Source: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/421/338/case.html
Timestamp: 2017-02-26 05:50:25
Document Index: 515335958

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 352', '§ 606', '§ 233', '§ 606', '§ 606', '§ 606', '§ 233', '§ 233', '§ 233']

Van Lare v. Hurley (full text) :: 421 U.S. 338 (1975) :: Justia U.S. Supreme Court Center Log In
› Van Lare v. Hurley
Van Lare v. Hurley 421 U.S. 338 (1975)
U.S. Supreme CourtVan Lare v. Hurley, 421 U.S. 338 (1975)Van Lare v. HurleyNo. 74-453Argued March 26, 1975Decided May 19, 1975*421 U.S. 338APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
Held: The New York "lodger" regulations, which are based on the assumption that the nonpaying lodger is contributing to the welfare of the household, without inquiry into whether he, in fact, does Page 421 U. S. 339 so, violate the Social Security Act and implementing regulations. Pp. 421 U. S. 344-348.
The question presented is whether New York regulations reducing pro rata the shelter allowance provided recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) to the extent there are nonpaying lodgers living Page 421 U. S. 340 in the household conflict with the Social Security Act and federal regulations. We conclude that the state provisions conflict with federal law, and are therefore invalid. King v. Smith, 392 U. S. 309. (1968); Lewis v. Martin, 397 U. S. 552 (1970); Townsend v. Swank, 404 U. S. 282 (1971).
"18 N.Y.C.R.R. § 352.31: "Page 421 U. S. 341
"* * * *" "(3) When a female applicant or recipient is living with a man to whom she is not married, other than on an occasional or transient basis, his available income and resources shall be applied in accordance with the following:"
"* * * *" "(iv) When the man is unwilling to assume responsibility for the woman or her children, and there are no children of which he is the acknowledged or adjudicated father, he shall be treated as a lodger in accordance with section 352.30(d). [Footnote 2]"
"* * * *" "(d) A non-legally responsible relative or unrelated person in the household, who is not applying for nor receiving public assistance shall not be included in the budget and shall be deemed to be a Page 421 U. S. 342 lodger or boarding lodger. The amount which the lodger or boarding lodger pays shall be verified and treated as income to the family. For the lodger, the amount in excess of $15 per month shall be considered as income; for such boarding lodgers, the amount in excess of $60 per month shall be considered as income. In the event a lodger does not contribute at least $15 per month, the family's shelter allowance including fuel for heating, shall be a pro rata share of the regular shelter allowance."
"A State plan under title IV-A of the Social Security Page 421 U. S. 343 Act [relating to the AFDC program] must provide that the determination whether a child has been deprived of parental support or care by reason of the death, continued absence from the home, or physical or mental incapacity of a parent, or (if the State plan includes such cases) the unemployment of his father, will be made only in relation to the child's natural or adoptive parent, or in relation to the child's step-parent who is ceremonially married to the child's natural or adoptive parent and is legally obligated to support the child under State law of general applicability which requires step-parents to support stepchildren to the same extend [sic] that natural or adoptive parents are required to support their children. Under this requirement, the inclusion in the family, or the presence in the home, of a 'substitute parent' or 'man-in-the-house' or any individual other than one described in this paragraph is not an acceptable basis for a finding of ineligibility or for assuming the availability of income by the State. In establishing financial eligibility and the amount of the assistance payment, only such net income as is actually available for current use on a regular basis will be considered, and the income only of the parent described in the first sentence of this paragraph will be considered available for children in the household in the absence of proof of actual contributions."
