Disabilities committee advances five bills on facility naming, safeguards, housing navigation, ombudsman duties and staffing; requests OPWDD briefing

Assemblywoman Pat Fahey, the new chair of the Disabilities Committee, presided Tuesday, March 4, as the panel advanced five bills related to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including a facility-naming bill, safeguards for residents’ cash accounts, housing navigation services, ombudsman duties and a staffing-plan requirement for the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).

Fahey opened the brief session by identifying herself as the new committee chair. "I am the proud chair of, new chair of the disabilities committee, so thank you," she said. Committee members moved quickly through a slate of bills; motions to report or refer each measure were seconded and carried by voice vote.

The most immediate actions: the committee voted to report S.3571 (a bill to name a state facility for Willie Mae Goody Goodman) to the legislative calendar; it reported S.4775, described as a bill to amend the Mental Hygiene Law to safeguard cash accounts for people with developmental disabilities in a facility, to the calendar; and it reported S.4907, a provision requiring OPWDD to create a staffing plan for work emergencies during staffing shortages, to the calendar. Several other bills were referred to the finance committee for further review: S.4835, described as an act to amend the Mental Hygiene Law and Social Services Law relating to housing navigation services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and S.4871, amending the Mental Hygiene Law regarding duties of the independent developmental disability ombudsman program.

Committee members voiced "ayes" on each motion and no named nays were recorded in the transcript. Several motions were seconded on the record; the transcript identifies seconds by Sen. Roxanne Persaud (for at least two motions), a second by "Ashmi" on one referral and a second described as by "Salas Benton" for another motion. The committee did not record roll-call vote tallies in the transcript provided; actions were carried by voice vote and are reported here as approved motions to report or refer the listed bills.

Members also discussed inviting the acting director of OPWDD to appear before the committee. Fahey said the committee had not given the acting director much notice for this meeting but that she wanted the official to meet the committee. "She is now since then, since we scheduled this, she's also been nominated by the governor for the permanent position," Fahey said, and the committee agreed to try to schedule a briefing by the next meeting. A staff member noted that many members have constituent questions that they have been unable to get answered from OPWDD and welcomed the planned briefing.

The meeting lasted roughly six minutes on the record and covered five agenda items before adjourning. The committee chair said staff will try to arrange the OPWDD briefing and determine the schedule for any necessary confirmation hearings.

Votes at a glance S.3571 — An act to name a state facility after Willie Mae Goody Goodman. Motion to report to the calendar: approved (voice vote). S.4775 — Amendments to the Mental Hygiene Law to safeguard cash accounts for people with developmental disabilities in a facility. Motion to report to the calendar: approved (voice vote). S.4835 — Amend Mental Hygiene Law and Social Services Law regarding housing navigation services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Motion to refer to finance: approved (voice vote). S.4871 — Amend Mental Hygiene Law concerning duties of the independent developmental disability ombudsman program. Motion to refer to finance: approved (voice vote). S.4907 — Amend Mental Hygiene Law requiring OPWDD to create a staffing plan for staffing shortages/emergencies. Motion to report to the calendar: approved (voice vote).

Next steps: reported measures move to the full legislative calendar; referred bills will proceed to the finance committee for fiscal review. The committee will seek to schedule a briefing by the OPWDD acting director, who has been nominated for the permanent post, before the next meeting.