STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2544 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 17, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. DAVILA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing a universal benefits form for individuals seeking public assistance The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 2 152-e to read as follows: 3 § 152-e. Universal benefits form. 1. Notwithstanding any other 4 provision of law to the contrary, the office of temporary and disability 5 assistance shall establish a universal application form to be used by 6 individuals applying for public assistance benefits. Such form shall be 7 used to determine eligibility for all benefits administered by the 8 office. 9 2. Such universal benefits form shall list all information and ques- 10 tions on such form in a manner that would permit eligibility for all 11 public assistance benefits administered by the office of temporary and 12 disability assistance, as may be appropriate, or required by law, rule 13 or regulation. 14 3. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, local social 15 services districts shall provide all applicants for public assistance 16 with the universal benefits form. 17 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, subse- 18 quent to the effective date of this section, the office of temporary and 19 disability assistance shall review the universal benefits form, not less 20 than once every six months, and shall add any additional information to 21 the form as may be appropriate or required by law, rule or regulation. 22 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 23 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend- 24 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen- 25 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and 26 completed on or before such effective date. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04565-01-5