S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5510
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 15, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. L. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to  public  assist-
   ance applications
 
   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
 152-d to read as follows:
   §  152-D.  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE APPLICATIONS; NOTIFICATION. 1.  NOTWITH-
 STANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW  TO  THE  CONTRARY,  THE  OFFICE  OF
 TEMPORARY  AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE SHALL UNDERTAKE EFFORTS TO SIMPLIFY
 THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE  BENEFITS.  SUCH  EFFORTS,
 SHALL  INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, LISTING INFORMATION AND QUESTIONS
 ON SUCH APPLICATIONS IN A MANNER THAT  WOULD  BE  COMPREHENSIBLE  TO  AN
 INDIVIDUAL WITH A BASIC LITERACY LEVEL.
   2. (A) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE
 OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE SHALL DRAFT A SUPPLEMENTAL
 NOTICE  FORM  TO  BE  PROVIDED TO APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. SUCH
 SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE FORM SHALL LIST ALL NOTIFICATIONS TO BE PROVIDED  TO
 APPLICANTS  AS  MAY  BE  APPROPRIATE,  OR REQUIRED BY LAW, RULE OR REGU-
 LATION.
   (B) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, EACH NOTIFI-
 CATION LISTED ON THE SUPPLEMENTAL NOTIFICATION FORM SHALL BE PROVIDED IN
 A FONT THAT IS AT LEAST SIXTEEN POINTS.
   (C) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE  SUPPLE-
 MENTAL  NOTICE FORM SHALL INCLUDE A CHECK OFF BOX NEXT TO EACH NOTIFICA-
 TION PROVIDED ON THE FORM FOR THE APPLICANT TO CHECK TO INDICATE THAT HE
 OR SHE HAS RECEIVED THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN  THE  NOTIFICATION  AND
 UNDERSTANDS THE NOTIFICATION PROVIDED.
   (D)  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE SUPPLE-
 MENTAL NOTIFICATION FORM SHALL PROVIDE A LINE FOR THE PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00844-01-3
              

 A. 5510                             2
 
 APPLICANT  TO  SIGN TO INDICATE THAT HE OR SHE HAS RECEIVED THE INFORMA-
 TION CONTAINED IN THE  SUPPLEMENTAL  NOTICE  FORM  AND  UNDERSTANDS  ALL
 NOTIFICATIONS PROVIDED.
   3.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, LOCAL SOCIAL
 SERVICES  DISTRICTS  SHALL  PROVIDE ALL APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
 WITH THE SUPPLEMENTAL NOTIFICATION FORM.
   4. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY,  SUBSE-
 QUENT TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND
 DISABILITY  ASSISTANCE  SHALL  REVIEW THE SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION FORM,
 NOT LESS THAN ONCE EVERY SIX MONTHS AND SHALL ADD ANY ADDITIONAL NOTIFI-
 CATIONS TO THE APPLICATION AS MAY BE APPROPRIATE  OR  REQUIRED  BY  LAW,
 RULE OR REGULATION.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment
 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
 of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are  authorized  to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.