N.Y. Social Services Law § 131-SS – Automated identification of affordability program participants

1. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
1. (a) "Commissioner" shall mean the commissioner of the office of temporary and disability assistance.
2. (b) "Affordability program participant" shall mean a household that is determined to be eligible by the appropriate agency for any of the following programs:
  1. (i) Public assistance;
  2. (ii) Supplemental security income;
  3. (iii) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP);
  4. (iv) Low income home energy assistance program;
  5. (v) Veteran's disability pension;
  6. (vi) Veteran's surviving spouse pension;
  7. (vii) Child health plus;
  8. (viii) Lifeline; and
  9. (ix) Any other income-based assistance program identified by the public service commission in consultation with the office.
3. (c) "Office" shall mean the office of temporary disability assistance.
4. (d) "Utility corporation" shall mean a corporation regulated pursuant to article two of the public service law.
5. (e) "Utility corporation energy affordability programs" shall be defined by the public service commission and shall include programs which are intended to assist customers with energy affordability by reducing customers' energy burden.
2. Within one hundred eighty days of the effective date of this section, the commissioner shall establish a statewide program to provide for automated identification of eligible affordability program participants for participation in utility corporation energy affordability programs.
3. The office shall engage with utility corporations to establish automated file matching mechanisms that will provide, via electronic means, to utility corporations a list of eligible affordability program participants within the utility corporation's service territory.
4. The office shall conduct automated file matching to identify utility corporation customer accounts that are also affordability program participants and such information shall be provided to utility corporations no less than semi-annually. Utility corporation customer accounts identified by the office as eligible for participation in available utility corporation energy affordability programs as a result of such file matching shall be enrolled in such programs within sixty days of receipt of the office communicating the results of the automated file matching to the utility corporation. Any information provided to the utility corporations related to affordability program participants pursuant to this section shall be redacted as necessary to protect any information that is protected under any state or federal privacy laws, kept confidential, and shall only be utilized for the purpose of confirming eligibility in the utility corporation energy affordability program.
5. The commissioner may adopt, on an emergency basis pursuant to article two of the state administrative procedure act, any rules necessary to carry out the provisions of this article.
6. The commissioner may delegate the administration of any portion of this program to any state agency, city, county, town, contractor or non-profit organization in accordance with the provisions of this article and applicable federal requirements. Provided however, such privacy and confidentiality limitations prescribed in subdivision four of this section shall apply to any entity that the commissioner delegates the administration of the program to.