EXHIBIT 8(b)

                  GE CAPITAL LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

GE Capital Life Assurance Company of New York, a New York Corporation, (the
"Company") and each of its undersigned officers and directors, hereby nominate
and appoint Barry J. Grosman, Thomas W. Casey and Patricia L. Dysart, (with full
power to each of them to act alone) as his/her true and lawful attorney-in-fact
and agent, for him/her and in his/her name and place in any and all capacities,
to execute and sign all Registration Statements of the Company filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on form N-4 under the Securities Act of 1933
and the Investment Company Act of 1940 and on form S-6 under the Securities Act
of 1933 (including any and all pre- and post-effective amendments and any
supplements thereto), and to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
all such Registration Statements, amendments and any supplements thereto, as
well as any and all exhibits and other documents necessary or desirable to such
Registration Statement, amendment or supplement, or the GE Capital Life Separate
Account II, or the GE Capital Life Separate Account III granting to such
attorneys and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act necessary and/or appropriate as fully and with all intents and
purposes as the Company itself and the undersigned officers and directors
themselves might or could do.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, GE CAPITAL LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK has caused
this power of attorney to be executed in its full name and by its President and
attested by its Secretary, and the undersigned officers and directors have each
executed such power of attorney, on this 25th day of April, 1999.

                                            GE CAPITAL LIFE ASSURANCE
                                            COMPANY OF NEW YORK


                                            By:  /s/ Barry J. Grosman
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                   Barry J. Grosman
                                                   President, Chief Executive
                                                   Officer and Director



ATTEST:


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