Sponsored by:
Assemblyman REED GUSCIORA
District 15 (Mercer)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Giblin
SYNOPSIS
Requires DHSS to develop a plan to eliminate municipal health boards and establish a county health department system.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning a plan for the elimination of municipal boards of health and the establishment of a county-based health department system.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Health and Senior Services shall conduct a detailed study as to the most efficient and effective means to provide health services in this State under a county-based system. In conducting the study the commissioner shall: examine the experiences of other states that have undertaken similar consolidation efforts; determine both the initial costs of implementation of a county-wide consolidation and the long-range cost savings that may be realized by the consolidation; and determine the extent to which health services will be affected through the consolidation.
b. Pursuant to the findings and conclusions of the study, the commissioner shall develop a comprehensive master plan to phase out municipal boards of health and establish a county-wide health department in every county in this State. The plan shall include recommended legislation. Within one year of the effective date of this act the plan shall be completed and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services to conduct a detailed study as to the most efficient and effective means to provide health services in the State under a county-based system. In conducting the study the commissioner would examine the experiences of other states that have undertaken similar consolidation efforts; determine both the initial costs of implementation of a county-wide consolidation and the long-range cost savings that may be realized by the consolidation; and determine the extent to which health services will be affected through the consolidation.
Pursuant to the findings and conclusions of the study, the bill would require the commissioner to develop a comprehensive master plan to phase out municipal boards of health and establish a county-wide health department in every county in the State. The plan would include recommended legislation. Within one year of the effective date of this act the plan shall be completed and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature.