STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9290
IN SENATE
February 25, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing a
state SNAP minimum benefit enhancement program for senior New Yorkers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section
2 95-b to read as follows:
3 § 95-b. State senior supplemental nutrition assistance program minimum
4 benefit enhancement program. 1. As used in this section, the following
5 terms shall have the following meanings:
6 (a) "Senior" means a New York resident who is aged sixty years or
7 older;
8 (b) "SNAP" means the supplemental nutrition assistance program estab-
9 lished pursuant to section ninety-five of this title; and
10 (c) "Eligible household" means a household with a senior that is
11 certified to receive a federal SNAP benefit.
12 2. The office of temporary and disability assistance shall establish a
13 state senior SNAP minimum benefit enhancement program. Under such
14 program, the office shall distribute to each eligible household a month-
15 ly state SNAP benefit of an additional fifty dollars in addition to the
16 federal SNAP monthly benefit, subject to available state and federal
17 funds. This program shall be subject to the same state rules and proce-
18 dures for implementing the federal SNAP to the greatest extent possible,
19 including, but not limited to, distributing the state SNAP benefit using
20 the program's electronic benefit transfer system and requiring that
21 benefits be used solely for the purchase of food as defined in 7 U.S.C.
22 s. 2012.
23 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14956-01-6
