NY State Senate Bill 2021-S5443

Senate Bill S5443

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Reimburses counties who have purchased or will purchase document management software designed specifically for the child welfare industry

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Children And Families 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 05, 2022	referred to children and families
Mar 05, 2021	referred to children and families

2021-S5443 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5077
Current Committee:: Senate Children And Families
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Add §390-m, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2015-2016: S8086, A10705
2017-2018: S2121, A4681
2019-2020: S940, A3533
2023-2024: S2213, A5443

2021-S5443 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Reimburses counties who have purchased or will purchase document management software designed specifically for the child welfare industry.

2021-S5443 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S5443

SPONSOR: O'MARA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to the state
reimbursement of county payments for certain document management soft-
ware designed specifically for the child welfare industry

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To provide fiscal relief to counties who have purchased or will purchase
document management software designed specifically for the child welfare
industry.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 Requires the State to reimburse counties if such county has
previously purchased or intends to purchase document management software
designed specifically for the child welfare industry.  Further defines
"document managing software" as a database application that utilizes

advanced document capture, storage, and retrieval technology to estab-
lish a paperless environment both.  Within the agency and in the field.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Local social services provide help to children who are the subject of
abuse, neglect or other forms of maltreatment. A case study of the
Chemung County Department of Social Services caseworkers found that only
21% of their time was spent in the field and the rest was being used on
documentation. After incorporating document management software, case-
workers were able to complete all the necessary documentation 91% fast-
er, which allowed them to spend more time with the children and families
that need their help. Reproducing these results throughout the state
could greatly improve a county's ability to serve children and families
in need.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2016: S8086

2018: S2121

2020: S940

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Undetermined at this time. However, making the system more streamlined
and efficient will significantly increase worker productivity and lower
the active caseload burden on county's departments of social services.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2021-S5443 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5443
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 5, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  O'MARA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families
 
 AN ACT to amend the social  services  law,  in  relation  to  the  state
   reimbursement of county payments for certain document management soft-
   ware designed specifically for the child welfare industry

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new  section
 390-m to read as follows:
   §   390-M.  STATE  REIMBURSEMENT  FOR  DOCUMENT  MANAGEMENT  SOFTWARE.
 NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, THE STATE SHALL REIMBURSE  A
 LOCAL  SOCIAL  SERVICES  DISTRICT  THE FULL AMOUNT EXPENDED BY THE LOCAL
 SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICT TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO  CHILDREN  WHO  ARE  THE
 SUBJECT  OF ABUSE, NEGLECT OR OTHER FORMS OF MALTREATMENT VIA THE USE OF
 DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CHILD WELFARE
 INDUSTRY. DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE SHALL BE REIMBURSED BY THE  STATE
 IF THE COUNTY HAS PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED OR INTENDS TO PURCHASE SUCH SOFT-
 WARE.  FOR  THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE"
 SHALL MEAN  A  DATABASE  APPLICATION  THAT  UTILIZES  ADVANCED  DOCUMENT
 CAPTURE,  STORAGE,  AND  RETRIEVAL  TECHNOLOGY  TO ESTABLISH A PAPERLESS
 ENVIRONMENT BOTH WITHIN THE AGENCY AND IN THE FIELD. ANY COUNTY THAT HAS
 PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED SUCH SOFTWARE MUST SUPPLY  ADEQUATE  DOCUMENTATION,
 INCLUDING  ANY  RECEIPTS,  THAT  DETAILS  SUCH PURCHASE. THE STATE SHALL
 DISBURSE GRANTS,  WHEN  APPLICABLE,  FROM  THE  GENERAL  FUND  FOR  THIS
 PURPOSE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD08000-01-1

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