SENATE SENIOR CITIZENS, VETERANS' AFFAIRS AND AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1129

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: JANUARY 14, 1997

      The Senate Senior Citizens, Veterans' Affairs and Agriculture Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 1129, with committee amendments.

      This bill, as amended, extends the benefits of the "Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled" (PAAD) program to otherwise eligible individuals who receive disability benefits under certain federal programs other than Social Security. These include the "Railroad Retirement Act of 1974," the federal civil service retirement program and any federal law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs where the individual's disability is rated 60% or higher.

      Presently, only those persons defined as disabled pursuant to the federal Social Security Act are eligible for PAAD.

      In addition, this amended bill makes technical amendments to update the name of the PAAD program to include the disabled.

      The committee amended the bill to correct a typographical error in section 3 of the bill.