S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2152
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 15, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. ANDERSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Social Services
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing a
   full year youth and young adult employment immersion program
 
   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
 131-y to read as follows:
   § 131-Y. YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IMMERSION PROGRAM. 1. FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF
 THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "OFFICE" MEANS THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY ASSISTANCE.
   (B) "PROGRAM" MEANS THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IMMERSION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED
 UNDER THIS SECTION.
   (C)  "ELIGIBLE  YOUTHS  AND YOUNG ADULTS" MEANS ECONOMICALLY DISADVAN-
 TAGED STATE RESIDENTS WHO ARE BETWEEN THE AGES OF  SIXTEEN  AND  TWENTY-
 FOUR WHOM HAVE NOT COMPLETED POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.
   2.  THE  OFFICE  SHALL ESTABLISH A YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IMMERSION PROGRAM.
 THE PROGRAM SHALL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS
 WITH SUPERVISION AND REGULATION BY THE OFFICE. THE PROGRAM SHALL BE  FOR
 ELIGIBLE YOUTHS AND YOUNG ADULTS WHICH SHALL INCLUDE:
   (A)  UP  TO  TWENTY PERCENT OF AN ELIGIBLE YOUTH OR YOUNG ADULT'S TIME
 WITH THE PROGRAM BEING SPENT  ON  EDUCATION  AND  EMPLOYMENT  READINESS,
 INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   (I) ATTENDING A HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY PROGRAM;
   (II)  ATTENDING PROGRAMS WHICH TEACH WORKFORCE READINESS, SKILL DEVEL-
 OPMENT, FINANCIAL LITERACY, OR DIGITAL LITERACY;
   (III) EARNING A CERTIFICATION OR LICENSE; OR
   (IV) BEING PROVIDED WITH JOB PLACEMENT AND RETENTION SERVICES; AND
   (B) AT LEAST EIGHTY PERCENT OF AN ELIGIBLE YOUTH OR YOUNG ADULT'S TIME
 WITH THE PROGRAM BEING SPENT ENGAGING IN  PAID  EMPLOYMENT  THAT  BUILDS
 TRANSFERABLE SKILLS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00868-01-5
              

 A. 2152                             2
 
   3.  THE PROGRAM SHALL PERMIT ELIGIBLE YOUTHS AND YOUNG ADULTS TO APPLY
 FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM FOR A  PERIOD  OF  ONE  YEAR  WITH  THE
 OPTION  OF  RE-APPLYING  TO EXTEND THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM BY
 ONE YEAR UNTIL THEY ARE NO LONGER ELIGIBLE.
   4. THE PROGRAM MAY PROVIDE EMPLOYERS WITH SUBSIDIES OF UP TO ONE THIRD
 OF THE GROSS WAGES FOR UP TO ONE YEAR FOR THE HIRING OF A PARTICIPANT IN
 THE PROGRAM.
   5.  THE  PROGRAM  SHALL  PERFORM OUTREACH TO ELIGIBLE YOUTHS AND YOUNG
 ADULTS AT: HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY PROGRAMS; HIGH SCHOOLS,  SPECIFICALLY
 REACHING  OUT  TO  STUDENTS  WHO DO NOT HAVE PLANS AFTER GRADUATION; AND
 PUBLIC ASSISTANCE WORK READINESS PROGRAMS. THE PROGRAM SHALL ALSO  REACH
 OUT  TO  YOUTHS  AND YOUNG ADULTS WHO ARE BEING RELEASED BY THE CRIMINAL
 JUSTICE SYSTEM OR NON-SECURE PLACEMENT PROGRAMS.
   6. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS SHALL BE COMPENSATED FOR EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION
 AND EMPLOYMENT READINESS COMPONENTS AT  A  RATE  EQUAL  TO  TWO  HUNDRED
 SIXTY-FIVE PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE.
   §  2.  Subparagraph  (ix) of paragraph (a) of subdivision 8 of section
 131-a of the social services law, as added by section 1 of subpart D  of
 part  XX  of  chapter  55  of  the  laws  of 2020, is amended to read as
 follows:
   (ix) all of the income derived from participation in the summer  youth
 employment  program  OR  YOUTH  EMPLOYMENT  IMMERSION  PROGRAM, provided
 however, that such income shall be exempt only for an individual who  is
 not  older  than age twenty-four at the time of enrollment in the summer
 youth employment program OR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT IMMERSION PROGRAM and  such
 disregard  must  be  applied  for the length of the individual's partic-
 ipation in such program.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.