Council Member Tiffany Cabán and New York City’s Social Service Providers Celebrate The Passage of the R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S. Act

May 28, 2025

New York City

What: On May 28th, 2025, the R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S. Act: Records Ensuring Clarity, Equity, and Integrity in Public Transactions and Services is expected to pass at the New York City Council Stated Meeting. 

Bill: Intro 1148. 

Video Explainer: click HERE to watch the video explainer that has reached 21,000+ views across social platforms. 

Background: The R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S. Act is a good governance bill sponsored by Council Member Tiffany Cabán, designed to help New Yorkers navigate our city’s social services with more ease and clarity. A full Council vote is scheduled for the Council Stated Meeting on Wednesday, May 28th, and the Act is expected to pass. 

The RECEIPTS Act will require the Department of Social Services (DSS) to provide an application confirmation notice within 48 hours after submission, and document receipts within 5 days of submission, to any applicant for cash assistance or SNAP benefits. 

The application confirmation notice will include the date of the application submission, a description of the information received, and an acknowledgement of whether the application is complete, and if incomplete, information on how to complete the application. 

The document receipts will include the date the document was received, the type of document, the name of the individual whose information is contained in such document, and a determination of whether the document is legible. 

DSS will also be required to make an electronic copy of submitted documents available to the applicant to view. 

This bill will also require DSS to produce a report on the resources that will be required to provide application confirmation notices and document receipts for additional benefits not already covered by the bill. 

The report will include an analysis of legal or operational barriers to providing application confirmation notices and document receipts, a determination of the minimum timeframe required by the department to implement this process, and an implementation plan to establish this process.  

“I’m proud to be the lead sponsor of the R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S. Act,” said Council Member Tiffany Cabán. “This legislation marks an important step toward greater transparency, accountability, and trust in our city’s public benefits system. These may seem like minor procedural updates, but for those seeking vital support, they can mean the difference between clarity and confusion. Between getting help and falling through the cracks. For too long, navigating public benefits has been a frustrating and opaque process. Applicants are often left without documentation of their status. This bill tackles that issue with clear, common sense solutions.” 

“The Council's priority is to champion good governance and remove the barriers that stand in the way of New Yorkers' ability to secure resources," said Speaker Adrienne Adams. "By increasing transparency in the application process to receive benefits, New Yorkers will have more clarity and success in accessing these critical resources. I thank Council Member Cabán for her leadership on this legislation, and the Council for their work to advance this important bill."

“Public benefits play a critical role in stabilizing the lives of low-income New Yorkers by supporting their basic needs," said Bishop Mitchell Taylor, CEO & Co-Founder of Urban Upbound. "When people don’t have to spend countless hours navigating unclear, redundant, and demoralizing systems, they can focus their time and energy on what truly matters: building careers, strengthening their finances, and achieving long-term goals. The R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S. Act brings much-needed clarity and accountability to the benefits process, and we commend Council Member Tiffany Cabán for advancing this straight-forward and powerful tool for equity and opportunity in our city.”

“Applying for public benefits should not feel like sending your documents into a void,” said Majority Leader Amanda Farías. “I’m proud to co-sponsor Intro 1148 because it brings much-needed transparency and accountability to the process. When families are in crisis, they deserve timely confirmation, clear guidance, and the peace of mind that their paperwork hasn’t just disappeared into the system. This bill is a commonsense step toward a more responsive and respectful social safety net.”

“The R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S Act will go a long way in ensuring that our constituents can reach the city benefits they deserve,” said Council Member Alexa Avilés. “By providing detailed applicant receipts, our office will be better equipped to advocate on behalf of our community members to ensure they are getting the services they need. We hope that this legislation will save New Yorkers valuable resources, so we can spend less time tracking down application documents and more time serving our constituents. I’m proud to be a co-sponsor of this legislation and sincerely congratulate my colleague, Council Member Cabán, on improving the transparency and efficiency of our social services programs.”

“This bill comes directly from what our constituents have told us: too often, they submit documents for SNAP or cash assistance and hear nothing back. By requiring timely confirmation and access to submitted materials, we’re bringing long-overdue clarity and accountability to a process that impacts our city’s most vulnerable families,” said Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez. 

“Far too often, New Yorkers navigating our social safety net are left without clarity or confirmation when they submit critical documents for public benefits,” said New York City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. “The R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S Act brings much-needed transparency and accountability to that process. By providing applicants with clear documentation, we are empowering individuals and families and reinforcing trust in our institutions. I’m proud to support this legislation and thank Council Member Tiffany Cabán for championing this important reform.”

"No one applying for SNAP benefits or Cash assistance benefits in New York City should be left in the dark about whether their documents were received or their application is moving forward,” said Council Member Chris Banks. “The R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S. Act I believe will bring long-overdue transparency and accountability to a process that too often fails the most vulnerable in need of the most help. This bill is about creating efficiency, accountability and trust — because when someone asks for help, the city should respond with clarity, not confusion."

“I’m proud to sponsor the R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S. Act, legislation that promotes transparency and accountability from the Department of Social Services and the Human Resources Administration through basic, best practices of good governance,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif, Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus. “These agencies are lifelines for New Yorkers in moments of urgent need. This new law will strengthen their ability to serve with efficiency and compassion, ensuring every New Yorker seeking help is met with the respect, responsiveness, and high-quality service that they deserve.”

“Our office assists constituents with DSS and HRA cases every day, and we’ve seen firsthand how confusing and opaque the process can be for New Yorkers trying to access basic benefits,” said Council Member Christopher Marte. “The R.E.C.E.I.P.T.S. Act brings much-needed transparency and accountability to a system that too often leaves people in the dark. This bill is a smart, simple solution that will empower our communities, reduce bureaucratic barriers, and ensure our social safety net actually functions the way it’s supposed to.”

Contact: Please contact Arden Dressner Levy at alevy@council.nyc.gov or 646-250-1957 with inquiries. 

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