Bill Text: NJ S1248 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires DHS and other appropriate state agencies to disseminate information on transportation options for persons with developmental disabilities.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S1248 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S1248-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES BEACH
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DHS and other appropriate State agencies to disseminate information on transportation options for persons with developmental disabilities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning transportation options for persons with developmental disabilities and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Department of Human Services and any other State agency that provides services to or otherwise interacts with individuals with developmental disabilities shall:
(1) provide persons with developmental disabilities and their families with pamphlets or other written materials describing the various transportation options, including, but not limited to, the Access Link paratransit system operated by the New Jersey Transit Corporation, that are available to help such persons travel in the State; and
(2) post, on their departmental websites, the informational materials described in paragraph (1) of this subsection, as well as hyperlinks to relevant transportation provider websites.
b. The Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the Department of Human Services shall develop and distribute, to all appropriate State agencies, the written materials required by this section. Written materials produced under this subsection shall utilize language and imagery that can be easily understood by persons with developmental disabilities and shall identify:
(1) for each available mode of transport: (a) the phone number or website address that can be used by consumers to reserve a ride or review applicable transportation schedules; (b) the eligibility requirements, if any, that must be satisfied to utilize the mode of transport; and (c) whether family members or caregivers may accompany a person with a developmental disability on the mode of transport; and
(2) any other information that may help persons with developmental disabilities and their families understand and navigate the State's available transportation systems.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, except that the Commissioner of Human Services and the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Developmental Disabilities may take anticipatory administrative action in advance of the effective date as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Department of Human Services and any other State agency that provides services to or otherwise interacts with individuals with developmental disabilities to: 1) provide persons with developmental disabilities and their families with pamphlets or other written materials describing the various transportation options, including, but not limited to, the Access Link paratransit system operated by the New Jersey Transit Corporation, that are available to help such persons travel in the State; and 2) post those informational materials on their departmental websites, along with hyperlinks to relevant transportation provider websites.
The Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the Department of Human Services will be required to develop and distribute, to all appropriate State agencies, the written materials required by the bill. The written materials are to utilize language and imagery that can be easily understood by persons with developmental disabilities and are to identify: 1) for each mode of transport, the phone number or website address that can be used by consumers to reserve a ride or review applicable transportation schedules; the eligibility requirements, if any, that must be satisfied in order to use the particular mode of transport; and whether family members or caregivers may accompany a person with a developmental disability when using the mode of transport; and 2) any other information that may help persons with developmental disabilities and their families understand and navigate the State's available transportation systems.
