S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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6197--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
April 3, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CLARK, JACKSON, SIMON, LEVENBERG, HEVESI, GONZA-
LEZ-ROJAS, MEEKS, SHRESTHA -- 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 -- committee discharged,
bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said
committee
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing the
mothers and infants lasting change allowance
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "mothers
and infants lasting change ("MILC") allowance".
§ 2. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature hereby finds and
declares that child poverty in New York city and cities across New York
state is shamefully high and will likely worsen if current economic
trends continue. Half of the top six cities in the United States with
the highest child poverty rates are in New York state, disproportionate-
ly affecting communities and children of color. In New York city, nearly
1 in 4 children live in poverty. In Rochester and Buffalo, that number
is even higher: 1 in 2 children live in poverty.
The legislature hereby finds and declares that New Yorkers are unable
to cover their basic necessities and support their families, particular-
ly in the face of rising interest rates and inflation. Most notably, the
cost of childcare, which already consumes a massive portion of family
income, rose 41% during the pandemic, and the total cost of raising a
child through high school has risen to more than $300,000, which is a
$26,000 increase from five years ago and is likely to present a heavier
burden for low-income parents and families for whom expenses such as
food, housing, and gas comprise an even larger portion of their income.
The legislature hereby finds and declares there is overwhelming
evidence that the prenatal-to-three and early childhood development
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04583-05-3
A. 6197--A 2
period are critical for a child's future prospects and affects their
physical, mental, emotional and social outcomes over a lifetime. A
program targeting infants in this formative phase would help break the
intergenerational cycle of poverty rather than attempting to mitigate it
later on, creating a positive impact on children's lives and saving
government funds down the road.
The legislature hereby finds and declares it is proven that unre-
stricted cash is a direct and effective solution to alleviating poverty
and meeting needs for families. This was shown on a national level with
the overwhelming success of the expanded Child Tax Credit, which lifted
millions of children out of poverty with its monthly payments and led to
a 41% spike in child poverty the first month it expired. The unre-
stricted cash intervention further proved how an investment in the
earliest days of life can have multiplying effects: studies have found
that a permanent expansion of the expanded Child Tax Credit would have
generated 10 times as much revenue as it cost. New York state has
recently made a commitment through the Child Poverty Reduction Act in
December 2021 to reduce child poverty by 50% over the course of ten
years, with the support of the Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council,
and there is an opportunity for unrestricted cash to support this goal
and help the state reach its target.
Therefore, the legislature hereby finds and declares that New York
state has an opportunity and obligation to invest in its most vulnerable
residents by leading the fight against childhood poverty, and toward an
equitable economy for all, through a guaranteed income program for
infants.
§ 3. Article 6 of the social services law is amended by adding a new
title 4-C to read as follows:
TITLE 4-C
MOTHERS AND INFANTS LASTING CHANGE ("MILC") ALLOWANCE
SECTION 409-O. MOTHERS AND INFANTS LASTING CHANGE ALLOWANCE.
§ 409-O. MOTHERS AND INFANTS LASTING CHANGE ALLOWANCE. 1. WITHIN ONE
YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTAB-
LISH A MOTHERS AND INFANTS LASTING CHANGE ALLOWANCE PILOT PROGRAM TO
SUPPORT LOW-INCOME FAMILIES FOR THREE MONTHS OF PREGNANCY AND EIGHTEEN
MONTHS OF A CHILD'S LIFE. SUCH PILOT PROGRAM SHALL BE IN EFFECT FOR
TWENTY-ONE MONTHS.
2. (A) THE DEPARTMENT, IN COORDINATION WITH LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES
DISTRICTS, SHALL DEVELOP CRITERIA THAT LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS
SHALL USE TO SELECT A TOTAL OF FIFTEEN THOUSAND ELIGIBLE FAMILIES FOR
PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM.
(B) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS CHOSEN FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM SHALL
RECEIVE A SUBSIDY OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER MONTH FOR THE LAST THREE
MONTHS OF PREGNANCY AND THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF A CHILD'S LIFE AND FIVE
HUNDRED DOLLARS PER MONTH FOR THE LAST NINE MONTHS OF PARTICIPATION IN
THE PROGRAM.
(C) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ALLOCATE THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO LOCAL SOCIAL
SERVICES DISTRICTS FOR SELECTED ELIGIBLE SELECTED PARTICIPANTS.
(D) MONTHLY DISTRIBUTIONS SHALL BE MADE BY LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES
DISTRICTS ON THE FIRST OF EACH MONTH FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROGRAM TO
THE ELIGIBLE SELECTED PARTICIPANTS.
3. ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS SHALL:
(A) HAVE AN INCOME WHICH IS BELOW TWO HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL
POVERTY LINE. SUCH INCOME SHALL BE PROVEN BY PROVIDING ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING:
(I) A FILED TAX RETURN FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR;
A. 6197--A 3
(II) A LETTER FROM AN EMPLOYER DOCUMENTING THE DATES OF WORK OF THE
APPLICANT AND THE YEARLY PAY FROM THE EMPLOYER;
(III) A W-2 OR 1099 FORM FROM THE PREVIOUS TAX YEAR; OR
(IV) A WAGE NOTICE PROVIDED PURSUANT TO SECTION ONE HUNDRED NINETY-
FIVE OF THE LABOR LAW THAT DOCUMENTS EMPLOYMENT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME
WITHIN SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DATE THE APPLICANT CERTIFIES THAT HE OR
SHE BECAME ELIGIBLE;
(B) PARTICIPATE IN MONTHLY SURVEYS PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT; AND
(C) MEET ANY OTHER CRITERIA DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE DEPARTMENT.
4. OF THE FIFTEEN THOUSAND ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS:
(A) TEN THOUSAND PARTICIPANTS SHALL RESIDE IN A CITY WITH A POPULATION
OF ONE HUNDRED FORTY THOUSAND OR MORE; AND
(B) FIVE THOUSAND PARTICIPANTS SHALL RESIDE IN A RURAL AREA AS DEFINED
IN SECTION TWENTY-NINE HUNDRED FIFTY-ONE OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW.
5. THE DEPARTMENT, IN COORDINATION WITH LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES
DISTRICTS, SHALL ASSIST ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS WITH ACCESS TO RESOURCES,
SUBSIDY MANAGEMENT, AND ANYTHING ELSE DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE DEPART-
MENT.
6. THE DEPARTMENT AND LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICES DISTRICTS SHALL CONDUCT A
MONTHLY SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT
SHALL PREPARE AN INTERIM REPORT REGARDING THE FIRST TWELVE MONTHS OF THE
PROGRAM WHICH SHALL BE COMPLETED BY THE EIGHTEENTH MONTH OF THE PROGRAM
AND A FINAL REPORT SHALL BE MADE NO LATER THAN TWELVE MONTHS AFTER THE
COMPLETION OF THE TWENTY-ONE MONTH PROGRAM.
§ 4. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 8 of section 131-a of the social
services law is amended by adding a new subparagraph (xiv) to read as
follows:
(XIV) ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE RECEIVED BY INDIVIDUALS FROM THE MOTH-
ERS AND INFANTS LASTING CHANGE ("MILC") ALLOWANCE. SUCH EXEMPTION AND
DISREGARD SHALL BE APPLICABLE FOR THE LENGTH OF TIME THE INDIVIDUAL
RECEIVES THE ALLOWANCE. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SEEK FEDERAL WAIVER
AUTHORITY TO DISREGARD THE INCOME FROM THE MOTHERS AND INFANTS LASTING
CHANGE ("MILC") ALLOWANCE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately.