[First Reprint]

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 110

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 26, 2018

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.

District 18 (Middlesex)

Senator  TROY SINGLETON

District 7 (Burlington)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators T.Kean, Madden, Cunningham, Pou and Ruiz

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges Chief Innovation Officer to prioritize enhancement of NJOneApp to include all State anti-hunger programs.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on January 31, 2019, with amendments.

 


A Joint Resolution urging the Chief Innovation Officer of New Jersey to prioritize the enhancement of the NJOneApp to include all State anti-hunger programs.

 

Whereas, The NJOneApp is operated by the Department of Human Services as a consolidated website for individuals to see if they qualify for certain health and social services and to apply for those assistance programs; and

Whereas, Currently, the NJOneApp allows New Jersey residents to apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), and General Assistance through Work First New Jersey; and

Whereas, Improving the NJOneApp to include all State anti-hunger programs, in addition to the other programs currently available on the website, would provide a streamlined way by which disadvantaged individuals can address their food insecurity needs as well as their overall health and social service needs; and

Whereas, Such an enhancement would also help individuals and households access assistance programs that they otherwise may not have known they were eligible for; and

Whereas, In August 2018, the State’s first Chief Innovation Officer was appointed to, among several other things, improve the lives of New Jersey residents by designing and deploying more effective government services; and

Whereas, Enhancing the NJOneApp to include all anti-hunger programs aligns with the responsibilities and goals of the Chief Innovation Officer and such action would help streamline State government assistance services, improving the lives of many of the most vulnerable in this State; and

Whereas, According to Feeding America’s report entitled “Map the Meal Gap 20181[”,],”1 over 10 percent of New Jersey residents1,1 and 13.5 percent of children in the State under the age of 181,1 are food insecure, meaning those residents do not have an adequate, consistent supply of food; and

Whereas, It is important and in the best interests of the State to prioritize better access to anti-hunger programs and streamline screening and application services through the NJOneApp so that more qualifying residents can receive the food assistance and other government support they urgently need; and

Whereas, All State anti-hunger programs administered by the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, or Department of Human Services, that provide needy or vulnerable populations greater access to food, should be made available within the NJOneApp; now, therefore,

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

 

     1.    1[This resolution urges the] The1 Chief Innovation Officer of New Jersey 1is respectfully urged1 to prioritize the enhancement of the NJOneApp to include all State anti-hunger programs so that residents of this State can more effectively be screened and apply for these anti-hunger programs, in addition to the other government assistance programs 1[that can currently be applied for],1 through the NJOneApp.

 

     2     Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly 1or the Secretary of the Senate1 to the Chief Innovation Officer of New Jersey.

 

     3.    This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.