SENATE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[Second Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 265

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JUNE 3, 1996

      The Senate Community Affairs Committee reports Assembly Bill No. 265 (2R).

      Assembly Bill No. 265 (2R) permits municipalities which enforce the State Uniform Construction Code to waive any municipal fee or charge including site plan review fees for disabled persons for any construction, reconstruction, alteration, or improvement which promotes accessibility to their own living units. "Disabled" is defined in the bill to mean a person who has the total and permanent inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment, including blindness, and includes but is not limited to, any resident of this State who is disabled pursuant to the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.§416), or the federal Railroad Retirement Act of 1974 (45 U.S.C.§231 et seq.), or is rated as having a 60% disability or higher pursuant to any federal law administered by the United States Veterans' Act.

      In many cases the labor and materials for renovations, such as ramps or modified entryways, are donated; however, municipalities may still require costly building permits to undertake such renovations. These costs may undermine the ability of the disabled to proceed with the needed modifications.