NY A07792

Social services districts with population over five million must submit quarterly plans (by 15 days after quarter end, beginning April 1, 2015) to the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance outlining efforts to minimize fair hearing backlogs and ensure hearings occur within reasonable timeframes.

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance shall provide assistance to districts implementing these plans.

Districts with greater than 40 percent of statewide fair hearing issues that fail to timely submit plans or experience backlog growth over four or more consecutive quarters face state reimbursement reductions calculated as a percentage proportional to how much their reversal and withdrawal rate exceeds 50 percent.

Reversals due to defective state notices and settlements initiated by local districts after hearing scheduling are excluded from the penalty calculation.

The amendments expire with the underlying 2014 law and take effect immediately upon enactment.