NY Soc Serv L § 131-ZZ (2021)
2021 New York Laws SOS - Social Services Article 5 - Assistance and Care Title 1 - General Provisions 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.  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 six 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 one year after the effective date of this section.  (h) release  bi-annual  reports  starting  June  first,  two  thousand twenty-two,  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, 2031