NY State Senate Bill 2025-S1127

Senate Bill S1127

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Relates to increasing the standards of monthly need and home energy grant amounts for persons in receipt of public assistance

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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
Jan 08, 2025	referred to social services

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2025-S1127 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A106
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: S9513
2023-2024: S5270, A5500

2025-S1127 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to increasing the standards of monthly need and home energy grant amounts for persons in receipt of public assistance.

2025-S1127 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S1127

SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the social services law, in relation to increasing the
standards of monthly need and home energy grant amounts for persons in
receipt of public assistance

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation will increase cash assistance grant amounts for utili-
ties and food and other necessities to account for inflation.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section one amends paragraph (a-4) of subdivision 2 of section 131-a of
the social services law.

Section two amends paragraph (a-4) of subdivision 2 of section 131-a of
the social services law.

Section three amends subdivision 3-c of section 131-a of the social
services law.

Section four amends subdivision 3-d of section 131-a of the social
services law.

Section five establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Individuals receiving temporary assistance are provided monthly benefits
to cover the cost of shelter, utilities, food and other necessities.
Many families across the state rely on these benefits each month for
payment of home heating bills or to purchase groceries, medications,
clothing and other necessities. However, as utility costs and prices of
goods have increased over the years, the grant amounts have not. The
basic grant, intended to cover food and other necessities, was last
raised in 2012. The utility grants have not been increased since the
1980s.

Under current levels, a single adult is provided $158 to cover the cost
of food and other necessities and an additional $14.10 for their home
heating costs. New Yorkers receiving temporary assistance rely on these
grants to help cover everyday costs of living, but because the grant
amounts have not kept pace with inflation, it is increasingly difficult
for families who rely on them to escape poverty.

This legislation would adjust the basic grant and the utility grant
amounts to account for inflation since the amounts were originally set
in 1989 and 1981, respectively. By adjusting these amounts for
inflation, individuals and families will be brought in line with the
federal poverty level and be able to afford their everyday expenses,
helping them to escape poverty and achieve self-sufficiency.

 
HISTORY:

2024: S. 5270-A reported to Finance
2022: S. 9513 referred to Rules

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2025-S1127 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1127
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 8, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sens. PERSAUD, BRISPORT, CLEARE, COMRIE, COONEY, GONZALEZ,
   HOYLMAN-SIGAL,  JACKSON,  KAVANAGH,  PARKER,  SALAZAR, SERRANO -- 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 increasing the
   standards of monthly need and home energy grant amounts 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.   Paragraph (a-4) of subdivision 2 of section 131-a of the
 social services law, as added by section 1 of part D of  chapter  57  of
 the  laws of 2012, is amended and a new paragraph (a-5) is added to read
 as follows:
   (a-4) For the period beginning October first, two thousand twelve  and
 [thereafter]  ENDING  JUNE  THIRTIETH,  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-FIVE,  the
 following shall be the standard of monthly need for  determining  eligi-
 bility  for  all  categories of assistance in and by all social services
 districts:
                      Number of Persons in Household
     One         Two         Three       Four        Five        Six
     $158        $252        $336        $433        $534        $617
   For each additional person in the household there shall  be  added  an
 additional amount of eighty-five dollars monthly.
   (A-5)  FOR  THE PERIOD BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE,
 THE FOLLOWING SHALL BE THE STANDARD  OF  MONTHLY  NEED  FOR  DETERMINING
 ELIGIBILITY  FOR  ALL  CATEGORIES  OF  ASSISTANCE  IN  AND BY ALL SOCIAL
 SERVICES DISTRICTS:
                      NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLD
     ONE         TWO         THREE       FOUR        FIVE        SIX
     $316        $504        $672        $866        $1068       $1234
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00647-01-5
 S. 1127                             2

