NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2171
SPONSOR: Simon TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to ensuring
adequate access to information by individuals who have limited English
proficiency
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill amends the social services law to assure individuals with
limited English proficiency and in need of communication assistance
receive appropriate written, verbal, and other language translation
services in the twelve most common non-English languages spoken by indi-
viduals in New York State to increase awareness and participation in the
program.
SUMMARY OF MAIN PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Adds a new subdivision 9 to section 95-a of the social
services law which would establish a plan for the department to guaran-
tee information access to individuals who are not proficient in English
or need communication assistance. This plan includes document trans-
lation in the twelve most common non-English languages spoken in New
York State, as well as interpretation services for participants whose
primary language is not English and who require additional assistance
due to partial or total deafness, blindness, speech impediment, or
cognitive impairment. Additionally, this section promotes further trans-
lation services for low-income or elderly households to inform them of
their potential eligibility to receive supplemental nutrition assistance
benefits.
Section 2: This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it
shall have become a law.
JUSTIFICATION:
12.5 of New York State households face food insecurity. An average of
977,375 households do not have access to sufficient amounts of food to
live a safe and healthy life. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) provides 2,833,407 beneficiaries within New York State
with nutrition assistance. The number of recipients will increase when
individuals with lower-level English proficiency, who are, often,
unaware of the benefits of the program nor of their eligibility to have
access to it. Currently there are 4,536,115 foreign-born individuals
that make up 230-of New York State's population. Many immigrant fami-
lies are eligible to receive SNAP benefits; however, they consistently
access them at lower rates than native families. Language inaccessibil-
ity is a major restriction for immigrants aiming to receive SNAP bene-
fits. Without English proficiency, individuals have a difficult time
understanding eligibility requirements and program enrollment and
compliances, as well as fear of jeopardizing their residential status
and citizenship eligibility. This bill would institute translation of
necessary documents and verbal interpretation services in the twelve
most common non-English languages spoken in New York State. This bill
would also give the commissioner the discretion to provided additional
languages dependent on their counties' immigrant population. Verbal and
written translation services would raise awareness and increase program
participation.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: A7780 Simon -referred to social services
2021-2022: A2109 Fernandez - referred to rules
2020: A8470 Fernandez - referred to rules
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
to be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law; however, that the amendments to section 95-a of the social
services law made by section one of this act shall not affect the expi-
ration and reversion of such section and shall be deemed to expire ther-
ewith
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2171
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SIMON, SHIMSKY, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, ALVAREZ -- read
once and referred to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to ensuring
adequate access to information by individuals who have limited English
proficiency
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 95-a of the social services law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
3 9. (a) The department shall develop and implement a plan to ensure
4 adequate access to information by individuals who have limited English
5 proficiency or otherwise require communication assistance. Notwith-
6 standing the provisions of any general, special or local law to the
7 contrary, and subject to appropriation, the department shall:
8 (i) translate necessary documents, including but not limited to, forms
9 and instructions provided to or completed by the program beneficiaries
10 or participants, into the twelve most common non-English languages
11 spoken by individuals with limited-English proficiency in New York
12 state, based on United States census data. Pursuant to section two
13 hundred two-a of the executive law, the department may, in its
14 discretion, offer up to four additional languages beyond the twelve most
15 common languages. Such additional languages shall be determined by the
16 provisions established in such section two hundred two-a.
17 (ii) offer, upon request, interpretation services between the entity
18 administering the program and an individual in such individual's primary
19 language with respect to the provision of services or benefits; and
20 (iii) offer, upon request or demonstrated need, services to an indi-
21 vidual who requires additional assistance due to partial or total deaf-
22 ness, blindness, speech impediment, or cognitive impairment; and
23 (iv) subject to appropriation, work with the office for the aging to
24 provide additional translation services to both agencies to assist with
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04864-01-5
A. 2171 2
1 informing low-income and elderly households potentially eligible to
2 receive supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits.
3 (b) Each commissioner of social services shall retain discretion to
4 offer additional language translation services to low-income recipients,
5 as necessary.
6 § 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
7 have become a law.
