N.Y. Social Services Law § 131-zz: Child poverty reduction

* § 131-zz. Child poverty reduction. 1. Legislative findings. The

legislature hereby declares that New York should take any steps

necessary to reduce the overall child poverty rate by fifty percent in

the next ten years. Nearly three million New Yorkers are living in

poverty, eight hundred ninety-five thousand of which are children. In

fact, one in five New York children struggle to meet basic needs, and

although several efforts have been undertaken, the overall poverty rate

in New York has failed to see a reduction over the last decade. The

legislature finds that reducing child poverty will protect the health

and general well-being of all New Yorkers. To effectuate this reduction,

the child poverty reduction advisory council shall be established to

research policy ideas, develop best practices, and continually monitor

relevant benchmarks to ensure that New York continues to work towards

reducing child poverty by fifty percent in ten years.

2. Child poverty reduction advisory council established. (a) To

effectuate a reduction in child poverty in the state, there is hereby

established an advisory council, to be known as the "child poverty

reduction advisory council", hereafter referred to as the "advisory

council". The advisory council shall carry out the required acts set

forth in subdivision four of this section.

(b) The members of the advisory council shall be chaired by a

representative of the executive chamber and the commissioner of the

office of temporary and disability assistance, or their designees.

Ensuring adequate geographic representation, members of the advisory

council shall be appointed in the following manner:

(i) two members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the

senate;

(ii) two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly;

(iii) two members shall be appointed by the commissioner of the office

of temporary and disability assistance;

(iv) at least one member shall be appointed by the governor from each

of the following entities:

(1) the office of children and family services;

(2) the New York state council on children and families;

(3) the department of taxation and finance;

(4) a regional economic development council;

(5) a statewide non-profit poverty advocacy organization; and

(6) a non-profit organization with a focus on poverty issues; and

(v) two individuals who are directly impacted by poverty in the state.

(c) The members of the advisory council shall receive no compensation

for their services but shall be allowed their actual and necessary

expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

(d) The advisory council shall convene within sixty days after the

effective date of this section. A quorum shall consist of a majority of

the members of the advisory council entitled to vote on the matter under

consideration. Approval of any matter shall require the affirmative vote

of a majority of the members voting thereon. The advisory council shall

adopt by-laws for the management and regulation of its affairs,

including the creation of committees and subcommittees to effectuate the

work required.

3. Appointments to the advisory council. (a) Appointments to the

advisory council shall be made no later than forty-five days after the

effective date of this section.

(b) If any such appointment is not made by such date, the appointing

official may make the appointment after that date, but such vacant

appointment shall not count for the calculation of a quorum until such

vacancy is filled.

(c) Any vacancies in the advisory council shall be filled in the same

manner as the original appointment was made.

4. Policy proposal review and recommendations. The advisory council

shall:

(a) develop and publish a timeline, inclusive of yearly benchmarks,

for reducing child poverty in the state by fifty percent in ten years.

Such timeline shall be made publicly available.

(b) consider policy proposals that shall include, but not be limited

to, the following proposals and release a report outlining the effect

that the enactment of such proposals may have on the rate of childhood

poverty in New York:

(i) expanding and strengthening the state's earned income tax credit

to align with the state's minimum wage to cover individual taxpayer

identification number filers and young, childless adults and to be paid

out quarterly;

(ii) expanding and strengthening the state's child tax credit to

include young children, and to eliminate the minimum income threshold;

(iii) expanding work training and employment programs in the state;

(iv) expanding access to subsidized housing; and

(v) expanding access to subsidized child care.

(c) investigate the effects that each of the proposals listed in

paragraph (b) of this subdivision may have if enacted by itself, as well

as the effect the proposals may have if enacted in conjunction with the

other proposals, including related changes to federal policies. The

advisory council shall include the cost to the state related to the

implementation of such policies, as well as the projected savings in

both the short and long term that the state could realize by reducing

poverty.

(d) review agency programs that can be modified, suspended, or

otherwise changed to immediately reduce the child poverty rate.

