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S3811 2R FISCAL ESTIMATE
LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[Second Reprint]
SENATE, No. 3811
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
DATED: JULY 2, 2026
Synopsis:
Requires Governor�s Office of Volunteerism to promote and
support volunteerism for compliance with certain eligibility requirements for
NJ FamilyCare and SNAP recipients; appropriates $200,000 to DHS, Office of
Volunteerism, and DOLWD.
Type of Impact:
Annual State expenditure increase; potential State revenue
increase.
Agencies Affected:
Department of State; Department of Human Services;
Department of Labor and Workforce Development
.
Office of
Legislative Services Estimate
Fiscal Impact
Year 1
Year 2 and Beyond
State Expenditure Increase
Up to $200,000
Indeterminate
Potential State Revenue Increase
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
�
The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) determines that this
bill would result in a State expenditure increase of up to $200,000 in the
first year.� If the full $200,000 is not expended in the first year, the
remaining amount will be spent in subsequent fiscal years until the full $200,000
is exhausted.
�
The OLS finds there will be a one-time expenditure increase for
the
Governor�s Office of Volunteerism
in redesigning
the HelpNJNow.org platform
to reflect
the expanded purpose required under the bill and in updating the data input
forms submitted by volunteer organizations to highlight opportunities that
comply with the applicable federal NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid and
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
work
requirements.�
�
The OLS also estimates that the Department of Human Services will
incur ongoing expenses, in the form of staffing costs, to perform annual audit
reviews of
information and documents submitted by NJ
FamilyCare and SNAP applicants and beneficiaries
regarding volunteer or community service hours
. �To the
extent that existing eligibility review processes can comply with the audit
requirement under the bill, these costs will be minimized.��
�
State revenue may increase in the form of partial federal
reimbursement if any of the expenses incurred under the bill qualify as
eligible NJ FamilyCare or SNAP administrative costs.
BILL DESCRIPTION
���� This bill requires
the Governor�s Office of Volunteerism located in the Department of State,
or any successor entity,
to work with the Department of Human Services
and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development
t
o modify and
expand the State�s existing volunteer resources such that information is easily
accessible to State residents regarding compliance, via volunteer hours or
community service, with NJ FamilyCare and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) work requirements under
the
federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act,
as well as any subsequent federal
regulations or guidance regarding these statutory requirements
. �The bill appropriates $100,000 to the Office of
Volunteerism, $50,000 to the
Department
of Human Services, and $50,000 to the Department of Labor and Workforce
Development
to implement these provisions.
����
At a minimum, these efforts are to include modifying the
existing, web-based
HELPNJNOW portal, or any equivalent successor
portal,
to allow: 1)
the public to search and apply for volunteer opportunities
that comply with the applicable federal requirements; and 2) the appropriate entities
to register and submit volunteer opportunities that comply with the applicable
federal requirements.� The bill also directs that a link to the
HELPNJNOW
portal, or any equivalent successor portal, be included on relevant State
webpages.�
���� The bill requires the
Department of Human Services
: 1) to create or modify an existing, web-based mobile friendly
resource to allow NJ FamilyCare and SNAP applicants and beneficiaries to submit
the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate compliance with the federal
work requirements via the participation in volunteer or community service opportunities;
and 2) to perform annual audit reviews of information and documents submitted by
NJ FamilyCare and SNAP applicants and beneficiaries
regarding volunteer or community service hours
to verify accuracy
and to determine that no abuse or malfeasance is being committed.
