Urges federal government to revise official poverty measure to account for high cost of living, non-discretionary expenses, and cash and noncash income.
Impact
The proposed changes would significantly affect federal and state policies related to poverty, potentially expanding eligibility for various assistance programs. The resolution emphasizes the need to incorporate a supplemental poverty measure (SPM) developed by an interagency group, which accounts for additional factors like housing subsidies and out-of-pocket medical expenses, thereby providing a more accurate representation of what it means for a family to live in poverty today. Advocates assert that adopting such a measure would lead to a better understanding of poverty's impact on families and improve the allocation of resources directed towards those in need.
Summary
Senate Resolution No. 56, introduced in New Jersey, urges the federal government to revise the official poverty measure (OPM) in order to better reflect the realities of contemporary living costs and family income structures. The resolution highlights that the current methodology for determining poverty has remained largely unchanged since its inception in the 1960s, relying on a threshold that assumes the cost of a minimum diet from 1963. This outdated standard is seen as inadequate by many advocates for social reform, as it does not consider regional variations in living costs or noncash income sources.
Contention
However, resistance may arise from those who argue that frequent updates to the OPM could create complications for existing programs that use the poverty metric for eligibility determination. Critics of the current measure point out the importance of reform, stating that without these changes, many families may remain trapped in cycles of poverty due to an inaccurate understanding of what constitutes basic living standards. Thus, while the resolution seeks a broader conversation about economic support and resources, it potentially faces pushback from stakeholders concerned about the implications of changing a long-standing measure.
Urges federal government to revise official poverty measure to account for high cost of living, non-discretionary expenses, and cash and noncash income.
Urges federal government to revise official poverty measure to account for high cost of living, non-discretionary expenses, and cash and noncash income.
Provides that certain purchase contracts to purchase food can be awarded to a qualified bidder who fulfills certain values based procurement standards when such bid is not more than 10% higher than the lowest responsible bidder and when the bidder makes publicly available data on where such bidder sources their food items; sets forth the criteria for values based procurement standards to include local economies, environmental resilience, racial equity, valued workforce, valued agricultural sector, animal welfare, and nutrition.
Provides that certain purchase contracts to purchase food can be awarded to a qualified bidder who fulfills certain values based procurement standards when such bid is not more than 10% higher than the lowest responsible bidder and when the bidder makes publicly available data on where such bidder sources their food items; sets forth the criteria for values based procurement standards to include local economies, environmental resilience, racial equity, valued workforce, valued agricultural sector, animal welfare, and nutrition.
An Act Concerning The Department Of Economic And Community Development's Recommendations Regarding The Jobsct Tax Rebate Program And Certain Aerospace Manufacturing Projects.