NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7919

Senate Bill S7919

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Expands volunteerism by making use of the databases of statewide aging organizations and institutes volunteer certificate programs

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Aging 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 aging

2023-S7919 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Aging
Law Section:: Elder Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §203, Eld L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S2027
2011-2012: S2688
2013-2014: S5396
2015-2016: S2517
2017-2018: S2236
2019-2020: S5022
2021-2022: S5420

2023-S7919 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Expands volunteerism by making use of the databases of statewide aging organizations; institutes volunteer certificate programs which train volunteers and individuals in programs to use the volunteers.

2023-S7919 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7919

SPONSOR: PARKER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the elder law, in relation to volunteer programs

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To increase opportunities for older New Yorkers to volunteer their time
in meaningful ways.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill amends subdivision 7 of section 203 of the elder
law, which deals with the general powers and duties of the State Office
for the Aging (SOFA), is amended to authorize SOFA to enter into a
contract with one or more statewide organizations in order to establish
a volunteer databank, and to establish, replicate, or encourage the
development of training programs for such volunteers and the programs
and services that make use of them. In addition, the section requires
SOFA to establish guidelines, including for confidentiality and access

to the data, and to establish and replicate a model training curriculum
for not-for-profits organization s and volunteers, whose purpose shall
be to train volunteers, and to train not-for-profit organizations in
ways of effectively and efficiently using volunteers. In developing the
curriculum SOFA may consult and work with individuals and entities with
appropriate expertise at the State University of New York and the City
University of New York.

Section 2 of the bill establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Many older New Yorkers are looking for opportunity, to volunteer in a
meaningful way; and many not-for-profit organizations would use volun-
teers if they could be effectively and efficiently employed.  This
legislation allows for the creation of a wide-ranging database and
training that would help match volunteers with organizations that can
effectively use their talents.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: S.5420 - Referred to Aging

2019-20: S.5022 - Referred to Aging

2017-18: S.2236 - REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE

2015-16: S.2517(Parker)/A.2443 -Referred to Aging

2013-14: S.5396(Parker)/A.2450 - Referred to Aging

2011-12: S.2688(Golden)/A.2688 -Referred to Aging

2009-10: S.2027(Golden)/A.7914 -Referred to Aging

2008-09: S.6966(Golden)/A.10436- Passed Both Houses vetoed by Governor

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately, provided that the powers and
duties established in paragraph (b) of subdivision 7 of section 203 of
the elder law as added by this act shall be effective on and after the
first of April occurring at least one year after the date on which this
act shall have become a law.

2023-S7919 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7919
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 3, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
 
 AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to volunteer programs
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 7 of section 203 of the elder law is amended to
 read as follows:
   7.  (A) The director is hereby authorized, within amounts appropriated
 therefor, to make grants-in-aid to retired and senior volunteer programs
 for the engagement of individuals fifty-five years of  age  or  over  to
 serve  as  volunteers  for  the  betterment of their community and them-
 selves. Such volunteer activities may include but shall not  be  limited
 to  assisting  with the preparation of meals at nutrition sites; leading
 activities at child care centers; delivering meals to homebound elderly;
 providing telephone reassurance and/or  friendly  visits  to  the  frail
 elderly;  tutoring  adults  or children; assisting with services for the
 homeless and assisting school districts which request volunteers for the
 purpose of notifying a person in parental  relation  to  any  elementary
 school  pupil  when such pupil is deemed absent from required attendance
 at his or her designated school. The services of these  volunteers  will
 be performed in the community where such individuals reside or in nearby
 communities. Up to ten percent of such grants-in-aid may be expended for
 the  administrative  purposes of such programs, with the approval of the
 office. Such grants shall be for a period  of  twelve  months  or  less,
 shall  not  be  used  to match other state funds, shall not be used as a
 substitute for federal allocations, and shall be made in a manner  which
 does not conflict with federal law, rule or regulation pursuant to title
 II  of  the  United  States  domestic volunteer services act of nineteen
 hundred seventy-three, as amended. Grants may be used to  match  federal
 funds,  but  not  as  a  substitute  for  presently required non-federal
 shares. Each grantee shall file reports at such time and containing such
 information as the office shall require. For the purpose of  administer-
 ing  such  grants-in-aid  the office may make such agreements with other
 public agencies as are deemed necessary.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD04499-01-3
 S. 7919                             2
 
   (B) IN ADDITION TO THE POWERS AND DUTIES CONTAINED IN SUBDIVISION  TWO
 OF  THIS  SECTION,  THE  OFFICE  IS  HEREBY  AUTHORIZED  TO ENTER INTO A
 RELATIONSHIP, DEFINED BY CONTRACT, WITH ONE OR MORE STATEWIDE  ORGANIZA-
 TIONS  FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A DATABANK OF INDIVIDUALS WISHING
 TO  VOLUNTEER  THEIR  SERVICES TO PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE
 AGING, AND TO ESTABLISH, REPLICATE,  OR  ENCOURAGE  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF
 TRAINING  PROGRAMS  FOR  SUCH  VOLUNTEERS AND PROGRAMS. THE OFFICE SHALL
 ESTABLISH GUIDELINES  FOR  THE  USE  OF  ANY  SUCH  DATABANK,  INCLUDING
 REQUIREMENTS  CONCERNING  APPROPRIATE  DATA TO BE ENTERED INTO THE DATA-
 BANK, CONFIDENTIALITY, SCREENING, ACCESS, CORRECTION OF  THE  DATA,  AND
 SUCH  OTHER  REQUIREMENTS AS THE OFFICE, AFTER CONSULTATION AND WITH THE
 ADVICE OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE AGING AND OTHERS, SHALL  ESTAB-
 LISH.  THE  PURPOSE  OF  THE TRAINING CURRICULUM SHALL BE TO TRAIN, ON A
 VOLUNTARY BASIS, VOLUNTEERS FOR THE TASKS THEY ARE  INTERESTED  IN,  AND
 INDIVIDUALS  IN  NOT-FOR-PROFIT  ORGANIZATIONS  IN EFFECTIVELY AND EFFI-
 CIENTLY USING VOLUNTEERS. IN DEVELOPING THE CURRICULUM  THE  OFFICE  MAY
 CONSULT  AND  WORK  WITH INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES WITH EXPERTISE IN SUCH
 TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF  NEW  YORK  AND  THE
 CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.
   §  2. This act shall take effect immediately, provided that the powers
 and duties established in paragraph (b) of subdivision 7 of section  203
 of  the  elder  law as added by this act shall be effective on and after
 the first of April occurring at least one year after the date  on  which
 this act shall have become a law.

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