Requires social services applicants to undergo a terrorist screening background check

Summary of specific provisions

Section One of this bill would establish the Terrorist Screening Database Support Council. Such council would consist of the Commissioners of the Division of Homeland Security Services, the Superintendent of the Division of the State Police, the Commissioner of the Division of Criminal Justice Services, the Commissioner of the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, and the Commissioner of Children and Family services. Staffed by the respective agency personnel, the purpose of the council would be to provide any assistance needed by local governments, including their law enforcement entities and social services districts, to obtain information from the Terrorist Screening Center, operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with respect to individuals contained on the Terrorist Screening Database (the national terrorist watch list).

Section Two would require county social services commissioners to submit all persons applying for social services, together with all persons residing with such applicants, to the Terrorist Screening Database Support Council, to determine whether such applicant, and those who reside with the applicant are listed on the national terrorist watch list Pursuant to this section, the Council would submit such names so provided to the Terrorist Screening Center, operated by the FBI, for a cross check against the Terrorist Screening Database (the national terrorist watch list) If there is no cross match, the Council would immediately certify the applicant, so they could thereby receive the social service sought. If any of the persons to examined, however, do appear on the list, then the applicant would be denied the social service sought

Justification

Pursuant to Home land Security Presidential Directive 6 of 2003, the Federal Bureau of Investigation established the Terrorist Screening Center. This Center, located in Vienna, Virginia, under the Department of Justice guidelines, maintains the Terrorist Screening Database (commonly known as the National Terrorist Watch List) This consolidated Terrorist Watch list, which is a single database of identifying information about those known or reasonably suspected of being involved in terrorist activity, contains thousands of records that are updated daily and shared with federal, state, local, territorial, tribal law enforcement, and Intelligence Community members as well as international partners to ensure that individuals with links to terrorism are appropriately screened. Comprised of a portion of the National Counter Terrorism Center's (NCTC's) immense

and broad based Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE), the Terrorist Screening Database, is significantly culled by the Terrorist Screening Center, and has only approximately five percent of its names who are American Citizens.

The recent events of the Boston Marathon Attacks, highlighted the fact that Al Qaeda inspired terrorists came to the United States, took advantage of our social services network, and rather than seeking gainful employment, spent their time planning and executing a large scale and murderous terrorist attack.

Although New York has a generous and compassionate social services system, the provision of social services need not be a platform to subsidize and facilitate a terrorist attack, Accordingly, this bill would provide a mechanism whereby applicants, and those who would reside with such, must receive pre-clearance that they are not on the national terrorist watch list.

As a result, this bill would provide two benefits. First it would assure that social services were not being misdirected to support and subsidize terrorist attacks, and second, it would provide a mechanism to report the location and activities of persons who are found on the national terrorist watch list

Legislative history

This is a new bill in the Senate.

Fiscal implications

None noted.

Effective date

This act would take effect immediately.