Relates 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.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5280
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 20, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sens. SEPULVEDA, ROLISON, WEBB -- read twice and ordered
printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging
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
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 467-b of the real property tax law
2 is amended by adding a new paragraph j to read as follows:
3 j. the entity responsible for the administration of the tax abatement
4 program shall develop and implement a plan to ensure adequate access to
5 information by individuals who have limited English proficiency or
6 otherwise require communication assistance. Such entity shall:
7 (1) translate necessary documents, including but not limited to, forms
8 and instructions provided to or completed by the program beneficiaries
9 or participants, into the six most common non-English languages spoken
10 by individuals with limited-English proficiency in the municipality that
11 offers this program pursuant to subdivision two of this section;
12 (2) offer, upon request, interpretation services between the entity
13 administering the program and an individual in the individual's primary
14 language with respect to the provision of services or benefits; and
15 (3) offer, upon request or demonstrated need, services to an individ-
16 ual who requires additional assistance due to partial or total deafness,
17 blindness, speech impediment, or cognitive impairment.
18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01863-01-5
