Bill > S04511

This bill establishes a 16-member task force within the New York Department of Labor focused on promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The task force will include representatives from various state agencies, labor organizations, the business community, disability service providers, and two individuals with disabilities, all appointed by the governor. Members will serve three-year terms without compensation but will be reimbursed for expenses, and the representative from the Department of Labor will serve as chair. The task force's primary objectives include studying unemployment among individuals with disabilities, examining strategies to increase competitive integrated employment (work environments that provide equal opportunities and fair wages), supporting independent living and economic self-sufficiency, and ensuring state government serves as a model employer for people with disabilities. The task force is required to meet at least quarterly and will prepare a comprehensive report within two years of its formation, submitting recommendations to the governor, senate president, and assembly speaker on ways to improve employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. This report will be publicly accessible on the websites of the represented state agencies, with the goal of developing coordinated strategies to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities across New York state government and beyond.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4511