Bill Text: NY S07259 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Amended


Bill Title: Establishes a fiscal cliff task force to conduct a study on fiscal cliffs in the state's public assistance programs and to make recommendations related thereto.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced) 2023-06-07 - SUBSTITUTED BY A7424A [S07259 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S07259-Amended.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                         7259--A

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                      May 19, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen. PERSAUD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services -- commit-
          tee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and  recom-
          mitted to said committee

        AN  ACT  establishing  a  fiscal  cliff task force to conduct a study on
          fiscal cliffs in the state's public assistance programs  and  to  make
          recommendations  related thereto; and providing for the repeal of such
          provision upon expiration thereof

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  (a) There is hereby established a fiscal cliff task force
     2  to study fiscal cliffs in the state's  public  assistance  programs  and
     3  make  recommendations on how to reduce and eliminate such fiscal cliffs.
     4  For the purposes of this section, the term "fiscal cliff" shall  mean  a
     5  sudden  decrease in public benefits that can occur with a small increase
     6  in earnings.
     7    (b) (i) The task force shall consist  of  nineteen  members,  each  to
     8  serve  for  a  term  ending  December  31,  2025.  Such members shall be
     9  appointed as follows:  two members shall be appointed by  the  temporary
    10  president  of  the senate; one member shall be appointed by the minority
    11  leader of the senate; two members shall be appointed by the  speaker  of
    12  the  assembly;  one  member shall be appointed by the minority leader of
    13  the assembly; five members shall be appointed  by  the  governor;  three
    14  local  social  services district commissioners or their designees having
    15  relevant experience in administering public benefits shall be  appointed
    16  by  the  governor, of which one district shall have five million or more
    17  inhabitants; the commissioner of the office of temporary and  disability
    18  assistance  or his or her designee; the commissioner of health or his or
    19  her designee; the commissioner of taxation and finance  or  his  or  her
    20  designee;  the  commissioner  of  the  department of labor or his or her
    21  designee; the commissioner of the office of children and family services

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10565-04-3

        S. 7259--A                          2

     1  or his or her designee.  Appointments shall be made within sixty days of
     2  the effective date of this section. Vacancies in the task force shall be
     3  filled in the manner provided for original appointments.
     4    (ii) All appointments shall be coordinated to ensure geographic repre-
     5  sentation from the entire state.
     6    (iii) The task force shall elect a chair, vice-chair, and other neces-
     7  sary officers from among all appointed members.
     8    (iv)  A majority of the members of the task force then in office shall
     9  constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the  exercise  of
    10  any  power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci-
    11  sion of the majority of the members present during  the  presence  of  a
    12  quorum  shall  be  held to be the act, determination, or decision of the
    13  task force.
    14    (v) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the  call  of  the
    15  chair.  Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be
    16  called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members  of  the
    17  task force.
    18    (vi) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
    19  services  but  shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in
    20  the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
    21    (c) The task force shall:
    22    (i) conduct a study on the fiscal cliffs  in  the  state.  Such  study
    23  shall  include,  but  not be limited to: public assistance programs; the
    24  supplemental  nutrition  assistance  program  (SNAP);  the  home  energy
    25  assistance program (HEAP); housing assistance; the child care tax credit
    26  and  other  tax  credits; the school tax relief program (STAR) and other
    27  real property tax credits and reductions; Medicaid; NY state of  health,
    28  the  official  health  plan  marketplace;  child  care subsidies tied to
    29  income; cash benefits; effective tax rates; and  any  other  program  or
    30  service provided by the state or any political subdivision thereof which
    31  is tied to income;
    32    (ii)  study the causes and reasons why fiscal cliffs occur to individ-
    33  uals on public benefits, including but not limited  to,  the  impact  of
    34  current  public  assistance  programs  monetary allotments, asset tests,
    35  asset limits, and income disregards, as well as  how  minimum  wage  and
    36  other earnings may impact those receiving public benefits; and
    37    (iii)  recommend ways to reduce and/or eliminate fiscal cliffs includ-
    38  ing, but not limited to, recommending program and policy  modifications,
    39  amendments  to the law, including but not limited to possible changes in
    40  calculating and paying the earned income tax credit or other  tax  cred-
    41  its, changes to the New York codes, rules and regulations, and any other
    42  recommendation the task force deems appropriate.
    43    (d) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
    44  surveys,  or  analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be
    45  performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
    46  ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or  public  authorities
    47  shall  provide  information  and advice in a timely manner and otherwise
    48  assist the task force with its work.
    49    (e) The office of temporary and disability  assistance  shall  provide
    50  staff  services  to the task force and such other administrative assist-
    51  ance as may be necessary for the task force to  carry  out  its  duties,
    52  functions and powers.
    53    (f) The task force shall make a preliminary report to the governor and
    54  the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activ-
    55  ities  already  undertaken  by the task force, not later than January 1,
    56  2025, and a final report of its findings,  conclusions,  recommendations

        S. 7259--A                          3

     1  and  activities  already  undertaken  by  the task force, not later than
     2  September  1,  2025  and  shall  submit  with  its  reports  legislative
     3  proposals as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
     4    §  2.  This  act  shall take effect immediately and shall expire three
     5  years after it  shall  have  become  a  law  when  upon  such  date  the
     6  provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.
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