Senate Disabilities Committee advances package of bills on employment, oversight and family supports for people with developmental disabilities

Albany, N.Y. — The New York State Senate Disabilities Committee, chaired by Senator Pat Fahey, advanced a package of bills on May 27, 2025, addressing employment, oversight and family engagement for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The committee referred most measures to the Senate Finance Committee or to the Senate calendar for further action.

The most substantive debate touched on Senate Bill S28B (sponsor: Senator Skoufis), a measure to eliminate subminimum wage provisions that allow lower wages for workers based on age or disability. Senator Pat Fahey, chair of the Senate Disabilities Committee, said there is a planned transition timeline so the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) can coordinate moves to other employment “so that, again, we do no harm.” The committee voted to report the bill to Senate Finance.

Committee members also advanced a bill from Senator Ramos to establish a task force to promote competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities; that bill was reported to the calendar. Several other bills were moved with limited floor discussion, including measures to create advisory bodies and reporting requirements intended to increase family input and system oversight.

A bill by Fahey to create a Blue Ribbon Commission to study New York’s service-delivery system for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities was reported to Senate Finance after the committee recorded its…