What's happening
This bill excludes veterans' federal disability benefits from being counted as income for public housing eligibility or surcharge calculations.
Why it matters
Veterans with service-connected disabilities would have more equitable access to public housing, as their federal disability benefits would no longer be counted as income, potentially qualifying more veterans for assistance.
The bill could alleviate financial pressure on disabled veterans who might otherwise face higher rent surcharges due to their benefit payments being included in income calculations, helping them retain more of their benefits for essential needs.
By excluding these benefits, the legislation acknowledges the intended purpose of disability compensation—as support for injuries sustained during service—rather than treating it as general income, reflecting a policy shift that values veterans' sacrifices.
This change may set a precedent for how other forms of non-taxable, service-related compensation are treated in relation to public assistance programs, potentially influencing broader discussions about veterans' benefits and social safety nets.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Veterans’ Disability Benefits
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
- Referred to veterans, homeland security and military affairs
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.
Protect Veterans’ Disability Benefits
In Assembly Committee · Housing · Sponsor Sean Ryan
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1327
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 14, 2019
Introduced by Sen. FUNKE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs
AN ACT to amend the public housing law, in relation to the exclusion of veterans' disability benefits from computation of income
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 156 of the public housing law is amended by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
8. For the purposes of this section, probable aggregate annual income shall not include disability benefits paid by the federal government to a veteran for a service-connected disability nor shall such disability benefits be included in computing any surcharge against such veteran.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07089-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public housing law, in relation to the exclusion of veterans' disability benefits from computation of income
Purpose
To ensure that disability benefits paid to a veteran by the federal government are not used in determining "aggregate annual income."
Summary of provisions
Section 156 of the Public Housing Law is to be amended so that, for the purposes of this section, disability benefits paid by the federal government to a veteran shall not be used in computing "aggregate annual income."
Justification
Benefits received for disability incurred while serving the nation should not jeopardize a person's eligibility for occupancy.
Legislative history
S.1624 of 2016; Referred to Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs S.1624 of 2015; Advanced to Third Reading S.3111 of 2013-14; Referred to Housing, Construction and Community Development
Fiscal implications
Certain Persons' "aggregate annual income" will be based on a smaller gross in relation to this law.
Effective date
January 1 following enactment.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.