SENATE, No. 613

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 5, 1996

By Senator CIESLA

An Act concerning State supplementary payments for certain public assistance recipients, amending P.L.1973, c.256, and making an appropriation therefor.

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

    1. Section 2 of P.L.1973, c.256 (C.44:7-86) is amended to read as follows:

    2. Any person whose income, including any basic payment, is below the public assistance standard established by the commissioner and the government pursuant to the Federal Act is eligible for supplementary payments. The existence of an essential person may be considered in determining the amount of any supplementary payment made to an eligible person.

    In addition to any amounts currently provided by the State as supplementary payments to a recipient of Supplemental Security Income pursuant to P.L.1973, c.256 (C.44:7-85 et seq.):

    a. A recipient who resides in a residential health care facility licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) shall receive a residential facility supplementary payment of $200 per month for the purpose of increasing the amount of the recipient's payment for room and board at the facility;

    b. A recipient who resides in a facility licensed as a Class C boarding house pursuant to P.L.1979, c.496 (C.55:13B-1 et seq.) shall receive a residential facility supplementary payment of $200 per month for the purpose of increasing the amount of the recipient's payment for room and board at the facility. Subject to government approval, the commissioner shall establish a new living arrangement for recipients who reside in a facility licensed as a Class C boarding house pursuant to P.L.1979, c.496 (C.55:13B-1 et seq.)

(cf: P.L.1973, c.256, s.2)

    2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services, Division of Family Development, State Aid, Payments of Supplemental Security Income account $20,000,000 to carry out the purposes of section 1 of this act.

    3. This act shall take effect July 1, 1996.

STATEMENT

    This bill raises the State supplementary payment for recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) who reside in residential health care facilities (RHCFs) and Class C licensed boarding houses by $200 per month and also directs the Commissioner of Human Services to establish a new living arrangement classification for SSI purposes for persons who reside in Class C licensed boarding houses, subject to the approval of the federal government.

    The $200 per month per recipient increase addresses the inadequate State supplementary payments to persons in such living arrangements.

    With respect to SSI recipients who reside in RHCFs, the State supplement for single SSI recipients would increase from $150.05 to $350.05 per month and from $510.36 to $710.36 per month for married SSI recipients. Total monthly SSI payments would increase to $820.05 and $1,421.36, respectively, for single and married SSI recipients residing in RHCFs. With respect to SSI recipients who reside in Class C licensed boarding houses, once federal government approval is received to allow the State to establish a new SSI living arrangement classification for such persons, the State supplement for single SSI recipients residing in such facilities would increase from $31.25 to $231.25 per month for single persons and from $25.36 to $225.36 per month for married persons. Total monthly SSI payments would increase to $701.25 and $930.36, respectively, for single and married SSI recipients residing in Class C licensed boarding houses.

    The bill appropriates $20,000,000 from the General Fund to fund the $200 per recipient per month increase in State supplementary payments for Fiscal Year 1997 (the bill takes effect on July 1, 1996). The appropriation is based on approximately 7,000 recipients who reside in RHCFs based on data provided by the Division of Family Development and approximately 1,300 recipients who reside in Class C licensed boarding houses according to the Association of Residential Care Homes.

Increases State supplementary payments for certain SSI recipients and appropriates $20,000,000.