BILL NUMBER: S4349

SPONSOR: SEPULVEDA
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the real property tax law, in relation to providing
language access services to individuals relating to the tax abatement
program for rent-controlled and rent-regulated property occupied by
senior citizens or persons with disabilities

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This bill would require municipalities that have the senior citizen rent
increase exemption (SCRIE) and disabled rent increase exemption (DRIE)
program to ensure that individuals who have limited English proficiency
or otherwise require communication assistance would have the same oppor-
tunity to participate in the SCRIE/DRIE program as other individuals.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. This bill would require municipalities that offer the
SCRIE/DRIE program to develop and implement a plan to make sure that
              

individuals who have limited English proficiency or otherwise require
communication assistance have adequate access to the program. This plan
would include:

*Translation of necessary documents into the six most common non-English
languages spoken in the municipality;

*Provision of interpretive services upon. request; and

*Provision of assistive services upon, request or demonstrated need to
individuals who require such assistance due to partial or total deaf-
ness, blindness, speech impediment, or cognitive impairment.

Section 2. Effective Date

 
JUSTIFICATION:

New York City contains a vibrant array of cultures and ethnicities
across the boroughs. All of these communities have senior citizens on
fixed incomes that would benefit from participation in the SCRIE
program. Many of these individuals speak languages other than English.
It is unacceptable for seniors in need to be denied access to such an
important program because they cannot understand the forms or cannot
readily speak with agency staff.

While some strides have been made to correct this disparity, with all of
the services and technology available, the municipalities-can do more.

Any senior who is eligible, regardless of their language or assistance
needs, should have the opportunity to participate in the SCRIE program.
It is vital that municipalities make this kind of inclusiveness a prior-
ity.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S. 7407 of 222: Passed Senate, Referred to Aging;

S. 7407 of 2021: Referred to Aging;

A. 2350 of 2019-20: Referred to Aging;

S. 6033-A of 2017-18: Referred to Aging

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.