US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 302

State old-age plans

(a)

Contents

A State plan for old-age assistance must—
(1)
except to the extent permitted by the Secretary with respect to services, provide that it shall be in effect in all political subdivisions of the State, and, if administered by them, be mandatory upon them;
(2)
provide for financial participation by the State;
(3)
either provide for the establishment or designation of a single State agency to administer the plan, or provide for the establishment or designation of a single State agency to supervise the administration of the plan;
(4)
provide (A) for granting an opportunity for a fair hearing before the State agency to any individual whose claim for assistance under the plan is denied or is not acted upon with reasonable promptness, and (B) that if the State plan is administered in each of the political subdivisions of the State by a local agency and such local agency provides a hearing at which evidence may be presented prior to a hearing before the State agency, such local agency may put into effect immediately upon issuance its decision upon the matter considered at such hearing;
(5)
provide (A) such methods of administration (including methods relating to the establishment and maintenance of personnel standards on a merit basis, except that the Secretary shall exercise no authority with respect to the selection, tenure of office, and compensation of any individual employed in accordance with such methods) as are found by the Secretary to be necessary for the proper and efficient operation of the plan, and (B) for the training and effective use of paid subprofessional staff, with particular emphasis on the full-time or part-time employment of recipients and other persons of low income, as community service aides, in the administration of the plan and for the use of nonpaid or partially paid volunteers in a social service volunteer program in providing services to applicants and recipients and in assisting any advisory committees established by the State agency;
(6)
provide that the State agency will make such reports, in such form and containing such information, as the Secretary may from time to time require, and comply with such provisions as the Secretary may from time to time find necessary to assure the correctness and verification of such reports;
(7)
provide safeguards which permit the use or disclosure of information concerning applicants or recipients only (A) to public officials who require such information in connection with their official duties, or (B) to other persons for purposes directly connected with the administration of the State plan;
(8)
provide that all individuals wishing to make application for assistance under the plan shall have opportunity to do so, and that such assistance shall be furnished with reasonable promptness to all eligible individuals;
(9)
provide, if the plan includes assistance for or on behalf of individuals in private or public institutions, for the establishment or designation of a State authority or authorities which shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining standards for such institutions;
(10)
if the State plan includes old-age assistance—
(A)
provide that the State agency shall, in determining need for such assistance, take into consideration any other income and resources of an individual claiming old-age assistance, as well as any expenses reasonably attributable to the earning of any such income; except that, in making such determination, (i) the State agency may disregard not more than $7.50 per month of any income and (ii) of the first $80 per month of additional income which is earned the State agency may disregard not more than the first $20 thereof plus one-half of the remainder;
(B)
include reasonable standards, consistent with the objectives of this subchapter, for determining eligibility for and the extent of such assistance; and
(C)
provide a description of the services (if any) which the State agency makes available (using whatever internal organizational arrangement it finds appropriate for this purpose) to applicants for and recipients of such assistance to help them attain self-care, including a description of the steps taken to assure, in the provision of such services, maximum utilization of other agencies providing similar or related services; and
(11)
section 1320b–7 of this title provide that information is requested and exchanged for purposes of income and eligibility verification in accordance with a State system which meets the requirements of .
(b)

Approval by Secretary

The Secretary shall approve any plan which fulfills the conditions specified in subsection (a), except that he shall not approve any plan which imposes, as a condition of eligibility for assistance under the plan—
(1)
an age requirement of more than sixty-five years; or
(2)
any residence requirement which (A) in the case of applicants for old-age assistance, excludes any resident of the State who has resided therein five years during the nine years immediately preceding the application for old-age assistance and has resided therein continuously for one year immediately preceding the application, and (B) in the case of applicants for medical assistance for the aged, excludes any individual who resides in the State; or
(3)
any citizenship requirement which excludes any citizen of the United States.
At the option of the State, the plan may provide that manuals and other policy issuances will be furnished to persons without charge for the reasonable cost of such materials, but such provision shall not be required by the Secretary as a condition for the approval of such plan under this subchapter.
(c)

Limitation on number of plans

Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to permit a State to have in effect with respect to any period more than one State plan approved under this subchapter.

Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 53149 Stat. 620Aug. 10, 1939, ch. 66653 Stat. 1360Aug. 28, 1950, ch. 80964 Stat. 548Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 83670 Stat. 848Pub. L. 85–840, title V, § 51072 Stat. 1051Pub. L. 86–778, title VI, § 601(b)74 Stat. 987Pub. L. 87–543, title I76 Stat. 188Pub. L. 89–97, title II, § 221(a)(3)79 Stat. 357Pub. L. 90–248, title II81 Stat. 895Pub. L. 92–603, title IV86 Stat. 1488Pub. L. 97–35, title XXI, § 2184(a)(3)95 Stat. 816Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, § 2651(e)98 Stat. 1149(, title I, § 2, ; , title I, § 101, ; , title III, pt. 1, § 301(a), (b), pt. 6, § 361(c), (d), , 558; , title III, § 311(b), ; , , ; , , ; , §§ 106(a)(1), 157, , , 207; , title IV, § 403(a), , , 418; , §§ 210(a)(1), 213(a)(1), , , 898; , §§ 405(a), 406(a), 407(a), 410(a), 413(a), , , 1489, 1491, 1492; , , ; , , .)

Repeal of Section

Pub. L. 92–603, title III, § 303(a)86 Stat. 1484, (b), , , provided that this section is repealed effective , except with respect to Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 98–3691984—Subsec. (a)(11). added par. (11).

Pub. L. 97–351981—Subsec. (a). struck out in provision preceding par. (1) “, or for medical assistance for the aged, or for old-age assistance and medical assistance for the aged” par. (11) which specified the contents the State plan must contain if it includes medical assistance for the aged, par. (12) which specified the contents the State plan must contain if it includes assistance to or in behalf of individuals who are patients in institutions for mental diseases, and par. (13) which provided that if the State plan includes assistance to or in behalf of patients in public institutions for mental diseases, it show that the State is making satisfactory progress towards developing and implementing a comprehensive mental health program.

Pub. L. 92–603, § 410(a)1972—Subsec. (a)(1). , inserted “except to the extent permitted by the Secretary with respect to services” before “provide”.

Pub. L. 92–603, § 407(a)Subsec. (a)(4). , designated existing provisions as cl. (A) and added cl. (B).

Pub. L. 92–603, § 413(a)Subsec. (a)(7). , substituted provisions permitting use or disclosure of information concerning applicants or recipients to public officials requiring such information in connection with their official duties and to other persons for purposes directly connected with administration of the State plan, for provisions restricting use or disclosure of such information to purposes directly connected with administration of the State plan.

Pub. L. 92–603, § 405(a)Subsec. (a)(10)(C). , inserted provision relating to use of whatever internal organizational arrangement found appropriate.

Pub. L. 92–603, § 406(a)Subsec. (b). , inserted provision relating to furnishing of manuals and other policy issuances to persons without charge and at option of the State.

Pub. L. 90–248, § 210(a)(1)1968—Subsec. (a)(5). , designated existing provisions as subpar. (A) and added subpar. (B).

Pub. L. 90–248, § 213(a)(1)Subsec. (a)(10)(A)(i). , increased from $5 to $7.50 limitation on amount of any income which the State may disregard in making its determination of need.

Pub. L. 89–97, § 403(a)1965—Subsec. (a)(10)(A). , placed a ceiling of $5 on amount of any income which the State may disregard in making its determination of need and substituted “$80” and “$20” for “$50” and “$10” respectively.

Pub. L. 89–97, § 221(a)(3)Subsec. (a)(12), (13). , added pars. (12) and (13).

Pub. L. 87–5431962—Subsec. (a)(10)(A). inserted “as well as any expenses reasonably attributable to the earning of any such income” and exception provision.

Pub. L. 86–7781960—Subsec. (a). amended subsec. (a) generally, inserting provisions relating to plans for medical assistance, and required plans that include old-age assistance to include reasonable standards, consistent with objectives of this subchapter, for determining eligibility for and extent of such assistance.

Pub. L. 86–778Subsec. (b). amended subsec. (b) generally, substituting “eligibility for assistance under the plan” for “eligibility for old-age assistance under the plan” in opening provisions, struck out provisions from par. (1) which permitted plan to impose an age requirement of as much as 70 years until , and inserted provisions in par. (2) requiring the Secretary to disapprove any plan, in the case of applicants for medical assistance for the aged, which excludes any individual who resides in the State.

Pub. L. 86–778Subsec. (c). added subsec. (c).

