What's happening
This bill requires social services districts to offer specific vocational and educational training activities, making them mandatory instead of optional.
Why it matters
Shifts from optional to mandatory. By changing the language from “may” to “shall,” the bill requires social services districts to provide vocational and educational training activities, increasing accountability and ensuring consistent access across all districts.
Expands focus on practical life skills. The activities must include financial literacy, personal finance, career advice, and education on using credit and managing household finances, aiming to better prepare recipients for self-sufficiency and stable employment.
Connects education to employment outcomes. Post-secondary education or training offered must directly relate to the participant’s employment goals and recognized occupations, ensuring that resources are focused on helping people achieve meaningful, marketable skills.
Sets participation and progress standards. The bill requires participants to maintain satisfactory academic progress and document participation hours, with some flexibility for hardship, balancing support with clear expectations and accountability.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Clarify Job Training Definitions
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Referred to social services
- Referred to social services
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2428
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. HEVESI, PERRY, BARRON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. GOTTFRIED -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to clarifying the definitions of vocational educational training and educational activities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 336-a of the social services law, as amended by chapter 275 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
1. Social services districts shall make available vocational educational training and educational activities. Such activities [may] shall include but need not be limited to, high school education or education designed to prepare a participant for a high school equivalency certificate, basic and remedial education, education in English proficiency, education or a course of instruction in financial literacy and personal finance that includes instruction on household cash management techniques, career advice to obtain a well paying and secure job, using checking and savings accounts, obtaining and utilizing short and long term credit, securing a loan or other long term financing arrangement for high cost items, participation in a higher education course of instruction or trade school, and no more than a total of four years of post-secondary education (or the part-time equivalent). Educational activities pursuant to this section may be offered with any of the following providers which meet the performance or assessment standards established in regulations by the commissioner for such providers: a community college, licensed trade school, registered business school, or a two-year or four-year college; provided, however, that such post-secondary education must be necessary to the attainment of the participant's individual employment goal as set forth in the employability
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01056-01-9
A. 2428 2
plan and such goal must relate directly to obtaining useful employment in a recognized occupation. When making any assignment to any educational activity pursuant to this subdivision, such assignment shall be permitted only to the extent that such assignment is consistent with the individual's assessment and employment plan goals in accordance with sections three hundred thirty-five and three hundred thirty-five-a of this title and shall require that the individual maintains satisfactory academic progress and hourly participation is documented consistent with federal and state requirements. For purposes of this provision "satisfactory academic progress" shall mean having a cumulative C average, or its equivalent, as determined by the academic institution. The requirement to maintain satisfactory academic progress may be waived if done so by the academic institution and the social services district based on undue hardship caused by an event such as a personal injury or illness of the student, the death of a relative of the student or other extenuating circumstances. Any enrollment in post-secondary education beyond a twelve month period must be combined with no less than twenty hours of participation averaged weekly in paid employment or work activities or community service when paid employment is not available.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.