Posted on June 29, 2021
In a budget that he describes as paying our bills, meeting our obligations and planning for the future, Governor Murphy signed a record-setting $46.4 billion FY2022 New Jersey budget into law, which will cover all of the state’s planned spending between July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.
The budget continues to provide much-needed supports to critical programs that serve children and families. It also expands funding to other programs so that more children and families will have access to essential services. These dollars are particularly important as individual families, communities and our state continue to recover from the devastating impact of COVID-19.
Below are highlights of additional funding in the budget earmarked for children and families:
Education and Child Care
- $580 million in formula aid for public schools:
- $50 million in preschool expansion funding;
- $100 million for extraordinary special education aid;
- $35 million for the Community College Opportunity Grant, which provides financial assistance to students who attend NJ community colleges;
- $45 million for The Garden State Guarantee, which will provide two years of free tuition at four-year institutions of higher education for students in their third and fourth years with household incomes of less than $65,000;
- $10 million in matching payments of up to $750 for taxpayers with incomes below $75,000 when they make a contribution to open a new NJBEST 529 College Savings account;
- $200 million for current projects under the Schools Development Authority;
- $100 million of federal funds for child care to fund facilities improvements, employee supports, and workforce development programming.
Tax Credits
- The Child Dependent Care tax credit will be refundable and expand eligibility up to $150,000, more than doubling the number of families qualifying for the credit;
- The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Age of Eligibility will be extended from 21 to 18 years of age.
Health Care and Family Services
- $2.45 million for home visiting;
- Cover All Kids, a new initiative, will change eligibility, waiting lists, premiums and outreach for approximately 90,000 additional children who remain uninsured;
- $8.5 million to extend Medicaid coverage to 365 days for postpartum mothers, and $2 million to create a pilot program to provide expectant mothers with rental assistance. These are part of the First Lady's Nurture NJ Initiative;
- $19 million to support the new Reproductive Health Care Fund which will pay for contraceptive, prenatal, labor and delivery care for women lacking access to medical care;
- $250,000 for the Garden State Equality (Adverse Childhood Experiences Resiliency Project).
Juvenile Justice
- $4.2 million to reduce juvenile delinquency through the County Youth Services Commissions.
ACNJ will continue to provide post-budget updates as additional information becomes available. Stay tuned!
