Bill Text: NJ A4876 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires county welfare agencies to conduct full eligibility screening of public assistance and social service programs for each applicant.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-16 - Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee [A4876 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-A4876-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman JOANN DOWNEY
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Requires county welfare agencies to conduct full eligibility screening of public assistance and social service programs for each applicant.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning county welfare agencies 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 county welfare agency shall conduct a full eligibility screening of the public assistance and social service programs administered by the agency for each member of the public who submits an application for one, but less than all, of the public assistance and social service programs for which the agency accepts applications.
For the purposes of this act:
"County welfare agency" means that agency of county government, which is charged with the responsibility for determining eligibility for public assistance and social service programs. The term county welfare agency includes, but is not limited to, agencies that may be locally known as the Board of Social Services; the Department of Citizen Services; Division of Welfare; the Division of Social Services; the Division of Temporary Assistance and Social Services; or as the Department of Family and Community Development.
"Public assistance and social service programs" mean any program administered through a county welfare agency which is authorized to provide assistance and services to needy persons, including but not limited to: the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program established pursuant to the federal "Food and Nutrition Act of 2008," Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.); the Work First New Jersey program established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.); and the Medicaid program established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.)
2. The Commissioner of Human Services shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act" P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to effectuate the purposes of this act.
3. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, except that the Commissioner of Human Services may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires county welfare agencies to conduct a full eligibility screening of public assistance and social service programs administered by the agency for each member of the public who submits an application for one, but less than all, of the public assistance and social service programs for which the agency accepts applications.
Under the bill, a "county welfare agency" means that agency of county government, which is charged with the responsibility for determining eligibility for public assistance and social service programs. The term county welfare agency includes, but is not limited to, agencies that may be locally known as the Board of Social Services; the Department of Citizen Services; Division of Welfare; the Division of Social Services; the Division of Temporary Assistance and Social Services; or as the Department of Family and Community Development.
Additionally, "public assistance and social service programs" mean any program administered through a county welfare agency which is authorized to provide assistance or services to needy persons, including but not limited to: the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, established pursuant to the federal "Food and Nutrition Act of 2008," Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.); the Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) program - which encompasses the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and the General Assistance program - established pursuant to P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-55 et seq.); and the Medicaid program established pursuant to P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 et seq.).
