New York Senate Bill S07943

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/14/25
• Refer: 5/14/25
• Engrossed: 6/10/25
• Refer: 6/10/25

Caption

Requires the office of temporary and disability assistance to make available skimming warning signs in English and in the twelve languages most commonly spoken by limited English proficient individuals in the state; requires the department of social services to make available information regarding the state food stamp outreach program in English and in the twelve languages most commonly spoken by limited English proficient individuals in the state.

Impact

By requiring the state to provide information in multiple languages, S07943 seeks to ensure that non-English speakers are adequately informed about potential scams affecting their financial assistance. This legislation will amend existing social services laws to include provisions that specifically address the need for multilingual resources to educate beneficiaries about the risks of EBT skimming and fraud. The bill recognizes the diversity of New York's population and the unique challenges faced by individuals with limited English language skills in accessing critical information about state services.

Summary

Bill S07943 aims to enhance the protections for beneficiaries of the state's social services, particularly concerning electronic benefit transfer (EBT) scams. The legislation mandates that the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance make available warning signs about skimming fraud in various languages, including English and the twelve most commonly spoken languages among limited English proficient individuals in New York. This initiative is designed to inform and protect vulnerable populations from fraudulent activities that exploit their benefits.

Contention

Although the bill primarily focuses on consumer protection, there may be concerns regarding the implementation and funding for these multilingual resources. Critics may argue about the practicality of producing and distributing materials in numerous languages, as well as the ongoing costs associated with maintaining these programs. Proponents, however, would counter that the potential benefits of preventing fraud and safeguarding public assistance funds far outweigh the implementation costs, particularly given the increasing incidents of digital scams targeting vulnerable communities in New York.