S 3793 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Revises requirements for cash assistance benefits under Work First New Jersey program.

This bill modifies the Work First New Jersey program by clarifying eligibility rules and defining key terms for cash assistance recipients. It ensures that individuals enrolled in higher education remain eligible for public assistance and allows the state commissioner to exempt people from work requirements due to physical or mental impairments, age, illness, injury, caretaker responsibilities, or employment issues. The legislation also updates definitions for "alternative work experience" and "community work experience," specifying that unpaid training placements should not exceed six months and should lead to full-time employment, while explicitly prohibiting assignments to for-profit private employers. Additionally, the bill refines the definition of "dependent child" to include students up to age 19 and those in special education programs up to age 21, and adjusts the list of income sources that count toward benefit calculations.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Mar 5, 2026 Last action Mar 5, 2026
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Mar 5, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Teresa Ruiz
Teresa Ruiz
DDemocratic
NJ
29