Senate committee advances bill to regulate single-fiscal-intermediary transition after members cite unpaid workers and disrupted care

Senators in the Standing Committee on Health advanced S.1189 on May 20, 2025, a bill sponsored by Committee Chair Senator Gustavo Rivera that would amend the Social Services Law to add regulatory steps for a transition to a single fiscal intermediary for the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). The committee voted to report the bill to the Senate Finance Committee.

The bill27s sponsor, Senator Gustavo Rivera, said the statewide shift to one fiscal intermediary has been “a disaster, a debacle,” and blamed the governor27s office for pushing the change without slowing the schedule. “It was the governor herself who has driven this bus off a cliff,” Rivera said, adding that the transition has left “thousands of workers still have not gotten paid.”

Rivera told the committee he drafted S.1189 after listening to program participants, direct-care workers and responsible fiscal intermediaries and said the bill would create a regulated, phased alternative to the administration27s implementation. He said his office worked with stakeholders before introducing the measure and that the aim is to ensure bad actors are excluded while protecting consumers and workers.

Multiple senators supported moving the bill forward. Senator Leroy Jackson thanked Rivera for advocating on behalf of people affected by the transition. Senator Jessica Gonzalez said the bill provides a legislative response to “a high risk situation” affecting vulnerable residents. Senator Seaman said 54 senators had cosponsored the bill.

Senator Rivera and others identified the private vendor PPL as the company that assumed responsibility for the transition; Rivera said PPL27s own numbers show large gaps in payments and in workers27 successful transitions to the new system. Committee members pressed for protections for consumers who have relied on CDPAP workers for years and for measures to ensure workers are paid on time during transitions.

Senator Gonzalez moved S.1189 and Senator Webb seconded the motion. The committee recorded a voice vote; the bill was approved and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

The legislation27s text, as described in committee, would amend the Social Services Law to address licensure and oversight related to fiscal intermediaries and to repeal provisions identified by the sponsor as contributing to the current implementation problem. Specific regulatory steps and timelines proposed in the bill were not read aloud in full during the committee record but the sponsor said the measure is intended to slow and regulate transitions so consumers and workers are not left without services or pay.

Rivera emphasized the legislature27s limited role in implementation: while the budget established the single-fiscal-intermediary policy, Rivera said the executive branch controls implementation decisions. The bill is framed as a legislative check to create required safeguards during implementation.

The committee did not conduct a roll-call vote in the transcript; members approved the motion by voice and the bill was sent to Finance. The sponsor asked for additional questions and comments before the voice vote and senators present expressed support.

If S.1189 advances, it will return to the Senate calendar for further consideration in Finance and on the floor. The committee record includes stakeholder concerns that a rapid, statewide transition can disrupt payroll and continuity of care for CDPAP consumers and their long-term care workers.

Proponents and other legislators told the committee they want to preserve consumer-directed care options while preventing large-scale provider or payroll failures during system changes.

Votes at the committee level were by voice; the committee recorded the bill as reported to finance.