Bill Text: NJ A4485 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Dedicates personal protective equipment to long-term care facilities, home health agencies, hospice care providers, health care service firms, PACE programs, and certain community-based providers during public health emergency.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 21-7)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-11-12 - Received in the Senate without Reference, 2nd Reading [A4485 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4485-Amended.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
Assemblyman LOUIS D. GREENWALD
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblyman BENJIE E. WIMBERLY
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblywoman DIANNE C. GOVE
District 9 (Atlantic, Burlington and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywomen Speight, Dunn, Schepisi, B.DeCroce, McKnight, Reynolds-Jackson, DiMaso and Assemblyman Johnson
SYNOPSIS
Dedicates personal protective equipment to long-term care facilities, home health agencies, and certain community-based providers during public health emergency.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Aging and Senior Services Committee on August 24, 2020, with amendments.
An Act concerning 1the dedication of1 personal protective equipment 1[in] to1 long-term care facilities facilities1, home health agencies, and certain community-based providers1 during a public health emergency and supplementing chapter 13 of Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Director of the State Office of Emergency Management 1in the New Jersey Division of State Police1, shall 1, during a public emergency,1 dedicate a percentage of the 1personal protective equipment in the1 State 1[Stockpile's personal protective equipment] stockpile1 and any personal protective equipment received from the federal 1["]1Strategic National Stockpile1["]1 to1: (1)1 long-term care facilities 1[in the State during public health emergencies]; (2) home health agencies; and (3) community-based providers that employ direct support professionals in group homes. The amount of personal protective equipment that is dedicated to long-term care facilities, home health agencies, and community-based providers under this section shall be sufficient to meet the needs of those facilities, agencies, and providers to the greatest extent possible, given the available stockpiled supplies1.
b. Following a declaration of a public health emergency by the Governor, pursuant to 1section 3 of1 P.L.2005, c.2221[, s..3] (C.26:13-3)1, the commissioner, in consultation with the Director of the State Office of Emergency Management, shall determine the specific percentage 1[allocation]1 of personal protective equipment 1[for] to be allocated to1 long-term care facilities1, home health agencies, and community-based providers under this section1, based on the nature of the public health emergency, the total number of 1[patients] current long-term care facility residents, home health agency consumers, and residents of community-based group homes1, and the average rate of personal protective equipment consumption 1[in] by1 long-term care facilities1, home health agencies, and community-based providers1.
c. The commissioner shall coordinate with local health departments and the 1county coordinators for the1 New Jersey Office of Emergency Management 1[County Coordinators]1 to1:
(1)1 collect information on the total number of 1[patients] current long-term care facility residents, home
health agency consumers, and residents of community-based group homes1, the current inventory of personal protective
equipment 1in the State stockpile, as well as the
inventory currently available at each long-term care facility, home health agency, and community-based provider1, and the average rate of personal protective equipment consumption 1[in] by1 long-term care facilities1, home health agencies, and community-based providers;1 and 1[to]
(2)1 distribute personal protective equipment to the long-term care facilities1, home health agencies, and community-based providers1, based on 1[a facility's] each entity's1 need and 1the1 available 1stockpiled1 supplies.
d. As used in this section:
"Commissioner" means Commissioner of Health.
1"Home health agency" means a home health care provider that is certified to participate either as a home health agency under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C.1395 et seq., or as a proprietary agency licensed by the Commissioner of Health.1 "Long-term care facility" means a nursing home, assisted living residence, comprehensive personal care home, residential health care facility, or dementia care home licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.).
"Personal protective equipment" means any items commonly used to protect an individual from bacterial or viral infections, including, but not 1[necessarily]1 limited to, disinfecting wipes, disposable gloves, disposable gowns, face shields, 1[facemasks, portable respirators, medical equipment,] N95 face masks1, or parts thereof.
"State 1[Stockpile] stockpile1" means the 1[State managed asset] State-managed stockpile1 containing a limited supply of pharmaceuticals and personal protective equipment dedicated for use during a public health emergency.
"Strategic National Stockpile" means the United States' national repository of antibiotics, vaccines, chemical antidotes, antitoxins and other critical medical equipment and supplies1[. In], which, in1 the event of a national emergency involving bioterrorism or a natural pandemic, 1[the Strategic National Stockpile]1 has the capability to supplement and re-supply local health authorities that may be overwhelmed by the crisis.
2. The Commissioner of Health shall adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), to effectuate the purposes of 1[P.L. , c. , (C. ) (pending before this Legislature as this bill)] this act1.
