S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
598--B
Cal. No. 329
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 6, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sens. MAY, RIVERA, SKOUFIS, BIAGGI, COONEY, KAPLAN, KRUEG-
ER, LIU, MYRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to
be committed to the Committee on Aging -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee -- reported favorably from said committee, ordered to first
report, amended on first report, ordered to a second report and
ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of second report
AN ACT in relation to enacting the "reimagining long-term care task
force" to create a task force to study the state of long-term care
services in this state
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the "reimagining long-term care task force act".
§ 2. Reimagining long-term care task force; duties. There is hereby
created the reimagining long-term care task force. Such task force shall
study the state of long-term care services, options and challenges for
older New Yorkers and reimagine how the state can better meet the exist-
ing and projected needs of such New Yorkers in ways that prioritize
safety and affordability, and enhance the quality of life for those in
need of such care. In carrying out its task, the task force shall
consider the full continuum of care available to older New Yorkers,
including, but not limited to, community-based services, consumer-di-
rected services, culturally and linguistically relevant healthcare,
independent living, assisted living and skilled-nursing facility care.
The task force shall study the limitations currently hampering quality
care, both in home-based and facility-based settings, and consider
potential models for improvement. In addition, the task force shall
study the challenges and issues generated by the coronavirus pandemic,
including, but not limited to, infection control protocols and enforce-
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04857-05-1
S. 598--B 2
ment, staffing shortages, lack of federally mandated crisis plans, visi-
tation bans, and other factors that exacerbated the pandemic's toll on
residents and staff of skilled nursing and other adult-care facilities.
The task force shall utilize the findings of its study on the impact of
the coronavirus pandemic to formulate recommendations on how such
skilled nursing and other adult-care facilities, as well as home care
service agencies, can better care for and protect the overall well-being
of residents and clients in any future emergency.
§ 3. Membership. 1. The reimagining long-term care task force shall
consist of 26 members as follows:
(a) the director of the office for the aging, or his or her designee;
(b) the commissioner of health, or his or her designee;
(c) the commissioner of labor, or his or her designee;
(d) the commissioner of the office for people with developmental disa-
bilities, or his or her designee;
(e) two members appointed by the governor;
(f) two members appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
(g) two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly;
(h) one member appointed by the minority leader of the senate;
(i) one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly;
(j) one representative of the AARP;
(k) one representative of New York Caring Majority;
(l) one representative of the Home Care Association of New York State
(HCA-NYS);
(m) one representative of the Long Term Care Community Coalition;
(n) one representative of 1199;
(o) one representative of the New York State Nurses Association;
(p) one representative of LeadingAge;
(q) one representative of Healthcare Association of New York State
(HANYS);
(r) one representative of the Association on Aging in New York; and
(s) one representative of the Empire State Association of Assisted
Living;
(t) one representative of the New York State Health Facilities
Association/New York State Center for Assisted Living;
(u) one representative of the New York Medical Directors Association;
(v) one representative of the New York Chapter of the American College
of Physicians Geriatrics Committee; and
(w) one representative of Argentum New York.
2. Members of the task force shall broadly represent long-term care
and senior-related interests, including persons with expertise in senior
or long-term care advocacy, persons with expertise in addressing dispar-
ities based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and
disability in senior or long-term care, home care and facility based
service providers, health care workers, community-based services,
consumer-directed services, associations for seniors, health care asso-
ciations, elder law representatives, and/or representatives of senior
housing, including skilled nursing, independent facilities and services,
assisted living facilities and services, and naturally occurring retire-
ment communities.
3. The director of the office for the aging, or his or her designee,
shall serve as chairperson of the task force.
4. No member of the task force shall be disqualified from holding any
other public office or employment, nor shall he or she forfeit any such
office or employment by reason of his or her appointment pursuant to
S. 598--B 3
this act, notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special or
local law, ordinance or city charter.
5. The members of the task force shall receive no compensation for
their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act.
§ 4. Assistance from state and local agencies. All departments and
agencies of the state or subdivisions thereof, and local governments of
this state shall, at the request of the chairperson, provide the task
force such facilities, assistance and data to enable the task force to
carry out its duties pursuant to this act.
§ 5. Reports. 1. The task force shall report the findings of its study
with respect to the coronavirus pandemic to the governor, the temporary
president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly, on or before
December 1, 2021. Such report shall include recommendations for further
action and legislation.
2. The task force shall report the findings of its full study to the
governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the
assembly, on or before May 1, 2022. Such report shall include recommen-
dations for further action and legislation.
§ 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
