Bill Text: NJ A4381 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires DLPS to issue guidelines for counties to establish special needs registries.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-01-30 - Received in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [A4381 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A4381-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman JOANN DOWNEY
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblyman ERIC HOUGHTALING
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DLPS to issue guidelines for counties to establish special needs registries.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning special needs registries and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The State Office of Emergency Management in the Division of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall issue guidelines to be used by each county in the State that establishes a voluntary special needs registry for the purpose of providing, in the event of an emergency situation, medical care or assistance to a resident, student, or employee in the county who has a special need.
b. The guidelines shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) methods to advertise to members of the public the benefits and availability of the special needs registry;
(2) information to be included on the registry, including a photo of the individual, that would be beneficial to help a first responder provide appropriate assistance when the first responder is dispatched to the scene of an emergency situation;
(3) a requirement to maintain confidentiality about the information on the registry; and
(4) a requirement to link the information on the registry to the first responder who is dispatched to the scene of an emergency situation.
c. As used in this section:
"First responder" means a law enforcement officer, paid or volunteer firefighter, paid or volunteer member of a duly incorporated first aid, emergency, ambulance, or rescue squad association, or any other individual who, in the course of the individual's employment, is dispatched to the scene of an emergency situation for the purpose of providing medical care or assistance.
"Special need" means a physical or mental disability or medical care need of an individual which results in the individual needing assistance before, during, or after a disaster or emergency.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the State Office of Emergency Management in the Department of Law and Public Safety, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to issue uniform guidelines to be used by each county in the State that establishes a voluntary special needs registry for the purpose of providing, in the event of an emergency situation, medical care or assistance to a resident, student, or employee in the county who has a "special need." This term is defined in the bill as a physical or mental disability or medical care need of an individual which results in the individual needing assistance before, during, or after a disaster or emergency.
The guidelines would include, but not be limited to: methods to advertise the benefits and availability of the special needs registry; information to be included on the registry, including a photo, that would be beneficial to help a first responder take appropriate action when the first responder is dispatched to the scene of an emergency situation; and requirements for maintaining confidentiality about the information on the registry and linking the information on the registry to the first responder who is dispatched to the scene of an emergency situation.
Monmouth county has been operating a countywide voluntary special needs registry since the spring of 2016.
