S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6021
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on People with Disabilities
 
 AN ACT establishing the "blue-ribbon commission on  the  future  of  New
   York state's service delivery system for individuals with intellectual
   and  developmental  disabilities act"; and providing for the repeal of
   such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
   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 "blue-ribbon commission on the future of New  York  state's  service
 delivery  system  for  individuals  with  intellectual and developmental
 disabilities act".
   § 2. A temporary commission, to be known as the  "blue-ribbon  commis-
 sion on the future of New York state's service delivery system for indi-
 viduals  with  intellectual and developmental disabilities", hereinafter
 referred to as the "commission", is  hereby  established  to  conduct  a
 comprehensive  study  and prepare a report to examine, evaluate and make
 recommendations for systemic reforms to  ensure  a  sustainable  set  of
 supports  and  services  that  meets  the  needs of all individuals with
 intellectual and developmental disabilities.
   § 3. 1. The commission shall consist of fifteen members  appointed  by
 the governor as follows:
   (a) two members who are individuals with developmental or intellectual
 disabilities;  one  of  whom  must  represent  a self-advocacy group for
 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities;
   (b) one member who is a representative of organized labor that repres-
 ents a facility operated by the office  for  people  with  developmental
 disabilities;
   (c)  one  member  who is a representative of a provider agency that is
 certified by the office for people with developmental disabilities;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02956-01-5
 A. 6021                             2
              

 
   (d) one member who is a not-for-profit housing developer with  experi-
 ence building a supervised living facility or a supportive living facil-
 ity as such terms are defined in section 1.03 of the mental hygiene law,
 or  a  group  home operated by a provider agency certified by the office
 for people with developmental disabilities;
   (e)  one member who is a representative of an organization established
 by section forty-four hundred three-g of the public health law;
   (f) one member who is a direct support professional certified  by  the
 office for people with developmental disabilities;
   (g)  two members upon recommendation of the temporary president of the
 senate;
   (h) one member upon recommendation  of  the  minority  leader  of  the
 senate;
   (i) two members upon recommendation of the speaker of the assembly;
   (j)  one  member  upon  recommendation  of  the minority leader of the
 assembly;
   (k) one member who is the commissioner of the office for  people  with
 developmental disabilities or such commissioner's designee; and
   (l) one member who is the chief disability officer or such chief disa-
 bility officer's designee.
   2.  The commissioner of the office for people with developmental disa-
 bilities shall serve as the chair of the commission.  Additionally,  the
 commission  shall  elect  a  vice-chair and a secretary from amongst its
 members. Vacancies in the membership of the  commission  and  among  its
 officers  shall  be  filled in the manner provided for original appoint-
 ments.
   3. 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.
   §  4. The study shall examine systemic reforms to ensure a sustainable
 set of supports and services that meets the evolving needs of all  indi-
 viduals  with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including but
 not limited to:
   1. solutions to address the recruitment and retention  of  the  direct
 care workforce;
   2.  access to person centered supports and services that reduce racial
 and  socio-economic  inequities and disparities and anticipates changing
 demographics of the population;
   3. technology and infrastructure  needs,  including  potential  future
 needs and uses to improve effectiveness of the service system;
   4.  the  evolving  service  needs of individuals with intellectual and
 developmental disabilities, especially those  with  co-occurring  behav-
 ioral health needs and other cross-systems issues;
   5.  evolving housing needs and opportunities, that support the state's
 Olmstead plan and independent living in community-based settings;
   6. increasing competitive, integrated employment for individuals  with
 intellectual and developmental disabilities.
   §  5.  Not  later than fifteen months after the effective date of this
 act, the commission shall prepare and submit to the governor, the tempo-
 rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly a report of
 the study's findings, together with specific recommendations for system-
 ic reforms to ensure a sustainable set of  supports  and  services  that
 meets  the  needs of all individuals with intellectual and developmental
 disabilities.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed repealed two years after it shall have become a law.