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S 3429

Enacts the "American made flag act" to require that American flags purchased for use by the state government be made in the United States

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Pam Helming and 2 co-sponsors

NJ expands state child care subsidies to full‑time graduate and post‑graduate students who are parents, if they meet all other eligibility criteria.

REFERRED TO FINANCE
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Bill Summary · S 3429

Note on content: the materials you provided (committee statements and a fiscal note) describe a New Jersey bill that expands child care subsidy eligibility to full‑time graduate and post‑graduate students. This differs from the title you gave at the top of your message ("American made flag act"). The summary below follows the bill text and legislative documents you supplied.

Summary — S-3429 (1R) — Expansion of State child care assistance to graduate/post‑graduate students

Main purpose

To expand the State’s child care assistance (subsidy) program so that applicants who are full‑time graduate or full‑time post‑graduate students may qualify for child care subsidies, provided they meet the program’s other eligibility criteria (income, assets, residency).

Key provisions

  • Directs the Division of Family Development in the Department of Human Services (DHS) to expand the program’s work/school/training eligibility to include eligible full‑time graduate and post‑graduate students.
  • Provides separate definitions (as amended) for “full‑time graduate student” and “full‑time post‑graduate student”: individuals accepted to and enrolled full‑time, in good standing, at a public or private institution of higher education.
  • Requires DHS to apply for any State plan amendments or waivers needed to obtain federal financial participation under the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG).
  • Requires DHS to promulgate implementing rules and regulations under the Administrative Procedure Act.
  • Committee amendments: (1) make the expansion subject to the availability of funds appropriated in the annual appropriations act, (2) clarify that the bill expands eligibility for applicants who are otherwise eligible and are full‑time graduate or post‑graduate students, and (3) split the single definition into two terms and make technical edits.
  • Effective immediately.

Who is affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: full‑time graduate and post‑graduate students in New Jersey who are parents/caregivers and who otherwise meet program eligibility (income limit, assets, residency, etc.).
  • Agency affected: Division of Family Development, DHS.
  • Potential downstream effect: child care providers who receive subsidies on behalf of these students’ children.

Fiscal impact

  • Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates an indeterminate annual increase in State expenditures due to more families qualifying.
  • FY2025 per‑child average cost under the program: ~$11,576.
  • OLS estimates 12,827 full‑time graduate/post‑graduate students with children in the State, but eligibility and take‑up are uncertain. As an illustrative scenario, if 13% (≈1,667) were eligible and applied and had on average 1.5 children needing care, the additional cost would be ~ $29 million. The OLS assumes increased costs would be borne by the State (despite federal CCDBG matching efforts, DHS is directed to seek federal participation via amendments/waivers).

Procedural / timeline status

  • Introduced in Senate: June 10, 2024.
  • Reported out of Senate Health, Human Services & Senior Citizens Committee with amendments: Dec 9, 2024.
  • Reported favorably by Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee: Mar 17, 2025.
  • Referred to Finance: Jan 27, 2025 (status shown as REFERRED TO FINANCE).
  • Substituted by A4544 (1R): Jun 2, 2025.
  • Companion: A-4544 (Assembly); identical to as‑amended Assembly measure per committee reports.

Sponsors / co‑sponsors (per bill version)

  • Sponsored in Senate by Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz and Sen. Raj Mukherji; co‑sponsors include Senators Singer, Turner, McKnight, Vitale, Wimberly, and Burgess.

Notes / considerations

  • Expansion is subject to appropriations; actual fiscal impact depends on future legislative funding decisions, applicant take‑up, and federal funding obtained via CCDBG amendments/waivers.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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