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A2228
ASSEMBLY, No. 2228
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
���� Establishes Direct Care Worker Support Program in
DOH; makes appropriation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
concerning direct care workers, supplementing Title 26
of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.� As used in this act:
���� �Commissioner� means the
Commissioner of Health.
���� �Department� means the
Department of Health.
���� �Direct care worker� means a
direct support professional, certified homemaker-home health aide, or certified
nurse aide.
���� �Program� means the Direct
Care Worker Support Program established pursuant to this act.
���� 2.� a.� There is established
in the Department of Health the Direct Care Worker Support Program.� The
purpose of the program shall be to provide support to direct care workers by
assisting direct care workers with childcare and transportation expenses and by
examining wage gaps between different types of direct care workers.
���� b.� The program shall provide
financial assistance to direct care workers to assist with the cost of
childcare and transportation expenses, in accordance with any requirements
established by the department to implement the program.
���� c.� The commissioner shall
adopt eligibility criteria for providing financial assistance to individuals
under the program.� A direct care worker who wishes to receive financial
assistance from the program shall submit an application in a form and manner to
be determined by the commissioner.
���� 3.� The Department of Health
shall conduct a study examining the wages of direct care workers and any wage
gaps that exist between different types of direct care workers, and shall
prepare and submit a written report, within one year of the effective date of
this act, to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164
(C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, which shall include, but not be limited to,
a summary of the department�s findings and any of the department�s
recommendations for administrative or legislative action concerning direct care
worker wages, including any recommendations or strategies to increase direct
care worker wages or to promote fair compensation and support for direct care
workers.
���� 4.� There is appropriated from
the General Fund to the Department of Health such sums as are necessary to
effectuate the purposes of this act.
���� 5.� The Commissioner of Health
may adopt rules and regulations, pursuant to the �Administrative Procedure
Act,� P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as may be necessary to implement
the provisions of this act.
���� 6.� This act shall take effect
immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill establishes the
Direct Care Worker Support Program in the Department of Health (department).�
The purpose of the program will be to provide support to direct care workers by
assisting direct care workers with childcare and transportation expenses and by
examining wage gaps between different types of direct care workers.
���� The program will provide
financial assistance to direct care workers to assist with the cost of
childcare and transportation expenses, in accordance with any requirements
established by the department to implement the program.� The commissioner will
adopt eligibility criteria for providing financial assistance to individuals
under the program.� A direct care worker who wishes to receive financial
assistance from the program will submit an application in a form and manner to
be determined by the commissioner.
���� The bill requires the
department to conduct a study examining the wages of direct care workers and
any wage gaps that exist between different types of direct care workers, and to
prepare and submit a written report to the Governor and Legislature, which will
include, but not be limited to, a summary of the department�s findings and any
of the department�s recommendations for administrative or legislative action
concerning direct care worker wages, including any recommendations or
strategies to increase direct care worker wages or to promote fair compensation
and support for direct care workers.
���� The bill appropriates from the
General Fund to the Department of Health such sums as are necessary to
effectuate the purposes of this bill.