2006 New York Code - Definitions.

 
    § 208. Definitions. When used in this title:
    1. "Supplemental security income benefits" shall mean payments made by
  the secretary of the federal department of health, education and welfare
  to  aged,  blind  and  disabled persons pursuant to title sixteen of the
  federal social security act.
    2. "Additional state payments" shall mean payments made to aged, blind
  and disabled persons who are receiving,  or  who  would  but  for  their
  income  be  eligible  to  receive,  federal supplemental security income
  benefits, whether made by social services districts in  accordance  with
  the  provisions  of  this  title  and  with title sixteen of the federal
  social security act, or by the secretary of the  federal  department  of
  health,  education  and  welfare, pursuant to and in accordance with the
  provisions of this title, title sixteen of the federal  social  security
  act,  and provisions of any agreement entered into between the state and
  such  secretary  by  which  the  secretary  agrees  to  administer  such
  additional state payments on behalf of the state.
    3.  The "secretary" shall mean the secretary of the federal department
  of health, education and welfare.
    4. A "blind person" shall mean a person who has central visual  acuity
  of  20/200  or less in the better eye with the use of a correcting lens.
  An eye which is accompanied by a limitation in the fields of vision such
  that the widest diameter of  the  visual  field  subtends  an  angle  no
  greater than twenty degrees shall be considered, for the purposes of the
  first sentence of this subdivision, as having a central visual acuity of
  20/200 or less.
    5.  A "disabled person" shall mean a person who is unable to engage in
  any  substantial  gainful  activities  by  reason   of   any   medically
  determinable  physical  or  mental  impairment  which can be expected to
  result in death or which has lasted or can be expected  to  last  for  a
  continuous period of not less than twelve months; or who, in the case of
  a   child  under  the  age  of  eighteen,  suffers  from  any  medically
  determinable physical or mental impairment of comparable severity.
    6. "Countable income" shall mean all of a person's income, in cash  or
  in  kind, both earned and unearned, which is not excluded by federal law
  or regulations or by regulations of the department  in  determining  the
  need  of  an  individual  for  supplemental  security income benefits or
  additional state payments,  including  the  income  of  an  individual's
  eligible  spouse,  and,  if the individual is a child, certain income of
  such individual's parent or parents with whom he resides.
    7. "Earned income" shall mean wages and earnings from  self-employment
  in accordance with the regulations of the department.
    8.  "Unearned  income" shall mean all other income, in accordance with
  the regulations of the department.
    9. "Countable resources" shall mean cash or other liquid assets or any
  real or personal property that an individual or couple  owns  and  could
  convert  to  cash  to  be used for his or their support and maintenance,
  which is not excluded by federal law or regulations or by regulations of
  the department in the determination of the need  of  an  individual  for
  supplemental security income benefits or additional state payments.
    10.  An  "eligible  individual" shall mean a person who is eligible to
  receive additional state payments pursuant to section two  hundred  nine
  of this title.
    11.  An "eligible couple" shall mean an eligible individual and his or
  her aged, blind or disabled spouse, who are living together or  who  are
  living apart but have been living apart for less than six months.