Bill Text: NY S08379 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Amended

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Bill Title: Establishes the task force to promote the employment by state agencies of people with disabilities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-05-15 - PRINT NUMBER 8379A [S08379 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S08379-Amended.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         8379--A

                    IN SENATE

                                    January 25, 2024
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  RAMOS  -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Disabilities --  committee
          discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
          to said committee

        AN ACT in relation to establishing the task force to promote the employ-
          ment of people with disabilities

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. 1. (a) There is hereby established, in  the  department  of
     2  labor,  a  task  force  to promote competitive integrated employment for
     3  people with disabilities. The task force shall consist of 16 members  to
     4  be appointed by the governor as follows:
     5    (i) a representative from the department of civil service;
     6    (ii)  a  representative  from  the department of education's office of
     7  adult career and continuing education services;
     8    (iii) a representative from the department of labor;
     9    (iv) a representative from the office of the state comptroller;
    10    (v) a representative from the office  for  people  with  developmental
    11  disabilities;
    12    (vi) a representative from the office of mental health;
    13    (vii) a representative from the office of strategic workforce develop-
    14  ment;
    15    (viii)  a representative from the office of the chief disability offi-
    16  cer;
    17    (ix) a representative of organized labor appointed upon recommendation
    18  of the New York State American Federation of  Labor-Congress  of  Indus-
    19  trial Organizations;
    20    (x)  a  representative of the business community appointed upon recom-
    21  mendation of the Business Council of New York State, Incorporated;
    22    (xi) an individual upon recommendation of the speaker of the assembly;
    23    (xii) an individual upon recommendation of the temporary president  of
    24  the senate;
    25    (xiii) two representatives of employment services providers for people
    26  with disabilities; and

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10281-03-4
        S. 8379--A                          2

     1    (xiv) two individuals with a disability.
     2    (b) The representative from the department of labor shall serve as the
     3  chair of the task force.
     4    2.  The appointed members of the task force shall serve for terms of 3
     5  years.  Vacancies in the membership of the appointed members of the task
     6  force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.
     7    3. Members of the task force shall  serve  without  compensation,  but
     8  shall  be  reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance
     9  of their duties as members of the task force.
    10    4. The task force  shall  organize  as  soon  as  possible  after  the
    11  appointments are made. The task force shall meet at least quarterly in a
    12  calendar  year, may hold meetings and hearings at places and times as it
    13  designates, and may meet at any other times at the call  of  the  chair-
    14  person. No action shall be taken by the task force except by an affirma-
    15  tive vote of a majority of the voting members.
    16    §  2.  1. (a) The purpose of the task force is to study the problem of
    17  unemployment and underemployment among  individuals  with  disabilities,
    18  and  review  relevant  programs  within  New  York and other states that
    19  assist in the employment of individuals with disabilities in the  public
    20  and/or private sectors.
    21    (b) The task force shall:
    22    (i)  examine  strategies to increase competitive integrated employment
    23  of people with disabilities;
    24    (ii) support the goals of competitive integrated employment,  equality
    25  of  opportunity,  full  participation,  independent living, and economic
    26  self-sufficiency for these individuals;
    27    (iii) ensure that state government is a model employer of  individuals
    28  with disabilities;
    29    (iv)  promote  state  efforts to disseminate information to workers on
    30  state and federal programs that assist individuals with disabilities  in
    31  seeking and maintaining employment;
    32    (v)  assist  in the identification and implementation of strategies to
    33  expand efforts of New  York  state  and  local  government  agencies  to
    34  recruit,  hire,  and retain in employment individuals with disabilities;
    35  and
    36    (vi) coordinate and provide leadership, as necessary, with  regard  to
    37  efforts to increase inclusion in the workforce of individuals with disa-
    38  bilities.
    39    2.  No  later than two years after the appointment of its members, the
    40  task force shall prepare and submit a report to the governor, the tempo-
    41  rary president of the senate, and the  speaker  of  the  assembly.  Such
    42  report  shall provide recommendations on the ways in which the state can
    43  increase competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabil-
    44  ities. Such recommendations shall address the topics set forth  in  this
    45  section.  Each  annual  report  shall be made publicly accessible on the
    46  websites of the state agencies represented on the task force.
    47    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.