What's happening
This bill expands and standardizes assistance for people with HIV in New York, including rent caps, eligibility help, and resource information statewide.
Why it matters
Statewide rent cap for people with HIV. The bill extends a rule—previously limited to New York City—so that no person with medically diagnosed HIV who receives public assistance will have to spend more than 30% of their income on rent, reducing risk of homelessness and housing instability everywhere in the state.
Simplifies benefits access. Local social service agencies will now be required to help individuals with HIV obtain necessary documentation, conduct eligibility interviews in more accessible locations (including at home), and provide referrals, lowering barriers for vulnerable populations to access support.
Centralizes and updates resource information. The state will create and maintain a comprehensive, publicly available online directory of HIV-related services, supports, job opportunities, and specialized healthcare professionals—making it easier for both caseworkers and affected individuals to find up-to-date help near them.
Reduces regional disparities. By standardizing these supports across all counties, the bill aims to ensure that people living with HIV outside of major population centers are no longer disadvantaged when seeking housing, financial, or health assistance.
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Who cares
People living with medically diagnosed HIV who receive public assistance and income
The bill would extend the 30% income cap on rent contributions statewide, excluding room-and-board arrangements, and remove the requirement to receive services through a district’s HIV/AIDS unit.
Local social services districts
Each district would have to help people with medically diagnosed HIV obtain eligibility documents, arrange required interviews at home or other appropriate sites, and access referrals when necessary.
State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and Department of Health
The office, consulting with the department, would have to create, maintain and periodically update online information about HIV-related resources and services statewide.
Headline styles
Help for People with HIV
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to social services
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Expand HIV Support Services
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Andrew Hevesi
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7331
IN SENATE
January 17, 2020
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN -- 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 assisting persons with medically diagnosed HIV infection; and repealing certain provisions of such law relating thereto
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 14 of section 131-a of the social services law, as amended by section 1 of part ZZ of chapter 59 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows:
14. In determining the need for aid provided pursuant to public assistance programs, each person living with medically diagnosed HIV infection as defined by the AIDS institute of the department of health [in social services districts with a population over five million] who is receiving [services through such district's administrative unit providing HIV/AIDS services,] public assistance and earned and/or unearned income, shall not be required to pay more than thirty percent of his or her monthly earned and/or unearned income toward the cost of rent that such person has a direct obligation to pay; this provision shall not apply to room and board arrangements.
§ 2. Subdivision 15 of section 131-a of the social services law is REPEALED.
§ 3. Section 131 of the social services law is amended by adding two new subdivisions 21 and 22 to read as follows:
21. When necessary, each local social services district shall assist persons with medically diagnosed HIV infection as defined by the AIDS institute of the department of health (i) secure the required documentation to determine eligibility for assistance, (ii) arrange for required face-to-face interviews to be conducted during home visits or at other appropriate sites, and (iii) by providing referrals for services as well as other resources and materials as described in subdivision twenty-two of this section.
22. The office, in consultation with the department of health, shall create, maintain, and periodically update information on the office's
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01077-01-9
S. 7331 2
website regarding resources and services throughout the state, including the location of such services, which shall include but not be limited to, community based supports, employment opportunities, and medical professionals specialized in assisting such persons with medically diagnosed HIV infection as defined by the AIDS institute of the department of health, to be utilized by the local social services districts. Such information shall also be made available on the office's website.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to assisting persons with medically diagnosed HIV infection; and repealing certain provisions of such law relating thereto
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::
Provides needed assistance to public assistance recipients living with medically diagnosed HIV infection, as defined by the AIDS Institute of the Department of Health, residing outside of New York City by institut- ing the same 30% rent cap and also requiring local social services districts and the Office of Temporary and Disability Service (OTDA) to provide additional services and support.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section 1 amends subdivision 14 of section 131-a of the social services law to expand the 30% rent cap currently applicable in New York City to the rest of the state, thereby limiting the contribution that public assistance recipients living with medically diagnosed HIV infection as defined by the AIDS Institute of the Department of Health are required to pay toward rent to 30% of monthly income.
Section 2 repeals subdivision 15 of section 131-a of the social services law.
Section 3 adds two new subdivisions to section 131 of the social services law to require local social service districts to help persons living with medically diagnosed HIV infection as defined by the AIDS Institute of the Department of Health to apply for assistance and access services and to require OTDA, in consultation with the Department of Health to provide updated information on OTDA's website regarding resources and services throughout the state.
Section 4 provides that the bill shall take effect 90 days after it shall have become law.
JUSTIFICATION::
The ability to meet basic needs, including safe, affordable housing, is essential for any person with HIV to be able to access and benefit from antiretroviral treatment. New York State's Blueprint for Ending the AIDS Epidemic (ETE) by 2020 recognizes that efforts to ensuring housing stability are key to engaging and retaining many low-income persons with HIV in the care needed to stay healthy and prevent further transmission.
We cannot end New York's AIDS epidemic while 10,000 or more individuals and families with HIV across the state remain homeless or unstably housed. Research strongly links unstable housing to poor health outcomes, detectable viral load, HIV risk behaviors, and increased rates of HIV infection. It can be conservatively estimated that leaving 10,000 New Yorkers with HIV without stable housing will result in at least 1,000 avoidable new HIV infections between now and 2020, undermining the ability to achieve our ETE Goals.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
A.9684 of 2017-2018.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS::
To be determined
EFFECTIVE DATE::
90 days after it shall have become law
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.