Establishes the "blue-ribbon commission on the future of New York state's service delivery system for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities act" to conduct a study and prepare a report to examine, evaluate and make recommendations for systemic reforms to ensure a sustainable set of supports and services that meets the evolving needs of all individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6021
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
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;
21 (c) one member who is a representative of a provider agency that is
22 certified by the office for people with developmental disabilities;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02956-01-5
A. 6021 2
1 (d) one member who is a not-for-profit housing developer with experi-
2 ence building a supervised living facility or a supportive living facil-
3 ity as such terms are defined in section 1.03 of the mental hygiene law,
4 or a group home operated by a provider agency certified by the office
5 for people with developmental disabilities;
6 (e) one member who is a representative of an organization established
7 by section forty-four hundred three-g of the public health law;
8 (f) one member who is a direct support professional certified by the
9 office for people with developmental disabilities;
10 (g) two members upon recommendation of the temporary president of the
11 senate;
12 (h) one member upon recommendation of the minority leader of the
13 senate;
14 (i) two members upon recommendation of the speaker of the assembly;
15 (j) one member upon recommendation of the minority leader of the
16 assembly;
17 (k) one member who is the commissioner of the office for people with
18 developmental disabilities or such commissioner's designee; and
19 (l) one member who is the chief disability officer or such chief disa-
20 bility officer's designee.
21 2. The commissioner of the office for people with developmental disa-
22 bilities shall serve as the chair of the commission. Additionally, the
23 commission shall elect a vice-chair and a secretary from amongst its
24 members. Vacancies in the membership of the commission and among its
25 officers shall be filled in the manner provided for original appoint-
26 ments.
27 3. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for
28 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
29 incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
30 § 4. The study shall examine systemic reforms to ensure a sustainable
31 set of supports and services that meets the evolving needs of all indi-
32 viduals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including but
33 not limited to:
34 1. solutions to address the recruitment and retention of the direct
35 care workforce;
36 2. access to person centered supports and services that reduce racial
37 and socio-economic inequities and disparities and anticipates changing
38 demographics of the population;
39 3. technology and infrastructure needs, including potential future
40 needs and uses to improve effectiveness of the service system;
41 4. the evolving service needs of individuals with intellectual and
42 developmental disabilities, especially those with co-occurring behav-
43 ioral health needs and other cross-systems issues;
44 5. evolving housing needs and opportunities, that support the state's
45 Olmstead plan and independent living in community-based settings;
46 6. increasing competitive, integrated employment for individuals with
47 intellectual and developmental disabilities.
48 § 5. Not later than fifteen months after the effective date of this
49 act, the commission shall prepare and submit to the governor, the tempo-
50 rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly a report of
51 the study's findings, together with specific recommendations for system-
52 ic reforms to ensure a sustainable set of supports and services that
53 meets the needs of all individuals with intellectual and developmental
54 disabilities.
55 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
56 deemed repealed two years after it shall have become a law.
