Assembly Bill A8855

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8855
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               June 9, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. FORREST -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Governmental Operations
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive  law,  in  relation  to  establishing  the
   detention  support  program;  and  to  amend the state finance law, in
   relation to establishing the detention support program fund

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  94-b of the executive law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
   6. DETENTION SUPPORT PROGRAM. (A) THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED,  WITHIN
 THE  OFFICE,  THE  DETENTION  SUPPORT  FUND  PROGRAM. THE PURPOSE OF THE
 PROGRAM SHALL BE TO DISTRIBUTE FUNDS FROM THE DETENTION SUPPORT  PROGRAM
 FUND ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION NINETY-NINE-SS OF THE STATE FINANCE
 LAW  TO  PROVIDE  FINANCIAL  ASSISTANCE  TO  INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES OF
 DETAINED PERSONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) BOND PAYMENTS TO SECURE RELEASE FROM DETENTION; AND
   (II) TRAVEL STIPENDS TO FACILITATE VISITATION WITH  DETAINED  INDIVID-
 UALS, BOTH IN AND OUT OF THE STATE.
   (B)  (I)  THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA TO RECEIVE A
 GRANT OR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE PROGRAM. SUCH CRITERIA SHALL  PRIORITIZE
 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FACING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP.
   (II)  THE  OFFICE  SHALL ESTABLISH A GRANT OR REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS BY
 WHICH PROGRAM FUNDS SHALL  BE  DISTRIBUTED.  SUCH  PROCESS  MAY  REQUIRE
 APPLICANTS  TO SUBMIT SPECIFIC DOCUMENTATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY TO
 RECEIVE A GRANT OR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE FUND.
   (III) THE OFFICE SHALL COORDINATE WITH  COMMUNITY-BASED  ORGANIZATIONS
 TO  ENSURE  ACCESSIBILITY TO THE PROGRAM AND OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS WHO
 MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A GRANT OR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE PROGRAM.
   (C) (I) THE OFFICE SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE  GOVERNOR  AND
 THE  LEGISLATURE  WHICH  SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO: THE TOTAL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11600-01-5
 A. 8855                             2
              

 
 AMOUNT OF PROGRAM FUNDS DISBURSED; THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS ASSISTED BY
 THE PROGRAM; AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE FUNDING ADJUSTMENTS.
   (II)  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  ENSURE  TRANSPARENCY BY MAINTAINING PUBLICLY
 AVAILABLE DATA ON THE EXPENDITURE OF PROGRAM FUNDS;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,
 THAT SUCH DATA SHALL EXCLUDE PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION.
   §  2.  Paragraph (n) of subdivision 5 of section 94-b of the executive
 law, as amended by chapter 625 of the laws of 2024, is amended  to  read
 as follows:
   (n) Beginning in two thousand fifteen, by June fifteenth of each year,
 produce  a  report to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, and the
 temporary president of the  senate  describing  the  activities  of  the
 office, including but not limited to, summarizing calls received through
 the  hotline and website, information on ESOL training services provided
 by the office, the number of immigrants assisted through the opportunity
 centers, or an estimation thereof, the status of any workforce  develop-
 ment  programs, INFORMATION ON THE DETENTION SUPPORT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED
 PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION SIX OF THIS  SECTION,  and  any  other  relevant
 information;
   § 3. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-ss to
 read as follows:
   §  99-SS.  DETENTION  SUPPORT  PROGRAM FUND. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
 LISHED, IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMPTROLLER AND THE COMMISSIONER  OF
 TAXATION AND FINANCE A FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE DETENTION SUPPORT PROGRAM
 FUND.
   2.  SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL MONEYS APPROPRIATED FOR THE PURPOSE
 OF SUCH FUND, ALL OTHER MONEYS REQUIRED TO BE PAID INTO, TRANSFERRED  OR
 CREDITED TO SUCH FUND, AND ALL MONEYS RECEIVED BY THE FUND OR DONATED TO
 IT.
   3.  MONEYS  OF  THE  DETENTION  SUPPORT PROGRAM FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED
 SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSES OF CARRYING OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THE  DETENTION
 SUPPORT PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION SIX OF SECTION NINE-
 TY-FOUR-B OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW.  MONEYS SHALL BE PAID OUT OF THE FUND ON
 THE  AUDIT  AND WARRANT OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS APPROVED BY
 THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE FOR NEW AMERICANS. ANY INTEREST  RECEIVED  BY
 THE  COMPTROLLER  ON  MONEYS ON DEPOSIT IN THE DETENTION SUPPORT PROGRAM
 FUND SHALL BE RETAINED IN AND BECOME PART OF SUCH FUND.
   § 4.  This act shall take effect on  the  one  hundred  eightieth  day
 after  it  shall have become a law. Effective immediately, 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.