Assembly Bill A9222

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9222
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 16, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Children and Families
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  executive  law, in relation to establishing the
   kinship legal network program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 501-i
 to read as follows:
   § 501-I. KINSHIP LEGAL NETWORK PROGRAM. 1.  THERE  IS  HEREBY  CREATED
 WITHIN  THE  OFFICE  OF  CHILDREN  AND  FAMILY  SERVICES A KINSHIP LEGAL
 NETWORK PROGRAM. SUCH PROGRAM SHALL BE COMPRISED OF NOT-FOR-PROFIT LEGAL
 SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCIES SERVING KINSHIP CARE-
 GIVERS, AS DEFINED BY SUBDIVISION TWENTY-TWO OF  SECTION  THREE  HUNDRED
 SEVENTY-ONE OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW.
   2. THE KINSHIP LEGAL NETWORK PROGRAM SHALL:
   (A)  PROVIDE  LEGAL  REPRESENTATION  TO  KINSHIP CAREGIVERS IN MATTERS
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) CUSTODY AND GUARDIANSHIP;
   (II) CHILD SUPPORT;
   (III) ABUSE AND NEGLECT;
   (IV) ADOPTION;
   (V) ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC BENEFITS, INCLUDING, BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO,
 PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE  AND  SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENE-
 FITS; AND
   (VI) FOSTER CARE CERTIFICATION; AND
   (B) ESTABLISH AND  COORDINATE  A  STATEWIDE  KINSHIP  INFORMATION  AND
 REFERRAL NETWORK.
   3. (A) THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES SHALL PROVIDE GRANTS
 OF NOT LESS THAN EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY TO ELIGIBLE NOT-FOR-PRO-
 FIT  LEGAL  SERVICES  ORGANIZATIONS  AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCIES SERVING
 KINSHIP CAREGIVERS TO PROVIDE KINSHIP LEGAL NETWORK SERVICES PURSUANT TO
 SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
   (B) EACH NOT-FOR-PROFIT LEGAL ORGANIZATION SHALL BE  AWARDED  NO  MORE
 THAN  FIFTEEN  PERCENT OF THE FUNDING PROVIDED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A)
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD14249-01-4
 A. 9222                             2
 
 OF THIS SUBDIVISION TO COORDINATE AND SUPPORT THE KINSHIP LEGAL  NETWORK
 PROGRAM THROUGH THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:
   (I) DATA COLLECTION;
   (II)  ASSISTING  IN PREPARING THE REPORT REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
 SION FOUR OF THIS SECTION;
   (III) TASK FORCE MEETINGS; AND
   (IV) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
   4. THE COMMISSIONER OF CHILDREN AND  FAMILY  SERVICES,  ON  OR  BEFORE
 OCTOBER  FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-FIVE,  AND BIANNUALLY THEREAFTER,
 SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE FINANCE  COMMITTEE  AND
 THE  CHAIR  OF  THE ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. SUCH REPORT SHALL
 INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) A REVIEW OF THE BASIS FOR SELECTION OF ENTITIES  PARTICIPATING  IN
 THE KINSHIP LEGAL NETWORK PROGRAM;
   (B)  THE  ADMINISTRATIVE  METHOD  USED  TO CARRY OUT THE KINSHIP LEGAL
 NETWORK PROGRAM;
   (C) THE NUMBER OF KINSHIP  CAREGIVERS  ASSISTED  THROUGH  THE  KINSHIP
 LEGAL  NETWORK  PROGRAM  AND  WHETHER THEIR LEGAL MATTER WAS RESOLVED BY
 COUNSEL AND ADVICE OR  REPRESENTATION  AT  AN  ADMINISTRATIVE  OR  COURT
 PROCEEDING, AND THE OUTCOMES OF SUCH PROCEEDINGS; AND
   (D) WHETHER SUCH OUTCOMES WERE REACHED BY SETTLEMENT OR ADMINISTRATIVE
 OR JUDICIAL DECISION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.