Without reaching the recipients' constitutional challenges -- denial of due process and equal protection, and infringement of rights of privacy and free association -- each District Court adjudged the state regulations to be invalid for conflict with 42 U.S.C. § 606(a) and 45 CFR § 233.90(a), supra, and granted declaratory and Page 421 U. S. 344 injunctive relief. [Footnote 4] Both judgments were appealed to the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The Court of Appeals held that the New York rules were not in conflict with federal law, reversed the judgments, and remanded for convention of a three-judge court to decide the constitutional challenges. Taylor v. Lavine, 4971.2d 1208 (1974). The three-judge court that was convened sustained the due process challenge to the New York rules. 380 F.Supp. 167 (ED & SDNY 1974). We noted probable jurisdiction of appellants' appeal from the three-judge court holding, 419 U.S. 1045 (1974) (No. 74-453), and also granted certiorari to the judgment of the Court of Appeals. 419 U.S. 1046 (1974) (No. 74-5054). We hold that the Court of Appeals erred in No. 74-5054, and reverse. Since, in that circumstance, we need not address the constitutional decision in No. 74-453, we vacate the judgment in that case and remand with directions to dismiss as moot. Cf. United States v. Munsingwear, Inc., 340 U. S. 36 (1950).
Title 42 U.S.C. § 606(a) was previously construed in King v. Smith, 392 U. S. 309 (1968). That case involved an Alabama "substitute father" regulation, which denied AFDC benefits to children of a mother who cohabited in or outside her home with an able-bodied man. It was irrelevant under the state regulation whether the man was legally obligated to support the children or whether he did, in fact, contribute to their support. Alabama contended that its rule simply defined non-absent "parent" under 42 U.S.C. § 606(a). The regulation was claimed to be justified as having the purpose of Page 421 U. S. 345 discouraging illicit.sexual relationships and of putting "informal" families on a par with ordinary families. We concluded that this was an insufficient justification, holding that it is "inconceivable . . . that Alabama is free to discourage immorality and illegitimacy by the device of absolute disqualification of needy children." King v. Smith, supra at 392 U. S. 326. For, in light of the purpose of AFDC to aid needy children, we held, on the statutory language and legislative history, that the term "parent" in § 606(a) must be read to include "only those persons with a legal duty of support." 392 U.S. at 392 U. S. 327. A broader definition would fail to provide the economic security for needy children which was Congress' primary goal. Id. at 392 U. S. 329-330. Thus, the Alabama regulation was invalid because its definition of "parent" conflicted with that of the Social Security Act. Id. at 392 U. S. 333.
The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) codified the holding of King v. Smith in 45 CFR § 233.90(a), supra, the regulation at issue in the instant case. [Footnote 5] Its key provision specifies that, in determining a child's financial eligibility and the amount of the assistance payment, "the income only of the [legally obligated] parent . . . will be considered available . . . in the absence of proof of actual contributions." 45 CFR § 233.90(a). We applied this regulation in Lewis v. Martin, 397 U. S. 552 (1970). Lewis presented the question of the validity of a California rule which provided that, in computing payments to needy children who lived with their mother and stepfather or "an adult male person assuming the role of spouse" (MARS), consideration should be given to the income of the stepfather or MARS. Id. at 397 U. S. 554. We held the California rule invalid as in conflict with the Social Security Act, the HEW regulation, Page 421 U. S. 346 45 CFR § 233.90(a), and King v. Smith, supra. We said that,
Thus, under the New York regulations, the nonpaying lodger's mere presence results in a decrease in benefits. Yet the lodger, like the Alabama "substitute father" or the California "MARS," may be contributing nothing to Page 421 U. S. 347 the needy child. King v. Smith, supra, and Lewis v. Martin, supra, construe the federal law and regulations as barring the States from assuming that nonlegally responsible persons will apply their resources to aid the welfare child. Those cases therefore compel a reversal of the judgment of the Court of Appeals.
Another, somewhat related, justification asserted is that the shelter allowance is reduced to prevent lodgers, who, by definition, are ineligible for welfare, from receiving welfare benefits. The regulations, however, do not prohibit lodgers from living in welfare homes. The lodger may stay on after the allowance is reduced, and the State takes no further action. [Footnote 7] The only victim of Page 421 U. S. 348 the state regulations is thus the needy child who suffers reduced benefits. But States may not seek to accomplish policies aimed at lodgers by depriving needy children of benefits. King v. Smith, supra, at 392 U. S. 326; Lewis v. Martin, supra.
"* * * *" "(iv) When the person is unwilling to assume responsibility for the applicant or recipient or his or her children and there are no children for whom such person is legally responsible, such person shall be treated as a lodger in accordance with subdivision (d) of section 352.30 of this Part."