NY State Senate Bill 2023-S6717

Senate Bill S6717

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to including additional positions in the definition of employee for the purposes of health care and mental hygiene worker bonuses

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Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to health
May 05, 2023	referred to health

co-Sponsors

2023-S6717 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §367-w, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: S9476

2023-S6717 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to including additional positions in the definition of employee for the purposes of health care and mental hygiene worker bonuses.

2023-S6717 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6717

SPONSOR: CHU
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to including addi-
tional positions in the definition of employee for the purposes of
health care and mental hygiene worker bonuses

 
PURPOSE:

To clarify that home health aides, personal care aides, personal care
aides and home attendants are included in the bonuses for frontline
healthcare workers that were provided for in the FY 2023 Budget in Part
D of the Health and Mental Hygiene Bill.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends subsection 2 of section 367-w of the social services
law to include home health aides, personal care aide, home attendant, or
other licensed or unlicensed person whose primary responsibility
includes the provision of in-home assistance with activities of daily

living" in the definition of "employee" that receives the frontline
healthcare worker bonus.

Section 2 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The final budget funded bonuses for numerous health care job titles
earning up to $125K per year but excluded home care workers. Home care
agencies will be in a position of giving bonuses to higher paid workers,
but not home health aides or personal care assistants.  Hospital and
nursing home workers received a hazard pay bonus in 2021, received an 8%
wage increase over three years (collective bargaining, funded in large
part through the State budget), and are eligible for bonuses through the
SFY2023 budget. Home care workers received no hazard pay bonuses in
2021, are the only frontline healthcare group not eligible for bonuses
in the SFY2023 budget, and will continue to be the lowest paid employees
in the health care workforce.

Home Care Workers are the largest and lowest paid healthcare workforce
(most home care workers are paid minimum wage) and have been experienc-
ing a mass exodus that is directly affecting the ability of vulnerable
New Yorkers to safely remain in their homes. These workers are crucial
to the health and wellbeing of New York's most vulnerable residents.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S9476 (KAPLAN) / A10458 (Rules/Joyner)

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately

2023-S6717 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6717
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 5, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  CHU  --  read  twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to including  addi-
   tional  positions  in  the  definition of employee for the purposes of
   health care and mental hygiene worker bonuses

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Subparagraph  (i)  of  paragraph  (a) of subdivision 2 of
 section 367-w of the social services law, as added by section 1 of  part
 ZZ of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended as follows:
   (i)   Physician  assistants,  dental  hygienists,  dental  assistants,
 psychiatric aides, pharmacists, pharmacy  technicians,  physical  thera-
 pists, physical therapy assistants, physical therapy aides, occupational
 therapists, occupational therapy assistants, occupational therapy aides,
 speech-language pathologists, respiratory therapists, exercise physiolo-
 gists,   recreational  therapists,  all  other  therapists,  orthotists,
 prosthetists, clinical laboratory technologists and  technicians,  diag-
 nostic  medical sonographers, nuclear medicine technologists, radiologic
 technologists,  magnetic  resonance  imaging  technologists,  ophthalmic
 medical technicians, radiation therapists, dietetic technicians, cardio-
 vascular  technologists  and  technicians,  certified  first responders,
 emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency  medical  technicians,
 paramedics,  surgical  technologists, all other health technologists and
 technicians, orderlies, HOME HEALTH AIDES,  PERSONAL  CARE  AIDES,  HOME
 ATTENDANTS,  PERSONAL  ASSISTANTS  PERFORMING CONSUMER DIRECTED PERSONAL
 ASSISTANCE SERVICES PURSUANT TO SECTION THREE  HUNDRED  SIXTY-FIVE-F  OF
 THIS  ARTICLE,  OR  OTHER  LICENSED  OR UNLICENSED PERSONS WHOSE PRIMARY
 RESPONSIBILITY INCLUDES THE PROVISION OF IN-HOME ASSISTANCE WITH  ACTIV-
 ITIES  OF  DAILY  LIVING,  INSTRUMENTAL  ACTIVITIES  OF  DAILY LIVING OR
 HEALTH-RELATED  TASKS,  medical  assistants,  phlebotomists,  all  other
 health  care  support workers, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, nurse
 practitioners, registered nurses, nursing assistants, and licensed prac-
 tical and licensed vocational nurses;
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04459-01-3

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Senate Bill S6717

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Sponsored By

Iwen Chu