Requires that any electronic benefit transfer services for supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits shall ensure that two electronic benefit transfer credit or debit cards are issued for use by any recipient household having more than one parent or guardian residing in the household on a full-time basis.
STATE OF NEW YORK
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8972--A
IN SENATE
May 3, 2022
___________
Introduced by Sen. SALAZAR -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services -- commit-
tee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recom-
mitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring that
two electronic benefit transfer credit or debit cards be issued to
certain households receiving supplemental nutrition assistance program
(SNAP) benefits
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 21-a of the social services law,
2 as added by section 144-a of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997,
3 is amended to read as follows:
4 1. (a) Any contract entered into on behalf of local social services
5 districts for electronic benefit transfer services shall ensure that
6 there are a sufficient number of access points in each local social
7 services district to ensure an adequate distribution of such services.
8 Upon implementation of an electronic benefit transfer system in a local
9 social services district or in any political or other geographic subdi-
10 vision of such district, the department shall publish a list identifying
11 the number and location of access points within such district or subdi-
12 vision, and shall seek and accept public comment on the adequacy of
13 recipient access to electronic benefit transfer services within such
14 district or subdivision. The department shall seek to maximize recipient
15 access to electronic benefit transfer services by working with the
16 contractor to establish access points at a broad range of businesses and
17 community facilities including, but not limited to, community centers,
18 senior citizen centers, educational and job skills training sites, and
19 local housing authorities.
20 (b) Any electronic benefit transfer services for supplemental nutri-
21 tion assistance program (SNAP) benefits shall ensure that two electronic
22 benefit transfer credit or debit cards are issued for use by any recipi-
23 ent household having more than one parent or guardian residing in the
24 household on a full-time basis, provided that at least two parents or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15075-07-2
S. 8972--A 2
1 guardians residing in the household, or a combination thereof, qualify
2 for benefits pursuant to this chapter. No card shall be issued to any
3 person under the age of eighteen unless such person is a parent or guar-
4 dian of a minor child. The issuance of a second card shall be consist-
5 ent with federal requirements and is subject to the request and approval
6 by the head of household and shall not entitle the recipients to any
7 additional benefits. Benefit recipients shall not be required to accept
8 or utilize both cards. The department shall notify existing and future
9 benefit recipients of the availability of multiple cards.
10 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
11 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
12 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
13 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
14 completed on or before such effective date.
