BILL NUMBER:  S5393

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend chapter 436 of the laws of 1997,
constituting the welfare reform act of 1997, in relation to extending
the current exemptions of income and resources for public assistance
programs

 PURPOSE OF THE BILL :

The bill would extend, for two years, the income and resources
exemptions provisions of Social Services Law § 131-n to ensure that
families will not have to divest themselves of certain resources to
qualify for public assistance.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section one of the bill would amend subdivision (c) of § 153 of Part B
of Chapter 436 of the Laws of 1997, constituting the Welfare Reform
Act of 1997, to extend the provisions of Social Services Law § 131-n
from August 22, 2017 to August 22, 2019.

Section two of the bill would provide for an immediate effective date
and would be deemed to have been in full force and effect on and after
August 22, 2017.

 JUSTIFICATION :
              

Under current law, households receiving public assistance have certain
resources exempt from consideration when determining eligibility for
public assistance. This bill would preserve those exemptions for an
additional two years. Such exemptions include liquid resources,
subject to a specified amount; the home that is the usual residence of
the household; one automobile subject to a certain fair market value;
one burial plot per household member; bona fide funeral agreements
subject to a certain amount and certain other resources.  These
exemptions recognize that households in receipt of public assistance
should be able to have certain resources exempt from consideration
when determining eligibility, especially when the resources may be an
essential component of self-sufficiency.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

This provision was last extended for two years by Chapter 187 of the
Laws of 2015.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
The bill provides for an immediate effective date and would be deemed
to have been in full force and effect on and after August 22, 2017.