S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7688--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 7, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  THOMAS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to  the  Committee  on  Finance  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  establish  the  people with disabilities access to programs
   commission

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. 1. (a) There is hereby established a people with disabili-
 ties access to programs commission to examine, evaluate and make  recom-
 mendations  for new laws with respect to how the state should streamline
 eligibility requirements and processes for its programs and services  to
 assist  people  with  disabilities including but not limited to programs
 overseen by the  office  for  people  with  developmental  disabilities,
 office  of mental health, department of health, ACCES-VR, and the office
 of children and family services.  The commission's report shall  be  due
 by December 1, 2023.
   (b) The commission shall be comprised of eleven members, five of which
 shall  be  appointed by the governor, two of which shall be appointed by
 the temporary president of the senate, two of which shall  be  appointed
 by  the  speaker of the assembly, one of which shall be appointed by the
 minority leader of the senate, and one of which shall  be  appointed  by
 the  minority  leader of the assembly. The commission shall not be fully
 constituted without the appointment of the eleventh member. There  shall
 be  no  chairperson appointed, and the commission shall be governed by a
 majority vote, and at all times, the commission shall act with a quorum.
   2. (a) The commission shall only meet within the state and shall  hold
 at least one hearing at which the public will be afforded an opportunity
 to  provide comments. The commission may hold additional public hearings
 as it deems necessary. Such additional hearings, if any, may  allow  for
 an opportunity to provide public comments.
   (b)  The  members  of the commission shall receive no compensation for
 their services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary  expenses
 incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder. Nothing contained
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD14087-03-2
 S. 7688--A                          2
 
 herein  shall  prohibit a member of the commission from receiving his or
 her salary earned by reason of their state employee position.
   (c) No member of the commission shall be disqualified from holding any
 other  public  office  or public employment, nor shall he or she forfeit
 any such public office or public employment by  reason  of  his  or  her
 appointment  pursuant to this section, notwithstanding the provisions of
 any general, special or local law, regulation, ordinance or  city  char-
 ter.
   (d)  To  the  maximum  extent  feasible  and as authorized by law, the
 commission shall be entitled to request and receive  and  shall  utilize
 and  be  provided with such facilities, resources and data of any court,
 department,  division,  board,  bureau,  commission,  agency  or  public
 authority  of  the  state or any political subdivision thereof as it may
 reasonably request to properly carry out its powers and duties  pursuant
 to  this act.  Provided however, any information obtained by the commis-
 sion shall be kept confidential and  shall  only  be  utilized  for  the
 purpose  of completing their responsibilities as a member of the commis-
 sion.
   (e) The commission may request, and shall receive, reasonable  assist-
 ance  from state agency personnel as is necessary for the performance of
 its function.
   3. The commission shall make a report to the governor and the legisla-
 ture of its findings, conclusions,  determinations  and  recommendations
 and shall submit such report by December 1, 2023.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately. The commission itself, as
 created  by  section  one  of  this act, shall dissolve after the report
 required by section one of this act has been submitted.