NY State Senate Bill 2023-S8655

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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 27, 2024	referred to social services

co-Sponsors

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5507
Current Committee:: Senate Social Services
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §131-a, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2021-2022: A8061
2025-2026: S113

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to the standards of monthly need for persons in receipt of public assistance; provides for an increased monthly allowance for persons and families residing in shelters.

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8655

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to the standards of
monthly need for persons in receipt of public assistance

 
PURPOSE GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

This legislation will increase the outdated personal and special needs
allowances for certain individuals on public assistance.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of this bill amends section 131-a of the social services
law.

Section two provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Certain individuals and families who are unhoused are eligible for
monthly personal and special needs allowances, providing them a limited
amount of money to cover their necessities. However, individuals and
families who live in shelters that provide meals receive a lesser amount
to cover the cost of "clothing and incidentals."

The personal and special needs allowances for these individuals have not
been raised in more than two decades. Currently, individuals may be
eligible to receive $45 per month and families are eligible to receive
$63 per month per household member. For a mother and child living in a
shelter that provides meals, this means they must live on just $4.20 a
day. This allowance is simply not enough to cover the necessities that
individuals and families require, including medications, clothing and
transportation, to name just a few.

By keeping these allowances low, families are forced to make decisions
daily such as whether to pa3flior bus fare for a job interview or
purchase medication for their child. This legislation will increase the
personal and special needs allowances for individuals and families in
shelters that provide meals, bringing it in line with the amounts
provided to individuals and families in temporary shelters, and allowing
them a greater ability to climb out of poverty.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Undetermined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8655
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 27, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  CLEARE -- 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 the standards of
   monthly need for persons in receipt of public assistance
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  Section  131-a  of  the social services law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision 6 to read as follows:
   6. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, A SOCIAL SERVICES OFFI-
 CIAL SHALL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS  SECTION,  PROVIDE
 PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE TO PERSONS AND FAMILIES WHO RECEIVE TEMPORARY HOUSING
 ASSISTANCE AND THREE MEALS PER DAY, OR  WHO  RESIDE  IN  A  SHELTER  FOR
 ADULTS THAT PROVIDES THREE MEALS PER DAY, OR WHO RESIDE IN A SHELTER FOR
 FAMILIES  THAT  PROVIDES  THREE MEALS PER DAY, OR WHO RESIDE IN A PUBLIC
 HOME THAT PROVIDES THREE MEALS PER DAY, AND ARE DETERMINED TO BE  ELIGI-
 BLE  BY  THE  APPLICATION  OF  THE  STANDARD  OF  NEED PRESCRIBED BY THE
 PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION, LESS ANY AVAILABLE INCOME
 OR  RESOURCES  WHICH  ARE  NOT  REQUIRED  TO  BE  DISREGARDED  BY  OTHER
 PROVISIONS OF THIS CHAPTER, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE:
                      NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLD
     ONE         TWO         THREE       FOUR        FIVE        SIX
     $183.10     $291.50     $389.00     $501.70     $618.70     $714.20
   FOR EACH ADDITIONAL ELIGIBLE NEEDY PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD THERE SHALL
 BE AN ADDITIONAL ALLOWANCE OF $97.50 MONTHLY.
   §  2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04173-01-3

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Senate Bill S8655

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

co-Sponsors

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S8655

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Sponsored By

Cordell Cleare

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Social Services Committee

co-Sponsors

Robert Jackson

Kevin S. Parker

Julia Salazar

Jose M. Serrano

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S8655 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments