SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 4272

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JANUARY 6, 2022

      The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 4272, with committee amendments.

     This bill makes a Fiscal Year 2022 supplemental appropriation of $8 million to the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services to increase reimbursements issued to funeral homes and cemeteries for funeral, burial, and crematory services provided to eligible persons in the Work First New Jersey and Supplemental Security Income programs, as outlined under N.J.A.C.10:90-8.2, by $1,000 for each eligible person. 

     The bill provides that the appropriated funds may not be used to supplant other amounts that are allocated in the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Act for the reimbursement of funeral, burial, and crematory services.  According to budget documents, the department anticipates the division will expend $15.8 million for such expenses in Fiscal Year 2022.  This supplemental appropriation is therefore expected to increase total expenditures for such services to $23.8 million in Fiscal Year 2022.

      As amended, this bill is identical to Assembly Bill No. 6060 (1R), which was reported by the committee on this date.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments provide that the supplemental funds would be used to increase the reimbursement level paid for funeral, burial, and crematory services by $1,000 for each eligible person, rather than by a method determined by the Director of the Division of Family Development.  As introduced, the funds would have been allocated in such a manner that all eligible reimbursements were increased equally in proportion to the total cost of the service provided.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      This bill is not certified as requiring a fiscal note.