SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, No. 214

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MARCH 7, 1996

      The Senate Human Services Committee favorably reports a Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 214.

      This substitute expands the provisions of P.L.1993, c.13 (C.2C:20-35 et seq.), which established penalties for the illegal use of food stamp benefits, to include the use of the plastic magnetic-stripe card for the aid to families with dependent children (AFDC) program. AFDC recipients will use the benefit cards to access their benefits at point-of-sale terminals under the electronic benefit distribution system established pursuant to the "Public Assistance Electronic Benefit Distribution System Act," P.L.1985, c.501 (C.44:10-5.1 et seq.).

      The State has begun implementing the electronic benefit distribution system in Camden, Essex and Hudson counties, where the use of this card is replacing food stamps and AFDC welfare checks for thousands of public assistance recipients, and will eventually be expanding the system to all 21 counties Statewide.