S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10141
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 20, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. PICHARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Social Services
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  social  services law, in relation to creating a
   stipend program for students, unpaid caregivers, and eligible  persons
   earning less than $200,000 per year
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new  section
 98 to read as follows:
   § 98. STIPEND PROGRAM. 1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A)  "UNPAID  CAREGIVER" SHALL MEAN THE FAMILY MEMBER OR OTHER NATURAL
 PERSON WHO NORMALLY PROVIDES THE DAILY CARE OR SUPERVISION OF A FRAIL OR
 DISABLED PERSON, OR ANY  FAMILY  MEMBER  OR  OTHER  NATURAL  PERSON  WHO
 CONTRIBUTES  TO  AND  IS INVOLVED IN THE CARETAKING RESPONSIBILITIES FOR
 SUCH FRAIL OR DISABLED PERSON. SUCH INFORMAL  CAREGIVER  MAY,  BUT  NEED
 NOT, RESIDE IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD AS THE FRAIL OR DISABLED PERSON;
   (B)  "STUDENT" SHALL MEAN A PERSON ENROLLED IN THE "STATE UNIVERSITY,"
 A "COMMUNITY COLLEGE," OR A "STATUTORY OR CONTRACT COLLEGE"  AS  DEFINED
 IN  SECTION  THREE  HUNDRED FIFTY OF THE EDUCATION LAW, OR ENROLLED IN A
 PRIVATE UNIVERSITY WITHIN THE STATE; AND
   (C) "ELIGIBLE PERSON" SHALL MEAN:
   (I) A STUDENT, AN UNPAID CAREGIVER, OR A PERSON EARNING LESS THAN  TWO
 HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR;
   (II) A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES;
   (III)  AN  INDIVIDUAL NOT EMPLOYED BY THE STATE, A MUNICIPALITY WITHIN
 THE STATE, OR EMPLOYED AS A "STATE OFFICER" OR "LOCAL OFFICER" AS SPECI-
 FIED IN SECTION TWO OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW; AND
   (IV) A PERSON WHO HAS RESIDED IN THE STATE FOR  AT  LEAST  FIVE  YEARS
 PRIOR TO, AND MAINTAINS A PRIMARY RESIDENCE IN THE STATE AT THE TIME OF,
 APPLYING FOR THE STIPEND PROGRAM.
   2.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A STIPEND PROGRAM IN
 CONJUNCTION WITH THE  STATE  COMPTROLLER  TO  PROVIDE  CERTAIN  ELIGIBLE
 PERSONS  WITHIN  THE STATE A STIPEND OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH MONTH.
 EACH HOUSEHOLD SHALL NOT  RECEIVE  MORE  THAN  ONE  STIPEND  UNDER  SUCH
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14925-01-8

 A. 10141                            2
 
 PROGRAM.  FUNDING FOR SUCH PROGRAM SHALL BE PAID FROM THE STATE TREASURY
 UPON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT OF THE COMPTROLLER OUT OF FUNDS  MADE  AVAIL-
 ABLE  THEREFOR.  THE  DEPARTMENT SHALL CREATE AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR
 SUCH PROGRAM, WHICH SHALL INCLUDE A METHOD FOR VERIFYING ELIGIBILITY AND
 A PROCESS FOR ANNUAL RECERTIFICATION UNDER THIS SECTION.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal of any rule of regulation necessary  for  the  implementation  of
 this  act  on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed
 on or before such effective date.