NY State Senate Bill 2019-S722

Senate Bill S722

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Relates to training and education for sustainable wage jobs and traditional and nontraditional employment in public assistance employment programs

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 08, 2020	referred to social services
May 07, 2019	reported and committed to finance
Jan 09, 2019	referred to social services

Votes

- May 7, 2019 - Social Services Committee Vote
  S722
  
  5
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  2
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Social Services Committee Vote: May 7, 2019
      
      aye (5)
      
      Kennedy
      
      Myrie
      
      Persaud
      
      Rivera
      
      Salazar
      
      aye wr (2)
      
      Serino
      
      Tedisco

2019-S722 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A1867
Current Committee:: Senate Social Services
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§330, 333, 334, 335 & 335-a, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S2098, A4096
2011-2012: S72, A3298
2013-2014: S1290, A1785
2015-2016: S974, A8574
2017-2018: S4259, A1346
2021-2022: S4833, A2173
2023-2024: S2915, A7203

2019-S722 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to training and education for sustainable wage jobs and traditional and non-traditional employment in public assistance employment programs.

2019-S722 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S722

SPONSOR: MONTGOMERY
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to training and education for sustainable wage jobs and traditional and
nontraditional employment in public assistance employment programs

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 defines "nontraditional employment" and "sustainable wage."

Section 2 requires that local social services district plans-for public
assistance employment programs emphasize training for sustainable wage
jobs and promote understanding of nontraditional employment opportu-
nities for participants.

Section 3 requires that participant orientations include information on
education and training for sustainable wage jobs and non-traditional
employment opportunities available under the local plan.

Sections 4 and 5 require participant employability plans to take into
account the potential for available employment that pays a sustainable

wage such as apprentice-able, technical and professional occupations and
nontraditional employment.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In the rush to reduce welfare rolls under federal welfare reform, many
welfare recipients have been placed in low-paying jobs. In particular,
initial studies of women moving from welfare to work indicate that the
vast majority of women move into jobs that do not lift them and their
children out of poverty. These jobs are typically in industries, such as
food service and home health care, which are traditionally populated by
women workers.

A 2001 study of job training for low-income people, particularly women
leaving welfare, found a clear pattern of gender segregation in job
training referral and placements. Programs training for jobs as bank
teller and nail technician had 100% female enrollment, while programs
training for higher paying jobs such as appliance technician and automo-
tive technician had overwhelming male enrollments.

Overall, women comprise 25% or less of total workers in many fields,
such as skilled trade occupations carpenter, electrician, millwright,
plumber, sheet metal worker; technical jobs drafter, rigger, computer
technician; service jobs - taxi driver, furniture mover and truck driv-
er; public service jobs, such as firefighter, police officer and ambu-
lance driver, and professions chemist, aerospace engineer, and city
manager.

Nontraditional employment can help women achieve economic independence:
nontraditional jobs offer women wages paying 20% to 30% more on average
than traditionally female occupations, as well as good benefits and
opportunities for advancement.

As welfare reform continues, increased emphasis needs to be placed on
services that will move participants into sustainable wage jobs to
permanently lift families out of poverty, and prevent them from cycling
in and out of dependence on public assistance. This becomes especially
critical as the 60 month lifetime limit for federally-funded public
assistance is reached. For women in particular, a crucial but underuti-
lized route to a sustainable wage job is through nontraditional employ-
ment. The provisions of this bill will ensure that local social services
districts increase their emphasis on counseling, education and training
for nontraditional employment and sustainable wage jobs.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2007: A.3366/S.3281 Veto 94;
2008: A.9197-A/S.6256-A;
2009/2010: 5.2098-A, Died in Committee;
2011-2012: S.72 Referred to and died in Social Services in Committee;
2013-2014: 5.1290 Referred to and died in Social Services Committee

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
The one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become law and shall
apply to employability plans made or updated on and after such effective
date.

2019-S722 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    722
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 9, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MONTGOMERY  -- 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  training  and
   education for sustainable wage jobs and traditional and nontraditional
   employment in public assistance employment programs
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 330 of the social services law, as
 amended by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of  the  laws  of  1997,
 paragraphs  a  and  b as amended by section 2 of part C of chapter 57 of
 the laws of 2005, is amended to read as follows:
   1. Whenever used in this title:
   a. the term "commissioner" means the commissioner of the state  office
 of temporary and disability assistance; [and]
   b. the term "department" means the state office of temporary and disa-
 bility assistance;
   C.    THE TERM "NONTRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT" MEANS OCCUPATIONS OR FIELDS
 OF WORK, INCLUDING CAREERS IN THE SKILLED TRADES, OR  COMPUTER  SCIENCE,
 TECHNOLOGY  AND OTHER EMERGING HIGH SKILL OCCUPATIONS, FOR WHICH ANY ONE
 GENDER COMPRISES  LESS  THAN  TWENTY-FIVE  PERCENT  OF  THE  INDIVIDUALS
 EMPLOYED  IN  EACH SUCH OCCUPATION OR FIELD OF WORK ACCORDING TO FEDERAL
 DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STATISTICS; AND
   D. THE TERM "SUSTAINABLE WAGE" MEANS A  WAGE  THAT  IS  AT  LEAST  ONE
 HUNDRED EIGHTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE POVERTY LINE AND THAT IS ADJUSTED FOR
 REGIONAL FACTORS.
   §  2.  The  second undesignated paragraph of section 333 of the social
 services law, as amended by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of  the
 laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
   Such  plan  shall  be  developed  in cooperation and coordination with
 public and private education institutions, child care  providers,  child
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01739-01-9

