S 3811 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Requires Governor's Office of Volunteerism to promote and support volunteerism for compliance with certain eligibility requirements for NJ FamilyCare and SNAP recipients; appropriates $200,000 to DHS, Office of Volunteerism, and DOLWD.**

This bill directs New Jersey's Department of Human Services to help residents meet new work and community engagement requirements for NJ FamilyCare health insurance and SNAP food assistance programs. It requires the state to create or update online tools and mobile apps that connect eligible individuals with approved volunteer opportunities and simplify the process of submitting proof of completed hours. The legislation specifically targets non-disabled adults aged 19-64 for NJ FamilyCare and expands SNAP work requirements to include people up to age 64 and those with dependent children over 14. By improving access to volunteer resources and streamlining documentation, the bill aims to help beneficiaries comply with federal mandates while maintaining their access to these safety-net programs.

Issues: ✓ Technology

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 5, 2026 Last action Jun 30, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprint · 7 edits

MODERATE

The First Reprint of S3811 adds $125,000 in appropriations, brings the Department of Labor and Workforce Development into the collaboration framework, specifies the existing HELPNJNOW portal as the required platform (rather than allowing new tools to be created), adds a data-sharing requirement between DHS and DOLWD for SNAP employment and training purposes, and replaces the immediate effective date with staggered deadlines: October 1, 2026 for SNAP provisions and October 1, 2027 for NJ FamilyCare provisions.

Scope change

The bill's scope expands to include the Department of Labor and Workforce Development as a co-implementing agency with data-sharing obligations for SNAP employment and training purposes. The effective timeline is significantly extended from immediate to staggered deadlines (2026 for SNAP, 2027 for NJ FamilyCare), giving agencies more time to implement.

FISCAL

New Section 4 appropriates $50,000 to the Department of Human Services and $75,000 to the Office of Volunteerism from the General Fund to implement the act.

SCOPE

The Department of Labor and Workforce Development is added as a required collaborator alongside the Governor's Office of Volunteerism in subsection a (volunteer resource development), new subsection c (data sharing), and Section 3 (regulatory authority).

The bill now references 'any subsequent federal regulations or guidance regarding these statutory requirements' in addition to the specific OBBBA sections, future-proofing the compliance framework.

REQUIREMENT

New subsection c requires DHS and DOLWD to establish a system for sharing volunteer hours and community service data between the departments to collaboratively administer the NJ SNAP Employment and Training Program, including entering into applicable data sharing agreements.

TECHNICAL

The bill now specifically names the HELPNJNOW portal as the existing platform to be modified, replacing generic references to a 'web-based tool' or 'web-based database.' The language changes from 'establishing, or modifying an existing' to simply 'modifying the existing,' eliminating the option to create new tools.

Subsection b changes from requiring a 'mobile application' to a 'web-based, mobile friendly resource,' broadening the acceptable format for submitting volunteer hour documentation.

TIMELINE

The effective date changes from immediate to staggered: SNAP-related provisions take effect no later than October 1, 2026, and NJ FamilyCare-related provisions take effect no later than October 1, 2027. DHS may take anticipatory administrative action before these dates.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 11, 2026

Committee

Referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee

upper

Mar 5, 2026

Introduced

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

upper

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors