Bill Text: NY S09138 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishes the interagency elder justice task force consisting of representatives of state agencies whose work involves elder justice to create greater collaboration and develop overarching strategies, systems, and programs with a goal of protecting older adults from abuse and mistreatment.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)

Status: (Engrossed) 2024-06-04 - referred to aging [S09138 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S09138-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          9138

                    IN SENATE

                                     April 30, 2024
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging

        AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to establishing  the  intera-
          gency  elder  justice task force; 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.  The  elder  law is amended by adding a new section 226 to
     2  read as follows:
     3    § 226. Interagency elder  justice  task  force.  1.  There  is  hereby
     4  created  within  the  office  an  interagency  elder  justice task force
     5  consisting of representatives of  state  agencies  whose  work  involves
     6  elder  justice  to  create greater collaboration and develop overarching
     7  strategies, systems, and programs, with the  goal  of  protecting  older
     8  adults  from abuse and mistreatment. The task force shall collaborate to
     9  identify consistent policies and programs in elder justice; and, facili-
    10  tate communication and foster collaborative  relationships  among  state
    11  agencies.
    12    2.  The  task  force  shall  consist of the following members or their
    13  designees:
    14    (a) the director of the office for  the  aging,  who  shall  serve  as
    15  chair;
    16    (b) the director of the office of victims services;
    17    (c) the commissioner of the office of children and family services;
    18    (d) the superintendent of financial services;
    19    (e) the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services;
    20    (f) the commissioner of mental health;
    21    (g)  the  director  of  the  office  for  the  prevention  of domestic
    22  violence;
    23    (h) the commissioner of health;
    24    (i) the commissioner of the office for people with developmental disa-
    25  bilities;
    26    (j) the superintendent of the New York state police;
    27    (k) the executive director of the justice center for the    protection
    28  of people with special needs;
    29    (l)  the  secretary of state for the department of state's division of
    30  consumer protection;

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD15328-01-4

        S. 9138                             2

     1    (m) two members appointed by the governor;
     2    (n) one member appointed by the speaker of the assembly; and
     3    (o) one member appointed by the temporary president of the senate.
     4    3.  The  task  force shall request input from stakeholders, advocates,
     5  experts, and coalitions.
     6    4. Members appointed to the task force shall have relevant  experience
     7  and  expertise  concerning  elder  justice by virtue of their education,
     8  training or lived experience.
     9    5. The task force shall:
    10    (a) develop a cohesive, comprehensive state plan on elder justice that
    11  aligns with New York state's elder justice policy  and  programs  across
    12  state agency responsibilities;
    13    (b)  develop  plans  for a coordinated and comprehensive response from
    14  state and local government  and  other  entities  when  elder  abuse  is
    15  reported;
    16    (c)  facilitate  interagency  planning and policy development on elder
    17  justice;
    18    (d) review and propose specific agency initiatives for their impact on
    19  systems and services related to elder justice;
    20    (e) coordinate activities for world  elder  abuse  awareness  day  and
    21  other events;
    22    (f)  inform local and state agencies on national developments in elder
    23  justice; and
    24    (g) make recommendations to the governor that will improve New  York's
    25  elder abuse prevention and intervention efforts.
    26    6.  The  task  force  shall  serve to focus attention on elder justice
    27  comprehensively and create a multidisciplinary mechanism to work  toward
    28  alignment  across  agencies to help achieve the governor's elder justice
    29  priorities.
    30    7. The task force shall meet regularly, but  no  less  than  once  per
    31  month  and  where otherwise appropriate to fulfill its duties under this
    32  chapter. The members of this task  force  shall  serve  without  compen-
    33  sation,  but  shall  be  entitled  to  reimbursement  for  all necessary
    34  expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
    35    8. Any vacancies in the membership of the task force shall  be  filled
    36  in the same manner provided for in the initial appointment.
    37    9.  The members of the task force shall be appointed no later than one
    38  hundred and twenty days after the effective date of this section.
    39    § 2. Within one year of the effective date of this  act,  in  carrying
    40  out  its  functions, the interagency elder justice task force shall hold
    41  five public hearings around the state to foster discussions and  conduct
    42  formal public hearings with requisite public notice to solicit input and
    43  recommendations  from statewide and regional stakeholder interests. Such
    44  task force shall also accept public input in writing.  Such  task  force
    45  may  utilize  remote  access such as web conferencing to comply with the
    46  provisions of this section.
    47    § 3. Within two years of the effective date of this act the interagen-
    48  cy elder justice task force shall report its  findings  and  recommenda-
    49  tions  to  the  governor,  the temporary president of the senate and the
    50  speaker of the assembly and shall publicize its findings on  the  office
    51  for the aging website.
    52    §  4.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
    53  deemed repealed 3 years after such effective date.
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