New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang's cash relief proposal is gaining attention in upstate New York.

One thousand low-income households in Monroe County would receive $500 monthly payments under a two-year pilot program proposed by Democratic state Sen. Jeremy Cooney.

Cooney has endorsed Yang's bid for the Democratic nomination for mayor. The bill backed by Cooney, a freshman lawmaker, would help build data and anaylsis for potentially expanding direct relief payments for qualifying families, he said. The review would potentially include the effect the income has on health, stress levels and mental health for the participating families.

Research would also review whether the payments help alleviate the impact of poverty.

“The families of Monroe County need bold and innovative solutions to address our high childhood poverty rate," Cooney said. "This legislation is the starting point for us to test how cash relief can relieve some of the daily pressure of experiencing poverty. Through my early work with Andrew Yang, I was able to create a plan for how we can launch this program in New York State and impact the lives of families in my hometown that I am honored to serve.”

Cooney endorsed Yang this week. The two men became friends after Yang's organization Humanity Forward endorsed Cooney's campaign for the state Senate in 2020. Cooney is the first Asian American to be elected to state office from upstate New York and the only Senate candidate Yang endorsed last year.

“Senator Cooney and I first connected over our shared belief in the power of cash relief to lift millions out of poverty across the country," Yang said. "His legislation is an example for how we can implement cash relief on a larger scale. I’m committed to launching the nation’s largest basic income program in New York City. I’m thrilled to count Senator Cooney not just as a partner in this vision, but as a friend who is committed to the hard work of eliminating poverty.”