S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6891
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              April 13, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  TANNOUSIS  --  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 21 to read as follows:
   21. 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
 PRESIDENT, OFFER SUCH A  SERVICE  LEARNING,  INTERNSHIP  OR  INDEPENDENT
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD10746-01-1

 A. 6891                             2
 
 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. Effective immediately, the state university trustees
 are authorized to add, amend and/or repeal any rule or regulation neces-
 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date.