ASSEMBLY, No. 830

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

210th LEGISLATURE

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2002 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman HERBERT CONAWAY, JR.

District 7 (Burlington and Camden)

Assemblyman JACK CONNERS

District 7 (Burlington and Camden)

SYNOPSIS

    Establishes New Jersey Public Health Emergency Study Commission.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

    Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.

An Act establishing a New Jersey Public Health Emergency Study Commission.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. The Legislature finds and declares that the events of September 11, 2001 have raised in New Jersey, and throughout the nation, the specter of a subsequent terrorist strike that could, through the use of biological or chemical agents, exceed even the horrific dimensions of the attack upon the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in the scope of its impact upon our population, and suggest the need for a prompt and thorough assessment of this State's capability to meet the public health emergency that would be created by such an event, as well as a public health emergency that might stem from an outbreak of disease, a natural disaster or other causes not related to terrorist actions.

    2. a. There is established the New Jersey Public Health Emergency Study Commission in the Department of Health and Senior Services. The purpose of the commission shall be to study and evaluate, and develop recommendations relating to, the state of preparedness in New Jersey, and the development and utilization of resources available in this State, to respond to a public health emergency in the event of an attack that employs biological or chemical weapons within, or affecting the citizens of, New Jersey, or a public health emergency created by an outbreak of disease, a natural disaster or other causes not related to terrorist actions.

    b. The commission shall consist of 20 members as follows:

    (1) the Commissioners of Health and Senior Services, Human Services and Education, the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, and the Superintendent of State Police, or their designees, who shall serve ex officio; and

    (2) 13 public members, who shall be appointed by the Governor no later than the 30th day after the effective date of this act, as follows: one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Public Health Association; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of County Health Officers; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Health Officers Association; one person upon the recommendation of the Medical Society of New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Hospital Association; one person upon the recommendation of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey State Nurses Association; one

person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey First Aid Council, Inc.; one person upon the recommendation of the American Red Cross; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey Association of Health Care Facilities; one person upon the recommendation of the New Jersey State School Nurses Association; and two members of the public with a demonstrated expertise in issues relating to the work of the commission.

    Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner provided for the original appointments.

    c. The Commissioner of Health and Senior Services or the commissioner's designee shall serve as chairperson of the commission. The commission shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members and shall select a vice-chairperson from among the members. The chairperson shall appoint a secretary who need not be a member of the commission.

    d. The public members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties and within the limits of funds available to the commission.

    e. The commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county or municipal department, board, bureau, commission or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.

    f. The commission may meet and hold hearings at the places it designates during the sessions or recesses of the Legislature.

    g. The Department of Health and Senior Services shall provide staff support to the commission.

    3. The commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature, along with any legislative bills that it desires to recommend for adoption by the Legislature, no later than six months after the initial meeting of the commission.

    4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the issuance of the commission's report.

STATEMENT

    This bill establishes a 20-member New Jersey Public Health Emergency Study Commission. The purpose of the commission shall be to study and evaluate, and develop recommendations relating to, the state of preparedness in New Jersey, and the development and utilization of resources available in this State, to respond to a public health emergency in the event of an attack that employs biological or chemical weapons within, or affecting the citizens of, New Jersey, or a public health emergency created by an outbreak of disease, a natural disaster or other causes not related to terrorist actions.

    The bill provides that the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services or the commissioner's designee shall serve as chairperson of the commission, and directs the Department of Health and Senior Services to provide staff support to the commission.

    The bill requires that the public members of the commission be appointed by the Governor no later than the 30th day after the effective date of the bill, and that the commission report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature no later than six months after the initial meeting of the commission.

    This bill takes effect immediately and expires upon the issuance of the commission's report.