Bill Text: NJ A4057 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires hospitals to test for fentanyl and xylazine as part of urine drug screenings.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-11 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [A4057 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4057-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JULIO MARENCO
District 33 (Hudson)
Assemblyman HERB CONAWAY, JR.
District 7 (Burlington)
Assemblyman ANTHONY S. VERRELLI
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Requires hospitals to test for fentanyl and xylazine as part of urine drug screenings.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning urine drug screenings and supplementing P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. As used in this section, "urine drug screening" means a chemical analysis intended to test a patient for the presence of multiple drugs, including, but not limited to, cocaine, opioids, and phencyclidine.
b. In the event that an individual is treated at a general acute care hospital licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.) and the hospital conducts a urine drug screening to assist in diagnosing the individual's condition, the hospital shall include testing for fentanyl and xylazine in the individual's urine drug screening.
c. If a urine drug screening conducted in accordance with subsection b. of this section detects fentanyl, xylazine, or both, the hospital shall report the test results, which shall be de-identified, to the Department of Health in a form and manner as shall be prescribed by the Commissioner of Health. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to revise or rescind any other mandatory reporting related to opioid drugs, drug overdoses, fentanyl, or xylazine as may be required by any department, division, office, agency, or other instrumentality of the State.
d. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the provisions of section 4 of P.L.2013, c.46 (C.24:6J-4), section 7 of P.L.2013, c.46 (C.2C:35-30), or section 8 of P.L.2013, c.46 (C.2C:35-31).
2. This act shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires hospitals that conduct a urine drug screening in the course of treating a patient to include in the screening testing for fentanyl and xylazine. If the urine drug screening detects fentanyl, xylazine, or both, the hospital will be required to report the test results in a form and manner as prescribed by the Commissioner of Health.
Both fentanyl, which is a powerful synthetic opioid, and xylazine, which is a potent animal tranquilizer, have been associated with sharp increases in overdose deaths, exacerbating mortality rates in the already-deadly opioid epidemic. Both fentanyl and xylazine have been found in other street drugs, including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine, with increasing frequency, and both drugs can increase the risk of a fatal overdose. Although some users of street drugs may specifically seek out fentanyl, xylazine, or both, others may be at increased risk of overdose because they are not aware these drugs may be present in the substances they are consuming.
Currently, hospital urine drug screenings do not routinely test for fentanyl or xylazine, which may result in delays in the patient receiving the level or type of treatment needed to reverse an overdose.
It is the sponsor's intent to ensure that health care workers have the information they need to properly treat patients experiencing an overdose, as well as to ensure the State has the data it needs to evaluate and properly respond to the increasing prevalence of fentanyl and xylazine in New Jersey.
