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

                                  5428

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 16, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed 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
              

S. 5428                             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.