LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE
[First Reprint]
SENATE, No. 4010
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
DATED: DECEMBER 9, 2025
SUMMARY
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Synopsis: |
Provides for expansion of social services supports at county colleges. |
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Type of Impact: |
Potential State expenditure increase from the General Fund. Potential local expenditure increase. |
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Agencies Affected: |
Department of Human Services. County Colleges. County Boards of Social Services. Local Workforce Development Boards. |
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Fiscal Impact |
Annual |
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Potential State Expenditure Increase |
Indeterminate |
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Potential Local Expenditure Increase |
Indeterminate |
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· The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) finds that this bill may lead to increases in expenditures for various State and local entities, to the extent that these entities do not already implement efforts that are consistent with the bill’s provisions. Costs would also be dependent on the nature in which the various entities implement the provisions of the bill.
· The bill’s requirements on county colleges to work or otherwise collaborate with county boards of social services and local workforce development boards may result in additional expenditures for these entities. These potential costs would be dependent on the nature of the partnerships or other agreements formed between the boards and county colleges and on the extent to which these types of arrangements do not already exist.
· Finally, the bill may also have a fiscal impact on the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services, which is tasked under the bill with working with local workforce development boards to better assist students with applications for various social services supports.
BILL DESCRIPTION
This bill provides for the expansion of social services supports at county colleges in the State.
Under the bill, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges is to collaborate with each county college to identify gaps in meeting basic student needs among low-income students. The bill requires the council, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to provide information to designated representatives at county colleges on available social services supports and enrollment procedures. Additionally, the bill permits the council to facilitate partnerships between county colleges and State agencies, county boards of social services, or community-based and other non-profit organizations to increase enrollment in social services supports among students in need.
Additionally, the bill requires the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services to work with local workforce development boards and county college staff to better assist students with applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Childcare Subsidy, and other available social services supports.
Under the bill, each county board of social services is required to designate an employee of the agency to be responsible for collaborating with the county’s community college representatives to ensure social services supports applications and related documents meet all requirements for consideration.
Finally, the bill requires each county college and local workforce development board to jointly establish partnerships with various workforce entities to assist the entities in identifying populations of unemployed and underemployed residents who may benefit from enrollment in a county college if those partnerships do not currently exist. The partnerships would facilitate enrollment in county colleges to provide career pathways.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
EXECUTIVE BRANCH
None received.
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES
The OLS finds that the bill may lead to increases in expenditures for various State and local entities, to the extent that these entities do not already implement efforts that are consistent with the bill’s provisions.
The OLS notes that the New Jersey Council of County Colleges currently implements efforts that appear to be consistent with some requirements of the bill, including the “Community to Opportunity: Building Community to Expand Opportunity” initiative. The Statewide initiative seeks to strengthen and support county colleges to build and sustain strategies that help students meet their basic needs. As part of the initiative, the council has partnered with a nonprofit organization called the Benefits Data Trust to, in part, train county college administrators and staff in how to use currently available data to identify and inform students of public assistance programs for which the students are eligible but of which they are not taking advantage.
The bill also requires county colleges to work with representatives of county boards of social services to provide direct assistance to students and to help the students in accessing social services supports. In turn, the bill requires county boards of social services to designate board employees to collaborate with the county colleges. These requirements of the bill may result in additional expenditures on the part of the county boards of social services and county colleges, the costs of which would be dependent on the nature of the partnerships formed between the boards and colleges and the extent to which these types of arrangements do not already exist. If the implementation of these provisions lead to a county board of social services hiring additional social workers to assist students, the OLS notes that the average annual salary for social workers in New Jersey ranges between approximately $66,000 and $82,000, according to the May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The OLS is also aware of one example of a county college that appears to have implemented a partnership that is consistent with the bill’s provisions. As part of the variety of student support services provided through Brookdale Community College’s Caroline Huber Holistic Wellness Center, a county social worker is available full-time to assist students in accessing mental health and social services.
The bill may also have a fiscal impact on the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services, which is tasked under the bill with working with local workforce development boards and county college staff to better assist students with applications for various social services supports. While the division may have sufficient staff and resources to implement these provisions of the bill, it is possible that it incurs additional costs. If the potential additional work equates to one full-time equivalent employee, the OLS notes that additional expenditures for salary and fringe benefits may total approximately $126,000. This estimate is based on information from the New Jersey Civil Service Commission and takes into consideration the most recently available fringe benefit rate.
Finally, the bill requires each county college and local workforce development board to establish a partnership to jointly engage with various entities in identifying populations of unemployed and underemployed residents. The formation of these partnerships may have fiscal impacts on the county colleges and workforce development boards to the extent that these partnerships do not currently exist and are dependent on the nature of the partnerships formed.
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Section: |
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Analyst: |
Section Chief |
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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.).