Bill Text: NY S04391 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Relates to eliminating asset limits in calculating the amount of benefits for any household under any public assistance program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO SOCIAL SERVICES [S04391 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-S04391-Introduced.html


                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          4391
                               2019-2020 Regular Sessions
                    IN SENATE
                                     March 11, 2019
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by  Sen.  BIAGGI -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
        AN ACT to amend the social services  law,  in  relation  to  eliminating
          asset  limits  in calculating the amount of benefits for any household
          under any public assistance program
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section  1. Subdivision 1 of section 131-n of the social services law,
     2  as amended by section 1 of part X of chapter 54 of the laws of 2016,  is
     3  amended to read as follows:
     4    1. [The following resources] All assets held by the household shall be
     5  exempt  and  disregarded  in  calculating  the amount of benefits of any
     6  household under any public assistance program[: (a) cash and  liquid  or
     7  nonliquid  resources  up  to  two  thousand  dollars,  or three thousand
     8  dollars in the case of households in which any member is sixty years  of
     9  age  or  older,  (b)  an  amount  up  to four thousand six hundred fifty
    10  dollars in a separate bank account established by  an  individual  while
    11  currently  in receipt of assistance for the sole purpose of enabling the
    12  individual to purchase a first or replacement vehicle for the  recipient
    13  to  seek,  obtain  or  maintain employment, so long as the funds are not
    14  used for any other purpose, (c)  an  amount  up  to  one  thousand  four
    15  hundred  dollars in a separate bank account established by an individual
    16  while currently in receipt of  assistance  for  the  purpose  of  paying
    17  tuition at a two-year or four-year accredited post-secondary educational
    18  institution,  so  long  as the funds are not used for any other purpose,
    19  (d) the home which is the usual residence  of  the  household,  (e)  one
    20  automobile,  up to ten thousand dollars fair market value, through March
    21  thirty-first, two thousand seventeen; one automobile, up to eleven thou-
    22  sand dollars fair market value, from April first, two thousand seventeen
    23  through March thirty-first, two thousand eighteen; and  one  automobile,
    24  up  to twelve thousand dollars fair market value, beginning April first,

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD02259-01-9

        S. 4391                             2

     1  two thousand eighteen and thereafter, or such other higher dollar  value
     2  as the local social services district may elect to adopt, (f) one burial
     3  plot per household member as defined in department regulations, (g) bona
     4  fide  funeral  agreements  up  to  a  total of one thousand five hundred
     5  dollars in equity value per household member, (h) funds in an individual
     6  development account established in accordance with subdivision  five  of
     7  section  three  hundred  fifty-eight  of  this  chapter and section four
     8  hundred three of the social security act and (i) for  a  period  of  six
     9  months,  real property which the household is making a good faith effort
    10  to sell, in accordance with department regulations and tangible personal
    11  property necessary for business or for employment purposes in accordance
    12  with department regulations]. If federal law or regulations require  the
    13  exemption or disregard of additional income and resources in determining
    14  need for family assistance, or medical assistance not exempted or disre-
    15  garded  pursuant  to any other provision of this chapter, the department
    16  may, by regulations subject to the approval of the director of the budg-
    17  et, require social services officials to exempt or disregard such income
    18  and resources. Refunds resulting from earned income tax credits shall be
    19  disregarded in public assistance programs.
    20    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided,  however,  that
    21  the  amendments  to  section  131-n  of  the social services law made by
    22  section one of this act shall not affect the expiration of such  section
    23  and shall be deemed to expire therewith.
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