NY State Senate Bill 2023-S9337

Senate Bill S9337

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Establishes the transitional pathway program for students in higher education with autism spectrum disorder

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Higher Education 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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 13, 2024	referred to higher education

2023-S9337 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Higher Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §§355-f & 6235, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:: S687

2023-S9337 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the transitional pathway program for students in higher education at SUNY and CUNY schools with autism spectrum disorder to encourage accessibility and inclusivity in higher education for students with autism spectrum disorder; makes related provisions.

2023-S9337 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9337

SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the tran-
sitional pathway program for students in higher education with autism
spectrum disorder

 
PURPOSE:

The purpose of this legislation is to encourage CUNY and SUNY schools to
establish transitional pathway programs to support the enrollment and
matriculation of students with autism spectrum disorder.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 355-f
establishing a transitional pathway program for individuals with autism
spectrum disorder in the SUNY school system.

Section 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6235

establishing a transitional pathway program for individuals with autism
spectrum disorder in the CUNY school system.

Section 3. Establishes the enacting clause.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Historically, students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have experi-
enced greater difficulty enrolling in and graduating from traditional
colleges and universities. Unlike high school protocols involving Indi-
vidual Education Plans (IEP's) with tailored individualized support,
most college universities are not properly equipped to provide transi-
tional support for students with ASD as they matriculate.

While students with ASD can request accommodations pursuant to the Amer-
ican Disabilities Act and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act as well
as school policy for extended time on exams and deadlines, it is well
known their needs far exceed the classroom. The process of transitioning
from high school to college is difficult as is and as such this transi-
tion is amplified for students with ASD hoping for an enriching and
holistic education experience. The program outlined in this section
includes several mechanisms to specifically support students with ASD
academically and socially including the designation of low-stimulating
areas on campus for students to build community and connect, requesting
the accommodations they need, providing up-to-date materials on existing
resources and prompt schools to review protocols and procedures for
potential amendment. This legislation aims to bring awareness to the
issue as many colleges and universities begin to address this gap and
provide a foundational framework for implementation.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date
on which it shall have become a law.

2023-S9337 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9337
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 13, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Higher Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the tran-
   sitional pathway program for students in higher education with  autism
   spectrum disorder
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  355-f
 to read as follows:
   §  355-F.  ESTABLISHMENT  OF A TRANSITIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM. A TRANSI-
 TIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM MAY BE CREATED  TO  ENCOURAGE  ACCESSIBILITY  AND
 INCLUSIVITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISOR-
 DER.  THE  STATE UNIVERSITY MAY ESTABLISH SUCH PROGRAM THROUGH THE STATE
 UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF DISABILITIES, THE OFFICE  OF  UNIVERSITY  LIFE  AND
 OTHER  RELEVANT  DEPARTMENTS.  SUCH  TRANSITIONAL  PATHWAY  PROGRAM  MAY
 INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) THE CREATION OF A PEER-SUPPORT PROGRAM WITH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION,
 PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL WORK, OR OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD  ASSIGN
 A  PEER  OR TRAINED MENTOR TO A STUDENT WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO
 PROVIDE ACADEMIC SUPPORT, SOCIAL GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE  WITH  ACCOMMO-
 DATIONS.  SUCH PEER-SUPPORT PROGRAM MAY FURTHER INCLUDE A PLAN TO GRADU-
 ALLY INCREASE INDEPENDENCE AS THE STUDENT MATRICULATES;
   (B) THE PROVISION OF ACCOMMODATION POLICIES AND RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
 WITH DISABILITIES, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM  DISORDER,
 VIA  THE SCHOOL WEBSITE AND WITHIN APPLICATION AND ORIENTATION MATERIALS
 FOR ALL CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS;
   (C) A SEPARATE ORIENTATION HELD  FOR  STUDENTS  WITH  AUTISM  SPECTRUM
 DISORDER;
   (D)  THE  TRAINING  OF FACULTY AND STAFF ON SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION POLI-
 CIES, PROCEDURES AND BEST PRACTICES TO ASSIST STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPEC-
 TRUM DISORDER;
   (E) AN EVALUATION OF CURRENT ACCOMMODATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES  TO
 ENSURE  LEGAL  COMPLIANCE AND ASSESS IF SUCH CONSIDERS THE ABILITIES AND
 LIMITATIONS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM  SPECTRUM  DISORDER  AND  MODIFY  IF
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD14744-03-4
 S. 9337                             2
 
 NEEDED.   THIS MAY FURTHER INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTOCOL FOR THE
 PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF  STUDENTS  WITH  AUTISM  SPECTRUM  DISORDER  TO
 PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE STUDENT AS SUCH STUDENT MATRICULATES; AND
   (F)  A  MECHANISM  FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO BUILD
 COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHICH  MAY  INCLUDE  THE  PROVISION  OF
 QUIET, LOW-STIMULATING AREAS ON CAMPUS.
   § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 6235 to read
 as follows:
   §  6235.  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  A TRANSITIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM. A TRANSI-
 TIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM MAY BE CREATED  TO  ENCOURAGE  ACCESSIBILITY  AND
 INCLUSIVITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISOR-
 DER.  THE  CITY  UNIVERSITY  MAY ESTABLISH SUCH PROGRAM THROUGH THE CITY
 UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF DISABILITIES, THE OFFICE  OF  UNIVERSITY  LIFE  AND
 OTHER  RELEVANT  DEPARTMENTS.  SUCH  TRANSITIONAL  PATHWAY  PROGRAM  MAY
 INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) THE CREATION OF A PEER-SUPPORT PROGRAM WITH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION,
 PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL WORK, OR OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENT THAT WOULD  ASSIGN
 A  PEER  OR TRAINED MENTOR TO A STUDENT WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO
 PROVIDE ACADEMIC SUPPORT, SOCIAL GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE  WITH  ACCOMMO-
 DATIONS.  SUCH PEER-SUPPORT PROGRAM MAY FURTHER INCLUDE A PLAN TO GRADU-
 ALLY INCREASE INDEPENDENCE AS THE STUDENT MATRICULATES;
   (B) THE PROVISION OF ACCOMMODATION POLICIES AND RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS
 WITH DISABILITIES, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM  DISORDER,
 VIA  THE SCHOOL WEBSITE AND WITHIN APPLICATION AND ORIENTATION MATERIALS
 FOR ALL CURRENT AND PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS;
   (C) A SEPARATE ORIENTATION HELD  FOR  STUDENTS  WITH  AUTISM  SPECTRUM
 DISORDER;
   (D)  THE  TRAINING  OF FACULTY AND STAFF ON SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION POLI-
 CIES, PROCEDURES AND BEST PRACTICES TO ASSIST STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPEC-
 TRUM DISORDER;
   (E) AN EVALUATION OF CURRENT ACCOMMODATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES  TO
 ENSURE  LEGAL  COMPLIANCE AND ASSESS IF SUCH CONSIDERS THE ABILITIES AND
 LIMITATIONS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM  SPECTRUM  DISORDER  AND  MODIFY  IF
 NEEDED.   THIS MAY FURTHER INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROTOCOL FOR THE
 PARENTS AND GUARDIANS OF  STUDENTS  WITH  AUTISM  SPECTRUM  DISORDER  TO
 PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE STUDENT AS SUCH STUDENT MATRICULATES; AND
   (F)  A  MECHANISM  FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER TO BUILD
 COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER WHICH  MAY  INCLUDE  THE  PROVISION  OF
 QUIET, LOW-STIMULATING AREAS ON CAMPUS.
   §  3.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.

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