This bill grants patients with developmental disabilities in New Jersey hospitals the right to have a designated family member, guardian, direct support professional (DSP), or other caregiver accompany them throughout their entire hospital stay. Hospitals must provide an opportunity to make this designation at admission and document it in the medical record, with changes allowed upon 1-hour notice. The right does not apply during active surgery if the caregiver's presence would endanger the patient. It directly affects patients with developmental disabilities, their designated caregivers, and New Jersey hospitals. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Health (DOH) to survey all antenatal and prenatal care clinics across the state - including those that have closed or reduced services in the past two years - to evaluate maternity care access and quality. The survey will collect data on clinic availability, service gaps (particularly for low- and moderate-income pregnant women), and demographic information about patients, while excluding personal health details. The DOH must analyze the data to identify disparities in care based on income or location and develop strategies to improve access and quality. Within 18 months, the DOH will publish findings online and submit a report to the legislature with recommendations for policy action.
This bill, S 2996, eliminates physician collaboration requirements for advanced practice nurses (APNs) in New Jersey, allowing them to practice independently without supervision or joint protocols. It directly affects APNs - registered nurses with specialized training in primary and specialty care - and aims to improve healthcare access, particularly in underserved communities and for populations facing barriers like low income or transportation challenges. The key provision removes statutory restrictions that previously limited APNs' scope of practice, aligning New Jersey with 24 states that grant full practice authority. The bill cites pandemic-era waivers (Executive Order No. 112) that allowed similar independent practice without adverse incidents, and notes APNs could reduce healthcare access disparities by over 38% if restrictions are lifted.
This New Jersey bill establishes the "Privacy Protection Act" to limit how government agencies and healthcare facilities collect and share certain personal information. It prohibits them from requesting details like immigration status, citizenship, social security numbers, or tax IDs unless necessary for specific public services, benefits, or healthcare delivery (with healthcare exceptions for patient safety). The bill requires written consent in the person's preferred language for sharing any collected data, detailing exactly what will be shared, why, and confirming consent is voluntary without retaliation. It also bans selling or sharing vehicle license plate data except under court orders, subpoenas, or with explicit written consent, and mandates government entities to update privacy policies within one year.
This New Jersey bill requires the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Human Services (DHS) to create and publish an online guide for healthcare facilities. It directly affects facilities like community mental health centers, substance use treatment programs, and federally qualified health centers that seek licensure for integrated care services. The guide must clearly explain the steps and rules needed for facilities to: (1) provide integrated health care (coordinating general and behavioral health services), (2) add behavioral health or substance use treatment to existing primary care licenses, and (3) contact assigned department staff for help. The bill defines "integrated health care" as systematically coordinating general and behavioral health services to address issues like mental illness, substance use, and chronic conditions.
This New Jersey bill expands protected bereavement leave under the Family Leave Act to cover specific personal losses: death of a child (including stillbirth), miscarriage (including chemical pregnancy), termination of pregnancy for medical reasons, and failed fertility treatments. It directly affects employees who experience these events, granting them up to 21 days of job-protected leave for situations not covered by other leave types, or 7 days if other leave applies. The bill amends existing laws (P.L.1989, c.261 and P.L.1948, c.110) to define "bereavement" broadly, including losses related to adoption plans, gestational carriers, and fertility treatments. It ensures eligible employees can take time off without losing their jobs or benefits during these difficult circumstances.
This bill requires pediatric healthcare providers in New Jersey to screen children for Lyme disease during well-child visits and symptom-related visits (for fever, rash, fatigue, joint pain, or headache) between April 1 and October 31 each year. It mandates using a standardized checklist developed by the Department of Health to assess tick exposure and symptoms, with providers documenting results and ordering tests or referrals if risks are identified. Additionally, the bill requires physicians to complete one mandatory continuing medical education credit on Lyme prevention, diagnosis, and treatment as part of their license renewal. The law aims to improve early detection of Lyme in children through standardized screening and provider education.
This bill creates "Dementia-Specific Advance Directives" (DSADs), allowing New Jersey adults diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other neurodegenerative dementia to formally document their future healthcare preferences while they still have decisional capacity. DSADs must be signed, dated, and witnessed (with one non-relative witness) and specify choices about feeding (including "comfort feeding only" - hand-feeding for comfort, not tubes or IVs), hospitalization, life-prolonging treatments, and triggers for comfort care. The state will establish an electronic registry for DSADs, require healthcare facilities to honor them, provide provider training, and publish annual data on DSAD usage. It directly affects individuals with dementia, their families, and all New Jersey healthcare providers, ensuring their documented wishes guide care during advanced stages.
New Jersey would join the Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact (REPLICA), allowing EMTs, paramedics, and other licensed emergency medical personnel to work across state lines more easily. The bill directly affects EMS professionals seeking to practice in multiple states by enabling mutual recognition of licenses between participating states. Key provisions require member states to immediately recognize licenses from other compact states and share information about disciplinary actions against license holders. This streamlines cross-state emergency response while maintaining oversight through shared accountability measures.
This bill requires New Jersey's State Long-Term Care Ombudsman to add specific memory care training to their annual long-term care training program within one year. The training must cover the needs and rights of residents with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, including methods to address their unique challenges. If the ombudsman's program does not include this training by the deadline, they must report to the legislature explaining the delay and steps to implement it. The bill directly affects the ombudsman's program, long-term care facility staff, and residents with memory-related conditions.
