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Who cares
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Sponsors
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History
- Reported and committed to finance
- 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 resource exemptions for applicants for public assistance programs
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Andrew Hevesi
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to resource exemptions for applicants for public assistance programs; and to amend chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, constituting the welfare reform act of 1997, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
Purpose or general idea of bill
The bill would amend the income and resources exemptions provisions of § 131-n of the Social Services Law (SSL) to ensure that applicants do not have to divest themselves of certain resources to qualify for public assistance.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one of the bill would amend SSL § 131-n.
Section two of the bill would provide for an April 1 next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
Justification
As a critical component of improving the economic well-being of low income families, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance has had a longstanding policy that households in receipt of public assistance should have certain resources exempt from consideration when determining eligibility for public assistance. This bill would update and expand the resources that an applicant of public assistance may possess without affecting eligibility for assistance. The resources covered by the exemption include savings accounts; the home that is the usual residence of the household; one automobile per driver in the household; one burial plot per household member; bona fide funeral agreements; retirement accounts, including but not limited to Individual Retirement Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and Keogh plans; and (k) all 529 college savings plan, and other resources. The resource exemptions amended in this bill are reflect updates that take into account inflation as well as the understanding that when households are able to have certain resources exempt from consideration when applying for public assistance, the resources are often an essential component of getting off of public assistance and achieving self-sufficiency.
Prior legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
Undetermined.
Effective date
April 1 next succeeding the date on which it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.