What's happening
This bill extends the current exemptions of income and resources for public assistance programs in New York until August 22, 2021.
Why it matters
Ensures continued support for vulnerable populations. By extending the exemptions for certain types of income and resources, the bill helps ensure that individuals and families in need can continue to qualify for public assistance, even if they have limited savings or specific forms of income that might otherwise disqualify them.
Provides stability for program recipients. The extension avoids sudden changes that could disrupt benefits for current recipients, giving families and individuals more predictability and security as they plan their finances and meet basic needs.
Reflects ongoing economic and social needs. The repeated extensions of these exemptions signal that lawmakers recognize persistent challenges faced by low-income New Yorkers, and are choosing to maintain safety net protections rather than risk increasing poverty or hardship while longer-term reforms or evaluations are considered.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Extend Income Exemptions
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.213
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.561
- Substituted for A7603
- Referred to social services
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1266
- Referred to rules
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.
Extend Welfare Exemptions
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Andrew Hevesi
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6314
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 4, 2019
Introduced by Sen. PERSAUD -- (at request of the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance) -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, constituting the welfare reform act of 1997, in relation to extending the current exemptions of income and resources for public assistance programs
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (c) of section 153 of part B of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, constituting the welfare reform act of 1997, as amended by chapter 140 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
(c) Section sixteen of this act shall take effect November 1, 1997 and expire and be deemed repealed August 22, [2019] 2021;
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that if this act shall have become a law on or after August 22, 2019 this act shall take effect immediately and shall be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after August 22, 2019.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09230-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, constituting the welfare reform act of 1997, in relation to extending the current exemptions of income and resources for public assistance programs
Purpose of the bill
The bill would extend, for two years, the income and resources exemptions provisions of Social Services Law § 131-n to ensure that families will not have to divest themselves of certain resources to qualify for public assistance.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill would amend subdivision (c) of § 153 of Part B of Chapter 436 of the Laws of 1997, constituting the Welfare Reform Act of 1997, to extend the provisions of Social Services Law § 131-n from August 22, 2019 to August 22, 2021.
Section 2 of the bill would provide for an immediate effective date and would be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after August 22, 2019.
Justification
Under current law, households receiving public assistance have certain resources exempt from consideration when determining eligibility for public assistance. This bill would preserve those exemptions for an additional two years. Such exemptions include liquid resources, subject to a specified amount; the home that is the usual residence of the household; one automobile subject to a certain fair market value; one burial plot per household member; bona fide funeral agreements subject to a certain amount; and certain other resources. These exemptions recognize that households in receipt of public assistance should be able to have certain resources exempt from consideration when determining eligibility for public assistance, especially when the resources may be an essential component of self-sufficiency.
Prior legislative history
This provision was last extended for two years by Chapter 140 of the Laws of 2017.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
The bill provides for an immediate effective date and would be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after August 22, 2019.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.