S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    687
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 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;

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02760-01-5
 S. 687                              2
              

 
   (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.
   § 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.