§ 4-b. Chief disability officer.
1.Persons with disabilities comprise\na major segment of the state of New York's population and their\nparticular needs and concerns must be considered as an integral part of\nthe planning and implementation of all state programs and services\naffecting their lives and well-being. The office of the chief disability\nofficer shall advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities and ensure\nthat persons with disabilities are afforded the opportunity to exercise\nall of the rights and responsibilities accorded to citizens of this\nstate.\n 2. For purposes of this article:\n (a) "Persons with disabilities" shall mean any person who has a\ndisability as defined in subdivision twenty-one of section two hundred\nninety-two of this chapter.\n (b) "State agenc
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§ 4-b. Chief disability officer. 1. Persons with disabilities comprise\na major segment of the state of New York's population and their\nparticular needs and concerns must be considered as an integral part of\nthe planning and implementation of all state programs and services\naffecting their lives and well-being. The office of the chief disability\nofficer shall advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities and ensure\nthat persons with disabilities are afforded the opportunity to exercise\nall of the rights and responsibilities accorded to citizens of this\nstate.\n 2. For purposes of this article:\n (a) "Persons with disabilities" shall mean any person who has a\ndisability as defined in subdivision twenty-one of section two hundred\nninety-two of this chapter.\n (b) "State agency" or "state agencies" shall mean any state\ndepartment, board, bureau, division, commission, committee, public\nauthority, public corporation, council, office or other governmental\nentity performing a governmental or proprietary function for the state,\nexcept the judiciary or the state legislature.\n 3. (a) The governor shall appoint a chief disability officer. The\nchief disability officer shall advise and assist state agencies in\ndeveloping policies designed to help meet the needs of persons with\ndisabilities. The chief disability officer shall be appointed by the\ngovernor and receive a salary to be fixed by the governor within the\namounts appropriated therefor.\n (b) The chief disability officer shall: (i) be the state's coordinator\nfor the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act; (ii)\ncoordinate state activities to ensure that state programs do not\ndiscriminate against and are accessible to persons with disabilities;\n(iii) ensure that such programs provide services to individuals with\ndisabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs;\nand (iv) work with state agencies to develop legislation and potential\nregulatory changes to help effectuate the duties and responsibilities\nrequired in this article, and any other changes that may significantly\naffect the lives of persons with disabilities in the state.\n (c) The chief disability officer shall, to the extent practicable,\nreview and report to the governor upon proposed legislation and\nregulations. The chief disability officer shall submit comments, where\nappropriate, to the state agency which referred such proposed\nlegislation and regulations evaluating: (i) the impact of the proposed\nlegislation or regulation upon persons with disabilities; (ii) the\nrelationship and impact of such proposed legislation or regulation on\nexisting programs affecting persons with disabilities; and (iii) any\nmodifications that would help persons with disabilities or aid in the\nimplementation of the new proposal. All state agencies shall cooperate\nwith the chief disability officer to ensure that the chief disability\nofficer is able to fulfill the requirements under this section.\n