NY State Senate Bill 2023-S7629

Senate Bill S7629

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Relates to expanding eligibility for the cooling assistance component of the home energy assistance program

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to social services
Aug 11, 2023	referred to rules

2023-S7629 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8027
Current Committee:: Senate Social Services
Law Section:: Social Services

2023-S7629 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides that an applicant for the cooling assistance component of the home energy assistance program shall not be required to demonstrate that the household contains at least one person with a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat to be eligible for a cooling assistance component benefit.

2023-S7629 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7629

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act in relation to expanding eligibility for the cooling assistance
component of the home energy assistance program

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::

To open up the "Cooling Assistance Benefit" of HEAP to more individuals.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 states "Notwithstanding any provision of law, rule or regu-
lation to the contrary an applicant for the cooling assistance component
of the home energy assistance program shall not be required to demon-
strate that the household contains at least one person with a documented
medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat to be eligible for
a cooling assistance component benefit."

JUSTIFICATION::

21 of the 31 Days in July 2023 were over 85 Degrees within New York
City. The Heat Index in New York City is also exacerbated by high humid-
ity, density poor air quality and other environmental factors, making
the heat unbearable and a real risk to human health. The nominal price
of a mid-sized air conditioner can easily be $350-$500.  While a "Cool-
ing Assistance Benefit" wisely exists under the HEAP Program, it has far
too many restrictions. Asking people to schedule a Doctor's visit and
then get certified before qualifying is an unreasonable and time-consum-
ing hurdle. This bill excises this particular pre-requisite, in the name
of efficiency and public health. This condition was also excised during
the COVID Pandemic with no evidence of negative results; going back to
that standard is logical and will increase the actual benefit to the
public.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS::

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE::

Thirty Days, with applicable conditions.

2023-S7629 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7629
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              August 11, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT in relation to expanding eligibility for the  cooling  assistance
   component of the home energy assistance program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law, rule or regulation to
 the contrary an applicant for the cooling assistance  component  of  the
 home energy assistance program shall not be required to demonstrate that
 the  household  contains  at  least one person with a documented medical
 condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat to be eligible for a cool-
 ing assistance component benefit.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after  the  state
 commissioner of social services receives a determination from the feder-
 al  department  of  health  and  human  services  that the provisions of
 section one of this act  shall  not  render  the  state  ineligible  for
 participation  in the federal low-income home energy assistance program;
 provided that the state commissioner of social services shall notify the
 legislative bill drafting commission upon the receipt of  such  determi-
 nation  in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely
 effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New
 York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of  the
 legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13025-01-3

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