Expands volunteerism by making use of the databases of statewide aging organizations; institutes volunteer certificate programs which train volunteers and individuals in programs to use the volunteers.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6083
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 5, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to volunteer programs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 7 of section 203 of the elder law is amended to
2 read as follows:
3 7. (a) The director is hereby authorized, within amounts appropriated
4 therefor, to make grants-in-aid to retired and senior volunteer programs
5 for the engagement of individuals fifty-five years of age or over to
6 serve as volunteers for the betterment of their community and them-
7 selves. Such volunteer activities may include but shall not be limited
8 to assisting with the preparation of meals at nutrition sites; leading
9 activities at child care centers; delivering meals to homebound elderly;
10 providing telephone reassurance and/or friendly visits to the frail
11 elderly; tutoring adults or children; assisting with services for the
12 homeless and assisting school districts which request volunteers for the
13 purpose of notifying a person in parental relation to any elementary
14 school pupil when such pupil is deemed absent from required attendance
15 at [his or her] such pupil's designated school. The services of these
16 volunteers will be performed in the community where such individuals
17 reside or in nearby communities. Up to ten percent of such grants-in-aid
18 may be expended for the administrative purposes of such programs, with
19 the approval of the office. Such grants shall be for a period of twelve
20 months or less, shall not be used to match other state funds, shall not
21 be used as a substitute for federal allocations, and shall be made in a
22 manner which does not conflict with federal law, rule or regulation
23 pursuant to title II of the United States domestic volunteer services
24 act of nineteen hundred seventy-three, as amended. Grants may be used to
25 match federal funds, but not as a substitute for presently required
26 non-federal shares. Each grantee shall file reports at such time and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10630-01-5
S. 6083 2
1 containing such information as the office shall require. For the purpose
2 of administering such grants-in-aid the office may make such agreements
3 with other public agencies as are deemed necessary.
4 (b) In addition to the powers and duties contained in subdivision two
5 of this section, the office is hereby authorized to enter into a
6 relationship, defined by contract, with one or more statewide organiza-
7 tions for the purpose of establishing a databank of individuals wishing
8 to volunteer their services to programs that address the needs of the
9 aging, and to establish, replicate, or encourage the development of
10 training programs for such volunteers and programs. The office shall
11 establish guidelines for the use of any such databank, including
12 requirements concerning appropriate data to be entered into the data-
13 bank, confidentiality, screening, access, correction of the data, and
14 such other requirements as the office, after consultation and with the
15 advice of the advisory committee for the aging and others, shall estab-
16 lish. The purpose of the training curriculum shall be to train, on a
17 voluntary basis, volunteers for the tasks they are interested in, and
18 individuals in not-for-profit organizations in effectively and effi-
19 ciently using volunteers. In developing the curriculum the office may
20 consult and work with individuals and entities with expertise in such
21 training and development at the state university of New York and the
22 city university of New York.
23 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately, provided that the powers
24 and duties established in paragraph (b) of subdivision 7 of section 203
25 of the elder law as added by section one of this act shall be effective
26 on and after the first of April occurring at least one year after the
27 date on which this act shall have become a law.
