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.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6214A
SPONSOR: Gonzalez-Rojas TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing a
state SNAP minimum benefit program
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Establishes a state SNAP minimum benefit program.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 95-b of the social services law by adding a new
section which establishes a state SNAP minimum benefit program in which
the office shall distribute a monthly state SNAP benefit equal to the
difference between the household's federal SNAP monthly benefit and one
hundred dollars to each eligible household in addition to federal SNAP
benefits. This section states that this amount may be increased by the
office as deemed appropriate and that federal funds shall be utilized as
the primary source for issuing monthly state SNAP benefits if they
become available for the purposes of this subdivision. It states that
the office shall apply to the food and nutrition service within the
federal department of agriculture for any necessary waivers or approvals
to implement, the provisions of this section. This section also states
that the program shall be subject to the same state rules and procedures
for implementing federal SNAP to the greatest extent possible and estab-
lishes definitions for "eligible household" and "SNAP."
Section 2 sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, the Office of
Temporary and Disability Assistance began issuing emergency supplemental
benefits to households receiving less than the maximum monthly amount of
SNAP benefits, which helped many individuals and families avoid food
insecurity. These Emergency Allotment of benefits ended in March 2023,
leaving SNAP recipients struggling to cover the lost benefits to feed
themselves at a time when food prices remain extremely high due to
inflation. In a 2022 study, the Urban Institute reported that the
increase in SNAP benefits from Emergency Allotments kept 4.2 million
people out of poverty in the fourth quarter of 2021, reducing poverty by
9.6 percent and reducing child poverty by 14%. The Urban Institute also
found that Black and Latino households benefited most significantly from
these additional SNAP benefits.
The sudden elimination of Emergency Allotment SNAP benefits will
increase food insecurity for many individuals and families due to the
high costs of food and modest allotment of pre-COVID SNAP benefits.
This legislation would help support households in need from hardship and
hunger by establishing a state SNAP minimum benefit program. This would
give households receiving SNAP an additional monthly state SNAP benefit
equal to the difference between the household's federal SNAP monthly
benefit and one hundred dollars. This program would result in relief and
support the wellbeing of our state's most vulnerable families.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6214--A
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 3, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GONZALEZ-ROJAS, SIMON, AUBRY, SILLITTI, RAGA,
SEAWRIGHT, TAYLOR, SIMONE, SHIMSKY, GALLAGHER, GUNTHER, SMITH, McDO-
NOUGH, HEVESI, KIM, THIELE, FORREST, SOLAGES -- read once and referred
to the Committee on Social Services -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
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 one hundred 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.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10063-02-3
A. 6214--A 2
1 3. The office shall apply to the food and nutrition service within the
2 federal department of agriculture for any necessary waivers or approvals
3 to implement the provisions of this section.
4 4. As used in this section:
5 (a) "Eligible household" means a household that is certified to
6 receive a federal SNAP benefit of at least one dollar per month but less
7 than one hundred dollars per month, or a larger amount as deemed appro-
8 priate by the office pursuant to subdivision one of this section,
9 subject to available state and federal funds.
10 (b) "SNAP" means the supplemental nutrition assistance program estab-
11 lished pursuant to section ninety-five of this title.
12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
