A5336 2R

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

Assemblyman ROY FREIMAN

District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)

Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.

District 18 (Middlesex)

Senator FRED H. MADDEN, JR.

District 4 (Camden and Gloucester)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman B.DeCroce, Assemblyman Johnson, Assemblywoman Swain, Assemblyman Tully, Senators T.Kean, Cunningham, Stack, Gopal and Ruiz

SYNOPSIS

Requires DHS to establish payment programs for purchase of transportation services from private sector and government transportation service providers.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As amended on January 10, 2022 by the General Assembly pursuant to the Governor's recommendations.

An Act concerning ¹[Division of Developmental Disabilities] ²[Department of Human Services¹ funding for]² transportation services for persons with ¹[developmental] certain¹ disabilities ²[and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes]².

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

1. a. The ¹[Director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities in the Department] Commissioner¹ of Human Services shall ²[develop a payment program utilizing existing ¹[division] department¹ transportation funding that provides] transmit a written report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, regarding expanding the accessibility and availability of transportation options in the State for² persons ¹[with developmental disabilities] diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities¹ ²[individual monthly budgets for personal travel.] with the purchase of transportation services through private sector and governmental entitites.²

b. ²[The program shall establish a method to allow individuals to use their personal budget to pay for travel on: (1) motorbus regular route service, rail passenger service, and light rail service operated by or under contract to the New Jersey Transit Corporation; (2) pay-per-ride trips provided by county transportation agencies that participate in the "Senior Citizen and Disabled Resident Transportation Assistance Act," P.L.1983, c.578 (C.27:25-25 et seq.); and (3) individual trips with taxi services and transportation network companies with drivers that have completed the Community Transportation Association of America’s (CTAA) Passenger Assistance, Safety, and Sensitivity (PASS) driver training program.

c. The ¹[director] commissioner¹ shall develop rules and regulations that encourage the utilization of existing county transportation agency services for travel to and from day programs and employment sites. If day programs and employment sites are not currently accessible through county transportation agency services, the ¹[division] department¹ shall coordinate with county transportation agencies to establish these services.] The report shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(1) a survey of currently available public and private transportation for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including an analysis of barriers to transportation for individuals with disabilities;

(2) an analysis of current federal and State laws and regulations governing transportation services, including any restrictions on funding or use;

(3) best practices for enhancing and expanding transportation services and options for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving services from the Department of Human Services;

(4) recommendations on ways to permit individuals enrolled in department services to use existing funding for more accessible or convenient transportation services;

(5) resources that may be necessary or appropriate to accomplish the expansion of transportation options; and

(6) any other factors or considerations deemed appropriate by the commissioner.

c. The Department may contract with a vendor to conduct the study. No later than 60 days following enactment, the Department shall commence the study or shall commence the process of obtaining a vendor. The Department or its designee may consult with other State agencies, including but not limited to, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Transportation and the New Jersey Transit Corporation, as appropriate.

d. The commissioner may adopt rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act, which rules and regulations shall be effective immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law for a period not to exceed 18 months, and may, thereafter, be amended, adopted or readopted in accordance with the provisions of the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).²

2. This act shall take effect immediately, but remain inoperative for 180 days following enactment ², and shall expire upon the submission of the report to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to section 1 of this act².