S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8103
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               June 11, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to providing public
   assistance for home internet service
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1. Subdivision 1 of section 131-a of the social services law,
 as amended by section 12 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws  of  1997,
 is amended to read as follows:
   1.  Any  inconsistent  provision of this chapter or other law notwith-
 standing, social  services  officials  shall,  in  accordance  with  the
 provisions  of  this  section and regulations of the department, provide
 public assistance to needy persons who constitute or are  members  of  a
 family  household,  who are determined to be eligible in accordance with
 standards of need  established  in  subdivision  two  OF  THIS  SECTION.
 Provision  for  such  persons, for all items of need, less any available
 income or resources which are not required to be  disregarded  by  other
 provisions  of  this  chapter,  shall  be  made  in accordance with this
 section. Such provision shall be made in monthly or semi-monthly  allow-
 ances and grants within the limits of the schedules included in subdivi-
 sion  three of this section except for additional amounts which shall be
 included therein for shelter, fuel for heating, HOME  INTERNET  SERVICE,
 additional  cost of meals for persons who are unable to prepare meals at
 home and for other items for which specific provision is otherwise  made
 in article five OF THIS CHAPTER. As used in this section the term "shel-
 ter" may include a grant not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars
 toward  the  purchase of an interest in a cooperative. A social services
 official shall require assignment of recipient's equity in such  cooper-
 ative  housing in accordance with the rules of the board and regulations
 of the department.

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11010-01-1
              

 A. 8103                             2
 
   § 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 2 of section  131-a  of  the  social
 services  law,  as amended by chapter 87 of the laws of 1993, is amended
 to read as follows:
   (b)  In  addition  to  the  above,  the standard of need shall include
 amounts for shelter and  fuel  for  heating,  amounts  for  home  energy
 payments  (including  amounts  for  supplemental  home  energy  grants),
 AMOUNTS FOR HOME INTERNET SERVICE PAYMENTS, amounts for additional  cost
 of meals for persons who are unable to prepare meals at home and amounts
 for other items when required by individual case circumstances for which
 specific  provision  is  otherwise made in article five of this chapter.
 For purposes of determining the amount to be included in the standard of
 need for shelter and fuel  for  heating,  to  the  extent  that  federal
 reimbursement  is  available  therefor,  social services officials shall
 include in the household any child who has entered foster care  pursuant
 to  section three hundred eighty-four-a of this chapter who was eligible
 for and in receipt of assistance and care as a member of  the  household
 in  and  for the month of entry into foster care and for whom the family
 service plan, as defined in section four hundred nine-e of this chapter,
 includes a goal of discharge to a member of the household.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such effective date.