S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
873
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
(PREFILED)
January 6, 2021
___________
Introduced by Sen. LIU -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring the
commissioner to prepare a report of the homeless population during a
state disaster emergency in publicly funded shelters, residential
programs for victims of domestic violence, and residential programs
for runaway and homeless youth
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision (d-1) of section 17 of the social services law,
as added by a chapter of the laws of 2020 amending the social services
law relating to requiring the commissioner to prepare a report of the
sheltered and unsheltered homeless population during a state disaster
emergency, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 8643-A and A.
10566-A, is amended to read as follows:
(d-1)(1) in consultation with each local health department AND EACH
SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT in the county in which [the homeless] A PUBLIC-
LY FUNDED shelter is located, the commissioner of the department of
health, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES,
the [commissioners] COMMISSIONER of the NEW YORK CITY department of
homeless services, and the commissioner of the New York city department
of health and mental hygiene, [shall collect] CONDUCT A REVIEW OF infor-
mation, TO THE EXTENT SUCH INFORMATION IS KNOWN AND AVAILABLE AFTER
MAKING ALL DILIGENT EFFORTS, regarding the [sheltered and unsheltered]
homeless population IN PUBLICLY FUNDED SHELTERS, during a state disaster
emergency, declared pursuant to executive order two hundred two of two
thousand twenty OR ANY EXTENSION OR SUBSEQUENT EXECUTIVE ORDER ISSUED in
response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including but not
limited to, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
(i) the number of confirmed infected individuals;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07158-01-1
S. 873 2
(ii) the number of hospitalizations;
(iii) the number of deaths;
(iv) information regarding the individual, if known[;]: (a) age; (b)
race; (c) family composition; (d) shelter status; (e) type of shelter
including: family shelter, a shelter for adults, a hotel, an emergency
apartment, a domestic violence shelter, a runaway and homeless youth
shelter, or [as] a safe house for refugees; (f) any known risk factors;
and (g) any other information the office deems appropriate;
(V) WITH REGARD TO INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN A RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM FOR
VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR FOR RUNAWAY AND HOMELESS YOUTH, INFORMA-
TION REGARDING THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS REPORTED WITH A
CONFIRMED INFECTION, THE NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF PROGRAMS STRUGGLING
WITH AN OUTBREAK, AND THE NUMBER AND PERCENTAGE OF RESIDENTS IMPACTED IN
THOSE PROGRAMS COMPARED TO THE PROGRAM'S MAXIMUM CAPACITY.
(2) IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, utilizing the
information [collected] REVIEWED pursuant to paragraph (1) of this
subdivision AND TO THE EXTENT THAT CONFIDENTIALITY REQUIREMENTS SET
FORTH IN LAW AND REGULATION ARE MAINTAINED[, the commissioners shall]
publish a report containing such information aggregated by county [and
post it on the website of each respective agency]. WHEN CONFIDENTIALITY
REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN LAW AND REGULATION PREVENT THE PUBLICATION OF
INFORMATION AGGREGATED BY COUNTY, THE REPORT SHALL CONTAIN SUCH INFORMA-
TION AGGREGATED FOR MULTIPLE COUNTIES AND ORGANIZED BY GEOGRAPHIC
REGION. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS PARAGRAPH, FOR RESI-
DENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND RUNAWAY AND HOME-
LESS YOUTH, REPORTED INFORMATION SHALL BE AGGREGATED ON A STATEWIDE
BASIS.
(3) POST THE REPORT ON THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSIST-
ANCE'S WEBSITE WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS PARAGRAPH
AND UPDATE THE REPORT AT LEAST EVERY THREE MONTHS THEREAFTER DURING THE
STATE DISASTER EMERGENCY DECLARED PURSUANT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER TWO
HUNDRED TWO OF TWO THOUSAND TWENTY OR ANY EXTENSION OR SUBSEQUENT EXECU-
TIVE ORDER ISSUED IN RESPONSE TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
PANDEMIC.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
manner as a chapter of the laws of 2020 amending the social services law
relating to requiring the commissioner to prepare a report of the shel-
tered and unsheltered homeless population during a state disaster emer-
gency, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 8643-A and A.
10566-A, takes effect.