Assembly Disabilities Committee advances five bills on developmental-disability services to calendar or finance

Assemblywoman Pat Fahey, chair of the Disabilities Committee, opened the March 4 meeting and led the committee in advancing five measures related to services and oversight for people with developmental disabilities.

The measures included a bill to name a state facility after Willie Mae Goody Goodman; a bill to amend the Mental Hygiene Law to safeguard cash accounts for people with developmental disabilities in facilities; two bills amending the Mental Hygiene Law (and in one case the Social Services Law) to add housing navigation services and to clarify duties of the independent developmental-disability ombudsman program; and a bill directing the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities to prepare a staffing plan for emergency staffing shortages. Most motions were to report a bill to the legislative calendar or to refer a bill to the Finance Committee, and the chair recorded “ayes” for the motions as they were taken by voice.

Why…