An Act concerning county boards of social services, supplementing Title 44 of the Revised Statutes, amending P.L.2021, c.93, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
C.44:10-81.7 Definitions.
1. As used in this act:
“Commissioner” means Commissioner of Human Services.
“Department” means Department of Human Services.
“SNAP” means the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, established pursuant to the federal “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008,” Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.).
C.44:10-81.8 Training program established; assist in SNAP enrollment.
2. a. The Department of Human Services, to the maximum extent permissible under federal law, shall establish a training program for county boards of social services that assist individuals with SNAP enrollment and recertification processes. The purpose of the training shall be to educate employees, including supervisory and managerial employees and designated county training staff, on current federal laws, regulations, and standards concerning SNAP, and standard best practices to comply with federal SNAP requirements, with the goal of ensuring employees of county boards of social services are at all times in compliance with federal laws, regulations, standards, and best practices as they pertain to SNAP. The department shall review the training program and curriculum each year and may modify the training program from time to time, as need may require, to incorporate any changes to the federal laws, regulations, and standards concerning SNAP.
b. Participation in the training program established pursuant to this section shall be mandatory for all employees of a county board of social services who assist individuals with SNAP enrollment and recertification processes, as well as for all supervisory or management employees of the county board of social services who interview, process, or review SNAP cases and designated training staff of the county board of social services. Each county board of social services shall be responsible for ensuring that:
(1) all required employees complete the training program at least twice in each calendar year;
(2) all newly hired employees of the county board of social services who will assist individuals with SNAP enrollment and recertification processes, who will interview, process, or review SNAP cases in a managerial or supervisory role, or who will serve as designated training staff for the county board of social services complete the training within one month of hire; and
(3) all employees who assist individuals with SNAP enrollment and recertification processes, who interview, process, or review SNAP cases in a managerial or supervisory role, or who serve as designated training staff members, complete the training as a condition of any professional promotion within the county board of social services.
C.44:10-81.9 Case tracking data published on Internet website.
3. The Department of Human Services shall publish county-level case tracking data for SNAP on its Internet website that includes, but is not limited to: application approval rates, reasons for application denial, average application approval times, and the average time between when a case closes and when it is subsequently reopened.
4. Section 1 of P.L.2021, c.93 (C.44:10-81.2) is amended to read as follows:
C.44:10-81.2 SNAP application process technologically upgraded.
1. a. Consistent with federal law, the Commissioner of Human Services shall permit applicants for SNAP to apply by phone, electronic device, or kiosk, as well as for employees of county welfare agencies and county boards of social services to conduct SNAP interviews by telephone, electronic device, or kiosk. The commissioner shall establish requirements to ensure the security and privacy of applications submitted, and interviews conducted, by telephone or using an electronic device or kiosk pursuant to this section.
b. The commissioner shall:
(1) consult with county welfare agencies and county boards of social services to create an electronic record information processing system to process applications submitted for SNAP using telephones, electronic devices, and kiosks and for interviews conducted using telephones, electronic devices, and kiosks pursuant to subsection a. of this section, and ensure such systems are in compliance with federal standards; and
(2) apply and receive approval for such waivers as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
c. County welfare agencies and county boards of social services shall designate an employee of the agency or board as the agency’s or board’s county social service liaison. County social service liaisons shall be responsible for consulting with institutions of higher education and the higher education community to assist with any technical assistance questions from SNAP applicants and from the county welfare agency or county board of social services arising from the use of telephones, electronic devices, and kiosks in connection with SNAP applications and SNAP interviews.
d. As used in this section:
“Electronic device” means a desktop or laptop computer, mobile phone, tablet, or any other Internet-connected device that is capable of electronically receiving and transmitting the information necessary to process an application for benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“SNAP” means the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, established pursuant to the federal “Food and Nutrition Act of 2008,” Pub.L.110-246 (7 U.S.C. s.2011 et seq.).
C.44:10-81.10 Waiver, approval application; rules, regulations.
5. a. The Commissioner of Human Services shall apply to the Food and Nutrition Service within the United States Department of Agriculture for any necessary waivers or approvals to implement the provisions of this act.
b. The commissioner may adopt rules and regulations as may be necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act, which rules and regulations shall be effective immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law for a period not to exceed 18 months, and may, thereafter, be amended, adopted, or readopted in accordance with the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
c. The commissioner shall annually request funding in an amount as shall be necessary and appropriate to support additional funding for county call centers to address technical assistance questions from SNAP applicants, county welfare agencies, and county boards of social services arising from the use of telephones, electronic devices, and kiosks in connection with SNAP applications and SNAP interviews pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2022, c.30 (C.44:10-81.8).
6. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services the sum of $250,000 for the purposes of effectuating the provisions of this act.
7. This act shall take effect immediately.
Approved June 30, 2022.