Bill Text: NJ SCR93 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges President and Congress to enact "Poverty Line Act of 2023."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-03-18 - Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee [SCR93 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-SCR93-Introduced.html
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 93
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 22, 2024
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Urges President and Congress to enact "Poverty Line Act of 2023."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Concurrent Resolution urging the President and Congress of the United States to enact the "Poverty Line Act of 2023."
Whereas, The federal poverty guidelines, more commonly known as the federal poverty level, are a measure of income issued annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services which are used to determine an individual's or household's eligibility for certain State and federal programs and benefits; and
Whereas, The current method for calculating these guidelines was established in the 1960s and is tied a household's food budget from that decade, adjusted for inflation; and
Whereas, For most modern American households, however, the cost of food has decreased as a share of expenses relative to other costs like housing, utilities, childcare, transportation, and healthcare; and
Whereas, Despite the federal poverty level's benefit of providing a nationally recognized income threshold for determining who is poor, its shortcomings are well documented as it is not based on the current cost of basic household necessities and, except for Alaska and Hawaii, it is not adjusted to reflect cost of living differences across the United States; and
Whereas, As a result, millions of struggling families across the country make too little to afford their basic needs, yet because the federal poverty line is so low, they are not eligible for safety net benefits; and
Whereas, According to the 2023 United for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) report, 11 percent of households in New Jersey in 2021, or 368,639, lived in poverty according to the federal guidelines; however, another 26 percent of households, or 923,791, were above the federal poverty level but did not earn enough to afford the basics necessities in the communities in which they lived; and
Whereas, In December of 2023, Congressman Kevin Mullin of California introduced the "Poverty Line Act of 2023," with the support of New Jersey Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman and others, which proposes to update the way the federal government calculates the federal poverty line by accounting for real costs and adjusting for regional differences; and
Whereas, These changes to the federal poverty level calculation would make millions more families across the nation eligible for safety net programs, including Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provide critical support to people during times of economic hardship; and
Whereas, Notably, the bill would also ensure that the new methodology is reviewed at least once every four years to determine whether it is still reflective of what households need to meet their basic needs and to identify additional changes needed in the future; and
Whereas, The "Poverty Line Act of 2023" has been endorsed by more than 40 organizations, including Children's Defense Fund, Feeding America, Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund, and United Way Worldwide; and
Whereas, The enactment of the "Poverty Line Act of 2023" would provide that the determination of poverty in New Jersey and the United States reflects the current level of financial distress experienced by millions of American families, ensuring greater access to the vital government benefits that provide the necessary short- and long-term support and stability to allow for economic mobility; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey (the General Assembly concurring):
1. The President of the United States and Congress are urged to enact the "Poverty Line Act of 2023" to provide that the determination of poverty in New Jersey and the United States reflects the current level of financial distress experienced by millions of American families, ensuring greater access to the vital government benefits that provide the necessary short- and long-term support and stability to allow for economic mobility.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States and every member of the New Jersey Congressional delegation.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the President and Congress to enact the "Poverty Line Act of 2023," which would update the way the federal government calculates the federal poverty guidelines by accounting for real costs and adjusting for regional differences. The federal poverty guidelines, more commonly known as the federal poverty level, are a measure of income issued annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services which are used to determine an individual's or household's eligibility for certain State and federal programs and benefits. Despite the federal poverty level's benefit of providing a nationally recognized income threshold for determining who is poor, its shortcomings are well documented as it is not based on the current cost of basic household necessities, such as housing, utilities, childcare, transportation, and healthcare, and, except for Alaska and Hawaii, it is not adjusted to reflect cost of living differences across the United States. As a result, millions of struggling families across the country make too little to afford their basic needs, yet because the federal poverty line is so low, they are not eligible for safety net benefits.
The changes to the federal poverty level calculation proposed in the "Poverty Line Act of 2023," would increase the access to programs, such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provide critical support to people during times of economic hardship. Notably, the bill would also ensure that the new methodology is reviewed at least once every four years to determine whether it is still reflective of what households need to meet their basic needs and to identify additional changes needed in the future. Ultimately, the enactment of the "Poverty Line Act of 2023" would provide that the determination of poverty in New Jersey and the United States reflects the current level of financial distress experienced by millions of American families, ensuring greater access to the vital government benefits that provide the necessary short- and long-term support and stability to allow for economic mobility.
