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History
- Referred to social services
- Referred to social services
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Relates to the personal expense allowance for residents of residential health care facilities receiving or eligible to receive supplemental security income payments
In Senate Committee · Social Services · Sponsor Tom Libous
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A442
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to the personal expense allowance for residents of residential health care facilities receiving or eligible to receive supplemental security income payments and/or additional state payments
Purpose or general idea of bill
To increase the personal needs allow- ance of certain residents of residential health care facilities, to one hundred dollars per month.
Summary of specific provisions
Amends subdivision 2 of section 366 of the social services law, to increase the personal expense allowance of residents of residential care facilities, from fifty-five to one hundred dollars.
Justification
The last increase in the personal needs allowance was in 1981. Since that time, recipients have seen a drastic decrease in the real dollar value of their allowance. The personal needs allowance is an important quality of life issue for these residents.
The people who receive this allowance are mainly senior citizens who reside in skilled nursing facilities, some of whom depend solely on social security and SSI or other forms of assistance. All of them are on fixed incomes that depend on this allowance to pay for everything from their clothing, toiletries and laundry supplies to the few luxuries they can allow themselves, such as cable television, which costs half of their monthly allotment.
While SSI is a federal program, the personal needs allowance comes from state funds. None of the SSI cost of living adjustments of the years since 1981 have applied to this allowance. So, while nursing homes have received increased funds for the services they provide, the residents have received no adjustment in the money available to them.
Prior legislative history
A.9719 of 1999-2000: passed Assembly; A.2218a of 2001-02: Social Services; A.84 of 2003-04: referred to Social Services; A.1640 of 2005-2006: referred to Social Services; A.2126 of 2007-08 referred to Ways & Means
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.