Increases personal needs allowance to $140 for low-income persons residing in certain facilities.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Al Barlas and 12 co-sponsors

The bill would raise the monthly personal needs allowance for eligible low-income residents in certain long-term care facilities to $140.

Reported out of Asm. Comm. with Amendments, and Referred to Assembly Appropriations Committee

Summary of Bill A 2691 (Session 222, New Jersey)

Purpose and Intent

A 2691 proposes to increase the personal needs allowance (PNA) for certain low-income residents living in specific facilities. The PNA is typically a monthly amount provided to individuals in long-term care or similar facilities to cover personal expenses not included in facility costs.

The bill aims to raise the PNA to $140 per month for eligible residents, enhancing financial autonomy and purchasing power for personal items, private purchases, and modest discretionary needs.

Key Provisions and Changes

New Personal Needs Allowance Level: Elevates the monthly PNA to $140 for qualifying individuals in designated facilities.

Target Population: Low-income residents residing in certain facilities (likely including nursing homes or similar extended-care settings) who receive the personal needs allowance as part of their support package.

Funding Allocation and Administration: The bill would specify how the increased PNA is funded (e.g., through state appropriations) and who administers the program. While the exact funding mechanism is not detailed in the summary, such increases typically require:

Appropriation of state funds or reallocation within aging/human services budgets.
Coordination with facility administrators and welfare programs to ensure proper distribution.

Eligibility Criteria: The bill presumably retains existing eligibility criteria for PNA recipients, focusing on low-income residents in eligible facilities. The specific income thresholds, asset limits, or eligibility verification processes would be outlined in the full bill text.

Implementation Timeline: The action history shows introduction in January 2026, with amendments and referral to Appropriations by May 2026, indicating a phased path toward potential enactment and implementation, pending budget approvals and committee approvals.

Affected Parties and Impacts

Residents: Low-income individuals living in certain facilities who receive a personal needs allowance would benefit from the higher $140 monthly amount, increasing their ability to cover non-covered personal needs.

Facilities and Administrators: Facilities would administer the PNA disbursements to residents and may need to adjust budgeting or financial tracking to reflect the increased allowance.

State Agencies: Departments responsible for aging, human services, and budgeting would oversee funding, eligibility verification, and compliance with the new allowance level.

Families and Caregivers: May experience improved resident well-being and autonomy due to greater discretionary spending power.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Introduced and Referred:

Introduced January 13, 2026, to the Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee.
Reported out of the Assembly Behavioral committee with amendments and referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee on May 7, 2026.

Next Steps: If advanced by Appropriations, the bill would proceed to broader floor considerations and, potentially, to the Senate for concurrence. Final enactment would depend on budgetary alignment and passage by both legislative chambers, followed by any necessary gubernatorial action.

Notes

The summary reflects the bill’s stated goal to increase the personal needs allowance to $140 for eligible low-income residents in certain facilities.

Specific dollar amounts, eligibility criteria, funding sources, and administrative details would be defined in the bill’s full text and any enacted amendments.