NY State Senate Bill 2019-S4703

Senate Bill S4703

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Directs the commissioner of health to establish a method by which alternative identification can be presented at a point of sale when a recipient of WIC's does not have his or her WIC's identification

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health 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 08, 2020	referred to health
Mar 21, 2019	referred to health

2019-S4703 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A6604
Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §206, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S6515, A8435
2021-2022: S6723

2019-S4703 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the commissioner of health to establish a method by which alternative identification can be presented at a point of sale when a recipient under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children does not have his or her WIC's identification in his or her possession.

2019-S4703 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S4703

SPONSOR: SALAZAR
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the public health law, in relation to
directing the commissioner of health to establish an alternative form of
identification for utilization of the special supplemental nutrition
program for women, infants and children

 
PURPOSE:

Directs the commissioner of health to establish a method by which alter-
native identification can be presented at a point of sale when a recipi-
ent of WIC's does not have his or her WIC's identification

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Sections one amends subdivision 1 of section 206 of the Public Health
Law by adding a new paragraph (w), directing the Department of Health to
establish method by which by which consumers who are participants in the
WIT Program. may use a method of identification other than the identifi-
cation provided by the program itself, in order to utilize vouchers

and/or checks issued by the Program.

Section two sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

As a matter of practicality, the processing of WIC-issued. Checks and
vouchers can be a time-consuming burden for supermarkets and ot her
stores attempting to quickly accommodate all customers. Adding to this
problem, New York_ law currently prohibits cashiers from a ccepting
these vouchers or checks when a customer is unable to present the
specific identification card issued by the WIC Program; even in cases
where a driver's license or other identification clearly indicates that
a customer is eligible for participation in the Program, that customer
must be refused by the store. This wrinkle further perpetuates delays in
the WIC redemption process, as well as may contribute to a negative
perception of a business establishment by a consumer, when that estab-
lishment is simply seeking to follow existing rules. Additionally, forc-
ing a consumer to present a WIC Program identification card to a cashier
unnecessarily contributes to scenarios where that consumer is subjected
to unwarranted stigmas that currently surround program participants.

This legislation seeks to solve these problems by directing the Depart-
ment of Health to develop a methodology through which a program partic-
ipant's identification can be verified in a manner other than by solely
the furnishing of a program identification card.

 
FISCAL IMPACT:

None.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None. A8435 of 2018: passed Assembly, in 2017 passed Senate.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2019-S4703 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4703
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 21, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SALAZAR -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law,  in  relation  to  directing  the
   commissioner of health to establish an alternative form of identifica-
   tion for utilization of the special supplemental nutrition program for
   women, infants and children
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 206 of the public  health  law  is
 amended by adding a new paragraph (w) to read as follows:
   (W) BY RULE AND REGULATION, ESTABLISH A METHOD BY WHICH AN ALTERNATIVE
 FORM  OF IDENTIFICATION WHICH MAY BE SHOWN AT THE POINT OF SALE AT WHICH
 CHECKS OR VOUCHERS  ISSUED  UNDER  THE  SPECIAL  SUPPLEMENTAL  NUTRITION
 PROGRAM  FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN MAY BE UTILIZED, IN THE EVENT A
 RECIPIENT OF SUCH PROGRAM DOES NOT HAVE THE IDENTIFICATION ISSUED PURSU-
 ANT TO THE PROGRAM IN HIS OR HER POSSESSION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05741-01-9

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