S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  3931--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 30, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens.  O'MARA, GALLIVAN, YOUNG -- read twice and ordered
   printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee  on  Trans-
   portation -- recommitted to the Committee on Transportation in accord-
   ance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended,
   ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN  ACT  to amend the transportation law, in relation to the interagency
   coordinating committee on rural public transportation
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 73-d of the transportation law, as amended by chap-
 ter 562 of the laws of 1987, is amended to read as follows:
   § 73-d. Interagency coordinating committee on rural public transporta-
 tion. 1. There is hereby created a committee to be known as the "intera-
 gency  coordinating  committee  on  rural  public transportation", to be
 comprised of nineteen members. The commissioner or his or  her  designee
 shall  serve as chairperson. Twelve of such members shall be the follow-
 ing or his or her duly designated representative: the  director  of  the
 office for the aging; the commissioner of education; the commissioner of
 labor;  the  commissioner  of  health; the commissioner of the office of
 mental  health;  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  THE  OFFICE  OF  ALCOHOLISM  AND
 SUBSTANCE  ABUSE;  the commissioner of the office [of mental retardation
 and] FOR PEOPLE WITH developmental  disabilities;  the  commissioner  of
 [social services; state advocate for the disabled] THE OFFICE FOR TEMPO-
 RARY  AND  DISABILITY ASSISTANCE; THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK
 STATE JUSTICE CENTER FOR THE PROTECTION OF PEOPLE  WITH  SPECIAL  NEEDS;
 THE  secretary  of  state; THE commissioner of agriculture and markets[;
 the director of the office of rural affairs] and the  [director  of  the
 division  for  youth]  COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY
 SERVICES. Six additional members, all of whom  shall  be  transportation
 providers or consumers representing rural counties shall be appointed to
 serve  a  term of three years as follows: two by the [president pro-tem-

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD07114-05-8

 S. 3931--A                          2

 pore] TEMPORARY PRESIDENT of the senate,  two  by  the  speaker  of  the
 assembly,  one  by  the  minority  leader  of the senate, and one by the
 minority leader of the assembly. Efforts shall  be  made  to  provide  a
 broad  representation  of  consumers  and  providers  of  transportation
 services in rural counties when making such appointments.   [Members  of
 the committee shall receive no salary.] THE SIX MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE
 LEGISLATURE,  AS  WELL AS THE COMMISSIONER OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, SHALL
 BE THE VOTING MEMBERS. THE BALANCE OF THE COMMITTEE  WILL  SERVE  IN  AN
 ADVISORY  OR  CONSULTING  CAPACITY. THE COMMITTEE SHALL KEEP A RECORD OF
 ITS OFFICIAL ACTIONS.
   The commissioner shall cause the department to provide  staff  assist-
 ance  necessary for the efficient and effective operation of the commit-
 tee.
   2. The committee shall[:] MEET AT LEAST ONCE EVERY  THREE  MONTHS  AND
 SHALL  REPORT TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF
 THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR  ANNUALLY,  BEGINNING  OCTOBER  FIRST,  TWO
 THOUSAND EIGHTEEN. THE ANNUAL REPORT SHALL:
   A.  IDENTIFY EXISTING RURAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND PROVIDE DATA ON
 RIDERSHIP, REVENUE, AND FINANCIAL CHALLENGES FOR EACH SYSTEM;
   B. IDENTIFY RURAL POPULATIONS CURRENTLY UTILIZING  PUBLIC  TRANSPORTA-
 TION,  AS  WELL  AS POPULATIONS IN NEED OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WITHOUT
 ACCESS,  AND  DISCUSS  RECOMMENDATIONS  FOR  MAINTAINING  AND  EXPANDING
 SERVICES;
   C. INCLUDE A BREAKDOWN BY COUNTY OF COST SAVINGS, MODES OF TRANSPORTA-
 TION  PROVIDED  TO MEDICAID PATIENTS, AND RATES OF UTILIZATION OF PUBLIC
 TRANSPORTATION BY MEDICAID PATIENTS;
   D. identify programs and the annual amounts and sources of funds  from
 such  programs  that  are  eligible  to be used to support a coordinated
 public transportation service, and the annual  amounts  and  sources  of
 such  funds  that  are  actually  used  for client transportation or for
 transportation of persons in connection with agency-affiliated  programs
 or services; such data shall be provided on a county basis;
   [b.]  E. identify restrictions on existing programs that inhibit funds
 from such programs being used to pay for a coordinated public  transpor-
 tation service in rural counties;
   [c.]  F.  recommend changes in state or local laws or regulations that
 would improve the coordination of funds, facilities, vehicles or  equip-
 ment and other resources used for transportation at the local level[;
   d.  upon  request, compile and forward to the commissioner any data or
 other information required by this section].
   3. THE COMMITTEE SHALL BE  REQUIRED  TO  EXAMINE  REIMBURSEMENT  RATES
 DEVELOPED  BY  TRANSPORTATION  MANAGERS  PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FOUR OF
 SECTION THREE HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE-H OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW FOR  COUN-
 TIES  WITH  A  POPULATION OF TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND OR LESS. THE COMMITTEE
 SHALL SUBMIT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROPOSED AND EFFECTIVE RATES FOR  RURAL
 COMMUNITIES  TO  THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH WITH RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUD-
 ING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ADJUSTMENTS TO INDIVIDUAL RIDERSHIP  FARES  FOR
 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION UTILIZATION, RATES FOR LOW-COST COORDINATED TRANS-
 PORTATION  WITH  OTHER  HUMAN  SERVICE  AGENCIES,  AND RATES FOR PRIVATE
 TRANSPORTATION WITH CONSIDERATIONS OF AVAILABILITY AND COST SAVINGS.
   THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH SHALL CONSULT WITH THE COMMITTEE  PRIOR  TO
 APPROVAL  OF  RATES  PROPOSED  UNDER  SUBDIVISION  FOUR OF SECTION THREE
 HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE-H OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES  LAW  FOR  COUNTIES  WITH  A
 POPULATION  OF  TWO  HUNDRED  THOUSAND  OR LESS. ANY PROPOSAL FOR A RATE
 ADJUSTMENT FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES AFTER APPROVAL SHALL BE EXAMINED BY THE
 COMMITTEE PRIOR TO APPROVAL BY THE COMMISSIONER.

 S. 3931--A                          3

   4. A MAJORITY OF THE WHOLE NUMBER OF VOTING MEMBERS OF  THE  COMMITTEE
 SHALL  CONSTITUTE  A QUORUM FOR THE TRANSACTION OF THE COMMITTEE'S BUSI-
 NESS. THE COMMITTEE SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO ACT BY A  MAJORITY  VOTE  OF
 THE  VOTING  MEMBERS.  COMMITTEE  MEMBERS  SHALL HOLD OFFICE UNTIL THEIR
 SUCCESSORS  HAVE  BEEN  APPOINTED  AND  HAVE QUALIFIED. THE SELECTION OF
 SUCCESSORS TO FILL A VACANCY SHALL BE MADE IN THE SAME MANNER  IN  WHICH
 THE RETIRING COMMITTEE MEMBERS SHALL HAVE BEEN SELECTED.  MEMBERS OF THE
 COMMITTEE  SHALL  RECEIVE  NO SALARY OR OTHER COMPENSATION, BUT SHALL BE
 ENTITLED TO THEIR ACTUAL AND  NECESSARY  EXPENSES,  INCLUDING  TRAVELING
 EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE DISCHARGE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.