Assembly Bill A1065

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Provides that before a person may receive public assistance benefits, they must submit to a drug test

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Current Bill Status - In Assembly 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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2025-A1065 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:
Assembly Social Services
Law Section:
Social Services Law
Laws Affected:
Amd §131, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2009-2010: A3602
2011-2012: A227
2013-2014: A1998
2015-2016: A2261
2017-2018: A1818
2019-2020: A1245
2021-2022: A5327
2023-2024: A2614

2025-A1065 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides that before a person may receive public assistance benefits, they must submit to and pass a drug test; requires health care professionals, law enforcement agencies, and courts report certain instances of substance abuse to the commissioner of social services.

2025-A1065 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1065
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. ANGELINO, BRABENEC, K. BROWN, DeSTEFANO, DiPIE-
   TRO, LEMONDES,  MANKTELOW,  McDONOUGH,  MORINELLO  --  read  once  and
   referred to the Committee on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to people receiving
   public assistance

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 131 of the social services law is amended by adding
 a new subdivision 9-a to read as follows:
   9-A. A. UPON DETERMINING THAT A PERSON IS ELIGIBLE  FOR  ANY  FORM  OR
 CATEGORY  OF  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE AND PRIOR TO MAKING ANY DISTRIBUTION TO
 SUCH PERSON, THE SOCIAL SERVICES OFFICIAL SHALL REQUIRE THE PERSON SEEK-
 ING ASSISTANCE TO SUBMIT TO A DRUG  TEST.  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  HEALTH
 SHALL  ESTABLISH  RULES AND REGULATIONS REGARDING THE METHOD OF TESTING,
 THE FREQUENCY OF TESTING, THE SUBSTANCES FOR WHICH  TO  BE  TESTED,  AND
 WHAT  CONSTITUTES  FAILING  SUCH  DRUG  TEST. IF A PERSON FAILS THE DRUG
 TEST, THEY SHALL ENROLL IN A DRUG REHABILITATION  PROGRAM  CERTIFIED  BY
 THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH. SUCH PERSON SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE
 ANY  ASSISTANCE  UNDER  THIS CHAPTER IF THEY FAIL TO ENROLL AND ACTIVELY
 PARTICIPATE IN THE REHABILITATION PROGRAM.
   B. ANY HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR COURT SHALL
 REPORT SUBSTANCE ABUSE INFORMATION OF PERSONS ELIGIBLE FOR ANY  FORM  OR
 CATEGORY  OF  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE  TO  THE COMMISSIONER. THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL LAUNCH AN INVESTIGATION INTO AND WITHHOLD PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE  FROM
 ANY  PERSON  REPORTED  UNDER  THIS PARAGRAPH AND HAVE SUCH PERSON PLACED
 INTO A SUBSTANCE ABUSE REHABILITATION FACILITY OR ANOTHER PROGRAM TO END
 THE DRUG ABUSE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD02668-01-5

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