Assembly Bill A3399A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  3399--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 27, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. GONZALEZ-ROJAS, HEVESI, BURDICK, LEVENBERG, CRUZ
   -- read once and referred to the Committee on Correction --  recommit-
   ted to the Committee on Correction in accordance with Assembly Rule 3,
   sec.  2  --  committee  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
   amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to amend the correction law, in relation to screening incarcerat-
   ed individuals for eligibility for public benefits prior to release
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The correction law is amended by adding a new section 77 to
 read as follows:
   §  77.  PUBLIC BENEFITS SCREENING. 1. IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF AN OFFI-
 CIAL OF ANY INSTITUTION UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF  THE  COMMISSIONER  TO
 COOPERATE WITH AN AUTHORIZED AGENCY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
 TO,  AT LEAST THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO RELEASE, SCREEN INCARCERATED INDIVID-
 UALS FOR  ELIGIBILITY    FOR  PUBLIC  BENEFITS.  PUBLIC  BENEFITS  SHALL
 INCLUDE,  BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED  TO, THE   SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ACCESS
 PROGRAM PURSUANT TO SECTION NINETY-FIVE  OF  THE  SOCIAL  SERVICES  LAW,
 SPECIAL  SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN
 (WIC) UNDER 42 USC § 1786, AND THE HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM  (HEAP
 AS ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE, IN
 ACCORDANCE  WITH  SECTION ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES
 LAW, 42 USC § 1383 AND SECTION TWO HUNDRED NINE OF THE  SOCIAL  SERVICES
 LAW,  TEMPORARY  ASSISTANCE,  SUPPLEMENTAL  SECURITY  INCOME  AND  STATE
 SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS.  ANY INDIVIDUAL DETERMINED ELIGIBLE TO APPLY  FOR
 A  PROGRAM  SHALL  BE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE FOR MAKING SUCH APPLICATION IF
 REQUESTED BY THE INDIVIDUAL.
   2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE REQUIRED TO REPORT ANNUALLY TO  THE  GOVER-
 NOR,  THE TEMPORARY  PRESIDENT  OF  THE SENATE  AND  THE  SPEAKER OF THE
 ASSEMBLY ON PARTICIPATION IN SUCH  PUBLIC  BENEFITS  SCREENING  PROGRAM.
 SUCH REPORTING SHALL INCLUDE METRICS ON  THE  FOLLOWING:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06100-04-6
              

 A. 3399--A                          2
 
   (A)  HOW  MANY  PEOPLE  WERE  DEEMED ELIGIBLE FOR AT LEAST ONE TYPE OF
 BENEFIT, DISAGGREGATED BY TYPE OF BENEFIT;
   (B)  FOR HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED, DISAGGREGATED BY
 TYPE OF BENEFIT;
   (C)  FOR ANY PEOPLE DEEMED ELIGIBLE BUT FOR WHOM APPLICATIONS WERE NOT
 SUBMITTED, DISAGGREGATED BY DEMOGRAPHIC; AND
   (D) THE REASON THAT SUCH APPLICATIONS WERE NOT FILED, DISAGGREGATED BY
 TYPE OF BENEFIT AND BY REASON.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing the date upon which it shall have become a law. Effective immediate-
 ly,  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.