Bill Text: NJ AR231 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges DOH to provide mobile testing and vaccination units at Jersey Shore, including boardwalks where practical and feasible, during tourism season.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-08 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [AR231 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-AR231-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblyman VINCENT MAZZEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblyman JOHN ARMATO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Caputo
SYNOPSIS
Urges DOH to provide mobile COVID-19 testing and vaccination units at Jersey Shore, including boardwalks where practical and feasible, during tourism season.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution urging the Department of Health to provide mobile COVID-19 testing and vaccination units at the Jersey Shore, including the boardwalk where practical and feasible, during the tourism season.
Whereas, The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives of residents of the State, and has deeply impacted the tourism industry; and
Whereas, A 2019 Economic Impact of Tourism in New Jersey study reported that visitor spending increased 3.8 percent in 2019 from the previous year; with the tourism industry directly generating $19.8 billion, or three percent of New Jersey's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019; and
Whereas, The increase in tourism resulted in the creation of roughly 9,000 new jobs in 2019; and
Whereas, The report noted that the Jersey Shore made up over half of the State's tourism direct sales, accounting for nearly $25 billion of approximately $46 billion; and
Whereas, However, after a record year of tourism in the State, the tourism industry took significant losses in 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; and
Whereas, In light of promising vaccination study results and an increasing vaccination rate in both the United States of America and the State, tourism is expected to increase in 2021 across the country, including New Jersey; and
Whereas, New Jersey has rolled out phased COVID-19 vaccines in for eligible adults who live, work, or are being educated in the State, with a goal to vaccinate 70 percent of the adult population by June; and
Whereas, The Department of Health could assist the tourism industry by setting up mobile testing and vaccination sites to help reduce the spread of the virus; and
Whereas, With tourists expected to return to the beaches this summer, COVID-19 vaccination and mobile testing units should be available in shore towns to protect shore residents from the increase in visitors, and to encourage tourists to visit the Jersey Shore; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey urges the Department of Health to provide mobile
COVID-19 testing and vaccination units at the Jersey Shore, including the boardwalk
where practical and feasible, during the tourism season.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Commissioner of Health.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the Department of Health to provide mobile COVID-19 testing and vaccination units to the Jersey Shore, including areas of the boardwalk, during the tourism season. Tourism in the Jersey Shore made up more than half of the State's direct tourism sales in 2019, and despite a significant dip in tourism during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism is expected to increase in 2021.
With the expected increase in COVID-19 vaccines available to the State, and continued increased testing capacities, the provision of mobile testing and vaccination units at Jersey Shore locations, such as the boardwalk, would both protect State residents who permanently and seasonally reside in Shore towns, and would encourage tourists to consider traveling to the Jersey Shore for the 2021 season, providing a much needed boost to the tourism industry.
