A 8938: Requires that any electronic benefit transfer services for special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC) benefits shall ensure that two electronic benefit transfer credit or debit cards are issued for use by any recipient household where such additional household member is either a parent, guardian or caretaker of the covered infant or a spouse, domestic partner or parent of the covered mother.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 8938 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY July 16, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. EACHUS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Social Services AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to requiring that two electronic benefit transfer credit or debit cards be issued to certain households receiving special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC) benefits The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 1 of section 21-a of the 2 social services law, as added by chapter 376 of the laws of 2022, is 3 amended to read as follows: 4 (b) Any electronic benefit transfer services for supplemental nutri- 5 tion assistance program (SNAP) benefits or for special supplemental 6 nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC) benefits shall 7 ensure that two electronic benefit transfer credit or debit cards are 8 issued for use by any recipient household having more than one parent or 9 guardian residing in the household on a full-time basis, provided that 10 at least two parents or guardians residing in the household, or a combi- 11 nation thereof, qualify for benefits pursuant to this chapter. No card 12 shall be issued to any person under the age of eighteen unless such 13 person is a parent or guardian of a minor child. The issuance of a 14 second card shall be consistent with federal requirements and is subject 15 to the request and approval by the head of household and shall not enti- 16 tle the recipients to any additional benefits. Benefit recipients shall 17 not be required to accept or utilize both cards. The department shall 18 notify existing and future benefit recipients of the availability of 19 multiple cards. 20 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 21 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend- 22 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen- 23 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and 24 completed on or before such effective date. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD13427-01-5