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S3765
SENATE, No. 3765
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MARCH 5, 2026
Sponsored by:
Senator� ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires DHS to request approval from federal
government to provide rental assistance benefits to certain NJ FamilyCare
beneficiaries.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
concerning rental assistance benefits under NJ
FamilyCare and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a.� No later than six
months after the effective date of this section, the Division of Medical
Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services shall apply
to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the United States
Department of Health and Human Services for approval to amend the State�s
federal waiver under section 1115 of the �Social Security Act,�
42 U.S.C. s.1315,
to include the
provision of rental assistance benefits to certain NJ FamilyCare beneficiaries,
who are not currently receiving other similar benefits under a different
government assistance program, for up to six months.� NJ FamilyCare populations
eligible for these benefits under the approval request shall be limited to
those individuals: who are homeless, at risk of homelessness as defined by 24 C.F.R.
91.5, or transitioning out of an emergency shelter as defined by 24 C.F.R. 91.5;
and who have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness or substance use
disorder.
���� b.��� Upon receipt of approval
to amend the State�s federal waiver from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services, the division shall immediately begin implementation of a NJ
FamilyCare rental assistance benefit, as described in subsection a. of this
section.
���� c.���� As used in this
section:
���� �Rental Assistance Benefits�
means
vouchers, subsidies, or other forms of financial assistance issued to a
housing provider that allow an eligible NJ FamilyCare beneficiary to secure or
maintain housing for up to six months.
���� �NJ Family Care� means
the program established pursuant to P.L.2005, c.156
(C.30:4J-8 et al.), which includes the Children�s Health Insurance Program and
the Medicaid Program
���� 2.���
The
Commissioner of Human Services shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to
the "Administrative Procedure Act" P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et
seq.) to effectuate the purposes of this act.
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill directs the Division
of Medical Assistance and Health Services in the Department of Human Services,
no later than six months after the effective date of the bill, to apply to the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the United States Department of
Health and Human Services for approval to amend the State�s federal waiver
under section 1115 of the �Social Security Act� to include the provision of
rental assistance benefits to certain NJ FamilyCare beneficiaries for up to six
months.�
���� In New Jersey, this federal
waiver is known as the NJ FamilyCare 1115 Comprehensive Demonstration and, with
federal approval, it
governs the
operations of significant components of New Jersey�s Medicaid program and
Children�s Health Insurance Program.
� New Jersey�s current waiver
provides certain housing related services to a variety of populations, but does
not provide for direct payment of rental subsidies.� Populations eligible for
the existing benefits include individuals who are: transitioning from an
institution to the community setting, being released from correctional
facilities, transitioning out of high-risk or unstable housing situations, and
homeless or at risk of becoming homeless; however, the waiver does not cover
direct housing subsidies. �
���� This bill would expand the
services provided under the waiver to include rental assistance benefits, which
the bill defines as
financial
assistance issued to a housing provider that allow an eligible NJ FamilyCare
beneficiary to secure or maintain housing for up to six months
.� However, unlike the existing benefits,
eligible beneficiaries would be limited to
those who are homeless, at
risk of homelessness, or transitioning out of an emergency shelter; and who
have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness or substance use disorder.� ��