S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7276

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               May 8, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. CAMARA -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Social Services

AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring social
  services districts to conspicuously post a notice of basic rights

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new  section
134-c to read as follows:
  S  134-C.  PUBLIC  NOTICE  OF  BASIC RIGHTS. SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS
SHALL CONSPICUOUSLY POST IN EACH OF THEIR FACILITIES, WHICH ARE OPEN  TO
THE  PUBLIC,  THE FOLLOWING NOTICE OF THE BASIC RIGHTS OF APPLICANTS AND
RECIPIENTS OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND CARE:
                         "NOTICE OF BASIC RIGHTS
  1. RIGHT TO A FAIR HEARING: YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO A FAIR HEARING IF  YOU
DISAGREE  WITH  (A)  THE AMOUNT OF BENEFITS YOU ARE RECEIVING, OR (B) AN
ACTION OR DECISION MADE BY THE AGENCY, OR (C) THE  AGENCY'S  FAILURE  TO
ACT UPON YOUR APPLICATION.
  2. DUTY TO ASSIST: THE JOB CENTER MUST HELP YOU OBTAIN REQUESTED DOCU-
MENTS AND/OR INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OBTAIN FROM ANOTH-
ER PERSON OR AGENCY AFTER MAKING REASONABLE EFFORTS.
  3.  RIGHT TO EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE: IF YOU QUALIFY, YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO
FOOD STAMPS, WITHIN 5 DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF YOUR APPLICATION,  AND  YOU
HAVE  A  RIGHT  TO  EMERGENCY NEEDS ASSISTANCE OR CARE, INCLUDING A CASH
GRANT, UPON APPLICATION.
  4. RIGHT TO APPLY: EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS THE RIGHT TO  APPLY  FOR  CASH
ASSISTANCE, AND TO RECEIVE A PROMPT WRITTEN DECISION THEREON.
  5.  RIGHT  TO CHILD CARE: EVERY PERSON HAS THE RIGHT TO RECEIVE APPRO-
PRIATE CHILD CARE IF THEY NEED SUCH CARE TO PARTICIPATE IN  REQUIRED  OR
ASSIGNED ACTIVITIES.
  6. RIGHT TO FREE LANGUAGE SERVICES: YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO FREE INTERPRE-
TATION  SERVICES IF YOU DO NOT SPEAK OR UNDERSTAND ENGLISH WELL; AND YOU

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD10689-01-3
              

A. 7276                             2

HAVE  A  RIGHT  TO  RECEIVE  WRITTEN   NOTICES   IN   ARABIC,   CHINESE,
HAITIAN-CREOLE, KOREAN, RUSSIAN OR SPANISH.
  7.  RIGHT  TO  SCREENING AND SPECIAL SERVICES IF EXPERIENCING DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE.
  8. RIGHT TO FULL AND EQUAL ACCESS TO BENEFITS AND SERVICES,  AS  WELL,
AS  A  RIGHT TO REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISA-
BILITIES ACT.
  9. RIGHT TO WRITTEN ADEQUATE NOTICE: YOU HAVE  THE  RIGHT  TO  WRITTEN
ADEQUATE  NOTICE OF (A) ANY AGENCY ACTION TO DENY, DISCONTINUE, SUSPEND,
REDUCE OR RESTRICT YOUR BENEFITS, AND (B) ANY DETERMINATION THAT YOU ARE
NOT ELIGIBLE FOR AN EXEMPTION FROM WORK."
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
have become law.