NY State Senate Bill 2011-S6593

Senate Bill S6593

2011-2012 Legislative Session

Makes certain tax abatement forms more readily available to seniors and authorizes certain entities to assist in the completion of such forms

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance 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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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 14, 2012	reported and committed to finance
Mar 01, 2012	referred to aging

Votes

- May 14, 2012 - Aging Committee Vote
  S6593
  
  11
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  1
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Aging Committee Vote: May 14, 2012
      
      aye (11)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Avella
      
      Ball
      
      Diaz
      
      Farley
      
      Golden
      
      Hassell-Thompson
      
      Robach
      
      Stavisky
      
      Valesky
      
      Zeldin
      
      aye wr (1)
      
      LaValle

2011-S6593 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9204
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Real Property Tax Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §467-b, RPT L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S6761, A9014
2015-2016: A5320
2017-2018: A6026

2011-S6593 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Makes certain tax abatement forms more readily available to seniors and authorizes certain entities to assist in the completion of such forms.

2011-S6593 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S6593

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the
real property tax law, in relation to making certain tax abatement forms
more readily available to seniors and authorizing certain entities to
assist in the completion of such forms

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would encourage a
decentralization of services and assistance related to the senior
citizen rent increase exemption (SCRIE) and disabled rent increase
exemption (DRIE) program by requiring that forms and assistance be
made available to applicants and participants in the community.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. This section establishes the definition of "supervising
agency" as the municipal agency administering the SCRIE/DRIE program
to simplify further changes to the statute.

Section 2. This section would require the development and
implementation of a plan to make participating in the SCRIE/DRIE
program easier for applicants and participants in the community. This
plan would include:

*Partnering with community-based organizations and other municipal
agencies to make forms and assistance with completing those forms
available in community settings;

*Providing training for individuals in the partnering organizations in
assisting with SCRIE/DRIE forms;

*Authorizing partnering organizations to accept forms on behalf of
applicants and participants and file them with the supervising agency;
and

*Making direct contact information for the supervising agency
available so applicants and participants could call with questions.

Section 3. This section would make a corresponding change to the
statute to ensure that the supervising agency would accept forms from
applicants and participants filed on their behalf by a partnering
organization.

Section 4. Effective Date.

JUSTIFICATION:
The change in administration of the SCRIE program in
New York City from the Department for the Aging (DFTA) to the
Department of Finance (DOF) has resulted in a closed door system

t.hat makes it difficult for seniors to get help. The only contact
information for DOF is 311, and their customer service window is in
Manhattan. Seniors live across the city in communities where it is a
hardship to travel to the next neighborhood, let alone another
borough. Many seniors are frail and physically unable to travel
further than their local senior center.

It is important that seniors not be excluded from the program due to
the very limitations that cause them to need assistance.
De-centralization of services and assistance will ensure that
everything a senior needs to participate in the program is available
in their community. They will have the forms and assistance they need
to make sure they can fully participate in the program.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2011-S6593 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  6593

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              March 1, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging

AN ACT to amend the real property tax law, in relation to making certain
  tax abatement forms more readily available to seniors and  authorizing
  certain entities to assist in the completion of such forms

