Bills affecting Low-income / working-class in New York — 2026 session

Provides representation to veterans that are at or below four hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines for matters involving children, sustenance and real property proceedings.

Requires the commissioner of labor to prepare an annual report on the cost of living, poverty rates and adequacy of the current minimum wage in the state.

Eliminates provisions exempting employees with disabilities from the minimum wage law; provides that laws or minimum wage orders that authorize an employer to pay a wage that is less than the minimum wage are valid provided that under such laws or orders an employee with a disability is paid the same wage as an employee in a comparable position that does not have a disability.

Establishes a SNAP and cash assistance fraud victims compensation fund.

Establishes a state SNAP minimum benefit program to provide a minimum amount of supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits that is higher than the amount of federal SNAP benefits.

Relates to farm worker meal, lodging and utilities minimum wage credits being adjusted for cost of living increases.

Enacts the "fair pay for home care act" relating to minimum wages applicable to home care aides; provides for a minimum wage of 150% of the applicable statewide or regional minimum wage.

Provides for payments for home and community based long term care services; provides that funds appropriated to compensate for minimum wage requirements, shall not be subject to managed care risk adjustment on insurers.

Increases the earned income tax credit for taxable years beginning in 2025.

Authorizes the reissuance of emergency assistance to needy families with children, safety net assistance, SNAP benefits, or emergency assistance for aged, blind and disabled persons in instances of fraud or theft of benefits.

Establishes the NY food insecurity, farm resiliency and rural poverty initiative to provide financial assistance in the form of matching grants, hiring assistance, purchasing assistance, tax credits, tax exemptions, and reimbursements.

Provides assistance to incarcerated individuals being released from correctional facilities for enrollment in safety net assistance, public assistance, supplemental assistance program (SNAP), special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children (WIC), the home energy assistance program (HEAP), supplemental security income, and state supplemental payments.

Requires that all human services contracts between any public entity and a human services provider stipulate that the public entity will pay no less than 150% of the higher of: the otherwise applicable minimum wage in the state or any otherwise applicable wage rule or order and that the necessary amounts have been appropriated to ensure payment of such minimum wage.

Relates to calculation of the earned income credit for taxable years beginning in 2026, provides the applicable percentage shall be 45%.

Provides for the advance payment of the earned income tax credit to qualifying employees.

Increases the minimum wage outside of New York city and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester; repeals certain provisions of law relating to exceptions to minimum wage increases.

Establishes "SNAP for all", a state-funded supplemental nutrition assistance program to provide for those who are excluded from federal SNAP benefits solely due to immigration status; outlines eligibility requirements of applicants and operational requirements of the office of temporary and disability assistance.

Requires legislative approval of minimum wage increases promulgated through wage orders.

Enacts "the prison minimum wage act" relating to payment for labor performed by incarcerated individuals.

Increases the minimum wage annually; provides for the enforcement of the minimum wage; repeals certain provisions of law relating thereto.