Bill Text: NJ S947 | 2010-2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Concerns eligibility for Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief fund assistance when more than one child in family has catastrophic illness.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-1)
Status: (Passed) 2010-11-03 - Approved P.L.2010, c.84. [S947 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2010-S947-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH F. VITALE
District 19 (Middlesex)
Senator STEVEN V. OROHO
District 24 (Sussex, Hunterdon and Morris)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns eligibility for Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief fund assistance when more than one child in family has catastrophic illness.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning eligibility for assistance under the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund and amending P.L.1987, c.370.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 8 of P.L.1987, c.370 (C.26:2-155) is amended to read as follows:
8. a. A child who is a resident of this State is eligible, through his parent or legal guardian, to apply to the program established pursuant to subsection a. of section 7 of [this act] P.L.1987, c.370 (C.26:2-154).
b. In the event a family has more than one child with a catastrophic illness, as defined pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1987, c.370 (C.26:2-149), the commission shall waive the family responsibility, as established by regulation, for the other child if the family has met the family responsibility for the first child in a State fiscal year.
(cf: P.L.1998, c.143, s.4)
2. This act shall take effect on the 30th day following enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill amends the law establishing the Catastrophic Illness in Children Relief Fund to provide that in the event a family has more than one child with a catastrophic illness, the Catastrophic Illness in Relief Fund Commission shall waive the family responsibility for the other child if the family has met the family responsibility for the first child in a State fiscal year. Under commission regulations (N.J.A.C.10:155-1.2), "family responsibility" is defined as the amount equal to 10% of the eligibility standard; and "eligibility standard" is defined as the dollar amount greater than 10% of the first $100,000 of annual income of a family plus 15% of the excess income over $100,000.
The provisions of this bill will ensure that once a family with more than one child who has a catastrophic illness meets its "family responsibility" for the first child, the other child will also qualify for assistance under the program and the family will not have to separately meet another "family responsibility" before the second child qualifies for assistance.
