S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5417
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 14, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. MAHER -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Social Services
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in  relation  to  creating  the
   Commission to Reform Public Assistance Benefits
 
   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  article
 11-A to read as follows:
                               ARTICLE 11-A
              COMMISSION TO REFORM PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BENEFITS
 SECTION 500. DEFINITIONS.
         501. COMMISSION TO REFORM PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BENEFITS.
         502. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.
   § 500. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS ARTICLE:
   1.  "COMMISSION" SHALL MEAN THE COMMISSION TO REFORM PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
 BENEFITS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.
   2. "PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BENEFITS" SHALL INCLUDE FAMILY ASSISTANCE, SAFE-
 TY NET ASSISTANCE, VETERAN  ASSISTANCE,  MEDICAL  ASSISTANCE  FOR  NEEDY
 PERSONS,  INSTITUTIONAL  CARE  FOR  ADULTS, CHILD CARE GRANTED AT PUBLIC
 EXPENSE, AND ANY OTHER FORM OF GOVERNMENTAL ASSISTANCE  FOR  INDIVIDUALS
 AND/OR FAMILIES AS DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION.
   3.  "REAL  TAKE-HOME PAY" SHALL MEAN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF INCOME FOR AN
 INDIVIDUAL AND/OR FAMILY  WHEN  INCLUDING  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE  BENEFITS,
 SALARY EARNED THROUGH EMPLOYMENT AND ANY OTHER FORM OF COMPENSATION.
   §  501.  COMMISSION TO REFORM PUBLIC ASSISTANCE BENEFITS. 1.  THERE IS
 HEREBY CREATED THE COMMISSION  TO  REFORM  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE  BENEFITS,
 WHICH  SHALL  CONSIST  OF  THE  FOLLOWING SEVENTEEN MEMBERS WHO SHALL BE
 APPOINTED WITHIN THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION:
   A. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF TEMPORARY AND DISABILITY  ASSIST-
 ANCE  OR  THEIR  DESIGNEE  AND WHO SHALL SERVE AS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE
 COMMISSION;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05836-01-5
              

 A. 5417                             2
 
   B. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY  SERVICES  OR
 THEIR DESIGNEE;
   C. THE COMMISSIONER OF LABOR OR THEIR DESIGNEE;
   D. THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH OR THEIR DESIGNEE;
   E. THE DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF BUDGET OR THEIR DESIGNEE;
   F. THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE;
   G. THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY;
   H. THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE;
   I. THREE MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY.
   2.  NO MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION SHALL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM HOLDING ANY
 PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT, NOR SHALL A MEMBER FORFEIT ANY SUCH  OFFICE
 OR  EMPLOYMENT  BY  VIRTUE OF SUCH MEMBER'S APPOINTMENT PURSUANT TO THIS
 ARTICLE. MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION SHALL  RECEIVE  NO  COMPENSATION  FOR
 THEIR  SERVICE, BUT SHALL BE ALLOWED THEIR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES
 INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR FUNCTIONS PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.
 A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION MAY BE REMOVED BY  THE  APPOINTING  AUTHORITY
 ONLY FOR GOOD CAUSE, AFTER NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD. VACANCIES
 SHALL BE FILLED IN THE SAME MANNER AS ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS.
   §  502.  POWERS  AND DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 1. THE COMMISSION SHALL
 CONDUCT A STUDY TO EXAMINE THE CURRENT PAYMENT METHOD FOR PUBLIC ASSIST-
 ANCE BENEFITS AND IDENTIFY ANY AND ALL INCOME LEVELS THAT EXIST WHERE AN
 INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY WOULD BECOME INELIGIBLE FOR ANY  PUBLIC  ASSISTANCE
 BENEFIT.
   A.  THE  COMMISSION  MAY  REQUIRE  THE  PRODUCTION OF ANY DOCUMENTS OR
 INFORMATION THE COMMISSION DEEMS REASONABLY NECESSARY  TO  CONDUCT  THIS
 STUDY.
   B.  THE  COMMISSION SHALL, WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF
 THIS ARTICLE, ISSUE A REPORT PROVIDING DETAILS ON THE  RESULTS  OF  SUCH
 STUDY  TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE, AND THE REPORT SHALL ALSO BE
 MADE WIDELY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC VIA, AMONG OTHER THINGS, PUBLICATION
 ON A WEBSITE MAINTAINED  BY  THE  OFFICE  OF  TEMPORARY  AND  DISABILITY
 ASSISTANCE.
   2.  BEGINNING  WITHIN TEN DAYS AFTER THE ISSUANCE OF THE REPORT ISSUED
 PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSION  SHALL  HOLD
 AT  LEAST  ONE  PUBLIC  HEARING  IN  EACH OF THE FOLLOWING REGIONS: LONG
 ISLAND; NEW YORK CITY; HUDSON VALLEY; CAPITAL DISTRICT;  NORTH  COUNTRY;
 CENTRAL NEW YORK; FINGER LAKES; WESTERN NEW YORK; AND SOUTHERN TIER.
   A. DURING THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, THE COMMISSION SHALL HEAR THE TESTIMONY
 OF  VOLUNTARY  WITNESSES,  MAY COMPEL THE TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES AND MAY
 REQUIRE THE PRODUCTION OF ANY DOCUMENTS OR  INFORMATION  THE  COMMISSION
 DEEMS REASONABLY NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT ITS RESPONSIBILITIES.
   B.  AFTER REVIEW, STUDY, AND RECEIPT OF PUBLIC COMMENT, THE COMMISSION
 SHALL ISSUE A REPORT WITHIN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY  DAYS  OF  THE  EFFECTIVE
 DATE  OF  THIS  ARTICLE  THAT  INCLUDES  A NEW PAYMENT METHOD FOR PUBLIC
 ASSISTANCE BENEFITS THAT ENSURES  AN  INDIVIDUAL'S  OR  FAMILY'S  PUBLIC
 ASSISTANCE  BENEFITS  ARE NOT ELIMINATED AT SPECIFIED INCOME LEVELS, BUT
 RATHER DECREASED TO ENSURE AN INDIVIDUAL'S OR  FAMILY'S  REAL  TAKE-HOME
 PAY  INCREASES  AS A RESULT OF ANY INCREASE IN INCOME DUE TO EMPLOYMENT,
 AND THE POTENTIAL NEED TO CONSOLIDATE ANY PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS  IN
 ORDER TO IMPLEMENT SUCH RECOMMENDATIONS.
   C.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, SUCH PAYMENT METHOD AS
 DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSION SHALL HAVE THE FORCE OF  LAW  UNLESS  ACTED
 UPON BY THE LEGISLATURE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.