NY State Senate Bill 2015-S3438

Archive: Last 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

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2016	referred to social services returned to senate died in assembly
Jun 17, 2015	referred to social services delivered to assembly passed senate
Jun 11, 2015	ordered to third reading cal.1485 committee discharged and committed to rules
Feb 09, 2015	referred to social services

Votes

- Jun 17, 2015 - Floor Vote
  S3438
  
  40
  
  Aye
  
  23
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Floor Vote: Jun 17, 2015
      
      aye (40)
      
      Amedore
      
      Avella
      
      Bonacic
      
      Boyle
      
      Carlucci
      
      Croci
      
      DeFrancisco
      
      Farley
      
      Felder
      
      Flanagan
      
      Funke
      
      Gallivan
      
      Golden
      
      Griffo
      
      Hannon
      
      Kennedy
      
      Klein
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Larkin
      
      Latimer
      
      Libous
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Marchione
      
      Martins
      
      Murphy
      
      Nozzolio
      
      O'Mara
      
      Ortt
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Ritchie
      
      Robach
      
      Savino
      
      Serino
      
      Seward
      
      Skelos
      
      Valesky
      
      Venditto
      
      Young
      
      nay (23)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Breslin
      
      Comrie
      
      Diaz
      
      Dilan
      
      Espaillat
      
      Gianaris
      
      Hamilton
      
      Hassell-Thompson
      
      Hoylman-Sigal
      
      Krueger
      
      Montgomery
      
      Panepinto
      
      Parker
      
      Peralta
      
      Perkins
      
      Rivera
      
      Sampson
      
      Sanders Jr.
      
      Serrano
      
      Squadron
      
      Stavisky
      
      Stewart-Cousins
  Jun 11, 2015 - Rules Committee Vote
  S3438
  
  19
  
  Aye
  
  2
  
  Nay
  
  4
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Rules Committee Vote: Jun 11, 2015
      
      aye (19)
      
      Bonacic
      
      Breslin
      
      Carlucci
      
      DeFrancisco
      
      Dilan
      
      Farley
      
      Flanagan
      
      Hannon
      
      Hassell-Thompson
      
      LaValle
      
      Larkin
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Nozzolio
      
      Parker
      
      Seward
      
      Skelos
      
      Valesky
      
      Young
      
      nay (2)
      
      Espaillat
      
      Perkins
      
      aye wr (4)
      
      Gianaris
      
      Krueger
      
      Montgomery
      
      Stewart-Cousins

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5110
Current Committee:: Senate Social Services
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §131, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S6908, A9185
2017-2018: S859, A4357
2019-2020: S1034, A5540
2021-2022: A4875
2023-2024: A1732

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to requiring participation in education programs leading to a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma for those seeking public assistance.

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S3438

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the social services law, in relation
to requiring participation in educational programs leading to a high
school diploma or high school equivalency diploma for those seeking
public assistance

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:  The purpose of this legislation is
to increase the likelihood that individuals will obtain a high school
diploma or high school equivalency diploma by requiring those who do
not have such a diploma to participate in good faith in an educational
program leading to such a diploma as a condition for receiving welfare
benefits.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Adds a new subdivision 21 to section 131 of the social
services law to prohibit the payment of public assistance benefits to
any person under the age of 35 who does not have a high school diploma
or a high school equivalency diploma unless such person is duly
enrolled and participating in good faith toward the attainment of such
a diploma. The local social services district is given broad
discretionary authority to waive this requirement where such a course
of study is not practical or cost-effective based on the person's
mental capacity, employment background, job training, career
development credentials, health, disability, lack of educational

programs, or other factors.

JUSTIFICATION:  The empirical data regarding the importance of a high
school degree is overwhelming. The vast majority of jobs require a
high school diploma or its equivalent, including participation in the
U.S. military.  According to data from the U.S. Census, the average
drop-out will earn one-third less than a high school graduate, will
suffer from unemployment rates that are nearly 50% higher, and will be
nearly three times more likely to live in poverty. High school
drop-outs account for nearly 50% of the heads of households on
welfare, and commit about 75% of all crimes.

For those who are struggling to complete their high school education,
the current social services law offers an extraordinarily destructive
option of enabling a young person to drop-out of high school and
collect welfare benefits. This legislation would eliminate that option
by making it clear that participating in good faith toward obtaining a
high school diploma is a condition for any welfare benefits.

Recognizing that attaining a high school diploma or a high school
equivalency diploma is not always cost-effective or feasible, the bill
provides local social services districts with broad discretionary
authority to exempt individuals from this requirement based on their
mental health, disability, work experience, job training, the lack of
sufficient programs, or other reasonable factors.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  2014: S.6908 Referred to Social Services

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:  The implementation of this bill would require
additional resources for adult education, but those costs would be


offset by reduced welfare dependency, increased fiscal independence,
reduced crime, and related savings.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This bill would become effective 120 day after
enactment.

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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

                                  3438

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 9, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  YOUNG  -- 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  requiring
  participation in educational programs leading to a high school diploma
  or high school equivalency diploma for those seeking public assistance

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

  Section 1. Purpose.   The legislature hereby finds  that  obtaining  a
high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma is often essen-
tial  for  successful  private  sector employment and personal financial
independence, self-sufficiency, and success.  Indeed,  many  occupations
require  a  high  school diploma or high school equivalency diploma as a
precondition for employment. Individuals without a high  school  diploma
or  high  school  equivalency  diploma are often relegated to low paying
jobs, and suffer much higher unemployment rates than those with  a  high
school  diploma  or  high school equivalency diploma. It is therefore in
the public interest to require individuals who are capable of  obtaining
a  high  school diploma or high school equivalency diploma to be engaged
in good faith efforts to obtain that objective.
  S 2. Section 131 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 21 to read as follows:
  21. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER OR OTHER LAW TO THE
CONTRARY, NO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SHALL BE GIVEN TO OR FOR ANY PERSON  OVER
FIVE  YEARS OF AGE OR UNDER THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A
HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR A HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA OR IS NOT  DULY
ENROLLED AND PARTICIPATING IN GOOD FAITH TOWARD THE ATTAINMENT OF A HIGH
SCHOOL  DIPLOMA OR A HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA, UNLESS SUCH PERSON
HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY A  MEDICAL,  PSYCHIATRIC,  OR  OTHER  APPROPRIATE
PROFESSIONAL  TO  LACK  THE  REQUISITE CAPACITY TO COMPLETE SUCCESSFULLY
SUCH A COURSE OF STUDY OR THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT  DETERMINES
THAT  SUCH A COURSE OF STUDY IS NOT PRACTICAL OR COST-EFFECTIVE BASED ON

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD08973-01-5

S. 3438                             2

THE  PERSON'S  EMPLOYMENT  BACKGROUND  OR  EXPERIENCE,   JOB   TRAINING,
POSSESSION OF A CAREER DEVELOPMENT OCCUPATIONAL STUDIES CREDENTIAL, WORK
SKILLS,  HEALTH, DISABILITY, THE LACK OF AVAILABLE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS,
OR OTHER FACTORS.
  S  3.  The  commissioner  of  the  office  of temporary and disability
assistance shall have the authority to promulgate  or  amend  any  regu-
lations necessary for the implementation of this act.
  S 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Senate Bill S3438

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

Jun 17, 2015 - Floor Vote

Floor Vote: Jun 17, 2015

Jun 11, 2015 - Rules Committee Vote

Rules Committee Vote: Jun 11, 2015

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S3438

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Catharine Young

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S3438 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments