Permits an applicant for public assistance or care to select the local social services office most accessible to such person's residence if such office is in the local social services district in which such person resides and such office has the capacity to accept such person; requires written notification of this provision be given to an applicant by the social services official.

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S413-2013 Actions

• Jan 9, 2013: REFERRED TO SOCIAL SERVICES

S413-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S413

TITLE OF BILL:

An act
to amend the social services law, in relation to assignment of
social services recipients to local offices

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to improve an individual's accessibility
to a local social services office.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

The social services law is amended by adding a new section 134-c. This
bill would provide that an individual applying for or receiving
public assistance or care may choose the local social services office
most geographically accessible to that person's residence, provided
that the office in question has the capacity to handle the case. An
applicant or recipient would receive written notice of this provision.

JUSTIFICATION:

Many social services applicants and recipients have to travel to
offices which are far from their place of residence. This bill would
require the assignment of these people to the local office which is
the most accessible to their residence. By requiring this, social
services applicants and recipients will not have to travel to a
randomly assigned social services office and incur unnecessary
expenses. In addition, the social services office will be accessible
to the community it serves and more aware of the needs of its clients.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2011/12 - S.1324
2009/10 - S.1650A/A.2417 - Advanced to Third Reading/Passed Assembly

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This  act  shall  take  effect immediately provided, however, that the
commissioner of the Office of Temporary and Disability Services  shall
promulgate  such  rules  and regulations as are necessary to implement
the provisions of this act on or before January 1, 2015.

S413-2013 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                     413

                         2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                              I N  SENATE

                                 (PREFILED)

                               January 9, 2013
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen.  DILAN  -- 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  assignment  of
    social services recipients to local offices

    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
  134-c to read as follows:

    S  134-C. ASSIGNMENT TO LOCAL OFFICES. FOR THE PURPOSES OF ASSIGNING A
  PERSON APPLYING FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE OR CARE ON OR AFTER JANUARY FIRST,
  TWO THOUSAND FIFTEEN TO A  LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES  OFFICE,  THE  SOCIAL
  SERVICES  OFFICIAL  SHALL  ALLOW  SUCH PERSON TO CHOOSE THE LOCAL SOCIAL
  SERVICES OFFICE MOST ACCESSIBLE TO SUCH  PERSON'S  PLACE  OF  RESIDENCE,
  PROVIDED  THAT  SUCH  LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICE IS LOCATED WITHIN THE
  LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT IN WHICH SUCH  PERSON  RESIDES,  PROVIDED
  THAT  THE  CAPACITY  OF  SUCH OFFICE PERMITS THE ASSIGNMENT.  THE SOCIAL
  SERVICES OFFICIAL SHALL INFORM,  IN  WRITING,  AN  APPLICANT  OF  PUBLIC
  ASSISTANCE OR CARE OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
    S  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately provided, however, that
  the commissioner of the office of temporary  and  disability  assistance
  shall  promulgate  such rules and regulations as are necessary to imple-
  ment the provisions of this act on or before January 1, 2015.



   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD00406-01-3