STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman JOANN DOWNEY
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblywoman BRITNEE N. TIMBERLAKE
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires county welfare agencies to conduct full eligibility screening of public assistance and social service programs for each applicant.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning county welfare agencies 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 county welfare agency shall conduct a full eligibility screening of the public assistance and social service programs administered by the agency for each member of the public who submits an application for one, but less than all, of the public assistance and social service programs for which the agency accepts applications.
For the purposes of this act:
“County welfare agency” means that agency of county government, which is charged with the responsibility for determining eligibility for public assistance and social service programs. “County welfare agency” includes, but is not limited to, any agency that may be locally known as the Board of Social Services; the Department of Citizen Services; the Division of Welfare; the Division of Social Services; the Division of Temporary Assistance and Social Services; or the Department of Family and Community Development.
“Public assistance and social service program” means any program administered through a county welfare agency, which program is authorized to provide assistance and services to needy persons, including, but not limited to: the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program established pursuant to the federal “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008,” Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.); the Work First New Jersey program established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.); and the Medicaid program established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.).
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.) to effectuate the purposes of this act.
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following the date of enactment, except that the Commissioner of Human Services may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires county welfare agencies to conduct a full eligibility screening of public assistance and social service programs administered by the agency for each member of the public who submits an application for one, but less than all, of the public assistance and social service programs for which the agency accepts applications.
Under the bill, a “county welfare agency” means that agency of county government, which is charged with the responsibility for determining eligibility for public assistance and social service programs. The term includes, but is not limited to, agencies that may be locally known as the Board of Social Services; the Department of Citizen Services; the Division of Welfare; the Division of Social Services; the Division of Temporary Assistance and Social Services; or the Department of Family and Community Development.
The bill further defines “public assistance and social service program” to mean any program administered through a county welfare agency, which program is authorized to provide assistance or services to needy persons, including, but not limited to: the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, established pursuant to the federal “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008,” Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.); the Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) program - which encompasses the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and the General Assistance program - established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.); and the Medicaid program established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.).