a
12/16/2015amend and recommit to education
12/16/2015print number 5141b
01/06/2016referred to education
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A05141 Committee Votes:

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A05141 Floor Votes:

There are no votes for this bill in this legislative session.
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A05141 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A5141B
 
SPONSOR: Santabarbara
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the education law, in relation to vocational rehabilitation services for enhancing communication support   PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To offer consumers of vocational rehabilitation services in the State of New York access to communication support services in order to improve their ability to secure gainful and meaningful employment outcomes.   SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section 1: The education law is amended by adding a new section 1004-c, Communication support services. This new section directs the commission- er of education to promulgate new regulations to include communication support services as a vocational rehabilitation service, defines indi- viduals eligible for such support and how services should be rendered, and defines 'communication support services' for the purposes of this legislation. Section 2: Effective Date   JUSTIFICATION: In New York State, unemployment rates are substantially higher for people with disabilities. Vocational rehabilitation services are instrumental by providing employment and rehabilitation services to those seeking gainful and meaningful employment. The inclusion of commu- nication support services in the suite of vocational rehabilitation services offered through programs like ACCES VR could improve employment outcomes for some job-seekers, particularly those with autism. Many individuals with disabilities, including those on the autism spec- trum, may have difficulty with interpersonal communication that can hinder their ability to find and maintain employment, even when they possess job skills, higher education, and access to existing vocational rehabilitation services. This bill addresses these shortcomings by directing the commissioner of the New York State Education Department to promulgate new regulations to rehabilitation services program staff to include communication support among the suite of services currently offered to job seekers. In the context of this bill, communication support is defined as treat- ment and services that focus on improving communication-related skills. These include, but are not limited to, dialog strategies for initiating and exiting communication of intent, topic maintenance, dissolving hostile situations resulting from ineffective attempts at independent communication, preparing, strategizing and organizing information for written communication, and preparing for upcoming interpersonal communi- cation situations. Finally, this legislation requires that these services be provided by qualified providers.   PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New legislation.   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.   EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect January 1, 2017.
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A05141 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         5141--B
 
                               2015-2016 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    February 12, 2015
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA, RUSSELL, MILLER, CROUCH, ZEBROWSKI,
          GUNTHER,  ABINANTI, SCHIMEL, GRAF, MONTESANO, DUPREY, FINCH, McDONALD,
          FAHY -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. CLARK, GALEF,  KEARNS,  MOSLEY,
          RIVERA,  SIMON,  SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Committee on
          Education -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted  as
          amended  and recommitted to said committee -- again reported from said
          committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as amended and  recommit-
          ted to said committee
 
        AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to vocational rehabili-
          tation services for enhancing communication support
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 1004-c
     2  to read as follows:
     3    § 1004-c. Communication support services. 1. The commissioner is here-
     4  by directed to promulgate rules and regulations to include communication
     5  support  services  as  a vocational rehabilitation service as defined by
     6  paragraph a of subdivision five of section  one  thousand  two  of  this
     7  article.  Any  individual who shall have been diagnosed with a pragmatic
     8  language impairment or whose employment prospects may reasonably benefit
     9  from an improved capacity to communicate shall qualify for communication
    10  support services.  All referrals made pursuant to this section shall  be
    11  made  to individuals licensed, certified, registered or otherwise quali-
    12  fied under existing state laws, rules and regulations.   Nothing  herein
    13  shall  be  construed to alter or define scope of practice under existing
    14  state laws, rules and regulations.
    15    2. For the purposes of this section, "communication support  services"
    16  shall  mean  treatment  or  services that focus on communication-related
    17  skills including, but not limited to, dialogue strategies for:
    18    (i) initiating and exiting communication of intent;
    19    (ii) topic maintenance;
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05632-04-5

        A. 5141--B                          2
 
     1    (iii)  defusing  hostile  situations  that  result  from   ineffective
     2  attempts at independent communication;
     3    (iv)  preparing,  strategizing, and organizing information for written
     4  or electronic correspondence; and
     5    (v) preparing for upcoming interpersonal communication situations.
     6    § 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2017.
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