S4709

An Act requiring automatic enrollment into energy assistance programs for certain individuals and households and supplementing Chapter 27D of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. The Department of Human Services shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Community Affairs, the Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program to provide information concerning recipients of needs-based public assistance, including through the following programs:

(1) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families pursuant to Pub.L.104-193 (42 U.S.C. s.601 et seq.);

(2) Work First New Jersey pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.);

(3) the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program pursuant to the federal "Food and Nutrition Act of 2008," Pub.L.88-525 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.);

(4) the supplemental security income program pursuant to the federal Social Security Act, Pub.L.92-603 (42 U.S.C.s.1381 et seq.); and

(5) any other State or federal needs-based public assistance program, as provided for in a memorandum of understanding required to be entered into pursuant to this subsection.

The information provided by the Department of Human Services shall include information necessary to enroll those recipients of needs-based public assistance into utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency programs administered by the Department of Community Affairs, the Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program, if qualified.

b. Notwithstanding any State law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, and only to the extent permitted by federal law, a memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall further require the Department of Community Affairs, the Board of Public Utilities, or any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program, to, based on the information received from the Department of Human Services, automatically enroll recipients of the following programs into utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency programs that the State agency administers and for which the individual or household qualifies:

(1) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families pursuant to Pub.L.104-193 (42 U.S.C. s.601 et seq.);

(2) Work First New Jersey pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.);

(3) the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program pursuant to the federal "Food and Nutrition Act of 2008," Pub.L.88-525 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.);

(4) the supplemental security income program pursuant to the federal Social Security Act, Pub.L.92-603 (42 U.S.C.s.1381 et seq.); and

(5) any other State or federal needs-based public assistance program, as provided for in a memorandum of understanding required to be entered into pursuant to subsection a. of this section.

2. The Department of Community Affairs, Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers an a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program may, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), promulgate rules and regulations, as necessary, to effectuate the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment, except that the Department of Human Services, Department of Community Affairs, Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program may take action to enter into a memorandum of understanding as required by section 1 of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), and establish rules and regulations in advance of the effective date as necessary.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the Department of Human Services (DHS) to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program to provide information concerning recipients of needs-based public assistance, including, but not limited to, the following programs: 1) Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; 2) Work First New Jersey; 3) the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; and 4) the supplemental security income program. The information provided by DHS would be required to include information necessary to enroll those recipients of needs-based public assistance into utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency programs administered by DCA, BPU, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program.

Based on the information received from DHS pursuant to the memorandums of understanding, DCA, BPU, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program would be required to automatically enroll recipients of certain State and federal needs-based public assistance into utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency programs for which the individual or household qualifies, to the extent permitted by federal law.

This bill would take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following enactment, except that DHS, DCA, BPU, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program may, as necessary, take action to enter into a memorandum of understanding as required by the bill, and establish rules and regulations in advance of the effective date.