ASSEMBLY SENIOR ISSUES, TOURISM AND GAMING COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2868

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MAY 15, 1997

      The Assembly Senior Issues, Tourism and Gaming Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly, No. 2868.

      This bill amends the Home Delivered Meals Expansion Program, P.L.1987, c.133 (C.52:27D-29.17 et seq.), to allow the provision of weekday meals. Currently, the federal Older Americans Act provides funding, with a State match, for the weekday Meals on Wheels program. The Home Delivered Meals Expansion Program is a State-funded program to provide meals for eligible senior citizens and disabled persons on weekends and holidays.

      Several counties do not have adequate funding for the Meals on Wheels program and have waiting lists for weekday meals. This bill will allow those counties to utilize the Home Delivered Meals Expansion Program for weekday meals for eligible senior citizens and disabled persons.

      The bill also makes technical changes which reflect the transfer of the Division on Aging from the Department of Community Affairs to the Department of Health and Senior Services.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT

      The committee amended the bill to delete section 3 amending section 6 of P.L.1987, c.133 (C.52:27D-29.22), which provided the initial appropriation to the Home Delivered Meals Expansion Program in 1987 and does not need to be amended to reflect the transfer of the Division on Aging from the Department of Community Affairs to the Department of Health and Senior Services.