S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5880
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 16, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  MALLIOTAKIS, BRABENEC, CROUCH, HAWLEY, KOLB,
   M. L. MILLER, NORRIS, PALMESANO, RA, WALSH -- read once  and  referred
   to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing a service
   learning,  internship or independent study program for students inter-
   ested in working with individuals with developmental disabilities
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative intent. The United States department of justice
 believes that people with disabilities should live and work in the "most
 integrated  setting" defined as "a setting that enables individuals with
 disabilities to interact with non-disabled persons to the fullest extent
 possible." In New York state, the office for people  with  developmental
 disabilities  is mandating that all workshop providers submit a proposal
 outlining how they will transform the sheltered workshop either into  an
 "integrated  business,"  a business which employs disabled and non-disa-
 bled individuals, or how they will assist in creating  transition  plans
 for  every  individual  currently  employed  in  the workshop. This bill
 proposes to create a service learning, internship or  independent  study
 program  within  state-operated  institutions  and community colleges to
 allow students seeking careers  aiding  individuals  with  developmental
 disabilities  to  be  given academic credit and practical application at
 sheltered workshops. In doing this, sheltered workshops will be  allowed
 to  change  their business models to have individuals with developmental
 disabilities working directly with individuals without disabilities.
   § 2. Section 355 of the education law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 20 to read as follows:
   20. THE STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO ESTABLISH
 A SERVICE LEARNING, INTERNSHIP OR INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS
 THAT  WORK WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. EACH STATE-
 OPERATED INSTITUTION AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE MAY,  AS  DETERMINED  BY  ITS
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD09630-01-7

 A. 5880                             2
 
 PRESIDENT,  OFFER  SUCH  A  SERVICE  LEARNING, INTERNSHIP OR INDEPENDENT
 STUDY PROGRAM TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS IN ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE  REGULATIONS
 PRESCRIBED  BY THE STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES. SUCH PROGRAM SHALL CONSIST
 OF:  (A) A WORK COMPONENT WITH VERIFIABLE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO INDIVID-
 UALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE  UNIVER-
 SITY  TRUSTEES,  AND  (B) AN ACADEMIC COMPONENT RELATED TO SUCH ACTIVITY
 THAT WILL BE COMPLETED THROUGH EITHER A WRITTEN REPORT  OR  JOURNAL,  OR
 OTHER WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT AS DETERMINED BY THE STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES.
 SUCH  PROGRAM  SHALL  BE OPEN TO ANY STUDENT ENROLLED IN AN ASSOCIATE OR
 BACCALAUREATE DEGREE-PRODUCING PROGRAM ON A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME BASIS
 THAT IS INTERESTED IN PURSUING A CAREER INTERACTING WITH THE INDIVIDUALS
 WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. NO MORE THAN SIX ACADEMIC CREDITS SHALL
 BE AWARDED TO A STUDENT FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF SUCH SERVICE LEARN-
 ING, INTERNSHIP OR INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM. IN DEVELOPING THE  SERVICE
 LEARNING,  INTERNSHIP  OR  INDEPENDENT  STUDY  PROGRAM DESCRIBED IN THIS
 SUBDIVISION, THE STATE UNIVERSITY TRUSTEES  MAY,  IN  THEIR  DISCRETION,
 CONSULT  WITH  THE  NEW  YORK STATE OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL
 DISABILITIES AND/OR  ANY  STATEWIDE  ORGANIZATION  THAT  REPRESENTS  THE
 INTERESTS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
   §  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law; provided however  that,  effective  immediately,  the
 state  university  trustees  are  authorized  and directed to add, amend
 and/or repeal any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date.