STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9035
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
September 5, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MAHER -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to creating a task force
on victim services reimbursements; 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. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 637 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 637. Task force on victim services reimbursements. 1. The task force
4 on the state of victim services reimbursements is hereby created within
5 the office to examine, evaluate, and determine how to improve the
6 reimbursement process between the office and all applicable subsid-
7 iaries.
8 2. (a) Such task force shall consist of twelve members, each to serve
9 for a term of one calendar year. Such members shall be appointed as
10 follows: Two members shall be appointed by the temporary president of
11 the senate; one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the
12 senate; two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
13 one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
14 Two members shall be appointed by the director of the office of victim
15 services; Two members shall be appointed by the commissioner of the
16 division of criminal justice services or such commissioner's designee;
17 and the remaining members shall be appointed by the governor. Appoint-
18 ments shall be made within sixty days of the effective date of this
19 section. Vacancies in the task force shall be filled in the manner
20 provided for original appointments.
21 (b) All appointees shall have expertise in fields or disciplines
22 related to victim services and support services to victims including,
23 but not limited to, the following areas: domestic violence, trauma
24 assistance, disaster recovery, gender-based violence, sexual violence,
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10948-01-5
A. 9035 2
1 victim compensation, and community-victim assistance programs. All
2 appointments shall be coordinated to ensure geographic representation
3 from the entire state.
4 (c) The task force shall be chaired by the commissioner or selected by
5 the commissioner from the appointed members. The task force shall elect
6 a vice-chair and other necessary officers from among all appointed
7 members.
8 (d) A majority of the members of the task force then in office shall
9 constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the exercise of
10 any power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci-
11 sion of the majority of the members present during the presence of a
12 quorum shall be held to be the act, determination, or decision of the
13 task force.
14 (e) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the
15 chair. Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be
16 called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members of the
17 task force.
18 (f) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
19 services but shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in
20 the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
21 3. The task force established shall:
22 (a) study laws, rules, and regulations governing the processes that
23 make victim services reimbursement requests unsustainable for domestic
24 violence and anti-trafficking nonprofits, including but not limited to
25 reimbursement rates, support assistance amounts, funding models, and
26 lack of sustainable funding models;
27 (b) study laws, rules, and regulations governing the operations of
28 victim services providers; and
29 (c) recommend ways by which to modernize the laws governing funding
30 for victim services providers provided.
31 4. The task force may establish such advisory committees as it deems
32 appropriate on matters relating to the task force's functions, powers
33 and duties. Such committees shall be chaired by a task force member, but
34 may be composed of task force members as well as other individuals
35 selected by the task force to provide expertise of interest specific to
36 the charge of such committee.
37 5. The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
38 surveys, or analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be
39 performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
40 ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or public authorities
41 shall provide information and advice in a timely manner and otherwise
42 assist the task force with its work.
43 6. The office shall provide staff services to the task force and such
44 other administrative assistance as may be necessary for the task force
45 to carry out its duties, functions and powers.
46 7. The task force shall hold a minimum of three public hearings: one
47 in New York city; one in western New York; and one in upstate eastern
48 New York. The task force may hold additional public hearings in other
49 locations as it deems appropriate.
50 8. The task force shall make a preliminary report to the governor and
51 the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activ-
52 ities already undertaken by the task force, not later than one year
53 after the effective date of this section, and a final report of its
54 findings, conclusions, recommendations and activities already undertaken
55 by the task force, not later than two years after the effective date of
A. 9035 3
1 this section and shall submit with its reports legislative proposals as
2 it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
3 § 2. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
4 have become a law and shall expire twenty-four months after it shall
5 have become a law when upon such date the provisions of this act shall
6 be deemed repealed.