���� Finally, the bill directs the
Department of Human Services and the Department of Labor and Workforce
Development to establish a system by which to support the tracking of work
activities and participation, including volunteer and community service hours
acquired by SNAP
applicants and beneficiaries, so
that the departments
can collaboratively administer the
New Jersey SNAP Employment and Training
Program.�
Certain SNAP beneficiaries can participate in this voluntary
program to gain job skills, training, and work experience.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
����� None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
����� The OLS concludes that the
Governor�s
Office of Volunteerism in the Department of State and
the Department of
Human Services
will incur indeterminate expenditures
to implement the provisions of this bill regarding the modification of the
existing
HelpNJNow.org platform, or any equivalent successor portal,
as well as the performance of annual audits
to ensure that certain information submitted under the bill is accurate.�
The bill appropriates $100,000 to the Office of
Volunteerism, $50,000 to the
Department
of Human Services, and $50,00 to the Department of Labor and Workforce
Development
to implement the bill�s
provisions.� The OLS
determines that there would be a State expenditure
increase of up to $200,000 in the first year.� If the full $200,000 is not
expended in the first year, the remaining amount will be spent in subsequent
fiscal years until the full $200,000 is exhausted.
�
�
����� The OLS finds there will be a one-time expenditure
increase for the
Governor�s Office of Volunteerism
in redesigning the HelpNJNow.org platform, or any equivalent successor portal,
to reflect the expanded purpose required under the bill and in updating the
data input forms submitted by volunteer organizations to highlight
opportunities that comply with the applicable federal NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid
and
SNAP
work requirements.� For reference, the
existing
HelpNJNow.org
platform
connects New Jersey nonprofit
organizations with potential volunteers who have completed background checks.
The website was built and is maintained by a partnership between New Jersey
Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, the New Jersey Office of Emergency
Management, and the Governor�s Office of Volunteerism.
����� This
estimate
assumes that the technological infrastructure for the platform to interface
with NJ FamilyCare and SNAP applicants and beneficiaries, as well as volunteer
organizations, will require minimal modifications, as the platform currently
functions to meet these provisions.� For example,
after creating an account and receiving authorization,
organizations can post volunteer opportunities and request volunteers.�
Volunteers, who have registered and completed their background checks, are then
matched to the request based on, for example, availability, interests, and
location.
�
����� The OLS also estimates that the Department of Human
Services will incur ongoing expenses, in the form of staffing costs, to perform
annual audit reviews of
information and documents
submitted by NJ FamilyCare and SNAP applicants and beneficiaries
regarding volunteer or community service hours
.�
These costs will largely depend upon the audit standards established by the
department following the adoption of the bill to comply with these
requirements.� The OLS notes that the department currently reviews NJ FamilyCare
and SNAP applications for accuracy.� To the extent that these existing
eligibility processes can comply with the audit requirement under the bill,
these costs will be minimized.��
����� State revenue may increase in the form of partial
federal reimbursement if any of the expenses incurred under the bill qualify as
eligible NJ FamilyCare or SNAP administrative costs under federal rules.
����� In order to comply with the federal requirements under
the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act
,
this estimate further assumes that, absent the bill, the Department of Human
Services will be required to establish systems: 1) to monitor compliance with
the NJ FamilyCare and SNAP work requirements under the federal act, including
compliance via volunteering and community service participation; and 2) to
ensure data sharing with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development that
streamlines SNAP beneficiaries participation in the
New Jersey SNAP Employment and Training Program with any
volunteer or community service activities completed under the bill
.� Therefore,
the fiscal estimate does not anticipate any expenditure increase under the bill
to: 1) create or modify an existing, web-based mobile friendly resource that
allows NJ FamilyCare and SNAP applicants and beneficiaries to demonstrate
compliance with the work requirements under the federal act via completion of
volunteer or community service hours; or 2) to develop a means to share the
applicable volunteer or community service hours of certain SNAP beneficiaries
with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
����� Additionally, the OLS also notes that the departments
may be able to use existing systems to facilitate the accomplishment of these
provisions. �For example, MyNJHelps.gov and NJHelps.gov are mobile friendly
resources that currently help the Department of Human Services collect or
screen eligibility data for SNAP and NJ FamilyCare.� Moreover, the State uses
the America�s One Stop Operating System, or AOSOS, to document programmatic and
participant data effectively and accurately across the various partner agencies
supporting the
New Jersey SNAP
Employment and Training Program.
Section:
Human Services
Analyst:
Sarah Schmidt
Principal Research Analyst
Approved:
Thomas Koenig
Legislative Budget and Finance Officer
This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the
Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to
respond to our request for a fiscal note.
This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980,
c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).