S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                   6316
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               March 2, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. CRESPO -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Aging
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the elder law and the social services law, in relation
   to authorizing county offices for the  aging  to  accept  and  process
   supplemental  nutrition  assistance program (SNAP) and low-income home
   energy assistance program applications

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  elder  law is amended by adding a new section 224 to
 read as follows:
   § 224. SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) AND LOW-INCOME
 HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPLICATIONS FOR THE  ELDERLY.  1.(A)  IN
 CONSULTATION  WITH  THE COMMISSIONER OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSIST-
 ANCE, THE OFFICE SHALL ESTABLISH, FOR USE  BY  COUNTY  OFFICES  FOR  THE
 AGING, A BEST PRACTICE MODEL FOR SUCH COUNTY OFFICES TO ACCEPT AND PROC-
 ESS  APPLICATIONS  FOR  THE  SUPPLEMENTAL  NUTRITION  ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
 (SNAP) PURSUANT TO SECTION NINETY-FIVE OF THE SOCIAL  SERVICES  LAW  AND
 THE  LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PURSUANT TO SECTION NINE-
 TY-SEVEN OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW  FROM  ELDERLY  INDIVIDUALS  SEEKING
 SERVICES  FROM  SUCH COUNTY OFFICES.  SUCH BEST PRACTICES MODEL SHALL BE
 DEVELOPED AND ESTABLISHED BY THE OFFICE AFTER A  REVIEW  OF  ALL  COUNTY
 OFFICES  FOR  THE  AGING  PROGRAMS  OFFERING SIMILAR SERVICES TO ELDERLY
 INDIVIDUALS AT THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   (B) WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BEST PRACTICE MODEL
 PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS SUBDIVISION, ALL  COUNTY  OFFICES  FOR
 THE  AGING  SHALL ADOPT SUCH BEST PRACTICE MODEL AND BEGIN ACCEPTING AND
 PROCESSING APPLICATIONS FROM ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS  FOR  THE  SUPPLEMENTAL
 NUTRITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM (SNAP) PURSUANT TO SECTION NINETY-FIVE OF
 THE SOCIAL SERVICES  LAW  AND  THE  LOW-INCOME  HOME  ENERGY  ASSISTANCE
 PROGRAM  PURSUANT  TO SECTION NINETY-SEVEN OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES LAW. A
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08177-01-7
              

 A. 6316                             2
 
 COUNTY OFFICE FOR THE AGING MAY REQUEST AN EXTENSION TO ADOPT SUCH  BEST
 PRACTICE MODEL BY MAKING A WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE DIRECTOR.
   (C)  COUNTY  OFFICES FOR THE AGING AND LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS
 SHALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DISCLOSE AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO
 SUCH APPLICATIONS AND  THE  SUPPLEMENTAL  NUTRITION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM
 (SNAP)  AND  THE LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. FOR PURPOSES
 OF THIS SECTION, "ELDERLY INDIVIDUAL" SHALL MEAN A PERSON SIXTY YEARS OF
 AGE OR OLDER.
   2. THE DIRECTOR SHALL PROMULGATE ANY RULES AND  REGULATIONS  NECESSARY
 TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   §  2. Section 95 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 11 to read as follows:
   11. THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING IS AUTHORIZED AND  REQUIRED,  SUBJECT  TO
 STATE  AND  FEDERAL  LAWS  AND  REGULATIONS AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE
 OFFICE, TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE AND ACCEPT AND  PROCESS  APPLICA-
 TIONS  FOR  THE  SUPPLEMENTAL  NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FROM ELDERLY
 INDIVIDUALS PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO HUNDRED  TWENTY-FOUR  OF  THE  ELDER
 LAW.
   §  3. Section 97 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 6 to read as follows:
   6. THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING IS AUTHORIZED  AND  REQUIRED,  SUBJECT  TO
 STATE  AND  FEDERAL  LAWS  AND  REGULATIONS AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE
 DEPARTMENT, TO ACT ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT AND  ACCEPT  AND  PROCESS
 APPLICATIONS  FOR  THE  LOW-INCOME  HOME  ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FROM
 ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR  OF  THE
 ELDER LAW.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it  shall  have  become a law; provided, however, 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 to be made on or before such date.