SSI: California bill to raise SSI shelved (2013, house)

[zoom314]

The $90 for Me wouldn't go to subsidized housing, since My space rent never goes up, so far the property taxes haven't either. Just money into more repairs, like into My cars a/c or some new jeans or get some X79 compatible ram to fix a PC problem or fix the gas range or get a 2nd high eer window a/c unit in the 12,000 BTU size, though I'd rather see Browns bill passed, $199 a month more would go farther than the $90. She's from San Bernardino CA and a Democrat who wants to do the right thing, not the popular thing, like some who ignore those on SSI, like Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Grayson, Clinton and more than a few others, Senators Warren and Sanders being exceptions to this idea of course, then there is that House Rep from Arizona Raul Grijalva who introed HR1601(the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act of 2013) back in the 113th Congress that Republicans sent to die in Committee, Raul may reintroduce the Bill, Sen Warren had signed on the Senate version(the Supplemental Security Income Restoration Act of 2014). I'm sorry the links probably don't work, not enough time here yet.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1601
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s2089

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by zoom314

SSI is not Social Security, SSI is Supplemental Security Income.

SSI has no trust fund and is a part of the Federal budget, just like Military pay is and SNAP benefits are.

Social Security also has no impact on the National Debt, since Social Security has its own funding stream, that is called the FICA/Payroll tax on a pay check.

SSI is not SSDI either.

The state has no say over SSI or SSDI. Those are federal issues. All the state can control is SSP, the State Supplementary Payment. That's what AB 474 by Brown addresses.

The bill, as introduced in February, dealt with facilities and was going nowhere. It was gutted and amended on April 7 to deal with SSP and due to the amendments was re-referred to the Assembly Budget Committee which is where it sits now. There is no Budget Committee suspense file. Only Appropriations Committees have suspense files.

The bill is a spot bill meaning it's without substance and is merely a placeholder. It may or may not be amended again later. There can be several reasons why things like this occur.

[zoom314]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

The state has no say over SSI or SSDI. Those are federal issues. All the state can control is SSP, the State Supplementary Payment. That's what AB 474 by Brown addresses.

The bill, as introduced in February, dealt with facilities and was going nowhere. It was gutted and amended on April 7 to deal with SSP and due to the amendments was re-referred to the Assembly Budget Committee which is where it sits now. There is no Budget Committee suspense file. Only Appropriations Committees have suspense files.

The bill is a spot bill meaning it's without substance and is merely a placeholder. It may or may not be amended again later. There can be several reasons why things like this occur.

I know about SSI and SSDI, but then I have been getting SSI since sometime in 2003.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by zoom314

I know about SSI and SSDI, but then I have been getting SSI since sometime in 2003.

I posted the SSP info for others who may not be familiar with it. I posted the bill and process information primarily for you. You have some misinformation I thought should be corrected in that in the bill's current status is back in the budget committee. I erred in calling it a spot bill.

[zoom314]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

I posted the SSP info for others who may not be familiar with it. I posted the bill and process information primarily for you. You have some misinformation I thought should be corrected in that in the bill's current status is back in the budget committee. I erred in calling it a spot bill.

Misinformation?

I know the bill was about raising the SSP from $156.40 to I think 355.40 a month, I typed SSI/SSP since one comes with the other and most websites report it as such, that wasn't misinformation.

Then there is the fact that the bill has been evidently tabled or killed, since there were no hearings or votes scheduled for the bill after 5/6/2015.

AB 474 (Brown) - Public social services: SSI/SSP | TotalCapitol

No suspense file? That's not what is said in the 2 following sites.

By placing AB 474 on a suspense file, relief for seniors and disabled adults being forced to live below the federal poverty level will not happen this year. I have a problem with that; especially, when the state has continuously taken $1.4 billion from the seniors beginning in 2008. For me, this is unacceptable, and I will not be silent and allow this injustice to continue.

Calif. Legislator Chastises Colleagues on Cuts to State’s Most Vulnerable - New America Media

The Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 6 on Budget Process, Oversight and Program Evaluation placed the bill on its suspense file. This procedure of a bill being placed on an Assembly Budget Subcommittee’s suspense file was unusual to me because normally fiscal bills go to the Appropriations’ suspense file.

CA legislator chastises colleagues on cuts to state

I've been following this promising bill for a bit, there is even a petition with at least 2500 signatures that is in favor of this bill.

