NEW YORK, NY — As Albany kicks off its 2024 legislative session, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) looks forward to advocating for the policies and budgetary measures in the following areas on behalf of the communities we serve and our mission to combat racial, social, and economic injustice:
Budget Priorities:
- Fighting against the proposed sweep of $100M from IOLA Private Contribution Account to the General Fund
- Restoring $40M for the Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP)
- Increasing funding for the Managed Care Consumer Assistance Program (MCCAP) by $1M above the $1.76M appropriation
- Maintain funding for the Disability Assistance Program (DAP) at $13.52 million, inclusive of the county match
- Restoring the $20M in funding for immigration legal services, at minimum
- Filling the gap in federal funding for Victims of Crim Act (VOCA) grants with $120M
- Providing $3.5M in funding to sustain the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP)
- Recommending amendments to the Consumer Protection Act (TED Budget Bill, Part JJ) to align more with the Consumer and Small Business Protection Act (read the one pager here)
- Increasing civil legal services funding:
- $10M increase for the Interest on Lawyers Account (IOLA)
- 6% increase in Judiciary Legal Services appropriation
- 3% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for IOLA
Read a more in-depth explanation of our budget priorities here.
Health Access:
- Repealing the restrictive minimum of three Activities of Daily Living (ADL) required for eligibility for Medicaid personal care and consumer-directed services
- Expanding Medicaid eligibility:
- include all immigrants in the Essential Plan
- increase asset test for ages 65+, blind, and disabled individuals
- guarantee continuous Medicaid eligibility for children from birth to age 6
- Supporting the “Home Care Savings & Reinvestment Act” (S7800) to Replace the MLTC Program with a cost-effective and consumer-oriented home care model
Human Services:
- Increasing access and quantity of Public Assistance, SNAP, Rental Supplement, and Housing Voucher programs
- Improving homeless shelter conditions and accommodations
- Preserving and increasing Veterans’ benefits, housing access, and legal support for discharge adjustments
- Increasing state payment assistance for disability appeals and clarify eligibility periods for supplemental security income for people with disabilities
- Reforming current predatory Public Assistance and Medicaid overpayment collections processes
Read our full policy agenda, including bill numbers and descriptions, here.
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