Prohibits municipal corporations from refusing resettlement of asylum seekers from other municipal corporations in the state, provided that the resettling municipal corporation covers the costs of such resettlement, and no property of the municipal corporation receiving such asylum seekers is used without such municipal corporation's consent.
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
2161
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 15, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. RAJKUMAR, RAGA -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to prohibiting
municipal corporations from refusing resettlement of asylum seekers
from other municipal corporations in the state
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new
section 98-c to read as follows:
§ 98-C. RESETTLEMENT OF ASYLUM SEEKERS. 1. NO MUNICIPAL CORPORATION IN
THE STATE SHALL REFUSE, PROHIBIT, OR OTHERWISE PREVENT A RESETTLING
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION FROM RESETTLING ASYLUM SEEKERS INTO SUCH MUNICIPAL
CORPORATION, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT:
(A) SUCH RESETTLING MUNICIPAL CORPORATION SHALL COVER ALL COSTS OF
SUCH RESETTLEMENT INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CONTINUING COSTS OF
SHELTER FOR SUCH ASYLUM SEEKERS; AND
(B) NO PROPERTY OWNED BY THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION INTO WHICH ASYLUM
SEEKERS ARE BEING RESETTLED SHALL BE USED FOR SUCH RESETTLEMENT WITHOUT
THE CONSENT OF SUCH MUNICIPAL CORPORATION.
2. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE
FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "ASYLUM SEEKER" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO CHANGES THEIR COUNTRY OF
USUAL RESIDENCE TO SEEK TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN ANOTHER
COUNTRY, AND WHO HAS APPLIED FOR ASYLUM UNDER 8 U.S. CODE § 1158 OR IS
ELIGIBLE TO APPLY; OR WHO IS A REFUGEE AS DEFINED BY SECTION 101(A)(42)
OF THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT (INA).
(B) "RESETTLING MUNICIPAL CORPORATION" MEANS A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION
IN THE STATE THAT IS ASSISTING ASYLUM SEEKERS WITH RESETTLEMENT INTO
ANOTHER MUNICIPAL CORPORATION IN THE STATE.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04110-01-5
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