Senate Social Services Committee reports bills on child-protection records, rent arrears and shelter reimbursement

The New York State Senate Standing Committee on Social Services on Tuesday, May 20, reported eight bills to the Finance Committee, including measures to change how child protective services logs repeat reports and to remove a rent-arrears repayment requirement for recipients in New York City.

The committee, chaired by Senator Roxanne Prasad, spent its final meeting of the legislative session advancing a slate of bills intended to change recordkeeping, program access and shelter reimbursement within state social services programs. "Our aim is to . . . enhance the lives of New Yorkers," Prasad said during opening remarks. Senator Murray said the committee generally shares the goal of helping residents, adding, "It's not a handout, it's a hand up."

Among the bills the committee reported to Finance: one sponsored by Senator Martinez would require child protective services to treat multiple reports about the same child as separate incidents so repeat reports are visible in records; one by Senator Kavanaugh would remove the requirement that rent arrears be repaid for social services districts located in a municipality with a population of 5,000,000 or more (clarified in committee as applying only to New York City); a bill by Senator Persaud would require the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to publish information online about waivers and shelter-rental supplement plans; a bill by Senator Cleary would establish a co-navigation services program for people who are deaf–blind; a bill by Senator Ryan would set caseload standards for preventive-services caseworkers; a bill by Senator Parker would provide access to college education for public-assistance recipients subject to work-participation requirements; Senator Martinez also sponsored a bill to establish a statewide co-shelter toolkit; and a bill by Senator Gunartis would authorize reimbursement for shelters housing a single individual in rooms intended for double occupancy.

Most bills were moved and seconded on voice votes and were "reported" or sent on to the Finance Committee for further review. Where recorded, committee members cast individual negative positions: Senator White was recorded as voting in the negative on the bill removing the rent-arrears repayment requirement for New York City and was recorded as "without rec" on at least one other bill; Senator Wike was recorded as voting in the negative on the bill to provide college access for public-assistance recipients. Several motions were moved by Senator Serrano and seconded by Senator Murray, per the transcript. The committee recorded a quorum at the start of the meeting and concluded that it had completed its final standing-committee business for the year.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Bill 201 (sponsor: Senator Martinez) — To amend the Social Services Law in relation to certain calls received by child protective services; moved by Senator Murray; seconded by Senator Serrano; outcome: reported to Finance. (Recorded discussion: committee members said the bill would make multiple reports visible so repeated incidents are not consolidated into a single record.)

- Senate Bill 1458-A (sponsor: Senator Kavanaugh) — To remove the requirement that rent arrears be repaid for social services districts located in a municipality with a population of 5,000,000 or more; clarified to apply to New York City; moved and seconded on voice vote; outcome: reported to Finance. (Recorded vote: Senator White recorded in the negative.)

- Senate Bill 3189 (sponsor: Senator Persaud) — To require the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to publish waivers, rental supplement plans and shelter supplement plans on its website; moved and seconded on voice vote; outcome: reported to Finance.

- Senate Bill 3743 (sponsor: Senator Cleary) — To establish a co-navigation services program for people who are deaf–blind; moved and seconded on voice vote; outcome: reported to Finance.

- Senate Bill 3913 (sponsor: Senator Ryan) — To establish caseload standards for preventive-services caseworkers; moved and seconded on voice vote; outcome: reported to Finance. (A committee member asked whether local offices were consulted about appropriate caseload numbers; staff said they would follow up with that information.)

- Senate Bill 4257 (sponsor: Senator Parker) — To amend Social Services Law in relation to access to college education by public-assistance recipients subject to work-participation requirements; moved by Senator Serrano and seconded by Senator Murray on voice vote; outcome: reported to Finance. (Recorded vote: Senator Wike recorded in the negative.)

- Senate Bill 7612 (sponsor: Senator Martinez) — To establish a statewide co-shelter toolkit; moved and seconded on voice vote; outcome: reported to Finance.

- Senate Bill 738 (assembly bill number referenced) (sponsor: Senator Gunartis) — To authorize certain shelters to be reimbursed for housing a single individual in a room intended for double occupancy; moved and seconded on voice vote; outcome: reported to Finance. (Transcript: assembly bill number referenced alongside the senate sponsor; bill sent to Finance.)

Procedural and context notes

- The committee did not provide roll-call tallies for most bills; where an individual negative vote was spoken into the record, the transcript notes the senator's name and position. For several items the transcript records a comment of "without rec" by Senator White; the committee did not expand on that phrase in the recorded discussion. The transcript did not supply final vote counts or roll-call sheets in the public record excerpted here.

- Several bills were explicitly described as amendments to the Social Services Law; the committee recorded that most items were being advanced to the Finance Committee rather than being passed into law at this meeting.

The committee adjourned after reporting the listed measures. Chair Senator Roxanne Prasad thanked members and staff for the year's work and said she looked forward to continuing the committee's efforts to "uplift the lives of all New Yorkers."