[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 945

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblymen FELICE and Arnone

An Act concerning old age and permanent disability assistance and amending P.L.1973, c.256.

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

    1. Section 3 of P.L.1973, c.256 (C.44:7-87) is amended to read as follows:

    3. The commissioner shall:

    a. Enter into agreements with the government to secure the administration of supplementary payments by the government for such time and upon such conditions as the commissioner may in his discretion deem appropriate.

    b. Promulgate, alter and amend such rules, regulations and directory orders as are necessary and proper:

    (1) To implement the terms of the agreement with the government for the administration by the government of supplementary payments; and

    (2) To secure social services for eligible persons, and for such other aged, blind or disabled persons as the commissioner may designate.

    c. Transfer State or welfare board funds, or both, currently appropriated for this State's participation in the federal categorical assistance programs of "Old Age Assistance," R.S.44:7-3 to R.S.44:7-37, "Assistance for the Blind," P.L.1962, c.197 (C.44:7-43 to 44:7-49) and "Permanent and Total Disability Assistance," P.L.1951, c.139 (C.44:7-38 to 44:7-42) and any funds which may in the future be appropriated for the payment of supplementary payments, to the government in such amounts and at such times as the commissioner shall deem appropriate in order to provide for supplementary payments to eligible persons in this State; except that the commissioner shall annually increase the State supplementary payments to eligible persons residing in residential health care facilities ¹and rooming or boarding houses operating under a Class C license¹ by a percentage equal to any percentage increase in the federal government's ¹[supplemental security income] Supplemental Security Income¹ payments.

    d. Pay to the government such funds as are necessary to reimburse the government's expenses in collecting additional information needed for the State to make eligibility determinations for medical assistance under the New Jersey Medical Assistance and Health Services Act, P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-1 to 30:4D-19).

    e. Require welfare boards to perform such eligibility determinations as the commissioner may deem necessary for the continuation of the New Jersey Medical Assistance Program under the New Jersey Medical Assistance and Health Services Act, P.L.1968, c.413. The commissioner shall pay to the counties a reasonable amount to reimburse the welfare boards for their expenses in making such eligibility determinations.

    f. Assess welfare boards at the beginning of each fiscal year in the same proportion that the counties currently participate in the federal categorical assistance programs in order to obtain the amount of each county's share of supplementary payments for eligible persons in this State based upon the number of eligible persons in the county. The assessment shall be made as of January 1, 1974 for fiscal year 1974. In the event that the assessment against welfare boards in any one year exceeds the amount annually transferred to the government for the counties' portion of supplementary payments, the commissioner shall return the excess to the welfare boards in the same proportion as that used by the commissioner in assessing the welfare boards for the fiscal year involved.

    g. Take appropriate steps to secure maximum federal financial participation in providing assistance to eligible persons residing in residential health care facilities.

    h. Ensure that any eligible person residing in a rooming or boarding house or residential health care facility has reserved to him a monthly amount, from payment received under the provisions of the act to which this act is a supplement or from any other income, as a personal needs allowance. The personal needs allowance may vary according to the type of facility in which an eligible person resides, but in no case shall be less than $25.00 per month.

    i. Ensure that any eligible person who receives medical assistance under subparagraph 4(a) of subsection a. or under subparagraph (11), (13) or (14) of subsection b. of section 6 of P.L.1968, c.413 (C.30:4D-6) receives $10.00 per month, in addition to benefits received pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1382 (e) (1) (B). If the government cannot administer this $10.00 monthly increase, the commissioner shall administer this increase and shall ensure that this increase is not considered income, for Supplemental Security Income Program purposes. However, if the government increases the benefit level under 42 U.S.C. §1382 (e) (1) (B), the commissioner shall allow the government to administer this increase and shall reduce its payment to an eligible recipient by an equal amount.

(cf: P.L.1991, c.466, s.1)

    2. This act shall take effect ¹[immediately] on July 1st next following the date of enactment¹.

Provides for annual increase in State supplementary payments to residents of residential health care facilities and Class C boarding homes.