S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1848
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 11, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI, PERRY, BARRON -- 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  clarifying  the
   definitions  of vocational educational training and educational activ-
   ities

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Subdivision 1 of section 336-a of the social services law,
 as amended by chapter 275 of the laws of 2017, is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   1.  Social  services  districts shall make available vocational educa-
 tional training and educational activities.  Such activities [may] SHALL
 include but need not be limited to, high school education  or  education
 designed  to prepare a participant for a high school equivalency certif-
 icate, basic and remedial education, education in  English  proficiency,
 education  or a course of instruction in financial literacy and personal
 finance that includes instruction on  household  cash  management  tech-
 niques,  career  advice  to  obtain  a well paying and secure job, using
 checking and savings accounts, obtaining and utilizing  short  and  long
 term  credit,  securing  a loan or other long term financing arrangement
 for high cost items, participation  in  a  higher  education  course  of
 instruction  or  trade school, and no more than a total of four years of
 post-secondary education  (or  the  part-time  equivalent).  Educational
 activities  pursuant  to  this  section  may  be offered with any of the
 following providers which meet the performance or  assessment  standards
 established  in  regulations  by  the commissioner for such providers: a
 community college, licensed trade school, registered business school, or
 a two-year or four-year college; provided, however, that such  post-sec-
 ondary  education  must  be  necessary  to the attainment of the partic-
 ipant's individual employment goal as set  forth  in  the  employability

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

                                                            LBD01508-01-1

 A. 1848                             2
 
 plan  and  such goal must relate directly to obtaining useful employment
 in a recognized occupation. When making any  assignment  to  any  educa-
 tional  activity  pursuant to this subdivision, such assignment shall be
 permitted only to the extent that such assignment is consistent with the
 individual's  assessment  and  employment  plan goals in accordance with
 sections three hundred thirty-five and three  hundred  thirty-five-a  of
 this  title and shall require that the individual maintains satisfactory
 academic progress and hourly participation is documented consistent with
 federal and state requirements. For purposes of this  provision  "satis-
 factory  academic progress" shall mean having a cumulative C average, or
 its equivalent, as determined by the academic institution. The  require-
 ment to maintain satisfactory academic progress may be waived if done so
 by  the  academic  institution and the social services district based on
 undue hardship caused by an event such as a personal injury  or  illness
 of  the  student, the death of a relative of the student or other exten-
 uating circumstances. Any enrollment in post-secondary education  beyond
 a twelve month period must be combined with no less than twenty hours of
 participation  averaged  weekly in paid employment or work activities or
 community service when paid employment is not available.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.