A 1700 New Jersey General Assembly · 2024-2025 Regular Session

Requires DOH to establish public awareness campaign and develop policies and procedures to promote recognition and treatment of perinatal anxiety.

This bill (A1700) requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to create a public awareness campaign about perinatal anxiety and develop policies for healthcare providers. It directly affects pregnant and postpartum women (within one year of childbirth), healthcare providers (including doctors and nurse midwives), and birthing facilities. Key provisions mandate that providers screen patients for perinatal anxiety at least once per pregnancy trimester, before discharge after birth, and during early postpartum visits - using either the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS) or an approved alternative. Providers must also educate patients and family members about symptoms, coping strategies, and treatment resources, with a focus on including partners and caregivers in the support process.

Issues: ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics: Healthcare Workforce

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2024

Committee Review

May 2025

General Assembly Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 9, 2024 Last action May 12, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version → Reprint AHE 3/6/25 1R · 4 edits

MODERATE

This is the first reprint of Assembly Bill 1700 after it was reported out of the Assembly Health Committee on March 6, 2025, with amendments. The most significant substantive change is that Section 3's requirement for the Commissioner of Health to establish a public awareness campaign about perinatal anxiety is now conditioned on sufficient funding being available, either within the Department of Health or through a legislative appropriation. Additional changes include two new sponsors and one new co-sponsor being added.

FISCAL

Section 3's mandate for the Commissioner of Health to establish a public awareness campaign about perinatal anxiety is now conditional: it only applies 'provided there is sufficient funding to effectuate the provisions of this section, either within the Department of Health or through an appropriation of the Legislature for this purpose.' Previously the requirement was unconditional.

SCOPE

Two new sponsors were added: Assemblywoman Carol A. Murphy (District 7, Burlington) and Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill (District 27, Essex and Passaic).

Assemblywoman Speight was added as a co-sponsor alongside the existing co-sponsors Dunn, Venezia, and Flynn.

TECHNICAL

The full 'Statement' section summarizing the bill's provisions was removed from the end of the document, which is standard when a bill advances from introduction to committee report.

Floor votes · General Assembly Mar 24, 2025

How they voted

76–2

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 80

Mar 24, 2025

D Democratic52

51 Yea 1

98% Yea

R Republican28

25 Yea 2 Nay 1

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 12, 2025

Committee

Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed Assembly (76-2-0)

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported out of Assembly Committee with Amendments, 2nd Reading

lower

Jan 9, 2024

Introduced

Introduced in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Health Committee

lower

3 primary · 4 co-sponsors