Automatic enrollment of eligible individuals in city-created benefit programs

This bill would require the Commissioner of Social Services to create a system to automatically enroll individuals in City-created benefit programs, like Fair Fares NYC. The Commissioner would be required to use recent records, like tax and social services assistance rolls, to identify individuals who meet the eligibility criteria for these programs for automatic enrollment. The bill would also require the Commissioner to notify eligible individuals about automatic enrollment. This notice would have to include information such as details about the relevant benefit programs and any steps necessary to complete enrollment. Additionally, the Commissioner would have to establish a plainly and conspicuously communicated opt-out mechanism that would allow eligible individuals to decline automatic enrollment at the time they receive the notice. The bill would require the Commissioner to make the system, including the notice and the opt-out mechanism, available in designated citywide languages.