Assembly Bill A8861

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8861
 
                        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
   community accompaniment and post-release support program
 
   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.  COMMUNITY  ACCOMPANIMENT AND POST-RELEASE SUPPORT PROGRAM. (A) THE
 OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH AND  ADMINISTER  A  COMMUNITY  ACCOMPANIMENT  AND
 POST-RELEASE  SUPPORT  PROGRAM TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO QUALIFIED COMMUNITY-
 BASED ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF OFFERING SERVICES TO  INDIVIDUALS
 RELEASED FROM IMMIGRATION DETENTION.
   (B)  ELIGIBLE  SERVICES  UNDER  THE  PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
 LIMITED TO:
   (I) CASE MANAGEMENT AND INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICE PLANS;
   (II) TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND PLACEMENT SERVICES;
   (III) MENTAL HEALTH AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE;
   (IV) LEGAL SERVICES RELATED TO IMMIGRATION, HOUSING, AND EMPLOYMENT;
   (V) JOB TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE;
   (VI) ACCESS TO FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL NEEDS;
   (VII) LANGUAGE ACCESS SERVICES AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION; AND
   (VIII)  FAMILY  REUNIFICATION  SUPPORT  AND  COMMUNITY   REINTEGRATION
 ASSISTANCE.
   (C)  THE  OFFICE  SHALL  ESTABLISH  CRITERIA FOR AWARDING GRANTS. SUCH
 CRITERIA SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) DEMONSTRATED EXPERIENCE SERVING IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS;
   (II) CAPACITY  TO  PROVIDE  CULTURALLY  AND  LINGUISTICALLY  COMPETENT
 SERVICES;
   (III) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY TO ENSURE STATEWIDE ACCESS TO SERVICES; AND

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11602-01-5
 A. 8861                             2
              

 
   (IV)  A  DEMONSTRATED  COMMITMENT  TO  PROVIDING  TRAUMA-INFORMED  AND
 GENDER-RESPONSIVE CARE.
   (D)  THE  OFFICE SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE
 LEGISLATURE WHICH SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, INFORMATION  ON:
 THE  NUMBER  OF  INDIVIDUALS  SERVED  UNDER  THE  PROGRAM;  THE TYPES OF
 SERVICES PROVIDED; THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES; AND OUTCOMES
 RELATED TO HOUSING STABILITY, EMPLOYMENT, AND LEGAL CASE RESOLUTIONS.
   § 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 COMMUNITY ACCOMPANIMENT  AND  POST-RE-
 LEASE  SUPPORT  PROGRAM  ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION SIX OF THIS
 SECTION, and any other relevant information;
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law; provided, however, that if  chapter  625  of
 the laws of 2024 shall not have taken effect on or before such date then
 section  two  of  this act shall take effect on the same date and in the
 same manner as such chapter of the laws of 2024 takes effect.  Effective
 immediately,  the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regu-
 lation necessary for the implementation of this  act  on  its  effective
 date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective
 date.