BILL NUMBER: S6314

SPONSOR: PERSAUD
 
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 1 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, 2019 to August 22, 2021.
              

Section 2 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, 2019.

 
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 for public assistance, 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 140 of the
Laws of 2017.

 
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, 2019.