Sponsored by:
Assemblyman R. BRUCE LAND
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Assemblyman JOHN ARMATO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblyman ROY FREIMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Permits self-verification of unearned income, household size, residency, identity, and shelter expenses on New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application for certain senior citizens.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the verification process under New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for certain senior citizens and supplementing Title 44 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services shall permit the self-verification of unearned income, household size, residency, identity, and shelter expenses, unless the information is questionable, for the purposes of determining benefits under the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for any household which includes a senior citizen and which has no earned income. To the extent possible, the division shall require a New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application processing agency to use electronic verification sources to confirm information that is self-verified pursuant to this act.
b. The Commissioner of Human Services shall apply to the Food and Nutrition Service within the United States Department of Agriculture for any necessary waivers or approvals to implement the provisions of this act.
c. As used in this act:
“Senior citizen” means an individual who is 60 years of age or older by the last day of the month in which the application for New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits is submitted.
"Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program" means the supplemental nutrition assistance program, established pursuant to the federal "Food and Nutrition Act of 2008," Pub.L.88-525 (7 U.S.C.s.2011 et seq.).
“Questionable” means inconsistent with: statements made by the applicant; other information in the application or previous applications; or information received by the department, a county welfare agency, or other New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application processing agencies.
2. The Commissioner of Human Services shall adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take
effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of
enactment, but the Commissioner of Human Services may take such anticipatory
administrative action in advance thereof as may be necessary for the
implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
The bill permits self-verification of unearned income, household size, residency, identity, and shelter expenses under the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (NJ SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamps Program, for certain senior citizens.
Specifically, the bill requires the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services to permit the self-verification of unearned income, household size, residency, identity, and shelter expenses, unless the information is questionable, for the purposes of determining benefits under the NJ SNAP for any household which includes a senior citizen, defined as an individual who is 60 years of age or older by the last day of the month in which the application for NJ SNAP benefits is submitted, and which has no earned income. To the extent possible, the division is to require a NJ SNAP application processing agency to use electronic verification sources to confirm information that is self-verified pursuant to this bill.
Under the bill, questionable means information that is inconsistent with: statements made by the applicant; other information in the application or previous applications; or information received by the department or a county welfare agency.
The Commissioner of Human Services is required to apply to the Food and Nutrition Service within the United States Department of Agriculture for any necessary waivers or approvals to implement a standard medical expense deduction under the NJ SNAP.