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A1904
ASSEMBLY, No. 1904
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CLEOPATRA G. TUCKER
District 28 (Essex and Union)
SYNOPSIS
���� Makes supplemental appropriation of $8 million to DHS
to increase reimbursement for funeral, burial, and crematory services provided
to certain beneficiaries of Work First New Jersey and Supplemental Security
Income programs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
A
Supplement
to the annual appropriations act
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, P.L.2021, c.133.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and the General Assembly
of the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� In addition to the
amounts appropriated under P.L.2021, c.133, the annual appropriations act for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, there is appropriated from the General
Fund the following amount for the purpose specified:
54 DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
50 Economic Planning, Development,
and Security
53 Economic Assistance and Security
7550 Division of Family Development
STATE AID
15-7550� Income Maintenance
Management ����..$8,000,000
���� ������ �����
Total State Aid Appropriation,
����������� �����
Division of Family Development ��.....�.$8,000,000
State Aid:
���� 15�� Work First New Jersey and
Supplemental
����������� ����� Security Income
Burial Benefits
����������� ����� Supplement� ���������($8,000,000)
Notwithstanding the maximum allowance for funeral, burial,
and crematory services set forth in N.J.A.C.10:90-8.5 or any
other
law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the amount
appropriated for
Work First New Jersey and Supplemental Security Income
Burial Benefits Supplement shall be allocated to county
and municipal agencies for the purposes of increasing the reimbursement level
paid for funeral, burial, and crematory services provided to eligible persons
pursuant to N.J.A.C.10:90-8.2
by $1,000 for each eligible person
.
Such appropriated
funds
shall not supplant
other amounts allocated for the reimbursement of
funeral, burial, and crematory services
provided to
eligible persons pursuant to N.J.A.C.10:90-8.2
that are included in
appropriations under P.L.2021, c.133.
���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill makes a FY2022
supplemental appropriation of $8 million to the Division of Family Development
in the Department of Human Services to increase reimbursements issued to
funeral homes and cemeteries for funeral, burial, and crematory services provided
to eligible persons in the Work First New Jersey and Supplemental Security
Income programs, as outlined under N.J.A.C.10:90-8.2, by $1,000 for each
eligible person.
���� Currently, pursuant to section
3 of P.L.1985, c.282 (C.44:1-157.1.), the total allowable payment for funeral,
burial, and crematory services, including contributions by others, is to be at
least 75 percent of the average cost for a proper funeral and burial charged by
funeral directors in the locality in which the public assistance recipient is
buried or cremated. Under N.J.A.C.10:90-8.5, however, the maximum allowance for
adult funeral and cemetery services is $2,770. In addition, family and friends
can contribute up to $1,570 without affecting the benefit amount. Therefore,
current regulation establishes the total allowable payment for funeral, burial,
and crematory services, including contributions by others, at $4,340.
���� Based upon data provided by
the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association, $4,340 is only
approximately 28 percent of the average cost of funeral and cemetery charges in
2021, or $15,268. As such, the current funding policy leaves a funding gap of over
$7,000 per funeral and burial provided under the WFNJ and SSI programs,
according to the statutory provision that the allowable payment for services is
to be at least 75 percent of the average cost for a proper funeral and burial,
which in 2021 would be $11,452. This supplemental appropriation of $8 million,
therefore, begins to close this gap and increase the financial support provided
to the industry to provide these services.
���� This bill provides that the
supplemental funds will be used to increase the reimbursement level paid for
funeral, burial, and crematory services by $1,000 for each eligible person,
rather than by a method determined by the Director of the Division of Family
Development, in which the funds are allocated in such a manner that all
eligible reimbursements are increased equally in proportion to the total cost
of the service provided.
���� The bill provides that the
appropriated funds are not to be used to supplant other amounts allocated for
the reimbursement of funeral, burial, and crematory services that are included
in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Appropriations Act. According to FY2022 Budget
documents, the department anticipates the division will expend $15.8 million
for such expenses in that fiscal year. This supplement, therefore, will
increase total expenditures for such services to $23.8 million in FY2022.