STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 33 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled) January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. BURDICK, LEVENBERG, SEAWRIGHT, SAYEGH, HEVESI, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, K. BROWN -- read once and referred to the Committee on People with Disabilities 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; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD00022-01-5

A. 33 2 1 (xii) an individual upon recommendation of the temporary president of 2 the senate; 3 (xiii) two representatives of employment services providers for people 4 with disabilities; and 5 (xiv) two individuals with a disability. 6 (b) The representative from the department of labor shall serve as the 7 chair of the task force. 8 2. The appointed members of the task force shall serve for terms of 3 9 years. Vacancies in the membership of the appointed members of the task 10 force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. 11 3. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but 12 shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance 13 of their duties as members of the task force. 14 4. The task force shall organize as soon as possible after the 15 appointments are made. The task force shall meet at least quarterly in a 16 calendar year, may hold meetings and hearings at places and times as it 17 designates, and may meet at any other times at the call of the chair- 18 person. No action shall be taken by the task force except by an affirma- 19 tive vote of a majority of the voting members. 20 § 2. 1. (a) The purpose of the task force is to study the problem of 21 unemployment and underemployment among individuals with disabilities, 22 and review relevant programs within New York and other states that 23 assist in the employment of individuals with disabilities in the public 24 and/or private sectors. 25 (b) The task force shall: 26 (i) examine strategies to increase competitive integrated employment 27 of people with disabilities; 28 (ii) support the goals of competitive integrated employment, equality 29 of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic 30 self-sufficiency for these individuals; 31 (iii) ensure that state government is a model employer of individuals 32 with disabilities; 33 (iv) promote state efforts to disseminate information to workers on 34 state and federal programs that assist individuals with disabilities in 35 seeking and maintaining employment; 36 (v) assist in the identification and implementation of strategies to 37 expand efforts of New York state and local government agencies to 38 recruit, hire, and retain in employment individuals with disabilities; 39 and 40 (vi) coordinate and provide leadership, as necessary, with regard to 41 efforts to increase inclusion in the workforce of individuals with disa- 42 bilities. 43 2. No later than two years after the appointment of its members, the 44 task force shall prepare and submit a report to the governor, the tempo- 45 rary president of the senate, and the speaker of the assembly. Such 46 report shall provide recommendations on the ways in which the state can 47 increase competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabil- 48 ities. Such recommendations shall address the topics set forth in this 49 section. Each annual report shall be made publicly accessible on the 50 websites of the state agencies represented on the task force. 51 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

Relates to the promotion of employment of people with disabilities

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