STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1860
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 13, 2015
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Introduced by M. of A. WRIGHT, GLICK, ORTIZ, O'DONNELL, CAMARA --
Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRENNAN, COOK, PEOPLES-STOKES, PRETLOW
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing the
savings plan demonstration project; and providing for the repeal of
such provisions upon expiration thereof
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 36-d to read as follows:
3 § 36-d. Savings plan demonstration project. 1. Notwithstanding any
4 other provision of law to the contrary, in any social services district
5 within a city having a population of one million or more, the social
6 services district shall conduct a demonstration project as set forth in
7 this section, and shall evaluate and report on such project, pursuant to
8 a plan approved by the office of temporary and disability assistance and
9 the division of budget prior to the implementation of the project.
10 2. Such social services district, in lieu of applying that portion of
11 a temporary housing assistance recipient's earned income that, but for
12 the other provisions of this chapter, would be applied to reduce the
13 need for the shelter component of temporary housing assistance provided
14 in a temporary emergency shelter, shall direct such a recipient to
15 participate in a savings plan with such funds and, as long as such funds
16 are not withdrawn, they shall not be applied to reduce the need for the
17 shelter component of the temporary housing assistance granted for the
18 duration of his or her residence in temporary emergency shelters;
19 provided, however, that the provisions of this section shall only apply
20 to a person receiving temporary housing assistance in a shelter or other
21 facility funded and overseen by the New York city department of homeless
22 services or the New York city department of housing preservation and
23 development. Failure by a recipient of temporary housing assistance to
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04841-01-5
A. 1860 2
1 contribute to such a savings plan shall not in itself result in the
2 discontinuance of temporary housing assistance, unless the recipient
3 separately fails to comply with conditions of eligibility that could
4 result in the discontinuance of temporary housing assistance.
5 3. In such social services district, any such funds collected from the
6 earned income of a recipient of temporary housing assistance while he or
7 she is residing in a temporary emergency shelter shall be deposited in a
8 savings plan approved by the office of temporary and disability assist-
9 ance and the division of budget; shall be payable to the recipient for
10 the recipient's use to facilitate his or her transition to, or stabilize
11 his or her residence in, permanent housing upon his or her discharge
12 from a shelter or upon verification of such recipient's date of
13 discharge from a shelter; and shall be considered exempt as income or a
14 resource until the twelfth month following the month in which the recip-
15 ient ceases receiving temporary housing assistance in a temporary emer-
16 gency shelter. Funds collected in such savings plans shall be pooled,
17 tracked individually, and maintained in a savings or money-market
18 account at interest rates set by the institution with which such funds
19 are deposited. Any savings and interest accrued in such account or
20 accounts shall be distributed to a temporary housing assistance recipi-
21 ent upon his or her discharge from a temporary emergency shelter or upon
22 verification of such recipient's date of discharge from a shelter, in
23 accordance with the provisions of this section.
24 4. Such social services district shall be deemed in compliance with
25 section one hundred thirty-one-a of this chapter for reimbursement of
26 expenditures made for temporary housing assistance, provided the
27 district is conducting the project fully in accordance with the
28 provisions of this section. Unearned income of a recipient of temporary
29 housing assistance in such social services district shall not be applied
30 to the savings plan, and shall not be required to be applied to that
31 portion of the shelter costs not paid for with public assistance.
32 Temporary housing assistance recipients shall not be required to
33 contribute to the cost of such shelter, as provided for in this section.
34 Such project shall not be implemented so as to compromise the federal
35 benefits of a recipient or any of his or her household members.
36 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
37 it shall have become a law provided, however, that:
38 a. if the office of temporary and disability assistance and the divi-
39 sion of budget approve a demonstration project provided for in this act
40 prior to the one hundred eightieth day, this act shall take effect on
41 the date of such approval except that the office of temporary and disa-
42 bility assistance shall be authorized immediately to promulgate any rule
43 or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act;
44 b. the office of temporary and disability assistance and the division
45 of budget shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the
46 occurrence of the approval of the demonstration project provided for in
47 this act in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and time-
48 ly effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of
49 New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of
50 the legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law; and
51 c. this act shall expire and be deemed repealed March 31, 2022.
