New York S 9542: Relates to the awarding of posthumous high school diplomas

Bill Text

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S09542 Summary:

BILL NOS09542 

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SAME ASSAME AS A10374

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SPONSORCLEARE

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COSPNSR

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MLTSPNSR

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Add §4013-a, Pub Health L

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Establishes the hospice workforce stabilization and innovation program; grants for staff retention incentives, continuing education, professional certification including board certification in hospice and palliative care, workforce wellness initiatives, and other workforce support activities approved by the department; creates grants for establishing regional hospice workforce pipeline programs.

Go to top S09542 Actions:

BILL NOS09542 

&nbsp

03/23/2026REFERRED TO FINANCE

Go to topS09542 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS09542 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS09542 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 9542

 IN SENATE

 March 23, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing the
 hospice workforce stabilization and innovation program; and making an
 appropriation therefor

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. Short Title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 2 the "Hospice Workforce Stabilization and Innovation Act".
 3 § 2. Legislative Findings and Purpose. The legislature finds that
 4 hospice and palliative care services are essential components of New
 5 York's health care delivery system and play a critical role in improving
 6 quality of life, supporting families and caregivers, and reducing avoid-
 7 able hospitalizations. The legislature further finds that New York State
 8 faces a significant shortage of hospice nurses, aides, social workers,
 9 chaplains, and other interdisciplinary staff, resulting in reduced
 10 access to hospice services, delayed referrals, provider strain, and
 11 inequities in the availability of high-quality end-of-life care, partic-
 12 ularly in rural and underserved communities.
 13 The legislature additionally finds that hospice providers licensed
 14 under article forty of the public health law have been excluded from
 15 major statewide workforce initiatives, insofar as those initiatives have
 16 relied on Medicaid funding, and hospice providers are primarily reim-
 17 bursed by Medicare rather than Medicaid. This has contributed to work-
 18 force instability and undermined the State's ability to improve hospice
 19 utilization and access. The purpose of this act is to establish a coor-
 20 dinated, statewide investment to stabilize the hospice workforce,
 21 strengthen long-term training pipelines, and expand workforce education.
 22 § 3. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 4013-a
 23 to read as follows:
 24 § 4013-a. Hospice workforce stabilization and innovation program. 1.
 25 (a) "Hospice provider" means any hospice program licensed under this
 26 article.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD14725-02-6

 S. 9542 2

 1 (b) "Eligible employee" means any full-time or part-time employee of a
 2 hospice provider.
 3 (c) "Educational institution" means a school district, board of coop-
 4 erative educational services, community college, university, or other
 5 accredited educational entity approved by the department.
 6 2. (a) The department shall administer a hospice workforce retention
 7 and training grant program.
 8 (b) The program shall be funded annually and no less than ten million
 9 dollars.
 10 (c) Grants shall be allocated on a per-full-time-equivalent basis, or
 11 via such other equitable methodology as shall be determined by the
 12 commissioner after consultation with all affected parties.
 13 (d) Grant funds may be used for staff retention incentives, continuing
 14 education, professional certification including board certification in
 15 hospice and palliative care, workforce wellness initiatives, and other
 16 workforce support activities approved by the department.
 17 (e) In allocating grant funds, the department shall prioritize hospice
 18 providers that demonstrate financial st