Bill > A2451

Introduced Session

This bill requires the State Office of Emergency Management to establish a permanent unit in the office to serve the needs of State residents with access and functional needs. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on residents of New Jersey with disabilities, older adults, and other at-risk groups, many of whom are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, as well as the consequences of other types of disasters and emergencies. In 2018, the CDC estimated that 24.6% of New Jersey adult residents had a disability, which is a sizeable portion of the State's population. The economic impact on people with disabilities and their families, as well as the burden on individual health as a result of the pandemic are an existential threat to the Disability community. Accordingly, it is in the public interest for the State to engage in comprehensive planning and coordination within the northern, central, and southern regions of the State to support residents with access and functional needs. Under the provisions of the bill. The unit's responsibilities are to include: (1) determining the needs of residents with access and functional needs, before, during, and after disasters and emergencies; (2) determining the Statewide availability of relevant resources and assistance; (3) assessing and addressing the ability of residents with access and functional needs to access available resources and assistance; and (4) coordinating with county and local offices of emergency management and relevant resource providers to determine, expand, and implement best practices to be utilized in support of residents with access and functional needs. The bill provides that the unit would consist of one full-time supervisor and a staff of three full-time planners to assist the needs of the South, Central, and North Jersey regions to in serving the State residents with access and functional needs. The bill defines a "resident with access and functional needs" as: (1) a person with a disability; (2) an older adult; (3) a person with limited English proficiency; (4) a person with limited access to transportation that would enable the person to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of a disaster or emergency; and (5) a person with limited access to financial resources that would enable the person to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of a disaster or emergency.

Committee Categories

Annette Quijano (D)*,  Yvonne Lopez (D),  Michele Matsikoudis (R),  Carol Murphy (D),  Ellen Park (D),  Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D),  Anthony Verrelli (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document