ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION AND INDEPENDENT AUTHORITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5336

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 15, 2021

      The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 5336.

      As amended and reported, this bill requires the Commissioner of Human Services (commissioner) to develop a payment program that provides persons with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual and development disabilities individual travel budgets.  The program is to permit individuals to use the travel budget to pay for travel on the New Jersey Transit Corporation regular route bus, rail, and light rail network, pay-per-ride trips provided through county transportation agencies, and transportation network company and taxi services with drivers that have completed Passenger Assistance, Safety, and Sensitivity (PASS) training. 

     The bill also requires the commissioner to develop rules and regulations that encourage the utilization of county transportation agency services for travel to and from day programs and employment sites, and for the department to coordinate with county transportation agencies to establish service to day programs and employment sites that are not currently served by county transportation agencies.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to clarify that program is for travel budgets for persons diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and to move the payment program from the Division of Developmental Disabilities to the Department of Human Services.  The amendments also change the title and synopsis of the bill to reflect this change.