Bill Text: NJ S993 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Permits DHS to request waiver of time limits for certain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients under certain circumstances.*

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-2)

Status: (Passed) 2016-06-30 - Approved P.L.2016, c.11. [S993 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2016-S993-Chaptered.html

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§§1,2 -

C.44:10-105 &

44:10-106

 

P.L.2016, CHAPTER 11, approved June 30, 2016

Senate, No. 993 (First Reprint)

 

 

An Act concerning eligibility for benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and supplementing Title 44 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    Immediately upon ¹[enactment] the effective date¹ of this act and at least once annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Human Services shall conduct a review of available data on labor and employment in the State produced by Department of Labor and Workforce Development and the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The purpose of the review shall be to determine whether ¹[participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program may be eligible for] to submit a request for¹ a waiver of the benefit time limit for able bodied adults without dependents ¹participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program¹ as authorized by 7 C.F.R. 273.24(f), either throughout the State or in any geographic area of the State.  The review shall consider each criterion of eligibility for a waiver ¹[, including the unemployment rate in the State and in each area in the State,]¹ as well as ¹[indicators of a lack of sufficient jobs to provide employment as] the availability of opportunities that will fulfill the work requirement¹ described in ¹[7 C.F.R. 273.24(f)(2)(ii)] 7 C.F.R. 273.24(a)¹.  ¹[If the commissioner's review finds that a waiver is likely to be approved for the State or any area of the State, the commissioner shall] Based on the review conducted pursuant to this section, the commissioner shall determine whether to¹ submit a request for ¹a¹ waiver. 

 

     2.    a.  The Commissioner of Human Services shall issue a report ¹annually over the next three years, with the first report being issued¹ no later than one month following the effective date of this act, ¹[and monthly thereafter,]¹ to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature on:

     (1)   the number of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants in each county who are subject to the benefit time limit for able bodied adults without dependents; ¹and¹

     (2)   ¹[the number of participants whose benefits are in danger of being terminated within the next month due to the benefits time limit; and

     (3)]¹ the number of participants whose benefits were terminated in the past ¹[month] year¹ as a result of the benefit time limit.

     b.    ¹[Beginning with the first report and at least once annually thereafter, the] The¹ report shall also describe the review of labor and employment data conducted pursuant to section 1 of this act and any actions taken by the commissioner related to requesting a waiver of the time limit.  ¹[If any area of the State is not covered by a requested waiver, the report shall describe the commissioner's reasons for not submitting a waiver request.]¹

 

     3.    This act shall take effect ¹[immediately] on the first day of the sixth month next following the date of enactment¹.

 

 

                                

 

     Permits DHS to request waiver of time limits for certain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients under certain circumstances.