SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 2632

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 10, 2021

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2632.

      As amended by the committee, this bill requires the Department of Human Services, in consultation with State Centers for Independent Living, to establish within 60 days after the effective date of the bill a telephone hotline through which resources and information will be provided to persons with a disability during emergencies and disasters. 

      The bill provides that, as an alternative to establishing the hotline, the Department of Human Services will be permitted to contract out services to operate the hotline.

      As reported by the committee with amendments, Senate Bill No. 2632 is identical to Assembly Bill No. 4202 (1R), which was also amended and reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments provide that the hotline established under the bill is to be established by the Department of Human Services, rather than the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

      The committee amendments revise the purposes of the hotline to provide that it will provide resources and information to people with a disability, and remove language providing that the hotline will provide referral services.  The committee amendments add language specifying that the hotline is intended for use during emergencies and disasters. 

      The committee amendments add language providing that the Department of Human Services will have the option to contract out for services to operate the hotline in lieu of the department establishing the hotline itself.

      The committee amendments change the term “people with disabilities” to “a person with a disability” throughout the bill.

      The committee amendments revise the title and synopsis of the bill to reflect the changes made by the committee.