Sponsored by:
Senator THOMAS H. KEAN, JR.
District 21 (Morris, Somerset and Union)
Senator JOSEPH A. LAGANA
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Andrzejczak, A.R.Bucco and O'Scanlon
SYNOPSIS
Requires reporting of opioid deaths.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on December 12, 2019, with amendments.
An Act concerning opioid deaths and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. A coroner, medical examiner, or health care professional who examines an individual whose death was caused by opioid use 1[,]1 shall report the death and the type of opioid that was the cause of death, if 1[such] that1 information is ascertainable, to the Department of Health, 1[as] in a manner1 determined by the 1[Department] Commissioner1 of Health.
As used in this 1[subsection] section1 :
1“Department” means the Department of Health.1
“Health care professional" means an individual licensed by this State, pursuant to Title 45 of the Revised Statutes, to administer health care in the ordinary course of business or practice of a profession.
b. The 1[Department] Commissioner1 of Health shall publish on 1[its] the department’s1 Internet website the number of deaths caused by opioids and the type of opioid that was the cause of death, if 1[such] that1 information is ascertainable, according to reports received by the 1[Department of Health] department1 pursuant to subsection a. of this section.
2. The 1[Department] Commissioner1 of Health shall, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules or regulations as are necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take effect 180 days after enactment.