Requires that any electronic benefit transfer services for special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC) benefits shall ensure that two electronic benefit transfer credit or debit cards are issued for use by any recipient household having more than one parent or guardian residing in the household on a full-time basis.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8938
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
July 16, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EACHUS -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring that
two electronic benefit transfer credit or debit cards be issued to
certain households receiving special supplemental nutrition program
for women, infants and children (WIC) benefits
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 21-a of the
2 social services law, as added by chapter 376 of the laws of 2022, is
3 amended to read as follows:
4 (b) Any electronic benefit transfer services for supplemental nutri-
5 tion assistance program (SNAP) benefits or for special supplemental
6 nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC) benefits shall
7 ensure that two electronic benefit transfer credit or debit cards are
8 issued for use by any recipient household having more than one parent or
9 guardian residing in the household on a full-time basis, provided that
10 at least two parents or guardians residing in the household, or a combi-
11 nation thereof, qualify for benefits pursuant to this chapter. No card
12 shall be issued to any person under the age of eighteen unless such
13 person is a parent or guardian of a minor child. The issuance of a
14 second card shall be consistent with federal requirements and is subject
15 to the request and approval by the head of household and shall not enti-
16 tle the recipients to any additional benefits. Benefit recipients shall
17 not be required to accept or utilize both cards. The department shall
18 notify existing and future benefit recipients of the availability of
19 multiple cards.
20 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
21 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
22 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
23 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
24 completed on or before such effective date.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13427-01-5
