Senate Disabilities Committee advances five bills on early intervention, housing, workforce and special education

The New York State Senate Disabilities Committee on April 29, 2025, chaired by Senator Pat Fahey, voted to refer five bills addressing early intervention services, housing for people with developmental disabilities, workforce supports for direct support professionals, the authorization of school psychologists to provide early intervention services, and special education placement procedures in New York City.

The bills were moved and voted on by voice vote with no recorded nays in the committee proceeding. Several measures were read by the committee clerk and the chair called for motions to refer each bill to the next committee or calendar as appropriate; motions were seconded in each instance where a second was recorded.

The measures advanced are summarized below. Text in each summary is taken from the bill descriptions read aloud during the committee meeting.

S.122 (by Senator Rivera): An act to amend the Public Health Law to require a review and recommendations on reimbursement adequacy and other matters relating to early intervention. The bill’s stated purpose, as read to the committee, is to review reimbursement adequacy for early intervention services. The committee moved to report this bill to the Senate Finance Committee; the motion was made, seconded (motion recorded as moved by Senator Martinez and seconded by Senator Persaud), and the chair called the ayes.

S.4908A (by Senator Fahey): An act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law to create an innovative housing initiative for persons with developmental disabilities who wish and are able to safely reside in such settings; to direct the Division of Housing and Community Renewal to establish guidelines for disclosure materials for offers and sales of cooperative interests in residential environments formed under the initiative; and to amend the General Business Law to create an exemption from certain filing requirements for residential environments formed as cooperative interests for persons receiving services under the initiative. The committee moved to report S.4908A to Senate Finance and the motion carried by voice vote.

S.5141 (by Senator Jackson): An act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law and the Education Law to establish a Direct Service Professional Credit and Career Ladder Tuition Assistance Program. The bill’s purpose, as read, is to address recruiting and retaining direct support professionals and to create a career ladder and tuition assistance for those employees. The committee moved to report this bill to Senate Finance; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

S.6619 (by Senator Mayer): An act to amend section 4 of part C of chapter 57 of the laws of 2024 (amending the Education Law) to remove an exemption and extend authorization for school psychologists to render early intervention services through June 30, 2026. The committee moved to report the bill to the calendar; the motion was seconded (recorded as seconded by Senator Persaud) and carried by voice vote.

S.6719 (by Senator Jackson): An act to amend the Education Law regarding determinations of appropriate educational programs for certain students in a school district in a city with a population of 1,000,000 or more. The bill’s stated purpose is to provide for a special-education placement process intended to help ensure students with disabilities are placed in appropriate programs and to resolve impartial due-process hearings and tuition reimbursement in a timely manner. The committee moved to report the bill to the New York City Education Committee and the motion carried by voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- S.122 (Rivera) — Motion: report to Senate Finance; Outcome: approved (voice vote). Motion recorded as moved by Senator Martinez and seconded by Senator Persaud. - S.4908A (Fahey) — Motion: report to Senate Finance; Outcome: approved (voice vote). Mover/second not specified in the transcript. - S.5141 (Jackson) — Motion: report to Senate Finance; Outcome: approved (voice vote). Mover/second not specified in the transcript. - S.6619 (Mayer) — Motion: report to the calendar; Outcome: approved (voice vote). Second recorded as Senator Persaud. - S.6719 (Jackson) — Motion: report to the New York City Education Committee; Outcome: approved (voice vote). Mover/second not specified in the transcript.

The committee meeting contained brief descriptions and referral motions for each bill; there was no extended debate recorded on any single measure. The committee adjourned after the fifth bill was reported out.