California SB 639: An Act to amend Labor Code relating to employment (minimum wages for persons with disabilities)(2021)
Enacted. Version date: 09/27/2021
“c) The State Council on Developmental Disabilities, in consultation with stakeholders and relevant state agencies, as appropriate, including, but not limited to, the Department of Finance, the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, the Department of Rehabilitation, the State Department of Education, and the State Department of Developmental Services, shall develop a multiyear phaseout plan with stakeholder involvement, by January 1, 2023, in accordance with the procedures set forth in subdivision (d), to pay any employee with a disability, by January 1, 2025, no less than the minimum wage otherwise required for an employee under Section 1182.12 or the applicable local minimum wage ordinance, whichever is higher.
(d) The multiyear phaseout plan, as described in subdivision (c) shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Benchmarks and desired outcomes for each year of the plan.
(2) A list of the resources necessary to ensure that employees with disabilities can receive services and support according to their needs and preferences of the individuals and in an integrated setting, regardless of the nature or severity of each individual’s disabilities, including an assessment of the financial investment needed to transition individuals to competitive integrated employment or other services, the development of new rates for new service models or additional rates necessary for competitive integrated employment supports, and suggestions for revenue streams.”
Florida HB 173: Individual education plan requirements for students with disabilities (2021)
Enacted. Version date: 6/21/21
“Summary: Relates to individual education plan requirements for students with disabilities, revises timeline for development and implementation of individual education plan (IEP) for transition services for student with disabilities to postsecondary education and career opportunities, revises requirements for IEP for transitions to postsecondary education and career opportunities.”
Washington SB 5790: Strengthening critical community support services for individuals with IDD (2022)
Enacted. Version date: 3/24/22
“The department of social and health services shall:
(1) Establish a school to work program in all counties in the state to work with all students with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are potentially eligible to receive adult support services from the developmental disabilities administration of the department and are receiving high school transition services in order to connect these students with supported employment services; and…
(5) To minimize gaps in services through the transition process, no later than three years before students receiving special education services leave the school system, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall transmit a list of potentially eligible students to the department of social and health services, the counties, the department of services for the blind, and any other state agency working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall ensure that consent be obtained prior to the release of this information as required in accordance with state and federal requirements.”
Maine HB 680: Educational Programs and Vocational Opportunities for Young Adults with IDD or ABI (2021)
Task Force to Study the Coordination of Services and Expansion of Educational Programs and Vocational Opportunities for Young Adults with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities or Acquired Brain Injury
Enacted. Version date: 07/15/2021
“(Resolve) Establishes a task force to study the coordination of services and expansion of educational programs and vocational opportunities for young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities or acquired brain injury.”
DE S 12: An Act to amend title 14 of the Delaware Code relating to academic progression, duration of eligibility, adult students and workforce development programs…
Enacted. Version date: 10/12/2021
Relates to academic progression, duration of eligibility, adult students and workforce development programs under the State Student Excellence Equals Degree Act
“In 2020, due in large measure to the COVID-19 pandemic, about 125,000 Delawareans filed for unemployment benefits and are facing an uncertain future for themselves and their families. Many of these jobs will be gone forever. The purpose of this act is to jump start Delaware’s economy by opening The Delaware Student Excellence Equals Degree Act (SEED) to adult Delaware residents, who are not recent high school graduates, and to include short-term workforce development programs that put Delawareans to work in high demand fields where jobs presently exist. Currently, about 56% of Delawareans age 25-64 lack a post-secondary degree. This expansion of the SEED grant program will encourage adult learners to return to school to enhance their knowledge and skills and increase their job opportunities. Adult individuals with a high school diploma or less education were significantly impacted by COVID-19-related job loss. This legislation can help to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on those adults. Tennessee has instituted a similar program called the Tennessee Reconnect Act.”
Virginia HB 1252: Prohibited discrimination in apprenticeship programs (2020)
Enacted. Version date: 04/22/2020
“Prohibits a sponsor of a registered apprenticeship program from discriminating against an apprentice or applicant for apprenticeship on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, or disability, conforms state’s apprenticeship nondiscrimination requirements to those required for state apprenticeship agencies pursuant to the federal Office of Apprenticeship regulations.”
New Jersey SB 4211: Establishment of county college-based adult centers for transition for individuals with developmental disabilities (2020)
Enacted. Version date: 01/18/2022
Establishes county college-based adult centers for transition for individuals with developmental disabilities
“2. a. The board of trustees of a county college shall establish a county college-based adult center for transition for individuals with developmental disabilities up to the age of 24 to experience a more successful transition from secondary school to postsecondary education, adult employment, and independent living opportunities and skills, as appropriate. The board shall appoint a person qualified by training and experience to direct and administer the adult center for transition.
It shall be the purpose of a county college-based adult center to:
(1) coordinate and integrate existing county- and State-based services, programs, and resources; and
(2) ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities up to the age of 24 have opportunities to receive mentoring, job coaching, skill training, and any other appropriate wrap-around services to help them make a successful transition into employment and independent living, as appropriate.”
New York AB 3130: Office of the Advocate for People with Disabilities
Enacted. Version date: 02/04/2022
Establishes an Office of the Advocate for People with Disabilities
“(b) “State agency” or “state agencies” shall mean any state department, board, bureau, division, commission, committee, public authority, public corporation, council, office or other governmental entity performing a governmental or proprietary function for the state, except the judiciary or the state legislature.
Section 462. Office of the advocate for people with disabilities. (a) There is hereby established within the department of the state, an office of the advocate for people with disabilities. The office of the advocate for people with disabilities shall advise and assist state agencies in developing policies designed to help meet the needs of persons with disabilities.
(b) The office of the advocate for people with disabilities shall: (i) be the state’s coordinator for the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act; (ii) coordinate state activities to ensure that state programs do not discriminate against and are accessible to persons with disabilities; (iii) ensure that such programs provide services to individuals with disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs; and (iv) work with state agencies to develop legislation and potential regulatory changes to help effectuate the duties and responsibilities required in this article, and any other changes that may significantly affect the lives of persons with disabilities in the state.”
Enacted. Version date: 04/07/21
“AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia… relating to initiating a State Employment First Policy to facilitate integrated employment of disabled persons; providing legislative findings; establishing a taskforce to develop a State Employment First Policy; providing for implementation of the State Employment First Policy; providing definitions for “competitive employment”, “customized employment”, and “integrated employment”; and incorporating a sunset provision.”
Guam Bill No. 227-36 (COR): An Act to… help Veterans with access to housing, employment, higher education and healthcare…
“This Act shall be cited as the “Securing and Ensuring the Rights Veterans Earned (SERVE) Act”…
“(b) Employment Support. (1) Increase veteran’s access to jobs by applying data to direct veterans to in-demand fields.
(A) The Office shall create and produce electronic reports of workforce need projections, by industry, job type, geography, and needed credentials; including a comparison of workforce needs with existing and projected workforce and credential availability; and highlight top in-demand industries, job types, and credentials.
(B) The Office shall include in its report(s) a pathway where in-demand job titles and credentials would leverage skills, experience, and credentials held by veterans; and forward the underlying data report(s) and additional information monthly to appropriate military outplacement offices, education centers, non-profit programs and government agencies working to connect veterans with jobs…
(2) Prevent veteran suicide and increase veteran’s access to mental health services.
(A) Ensure that access to mental health coverage, services and treatment is included as a holistic approach of the veteran health navigator program…”
