Provides that an applicant for the cooling assistance component of the home energy assistance program shall not be required to demonstrate that the household contains at least one person with a documented medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat to be eligible for a cooling assistance component benefit.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8027
SPONSOR: Glick TITLE OF BILL: An act in relation to expanding eligibility for the
cooling assistance component of the home energy assistance program
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To open up the "Cooling Assistance Benefit" of HEAP to more individuals.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 states "Notwithstanding any provision of law, rule or regu-
lation to the contrary an applicant for the cooling assistance component
of the home energy assistance program shall not be required to demon-
strate that the household contains at least one person with a documented
medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat to be eligible for
a cooling assistance component benefit."
JUSTIFICATION:
21 of the 31 Days in July 2023 were over 85 Degrees within New York
City. The Heat Index in New York City is also exacerbated by high humid-
ity, density poor air quality and other environmental factors, making
the heat unbearable and a real risk to human health. The nominal price
of a. mid-sized air conditioner can easily be $350-$500. While a "Cool-
ing Assistance Benefit" wisely exists under the HEAP Program, it has far
too many restrictions. Asking people to schedule a Doctor's visit and
then get certified before qualifying is an unreasonable and time-consum-
ing hurdle. This bill excises this particular pre-requisite, in the name
of efficiency and public health. This condition was also excised during
the COVID Pandemic with no evidence of negative results; going back to
that standard is logical and will increase the actual benefit to the
public.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Thirty Days, with applicable conditions.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8027
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
September 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GLICK -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Social Services
AN ACT in relation to expanding eligibility for the cooling assistance
component of the home energy assistance program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law, rule or regulation to
2 the contrary an applicant for the cooling assistance component of the
3 home energy assistance program shall not be required to demonstrate that
4 the household contains at least one person with a documented medical
5 condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat to be eligible for a cool-
6 ing assistance component benefit.
7 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after the state
8 commissioner of social services receives a determination from the feder-
9 al department of health and human services that the provisions of
10 section one of this act shall not render the state ineligible for
11 participation in the federal low-income home energy assistance program;
12 provided that the state commissioner of social services shall notify the
13 legislative bill drafting commission upon the receipt of such determi-
14 nation in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely
15 effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New
16 York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the
17 legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13025-01-3
