Establishes a state SNAP minimum benefit program to provide a minimum amount of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits that is higher than the amount of federal SNAP benefits.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6214
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 3, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GONZALEZ-ROJAS -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Social Services
AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing a
state SNAP minimum benefit program
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 SNAP minimum benefit program. 1. Notwithstanding any
4 other provision of law to the contrary, there is hereby established a
5 state SNAP minimum benefit program. Under such program, the office shall
6 distribute to each eligible household a monthly state SNAP benefit equal
7 to the difference between the household's federal SNAP monthly benefit
8 and ninety-five dollars, which amount may be increased by the office as
9 deemed appropriate and subject to available state appropriations. If
10 federal funds become available for the purposes of this subdivision, the
11 office shall utilize such federal funds as the primary source for issu-
12 ing the monthly state SNAP benefit before state funds, if necessary, are
13 expended. The state SNAP benefit shall be provided to an eligible house-
14 hold in addition to the federal SNAP benefit.
15 2. The program shall be subject to the same state rules and procedures
16 for implementing the federal SNAP to the greatest extent possible,
17 including, but not limited to, distributing the state SNAP benefit using
18 the program's electronic benefit transfer system and requiring that
19 benefits be used solely for the purchase of food as defined in 7 U.S.C.
20 s.2012.
21 3. The office shall apply to the food and nutrition service within the
22 federal department of agriculture for any necessary waivers or approvals
23 to implement the provisions of this section.
24 4. As used in this section:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10063-01-3
A. 6214 2
1 (a) "Eligible household" means a household that is certified to
2 receive a federal SNAP benefit of at least one dollar per month but less
3 than ninety-five dollars per month, or a larger amount as deemed appro-
4 priate by the office pursuant to subdivision one of this section,
5 subject to available state and federal funds.
6 (b) "SNAP" means the supplemental nutrition assistance program estab-
7 lished pursuant to section ninety-five of this title.
8 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
