Provides for the automated identification of affordability program participants to enable such participants to be automatically entered into utility corporation energy affordability programs.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9099--A
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2022
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CUSICK, SIMON -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Social Services -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to providing for
the automated identification of affordability program participants
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
2 131-ss to read as follows:
3 § 131-ss. Automated identification of affordability program partic-
4 ipants. 1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following
5 terms shall have the following meanings:
6 (a) "Commissioner" shall mean the commissioner of the office of tempo-
7 rary and disability assistance.
8 (b) "Affordability program participant" shall mean a household that is
9 determined to be eligible by the appropriate agency for any of the
10 following programs:
11 (i) Public assistance;
12 (ii) Supplemental security income;
13 (iii) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
14 (iv) Low income home energy assistance program;
15 (v) Veteran's disability pension;
16 (vi) Veteran's surviving spouse pension;
17 (vii) Child health plus;
18 (viii) Lifeline; and
19 (ix) Any other income-based assistance program identified by the
20 public service commission in consultation with the office.
21 (c) "Office" shall mean the office of temporary disability assistance.
22 (d) "Utility corporation" shall mean a corporation regulated pursuant
23 to article two of the public service law.
24 (e) "Utility corporation energy affordability programs" shall be
25 defined by the public service commission and shall include programs
26 which are intended to assist customers with energy affordability by
27 reducing customers' energy burden.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14413-02-2
A. 9099--A 2
1 2. Within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this
2 section, the commissioner shall establish a statewide program to provide
3 for automated identification of eligible affordability program partic-
4 ipants for participation in utility corporation energy affordability
5 programs.
6 3. The office shall engage with utility corporations to establish
7 automated file matching mechanisms that will provide, via electronic
8 means, to utility corporations a list of eligible affordability program
9 participants within the utility corporation's service territory.
10 4. The office shall conduct automated file matching to identify utili-
11 ty corporation customer accounts that are also affordability program
12 participants and such information shall be provided to utility corpo-
13 rations no less than semi-annually. Utility corporation customer
14 accounts identified by the office as eligible for participation in
15 available utility corporation energy affordability programs as a result
16 of such file matching shall be enrolled in such programs within sixty
17 days of receipt of the office communicating the results of the automated
18 file matching to the utility corporation. Any information provided to
19 the utility corporations related to affordability program participants
20 pursuant to this section shall be redacted as necessary to protect any
21 information that is protected under any state or federal privacy laws,
22 kept confidential, and shall only be utilized for the purpose of
23 confirming eligibility in the utility corporation energy affordability
24 program.
25 5. The commissioner may adopt, on an emergency basis pursuant to arti-
26 cle two of the state administrative procedure act, any rules necessary
27 to carry out the provisions of this article.
28 6. The commissioner may delegate the administration of any portion of
29 this program to any state agency, city, county, town, contractor or
30 non-profit organization in accordance with the provisions of this arti-
31 cle and applicable federal requirements. Provided however, such privacy
32 and confidentiality limitations prescribed in subdivision four of this
33 section shall apply to any entity that the commissioner delegates the
34 administration of the program to.
35 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
