Senate Bill S4081

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to state assistance for food and vet expenses for guide dogs, hearing dogs and service dogs of individuals qualifying for social services; repealer

download bill text pdf

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services 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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2023-S4081 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A5499
Current Committee:
Senate Social Services
Law Section:
Social Services Law
Laws Affected:
Rpld §303-a, add §131-y, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2015-2016: A7489
2017-2018: A4938
2019-2020: A678
2021-2022: S6419, A1302

2023-S4081 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to state assistance for food and vet expenses for guide dogs, hearing dogs and service dogs of individuals qualifying for social services; requires regulations set an amount of no less than $50 a month; clarifies that service dogs do not have to be certified to qualify for such benefits.

2023-S4081 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S4081 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4081
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 2, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. BRISPORT, SALAZAR -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the social services law, in relation to assistance for
   guide dogs, hearing dogs and service dogs and to repeal section  303-a
   of such law relating thereto

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 303-a of the social services law is REPEALED and  a
 new section 131-y is added to read as follows:
   §  131-Y. ASSISTANCE FOR GUIDE DOGS, HEARING DOGS AND SERVICE DOGS. 1.
 IT SHALL BE THE DUTY OF THE SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL TO PROVIDE  ASSIST-
 ANCE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT, TO A PERSON WITH
 A  DISABILITY USING A GUIDE DOG, HEARING DOG OR SERVICE DOG WHO HAS BEEN
 DETERMINED TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR OR IS RECEIVING, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
 TO, FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME BENEFITS,  SUPPLEMENTAL  NUTRI-
 TION  ASSISTANCE  PROGRAM BENEFITS, MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY PERSONS
 AND/OR ADDITIONAL STATE PAYMENTS UNDER THIS CHAPTER, FOR THE PURCHASE OF
 FOOD AND THE COST OF VETERINARIAN EXPENSES FOR SUCH DOG.
   2. SUCH REGULATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT SHALL FIX AN AMOUNT OF NOT  LESS
 THAN FIFTY DOLLARS A MONTH, AND THE METHOD AND FREQUENCY OF DISTRIBUTION
 AND  PROCEDURES  FOR THE DETERMINATION AND PERIODICAL REDETERMINATION OF
 ELIGIBILITY FOR SUCH ASSISTANCE.
   3. SUCH ASSISTANCE SHALL NOT BE GRANTED TO ANY PERSON FOR WHOM  EARNED
 INCOME  HAS  BEEN  EXEMPTED  FOR SUCH PURPOSE PURSUANT TO FEDERAL LAW OR
 REGULATION.
   4. THE FULL AMOUNT PROPERLY  EXPENDED  BY  SOCIAL  SERVICES  DISTRICTS
 UNDER  THIS  SECTION,  INCLUDING COSTS OF ADMINISTRATION, SHALL BE REIM-
 BURSED BY THE STATE.
   5. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "SERVICE DOG"  SHALL  MEAN  ANY  DOG,
 REGARDLESS  OF  CERTIFICATION,  UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PERSON USING OR
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00759-01-3
 S. 4081                             2

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