S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3935
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 31, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. AUBRY -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GOTTFRIED
   -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to applications for
   public  assistance and to repeal certain provisions of such law relat-
   ing thereto

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Subdivision 8 of section 153 of the social services law is
 REPEALED.
   § 2. Section 131 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 21 to read as follows:
   21. THE DECISION OF THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT  TO  ACCEPT  OR
 DENY  AN  APPLICATION  FOR  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE  SHALL BE MADE AS SOON AS
 POSSIBLE, BUT NO LATER THAN THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF  THE  APPLICA-
 TION,  EXCEPT  WHERE  THE  APPLICANT  REQUESTS  ADDITIONAL TIME OR WHERE
 DIFFICULTIES IN VERIFICATION LEAD TO  UNUSUAL  DELAY  OR  OTHER  REASONS
 BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL.
   §  3.  Paragraph  (b)  of  subdivision  5  of section 22 of the social
 services law, as amended by chapter 41 of the laws of 1992,  is  amended
 to read as follows:
   (b)  Failure  to act upon any application [within] AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
 BUT NO LATER THAN thirty days after  filing[,  except  applications  for
 home  relief],  or failure to comply with laws and regulations requiring
 that priority be given to certain applications for assistance[, or fail-
 ure to act on any application for home  relief  within  forty-five  days
 after filing].
   §  4.  Subdivision  13 of section 131-a of the social services law, as
 added by chapter 477 of the laws of 2000, is amended to read as follows:
   13. Pursuant to regulations of the office of temporary and  disability
 assistance, public assistance eligibility shall, to the extent permitted
 by  federal  law,  not  lapse solely by reason of the death of the adult
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD08108-01-9

 A. 3935                             2
 
 relative caretaker of a minor child, until  arrangements  are  completed
 for  the  addition  of the child to another public assistance household,
 reclassification of the case, foster care or other appropriate financial
 support.  [For  purposes  of  subdivision  eight  of section one hundred
 fifty-three of this article, safety net assistance given to such a child
 during the first forty-five days after  application  therefor  shall  be
 regarded as being given to meet emergency circumstances.]
   §  5.  Subdivision  4  of  section  158 of the social services law, as
 amended by section 44 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of  1997,  is
 amended to read as follows:
   4.  Social  services  officials shall determine eligibility for safety
 net assistance [within forty-five] AS SOON AS  POSSIBLE,  BUT  NO  LATER
 THAN  THIRTY  days AFTER THE DATE of receiving an application for safety
 net assistance. Such officials shall notify  applicants  of  safety  net
 assistance  about  the  availability  of  assistance  to  meet emergency
 circumstances or to prevent eviction.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.