Lampitt, Pintor Marin Statement on Assembly Panel Approval of Transferring Authority of Nutrition Assistance Programs to the NJ Department of Human Services

(TRENTON) – Assemblywomen Pamela Lampitt (D-Camden/Burlington) and Eliana Pintor Marin (D-Essex) issued the following statement Thursday on the passage of A-4706, a measure that would transfer authority over all special nutrition assistance programs in the Department of Health to the Department of Human Services, as part of an anti-hunger bill package heard in the Assembly Human Services Committee:

            “Allowing our state’s Department of Human Services to oversee all nutrition programs will make programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (the WIC Program), the WIC and Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Programs, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program — along with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicare, Medicaid, and NJ FamilyCare — easily accessible to those who are at risk nutritionally in New Jersey. This transfer of authority will increase efficiency for public benefits programs and make it easier for our residents to both find information on and make use of these programs.

“We appreciate Speaker Coughlin’s dedication to helping those at nutritional risk in our state, along with Chairwoman Downey and the Human Services Committee for supporting this important measure.”