NY State Senate Bill 2017-S6033A

Senate Bill S6033A

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Relates to providing language access services to individuals relating to the tax abatement program

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Aging 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

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2018	referred to aging
Jun 01, 2017	print number 6033a
Jun 01, 2017	amend and recommit to aging
May 10, 2017	referred to aging

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2017-S6033 - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10570
Current Committee:: Senate Aging
Law Section:: Real Property Tax Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §467-b, RPT L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: A2350
2021-2022: A5935
2023-2024: A8400

2017-S6033 - Summary

Relates to providing language access services to individuals relating to the tax abatement program for rent-controlled and rent-regulated property occupied by senior citizens or persons with disabilities.

2017-S6033 - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S6033

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to providing
language access services to individuals relating to the tax abatement
program for rent-controlled and rent-regulated property occupied by
senior citizens or persons with disabilities

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

This bill would require municipalities that have the senior citizen
rent increase exemption (SCRIE) and disabled rent increase exemption
(DRIE) program to ensure that individuals who have difficulty speaking
or understanding English would have the same opportunity to
participate in the SCRIE/DRIE program as other individuals.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1. This bill would require municipalities that offer the
SCRIE/DRTE program to develop and implement a plan to make sure that
individuals who have trouble speaking or understanding English have
adequate access to the program. This plan would include:

*Translation of necessary documents into the six most common
non-English languages spoken in the municipality;

*Provision of interpretive services upon request; and

*Provision of assistive services upon request or demonstrated need to
individuals who require such assistance due to partial or total
deafness, blindness, speech impediment, or cognitive impairment.

Section 2. Effective Date

 JUSTIFICATION :

New York City contains a vibrant array of cultures and ethnicities
across the boroughs. All of these communities have senior citizens on
fixed incomes that would benefit from participation in the SCRIE
program. Many of these individuals speak languages other than English.
It is unacceptable for seniors in need to be denied access to such an
important program because they cannot understand the forms or cannot
readily speak with agency staff.

While some strides have been made to correct this disparity, with all
of the services and technology available, the municipalities can do
more. Any senior who is eligible, regardless of their language or
assistance needs, should have the opportunity to participate in the
SCRIE program. It is vital that municipalities make this kind of
inclusiveness a priority.

 PRIOR. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2013-2014: A 8978 - Referred to Aging/ Reported to Ways and Means/
Reported/ Passed Assembly/ Passed Senate/ Delivered to Governor/
Vetoed
2011-2012: A 9213 - Referred to Real Property Taxation/ Referred to
Aging/ Reported to Ways and Means/ Reported/ Passed Assembly

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

To be determined.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediately.

2017-S6033 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6033
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 10, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  SAVINO -- 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  providing
   language  access services to individuals relating to the tax abatement
   program for rent-controlled and rent-regulated  property  occupied  by
   senior citizens or persons with disabilities
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 467-b of the real property tax law
 is amended by adding a new paragraph j to read as follows:
   J. THE ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE TAX  ABATEMENT
 PROGRAM  SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN TO ENSURE ADEQUATE ACCESS TO
 INFORMATION BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DIFFICULTIES SPEAKING OR UNDERSTAND-
 ING ENGLISH. SUCH ENTITY SHALL:
   (1) TRANSLATE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FORMS
 AND INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED TO OR COMPLETED BY THE  PROGRAM  BENEFICIARIES
 OR  PARTICIPANTS,  INTO THE SIX MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES SPOKEN
 BY INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED-ENGLISH PROFICIENCY IN THE MUNICIPALITY THAT
 OFFERS THIS PROGRAM PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION;
   (2) OFFER, UPON REQUEST, INTERPRETATION SERVICES  BETWEEN  THE  ENTITY
 ADMINISTERING  THE  PROGRAM  AND  AN  INDIVIDUAL  IN  HIS OR HER PRIMARY
 LANGUAGE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES OR BENEFITS; AND
   (3) OFFER, UPON REQUEST OR DEMONSTRATED NEED, SERVICES TO AN  INDIVID-
 UAL WHO REQUIRES ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE DUE TO PARTIAL OR TOTAL DEAFNESS,
 BLINDNESS, SPEECH IMPEDIMENT, OR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.
   §  2.  This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
 the amendments to subdivision 3 of section 467-b of  the  real  property
 tax  law made by section one of this act shall not affect the expiration
 and reversion of such section and shall be deemed to expire therewith.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09016-01-7

co-Sponsors

2017-S6033A (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10570
Current Committee:: Senate Aging
Law Section:: Real Property Tax Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §467-b, RPT L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: A2350
2021-2022: A5935
2023-2024: A8400

