Bill Text: NY A02671 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Allows for three forty-five day extensions of necessary and available emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence instead of the current two forty-five day extensions.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - referred to social services [A02671 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-A02671-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2671

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                    January 26, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A. J. M. GIGLIO -- read once and referred to the
          Committee on Social Services

        AN ACT to amend the social services law, in  relation  to  allowing  for
          three  forty-five  day extensions of necessary and available emergency
          shelter for victims of domestic violence

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Section  459-b  of the social services law, as amended by
     2  chapter 7 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
     3    § 459-b. Residential services for victims  of  domestic  violence.  In
     4  accordance with section one hundred thirty-one-u of this chapter and the
     5  regulations  of  the  office  of  children and family services, a social
     6  services district shall offer and provide necessary and available  emer-
     7  gency  shelter  and  services  for  up  to  ninety days at a residential
     8  program for victims  of  domestic  violence  to  a  victim  of  domestic
     9  violence who was residing in the social services district at the time of
    10  the alleged domestic violence whether or not such victim is eligible for
    11  public  assistance.  [Two]  Three forty-five day extensions of necessary
    12  and available emergency shelter may be granted beyond the maximum length
    13  of stay at a residential program for victims of  domestic  violence  for
    14  residents who continue to be in need of emergency services and temporary
    15  shelter. If the victim of domestic violence has a service animal as such
    16  term is defined in section one hundred twenty-three-b of the agriculture
    17  and  markets  law, or therapy dog as such term is defined in section one
    18  hundred eight of the agriculture and  markets  law,  respectively,  such
    19  service  animal  or therapy dog shall be allowed to accompany the victim
    20  at the residential program authorized pursuant to this section, so  long
    21  as  such  accompaniment  would  not create an undue burden as defined by
    22  section two hundred ninety-six of the executive law.
    23    Where such accompaniment would constitute an undue burden,  the  resi-
    24  dential program shall make reasonable efforts to facilitate placement of

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01685-01-3
        A. 2671                             2

     1  such animal at an off-site animal care facility or if reasonable efforts
     2  fail,  provide  referral to one or more off-site animal care facilities.
     3  Such off-site animal care may include, but not be limited  to,  boarding
     4  at  a  veterinary  hospital or under the auspices of a duly incorporated
     5  humane society,  or  duly  incorporated  animal  protection  association
     6  approved for such purpose by the department of agriculture and markets.
     7    Nothing  in  this  section  shall  be construed to limit any rights or
     8  obligations provided pursuant to federal or state law, including but not
     9  limited to providing  reasonable  accommodations  for  individuals  with
    10  disabilities.
    11    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.