Bill Text: NJ A2191 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes oversight and accountability for electronic benefits cards issued for public assistance benefits by DHS.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-08 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee [A2191 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A2191-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman JOANN DOWNEY
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes oversight and accountability for electronic benefits cards issued for public assistance benefits by DHS.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing oversight and accountability for electronic benefits cards 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. The Department of Human Services shall require that a provider, as defined pursuant to section b. of this section, shall submit to the department a monthly report containing the following information:
(1) the activities of the customer service system, including, but not limited to: response and solution times for the latest three months available; average speed of answer in seconds/number of rings; average call length; number of lost or abandoned calls; average number of calls in queue; and system busy counts;
(2) problem management activities, including, but not limited to: identified problems; projected time for resolution of problem; escalation procedures; and the recording of final outcome; and
(3) all reported incidents involving cards or accounts, including, but not limited to: the number of lost cards, identifying multiple cards lost per client; the number of cards determined to be stolen; the number of cards disabled; the number of accounts with reported account balance disputes, and the resolution of these disputes; and the number of system errors, including ATM and POS misdispenses.
b. As used in this section:
"Client" means an individual or entity that has been determined to be eligible to participate in a public assistance program. For purposes of the report required pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), all information reported on a per client basis shall be de-identified.
"Provider" means a person, company, firm, association, corporation, or other entity that is participating directly, or indirectly as a subcontractor, to the Department of Human Services by operating and maintaining an electronic benefits transfer system.
2. The department shall report annually to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) to the Legislature, detailing the information required pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).
3. The Commissioner of
Human Services shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure
Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt any rules and
regulations as the commissioner deems necessary to carry out the provisions of
this act.
4. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month next following the date of enactment, but the Commissioner of Human Services may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill will require certain reporting requirements of any provider that is contracted with the Department of Human Services (DHS) to operate the electronic benefits system.
The monthly reporting requirements will include the following information:
(1) the activities of the customer service system, including, but not limited to: response and solution times for the latest three months available; average speed of answer in seconds/number of rings; average call length; lost or abandoned calls; average number of calls in queue; and system busy counts;
(2) problem management activities, including, but not limited to: identified problems; projected time for resolution of problem; escalation procedures; and the recording of final outcome; and
(3) all reported incidents involving cards or accounts, including, but not limited to: the number of lost cards, identifying multiple cards lost per client; the number of cards determined stolen; the number of cards disabled; the number of accounts with reported account balance disputes, and the resolution of these disputes; and the number of system errors, including ATM and POS misdispenses.
All of this information is to be reported in a de-identified manner by DHS to the Legislature on an annual basis to help ensure greater oversight and accountability over the electronic benefits card system.
