Bill Text: NJ A564 | 2012-2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Concerns furloughing of direct care nurses employed by certain State institutions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-10 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State Government Committee [A564 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2012-A564-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
215th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2012 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman CONNIE WAGNER
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Concerns furloughing of direct care nurses employed by certain State institutions.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act concerning direct care nurses employed by the State and supplementing Titles 9, 30, and 52 of the Revised Statutes and Titles 18A and 38A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. A direct care nurse employed at a facility operated by the Department of Children and Families shall not be furloughed unless the chief executive officer of the facility certifies to the Commissioner of Children and Families that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at the facility. The facility shall be prohibited from furloughing a direct care nurse who would require a per diem replacement.
As used in this section, "direct care nurse" means a nurse who provides direct care to a child placed at a facility operated by the Department of Children and Families.
2. A direct care nurse employed by a State psychiatric hospital or developmental center listed in R.S.30:1-7 shall not be furloughed unless the chief executive officer of the hospital or developmental center certifies to the Commissioner of Human Services that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at that institution. The hospital or developmental center, as applicable, shall be prohibited from furloughing a direct care nurse who would require a per diem replacement.
As used in this section, "direct care nurse" means a nurse who provides direct care at a facility operated by the Department of Human Services.
3. A direct care nurse employed by a facility operated by the Juvenile Justice Commission shall not be furloughed unless the superintendent of the facility certifies to the Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at that facility. The facility shall be prohibited from furloughing a direct care nurse who would require a per diem replacement.
As used in this section, "direct care nurse" means a nurse who provides direct care to a juvenile offender at a facility operated by the Juvenile Justice Commission.
4. A direct care nurse employed by a facility operated by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey shall not be furloughed unless the chief executive officer of the facility certifies to the President of the university that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at that facility. The facility shall be prohibited from furloughing a direct care nurse who would require a per diem replacement.
As used in this section, "direct care nurse" means a nurse who provides direct care to a patient at a facility operated by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
5. A direct care nurse employed by a New Jersey veterans' memorial home operated by the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs shall not be furloughed unless the chief executive officer of the memorial home certifies to the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at that institution. The memorial home shall be prohibited from furloughing a direct care nurse who would require a per diem replacement.
As used in this section, "direct care nurse" means a nurse who provides direct care to a veteran at a facility operated by the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs.
6. This act shall take effect on the 90th day after enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits the furloughing of a nurse at certain State-operated facilities unless assurances are made by the head of the facility in question that the quality of nursing care provided at the facility will not be adversely affected. The bill further provides that a direct care nurse will not be furloughed if a per diem replacement would be required.
Specifically, the bill would require that:
· the chief executive officer of a facility operated by the Department of Children and Families certify to the Commissioner of Children and Families that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at the facility;
· the chief executive officer of a State psychiatric hospital or developmental center certify to the Commissioner of Human Services that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at that institution;
· the superintendent of a facility operated by the Juvenile Justice Commission certify to the Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Commission that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at the facility;
· the chief executive officer of a facility operated by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey certify to the President of the university that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at the facility; and
· the chief executive officer of a New Jersey veterans' memorial home operated by the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs certify to the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs that the furloughing of that nurse will not lessen the quality of nursing care provided at that institution.
The bill takes effect on the 90th day after enactment.