 
   FOR EACH ADDITIONAL PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD THERE SHALL  BE  ADDED  AN
 ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO DOLLARS MONTHLY.
   ANNUALLY  THEREAFTER,  THE  STANDARD  OF  MONTHLY NEED FOR DETERMINING
 ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL CATEGORIES  OF  ASSISTANCE  IN  AND  BY  ALL  SOCIAL
 SERVICES  DISTRICTS  SHALL  BE  INCREASED  BASED  ON THE CURRENT COST OF
 LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AS DETERMINED BY THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINIS-
 TRATION.
   § 2. Paragraph (a-4) of subdivision 3 of section 131-a of  the  social
 services  law, as added by section 2 of part D of chapter 57 of the laws
 of 2012, is amended and a new  paragraph  (a-5)  is  added  to  read  as
 follows:
   (a-4)  For the period beginning October first, two thousand twelve and
 [thereafter] ENDING JUNE THIRTIETH, TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY-FIVE,  persons
 and  families determined to be eligible by the application of the stand-
 ard 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,  shall  receive
 maximum  monthly grants and allowances in all social services districts,
 in accordance with the following schedule, for public assistance:
                      Number of Persons in Household
     One         Two         Three       Four        Five        Six
     $158        $252        $336        $433        $534        $617
   For each additional person in the household there shall  be  added  an
 additional amount of eighty-five dollars monthly.
   (A-5)  FOR  THE PERIOD BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE,
 PERSONS AND FAMILIES DETERMINED TO BE ELIGIBLE 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, SHALL RECEIVE
 MAXIMUM MONTHLY GRANTS AND ALLOWANCES IN ALL SOCIAL SERVICES  DISTRICTS,
 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING SCHEDULE, FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE:
                      NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLD
     ONE         TWO         THREE       FOUR        FIVE        SIX
     $316        $504        $672        $866        $1068       $1234
   FOR  EACH  ADDITIONAL  PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD THERE SHALL BE ADDED AN
 ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY-TWO DOLLARS MONTHLY.
   ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, THE STANDARD  OF  MONTHLY  NEED  FOR  DETERMINING
 ELIGIBILITY  FOR  ALL  CATEGORIES  OF  ASSISTANCE  IN  AND BY ALL SOCIAL
 SERVICES DISTRICTS SHALL BE INCREASED  BASED  ON  THE  CURRENT  COST  OF
 LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AS DETERMINED BY THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINIS-
 TRATION.
   §  3.  Subdivision 3-c of section 131-a of the social services law, as
 amended by chapter 77 of the  laws  of  1989,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   3-c. (A) Commencing July first, nineteen hundred eighty-one AND ENDING
 JUNE  THIRTIETH,  TWO  THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE, persons and families deter-
 mined to be  eligible  by  the  application  of  the  standard  of  need
 prescribed  by  the  provision of subdivision two of this section, shall
 receive a home energy grant equal to the following monthly amounts:
                      Number of Persons in Household
     One         Two         Three       Four        Five        Six
     $14.10      $22.50      $30.00      $38.70      $47.70      $55.20
   For each additional needy person in  the  household,  there  shall  be
 added an additional amount of seven dollars and fifty cents.
   (B)  FOR  THE  PERIOD  BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE,
 PERSONS AND FAMILIES DETERMINED TO BE ELIGIBLE BY THE APPLICATION OF THE
 S. 1127                             3
 
 STANDARD OF NEED PRESCRIBED BY THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
 SECTION, SHALL RECEIVE A HOME ENERGY GRANT EQUAL TO THE FOLLOWING MONTH-
 LY AMOUNTS:
                      NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLD
     ONE         TWO         THREE       FOUR        FIVE        SIX
     $28.20      $45         $60         $77.40      $95.40      $110.40
   FOR EACH ADDITIONAL NEEDY PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD THERE SHALL BE ADDED
 AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF FIFTY DOLLARS.
   ANNUALLY  THEREAFTER,  THE  STANDARD  OF  MONTHLY NEED FOR DETERMINING
 ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL CATEGORIES  OF  ASSISTANCE  IN  AND  BY  ALL  SOCIAL
 SERVICES  DISTRICTS  SHALL  BE  INCREASED  BASED  ON THE CURRENT COST OF
 LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AS DETERMINED BY THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINIS-
 TRATION.
   § 4. Subdivision 3-d of section 131-a of the social services  law,  as
 added by chapter 60 of the laws of 1985, is amended to read as follows:
   3-d.  (A)  Commencing  January  first, nineteen hundred eighty-six AND
 ENDING JUNE THIRTIETH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE, for persons  and  fami-
 lies  determined  to  be  eligible by the application of the standard of
 need prescribed by the provisions of subdivision two  of  this  section,
 the  amounts  set  forth  in  paragraph (a) of subdivision three of this
 section, after application of subdivision three-c of this section, shall
 be increased by the following amounts as  a  monthly  supplemental  home
 energy grant:
                      Number of Persons in Household
     One         Two         Three       Four        Five        Six
     $11         $17         $23         $30         $37         $42
   For  each  additional  needy  person  in the household, there shall be
 added an additional amount of five dollars monthly.
   (B) FOR THE PERIOD BEGINNING JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE, FOR
 PERSONS AND FAMILIES DETERMINED TO BE ELIGIBLE BY THE APPLICATION OF THE
 STANDARD OF NEED PRESCRIBED BY THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
 SECTION, THE AMOUNTS SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION THREE  OF
 THIS  SECTION, AFTER APPLICATION OF SUBDIVISION THREE-C OF THIS SECTION,
 SHALL BE INCREASED BY THE FOLLOWING AMOUNTS AS  A  MONTHLY  SUPPLEMENTAL
 HOME ENERGY GRANT:
                      NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLD
     ONE         TWO         THREE       FOUR        FIVE        SIX
     $22         $34         $46         $60         $74         $84
   FOR  EACH  ADDITIONAL  NEEDY  PERSON  IN THE HOUSEHOLD, THERE SHALL BE
 ADDED AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF TWENTY-EIGHT DOLLARS MONTHLY.
   ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, THE STANDARD  OF  MONTHLY  NEED  FOR  DETERMINING
 ELIGIBILITY  FOR  ALL  CATEGORIES  OF  ASSISTANCE  IN  AND BY ALL SOCIAL
 SERVICES DISTRICTS SHALL BE INCREASED  BASED  ON  THE  CURRENT  COST  OF
 LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AS DETERMINED BY THE FEDERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINIS-
 TRATION.
   § 5. This act shall take effect immediately.

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