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S07830 Summary:

S07830 Actions:

S07830 Committee Votes:

S07830 Floor Votes:

S07830 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         7830--A
            Cal. No. 213
 
                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                    December 20, 2023
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sens. PERSAUD, MURRAY -- read twice and ordered printed,
          and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules  --  recom-
          mitted  to  the Committee on Social Services in accordance with Senate
          Rule 6, sec. 8 -- reported favorably from said committee,  ordered  to
          first  and  second  report,  ordered  to  a third reading, amended and
          ordered reprinted, retaining its place in the order of third reading
 
        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,  2026.  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
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD10565-07-4
        S. 7830--A                          2
 
     1  designee; the commissioner of the department of  labor  or  his  or  her
     2  designee; the commissioner of the office of children and family services
     3  or his or her designee.  Appointments shall be made within sixty days of
     4  the effective date of this section. Vacancies in the task force shall be
     5  filled in the manner provided for original appointments.
     6    (ii) All appointments shall be coordinated to ensure geographic repre-
     7  sentation from the entire state.
     8    (iii) The task force shall elect a chair, vice-chair, and other neces-
     9  sary officers from among all appointed members.
    10    (iv)  A majority of the members of the task force then in office shall
    11  constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the  exercise  of
    12  any  power or function of the task force. An act, determination or deci-
    13  sion of the majority of the members present during  the  presence  of  a
    14  quorum  shall  be  held to be the act, determination, or decision of the
    15  task force.
    16    (v) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the  call  of  the
    17  chair.  Meetings may be held via teleconference. Special meetings may be
    18  called by the chair at the request of a majority of the members  of  the
    19  task force.
    20    (vi) Members of the task force shall receive no compensation for their
    21  services  but  shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses incurred in
    22  the performance of their duties in the work of the task force.
    23    (c) The task force shall:
    24    (i) conduct a study on the fiscal cliffs  in  the  state.  Such  study
    25  shall  include,  but  not be limited to: public assistance programs; the
    26  supplemental  nutrition  assistance  program  (SNAP);  the  home  energy
    27  assistance program (HEAP); housing assistance; the child care tax credit
    28  and  other  tax  credits; the school tax relief program (STAR) and other
    29  real property tax credits and reductions; Medicaid; NY state of  health,
    30  the  official  health  plan  marketplace;  child  care subsidies tied to
    31  income; cash benefits; effective tax rates; and  any  other  program  or
    32  service provided by the state or any political subdivision thereof which
    33  is tied to income;
    34    (ii)  study the causes and reasons why fiscal cliffs occur to individ-
    35  uals on public benefits, including but not limited  to,  the  impact  of
    36  current  public  assistance  programs  monetary allotments, asset tests,
    37  asset limits, and income disregards, as well as  how  minimum  wage  and
    38  other earnings may impact those receiving public benefits; and
    39    (iii)  recommend ways to reduce and/or eliminate fiscal cliffs includ-
    40  ing, but not limited to, recommending program and policy  modifications,
    41  amendments  to the law, including but not limited to possible changes in
    42  calculating and paying the earned income tax credit or other  tax  cred-
    43  its, changes to the New York codes, rules and regulations, and any other
    44  recommendation the task force deems appropriate.
    45    (d) The task force may, as it deems appropriate, request that studies,
    46  surveys,  or  analyses relating to the task force's powers and duties be
    47  performed by any state department, commission, agency or public authori-
    48  ty. All state departments, commissions, agencies or  public  authorities
    49  shall  provide  information  and advice in a timely manner and otherwise
    50  assist the task force with its work.
    51    (e) The office of temporary and disability  assistance  shall  provide
    52  staff  services  to the task force and such other administrative assist-
    53  ance as may be necessary for the task force to  carry  out  its  duties,
    54  functions and powers.
    55    (f) The task force shall make a preliminary report to the governor and
    56  the legislature of its findings, conclusions, recommendations and activ-
        S. 7830--A                          3
 
     1  ities  already  undertaken  by the task force, not later than January 1,
     2  2026, and a final report of its findings,  conclusions,  recommendations
     3  and  activities  already  undertaken  by  the task force, not later than
     4  September  1,  2026  and  shall  submit  with  its  reports  legislative
     5  proposals as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
     6    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately  and  shall  expire  three
     7  years  after  it  shall  have  become  a  law  when  upon  such date the
     8  provisions of this act shall be deemed repealed.