Bill Text: NJ A2922 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Increases funding of "The Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-05-14 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee [A2922 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A2922-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman TROY SINGLETON
District 7 (Burlington)
SYNOPSIS
Increases funding of "The Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning appropriations to "The Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program" and amending P.L.1983, c.578.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 4 of P.L.1983, c.578 (C.27:25-28) is amended to read as follows:
4. a. The board shall establish and administer a program to be known as "The Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program" for the following purposes:
(1) To assist counties to develop and provide accessible feeder transportation service to accessible fixed-route transportation services where such services are available, and accessible local transit service to senior citizens and the disabled, which may include but not be limited to door-to-door service, fixed route service, local fare subsidy, and user-side subsidy, which may include but not be limited to private ride or taxi fare subsidy; and to coordinate the activities of the various participants in this program in providing the services to be rendered at the county level and between counties; and
(2) To enable the corporation to develop, provide and maintain capital improvements that afford accessibility to fixed route and other transit services in order to make rail cars, rail stations, bus shelters and other bus equipment accessible to senior citizens and the disabled; to render technical information and assistance to counties eligible for assistance under this act; and to coordinate the program within and among counties.
b. (1) In the State fiscal year beginning July 1 following the effective date of P.L.2009, c.261 and in each fiscal year thereafter, there shall be appropriated to the corporation from the revenues deposited in the Casino Revenue Fund established pursuant to section 145 of P.L.1977, c.110 (C.5:12-145) a sum equal to 8.5% of the revenues deposited in the fund during the preceding fiscal year, as determined by the State Treasurer, to effectuate the purposes and provisions of P.L.1983, c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.).
(2) In the State fiscal year beginning July 1 following the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) and in each successive fiscal year thereafter, the proportion of the revenues deposited in the Casino Revenue Fund that shall be appropriated to the corporation for the purposes prescribed in paragraph (1) of subsection a. of this section shall be increased over the proportion applicable in the preceding fiscal year by (a) 0.25% of fund revenues in any year in which overall revenues deposited into the fund increase from the preceding year, and (b) 0.5% of fund revenues in any year in which overall revenues deposited into the fund decrease from the preceding year, until the total proportion is at least 12%, but not more than 12.25%, of the overall revenues deposited into the fund during the preceding fiscal year, as determined by the State Treasurer.
c. In any State fiscal year in which the appropriation described in subsection b. of this section would result in an appropriation below that of the prior fiscal year, additional sums shall be appropriated from the General Fund to maintain a funding level equal to that of the prior State fiscal year.
(cf: P.L.2009, c.261, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill increases the annual appropriation requirement for "The Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Program" (SCDRTAP) in incremental annual steps of either 0.25% or 0.5% from the current funding level of 8.5% to an eventual level of 12%. The amount would increase by 0.25% in each year in which there is growth in the revenues deposited into the Casino Revenue Fund and by 0.5% in each year in which there are declines in the revenues deposited into the Casino Revenue Fund.
This bill also establishes a floor on funding to the SCDRTAP. In any year in which the appropriation to the SCDRTAP would decrease, a General Fund appropriation will provide additional funding in order to maintain the prior year's funding level. This will prevent the SCDRTAP from experiencing sharp declines in funding, such as those experienced between FY 2008 and FY 2012, once the 12% funding level is fully implemented.
