What's happening
This bill increases monthly public assistance and home energy grant amounts in New York, with annual adjustments based on federal cost-of-living increases.
Why it matters
Doubles the base cash assistance for households on public assistance. the monthly "standard of need" (a measure of basic living expenses) jumps from $158 to $316 for a single individual, with similar proportional increases for larger households. This could significantly impact the ability of low-income families to afford essentials.
Substantially increases home energy grants. monthly home energy assistance amounts more than double, and the supplemental energy grant also substantially rises. This directly addresses the burden of rising utility costs for low-income households, potentially reducing energy insecurity and the risk of shutoffs.
Annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) are tied to Social Security increases. these public assistance and energy grant amounts will automatically rise each year in line with federal Social Security COLA. This means benefits will track inflation, helping prevent future erosion of purchasing power for recipients.
Benefits for larger families are more generous than before. the additional-per-person amount added to household calculations jumps sharply (e.g., from $85 to $282 for basic assistance), better reflecting real-world expenses and offering more robust support to bigger families who often struggle most under flat benefit structures.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Increase Public Assistance Grants
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
27 Co-sponsors
- Catalina Cruz
- Manny De Los Santos
- Demond Meeks
- Karines Reyes
- Harvey Epstein
- Al Taylor
- Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
- Yudelka Tapia
- Marcela Mitaynes
- Ron Kim
- Tony Simone
- William Colton
- Zohran Mamdani
- Monique Chandler-Waterman
- Jo Anne Simon
- Sarahana Shrestha
- Maritza Davila
- Rebecca Seawright
- Gabriella Romero
- Nikki Lucas
- George Alvarez
- Anna Kelles
- Claire Valdez
- Erik Dilan
- Jordan Wright
- Andrew Hevesi
- Emily Gallagher
3 Multi-sponsors
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.
Increase Public Assistance Grants
In Senate Committee · Social Services · Sponsor Roxanne J. Persaud
Full text
3 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
106
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, CRUZ, DE LOS SANTOS, MEEKS, REYES, EPSTEIN, TAYLOR, BICHOTTE HERMELYN, TAPIA, MITAYNES, KIM, SIMONE, COLTON, MAMDANI, CHANDLER-WATERMAN, SIMON, SHRESTHA, DAVILA, SEAWRIGHT -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. FORREST, STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to increasing the standards of monthly need and home energy grant amounts for persons in receipt of public assistance
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph (a-4) of subdivision 2 of section 131-a of the social services law, as added by section 1 of part D of chapter 57 of the laws of 2012, is amended and a new paragraph (a-5) is added to read as follows:
(a-4) For the period beginning October first, two thousand twelve and [thereafter] ending June thirtieth, two thousand twenty-five, the following shall be the standard of monthly need for determining eligibility for all categories of assistance in and by all social services districts:
Number of Persons in Household
One Two Three Four Five Six
$158 $252 $336 $433 $534 $617
For each additional person in the household there shall be added an additional amount of eighty-five dollars monthly.
(a-5) For the period beginning July first, two thousand twenty-five, the following shall be the standard of monthly need for determining eligibility for all categories of assistance in and by all social services districts:
Number of Persons in Household
One Two Three Four Five Six
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00647-01-5
$316 $504 $672 $866 $1068 $1234
For each additional person in the household there shall be added an additional amount of two hundred eighty-two dollars monthly.
Annually thereafter, the standard of monthly need for determining eligibility for all categories of assistance in and by all social services districts shall be increased based on the current cost of living adjustments as determined by the federal social security administration.
§ 2. Paragraph (a-4) of subdivision 3 of section 131-a of the social services law, as added by section 2 of part D of chapter 57 of the laws of 2012, is amended and a new paragraph (a-5) is added to read as follows:
(a-4) For the period beginning October first, two thousand twelve and [thereafter] ending June thirtieth, two thousand twenty-five, persons and families determined to be eligible by the application of the standard of need prescribed by the provisions of subdivision two of this section, less any available income or resources which are not required to be disregarded by other provisions of this chapter, shall receive maximum monthly grants and allowances in all social services districts, in accordance with the following schedule, for public assistance:
Number of Persons in Household
One Two Three Four Five Six
$158 $252 $336 $433 $534 $617
For each additional person in the household there shall be added an additional amount of eighty-five dollars monthly.
(a-5) For the period beginning July first, two thousand twenty-five, persons and families determined to be eligible by the application of the standard of need prescribed by the provisions of subdivision two of this section, less any available income or resources which are not required to be disregarded by other provisions of this chapter, shall receive maximum monthly grants and allowances in all social services districts, in accordance with the following schedule, for public assistance:
Number of Persons in Household
One Two Three Four Five Six
$316 $504 $672 $866 $1068 $1234
For each additional person in the household there shall be added an additional amount of two hundred eighty-two dollars monthly.
Annually thereafter, the standard of monthly need for determining eligibility for all categories of assistance in and by all social services districts shall be increased based on the current cost of living adjustments as determined by the federal social security administration.
§ 3. Subdivision 3-c of section 131-a of the social services law, as amended by chapter 77 of the laws of 1989, is amended to read as follows:
3-c. (a) Commencing July first, nineteen hundred eighty-one and ending June thirtieth, two thousand twenty-five, persons and families determined to be eligible by the application of the standard of need prescribed by the provision of subdivision two of this section, shall receive a home energy grant equal to the following monthly amounts:
Number of Persons in Household
One Two Three Four Five Six
$14.10 $22.50 $30.00 $38.70 $47.70 $55.20
For each additional needy person in the household, there shall be added an additional amount of seven dollars and fifty cents.
(b) For the period beginning July first, two thousand twenty-five, persons and families determined to be eligible by the application of the standard of need prescribed by the provisions of subdivision two of this section, shall receive a home energy grant equal to the following monthly amounts:
Number of Persons in Household
One Two Three Four Five Six
$28.20 $45 $60 $77.40 $95.40 $110.40
For each additional needy person in the household there shall be added an additional amount of fifty dollars.
Annually thereafter, the standard of monthly need for determining eligibility for all categories of assistance in and by all social services districts shall be increased based on the current cost of living adjustments as determined by the federal social security administration.
§ 4. Subdivision 3-d of section 131-a of the social services law, as added by chapter 60 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as follows:
3-d. (a) Commencing January first, nineteen hundred eighty-six and ending June thirtieth, two thousand twenty-five, for persons and families determined to be eligible by the application of the standard of need prescribed by the provisions of subdivision two of this section, the amounts set forth in paragraph (a) of subdivision three of this section, after application of subdivision three-c of this section, shall be increased by the following amounts as a monthly supplemental home energy grant:
Number of Persons in Household
One Two Three Four Five Six
$11 $17 $23 $30 $37 $42
For each additional needy person in the household, there shall be added an additional amount of five dollars monthly.
(b) For the period beginning July first, two thousand twenty-five, for persons and families determined to be eligible by the application of the standard of need prescribed by the provisions of subdivision two of this section, the amounts set forth in paragraph (a) of subdivision three of this section, after application of subdivision three-c of this section, shall be increased by the following amounts as a monthly supplemental home energy grant:
Number of Persons in Household
One Two Three Four Five Six
$22 $34 $46 $60 $74 $84
For each additional needy person in the household, there shall be added an additional amount of twenty-eight dollars monthly.
Annually thereafter, the standard of monthly need for determining eligibility for all categories of assistance in and by all social services districts shall be increased based on the current cost of living adjustments as determined by the federal social security administration.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.