S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2350
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 22, 2019
___________
Introduced by M. of A. PICHARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Aging
AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to providing
language access services to individuals relating to the tax abatement
program for rent-controlled and rent-regulated property occupied by
senior citizens or persons with disabilities
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 467-b of the real property tax law
is amended by adding a new paragraph j to read as follows:
J. THE ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE TAX ABATEMENT
PROGRAM SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN TO ENSURE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO
INFORMATION BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY OR
OTHERWISE REQUIRE COMMUNICATION ASSISTANCE. SUCH ENTITY SHALL:
(1) TRANSLATE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FORMS
AND INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED TO OR COMPLETED BY THE PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES
OR PARTICIPANTS, INTO THE SIX MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES SPOKEN
BY INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED-ENGLISH PROFICIENCY IN THE MUNICIPALITY THAT
OFFERS THIS PROGRAM PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION;
(2) OFFER, UPON REQUEST, INTERPRETATION SERVICES BETWEEN THE ENTITY
ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM AND AN INDIVIDUAL IN HIS OR HER PRIMARY
LANGUAGE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES OR BENEFITS; AND
(3) OFFER, UPON REQUEST OR DEMONSTRATED NEED, SERVICES TO AN INDIVID-
UAL WHO REQUIRES ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE DUE TO PARTIAL OR TOTAL DEAFNESS,
BLINDNESS, SPEECH IMPEDIMENT, OR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
the amendments to subdivision 3 of section 467-b of the real property
tax law made by section one of this act shall not affect the expiration
and reversion of such section and shall be deemed to expire therewith.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05990-01-9