Bill Text: NJ A4896 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Makes FY2025 supplemental appropriation of $400,000 from General fund for grant to nonprofit organization to support purchase of pet food for pet owners undergoing medical care.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-10-17 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture Committee [A4896 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4896-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CAROL A. MURPHY
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman DAN HUTCHISON
District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)
Assemblyman CODY D. MILLER
District 4 (Atlantic, Camden and Gloucester)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Atkins
SYNOPSIS
Makes FY2025 supplemental appropriation of $400,000 from General Fund for grant to nonprofit organization to support purchase of pet food for pet owners undergoing medical care.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Supplement to the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, P.L.2024, c.22.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2024, c.22, the annual appropriations act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, there is appropriated from the General Fund the following amount for the purpose specified:
46 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
20 Physical and Mental Health
21 Health Services
GRANTS-IN-AID
05-4285 Community Health Services.................................... $400,000
Total Grants-In-Aid Appropriation,
Health Services $400,000
Grants-in-Aid
05 Living for a Cause - Patient Pet Food Security Wellness Program ($400,000)
The amount hereinabove appropriated for the Living for a Cause -Patient Pet Food Security Wellness Program shall be distributed as a grant to the nonprofit organization Living for a Cause and used to assist patients undergoing medical care in Burlington County and the surrounding counties who are experiencing economic hardship, to provide pet food to patients to alleviate the financial burden of pet ownership and prevent the surrender of pets to animal shelters.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill supplements the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations act to make an additional appropriation of $400,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health to provide a grant to the nonprofit organization Living for a Cause to provide funding for the Patient Pet Food Security Wellness Program. The program would assist patients undergoing medical care in Burlington County and the surrounding counties who are experiencing economic hardship, to provide pet food to patients to alleviate the financial burden of pet ownership and prevent the surrender of pets to animal shelters.
Living for a Cause is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Florence, New Jersey and dedicated to a range of philanthropic causes, including animal welfare activities. Since 2009, Living for a Cause has supported many animals and their owners across New Jersey by providing an array of animal emergency programs. The program has sponsored horses that have been rescued from unsafe circumstances, provided pet oxygen masks and K9 cooling vests to relieve animals from heat stroke, distributed K9 ballistic vests to police dogs, and organized large pet food distributions for local food pantries and home delivery. Living for a Cause launched the Patient Pet Food Security Wellness Program in 2023.
