All of a sudden, new stimulus checks are a very real possibility again — and actually happening, even — in several states across the US.
The key point is that this is happening at the state level. Political will in Congress for more federal stimulus checks basically disappeared in December, when a member of President Biden’s own party in the Senate decided he didn’t want to support the payments anymore. Democrats couldn’t afford to lose a single vote, and so that was that. Moreover, it seemed like that would remain the status quo. Until we got deeper into 2022, that is, with soaring gas prices and the cost of food reaching multi-decade highs.
New stimulus check 2022
Now? Some 22 percent of the US is poised to get a new stimulus check, depending on where they live.
Fresh off of two rounds of Golden State Stimulus checks, for example, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed an all-new series of payments. Every owner of a vehicle registered in the state would be eligible for a $400 payment. With the money coming in the form of a debit card, as soon as July — if the proposal ends up passing muster with the state legislature, that is.
Moreover, the payments would be capped at a maximum of two vehicles per person. That means people could get up to two payments.
Meantime, here’s a look at what else is coming, and where.
- Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law in recent days a bill providing a tax refund to all eligible Georgia taxpayers. After filing an income tax return for 2021, the one-time refund amounts would be: $250 for single, married filing separate taxpayers; $375 for head-of-household taxpayers; and $500 for married filing joint taxpayers.
- Also in recent days, Maine Gov. Janet Mills has proposed sending out stimulus checks of $850 to state residents.
- And New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has proposed a one-time $500 check for people who pay their taxes using tax ID numbers instead of Social Security numbers, which would include undocumented immigrants.
More states getting checks
Elsewhere in the US? Lawmakers in Indiana have approved a proposal to send out $125 stimulus checks this spring to a greater number of people in the state. And in Minnesota, Gov. Tim Walz has proposed $500 checks for Minnesotans. “One of the best things we can do for the economy and for families,” he said in recent days, “is put money into their pockets right now. It would make a difference at the pump, it would make a difference at the grocery store.”
In New Mexico, meanwhile, residents there who file joint tax returns (and have incomes under $150,000) are eligible for a one-time tax rebate of $500.
Other payments coming include:
For residents in Idaho, what’s coming is either 12 percent of their 2020 taxes or $75, whichever is the higher amount. They’ll get either a rebate check or direct deposit, starting now.
In Virginia, the passage of a rebate check proposal looks likely as of the time of this writing, with individuals standing to get possibly as much as $300 (and $600 for married couples). While in New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a $2.2 billion middle-class property tax rebate covering a few million homeowners in the state. And a stimulus payment of some kind also looks likely in Hawaii, where the governor has proposed a $100 check for residents.
Lawmakers there could also increase that amount before it becomes final.
