BILL NUMBER:S4830

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 § 131-n of the Social Services Law (SSL) to
ensure that families do not  have  to  divest  themselves  of  certain
resources to qualify for public assistance.

Summary of Provisions:

Section one 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 SSL § 131-n from  August  22,
2015 to August 22, 2017.

Section  two 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, 2015.

Existing Law:
              

SSL § 131-n sets forth the resources that are exempt  and  disregarded
when  calculating  the  amount  of public assistance benefits that are
provided to a household. This provision currently  expires  on  August
22, 2015.

Prior Legislative History:

This  provision  was last extended for two years by Chapter 282 of the
Laws of 2013.

Statement in Support:

As a critical component of improving the economic  well-being  of  low
income families, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance has
had  a  long-standing  policy  that  households  in  receipt of public
assistance should have certain  resources  exempt  from  consideration
when  determining  eligibility  for public assistance. This bill would
continue to preserve statutorily those resources that a  recipient  of
public assistance may possess without affecting eligibility for or the
amount  of  assistance. The resources covered by the exemption 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.  The  resources  exemptions  extended  by  the   bill   are
reasonable   and  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.   This  bill  would  extend  the  current  resources
policies without any changes.

Budget Implications:

This  bill  would  have  no fiscal impact since it extends the current
statutory policy.

Local Impact:

This bill would have no local impact  since  it  extends  the  current
statutory policy.

Effective Date:

This  bill  would  take effect immediately and would be deemed to have
been in full force and effect on and after August 22, 2015.