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Committee releases nine bills and one resolution on topics from Medicaid to food benefits
Summary
The Senate committee voted to release multiple bills and one resolution encompassing special-education access for adults with IDD (S653), EMS planning (S1416), provider-enrollment fixes (S1626), SNAP/WIC fraud protections (S2873), motorized wheelchair coverage (S3438), NJ FamilyCare review (S3610), child-abuse-definition changes (S3751), 365-day postpartum Medicaid (S3934) and a resolution urging an increased federal poverty line; all items were released by unanimous roll call.
A Senate committee considered and released a slate of bills and a resolution addressing a range of social and health policies.
Senate Bill S653, sponsored by Senator Singer, was amended to remove a provision that would have required the Commissioner of Education to expressly allow certain persons with developmental disabilities age 21 and older to attend special-education programs; the committee amended technical citations and approved release following a submitted slip of support from the Arc of New Jersey and others.
Senate Bill S1416 would require the Department of Health to develop a statewide emergency medical services plan; slips from the New Jersey EMS Task Force and the FMBA indicated support and the committee released the bill.
Senate Bill S1626 (sponsor: Senator Zwicker) was amended to direct the State Board of Medical Examiners to share applicant license numbers with the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services and to speed the enrollment-review process; the committee released the amended bill.
Senate Bill S2873 requires DHS and DOH to provide fraud-prevention information to SNAP, WFNJ and WIC recipients and includes an appropriation to replace stolen benefits; food-security groups filed slips in favor and the bill was released.
Senate Bill S3438 (sponsors: Senator Burgess and Bucco) would require Medicaid coverage of motorized wheelchairs for nursing-facility residents under certain conditions and grant enrollees a possessory interest in the equipment while eligible; the committee approved amended language and released the bill.
Senate Bill S3610 (sponsors: senators Kattari and McKnight) instructs Treasury and DHS to annually review NJ FamilyCare funding and prioritize initiatives to improve care; Ward Sanders of the New Jersey Association of Health Plans testified in support and the committee released the bill.
Senate Bill S3751 would expand the definition of child abuse or neglect in certain settings to include persons ages 18 through 21; Sharon Levine of The Arc of New Jersey testified in favor and the committee released the bill.
Senate Bill S3934 would codify 365-day postpartum Medicaid coverage for eligible women; multiple supportive groups filed slips and the committee released the bill.
Senate Resolution (referred to in the record as Senate Resolution 100) urges the federal government to raise the federal poverty line for public-assistance programs; the YMCA Alliance filed a slip in favor and the resolution was released.
All recorded roll-call votes on the motions to release these items were affirmative. The committee adjourned after completing its agenda.
