Bill Text: NY A02214 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Relates to eliminating asset limits in calculating the amount of benefits for any household under any public assistance program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-05-10 - reported referred to ways and means [A02214 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-A02214-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2214 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 14, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. NIOU, BARRON, KIM, FRONTUS, RICHARDSON, FALL, SOLAGES, PRETLOW -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. SAYEGH -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to eliminating asset limits in calculating the amount of benefits for any household under any public assistance program The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 131-n of the social services law, 2 as separately amended by chapters 323 and 329 of the laws of 2019, is 3 amended to read as follows: 4 1. [The following resources] All assets held by the household shall be 5 exempt and disregarded in calculating the amount of benefits of any 6 household under any public assistance program[: (a) cash and liquid or7nonliquid resources up to two thousand dollars, or three thousand8dollars in the case of households in which any member is sixty years of9age or older, (b) an amount up to four thousand six hundred fifty10dollars in a separate bank account established by an individual while11currently in receipt of assistance for the sole purpose of enabling the12individual to purchase a first or replacement vehicle for the recipient13to seek, obtain or maintain employment, so long as the funds are not14used for any other purpose, (c) an amount up to one thousand four15hundred dollars in a separate bank account established by an individual16while currently in receipt of assistance for the purpose of paying17tuition at a two-year or four-year accredited post-secondary educational18institution, so long as the funds are not used for any other purpose,19(d) the home which is the usual residence of the household, (e) one20automobile, up to ten thousand dollars fair market value, through March21thirty-first, two thousand seventeen; one automobile, up to eleven thou-22sand dollars fair market value, from April first, two thousand seventeen23through March thirty-first, two thousand eighteen; and one automobile,EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD03241-01-1A. 2214 2 1up to twelve thousand dollars fair market value, beginning April first,2two thousand eighteen and thereafter, or such other higher dollar value3as the local social services district may elect to adopt, (f) one burial4plot per household member as defined in department regulations, (g) bona5fide funeral agreements up to a total of one thousand five hundred6dollars in equity value per household member, (h) funds in an individual7development account established in accordance with subdivision five of8section three hundred fifty-eight of this chapter and section four9hundred three of the social security act, (i) for a period of six10months, real property which the household is making a good faith effort11to sell, in accordance with department regulations and tangible personal12property necessary for business or for employment purposes in accordance13with department regulations, and (j) funds in a qualified tuition14program that satisfies the requirement of section 529 of the Internal15Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and (j) funds in a New York achieving16a better life experience savings account established in accordance with17article eighty-four of the mental hygiene law]. If federal law or regu- 18 lations require the exemption or disregard of additional income and 19 resources in determining need for family assistance, or medical assist- 20 ance not exempted or disregarded pursuant to any other provision of this 21 chapter, the department may, by regulations subject to the approval of 22 the director of the budget, require social services officials to exempt 23 or disregard such income and resources. Refunds resulting from earned 24 income tax credits shall be disregarded in public assistance programs. 25 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that 26 the amendments to section 131-n of the social services law made by 27 section one of this act shall not affect the expiration of such section 28 and shall be deemed to expire therewith.