S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2854
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 28, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. GANTT -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to eligibility  for
   public assistance
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Paragraph (a) of subdivision  14  of  section  131  of  the
 social services law, as amended by section 152 of subpart B of part C of
 chapter 62 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter or other law to the
 contrary, no public assistance shall be given to any individual  who  is
 (i) fleeing to avoid prosecution or custody or conviction under the laws
 of  the place from which the individual flees for a crime, or an attempt
 to commit a crime, [which is a felony] under the laws of the place  from
 which  the  individual  flees [or which, in the case of the state of New
 Jersey, is a high misdemeanor under the laws  of  such  state]  or  (ii)
 violating  a  condition  of probation or parole imposed under federal or
 state law.
   § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 136 of the social services law, as added
 by section 25 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997,  is  amended
 to read as follows:
   5.  A  social  services official shall disclose to a federal, state or
 local law enforcement officer, upon request of the officer, the  current
 address  OR  ANY OTHER INFORMATION NECESSARY FOR THE APPREHENSION of any
 APPLICANT OR recipient of family assistance, or safety net assistance if
 the duties of the officer include the location or  apprehension  of  the
 APPLICANT  OR  recipient  and  the officer furnishes the social services
 official with the name of the APPLICANT OR recipient  and  notifies  the
 agency that such APPLICANT OR recipient is fleeing to avoid prosecution,
 custody  or  confinement  after  conviction, under the laws of the place
 from which the APPLICANT OR recipient is fleeing,  for  a  crime  or  an
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD00134-01-9

 A. 2854                             2
 
 attempt  to  commit  a  crime which is a felony OR MISDEMEANOR under the
 laws of the place from which the APPLICANT OR recipient is fleeing,  [or
 which,  in  the  case  of the state of New Jersey, is a high misdemeanor
 under  the laws of that state,] or is violating a condition of probation
 or parole imposed under a federal or state law or has  information  that
 is  necessary for the officer to conduct his or her official duties.  In
 a request for disclosure pursuant to this subdivision, such law enforce-
 ment officer shall endeavor to include identifying information  to  help
 ensure  that  the social services official discloses only the address of
 the person sought and not the address of a person with the same or simi-
 lar name.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.