Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 52, December 24, 2024
WHEREAS, the New York State Institute for Basic Research in
Developmental Disabilities ("IBR") is a research institute located within the
New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
charged with conducting medical research and other scientific investigation
directed towards furthering knowledge of the etiology, diagnosis, treatment and
prevention of mental retardation and developmental disabilities;
WHEREAS, the State is facing unprecedented fiscal
challenges, which require a broad reevaluation of programmatic priorities in
all State agencies; and
WHEREAS, it is appropriate to review the future of IBR,
including its responsibilities, funding and the auspices under which it
operates;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE E. PATAKI, Governor of the State
of New York, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
Laws of the State of New York, do hereby order as follows:
I. Task Force on the Institute for Basic
Research.
There is hereby established the Task Force on the Institute
for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (the "Task Force") to be
comprised of up to fifteen members, who shall be appointed by, and serve at the
pleasure of, the Governor. The members of the Task Force shall include:
(i) a person employed by IBR;
(ii) the parent of a child who attends the
clinic at IBR;
(iii) a person
appointed on the recommendation of the Temporary President of the State
Senate;
(iv) a person appointed on
the recommendation of the Speaker of the State Assembly;
(v) a person appointed on the recommendation
of the President of the N.Y.S. AFL-CIO;
(vi) the Commissioner of the Office of Mental
Retardation and Developmental Disabilities or his designee;
(vii) the Commissioner of Health or her
designee;
(viii) the Director of
the Budget or her designee;
(ix)
the Commissioner of Economic Development or his designee;
(x) the Commissioner of the Office of General
Services or his designee; and
(xi)
the Director of the Governor's Office of Employee Relations or his designee.
The Governor shall designate the Chair of the Task Force from among its
members. The members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation but shall
be entitled to reimbursement for any necessary expenses incurred in connection
with the performance of their duties.
II. Responsibilities and Powers.
A. The Task Force shall be responsible for:
(1) Evaluating the continuing need for New
York State to directly operate a facility to conduct medical research and other
scientific investigation directed towards furthering knowledge of the etiology,
diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental retardation and developmental
disabilities;
(2) Evaluating the
record of IBR in meeting that need;
(3) Evaluating the ability of the Office of
Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to continue to support the
sort of basic research undertaken at IBR in light of the current fiscal climate
and its other obligations to provide direct services to individuals with mental
retardation or other developmental disabilities and their families;
(4) Investigating the possibility of
obtaining funding for IBR from other sources;
(5) Investigating the auspices under which
IBR operates, and the need and ability to reconstitute IBR to operate under
different auspices or close IBR entirely; and
(6) Evaluating the impact of any such
reconstitution or closure on the State workforce and local economy, and the
possible strategies to minimize any negative impact.
B. The Task Force shall issue a report to the
Governor and the Legislature no later than January 1, 2004, setting forth its
findings and recommendations.
C.
The Task Force is authorized to call upon any agency, department, office,
division, or public authority of this State to supply it with such data and
other resources, personnel and assistance as the Task Force deems necessary to
discharge the responsibilities conferred upon it by this Order.
D. Each agency, department, office, division,
and public authority of this State is hereby directed to cooperate with the
Task Force and to furnish the Task Force with such information, personnel, and
assistance as the Task Force deems necessary to accomplish the purposes of this
Order.
Signed: George E. PatakiDated: July 29, 2003
[FN*] [Revoked by Executive Order No. 5 (Eliot Spitzer),
infra.]
[Revoked by Executive Order No. 9 (David A. Paterson),
infra.]
[Revoked by Executive Order No. 2 (Andrew M. Cuomo),
infra.]
