Establishes the interagency council on kinship care to investigate, evaluate and make recommendations concerning the unique issues of kinship caregivers.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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9243
IN SENATE
February 18, 2026
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Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT in relation to establishing the interagency council on kinship
care
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the office of
2 the aging is directed and authorized to establish the interagency coun-
3 cil on kinship care to investigate, evaluate and make recommendations
4 concerning the unique issues of kinship caregivers.
5 § 2. (a) Such council shall include, but not be limited to, represen-
6 tatives from the office of children and family services, the department
7 of health, the office of temporary and disability services, the office
8 of court administration, the office of mental health, the department of
9 education, the office of addiction services and supports, the New York
10 state homes and community renewal and any not-for-profit groups deemed
11 necessary, including but not limited to, the New York state caregiver
12 and respite coalition.
13 (b) The members of the council shall receive no compensation for their
14 services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
15 incurred in the performance of their duties under this act. The council
16 may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel as it may deem neces-
17 sary for the performance of its functions and fix their compensation
18 within the amounts made available by appropriation therefor.
19 § 3. For the accomplishment of its purposes, the council may meet and
20 hold public and/or private hearings within or without the state, and
21 shall have all the powers of a legislative committee pursuant to the
22 legislative law. The council is authorized and empowered to undertake
23 any studies, inquiries, surveys or analyses it may deem relevant through
24 its own personnel or in cooperation with or by agreement with any other
25 public or private agency.
26 § 4. The council shall make recommendations and a report of its find-
27 ings. The council shall submit such recommendations and report, includ-
28 ing any recommendations for legislative action as it may deem necessary
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14540-01-6
S. 9243 2
1 and appropriate, to the governor, the temporary president of the senate
2 and the speaker of the assembly, and made public online on the gover-
3 nor's website no later than December first, two thousand twenty-eight.
4 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
