Bill Text: NY A00411 | 2011-2012 | General Assembly | Amended

New York Assembly Bill 411 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Establishes the task force on adults with autism within the office for people with developmental disabilities to study, evaluate and develop recommendations relating to specific actionable measures to support and meet the needs of adults with autism.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-18 - print number 411b [A00411 Detail]

Download: New_York-2011-A00411-Amended.html

                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        411--A
                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 5, 2011
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by M. of A. GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
         tee on Mental Health -- committee discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
         reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
       AN  ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing the
         task force on adults with autism; 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:
    1    Section  1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that autism is
    2  a lifelong disability, yet much of the focus on autism  spectrum  disor-
    3  ders  relates  to  education and development, and neglects concerns that
    4  may arise later in a person's life.  The  legislature  also  finds  that
    5  adults with autism may face significant challenges in various aspects of
    6  their  lives,  including  such areas as job placement, housing and long-
    7  term care. Further, just as the autism spectrum covers a wide  range  of
    8  functional  abilities,  so  does  the need for services and supports for
    9  adults with autism. Consequently, the legislature finds that there is  a
   10  pressing  need  for policymakers and advocates in the state to formulate
   11  achievable goals for state government to meet in order to  better  serve
   12  the  community of adults with autism spectrum disorders. To this end, it
   13  is in the public interest to establish  a  task  force  on  adults  with
   14  autism  to develop a comprehensive plan for meeting the various needs of
   15  adults with autism spectrum disorders living in New York.
   16    S 2. The mental hygiene law is amended by adding a new  section  13.41
   17  to read as follows:
   18  S 13.41 TASK FORCE ON ADULTS WITH AUTISM.
   19    (A)  THERE  IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED THE TASK FORCE ON ADULTS WITH AUTISM
   20  IN THE OFFICE. THE PURPOSE OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE TO STUDY, EVALUATE
   21  AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS RELATING TO SPECIFIC ACTIONABLE MEASURES  TO
   22  SUPPORT  AND  MEET  THE NEEDS OF ADULTS WITH AUTISM WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD01908-02-1
       A. 411--A                           2
    1  THE STATE, INCLUDING SUCH NEEDS AS VOCATIONAL,  RESIDENTIAL  AND  SOCIAL
    2  NEEDS.  THE  RECOMMENDATIONS  OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL COMPRISE THE BASIS
    3  FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR MEETING THE NEEDS OF  ADULTS  WITH  AUTISM,
    4  AND  SHALL  BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE PURSUANT TO
    5  SUBDIVISION (F) OF THIS SECTION.
    6    (B) THE TASK FORCE SHALL CONSIST OF NINE MEMBERS AS FOLLOWS:
    7    (1) THE COMMISSIONER, THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, THE COMMISSIONER  OF
    8  EDUCATION,  THE  DEPUTY  COMMISSIONER  FOR  ADULT  CAREER AND CONTINUING
    9  EDUCATION SERVICES WITHIN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND THE  COMMISSIONER
   10  OF LABOR; AND
   11    (2) FOUR MEMBERS WITH DEMONSTRATED EXPERTISE IN ISSUES RELATING TO THE
   12  WORK OF THE TASK FORCE; WITH TWO SUCH MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR,
   13  ONE  SUCH MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND
   14  ONE SUCH MEMBER APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, NO LATER  THAN
   15  THE THIRTIETH DAY AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   16    VACANCIES  IN  THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE FILLED IN THE
   17  SAME MANNER PROVIDED FOR BY THE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS.
   18    (C) THE COMMISSIONER OR THE COMMISSIONER'S  DESIGNEE  SHALL  SERVE  AS
   19  CHAIRPERSON  OF THE TASK FORCE. THE TASK FORCE SHALL ORGANIZE AS SOON AS
   20  PRACTICABLE FOLLOWING THE APPOINTMENT OF ITS MEMBERS AND SHALL SELECT  A
   21  VICE-CHAIRPERSON FROM AMONG THE MEMBERS. THE CHAIRPERSON SHALL APPOINT A
   22  SECRETARY WHO NEED NOT BE A MEMBER OF THE TASK FORCE.
   23    (D)  THE  MEMBERS  OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR
   24  THEIR SERVICES, BUT SHALL BE ALLOWED THEIR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES
   25  INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   26    (E) TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT FEASIBLE, THE TASK FORCE SHALL  BE  ENTITLED
   27  TO  REQUEST  AND  RECEIVE,  AND  SHALL UTILIZE AND BE PROVIDED WITH SUCH
   28  FACILITIES, RESOURCES AND  DATA  OF  ANY  COURT,  DEPARTMENT,  DIVISION,
   29  BOARD, BUREAU, COMMISSION OR AGENCY OF THE STATE OR ANY POLITICAL SUBDI-
   30  VISION  THEREOF  AS  IT MAY REASONABLY REQUEST TO PROPERLY CARRY OUT ITS
   31  POWERS AND DUTIES.
   32    (F) THE TASK FORCE SHALL REPORT ITS FINDINGS  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS  TO
   33  THE  GOVERNOR,  THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF
   34  THE ASSEMBLY ON OR BEFORE APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWELVE.
   35    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
   36  deemed repealed 2 years after such effective date.