An act to amend the social services law, in relation to access to a college education by public assistance recipients who are subject to work participation requirements.

Synopsis:
This bill proposes a change to the social services law. The current law outlines educational activities, which meet the work participation requirements for public assistance recipients of all ages. Currently, two-year degrees, vocational training, high school and GED training are all activities which satisfy work requirements, but a four-year college, does not qualify for the work requirements.  The proposed bill opens up the availability of higher education to public assistance recipients.

Status:
The bill was referred to the Assembly Social Services Committee and the Senate Social Services, Children and Families Committee on 1/9/08. 

• Revises current statute to include attendance of a four-year college as an eligible work requirement activity. 
• Each hour of class time will count as one hour towards the work requirement and shall also count the supplementary assignment hours towards the work requirement. 
• This legislation also stipulates that a local social service official cannot assign a recipient to an activity that would interfere with the educational activities of the recipient unless the recipient’s employment plan requires it.
• Allows up to fifty  (50%) percent of time spent in a vocational education-training program be devoted to preparation for a General Education Development (GED) test or in instruction for English as Second Language (ESL). 
• Eighteen and nineteen year old recipients will be assigned to educational activities unless the recipient already possesses the skill and knowledge to be employed in the occupation the recipient has chosen or has not maintained a C average (except in situations of personal hardship).

NASW-NYS Position:
NASW-NYS has issued a Memorandum in Support of this proposed legislation.  Enactment of this bill will help many New York citizens gain the education needed to leave the welfare rolls and poverty.