NY State Senate Bill 2025-S673

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 08, 2025	referred to social services

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A1693
Current Committee:: Senate Social Services
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Add §§45-aa & 459-bb, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S9629, A10592

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes the housing people and animals together grant program to expand access for co-sheltering people experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic violence with companion animals.

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S673

SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing the
housing people and animals together grant program

 
PURPOSE:

The intent of this grant program is to aid in further reducing barriers
to sheltered housing for people experiencing homelessness and victims of
domestic violence with companion animals by providing funding assistance
to organizations and municipal shelters that serve such populations.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
45-aa to establish the housing people and animals together grant program
related to people experiencing homelessness with companion animals.

Section 2. The social services law is amended by adding a new section

459-bb to establish the housing people and animals together grant
program related to victims of domestic violence.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

As a result of "no pet policies" or limited sheltered housing options
that accommodate animals, people experiencing homelessness often choose
street homelessness to forgo relinquishing their animal.  Similarly,
research has demonstrated that 71% of women in domestic violence shel-
ters report their abuser threatening to injure or have killed their
companion animal, with nearly half of victims choosing to remain in an
abusive environment in fear of leaving their animal behind.(FN1)

Shelters have already begun recognizing this additional barrier to shel-
tered housing for both populations and in response have implemented
co-sheltering programs. A noteworthy example is PALS NYC, the first
shelter in the nation to house survivors of domestic violence with their
companion animals as well as several others across the state. New York
City has a bill before the city council that would require city-run
shelters to develop and submit a plan for how they can accommodate
people experiencing homelessness with a companion animal. A similar
grant program as the one proposed in this section known as the Pet
Assistance and Support Program has been enacted in California's
2022-2023 budget to assist their homeless population in gaining access
to sheltered housing with a companion animal.(FN2)

This legislation is supplemental to existing efforts in reducing housing
barriers for people experiencing homelessness and victims of domestic
violence with companion animals by providing the necessary funding need-
ed to organizations and municipal shelters to accommodate them safely.
This measure exemplifies our state's commitment to addressing and serv-
ing the needs of these vulnerable populations.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
1 Carlisle-Frank, Frank and Nielsen, (2004). Pets as Pawns.
2 California Housing and Community Development.  Retrieved from:
https://www.hcd.ca.gov/grants-and- funding/programs-activeipet-
assstance-and-s upport-program

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    673
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. MARTINEZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing the
   housing people and animals together grant program

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
 45-aa to read as follows:
   § 45-AA. HOUSING PEOPLE AND ANIMALS TOGETHER GRANT PROGRAM FOR  PEOPLE
 EXPERIENCING  HOMELESSNESS.  1.  AS  USED  IN  THIS  SECTION,  THE  TERM
 "CO-SHELTERING" REFERS TO HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ENABLE  THE  COEX-
 ISTENCE OF PEOPLE AND THEIR COMPANION ANIMALS IN A SHELTER SETTING.
   2.  THERE  IS  HEREBY  ESTABLISHED A CO-SHELTERING GRANT PROGRAM TO BE
 IMPLEMENTED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AND THE OFFICE
 OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE TO AID  IN  EXPANDING  ACCESS  TO
 SHELTERED  HOUSING  FOR  PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH COMPANION
 ANIMALS. THE PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE FUNDING TO  NON-PROFIT  ORGANIZATIONS
 AND MUNICIPAL SHELTERS THAT PROVIDE HOUSING TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOME-
 LESSNESS.  THE  PROGRAM  SHALL BE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION
 AND MAINTENANCE OF CO-SHELTERING PROGRAMS THAT ENABLE SUCH POPULATION TO
 GAIN ACCESS TO SHELTER WITH A COMPANION ANIMAL. FUNDING USED TO  SUPPORT
 THE PROGRAM SHALL BE SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION.
   3. FUNDS SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR EXPENDITURE UNDER
 THIS  SECTION.  IN  DETERMINING  FUNDING  FOR APPLICANTS UNDER THE GRANT
 PROGRAM, THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA AND GOALS MAY BE CONSIDERED:
   (A) THE PROVISION OF VETERINARY SERVICES TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL  MEDICAL
 CARE TO ANIMALS HOUSED ONSITE;
   (B)  THE  RENOVATION  OF  A  FACILITY TO INCORPORATE A KENNEL OR OTHER
 NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES TO SAFELY HOUSE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOME-
 LESSNESS WITH COMPANION ANIMALS;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD02748-01-5
 S. 673                              2
 
