Bill Text: NJ S186 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires certain services be prearranged before homeless person is relocated.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee [S186 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S186-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator CHRIS A. BROWN
District 2 (Atlantic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires certain services be prearranged before homeless person is relocated.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning services for homeless persons and supplementing Title 44 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. As used in this act:
"County agency" means a county agency that administers benefits under the Work First New Jersey program as defined in section 3 of P.L.1997, c.38 (C.44:10-57).
"Homeless person" means an individual who temporarily lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate residence.
"Municipality" means a city, town, township, village, or borough.
"Municipal welfare agency" means an agency in a municipality that administers the Work First New Jersey General Public Assistance program established pursuant to P.L.1947, c.156 (C.44:8-107 et seq.).
"Supportive services" means and includes, but is not limited to, those services necessary to prevent a person from suffering from the elements or hunger, or being deprived of shelter.
2. a. A law enforcement officer, private social services agency, county agency, or municipal welfare agency shall not provide or arrange for the relocation of a homeless person from the person's current location to a different municipality or county outside the jurisdiction of the officer or agency, unless a private social services agency, county agency, or municipal welfare agency, as appropriate, has first complied with the provisions of subsection b. of this section.
b. Prior to any relocation of a homeless person pursuant to subsection a. of this section, a private social services agency, county agency, or municipal welfare agency shall:
(1) prepare a case management plan, which shall include an explanation of why the person cannot be provided supportive services in the current location; and
(2) arrange for a private social services agency, county agency, or municipal welfare agency in the different municipality or county to provide supportive services in accordance with the case management plan to the person upon the person's relocation.
c. Alternatively, a private social services agency, county agency, or municipal welfare agency shall ensure that a homeless person is provided supportive services in the person's current location.
d. A person who provides or
arranges for the relocation of a homeless person in violation of this section
is a disorderly person.
3. The Commissioner of Human Services, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations to effectuate the purposes of this act.
4. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month next following the date of enactment, but the Commissioner of Human Services may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill concerns the arrangement of services for homeless persons prior to their being relocated to a different municipality or county.
Specifically, the bill provides that a law enforcement officer, private social services agency, county agency, or municipal welfare agency shall not provide or arrange for the relocation of a homeless person to a different municipality or county, outside the jurisdiction of the officer or agency, unless a case management plan, which includes an explanation of why the person cannot be provided supportive services in the current location, has been prepared. In addition, the bill requires that arrangements be made in the different municipality or county for supportive services to be provided to the homeless person in accordance with the case management plan upon the person's relocation. The bill specifies that, alternatively, a private social services agency, county agency, or municipal welfare agency shall ensure that the homeless person is provided supportive services in the person's current location.
"Supportive services" is defined in the bill as including, but not limited to, those services necessary to prevent a person from suffering from the elements or hunger, or being deprived of shelter.
Lastly, the bill provides that a person who provides or arranges for the relocation of a homeless person in violation of the bill's provisions is a disorderly person (punishable by imprisonment for up to six months or a fine of up to $1,000, or both).
