BILL NUMBER: S7616

SPONSOR: GRIFFO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to establishing
requirements for resettling, transporting or relocating certain migrants
to other municipalities

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill will require advanced consultation and notification of the
chief executive officer of the directly affected municipality, as well
as the Governor of New York State, regarding the proposed resettlement,
transportation, or relocation of non-detained migrants. This also will
require transparency and monthly detailed reports from the municipality
which is funding or directing the relocation of non-detained migrants.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 99-z is added to the general municipal law. This section adds
requirements for resettling, transporting or relocating certain migrants
              

to other municipalities.

Subsection 1 of section 99-z requires that any municipal corporation
resettling, transporting or relocating non-detained migrants to another
municipal corporation within the state, which is directed, administered,
or funded by the federal government, the secretary of health and human
services in the case of minors, the secretary of homeland security in
the case of adults, or any municipal corporation within the state or
agents thereof, shall not later than thirty days before such resettle-
ment, transportation, or relocation consult with both the governor and
the chief executive officer of the directly affected municipal corpo-
ration regarding the proposed resettlement, transportation or relo-
cation.

Subsection 2 of section 99-z requires the chief executive officer of the
municipal corporation funding or directing the relocation of non-de-
tained migrants to provide monthly reports starting seven days after the
effective date of this section. Each report shall contain:  the total
number of migrants resettled, transported or relocated during the previ-
ous month and the current calendar year, disaggregated by the number of
single adults, members of family units, and minors; age; sex; country of
origin; the types of security screenings performed with respect to such
migrants; the methods used to determine the ages of migrants; the meth-
ods used to verify the familial status of such migrants; the types of
settings in which migrants are being resettled; summary of educational
or occupational resources or assistance provided to such migrants;
whether such migrants are granted permits to work; the total amount the
municipal corporation has spent on migrant resettlement.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York City has, without advanced notification or consultation, sent
buses of non-detained migrants to resettle in hotels in communities
throughout the entire state. Unfortunately, this has caused a burden in
resources in many communities, and has also caused the displacement of
poor and indigent individuals who were residing in certain hotels and
already struggling with poverty - some who had been receiving assistance
from County Departments of Social Services. Additionally, police
resources, educational resources and emergency services resources are
strained, and fiscal stress is caused to municipalities when one munici-
pality can send hundreds of individuals to be housed in another communi-
ty with zero notification or consultation. To make matters worse, the
City of New York and the company that it has contracted with, DocGo, is
unwilling to provide any information to the affected municipalities
where it is sending non-detained migrants. This bill will require
advanced notification between municipalities, as well as monthly report-
ing requirements to the affected municipality and the State of New York.
These new requirements will make sure that municipalities and their
citizens are informed in advance of migrants being sent from another
municipality, and that they will receive detailed reports regarding the
total number of migrants being transported from the original munici-
pality, and demographic details about the individuals being transported,
resources provided to the individuals, as well as details about the
processes for screening these individuals.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.