Bill Text: NJ A4850 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Concerns financial need policy used to determine costs to clients to participate in certain vocational rehabilitation services.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-05-04 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee [A4850 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A4850-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman HEATHER SIMMONS
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
Assemblyman DAVID BAILEY, JR.
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns financial need policy used to determine costs to clients to participate in certain vocational rehabilitation services.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning costs of certain vocational rehabilitation services and supplementing chapter 16 of Title 34 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Not later than one year following the effective date of this act, the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, shall update the financial need requirements used to determine client participation in the cost of vocational rehabilitation services related to postsecondary education, credential attainment, and career training.
b. The commissioner shall annually review the financial need requirements and provide, as necessary, for the adjustment of income and asset thresholds to ensure that client participation in the cost of vocational rehabilitation services remains up-to-date.
c. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services established under federal or State law, or to affect financial need determinations for services other than those described in subsection a. of this section.
d. The commissioner shall submit an annual report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature concerning the standards used to determine the income and asset thresholds, any updates to those thresholds under this act, and recommendations, including any legislative proposals the commissioner deems appropriate.
e. The commissioner, in consultation with the director, 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.
2. This act shall take effect on the 30th day after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill concerns the financial need policy used to determine client participation in the cost of certain vocational rehabilitation services.
The bill requires the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, to update the financial need requirements used to determine client participation in the cost of vocational rehabilitation services related to postsecondary education, credential attainment, and career training.
Under the bill, the commissioner is required to annually review the financial need requirements and provide, as necessary, for the adjustment of income and asset thresholds to ensure that client participation in the cost of vocational rehabilitation services remains up-to-date.
The bill requires the commissioner to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the standards used to determine the income and asset thresholds, any updates to those thresholds, and recommendations, including any legislative proposals the commissioner deems appropriate.
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services provides services to eligible individuals with disabilities who need services in order to secure employment.