   (C) THE TRAINING OF STAFF AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RELATED TO APPLICA-
 BLE HEALTH AND HYGIENE PROTOCOL, OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIPS,  BEST  PRAC-
 TICES AND POLICIES; AND
   (D)  THE  PROVISION  OF  FOOD,  SUPPLIES, AND EQUIPMENT TO ACCOMMODATE
 ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER.
   4. IN ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING THE PROGRAM, A RANGE OF EXPERTS SHALL
 BE CONSULTED INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE DIVISION OF  HOUSING  AND
 COMMUNITY  RENEWAL, PROVIDERS OF HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PEOPLE EXPE-
 RIENCING HOMELESSNESS, AND ANY OTHER RELATED STATE AGENCY,  MUNICIPALITY
 OR ORGANIZATION.
   § 2. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 459-bb
 to read as follows:
   §  459-BB.  HOUSING  PEOPLE  AND  ANIMALS  TOGETHER  GRANT PROGRAM FOR
 VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. 1. AS  USED  IN  THIS  SECTION,  THE  TERM
 "CO-SHELTERING"  REFERS  TO HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS THAT ENABLE THE COEX-
 ISTENCE OF PEOPLE AND THEIR COMPANION ANIMALS IN A SHELTER SETTING.
   2. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED A CO-SHELTERING  GRANT  PROGRAM  TO  BE
 IMPLEMENTED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES AND THE OFFICE
 OF  TEMPORARY  AND  DISABILITY  ASSISTANCE TO AID IN EXPANDING ACCESS TO
 SHELTERED HOUSING  FOR  VICTIMS  OF  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE  WITH  COMPANION
 ANIMALS.  THE  PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE FUNDING TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
 AND MUNICIPAL SHELTERS THAT  PROVIDE  HOUSING  TO  VICTIMS  OF  DOMESTIC
 VIOLENCE  OR  PEOPLE  EXPERIENCING  HOMELESSNESS.  THE  PROGRAM SHALL BE
 DESIGNED TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION AND MAINTENANCE OF  CO-SHELTERING
 PROGRAMS  THAT  ENABLE SUCH POPULATIONS TO GAIN ACCESS TO SHELTER WITH A
 COMPANION ANIMAL. FUNDING USED TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM SHALL  BE  SUBJECT
 TO APPROPRIATION.
   3. FUNDS SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED AND MADE AVAILABLE FOR EXPENDITURE UNDER
 THIS  SECTION.  IN  DETERMINING  FUNDING  FOR APPLICANTS UNDER THE GRANT
 PROGRAM, THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA AND GOALS MAY BE CONSIDERED:
   (A) THE PROVISION OF VETERINARY SERVICES TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL  MEDICAL
 CARE TO ANIMALS HOUSED ONSITE;
   (B)  THE  RENOVATION  OF  A  FACILITY TO INCORPORATE A KENNEL OR OTHER
 NEEDED INFRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES TO SAFELY HOUSE PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOME-
 LESSNESS OR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH COMPANION ANIMALS;
   (C) THE TRAINING OF STAFF AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RELATED TO APPLICA-
 BLE HEALTH AND HYGIENE PROTOCOL, OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIPS,  BEST  PRAC-
 TICES AND POLICIES; AND
   (D)  THE  PROVISION  OF  FOOD,  SUPPLIES, AND EQUIPMENT TO ACCOMMODATE
 ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER.
   4. IN ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING THE PROGRAM, A RANGE OF EXPERTS SHALL
 BE CONSULTED INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION
 OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THE DIVISION OF  HOUSING  AND  COMMUNITY  RENEWAL,
 PROVIDERS  OF  HOUSING  ACCOMMODATIONS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESS-
 NESS, ORGANIZATIONS SERVING THE NEEDS OF VICTIMS OF  DOMESTIC  VIOLENCE,
 AND ANY OTHER RELATED STATE AGENCY, MUNICIPALITY OR ORGANIZATION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.

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Senate Bill S673

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

Actions

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Sponsored By

Monica R. Martinez

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

Actions

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S673 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments