ADVOCACY NEWS FROM NAMI NEW JERSEY
1. LIEN LAW TO BE HEARD IN SENATE
2. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES SCHEDULE BUDGET FORUMS
3. STATE REVENUES AHEAD OF PROJECTION
4. STATE OFFERS DOLLAR-A-DAY CAR INSURANCE FOR MEDICAID RECIPIENTS
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LIEN LAW TO BE HEARD IN SENATE The Lien Law S 202/A303 will be heard in the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on Monday, November 24 at 1 PM. The Committee will meet in the State House Annex, First Floor, Trenton, Committee Room 1. This NAMI NEW JERSEY initiated bill would end the discriminatory practice of placing automatic liens for the full cost of care on individuals who are hospitalized at state or county psychiatric hospitals in New Jersey. NAMI Advocates are welcome to provide testimony or to attend and show your support. Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/committees/ShowCommittee.asp Previous NAMI NEW JERSEY Alert
http://www.naminj.org/advocacy/alerts/old_alerts/alert17may.htm
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DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES SCHEDULE BUDGET FORUMS The Department of Human Services' (DHS) FY 2004 Budget Forums are scheduled for November 20th and 21st. These forums provide an opportunity for community input on FY 2004 program priorities in preparation for the upcoming state budget cycle. The dates, times and locations of the two regional forums follow: November 20th 9:30 AM to Noon
UMDNJ-SOM
Academic Center Auditorium
42 East Laurel Road
Stratford, NJ November 21st 9:30 AM to Noon
Middlesex County Fire Academy
Fire Academy Drive
Sayreville, NJ DHS has also invited written comments after the forums, but no later than November 26th. Please send your comments to: Reginald Lewis, Director
Office of External Relations
Department of Human Services
P.O. Box 700
Trenton, NJ 08625-0700
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STATE REVENUES AHEAD OF PROJECTION Unexpectedly robust state tax returns for the first four months of the budget year prompted a New York credit rating agency yesterday to boost its outlook on the state's long-term finances. Total revenue for July through October ran $296 million, or 4.4 percent, ahead of the $6.8 billion projection for the period that was included in the state budget. About two-thirds of that came from corporate tax returns, which were $193 million, or 50 percent, ahead of projections. Read the Star Ledger report:
http://www.nj.com/statehouse/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-1/106879289040750.xml
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STATE OFFERS DOLLAR-A-DAY CAR INSURANCE FOR MEDICAID RECIPIENTS Nearly half of the state's 600,000 uninsured drivers now have the option of buying an auto-insurance policy that covers emergency room treatment and other health-care costs for as little as a dollar a day. The policy is available only to those drivers who are eligible for federal Medicaid -- a potential pool of 255,000 New Jersey drivers. The state Department of Banking and Insurance approved forms for the policy Oct. 1 and has been testing it on a trial basis for several weeks. To find out more:
http://www.nj.com/business/ledger/index.ssf?/base/business-5/1068532414137570.xml
