BILL NUMBER: S6959A
SPONSOR: HINCHEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to notice of adult
care facility closure requirements
 
PURPOSE:
To require the department of health to notify state and county officials
of the expected closure of adult care facilities.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one adds a new section to the social services law that requires
the department of health to notify in writing the governor, the state
comptroller, the Attorney general's office, the members of the legisla-
ture that represent the facility and the county executive of the suspen-
sion or revocation of an adult care facility's operating certificate.
Section one also requires the department to post on its website notice
of the closure of the facility and what individuals or groups will be
impacted by the closure. Section one also requires the department to
notify the aforementioned parties when an adult care facility voluntar-
ily surrenders its operating certificate.
Section two states the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
When the Department of Health closes an adult care facility for violat-
ing health and safety standards, there is currently no requirement that
they notify state and local officials of the impending closure. The
obligation to notify falls to the operator of the facility, an entity
that has already proven to be irresponsible because their facility is
being closed, creating situations where state and local officials are
given only one or two days' notice that an adult care facility is going
to be shut down and the residents displaced. This bill's commonsense
solution is to require the Department of Health, the state agency clos-
ing the facilities, to notify state and local officials of the closure
as soon as they notify the facility. The department must also post on
its website a summary of the violations from the facility and who is
likely to be impacted 30 days prior to the facility's closure. This will
ensure that all relevant parties are aware of the impending closure and
have adequate time to assist residents and constituents with finding new
care and accommodations,
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S.8933A / A10560 (Simon) - Passed Senate / referred to rules
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: TBD
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.