STATEMENT TO

 

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2679

 

with Senate Floor Amendments

(Proposed by Senator SINGER)

 

ADOPTED: SEPTEMBER 27, 2018


 

      These Senate amendments remove all references in the bill to personal care assistant.  Currently, there are no personal care assistant training programs in the State.  Per regulation, nurse aides and home health aides can function as personal care assistants.  Therefore, establishing a program for reciprocal certification is unnecessary for this title.

      In addition, this amendment provides that the Department of Health must require an individual requesting certification on the basis of work experience to complete certain examinations to verify the individual meets New Jersey’s training and competency requirements.  As introduced, this provision is permissive.  Furthermore, this amendment clarifies the types of examinations required under this provision and expands them to include the written and oral competency examination required by the Department pursuant to regulation.