SENATE, No. 1786

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JANUARY 14, 1997

By Senator KOSCO

An Act to amend "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State Government and the several public purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1997 and regulating the disbursement thereof," approved June 28, 1996 (P.L.1996, c.42)

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

    1. The following language provisions of section 1 of P.L.1996, c.42 (on pages 127 and 181) are amended to read as follows:

[Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1979, c.197 (C.48:2-29.15 et seq.), or the provisions of P.L.1981, c.210 (C.48:2-29.30 et seq.), or any other law to the contrary, the benefits of the Lifeline Credit Program and the Tenants' Lifeline Assistance Program may be distributed throughout the entire year from July through June, and are not limited to an October to March heating season, and therefore applications for Lifeline benefits and benefits from the "Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled" program may be combined.]

(cf: P.L.1996, c.42, s.1)

Notwithstanding the provisions of P.L.1979, c.197 (C.48:2-29.15 et seq.), or the provisions of P.L.1981, c.210 (C.48:2-29.30 et seq.), or any other law to the contrary, applications for the Lifeline Credit Program and the Tenants' Lifeline Assistance Program may be combined with the application for the "Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled" program; however, the benefits of the Lifeline Credit Program and the Tenants' Lifeline Assistance program [may] shall be distributed [throughout the entire year from July through June, and are not limited to an] during the October to March heating season[,and therefore applications for Lifeline benefits and benefits from the "Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled" program may be combined].

(cf: P.L.1996, c.42, s.1)

      2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

      This bill amends budget language in the FY 1997 appropriations act to require that the $225 Lifeline Credit benefit and the Tenants' Lifeline Assistance benefits be distributed during the October - March heating season, when such assistance is most needed, instead of being distributed throughout the year. The bill also clarifies the intent that applications for the "Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled" program and the two Lifeline programs may be combined. Finally, the bill deletes budget language concerning the two Lifeline programs from the Grants-In-Aid section of the General Fund in the FY 1997 appropriations act as no General Funds are appropriated for grants in the two Lifeline programs.

Amends certain language concerning the Lifeline Credit Program and the Tenants' Lifeline Assistance Program.