NY State Senate Bill 2021-S9513

Senate Bill S9513

2021-2022 Legislative Session

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

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules 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
Jul 27, 2022	referred to rules

2021-S9513 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9130
Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Social Services Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §131-a, Soc Serv L
Versions Introduced in 2023-2024 Legislative Session:: S5270

2021-S9513 (ACTIVE) - Summary

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

2021-S9513 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9513

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 subdivision 3-c of section 131-a of the social
services law by adding a new paragraph (a-5).

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.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2021-S9513 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9513
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               July 27, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. PERSAUD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 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-TWO, the follow-
 ing 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
     $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-TWO,
 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
     $246        $394        $524        $675        $834        $964
   FOR EACH ADDITIONAL PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD THERE SHALL  BE  ADDED  AN
 ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14123-04-2

 S. 9513                             2
 
 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-TWO, 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
     $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-TWO,
 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
     $246        $394        $524        $675        $834        $964
   FOR EACH ADDITIONAL PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD THERE SHALL  BE  ADDED  AN
 ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-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-TWO, persons and families determined
 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-TWO,
 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, SHALL RECEIVE A HOME ENERGY GRANT EQUAL TO THE FOLLOWING MONTH-
 LY AMOUNTS:
                      NUMBER OF PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLD
     ONE         TWO         THREE       FOUR        FIVE        SIX
 S. 9513                             3
 
     $44         $70         $94         $121        $149        $172
   FOR EACH ADDITIONAL NEEDY PERSON IN THE HOUSEHOLD THERE SHALL BE ADDED
 AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF TWENTY-FOUR 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-TWO, 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
     $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-TWO,  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
     $28         $43         $59         $76         $94         $107
   FOR EACH ADDITIONAL NEEDY PERSON IN  THE  HOUSEHOLD,  THERE  SHALL  BE
 ADDED AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF THIRTEEN 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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