February 13, 2023
On Wednesday, February 8, 2023, Governor Phil Murphy signed S3491/A5086 into law, increasing the minimum monthly benefit under the New Jersey Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Minimum Benefits Program from $50 to $95.
This comes as the extra temporary benefits, known as SNAP Emergency Allotments, provided by the federal government are set to end on February 28, 2023. The federal government began providing emergency allotments to households receiving SNAP benefits in March 2020 to offer a temporary boost in food assistance to individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Governor Murphy was quoted in a news release saying, "As the federal government's temporary boost to SNAP benefits comes to an end, we cannot ignore the significant impact this will have on households and communities throughout our state . . . No one should ever have to wonder where their next meal will come from. By implementing a minimum monthly SNAP benefit of $95 for all beneficiaries, New Jersey is leading the nation in ensuring families have the support they need to keep putting food on the table. While we may be the first state to do this, it is my hope we will not be the last to put these critical protections into effect."
In addition to SNAP Emergency Allotments ending, beginning April 1, 2023, all states, including New Jersey, must confirm Medicaid enrollees' eligibility, even if they were previously determined to be eligible. As part of this review, members will receive mail from the State of New Jersey or their County Boardd of Social Services to provide or confirm additional information so NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid can determine whether they still qualify for coverage. Members who do not respond to the NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid mail may lose their coverage.
Click here to read more on this story, click here to access the NJ SNAP webpage, and see the flyer below for more information.
