S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9602
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 26, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. DAVILA -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Social Services
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the social services law, in relation to clarifying the
   definitions of vocational educational training and educational  activ-
   ities
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 336-a of the social services  law,
 as  amended by section 1 of part X of chapter 56 of the laws of 2023, is
 amended to read as follows:
   1. Social services districts shall make  available  vocational  educa-
 tional  training and educational activities. Such activities [may] SHALL
 include but need not be limited to, high school education  or  education
 designed  to prepare a participant for a high school equivalency certif-
 icate, basic and remedial education, education in  English  proficiency,
 education  or a course of instruction in financial literacy and personal
 finance that includes instruction on  household  cash  management  tech-
 niques,  career  advice  to  obtain  a well paying and secure job, using
 checking and savings accounts, obtaining and utilizing  short  and  long
 term  credit,  securing  a loan or other long term financing arrangement
 for high cost items, participation  in  a  higher  education  course  of
 instruction  or  trade school, and no more than a total of four years of
 post-secondary education (or the  part-time  equivalent).    Educational
 activities  pursuant  to  this  section  may  be offered with any of the
 following providers which meet the performance or  assessment  standards
 established  in  regulations  by  the commissioner for such providers: a
 community college, licensed trade school, registered business school, or
 a two-year or four-year college; provided, however, that such  post-sec-
 ondary  education  must  be  necessary  to the attainment of the partic-
 ipant's individual employment goal as set  forth  in  the  employability
 plan  and such goal must relate directly to obtaining useful employment.
 When making an assignment to any educational activity pursuant  to  this
 subdivision,  such assignment shall be permitted only to the extent that
 such assignment is  consistent  with  the  individual's  assessment  and
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD14705-01-4
 A. 9602                             2
 
 employment  plan goals in accordance with sections three hundred thirty-
 five and three hundred thirty-five-a of this  title  and  shall  require
 that  the individual maintains satisfactory academic progress and hourly
 participation  is  documented consistent with federal and state require-
 ments. For purposes of this provision "satisfactory  academic  progress"
 shall  mean  having a cumulative C average, or its equivalent, as deter-
 mined by the academic institution. The requirement to maintain satisfac-
 tory academic progress may be waived if done so by the academic institu-
 tion and the social services district based on undue hardship caused  by
 an  event such as a personal injury or illness of the student, the death
 of a relative of the student or other extenuating circumstances. Partic-
 ipation in an educational and/or vocational training program, that shall
 include, but  not  be  limited  to,  a  two-year  post-secondary  degree
 program, which is necessary for the participant to attain their individ-
 ual  employment  goal and is likely to lead to a degree or certification
 and sustained employment, shall be approved consistent with  such  indi-
 vidual's  assessment  and  employability  plan  to  the extent that such
 approval does not jeopardize the state's ability to comply with  federal
 work  participation  rates, as determined by the office of temporary and
 disability assistance.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.