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 467-b of the real property tax law
is amended by adding a new paragraph g to read as follows:
  G. "SUPERVISING AGENCY" SHALL MEAN THE APPROPRIATE RENT CONTROL AGENCY
OR ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY DESIGNATED TO ADMINISTER THE TAX ABATEMENT  FOR
RENT-CONTROLLED  AND RENT REGULATED PROPERTY OCCUPIED BY SENIOR CITIZENS
OR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES PURSUANT TO A  LOCAL  LAW,  RESOLUTION,  OR
ORDINANCE PASSED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
  S 2. Section 467-b of the real property tax law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 3-a to read as follows:
  3-A.  THE  SUPERVISING  AGENCY SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN THAT
WILL INCREASE THE ABILITY OF APPLICANTS AND PARTICIPANTS TO  OBTAIN  AND
COMPLETE ITS FORMS IN A COMMUNITY SETTING. ADDITIONALLY, THE SUPERVISING
AGENCY SHALL MAKE ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETION OF
SUCH FORMS. SUCH PLAN SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
  A.  PARTNERING  WITH  ORGANIZATIONS,  WHERE  AVAILABLE, THAT ENGAGE IN
OUTREACH AND PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO SENIORS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
TO MAKE SUCH FORMS AVAILABLE TO POTENTIAL APPLICANTS AND CURRENT PARTIC-
IPANTS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING ASSISTANCE WITH RESPECT TO  THE  COMPLETION
OF  SUCH  FORMS.  ORGANIZATIONS  THAT  HAVE  CONTACT WITH SENIORS IN THE
COMMUNITY SHALL INCLUDE, WHERE APPLICABLE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO  SENIOR
CENTERS,  COMMUNITY-BASED  ORGANIZATIONS,  COMMUNITY  BOARDS ESTABLISHED
PURSUANT TO SECTION TWENTY-EIGHT HUNDRED OF THE NEW YORK  CITY  CHARTER,
NEIGHBORHOOD  PRESERVATION  COMPANIES  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO ARTICLE
SIXTEEN OF THE PRIVATE  HOUSING  FINANCE  LAW,  AND  RURAL  PRESERVATION
CORPORATIONS  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO ARTICLE SEVENTEEN OF THE PRIVATE
HOUSING FINANCE LAW;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14357-01-2

S. 6593                             2

  B. PARTNERING WITH OTHER MUNICIPAL ENTITIES OR AGENCIES TO DISSEMINATE
INFORMATION AND FORMS FOR THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM AS WELL  AS  PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE WITH THE COMPLETION OF SUCH FORMS;
  C.  PROVIDING  TRAINING  FOR  INDIVIDUALS IN SUCH PARTNERING ORGANIZA-
TIONS, ENTITIES, AND AGENCIES TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS IN  COMPLETING  SUCH
FORMS FOR THE TAX ABATEMENT PROGRAM;
  D. AUTHORIZING ORGANIZATIONS, ENTITIES, OR AGENCIES THAT OFFER ASSIST-
ANCE  WITH  FORMS PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION TO ACCEPT COMPLETED FORMS
FROM APPLICANTS AND PARTICIPANTS AND FORWARD  THEM  TO  THE  SUPERVISING
AGENCY.  THE  SUPERVISING  AGENCY  SHALL TREAT SUCH FORMS AS IF THEY HAD
BEEN RECEIVED DIRECTLY FROM THE APPLICANT OR PARTICIPANT; AND
  E. PROVIDING DIRECT CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE OFFICE OF  THE  SUPER-
VISING  AGENCY TO APPLICANTS AND PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS REGARD-
ING THE PROGRAM.
  S 3. Subdivision 4 of section 467-b of the real property tax  law,  as
amended  by  chapter  651  of  the  laws  of 1988, is amended to read as
follows:
  4. The head of the household must apply every two years to the  appro-
priate  rent control agency or administrative agency for a tax abatement
certificate on a form prescribed by said agency.   SUCH  FORM  SHALL  BE
MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  ANY ORGANIZATION, ENTITY, OR AGENCY PARTNERING WITH
THE SUPERVISING AGENCY PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE-A OF THIS  SECTION.
ANY  COMPLETED  APPLICATION RECEIVED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH D OF SUBDIVI-
SION THREE-A OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE TREATED AS IF IT HAD BEEN RECEIVED
DIRECTLY FROM THE APPLICANT OR PARTICIPANT. A tax abatement  certificate
setting forth an amount not in excess of the increase in maximum rent or
legal  regulated  rent  for  the  taxable period or such other amount as
shall be determined under subdivision three of  this  section  shall  be
issued  by  said agency to each head of the household who is found to be
eligible under this section on or before the last date prescribed by law
for the payment of the taxes or the first  installment  thereof  of  any
municipal corporation which has granted an abatement of taxes. Copies of
such  certificate  shall  be  issued  to  the owner of the real property
containing the dwelling unit of the head of the  household  and  to  the
collecting officer charged with the duty of collecting the taxes of each
municipal  corporation  which has granted the abatement of taxes author-
ized by this section.
  S 4. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the  amend-
ments  to  section  467-b  of the real property tax law made by sections
one, two and three of this act shall not affect the expiration  of  such
section and shall be deemed to expire therewith.

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