What's happening
This bill requires counties to maintain a confidential registry of people of all ages with disabilities for disaster evacuation and sheltering.
Why it matters
Expands protections to all ages. The bill shifts from focusing only on adults to ensuring that children and adults with disabilities are included in county disaster planning, recognizing that people of any age may require special assistance during emergencies.
Mandates, rather than recommends, registries. Previously, counties were only advised to create such registries; now, they are required to do so, likely improving consistency and reliability in disaster response for people with disabilities across the state.
Stronger confidentiality and privacy controls. The legislation emphasizes that registry information must be kept confidential, with clear limits on sharing, addressing privacy concerns and potential misuse of sensitive personal data.
Improved outreach and awareness. Counties and service providers must proactively inform eligible individuals about the registry through multiple channels (including county websites and healthcare providers), which should increase participation and ensure more people who need help are identified before disaster strikes.
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Who cares
Headline styles
List Disabled Residents for Disasters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 32
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Register People With Disabilities
In Senate Committee · Veterans, Homeland Security And Military Affairs · Sponsor David Weprin
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5750
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 14, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring counties to maintain a confidential registry of people of all ages with disabilities for evacuation and sheltering during disasters
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 23-a of the executive law, as added by chapter 658 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows:
§ 23-a. [County] Confidential county registry of [disabled persons] people of all ages with disabilities, as that term is defined in subdivision twenty-one of section two hundred ninety-two of this chapter; notice. 1. In each county having a local [disaster preparedness] comprehensive emergency management plan pursuant to section twenty-three of this article, in order to meet the special needs of persons of all ages with disabilities who would need assistance during evacuations and sheltering because of physical or mental [handicaps] disabilities, it [is recommended] shall be required that each chief executive maintain a confidential registry of [disabled persons] people of all ages with disabilities located within the county. People of all ages with disabilities shall be given the option to be included in the registry. The [registration] registry shall identify those persons in need of assistance and plan for resource allocation to meet those identified needs. To assist the chief executive in identifying such persons, the county department of health, [or] and the county department of social services, the county department of mental health, such other county department or agency as designated by the chief executive, shall provide [voluntary] information about the registry and the registration [information] process to all of its [special needs clients] consumers of all ages with disabilities and to all incoming [clients] consumers as part of the
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07689-01-9
S. 5750 2
intake process. The registry shall be updated annually. The registration program shall give [disabled persons] such people of all ages with disabilities the option of pre-authorizing emergency response personnel to enter their homes during search and rescue operations if necessary to assure their safety and welfare during disasters.
2. Upon the establishment of a [voluntary] confidential registry of [disabled persons] people of all ages with disabilities as provided in subdivision one of this section, the chief executive shall make such registry available to the appropriate county, state and federal agencies for their use in delivering services in the event of a local or state disaster. The chief executive shall, upon [the] request [of the state emergency management office], provide such registry information to [such] the state emergency management office, provided that the confidentiality of such information is preserved. The chief executive may, at his or her discretion, use the registry information for local disaster preparedness [only] in coordination with other political subdivisions of the state, provided that the confidentiality of such information is preserved.
3. Upon the establishment of a [voluntary] confidential registry of [disabled persons] people of all ages with disabilities as provided in subdivision one of this section, [at least semi-annually,] each chief executive shall annually cause to be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the county a notice of the availability of the [voluntary] registration program and each chief executive shall, in his or her discretion, also provide information about the registry and the registration process to other forms of media, and shall further ensure that information about the registry and the registration process is available on the website of such county.
4. All records, data, information, correspondence and communications relating to the registration of [disabled persons] people of all ages with disabilities as provided in subdivision one of this section are confidential, except that such information shall be available to other county chief executives for local disaster preparedness only as the chief executive of the county maintaining such registry deems necessary. Provided, however, the individual file of a person having registered with the confidential registry of [disabled persons] people of all ages with disabilities shall be made available to that person upon request.
5. All community-based services providers, including home health care providers, shall assist the chief executive by collecting confidential registration information for people [with special needs] of all ages with disabilities who choose to provide such information as part of program intake processes, establishing programs to increase the awareness of the registration process, and educating [clients] consumers about the procedures that may be necessary for their safety during disasters.
6. A county shall not be liable for any claim based upon the reasonable, good faith exercise or performance or the reasonable, good faith failure to exercise or perform a function or duty on the part of any officer or employee in carrying out a local disaster preparedness plan.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring counties to maintain a confidential registry of people of all ages with disabilities for evacuation and sheltering during disasters
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to protect people of all ages with disabili- ties during times of disaster by requiring counties to maintain a confi- dential registry of people of all ages who may require assistance during a disaster and who have opted to be included on such registry.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill relates to county confidential registries of people of all ages with disabilities. Inclusion in the confidential registry is volun- tary and provisions are included to provide people of all ages with disabilities the option to be included in the registry. All records, data, information, correspondence, and communications relating to the registration of people of all ages with disabilities remains confiden- tial and are only available to the appropriate county, state, and feder- al agencies for disaster preparedness purposes. The individual file of a person who registers is available to that person upon request.
Read the full memo (652 words)
To assist the county in identifying people of all ages with a disabili- ty, the county departments of Health, Social Services, and Mental Health and any other county department or agency designated by the county chief executive must provide information about the registry and the registra- tion process to all of its consumers, and to all incoming consumers as part of the Intake process. In addition, the county chief executive must annually publish in a newspaper a notice of availability of the regis- tration program and may also provide information about the registry and the registration process to other forms of media. Furthermore, all community based service providers will assist the county executive in collecting registration information from people of all ages with disa- bilities, establish programs to increase awareness of the registration process, and educate consumers about the procedures that may be neces- sary during a disaster.
Justification
Article 2-B of the Executive Law sets forth State policy for disaster preparedness plans. Section 23-a provides counties with the authority to maintain a county registry of people with disabilities In order to meet special needs of persons of all ages with disabilities who would need assistance in times of disaster.
In 2005 and 2006, the Committee on Governmental Operations held a series of statewide hearings on various aspects of disaster preparedness. In the March 2006 hearing held In Utica, NY, testimony was received that only two of sixty-two counties have a county registry of people with disabilities. Testimony was also received from State officials identify- ing this Issue as being an issue of vulnerability in disaster response.
The events that transpired in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy further highlighted the need for disaster responses to be particularly mindful of people of all ages with disabilities. This bill will greatly aid localities in preparing for and responding to disasters. Creating a standardized registry in counties will allow information to be sent out quickly and efficiently in an emergency and will help protect persons of all ages with disabilities.
Prior legislative history
2018: Passed Assembly: died in Senate Rules 2016: Passed Assembly; died in Senate Rules 2014: Passed Assembly; died in Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs 2013: Passed Assembly; died in Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs 2012: Passed Assembly; died in Senate Finance. 2010: Passed both houses - Veto 6739 by Governor Paterson 2009: Passed Assembly; died in Senate investigations and Governmental Operations 2008: Passed Assembly; died in Senate Investigations and Governmental Operations 2006: Passed Assembly; died in Senate Rules
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
Some costs would be associated with creating a new confidential regis- try.
Effective date
The first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.