SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3811

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  JUNE 11, 2026

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 3811.

      This bill, as amended, requires the Department of Human Services, in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, to promote and support volunteerism in connection to compliance with certain eligibly requirements for NJ FamilyCare and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, recipients.  On July 4, 2025, the federal law known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Pub.L.119-21, or OBBBA, was adopted, requiring New Jersey to implement and expand certain work requirements for these two safety net programs. 

      Under the bill, the Department of Human Services is required to work in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism, or any successor entity, and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to modify and expand the State’s existing volunteer resources such that information is easily accessible to State residents regarding compliance, via volunteer hours or community service, with NJ FamilyCare and SNAP work requirements under OBBBA.  At a minimum, these efforts shall include:

      1)   Modifying the existing, web-based HELPNJNOW portal to allow the public to search and apply for bona fide volunteer opportunities that comply with the applicable requirements;

      2)   Engaging and soliciting appropriate entities to identify volunteer opportunities that comply with the applicable requirements;

      3)   Modifying the existing, web-based HELPNJNOW portal so that entities can register and submit volunteer opportunities to be included on the portal itself; and

      4)   Providing a link to the  existing, web-based HELPNJNOW portal, as well as information regarding the applicable NJ FamilyCare and SNAP work requirements, on relevant State webpages.

      The bill, as amended, also directs the Department of Human Services:  1) to create or modify an existing, web-based mobile friendly resource that allows NJ FamilyCare and SNAP applicants and beneficiaries to submit to the appropriate agency all information and documentation regarding volunteer or community service hours that is necessary to demonstrate compliance with the work requirements under OBBBA; 2) perform annual audit reviews of information and documents submitted under the bill to verify accuracy and that no abuse or malfeasance is being committed; and 3) in consultation with the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, to immediately adopt regulations that the Commissioner of Human Services deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this bill.

      Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Human Services and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to establish a system by which volunteer hours and community service acquired by SNAP applicants and beneficiaries can be shared between the departments in order to collaboratively administer the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training Program.

      The bill, as amended, explicitly states that the State is to be immune from any liability for any injury incurred by a volunteer as a result of an individual’s volunteer or community service stemming from the existing, web-based HELPNJNOW portal.

      The bill, as amended, appropriates $50,000 to the Department of Human Services and $75,000 to the Office of Volunteerism to implement the bill’s provisions.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments expand the entities that the Department of Human Services is required to collaborate with in implementing the bill’s provisions to include the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.  As introduced, the Department of Human Services was required to collaborate only with the Governor’s Office of Volunteerism located in the Department of State.

      The committee amendments require the bill’s provisions to comply with any federal regulations or guidance issued under the federal “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Pub.L.119-21, regarding Medicaid community engagement requirements and expanded work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

      The committee amendments require the Department of Human Services to modify the existing, web-based HELPNJNOW portal to achieve various aspects of the bill regarding volunteer resources, rather than requiring the department to establish a new tool or database.  The committee amendments replace all references to a newly established tool with references to the HELPNJNOW portal.

      The committee amendments require the department to create, or modify an existing, web-based, mobile friendly resource that allows NJ FamilyCare and SNAP applicants and beneficiaries to submit to the appropriate eligibility determination agencies all information and documentation.  As introduced, the bill directed the department to create or modify an existing mobile application to achieve this goal.

      The committee amendments require the Department of Human Services and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to establish a system by which volunteer hours and community service acquired by SNAP applicants and beneficiaries can be shared between the departments in order to collaboratively administer the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training Program.

      The committee amendments appropriate $50,000 to the Department of Human Services and $75,000 to the Office of Volunteerism to implement the provisions of the bill.  The amendments make changes to the title and the synopsis of the bill to reflect these changes.

      The committee amendments revise the bill’s effective date such that the provisions that apply to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are to take effect no later than October 1, 2026, and the provisions that apply to the NJ FamilyCare program are to take effect no later than October 1, 2027.  Additionally, the Department of Human Services is authorized to take such anticipatory administrative action in advance of these effective dates as are necessary for implementation of the bill.  As introduced, the bill became effective immediately.