Bill Text: NY S05372 | 2015-2016 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Authorizes service animals or therapy dogs to accompany victims of domestic violence at residential programs for victims of domestic violence.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-06-17 - SUBSTITUTED BY A6626 [S05372 Detail]

Download: New_York-2015-S05372-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         5372
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                     May 14, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by Sen. CARLUCCI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
         printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
       AN ACT to amend the social services  law,  in  relation  to  authorizing
         service  animals  or  therapy  dogs  to  accompany victims of domestic
         violence at residential programs
         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section  1.  Section  459-b  of the social services law, as amended by
    2  chapter 459 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
    3    S 459-b. Residential services for victims  of  domestic  violence.  In
    4  accordance with section one hundred thirty-one-u of this chapter and the
    5  regulations  of  the  office  of  children and family services, a social
    6  services district shall offer and provide necessary and available  emer-
    7  gency  shelter  and  services  for  up  to  ninety days at a residential
    8  program for victims  of  domestic  violence  to  a  victim  of  domestic
    9  violence who was residing in the social services district at the time of
   10  the alleged domestic violence whether or not such victim is eligible for
   11  public assistance. Two forty-five day extensions of necessary and avail-
   12  able  emergency shelter may be granted beyond the maximum length of stay
   13  at a residential program for victims of domestic violence for  residents
   14  who  continue to be in need of emergency services and temporary shelter.
   15  IF THE VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HAS A SERVICE ANIMAL OR  THERAPY  DOG
   16  AS  SUCH TERMS ARE DEFINED IN SECTION 123-B AND SECTION 108 OF THE AGRI-
   17  CULTURE AND MARKETS LAW, RESPECTIVELY, SUCH SERVICE  ANIMAL  OR  THERAPY
   18  DOG  SHALL BE ALLOWED TO ACCOMPANY THE VICTIM AT THE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM
   19  AUTHORIZED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   20    S 2. The office of children  and  family  services  is  authorized  to
   21  promulgate any and all rules and regulations and take any other measures
   22  necessary to implement this act.
   23    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD09820-01-5