Bill > A01308

This bill establishes a two-year universal basic income (UBI) pilot program in New York State, designed to test the potential economic and social impacts of providing direct cash payments to residents. The program will provide $7,200 annually to individuals and $14,400 to couples, targeting 10,000 participants who meet specific eligibility criteria: adults aged 21-65, with verifiable part-time or full-time employment, and annual incomes of $35,600 or less. Participants can be receiving other social services like SNAP or TANF, and the UBI payments will not count against their eligibility for those programs. One year after the program concludes, the state comptroller must compile a comprehensive report with input from health and labor departments, detailing the program's effects on participants' health, employment seeking behavior, socio-economic characteristics, and fund allocation. The bill allocates $288 million for the program, with funding split evenly between the state's general fund and the stock transfer tax fund, and includes provisions for potentially developing a broader statewide UBI program based on the pilot's findings. The program is set to begin by January 1, 2027, and will automatically expire five years after its implementation.

Government Affairs

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1308