SENATE, No. 1323

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 13, 1996

 

 

By Senator LaROSSA

 

 

A Supplement to "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State Government and the several public purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996 and regulating the disbursement thereof," approved June 30, 1995 (P.L.1995, c.164).

 

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

 

    1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.1995, c.164, there are appropriated out of the General Fund the following sums for the purposes specified:

 

DIRECT STATE SERVICES

 26 DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

10 Public Safety and Criminal Justice

16 Detention and Rehabilitation

7025 System-Wide Program Support

07-7025 Institutional Control and Supervision ......................................

    $24,400,000

          Total Appropriation, System-Wide Program Support .............................

$24,400,000

Special Purpose:

 

    Increased Operating Costs ......................................

($24,400,000)

 

From the amount appropriated hereinabove for Increased Operating Costs, such sums as shall be determined by the Commissioner of Corrections shall be transferred to other accounts within the department.

 

 94 INTER-DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNTS

70 Government Direction, Management and Control

74 General Government Services

9410 Employee Benefits

03-9410 Employee Benefits ....................................................................

 $15,950,000

          Total Appropriation, Employee Benefits ......................................

$15,950,000

Special Purpose:

 

    State Employees' Health Benefits ..........................

($15,950,000)

 

 

GRANTS-IN-AID

 26 DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

10 Public Safety and Criminal Justice

16 Detention and Rehabilitation

7025 System-Wide Program Support--Grants-In-Aid

13-7025 Institutional Program Support ...............................................

    $16,100,000

          Total Appropriation, System-Wide Program Support .............................

$16,100,000

Grants:

 

    Purchase of Services for Inmates Incarcerated

        In County Penal Facilities ................................

 

($16,100,000)

 

 

 46 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

20 Physical and Mental Health

22 Health Planning and Evaluation--Grants-In-Aid

07-4270 Health Care Planning, Financing and Information Services ..

$58,000,000

          Total Appropriation, Health Planning and Evaluation .................

$58,000,000

Grants:

 

   Health Access New Jersey Program ...................

($22,500,000)

 

   Charity Care Hospital Payments .........................

(35,500,000)

 

The amounts appropriated hereinabove for the Health Access New Jersey Program and for Charity Care Hospital Payments shall be transferred to the credit of the Health Care Subsidy Fund established pursuant to section 8 of P.L.1992, c.160 (C.26:2H-18.58).

 

Total Appropriation, General Fund .......................................................

$114,450,000

 

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

 

STATEMENT

 

    This bill makes supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 1996 of $40.4 million for the Department of Corrections, $15.95 million for State Employees' Health Benefits in the Inter-Departmental Accounts and $58 million for the Department of Health. The Department of Corrections appropriations consist of $24.4 million in Direct State Services funding and approximately $16 million in Grants-In-Aid funding. The Department of Corrections' Direct State Services appropriation will primarily cover additional custody overtime costs due to higher than anticipated institutional inmate population growth, increased overtime associated with the severe winter weather, and reduction initiatives that have produced less savings in fiscal year 1996 than had been projected.

    The Department of Corrections' Grants-In-Aid appropriation is required due to inmate population increases that have been substantially higher than those budgeted for, causing an increase in the number of State-sentenced inmates housed by counties and awaiting placement in State facilities. The fiscal year 1996 appropriations act assumed a net monthly increase of 125 inmates for fiscal year 1996 but the actual net monthly average increase for the first nine months has been 264.

    When the budget recommendations for fiscal year 1997 were prepared the fiscal year 1996 appropriation for State Employees' Health Benefits was adjusted to reflect a $24.7 million supplemental appropriation need because the State health benefits legislation, P.L.1996, c.8, was not enacted in time to affect the fiscal year 1996 State budget. P.L.1996, c.8, enacted on March 21, 1996, is not effective until fiscal year 1997. Other cost savings have reduced the supplemental appropriation need for State Employees' Health Benefits to the current $15,950,000.

    The supplemental appropriations of $58,000,000 for the Department of Health consist of: (1) an appropriation of $22,500,000 for the Health Access New Jersey program that will provide $10,000,000 for calendar year 1996 funding and $12,500,000 for one-half of the $25,000,000 calendar year 1997 funding required pursuant to P.L.1996, c.29, and (2) an appropriation of $35,500,000 for Charity Care Hospital payments that will provide $15,000,000 from the General Fund in calendar year 1996, and $20,500,000 for one-half of the $41,000,000 from the General Fund in calendar year 1997 required pursuant to P.L.1996, c.28. The Department of Health appropriations will ensure timely payments to hospitals under this program. The unexpended balances will be reappropriated into fiscal year 1997. When added to employer and employee payroll contributions, this supplemental appropriation will fully fund Health Access New Jersey, charity care and the Hospital Relief Fund through June 30, 1997.

 

 

                             

 

Makes fiscal year 1996 supplemental appropriations of $40.5 million for Department of Corrections, $15.95 million for State Employees' Health Benefits, and $58.0 million for Department of Health.