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.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1593
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, OTIS -- read once and referred 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:
1 Section 1. Section 303-a of the social services law is REPEALED and a
2 new section 131-y is added to read as follows:
3 § 131-y. Assistance for guide dogs, hearing dogs and service dogs. 1.
4 It shall be the duty of the social services official to provide assist-
5 ance, in accordance with regulations of the department, to a person with
6 a disability using a guide dog, hearing dog or service dog who has been
7 determined to be eligible for or is receiving, including but not limited
8 to, federal supplemental security income benefits, supplemental nutri-
9 tion assistance program benefits, medical assistance for needy persons
10 and/or additional state payments under this chapter, for the purchase of
11 food and the cost of veterinarian expenses for such dog.
12 2. Such regulations of the department shall fix an amount of not less
13 than fifty dollars a month, and the method and frequency of distribution
14 and procedures for the determination and periodical redetermination of
15 eligibility for such assistance.
16 3. Such assistance shall not be granted to any person for whom earned
17 income has been exempted for such purpose pursuant to federal law or
18 regulation.
19 4. The full amount properly expended by social services districts
20 under this section, including costs of administration, shall be reim-
21 bursed by the state.
22 5. For purposes of this section, "service dog" shall mean any dog,
23 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.
LBD04670-01-5
A. 1593 2
1 training it and that has been or is being individually trained to do
2 work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability.
3 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
4 it shall have become a law.
