Authorizes social services districts to offer participants in public assistance employment programs an option to complete a course of instruction in financial literacy and personal finance; authorizes local social services districts to cooperate with the department of labor in providing workforce guidance and information.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A474A
SPONSOR: Paulin (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to allowing social
services districts to offer participants in public assistance employment
programs an option to complete a course in financial literacy and
personal finance
PURPOSE:
Provides that social service districts may require, on a case-by-case
basis, those who are collecting Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
(TANF) benefits to participate in a course of instruction in financial
literacy and personal finance, with such instruction counting toward
meeting the 30-hour work requirement or as an educational activity.
Further, that such district may cooperate with the Department of Labor
to provide workforce guidance and information as provided in the Labor
Law regarding nontraditional careers for women, such as in the trades,
to TANF recipients. The purpose of this provision is to encourage women
recipients of TANF to pursue and be able to secure certain nontradi-
tional careers that pay above average salaries.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 336 of the social services law to authorize the
staff at social service districts to cooperate with the Labor Department
to provide workforce guidance and information regarding nontraditional
careers for women as provided for in section 10-c of the labor law.
Section 2 amends section 336-a of the social services law to add activ-
ities to the list of vocational educational training and educational
activities that social services districts must make available. Such
activities include courses in financial literacy and personal finance
that include instruction on household cash management techniques, career
advice to obtain a well-paying and secure job, using checking and
savings accounts, obtaining and utilizing short and long term credit,
securing a loan, and participation in a higher education course or trade
school. Under this provision, not only can taking part in a financial
literacy and personal finance course of instruction count as a "work
activity" for the purposes of obtaining TANF aid, it can also count as
an "educational activity," so long as an individual maintains satisfac-
tory academic progress and hourly participation as determined by the
academic institution.
Section 3 provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
This bill incorporates into the social services law the proposition that
women who receive TANF aid may be helped if they are provided access to
nontraditional careers, such as trades, that can lead to higher sala-
ries, career growth and economic security. Too often, low-income women
are tracked into low-paying jobs, keeping them locked into perpetual
basic survival with no future. This bill is one more step toward helping
provide low-income women access to better-paying careers with upward
mobility.
Additionally, this bill allows TANF caseworkers to decide, on a case-by-
case basis, whether participation in financial literacy and personal
finance courses would be of additional benefit. By participating in such
classes, such recipients may become more aware of their current finan-
cial choices and course of conduct and change that behavior in a manner
that leads to a more secure financial future. Under this bill, those
TANF recipients that take such workforce guidance and/or financial
literacy classes can have such activities be considered fulfilling their
work or educational activities under the Social Services Law.
The combination of access to nontraditional careers and financial liter-
acy instruction can greatly support the transition of low-income women
from basic survival to economic security and empowerment.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.1101, 2015 and 2016 referred to social services.
Same as S.2150, 2015 and 2016 passed Senate.
A.7763-A, 2013 and 2014 referred to social services.
Same as S.5249-A, 2013 and 2014 passed Senate.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law; provided, however, that the commissioner of
temporary and disability assistance is immediately authorized and
directed to promulgate, amend and/or repeal any rules and regulations
that may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its
effective date.
