N.Y. Social Services Law § 101: Liability of relatives to support

§ 101. Liability of relatives to support. 1. Except as otherwise

provided by law, the spouse or parent of a recipient of public

assistance or care or of a person liable to become in need thereof

shall, if of sufficient ability, be responsible for the support of such

person, provided that a parent shall be responsible only for the support

of a child under the age of twenty-one years. Step-parents shall in

like manner be responsible for the support of step-children under the

age of twenty-one years. Nothing herein shall impose any liability upon

a person to support the adopted child of his or her spouse if such child

was adopted after the adopting spouse is living separate and apart from

the non-adopting spouse pursuant to a legally recognizable separation

agreement or decree under the domestic relations law. Such liability

shall not be imposed for so long as the spouses remain separate and

apart after the adoption.

2. The liability imposed by this section shall be for the benefit of

the public welfare district concerned or any legally incorporated

non-profit institution which receives payments from any governmental

agency for the care of medically indigent persons, and such liability

may be enforced by appropriate proceedings and actions in a court of

competent jurisdiction. Such proceedings and actions may be brought by

such an institution in any court wherein a similar proceeding or action

could be brought by a public welfare official.

3. The expiration of any period of time for the payment of maintenance

by a court in a matrimonial action shall not be a bar to the enforcement

of the liability imposed by this section.