Pub. L. 85–8401958—Subsec. (a)(11). inserted provisions in par. (11) requiring the State plan to include a description of the steps taken to assure, in provision of such services, maximum utilization of other agencies providing similar or related services.

1956—Subsec. (a)(11). Act , added par. (11).

1950—Subsec. (a). Act , substituted “provide for granting an opportunity for a fair hearing before the State agency to any individual whose claim for old-age assistance is denied or is not acted upon with reasonable promptness” for “provide for granting to any individual, whose claim for old-age assistance is denied, an opportunity for a fair hearing before such State agency” in par. (4), “Administrator” for “Board” wherever appearing, and “he”, “him”, or “his” for “it” or “its” wherever appearing, and added pars. (9) and (10).

1939—Subsec. (a). Act , amended subsec. (a) generally commencing with par. (5).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–369lPub. L. 98–369section 1320b–7 of this titleAmendment by effective , except as otherwise provided, see section 2651()(2) of , set out as an Effective Date note under .

Effective Date of 1968 Amendment

Pub. L. 90–248, title II, § 210(b)81 Stat. 896

42 U.S.C. 301“Each of the amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section and sections 602, 1202, 1352, 1382, and 1396a of this title] shall become effective , or, if earlier (with respect to a State’s plan approved under title I, X, XIV, XVI, or XIX, or part A of title IV [ et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., 1381 et seq., 1396 et seq., 601 et seq.]) on the date as of which the modification of the State plan to comply with such amendment is approved.”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1965 Amendment

Pub. L. 89–97, title II, § 221(e)79 Stat. 359

42 U.S.C. 301“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 303, 306, 1206, 1355, 1382, 1383, and 1385 of this title] shall apply in the case of expenditures made after , under a State plan approved under title I, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act [ et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., 1381 et seq.].”
, , , provided that:

Pub. L. 89–97, title IV, § 403(a)79 Stat. 418, , , provided that the amendment made by that section is effective .

Effective Date of 1962 Amendment

Pub. L. 87–543, title II, § 202(a)76 Stat. 208

“The amendments made by sections 102(b)(1), 103, 106, and 134 [amending this section and sections 602, 607, 723, 1202, and 1352 of this title] shall become effective .”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1960 Amendment

Pub. L. 86–778section 604 of Pub. L. 86–778section 301 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1958 Amendment

Pub. L. 85–840section 512 of Pub. L. 85–840section 303 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1956 Amendment

Act Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 836, title III, § 31470 Stat. 850

“The amendments made by sections 311(b), 312(b), 313(b), and 314(b) [amending this section and sections 602, 1202, and 1352 of this title] shall become effective .”
[315], , provided that:

Effective Date of 1950 Amendment

Act Aug. 28, 1950, ch. 809, title III, § 301(c)64 Stat. 548

“The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) [amending this section] shall take effect .”
, , provided that:

Transfer of Functions

section 4728(a)(3)(D) of this titleFunctions, powers, and duties of Secretary under subsec. (a)(5)(A) of this section, insofar as relates to the prescription of personnel standards on a merit basis, transferred to Office of Personnel Management, see .

Disregarding of Income of OASDI Recipients in Determining Need for Public Assistance

Pub. L. 92–603, title III, § 30686 Stat. 1485

42 U.S.C. 30142 U.S.C. 401Public Law 92–336“In addition to the requirements imposed by law as a condition of approval of a State plan to provide aid or assistance in the form of money payments to individuals under title I, X, XIV, or XVI of the Social Security Act [ et seq., 1201 et seq., 1351 et seq., 1381 et seq.], there is hereby imposed the requirement (and the plan shall be deemed to require) that, in the case of any individual receiving aid or assistance for any month after October 1972, or, at the option of the State, September 1972, and before January 1974 who also receives in such month a monthly insurance benefit under title II of such Act [ et seq.] which was increased as a result of the enactment of , the sum of the aid or assistance received by him for such month, plus the monthly insurance benefit received by him in such month (not including any part of such benefit which is disregarded under such plan), shall exceed the sum of the aid or assistance which would have been received by him for such month under such plan as in effect for October 1972, plus the monthly insurance benefit which would have been received by him in such month, by an amount equal to $4 or (if less) to such increase in his monthly insurance benefit under such title II (whether such excess is brought about by disregarding a portion of such monthly insurance benefit or otherwise).”
, , , provided that: