New York Assembly Bill A00792

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/8/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Excludes Medicare premiums from the definition of income for purposes of the senior citizen rent increase exemptions (SCRIE) program and the disability rent increase exemption (DRIE).

Summary

This bill amends the Real Property Tax Law provisions governing New York’s Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE) and Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) programs. It changes the income calculation rules used to determine eligibility by expressly excluding Medicare premiums from income deductions, while continuing to count most other income sources such as Social Security, retirement benefits, wages, interest, dividends, rental income, and self-employment income. The bill also preserves existing exclusions for gifts, inheritances, certain Nazi persecution payments, and limited annual pension or Social Security increases that do not exceed inflation. In practical terms, the measure is aimed at making the rent freeze programs more favorable to seniors and people with disabilities by lowering the income figure used for eligibility and benefit calculations. Because SCRIE and DRIE are administered through local property tax systems, the bill would affect how household income is assessed for rent increase exemptions across participating jurisdictions in New York State. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Impact

The bill would amend sections 467-b and 467-c of the Real Property Tax Law, which govern SCRIE and DRIE eligibility and income calculations. Its main legal effect is to require Medicare premiums to be deducted when calculating household income for these rent increase exemption programs, thereby potentially expanding access to the exemptions or increasing the amount of relief available to qualifying households. The change would directly affect seniors and disabled tenants who pay Medicare premiums and rely on these programs to limit rent increases.

Sentiment

The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge partisan or member-specific sentiment. Based on the bill’s subject matter and sponsor list, the measure appears to be framed as a tenant-relief and affordability bill intended to help older adults and people with disabilities. The caption and text suggest a generally supportive policy rationale centered on reducing housing cost burdens for vulnerable residents.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential areas of debate, if raised, would likely concern the fiscal and administrative impact on local governments that administer SCRIE and DRIE, as well as whether expanding the income deduction could broaden program eligibility beyond current levels. Another possible issue is whether excluding Medicare premiums should be paired with other income adjustments, but no such objections or amendments are reflected in the record provided.