(e) deliver to the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the

temporary president of the senate, reports containing the timeline

required pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision, the review of

the policy proposals required pursuant to paragraph (b) of this

subdivision, the investigation of the effects of such policies pursuant

to paragraph (c) of this subdivision and the review of agency programs

required pursuant to paragraph (d) of this subdivision on or before

eighteen months from the effective date of this section.

(f) develop recommendations for additional policies and procedures to

reduce the state's child poverty rate by fifty percent in ten years from

the effective date of this section. In developing such policies and

procedures, the advisory council shall consider:

(i) the disproportionate impact poverty may have on various racial and

ethnic communities and what policies may assist in alleviating such

disparities;

(ii) ways to improve access to public benefits for individuals

regardless of their immigration status;

(iii) policies that assist families to obtain and maintain financial

stability, including policies that assist individuals with educational

advancements as well as securing employment that provides a living wage;

and

(iv) any other factors that may impact a family, parent, or child's

ability to stay above the poverty level, including, but not limited to:

(1) stability and predictability of income;

(2) equitable and ready access to programs;

(3) equitable treatment across racial, immigration and ethnic groups;

(4) positive environmental conditions;

(5) the individual health and well-being of the parents and children;

and

(6) the cost to the state, including the short-term costs of the

programs and the long-term savings from having such programs in place.

(g) deliver to the governor, the speaker of the assembly and the

temporary president of the senate the recommendations of the advisory

council as required pursuant to paragraph (f) of this subdivision on or

before two years after the effective date of this section.

(h) release annual reports starting September first, two thousand

twenty-three, detailing the progress that the state has made in reducing

the child poverty rate in line with the recommendations set forth in

this subdivision.

(i) collaborate with experts in the field of poverty research, utilize

available data from other relevant statewide studies of poverty, and

solicit input from stakeholder interests including, but not limited to

persons impacted by poverty, non-profit organizations that assist those

living in poverty, individuals or organizations that work to end racial

disparities in New York, and child poverty advocacy organizations. The

advisory council shall also conduct formal public hearings, which shall

take place in at least four regions of the state, as defined by the

empire state development corporation, and shall be offered during

non-traditional hours to allow for persons unable to normally testify

due to work requirements to so testify.

5. Implementation of recommendations. The legislature may utilize

recommendations provided to prioritize the implementation of programs

and services, as they deem appropriate, that would facilitate the goals

of reducing child poverty by fifty percent over the next ten years from

the effective date of this section.

6. Budget proposal review. No later than ten days after the governor

offers any amendments to the executive budget submission pursuant to

article seven of the constitution, the advisory council shall submit to

the chairs of the senate finance committee and the assembly ways and

means committee, a report analyzing the proposals contained within the

executive budget submission that are expected by the advisory council to

impact the child poverty rate.

7. Advisory council staff and agency liaison. (a) The commissioner of

the office of temporary and disability assistance shall designate such

employees of the office of temporary and disability assistance as are

reasonably necessary to provide support services to the advisory

council. The advisory council, acting by the chair of the advisory

council, may employ additional staff and consultants, who shall be paid

from amounts made available to the advisory council for such purpose.

(b) All state agencies, public authorities, and public benefit

corporations shall provide such assistance as may be reasonably

requested by the chair of the advisory council. Provided however, any

information provided shall be kept confidential and shall be used only

for the specific purpose of effectuating the duties of the council.

8. Deliberations of the advisory council. The deliberations, meetings

and other proceedings of the advisory council and any committee or

subcommittee thereof shall be governed by article seven of the public

officers law. Any one or more members of a committee or subcommittee may

participate in a meeting of such committee or subcommittee by means of a

conference telephone, conference video or similar communication or

electronic communication, provided that such communication allows all

persons participating in the meeting, and all persons observing the

meeting, including members of the public, to hear each other at the same

time. Participation by such means shall constitute presence at a

meeting. If a meeting other than an executive session is to be conducted

by means of a conference telephone, conference video or similar

communication or electronic communication, the public notice for such

meeting shall inform the public that such equipment will be used, and

further identify the means by which the public may listen to such

meeting.

* NB Repealed December 1, 2032