Bill Summary: HB 5402

• Excludes four categories of veterans' benefits from income calculations when determining eligibility for state and municipal assistance programs: federal VA disability benefits, federal DoD pension benefits, temporary financial assistance under section 27-125, and temporary income payments under section 27-140.

• Applies the income exclusion to veterans and surviving spouses of veterans across multiple programs including Medicare savings, medical assistance, energy assistance, temporary family assistance, cash assistance, and fuel assistance programs.

• Expands benefit exclusions to housing assistance programs, property tax exemptions for elderly and disabled residents, Alzheimer's disease care programs, and maternal and child health services.

• Effective July 1, 2024 for most social services provisions and October 1, 2024 for property tax exemption provisions, applicable to applications filed on or after those dates.

• Requires the Commissioner of Social Services to disregard veteran benefit payments "to the extent permissible by federal law" when determining program eligibility.