STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2020 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CRAIG J. COUGHLIN
District 19 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Excludes donations up to $15,000 when determining income eligibility for applicants to the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund program.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund and supplementing P.L.1987, c.370 (C.26:2-148 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law or regulation to the contrary, the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission shall exclude from the income of a parent or legal guardian applying to the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund program up to $15,000 in donations made to the parent or legal guardian by members of their community to assist with family living expenses, for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the parent or legal guardian for the payment or reimbursement of medical expenses for a child with a catastrophic illness.
b. As used in this section, “family living expenses” means expenses for travel, lodging, meals, and other reasonable and necessary costs associated with the care of a child with a catastrophic illness.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that when determining a parent’s or legal guardian’s eligibility for the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund program established pursuant to P.L.1987, c.370 (C.26:2-148), the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund Commission exclude from the parent’s or legal guardian’s income up to $15,000 in donations made to the parent or legal guardian by members of their community to assist with family living expenses.
As used in the bill, “family living expenses” means expenses for travel, lodging, meals, and other reasonable and necessary costs associated with the care of a child with a catastrophic illness.
Current law does not allow for the exclusion of any type of income when determining eligibility for the Catastrophic Illness in Children in Relief Fund program.
It is common for a community to rally around the family of a child with a catastrophic illness, and to undertake fundraising efforts to assist the family with living expenses, such as travel, lodging, meals, and other costs associated with the care of a child with a catastrophic illness.
Therefore, it is the sponsor’s intent to guarantee that the amount a parent or legal guardian receives from the Catastrophic Illness in Children in Relief Fund program for the payment or reimbursement of medical expenses for a child with a catastrophic illness will not be negatively impacted by such donations.