A 3578: Establishes a SNAP and cash assistance fraud victims compensation fund.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3578 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 28, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MITAYNES, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, ANDERSON, ROZIC, CRUZ, FORREST, LUCAS, MAMDANI, SHRESTHA, EICHENSTEIN, REYES, SIMON, BORES, DE LOS SANTOS, SEAWRIGHT, BURDICK, KIM -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services AN ACT to amend the social services law and the state finance law, in relation to establishing a SNAP and cash assistance fraud victims compensation fund; and making an appropriation therefor The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The social services law is amended by adding a new section 2 95-b to read as follows: 3 § 95-b. SNAP and cash assistance fraud victims compensation program. 4 1. The office of temporary and disability assistance shall establish and 5 maintain a SNAP and cash assistance fraud victims compensation program 6 to compensate persons who receive benefits from the supplemental nutri- 7 tion assistance program (SNAP) or cash assistance program who have had 8 such benefits stolen or who have been defrauded of such benefits. 9 2. The SNAP and cash assistance fraud victims compensation program 10 shall have an application process which shall be provided in English and 11 languages other than English, including but not limited to the ten most 12 commonly spoken languages, aside from English, in the state. 13 3. The inspector general and the attorney general shall work with the 14 commissioner of temporary and disability assistance to determine whether 15 a person who receives benefits under the SNAP or cash assistance program 16 was defrauded of such benefits or if such benefits were otherwise 17 stolen. 18 § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-ss to 19 read as follows: 20 § 99-ss. SNAP and cash assistance fraud victims compensation fund. 1. 21 There is hereby established in the joint custody of the state comp- 22 troller and the commissioner of the office of temporary and disability EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD01562-01-5 
 A. 3578 2 1 assistance a fund to be known as the SNAP and cash assistance fraud 2 victims compensation fund, hereinafter referred to as the "fund". 3 2. Money allocated to the fund shall be kept separate and shall not be 4 commingled with any other funds in the custody of the state comptroller. 5 3. The fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated for the purpose 6 of such account, moneys transferred to such account pursuant to law, 7 monies received from civil penalties regarding the supplemental nutri- 8 tion assistance program, contributions consisting of promises or grants 9 of any money or property of any kind or value, or any other thing of 10 value, including grants or other financial assistance from any agency of 11 government and moneys required by the provisions of this section or any 12 other law to be paid into or credited to this account. 13 4. Money expended from such fund shall be used consistent with the 14 SNAP and cash assistance fraud victims compensation program as estab- 15 lished under section ninety-five-b of the social services law. 16 § 3. The sum of one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) 17 is hereby appropriated to the SNAP and cash assistance fraud victims 18 compensation fund as established pursuant to section 99-ss of the state 19 finance law from the general fund to the credit of the account not 20 otherwise appropriated for services and expenses of the account for the 21 purposes of carrying out the provisions of this act. 22 § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.