BILL NUMBER: S8026
SPONSOR: GONZALEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to providing inter-
net access to all individuals residing in temporary housing; and to
amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in relation
to the ConnectAll digital equity grant program
 
PURPOSE OF BILL:
To ensure that all individuals receiving temporary housing assistance
have access to the internet.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 17 of the social services law as relettered by
adding a new subdivision 1 to require temporary housing facilities to
provide internet access to all residents. Shelters must provide wireless
internet service in common and private areas and have sufficient
strength. Subsection 1 defines "personal information" and includes data
privacy protections for users of WiFi in shelters.
Section 2 provides that a related contract between a shelter and an
internet service provider shall have the same terms and conditions as
regularly priced comparable internet plans offered by the provider.
Section 3 provides that shelter employees shall not be required to
actively monitor or control the information accessed through the
provided WiFi.
Section 4 provides that if the WiFi requires a password, the password
must be conspicuously displayed
Section 5 provides that a temporary housing facility that is a
hotel/motel shall provide free WiFi to those using the hotel as tempo-
rary housing if they provide free WiFi to patrons. Subdivision 2 amends
subdivision 10 of section 16-gg of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, as
amended by section 2 part MM of chapter 58 of the laws of 2022, to
include funding Internet access in temporary housing facilities to the
duties of the Connect All program. Section 3 sets forth the effective
date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
According to the New York City Department of Social Services, most of
the 450 homeless shelters in New York City do not provide WiFi for resi-
dents. In a 2019 survey of shelter residents by the City Bar Justice
Association, residents detailed their frustrations. Most were either
unable to access the Internet regularly or had to spend their limited
resources on phone plans with data. For residents looking for a job or
housing, or trying to access city resources, being unable to access the
internet is costly. Residents reported that they lost out on jobs or
had to use limited funds to pay for Internet access instead of food or
other essential items. For the estimated 114,000 children who live in
shelters in New York City, being unable to access the Internet has made
remote learning inaccessible. There are countless accounts of students
who received laptops from the New York City Department of Education, but
had no access to WiFi. In some cases, students received WiFi-enabled
devices, but still could not access the Internet for school because of
spotty cell reception in their shelter.
This legislation would require all temporary housing facilities to
provide Internet access to all individuals residing in temporary housing
in their district. That includes, but is not limited to, family shel-
ters, shelters for adults, domestic violence shelters, runaway and home
less youth shelters, and safe houses for refugees. The costs will be
reimbursed by the Stat through the ConnectAll program.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: A05649A Referred to Social Services
2021-2022: A8552-B/S3593-C Referred to Social Services
2020: A11108/S9030 - Died in Rules/Died in Social Services
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
*1 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/26/

Statutes affected:
S8026: 17 social services law