Urges President and Congress to enact "Poverty Line Act of 2023."

ACR 147 is a New Jersey Assembly resolution urging the U.S. President and Congress to adopt the "Poverty Line Act of 2023." It does not change policy itself but advocates for updating the federal poverty calculation method, which currently uses a 1960s food-budget standard adjusted only for inflation. The proposed law would base poverty thresholds on current costs of essentials like housing, childcare, and healthcare, and adjust for regional cost-of-living differences. This would expand eligibility for programs like Medicaid and food assistance for millions of families currently earning above the outdated poverty line but still unable to afford basic needs. The resolution cites New Jersey data showing 368,639 households below the current poverty line in 2021, with another 923,791 above it but struggling financially.