NY State Senate Bill 2023-S8552

Senate Bill S8552

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Requires food distributors that accept SNAP benefits to establish a mechanism to apply coupons to purchases made by eligible recipients of SNAP benefits

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
Feb 13, 2024	referred to social services

2023-S8552 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9134
Current Committee:: Senate Social Services
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §95, Soc Serv L

2023-S8552 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires food distributors that accept SNAP benefits to establish a mechanism to apply available coupons or discounts to purchases made by eligible recipients of SNAP benefits without such recipient being required to provide a physical coupon.

2023-S8552 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8552

SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring food
distributors that accept SNAP benefits to establish a mechanism to apply
coupons to purchases made by eligible recipients of SNAP benefits

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to mandate that any stores that produce, use
or honor coupons create a system to automatically apply such discounted
benefits towards individuals using SNAP without having the physical
coupons.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Section 95 of the social services law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 12 to read as follows:

12.(a) Any food distributor that accepts SNAP benefits shall establish a

mechanism to apply any available coupons or discounts to purchases made
by eligible recipients of SNAP benefits.

12.(b) Any such available coupons or discounts shall be automatically
applied when a customer makes a purchase or using SNAP. An eligible
recipient of SNAP benefits shall not be required to provide a physical
coupon in order to receive the discount from such coupon.

Section 2: Provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a program designed
to alleviate food insecurity among low-income individuals and families.
Although this program has helped many individuals, concerns have been
raised about the limited purchasing power of SNAP benefits in meeting
the diverse nutritional needs of recipients.

Record rising rates of inflation coupled with higher costs of food
production and associated transportation costs have decreased the amount
of food that one was able to purchase compared to just 6 months ago.
Having these discounts automatically applied to SNAP users would ensure
accessibility and inclusivity to users as it eliminates potential barri-
ers associated with handling physical coupons. Also, this system allevi-
ates concerns related to the frequent updating of existing coupons and
offers.

This system would be mandated for larger chain stores as they likely
already have the software to implement this system or have the ability
to acquire it easier than smaller chain stores.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the State.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2023-S8552 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8552
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 13, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- 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  requiring  food
   distributors  that  accept  SNAP  benefits to establish a mechanism to
   apply coupons to purchases made by eligible recipients of  SNAP  bene-
   fits

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 95 of the social services law is amended by  adding
 a new subdivision 12 to read as follows:
   12.  (A)  ANY FOOD DISTRIBUTOR THAT ACCEPTS SNAP BENEFITS SHALL ESTAB-
 LISH A  MECHANISM  TO  APPLY  ANY  AVAILABLE  COUPONS  OR  DISCOUNTS  TO
 PURCHASES MADE BY ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS OF SNAP BENEFITS.
   (B)  ANY  SUCH  AVAILABLE  COUPONS OR DISCOUNTS SHALL BE AUTOMATICALLY
 APPLIED WHEN A CUSTOMER MAKES A PURCHASE USING SNAP. AN ELIGIBLE RECIPI-
 ENT OF SNAP BENEFITS SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A PHYSICAL  COUPON
 IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE DISCOUNT FROM SUCH COUPON.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
 
 
 

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11078-01-3

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