 S. 722                              2
 
 care  resource and referral agencies if available in the district, labor
 unions, libraries, public and private employers, employment and training
 agencies and organizations, and private industry councils established in
 service  delivery  areas  defined  in  subdivision  five of section nine
 hundred seventy-one of the executive law.    SUCH  PLAN  SHALL  STRONGLY
 CONSIDER,  FOR  INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE OBTAINED A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR A
 GENERAL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA (GED), TRAINING FOR  SUSTAINABLE  WAGE  JOBS
 AND  PROMOTE  NONTRADITIONAL  EMPLOYMENT  OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCH PARTIC-
 IPANTS; PROVIDED THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL'S PREPARATION FOR EMPLOYMENT  SHALL
 BE CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL AND STATE WORK PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS.
   §  3.  Paragraph  (a)  of  subdivision  1 of section 334 of the social
 services law, as amended by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of  the
 laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  education,  employment and training opportunities available under
 the local plan, including: (I) EDUCATION AND  TRAINING  FOR  SUSTAINABLE
 WAGE  JOBS  AND NONTRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES; AND (II) educa-
 tional and training opportunities available at no cost  to  the  partic-
 ipant  as  well as the responsibilities associated with the repayment of
 student financial aid;
   §  4. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of  section  335  of  the  social
 services  law, as amended by section 148 of part B of chapter 436 of the
 laws of 1997, is amended to read as follows:
   (a) Based on the  assessment  required  by  subdivision  one  of  this
 section,  the social services official, in consultation with the partic-
 ipant, shall develop an employability plan in writing  which  shall  set
 forth  the  services  that will be provided by the social services offi-
 cial, including but not limited to child care and other services and the
 activities in which the participant will take part, including child care
 and other services and shall  set  forth  an  employment  goal  for  the
 participant.    To  the  extent  possible,  the employability plan shall
 reflect the preferences of the participant in a manner that is  consist-
 ent with the results of the participant's assessment and the need of the
 social services district to meet federal and state work activity partic-
 ipation  requirements,  and, if such preferences cannot be accommodated,
 the reasons shall be specified in the employability plan.  The  employa-
 bility  plan  shall  also take into account the participant's supportive
 services needs, available program resources, local  employment  opportu-
 nities, AND SHALL STRONGLY CONSIDER, FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE OBTAINED A
 HIGH  SCHOOL  DIPLOMA OR A GENERAL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA (GED), THE POTEN-
 TIAL FOR AVAILABLE EMPLOYMENT THAT PAYS  A  SUSTAINABLE  WAGE;  PROVIDED
 THAT  ANY  INDIVIDUAL'S  PREPARATION  FOR EMPLOYMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT
 WITH FEDERAL AND STATE WORK PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS;  and  where  the
 social  services official is considering an educational activity assign-
 ment for such  participant,  the  participant's  liability  for  student
 loans,  grants  and  scholarship awards. The employability plan shall be
 explained to the participant.  Any change to the participant's  employa-
 bility  plan required by the social services official shall be discussed
 with the participant and shall be documented in writing.
   § 5. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 of section  335-a  of  the  social
 services  law,  as  amended  by section 1 of part J of chapter 58 of the
 laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   (a) Based on the  assessment  required  by  subdivision  one  of  this
 section,  the social services official, in consultation with the partic-
 ipant, shall develop an employability plan in writing  which  shall  set
 forth the services that will be provided by the social services official
 and  the  activities  in which the participant will take part, including

 S. 722                              3
 
 supportive services and shall set  forth  an  employment  goal  for  the
 participant.  To  the  extent  possible,  the  employability  plan shall
 reflect the preferences of the participant in a manner that is  consist-
 ent with the results of the participant's assessment and the need of the
 social services district to meet federal and state work activity partic-
 ipation  requirements,  and, if such preferences cannot be accommodated,
 the reasons shall be specified in the employability plan.  The  employa-
 bility  plan  also  shall take into account the participant's supportive
 services needs, available program resources, local  employment  opportu-
 nities, AND SHALL STRONGLY CONSIDER, FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE OBTAINED A
 HIGH  SCHOOL  DIPLOMA OR A GENERAL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA (GED), THE POTEN-
 TIAL FOR AVAILABLE EMPLOYMENT THAT PAYS  A  SUSTAINABLE  WAGE;  PROVIDED
 THAT  ANY  INDIVIDUAL'S  PREPARATION  FOR EMPLOYMENT SHALL BE CONSISTENT
 WITH FEDERAL AND STATE WORK PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS;  and  where  the
 social  services official is considering an educational activity assign-
 ment for such  participant,  the  participant's  liability  for  student
 loans,  grants  and  scholarship awards. The employability plan shall be
 explained to the participant. Any change to the  participant's  employa-
 bility  plan required by the social services official shall be discussed
 with the participant and shall be documented in writing.
   § 6. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
 it shall have become a law, and shall apply to employability plans  made
 or updated on and after such effective date.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.