S 2959 — Reformats MyNJHelps web-based platform as centralized online resource for all State administered public assistance programs.*

S2959 1R [First Reprint] SENATE, No.

Senator RAJ MUKHERJI District 32 (Hudson) Senator JAMES BEACH District 6 (Burlington and Camden)    Co-Sponsored  by:   SYNOPSIS      Requires DHS to reformat MyNJHelps web-based platform as centralized online resource for all State administered public assistance programs.

Senator McKnight   CURRENT  VERSION  OF  TEXTSYNOPSIS      IntroducedReformats PendingMyNJHelps Technicalweb-based Reviewplatform byas Legislativecentralized Counsel.online resource for all State administered public assistance programs.

  CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT      As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on February 9, 2026, with amendments.

       1.    a.  No later than 365 days after the effective date of this section,1[section] act1 , the Commissioner1[Commissioner of Human Services,Services] State Chief Technology Officer of the New Jersey Office of Information Technology1, in collaboration with all applicable State agencies, shall expand the MyNJHelps web-based application platform for SNAP, WFNJ, and NJFamilyCare to include all State administered public assistance programs.  Compliance with this subsection shall require the commissioner1[commissioner] State Chief Technology Officer1 to:

     c.    c.    The commissioner1[commissioner] State Chief Technology Officer1 shall enter into any necessary data sharing agreements with applicable State agencies to comply with the provisions of this section.       d.    As used in this section:

     “Commissioner”1[“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Human Services.Services.]1      “Public assistance program” means a program that provides benefits to low-income New Jersey residents via a means-tested eligibility process.

     These “Publictypes assistanceof program”programs meansprovide abenefits programthat include, but that providesare benefitsnot tolimited low-incometo:  Newhealthcare Jersey1[,] residents;1 viapharmaceutical a1[,] means-tested;1 eligibilityfood process.1[,] ;1 cash 1[,] ;1 child care 1[,] ;1 housing 1[,] ;1 and utility assistance.

 These types of programs provide benefits that include, but that are not limited to:  healthcare, pharmaceutical, food, cash, child care, housing, and utility assistance.

       2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

    STATEMENT        This bill directs the Commissioner of Human Services (commissioner), no later than 365 days after the effective date of the bill and in collaboration with all applicable State agencies, to expand the MyNJHelps web-based application platform for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Work First New Jersey Program, and the NJFamilyCare Program to include all State administered public assistance programs.  In doing so, the commissioner is required to:

reformat the MyNJHelps web-based application platform as the State’s centralized online resource for applicants to access information about, apply for benefits to, and check the application status of all State administered public assistance programs;

and design a single application, accessible on the MyNJHelps web-based application platform, through which an applicant can apply for all State administered public assistance programs.  The bill defines “public assistance program” to mean a program that provides benefits to low-income New Jersey residents via a means-tested eligibility process.

 These types of programs provide benefits that include, but that are not limited to:  healthcare, pharmaceutical, food, cash, child care, housing, and utility assistance.

     The provisions of the bill are not to be construed to alter the administrating agency of a public assistance program.  Rather, the platform established under the bill is required to provide all applicable administering agencies with access to the necessary applicant information to make eligibility determinations, as well as access to platform functions to post information regarding application status.  Moreover, the bill directs the commissioner to enter into any necessary data sharing agreements with applicable State agencies to comply with the provisions of the bill.