New York S 9491: Provides eligibility for state or local public benefits regardless of immigration status

Bill Text

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S09491 Summary:

BILL NOS09491 

&nbsp

SAME ASSAME AS A00176-A

&nbsp

SPONSORPERSAUD

&nbsp

COSPNSR

&nbsp

MLTSPNSR

&nbsp

Add §170-k, Exec L; add §99-h-1, Gen Muni L; add Art 9 Title 13 §2988, Pub Auth L

&nbsp

Allows for state agencies, municipalities, and authorities to provide state or local public benefits regardless of immigration status.

Go to top S09491 Actions:

BILL NOS09491 

&nbsp

03/18/2026REFERRED TO FINANCE

Go to topS09491 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topS09491 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topS09491 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 9491

 IN SENATE

 March 18, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by Sen. PERSAUD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance

 AN ACT to amend the executive law, the general municipal law, and the
 public authorities law, in relation to providing eligibility for state
 or local public benefits regardless of immigration status

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 170-k
 2 to read as follows:
 3 § 170-k. Eligibility for state or local public benefits regardless of
 4 immigration status. A state agency may, at its discretion, provide state
 5 or local public benefits, as defined by the federal personal responsi-
 6 bility and work opportunity reconciliation act 8 U.S.C. 1621 or any
 7 successor provision, to persons who, but for such federal law restrict-
 8 ing eligibility for such benefits based on immigration status, would be
 9 otherwise eligible for such benefits from such agency. For the purposes
 10 of this section, a "state agency" shall mean any department, bureau,
 11 commission, board, division, office, or agency of the state.
 12 § 2. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section
 13 99-h-1 to read as follows:
 14 § 99-h-1. Eligibility for state or local benefits regardless of immi-
 15 gration status. A municipal corporation may, at its discretion, provide
 16 state or local public benefits, as defined by the federal personal
 17 responsibility and work opportunity reconciliation act 8 U.S.C. 1621 or
 18 any successor provision, to persons who, but for such federal law
 19 restricting eligibility for such benefits based on immigration status,
 20 would be otherwise eligible for such benefits from such municipal corpo-
 21 ration. For purposes of this section, a "municipal corporation" shall
 22 mean a county, city, town, village, school district, or board of cooper-
 23 ative educational services of this state or a board of higher education
 24 in a city having a population of one million or more.
 25 § 3. Article 9 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a
 26 new title 13 to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD00165-03-6

 S. 9491 2

 1 TITLE 13
 2 STATE OR LOCAL PUBLIC BENEFITS
 3 Section 2988. Eligibility for state or local public benefits regardless
 4 of immigration status.
 5 § 2988. Eligibility for state or local public benefits regardless of
 6 immigration status. A state authority or local authority may, at its
 7 discretion, provide state or local public benefits, as defined by the
 8 federal personal responsibility and work opportunity reconciliation act
 9 8 U.S.C. 1621 or any successor provision, to persons who, but for such
 10 federal law restricting eligibility for such benefits based on immi-
 11 gration status, would be otherwise eligible for such benefits from such
 12 state or local authority.
 13 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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