Bill Overview
Title: Removing Access Barriers to Running for Elected Office for People with Disabilities Act
Description: This bill excludes income earned and work performed as a candidate for an elected office when determining eligibility for, or the amount of, federally financed benefits or assistance if the candidate is entitled to Social Security Disability Insurance benefits or Supplemental Security Income (a federal assistance program that provides monthly cash payments to aged, blind, or disabled individuals with limited income and resources) due to a disability.
Sponsors: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals with Disabilities Interested in Running for Office
Estimated Size: 5000
- According to the World Health Organization, about 15% of the world's population has some form of disability, which translates to about 1.2 billion people worldwide.
- Of these, some will be interested in running for office, a smaller subset of individuals.
- This bill specifically impacts individuals with disabilities who are potential candidates for elected office and are recipients of SSDI or SSI.
- As of 2023, the US has about 332 million people, with roughly 12-13% living with a disability, equating to about 40 million individuals.
- In the US, there are approximately 8.2 million SSI beneficiaries with disabilities and about 9.8 million SSDI beneficiaries. Some overlap exists between these two populations.
- Not all disabled individuals will consider running for office, but this bill impacts those who do by removing financial barriers related to federal assistance eligibility requirements.
Reasoning
- The policy is designed to impact a small subset of individuals: those with disabilities interested in running for public office while receiving federal benefits like SSDI or SSI.
- This group is estimated to be around 5,000 individuals, considering the overlap between federal benefit recipients and the likely interest in political participation.
- The policy removes financial barriers that could disincentivize running for office due to loss of federal benefits.
- With a limited budget, the policy may only reach part of the target group in the initial year and expand over the decade.
Simulated Interviews
Community Organizer (New York, NY)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy gives me hope that I can run for office without risking my SSDI benefits.
- I've always wanted to make a change in my community, but feared losing my benefits if I earned too much through a campaign.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Freelance Writer (Austin, TX)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill removes a significant hurdle for me; the fear of losing SSI held me back.
- I still have concerns about campaign costs, but this is a huge step forward.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Tech Support Specialist (Seattle, WA)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While the policy helps make it financially feasible to run, there are still many practical challenges to consider, like campaigning while working.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Retired (Chicago, IL)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I have always volunteered, but running for an official position seemed impossible due to the financial risks. Now, it's something I can actually consider.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Retired Schoolteacher (Rural Iowa)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might not affect me much as I am already retired, but it would have been beneficial when I was actively involved in politics in the past.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Graphic Designer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I care about my neighborhood and would like to take part in local government, but I've always been worried about losing my benefits.
- This change makes running feel more attainable.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Unemployed (Miami, FL)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm skeptical about entering politics, but this policy could be a game-changer if I decide to run some day.
- Keeping my benefits allows me to consider public service without financial ruin.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 4 |
Student (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is fantastic news and opens paths I thought were unavailable to me.
- Running for office while starting my career was a daunting challenge without this policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Advocate (Brooklyn, NY)
Age: 37 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy empowers individuals like me, breaking barriers.
- I hope this leads to broader changes in societal perceptions as well.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Consultant (Boston, MA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- When I feel well, I think about contributing more enthusiastically to public policy.
- This policy change makes contributions feasible without penalizing me financially.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $4000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $6000000)
Year 2: $4000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $6000000)
Year 3: $4100000 (Low: $2100000, High: $6100000)
Year 5: $4200000 (Low: $2200000, High: $6200000)
Year 10: $4500000 (Low: $2300000, High: $6500000)
Year 100: $8000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $12000000)
Key Considerations
- The bill supports greater participation in political processes by individuals with disabilities.
- The financial impact on federal assistance programs is minimal since the affected demographic is small.
- Administrative costs might rise due to the need for process management but are not expected to be substantial.
- Benefits exclusion may prevent disincentives to running for office, encouraging political diversity.