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NJ AR83
NJ AR83Urges US Congress to enact legislation allowing individuals with disabilities to retain federal disability benefits upon marriage.
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This resolution respectfully urges the United States Congress to enact legislation allowing individuals with disabilities to retain federal disability benefits upon marriage. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers two disability related programs known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). SSI is a need-based program that provides financial assistance to disabled individuals, as well as seniors, with limited income and resources, regardless of their work history. SSDI provides benefits, based on an individual's work history and Social Security taxes paid, to individuals with disabilities that stop or limit their ability to work. The SSA recently recognized Patrice Jetter and Garry Wickham, subjects of "Patrice: The Movie", a documentary that focuses on the couple's concerns about losing their disability benefits if they were to get married. The movie highlights how changes to the asset limit and related marriage rules can only be made by Congress because those have been set by statute. In 2024, the SSA issued a public statement acknowledging that some of the policies enforced by the administration are antiquated and should be updated to reflect the modern day needs of individuals living with disabilities and receiving disability benefits. Along with the public statement, the SSA enacted three SSI enhancements, highlighted in the resolution, that are estimated to lead to new or increased SSI payments for hundreds of thousands of Americans with disabilities. In order to implement effective changes to the SSA's policies concerning SSI and SSDI, Congress should take action to enact legislation concerning these two programs that would allow individuals with disabilities to retain their federal disability benefits upon marriage.
AI Summary
This resolution respectfully urges the United States Congress to enact legislation that would allow individuals with disabilities to continue receiving their federal disability benefits, specifically Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), even after they get married. SSI is a needs-based program providing financial assistance to disabled individuals with limited income and resources, regardless of their work history, while SSDI offers benefits based on an individual's work history and paid Social Security taxes to those whose disabilities prevent them from working. The resolution highlights that current federal laws, particularly regarding asset limits for SSI, have not been updated in decades and can create hardships, forcing couples with disabilities to choose between marriage and essential financial support, as exemplified by the documentary "Patrice: The Movie." Although the Social Security Administration (SSA) has recently made some administrative improvements to SSI policies, the resolution emphasizes that significant changes to these marriage-related benefit rules require action from Congress.
Committee Categories
Health and Social Services
Sponsors (6)
Wayne DeAngelo (D)*,
Tennille McCoy (D)*,
Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D)*,
Anthony Verrelli (D)*,
Annette Quijano (D),
Shanique Speight (D),
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Aging and Human Services Committee (on 01/13/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/AR83 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/AR/83_I1.HTM |
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