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

                                  10586

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              April 8, 2010
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  ROSENTHAL  --  read once and referred to the
  Committee on Social Services

AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to  public  assist-
  ance applications

  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
152-c to read as follows:
  S  152-C.  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS; NOTIFICATION. 1.  NOTWITH-
STANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW  TO  THE  CONTRARY,  THE  OFFICE  OF
TEMPORARY  AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE SHALL UNDERTAKE EFFORTS TO SIMPLIFY
THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE  BENEFITS.  SUCH  EFFORTS,
SHALL  INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, LISTING INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS
ON SUCH APPLICATIONS IN A MANNER THAT  WOULD  BE  COMPREHENSIBLE  TO  AN
INDIVIDUAL WITH A BASIC LITERACY LEVEL.
  2. (A) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE
OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE SHALL DRAFT A SUPPLEMENTAL
NOTICE  FORM  TO  BE  PROVIDED TO APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. SUCH
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE FORM SHALL LIST ALL NOTIFICATIONS TO BE PROVIDED  TO
APPLICANTS  AS  MAY  BE  APPROPRIATE,  OR REQUIRED BY LAW, RULE OR REGU-
LATION.
  (B) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, EACH NOTIFI-
CATION LISTED ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL NOTIFICATION FORM SHALL BE PROVIDED IN
A FONT THAT IS AT LEAST SIXTEEN POINTS.
  (C) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE  SUPPLE-
MENTAL  NOTICE FORM SHALL INCLUDE A CHECK OFF BOX NEXT TO EACH NOTIFICA-
TION PROVIDED ON THE FORM FOR THE APPLICANT TO CHECK TO INDICATE THAT HE
OR SHE HAS RECEIVED THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN  THE  NOTIFICATION  AND
UNDERSTANDS THE NOTIFICATION PROVIDED.
  (D)  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE SUPPLE-
MENTAL NOTIFICATION FORM SHALL PROVIDE A LINE FOR THE PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE
APPLICANT  TO  SIGN TO INDICATE THAT HE OR SHE HAS RECEIVED THE INFORMA-
TION CONTAINED IN THE  SUPPLEMENTAL  NOTICE  FORM  AND  UNDERSTANDS  ALL
NOTIFICATIONS PROVIDED.

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

                                                           LBD16564-02-0

A. 10586                            2

  3.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, LOCAL SOCIAL
SERVICES  DISTRICTS  SHALL  PROVIDE ALL APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
WITH THE SUPPLEMENTAL NOTIFICATION FORM.
  4.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, SUBSE-
QUENT TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND
DISABILITY ASSISTANCE SHALL REVIEW THE  SUPPLEMENTAL  APPLICATION  FORM,
NOT LESS THAN ONCE EVERY SIX MONTHS AND SHALL ADD ANY ADDITIONAL NOTIFI-
CATIONS  TO  THE  APPLICATION  AS MAY BE APPROPRIATE OR REQUIRED BY LAW,
RULE OR REGULATION.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become law; provided however, that effective  immediately,
the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
sary for the implementation of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are
authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before the effec-
tive date.