NY State Senate Bill 2017-S7825

Senate Bill S7825

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Relates to the Bolstering Online Opportunity, Modernizing Economic Readiness, and Teaching the Elderly Computers Act or the BOOMER TEC Act

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 08, 2018	reported and committed to finance
Mar 01, 2018	referred to aging

Votes

- May 8, 2018 - Aging Committee Vote
  S7825
  
  9
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  2
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Aging Committee Vote: May 8, 2018
      
      aye (9)
      
      Alcantara
      
      Avella
      
      Benjamin
      
      Brooks
      
      Felder
      
      Funke
      
      Golden
      
      LaValle
      
      Serino
      
      aye wr (2)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Marchione

2017-S7825 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Elder Law
Laws Affected:: Add §224, Eld L

2017-S7825 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to directing the office for the aging to offer a digital literacy training program at no cost to all New York state residents over the age of 55 based on a curriculum created with the department of education.

2017-S7825 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7825

SPONSOR: ORTT
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the elder law, in relation to directing the office for
the aging to offer a digital literacy training program at no cost to all
New York state residents over the age of 55

 
PURPOSE OF BILL:

To create a program to train seniors on the basics of computers.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 titles the bill the "Bolstering Online Opportunity, Moderniz-
ing Economic Readiness, and Teaching the Elderly Computers Act" or
"BOOMER TEC Act."

Section 2 amends the elder law by requiring office for the aging to
develop a digital literacy curriculum, offer classes on the curriculum,

notify certain officials of upcoming classes, and report to the legisla-
ture on the program.

Section 3 sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Computers have never played a larger role in our lives. In addition to
personal enjoyment from learning, communicating, and shopping on the
computer, computers are increasingly important in the workplace.
Computers also help residents interact with the state government because
the internet enables residents to find information and file taxes with
ease.

For those reasons, residents who cannot use a computer are put at a
considerable disadvantage. Information becomes harder to find and commu-
nication becomes slower. The state also has to employ more people to
field questions via phone or read paper applications and tax forms.

Schools in our state have addressed this issue by training schoolchil-
dren on computers, so younger generations can enter the economy with the
necessary computer skills.

However, older generations were not taught computers in school, and may
have never had the opportunity to learn.

Offering this class would enable seniors with no computer knowledge to
learn the basic skills of computers, enhancing their ability to partic-
ipate in the modern economy and society.

As the state moves more applications online and encourages residents to
e-file their taxes, the state should also provide residents with the
necessary training to use the computer properly.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2017-S7825 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7825
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 1, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
 
 AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to directing the  office  for
   the  aging  to offer a digital literacy training program at no cost to
   all New York state residents over the age of 55
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Bolstering
 Online  Opportunity,  Modernizing  Economic  Readiness, and Teaching the
 Elderly Computers Act" or the "BOOMER TEC Act".
   § 2. The elder law is amended by adding a new section 224 to  read  as
 follows:
   §  224.  DIGITAL  LITERACY  TRAINING  PROGRAM. 1. THE OFFICE IS HEREBY
 AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO CREATE A DIGITAL LITERACY  TRAINING  PROGRAM.
 THE  OFFICE SHALL OFFER THE DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING PROGRAM AT NO COST
 TO ALL NEW YORK RESIDENTS OVER THE AGE OF FIFTY-FIVE. THE DIGITAL LITER-
 ACY TRAINING PROGRAM SHALL BE BASED ON THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPED  BY  THE
 OFFICE  AND  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF EDUCATION UNDER SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
 SECTION.  ONE CLASS SHALL BE OFFERED ANNUALLY IN  EACH  COUNTY  OR  MORE
 FREQUENTLY UPON DEMONSTRATION OF HIGH DEMAND.
   2.  (A)  WITHIN  ONE  YEAR  OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE
 OFFICE SHALL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,  DEVELOP
 A  CURRICULUM FOR THE DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING PROGRAM. SUCH CURRICULUM
 SHALL BE TAILORED FOR SENIOR CITIZENS WITH NO OR MINIMAL COMPUTER  EXPE-
 RIENCE. THE CURRICULUM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOW-
 ING TOPICS:
   (I) BASIC WORD PROCESSING AND PRINTING SKILLS;
   (II) BASIC INTERNET NAVIGATION SKILLS; AND
   (III) BASIC EMAIL SKILLS.
   (B)  THE  CURRICULUM  SHALL ENABLE A SENIOR CITIZEN UPON COMPLETION OF
 THE DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING PROGRAM TO COMPLETE TASKS  INCLUDING,  BUT
 NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I)  OPENING  A  WORD PROCESSOR, TYPING A BASIC LETTER, AND PRINTING A
 DOCUMENT;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14921-01-8

 S. 7825                             2
 
   (II) OPENING AN INTERNET BROWSER, VISITING A  WEBPAGE  WHEN  GIVEN  AN
 ADDRESS OR URL, AND USING A SEARCH ENGINE; AND
   (III) CREATING, ACCESSING, AND USING AN EMAIL ACCOUNT.
   3.  WHEN THE OFFICE IS OFFERING A DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING PROGRAM IN
 A COUNTY, THE OFFICE SHALL:
   (A) ISSUE A MEDIA ADVISORY TO LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS WITHIN THE COUNTY NO
 LESS THAN ONE WEEK BEFORE  THE  DIGITAL  LITERACY  TRAINING  PROGRAM  IS
 OFFERED;
   (B)  POST  WRITTEN POSTERS, FLYERS, OR BROCHURES IN THE OFFICES OF THE
 OFFICE WITHIN THE COUNTY NO LESS  THAN  ONE  MONTH  BEFORE  THE  DIGITAL
 LITERACY TRAINING PROGRAM IS OFFERED;
   (C)  POST  ON  THE CALENDAR ON THE OFFICE'S WEBSITE NO LESS THAN SIXTY
 DAYS BEFORE THE DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING PROGRAM IS TO BE OFFERED; AND
   (D) SEND NOTIFICATION TO THE FOLLOWING OFFICIALS NO  LESS  THAN  SIXTY
 DAYS BEFORE THE DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING PROGRAM IS TO BE OFFERED:
   (I)  ALL TOWN SUPERVISORS OR MAYORS WITHIN THE COUNTY WHERE A CLASS IS
 BEING OFFERED; AND
   (II) ALL STATE LEGISLATORS REPRESENTING THE COUNTY WHERE  A  CLASS  IS
 BEING OFFERED.
   4. THE OFFICE SHALL GENERATE A REPORT ON THE DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING
 PROGRAM.  THE  REPORT SHALL BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN JANUARY FIFTEENTH
 EACH YEAR TO THE CHAIRS OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY COMMITTEES ON  AGING.
 THIS REPORT SHALL INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING INFORMA-
 TION FROM THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR:
   (A) ATTENDANCE DATA FOR EACH CLASS OFFERED;
   (B) QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE PROGRAM BY INSTRUCTORS; AND
   (C) RELEVANT FINANCIAL AND BUDGETARY INFORMATION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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