An Act concerning minimum monthly benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, supplementing Title 44 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
C.44:10-111 “State SNAP Minimum Benefit Program” established; definitions.
1. a. There is established in the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services the State SNAP Minimum Benefit Program. Under the program, the division shall distribute to each eligible household a monthly State SNAP benefit equal to the difference between the household’s federal SNAP monthly benefit and $50. The State SNAP benefit shall be provided to an eligible household in addition to the federal SNAP benefit.
b. The program shall be subject to the same State rules and procedures for implementing the federal SNAP to the greatest extent possible, including, but not limited to, distributing the State SNAP benefit using the program’s Electronic Benefit Transfer system and requiring that benefits be used solely for the purchase of food as defined in 7 U.S.C. s.2012.
c. 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 section.
d. As used in this section:
“Eligible household” means a household that is certified to receive a federal SNAP benefit of at least one dollar per month, but less than $50 per month.
“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.).
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.), as may be necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services $18,000,000 to effectuate the provisions of this act.
4. This act shall take effect on the first day of the sixth month next following the date of enactment, but the Commissioner of Human Services may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as may be necessary for the implementation of this act.
Approved June 30, 2022.