BILL NUMBER: S5459
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the civil service law, in relation to employment of
persons and veterans with disabilities by the state
 
PURPOSE:
To increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities and
veterans with disabilities
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill would amend Section 55-b of the civil to raise
the cap of identified titles from 1200 to 5000.service law
Section 2 of this bill would amend Section 55-c of the civil to raise
the cap of identified titles from 500 to 2000.service law
Section 3 of this bill would provide that the effective date effect
immediately.shall take
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The Department of Civil Service is empowered to set aside positions that
can be performed by people and veterans with disabilities under civil
service law sections 55-b and 55-c. Existing law provides that the
Department may set aside up to 1,200 positions for people with disabili-
ties and 500 positions for veterans with disabilities.
The last time the Legislature raised the caps on the number of positions
the Department could set aside through the 55-b program was over 30
years ago (L 1990 Ch 354). Since then, unemployment and underemployment
of New Yorkers with disabilities has persisted. Recent reports from.
the NYS Comptroller's office found that from April 2020 to March 2021
unemployment skyrocketed to 16.2% for New Yorkers with disabilities,
compared to 11.3% unemployment in the general population. As the state's
economy rebounds after the COVID-19 pandemic, we should lead by example
and create more opportunities for these New Yorkers to work, if they
wish to do so.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S2497 (Mannion)- Referred to Civil Service and Pensions.
2021-22: S.7386 (Mannion) - Referred to Civil Service and Pensions.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S5459: 55-c civil service law, 55-c(1) civil service law