New York A 8813: Establishes the office of the deaf and hard of hearing; and repeals section 559 of the executive law relating to the New York state interagency coordinating council for services to persons who are deaf; repealer

Bill Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          8813
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                    November 29, 2017
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ZEBROWSKI  --  read once and referred to the
          Committee on Governmental Operations
        AN ACT to amend the executive  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
          office  of  the deaf and hard of hearing; and to repeal section 559 of
          the executive law relating to the New York state  interagency  coordi-
          nating  council  for  services to persons who are deaf, deaf-blind, or
          hard of hearing
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 28 to
     2  read as follows:
     3                                 ARTICLE 28
     4                   OFFICE OF THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING
     5  Section 821. Definitions.
     6          822. Office of the deaf and hard of hearing.
     7          823. Executive director.
     8          824. Powers and duties of the office.
     9          825. Deaf and hard of hearing advisory council.
    10    § 821. Definitions. When used in this article, the following words and
    11  terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in  this  section:  "deaf
    12  and  hard  of  hearing"  shall mean a person who has partial or complete
    13  loss of hearing including individuals who are deaf-blind.
    14    § 822. Office of the deaf and hard of hearing. There is hereby  estab-
    15  lished  within the executive department the "office of the deaf and hard
    16  of hearing".
    17    § 823. Executive director. The governor  shall  appoint  an  executive
    18  director  of the office who shall serve at the pleasure of the governor.
    19  The executive director shall receive  an  annual  salary  fixed  by  the
    20  governor within the amounts appropriated specifically therefor and shall
    21  be entitled to reimbursement for actual expenses necessarily incurred in
    22  the discharge of their official duties.
         EXPLANATION--Matter in  (underscored) is new; matter in bracketsitalics
                              [] is old law to be omitted. 
                                                                   LBD13497-03-7

        A. 8813                             2
     1    § 824. Powers and duties of the office. 1. The office shall advise the
     2  governor  and  the legislature on how the state can effectively meet the
     3  needs of the deaf and hard of hearing communities.
     4    2. The duties and responsibilities of the office are to:
     5    (a)  create  a  statewide  plan  to  deliver  coordinated services and
     6  programs to persons who are deaf and hard of hearing in  a  manner  that
     7  best  serves  their  needs  including  but  not  limited to educational,
     8  medical, housing, and employment services;
     9    (b) develop a process to collect and maintain data on  the  number  of
    10  deaf and hard of hearing individuals in New York state;
    11    (c)  regularly  maintain  a  website that serves as a clearinghouse of
    12  information, resources and services for persons who are deaf and hard of
    13  hearing;
    14    (d) create a referral  system  that  receives  complaints  in  matters
    15  affecting  the  deaf  and  hard  of  hearing  community  and refers such
    16  complaints to the appropriate agencies or organizations if necessary  or
    17  appropriate;
    18    (e)  coordinate  with  state  and  local agencies to improve access to
    19  public safety and emergency services;
    20    (f) develop strategies to increase employment opportunities  for  deaf
    21  and hard of hearing individuals;
    22    (g)  develop and recommend policies to the governor and legislature as
    23  deemed necessary to assist the deaf and hard of hearing communities;
    24    (h) develop a model policy on interpreter services  including  methods
    25  to  increase  access  to such services and licensing of qualified inter-
    26  preters;
    27    (i) provide technical assistance to  local  governments,  agencies  or
    28  other   non-governmental  entities  on  developing  policies,  providing
    29  services and increasing accessibility for the deaf and hard  of  hearing
    30  communities;
    31    (j)  improve  and  expand access to assistive technology including but
    32  not limited to, relay  services,  closed  captioning,  open  captioning,
    33  hearing   loops,   telecommunication   devices  or  other  communication
    34  services; and
    35    (k) coordinate with the department of state regarding access to  hear-
    36  ing a