Sponsored by:
Senator NELLIE POU
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DHS to conduct survey on SNAP experience.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the evaluation of the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program application process and supplementing Title 44 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 shall conduct a survey of county welfare agencies for the purpose of evaluating the SNAP experience of applicants and beneficiaries. The survey shall include, at a minimum, questions concerning the applicant’s experience navigating the SNAP application process, any difficulties the applicant encountered in the application process, the availability of consumer support at the county welfare agency, and how well the applicant’s questions and concerns were addressed by staff at the county welfare agency.
b. The purpose of the survey shall be to:
(2) formulate trainings or strategies to improve the processing of SNAP applications; and
(3) assess which counties require additional resource and staff support.
c. The survey developed by the department shall be distributed to SNAP applicants at each county welfare agency.
d. The commissioner shall make survey data collected pursuant to this section available through the Department of Human Services’ Internet website in a user-friendly format, and shall, no later than 18 months after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), submit a report to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), concerning the results of the survey and the commissioner’s recommendations for legislation or other appropriate action.
e. As used in this section:
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Human Services.
"Department" means the Department of Human Services.
“SNAP” means the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, established pursuant to the federal “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008,” Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.) and P.L.1998, c.32 (C.44:10-79 et seq.).
2. The Commissioner of Health, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Department of Human Services to conduct a survey for the purpose of evaluating the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) experience of applicants and beneficiaries. The survey is to include, at a minimum, questions concerning the applicant’s experience navigating the SNAP application process, any difficulties the applicant encountered in the application process, the availability of consumer support at the county welfare agency, and how well the applicant’s questions and concerns were addressed by staff at the county welfare agency.
The purpose of the survey is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each county welfare agency in processing SNAP applications; formulate trainings or strategies to improve the processing of SNAP applications; and assess which counties require additional resource and staff support. The survey will be distributed to SNAP applicants at each county welfare agency. Survey data is to be made available through the Department of Human Services’ website, and the commissioner is to submit a report to the Legislature concerning the results of the survey and any recommendations for legislation or other action.