SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3751

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 3, 2025

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 3751.

      This bill revises the definition of child abuse or neglect to include persons between 18 and 21 years of age in certain settings.

      Specifically, the bill amends the definition of “child” in section 1 of P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9:6-8.21) to mean any (1) person less than 18 years of age alleged to have been abused or neglected, or (2) any person less than 21 years of age alleged to have been abused or neglected, or subject to exploitation by a teacher, employee, contractor, or volunteer, whether compensated or uncompensated, of an institution responsible for the care or supervision of that person, as regulated by the Department of Children and Families (department), including employees of day schools.  The bill also amends the definition of "abused or neglected child" in section 1 of P.L.1974, c.119 (C.9:6-8.21), so that the term will also apply to persons between 18 and 21 years of age.

      Although the department regulates and funds services for individuals with disabilities under the age of 21, the Office of Program Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) in the Department of Human Services currently conducts investigations involving persons between the age 18 and 21 in department-regulated facilities on behalf of the department and forwards all investigatory materials and findings to the department.

      This bill will transfer full investigatory responsibility to the department for the populations served and settings regulated by the department, which is accomplished by revising definitions and other provisions in the statute pertaining to the department and child abuse to reflect the full range of ages under the department’s jurisdiction for persons up to 21 years of age in regulated facilities.

      The bill also updates section 3 of P.L.2010, c.5 (C.30:6D-75) to eliminate conflicting and superfluous references to the department, since the statute applies to individuals receiving services from the Department of Human Services.