New Jersey A 1904: Prohibits sex offenders from attending certain elementary or secondary schools.

Bill Text

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