2017-S6033A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S6033A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S6033A

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend the real property tax law, in
relation to providing language access services to individuals relating
to the tax abatement program for rent-controlled and rent-regulated
property occupied by senior citizens or persons with disabilities

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

This bill would require municipalities that have the senior citizen
rent increase exemption (SCRIE) and disabled rent increase exemption
(DRIE) program to ensure that individuals who have difficulty speaking
or understanding English would have the same opportunity to
participate in the SCRIE/DRIE program as other individuals.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1. This bill would require municipalities that offer the
SCRIE/DRIE program to develop and implement a plan to make sure that
individuals who have trouble speaking or understanding English have
adequate access to the program. This plan would include:

*Translation of necessary documents into the six most common
non-English languages spoken in the municipality;

*Provision of interpretive services upon request; and

*Provision of assistive services upon request or demonstrated need to
individuals who require such assistance due to partial or total
deafness, blindness, speech impediment, or cognitive impairment.

Section 2. Effective Date

 JUSTIFICATION :

New York City contains a vibrant array of cultures and ethnicities
across the boroughs. All of these communities have senior citizens on
fixed incomes that would benefit from participation in the SCRIE
program. Many of these individuals speak languages other than English.
It is unacceptable for seniors in need to be denied access to such an
important program because they cannot understand the forms or cannot
readily speak with agency staff.

While some strides have been made to correct this disparity, with all
of the services and technology available, the municipalities can do
more. Any senior who is eligible, regardless of their language or
assistance needs, should have the opportunity to participate in the
SCRIE program. It is vital that municipalities make this kind of
inclusiveness a priority.

 PRIOR. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2013-2014: A 8978 - Referred to Aging/ Reported to Ways and Means/
Reported/ Passed Assembly/ Passed Senate/ Delivered to Governor/
Vetoed
2011-2012: A 9213 - Referred to Real Property Taxation/ Referred to
Aging/ Reported to Ways and Means/ Reported/ Passed Assembly

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

To be determined.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediately.

2017-S6033A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6033--A
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 10, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  SAVINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be  committed  to  the  Committee  on  Aging  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  real property tax law, in relation to providing
   language access services to individuals relating to the tax  abatement
   program  for  rent-controlled  and rent-regulated property occupied by
   senior citizens or persons with disabilities
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 467-b of the real property tax law
 is amended by adding a new paragraph j to read as follows:
   J.  THE ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE TAX ABATEMENT
 PROGRAM SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN TO ENSURE ADEQUATE ACCESS  TO
 INFORMATION  BY  INDIVIDUALS  WHO  HAVE  LIMITED  ENGLISH PROFICIENCY OR
 OTHERWISE REQUIRE COMMUNICATION ASSISTANCE.  SUCH ENTITY SHALL:
   (1) TRANSLATE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FORMS
 AND INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED TO OR COMPLETED BY THE  PROGRAM  BENEFICIARIES
 OR  PARTICIPANTS,  INTO THE SIX MOST COMMON NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGES SPOKEN
 BY INDIVIDUALS WITH LIMITED-ENGLISH PROFICIENCY IN THE MUNICIPALITY THAT
 OFFERS THIS PROGRAM PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION;
   (2) OFFER, UPON REQUEST, INTERPRETATION SERVICES  BETWEEN  THE  ENTITY
 ADMINISTERING  THE  PROGRAM  AND  AN  INDIVIDUAL  IN  HIS OR HER PRIMARY
 LANGUAGE WITH RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF SERVICES OR BENEFITS; AND
   (3) OFFER, UPON REQUEST OR DEMONSTRATED NEED, SERVICES TO AN  INDIVID-
 UAL WHO REQUIRES ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE DUE TO PARTIAL OR TOTAL DEAFNESS,
 BLINDNESS, SPEECH IMPEDIMENT, OR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT.
   §  2.  This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
 the amendments to subdivision 3 of section 467-b of  the  real  property
 tax  law made by section one of this act shall not affect the expiration
 and reversion of such section and shall be deemed to expire therewith.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD09016-03-7

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