Bill Text: NY S02469 | 2009-2010 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Provides grants of up to $200 to low income households for home energy assistance through the office of temporary and disability assistance; appropriates $500 million therefor.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-06 - REFERRED TO FINANCE [S02469 Detail]

Download: New_York-2009-S02469-Introduced.html

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                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         2469
                              2009-2010 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                   February 20, 2009
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by Sens. PARKER, DIAZ, DILAN, DUANE, HASSELL-THOMPSON, MONT-
         GOMERY, ONORATO, SAMPSON, SCHNEIDERMAN, STACHOWSKI -- read  twice  and
         ordered  printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on
         Finance
       AN ACT to create the temporary home  energy  assistance  grant  program;
         making an appropriation therefor; and providing for the repeal of such
         provisions upon expiration thereof
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The temporary home  energy  assistance  grant  program.  1.
    2  Notwithstanding  any  law,  rule or regulation to the contrary, there is
    3  hereby created the temporary home energy assistance grant program to  be
    4  administered by the commissioner of the office of temporary and disabil-
    5  ity  assistance,  or his or her designees, to award a grant of up to two
    6  hundred dollars to each household eligible for the low-income home ener-
    7  gy assistance program, as provided in section 97 of the social  services
    8  law,  and  a  grant of up to one hundred fifty dollars for all remaining
    9  households.   Such eligible household  shall  file  an  application,  as
   10  provided  by  the commissioner, for the temporary home energy assistance
   11  grant on or before May 31, 2010.
   12    2. The commissioner shall award grants as follows:
   13    a. For those households that meet the eligibility requirements for the
   14  home energy assistance program, the commissioner shall award a grant of:
   15    (i) two hundred dollars to any household who directly pays their  home
   16  energy costs; or
   17    (ii)  one  hundred  dollars to any household who indirectly pays their
   18  home energy costs, such as being included in their rent.
   19    b. For all other households, the commissioner  shall  grant  an  award
   20  according to the following:
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD02351-02-9
       S. 2469                             2
    1    (i)  For  households  with  an income of more than sixty but less than
    2  seventy-five percent of the state median income, a grant of one  hundred
    3  fifty dollars if they pay their home energy cost directly;
    4    (ii)  For households with an income of seventy-five percent or greater
    5  but less than eighty-five percent of the state median income, a grant of
    6  one hundred dollars if they pay their home energy cost directly;
    7    (iii) For households with an income from eighty-five percent up to one
    8  hundred percent of the state median income, a grant of fifty dollars  if
    9  they pay their home energy cost directly;
   10    (iv)  For  households with an income equal to or less than one hundred
   11  percent of the state median income, a grant of  fifty  dollars  if  they
   12  indirectly  pay their home energy costs, such as being included in their
   13  rent.
   14    c. Any grant awarded pursuant to this act shall be in addition to  any
   15  federal assistance received by the homeowner.
   16    3.  The temporary home energy assistance grant provided under this act
   17  shall not be considered income or resources of such  households,  or  of
   18  any  member  thereof,  for any purpose under any federal, state or local
   19  law, including any law relating to taxation, food stamps, public assist-
   20  ance or other available benefits.
   21    S 2. The sum of five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) or so much
   22  thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated  to  the  office  of
   23  temporary  and disability assistance and made immediately available, for
   24  the purpose of carrying out the provisions of  this  act.    Up  to  ten
   25  percent  of  such  moneys  may  be used for administrative costs.   Such
   26  moneys shall be payable on the audit and warrant of the  comptroller  on
   27  vouchers  certified  or  approved  by  the commissioner of the office of
   28  temporary and disability assistance in the manner prescribed by law.
   29    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
   30  deemed repealed on May 31, 2010.