STATE OF NEW JERSEY
213th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2008 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 30 (Burlington, Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Holzapfel and Wolfe
SYNOPSIS
Establishes defibrillator grant program in DHSS for placement of defibrillators in senior citizen centers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act establishing a defibrillator grant program to place defibrillators in senior citizen centers and supplementing Title 2A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is hereby established in the Division of Aging and Community Services in the Department of Health and Senior Services an automated external defibrillator grant program for the purpose of providing a municipality or county in the State with financial assistance for the purchase of an automated external defibrillator, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1999, c.34 (C.2A:62A-24), for placement of an automated external defibrillator in a senior citizen center within its jurisdiction or to reimburse a municipality or county for public funds, other than State funds, that have been expended for the purchase of an automated external defibrillator that was placed in a senior citizen center within its jurisdiction.
b. The department shall establish procedures for counties and municipalities to apply for financial assistance for the purchase of an automated external defibrillator under this act. The procedures may require a municipality or county that applies for a grant to provide matching funds of up to, but not more than, the amount of the grant awarded.
c. The department shall collaborate with the Director of the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury who shall contract with a manufacturer of automated external defibrillators to obtain the best price available.
d. The Legislature shall appropriate such funds as may be necessary for the implementation of this act.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would establish in the Division of Aging and Community Services in the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) a defibrillator grant program for the purpose of providing a municipality or county in the State with financial assistance for the purchase of an automated external defibrillator for placement of an automated external defibrillator in a senior citizen center within its jurisdiction. The bill also would allow financial assistance to reimburse a municipality or county for public funds, other than State funds, that have been expended for the purchase of an automated external defibrillator that was placed in a senior citizen center within its jurisdiction.
"Automated external defibrillator" is defined in the bill using the definition in N.J.S.A. 2A:62A-24, a medical device heart monitor and defibrillator that: has received approval of its pre-market notification filed pursuant to 21 U.S.C. s.360 (k) from the United States Food and Drug Administration; is capable of recognizing the presence or absence of ventricular fibrillation or rapid ventricular tachycardia, and is capable of determining, without intervention by an operator, whether defibrillation should be performed; and upon determining that defibrillation should be performed, automatically charges and requests delivery of an electrical impulse to an individual's heart.
Under the bill's provisions, DHSS would establish procedures for counties and municipalities to apply for financial assistance for the purchase of an automated external defibrillator. The procedures may require a municipality or county that applies for a grant to provide matching funds of up to, but not more than, the amount of the grant awarded.
In addition, DHSS would collaborate with the Director of the Division of Purchase and Property in the Department of the Treasury who must contract with a manufacturer of automated external defibrillators to obtain the best price available.
Lastly, the bill provides that the Legislature shall appropriate such funds as may be necessary for the implementation of the bill.