S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5741--A
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 24, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. JOYNER -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Social Services -- recommitted to the Committee on Social Services
in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- reported and referred to
the Committee on Ways and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to the creation of
a self-sufficiency standard study
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
131-cc to read as follows:
§ 131-CC. SELF-SUFFICIENCY STANDARD STUDY. 1. (A) A SELF-SUFFICIENCY
STANDARD MEASURES HOW MUCH INCOME IS NEEDED FOR A FAMILY OF A GIVEN
COMPOSITION IN A GIVEN GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION TO ADEQUATELY MEET ITS BASIC
NEEDS WITHOUT PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ASSISTANCE.
(B) A SELF-SUFFICIENCY STANDARD IS A TOOL THAT CAN BE USED TO: (I)
CREATE A BENCHMARK FOR MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTI-POVERTY
PROGRAMS AND POLICIES; (II) DETERMINE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO ALLOCATE
RESOURCES THAT WILL LEAD TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT RESULTS IN LIVING
WAGE JOBS; (III) TARGET THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRAINING AND INDUSTRIES THAT
RESULT IN HIGHER-WAGE JOBS FOR NEW YORKERS; (IV) ENHANCE EDUCATION, JOB
TRAINING, AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS; (V) COUNSEL CLIENTS TRANSI-
TIONING FROM WELFARE AND UNEMPLOYMENT, THROUGH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION AND TRAINING, INTO SELF-SUFFICIENCY WAGE JOBS;
AND (VI) ENHANCE ONLINE "BUDGET CALCULATOR" TOOLS THAT ENABLE USERS TO
STRATEGIZE COMBINATIONS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SUPPORTS AND SUBSIDIES,
WITH TRAINING AND EDUCATION, AND/OR EMPLOYMENT, TO INCREASE INCOME AND
ECONOMIC SECURITY.
2. THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SHALL CONTRACT WITH A THIRD PARTY, THAT
MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION, FOR THE
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03508-03-2
A. 5741--A 2
COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA THAT RESULTS IN THE CALCULATION OF BASIC
NEEDS BUDGETS.
3. CALCULATION OF STANDARD OF BASIC NEEDS BUDGETS. (A) STANDARDS OF
BASIC NEEDS BUDGETS SHALL (I) MEASURE THE NECESSARY INCOME REQUIRED TO
MAINTAIN SELF-SUFFICIENCY WITHOUT ADDITIONAL PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SUPPORT;
(II) ACCOUNT FOR FAMILY SIZE AND COMPOSITION; AND (III) UTILIZE, TO THE
EXTENT SUCH INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE, THE MOST UP TO DATE COSTS OF BASIC
NEEDS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO HOUSING, FOOD, TRANSPORTATION,
HEALTH CARE, AND CHILD CARE, AS WELL AS TAXES AND TAX CREDITS, INCLUDING
LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL TAXES AND TAX CREDITS.
(B) IN CALCULATING THE STANDARD OF BASIC NEEDS BUDGET, THE CONTRACTOR
SHALL UTILIZE, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, DATA THAT IS NATIONALLY STAND-
ARDIZED, CALCULATED ANNUALLY, AND FROM RELIABLE GOVERNMENT OR
ACADEMIC/SCHOLARLY SOURCES, SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU,
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, OR ANY OTHER
DATA REPORTED TO STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES USING STANDARDIZED METHODOL-
OGY. THESE BUDGETS SHOULD BE VARIED GEOGRAPHICALLY, BY COUNTY, AND DATA
PERMITTING, SUB-COUNTY AREAS, FOR EVERY REGION IN THE STATE.
4. THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR. TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, THE THIRD PARTY
CONTRACTOR SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS:
(A) AT LEAST TWENTY YEARS' CONTINUOUS EXPERIENCE IN CALCULATING A
STANDARD OF BASIC NEEDS BUDGET, OR SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR MEASUREMENT,
AND RELATED ANALYSES;
(B) HAS PERFORMED SUCH CALCULATIONS FOR NO FEWER THAN THIRTY STATES,
INCLUDING NEW YORK STATE;
(C) CAN DEMONSTRATE A PROVEN RECORD OF HAVING PRODUCED SUCH CALCU-
LATIONS AND REPORTS, WITHIN THE BUDGET AND TIME CONSTRAINTS OF PREVIOUS
CONTRACTS; AND
(D) IS LOCATED IN OR AFFILIATED WITH A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY AND/OR IS
MANAGED BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR INDIVIDUALS WITH RELEVANT SKILLS, EXPERI-
ENCE, AND EDUCATION THAT QUALIFIES HIM OR HER TO CALCULATE THE INFORMA-
TION REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION.
5. THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT OF THE FINDINGS
REQUIRED IN SUBDIVISIONS TWO AND THREE OF THIS SECTION TO THE GOVERNOR,
THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE,
NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR AND BIENNIALLY
THEREAFTER.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.