SSI in CA: Petition to Lift Seniors and Persons with Disabilities out of Poverty | Food for People

Please consider supporting a proposal to help seniors and people with disabilities experiencing poverty in California by signing a petition asking state legislators and policymakers to increase SSI/SSP grant levels in the 2015-2016 legislative session. Click here to do so. (This is a statewide campaign, with the petition hosted by St. Anthony's in San Francisco, shared from the following link: bit.ly/CA4SSIPetition)
The status quo--keeping SSI/SSP grant levels the way they are--means keeping recipients in poverty with high risk of becoming houseless, hungry and in poor health. If legislation were enacted to raise SSI/SSP benefit amounts above the poverty line, it would lift 1.5 million California seniors and persons with disabilities out of poverty

Yes I signed it. Of course the bill only affects the 1.073 Million SSI/SSP recipients who are single, by raising them to 112% of poverty, from just over 90% of poverty, Couples are at 113.9%, so the bill would not affect them and this would impact the budget I've read by about $2.5 Billion a year.

Now just how misinformed am I? I'd like to know..

[Mini-apple-less]

Gotta make sure the military gets as much $$$ as possible!

[zoom314]

Originally Posted by Mini-apple-less

Gotta make sure the military gets as much $$$ as possible!

Huh? This is the state of California's budget, not the Federal Government, in California the state has a budget balanced amendment that is part of the California Constitution.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by zoom314

Misinformation?

I know the bill was about raising the SSP from $156.40 to I think 355.40 a month, I typed SSI/SSP since one comes with the other and most websites report it as such, that wasn't misinformation.

Then there is the fact that the bill has been evidently tabled or killed, since there were no hearings or votes scheduled for the bill after 5/6/2015.

AB 474 (Brown) - Public social services: SSI/SSP | TotalCapitol

No suspense file? That's not what is said in the 2 following sites.

Calif. Legislator Chastises Colleagues on Cuts to State’s Most Vulnerable - New America Media

CA legislator chastises colleagues on cuts to state

I've been following this promising bill for a bit, there is even a petition with at least 2500 signatures that is in favor of this bill.

SSI in CA: Petition to Lift Seniors and Persons with Disabilities out of Poverty | Food for People

Yes I signed it. Of course the bill only affects the 1.073 Million SSI/SSP recipients who are single, by raising them to 112% of poverty, from just over 90% of poverty, Couples are at 113.9%, so the bill would not affect them and this would impact the budget I've read by about $2.5 Billion a year.

Now just how misinformed am I? I'd like to know..

The bill is not dead. This is the first year of the 2015-2016 legislative session. Since the bill did not die in committee it could be a two-year bill, come roaring back in December and pass into the second house. However, I wouldn't hold my breath. With a continuous annual appropriation beginning at about $2.5 billion it's a candidate for suspense if it reaches the Appropriations Committee. If by some miracle it passed out of committee and made it through the floor vote, suffice it to say that if I was the program legislative analyst I'd be recommending a veto to the Governor. Sadly it's simply too costly no matter how badly needed, especially when the state already provides $2.8 billion from the State General Fund for the SSI/SSP program.

It is not unusual for bills of this nature to have many organizations and individuals in support, no one formally in opposition and in the end, not see the light of day. But, the bill is still active so anything can happen.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by zoom314

Huh? This is the state of California's budget, not the Federal Government, in California the state has a budget balanced amendment that is part of the California Constitution.

Smoke and mirrors!

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Smoke and mirrors!

Yep

"Continued Caution Needed. Despite the large surplus that we project over the forecast period, the state’s continued fiscal recovery is dependent on a number of assumptions that may not come to pass. For example, our forecast assumes continuing economic growth and slow, but steady, growth in stock prices. As we discuss in this forecast, an economic downturn within the next few years could quickly result in a return to operating deficits. Further, the normal volatility of capital gains could depress (or boost) annual revenues by billions of dollars. In addition, our forecast assumes that the state repays liabilities with payment schedules set in current law. Other liabilities, including some items on the Governor’s wall of debt and the state’s huge retirement liabilities (particularly those related to the California State Teachers’ Retirement System), remain unpaid under our forecast. If additional payments are made in the future to repay these liabilities or to provide inflation adjustments to universities, the courts, state employees, and other programs, the operating surpluses in our forecast would fall significantly below our projections."

The 2014-2015 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook