Bill Text: NY S09066 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Authorizes county offices for the aging to accept and process supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) and low-income home energy assistance program applications.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-06-15 - REFERRED TO RULES [S09066 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-S09066-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          9066
                    IN SENATE
                                      June 15, 2018
                                       ___________
        Introduced by Sen. SEPULVEDA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
        AN  ACT  to amend the elder law and the social services law, in relation
          to authorizing county offices for the  aging  to  accept  and  process
          supplemental  nutrition  assistance program (SNAP) and low-income home
          energy assistance program applications
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1.  The  elder  law is amended by adding a new section 224 to
     2  read as follows:
     3    § 224. Supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) and low-income
     4  home energy assistance program applications for the  elderly.  1.(a)  In
     5  consultation  with  the commissioner of temporary and disability assist-
     6  ance, the office shall establish, for use  by  county  offices  for  the
     7  aging, a best practice model for such county offices to accept and proc-
     8  ess  applications  for  the  supplemental  nutrition  assistance program
     9  (SNAP) pursuant to section ninety-five of the social  services  law  and
    10  the  low-income home energy assistance program pursuant to section nine-
    11  ty-seven of the social services law  from  elderly  individuals  seeking
    12  services  from  such county offices.  Such best practices model shall be
    13  developed and established by the office after a  review  of  all  county
    14  offices  for  the  aging  programs  offering similar services to elderly
    15  individuals at the effective date of this section.
    16    (b) Within three years of the establishment of the best practice model
    17  pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision, all  county  offices  for
    18  the  aging  shall adopt such best practice model and begin accepting and
    19  processing applications from elderly individuals  for  the  supplemental
    20  nutrition  assistance  program (SNAP) pursuant to section ninety-five of
    21  the social services  law  and  the  low-income  home  energy  assistance
    22  program  pursuant  to section ninety-seven of the social services law. A
    23  county office for the aging may request an extension to adopt such  best
    24  practice model by making a written request to the director.
    25    (c)  County  offices for the aging and local social services districts
    26  shall have the ability to disclose and share information with respect to
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08177-01-7
        S. 9066                             2
     1  such applications and  the  supplemental  nutrition  assistance  program
     2  (SNAP)  and  the low-income home energy assistance program. For purposes
     3  of this section, "elderly individual" shall mean a person sixty years of
     4  age or older.
     5    2.  The  director shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary
     6  to carry out the provisions of this section.
     7    § 2. Section 95 of the social services law is amended by adding a  new
     8  subdivision 11 to read as follows:
     9    11.  The  office  for the aging is authorized and required, subject to
    10  state and federal laws and regulations  and  in  consultation  with  the
    11  office,  to  act on behalf of the office and accept and process applica-
    12  tions for the supplemental nutrition  assistance  program  from  elderly
    13  individuals  pursuant  to  section  two hundred twenty-four of the elder
    14  law.
    15    § 3. Section 97 of the social services law is amended by adding a  new
    16  subdivision 6 to read as follows:
    17    6.  The  office  for  the aging is authorized and required, subject to
    18  state and federal laws and regulations  and  in  consultation  with  the
    19  department,  to  act  on behalf of the department and accept and process
    20  applications for the low-income  home  energy  assistance  program  from
    21  elderly  individuals  pursuant to section two hundred twenty-four of the
    22  elder law.
    23    § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    24  it shall have become a law; provided,  however,  effective  immediately,
    25  the  addition,  amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
    26  sary for the implementation of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are
    27  authorized to be made on or before such date.