BILL NUMBER: S7291
SPONSOR: BRISPORT
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the social services law, in relation to establishing the
universal basic income for transition-age youth pilot program; and
providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill adds new section 398-f to the social services
law, establishing the universal basic income for transition-age youth
pilot program.
Section two of the bill provides that act shall take effect January 1,
2023 and shall expire and 3 be deemed repealed January 1, 2028.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York State has a responsibility to care for the youth who enter the
foster care system, as well as the youth who are required to transition
out by law. Unfortunately, New York State has not done enough to ensure
the safety and security of this population. According to a report from
New York City's Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence, approx-
imately 37t of the young people who transition out of foster care in New
York will either return to homeless services or end up in jail within
two years. Accordingly, legislation is needed so that this unjust result
does not persist in one of the wealthiest states in the country; New
York needs to do better, especially in the middle of a global pandemic
when economic insecurity can have deadly results.
This bill would establish a pilot program, commencing January 1, 2023,
and subject to an appropriation by the Legislature, under which a New
York resident who ages out of foster care during the year of 2023 would
receive a universal basic income of $1,000 per month for three years,
regardless of what age they entered the program. The bill would define
universal basic income to mean unconditional cash payments of equal
amounts issued monthly to individual residents of New York with the
intention of ensuring the economic security of recipients. The bill
would exempt the universal basic income, to the extent permissible under
federal law, from being considered income for eligibility and benefit
amount determination purposes for specified public social services,
programs, and financial aid. The bill would further require the depart-
ment to work with at least one independent, research-based institution
to identify existing, and establish additional, outcome measurements,
and to submit a specified report relating to the pilot project to the
Legislature after the conclusion of each year of the pilot program.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: S8160; 2023-24: S3102
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect January 1, 2026 and shall expire and be
deemed repealed January 1, 2031. Effective immediately, the addition,
amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the
implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be
made and completed on or before such effective date.