Bill Text: NJ A4314 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes COVID-19 Survivors Grant Program and appropriates $5 million.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-06-25 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Human Services Committee [A4314 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4314-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR.
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes COVID-19 Survivors Grant Program and appropriates $5 million.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the COVID-19 Survivors Grant Program and making a $5 million appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Human Services.
"COVID-19" means the coronavirus disease 2019, which is a highly infectious disease that causes respiratory illness.
"COVID-19 crisis" means the duration of the public health emergency and state of emergency, as declared by the Governor in Executive Order 103 of 2020.
"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
2. a. The department shall establish a temporary program known as the "COVID-19 Survivors Grant Program." The grant program shall provide for a one-time financial assistance relief grant to the surviving family of an individual that has died from COVID-19 from the "COVID-19 Survivors Grant Fund," established pursuant to section 2 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The purpose of the program shall be to provide financial assistance relief to a family that has suffered the loss of an immediate family member due to the COVID-19 crisis.
b. Within 60 days following the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), the commissioner shall implement the program, which shall include but not be limited to. establishing the application process, determining the required documentation to be considered a qualified applicant, and establishing a maximum amount of assistance per applicant.
To be qualified, the applicant shall be a New Jersey resident whose immediate family member has died due to COVID-19.
c. The application shall be submitted to the department, and upon approval, the department shall issue the grant, provided that there are available funds for such purposes in the "COVID-19 Survivors Grant Program."
d. The commissioner shall be responsible for determining whether any person seeking to be considered a qualified applicant under this section, for the purpose of receiving a grant, meets the eligibility requirements.
e. The commissioner shall identify amounts of federal government assistance provided to this State for COVID-19 emergency relief, which can be allocated to this grant fund.
3. a. There is established in the department the "COVID-19 Survivors Grant Program" a nonlapsing, revolving fund to carry out the provisions of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The department shall administer the fund.
b. There is appropriated to the department the sum of $5 million to be credited to the "COVID-19 Survivors Grant Fund" to effectuate the provisions of section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The amounts appropriated herein shall be funded first from assistance provided from the federal government to the extent not prohibited by federal law. The remaining amounts necessary to fund this program are appropriated from the General Fund.
c. In the event a person or entity wishes to make a monetary donation to the State for the "COVID-19 Survivors Grant Fund," the commissioner is hereby authorized to accept such monetary donations.
4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire one year following the rescission of Executive Order No. 103 of 2020 by the Governor.
STATEMENT
This bill appropriates $5 million and establishes in the Department of Human Services a temporary grant fund to be known as the "COVID-19 Survivors Grant Program." The purpose of the grant fund is to provide financial assistance relief to a family that has suffered the loss of an immediate family member due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Under this bill, the Department of Human Services will administer the application process for the grant fund. The Commissioner of Human Services will establish the application process, determining the required documentation to be considered a qualified applicant, and establish a maximum amount of assistance per applicant. To be qualified, the applicant is required to be a New Jersey resident whose immediate family member has died due to COVID-19. The commissioner will also identify amounts of federal government assistance provided to this State for COVID-19 emergency relief, which can be allocated to this grant fund.
The bill specifies that the $5 million being credited to the "COVID-19 Survivors Grant Program" will first be funded using any available federal assistance given to the State and that the remaining amounts necessary to fund this program are appropriated from the General Fund. The department will administer the funds. In the event a person or entity wishes to make a monetary donation to the State for this program, the commissioner is authorized to accept such monetary donations.
