Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DOH to establish public awareness campaign regarding potential fraud related to COVID-19 vaccine.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the COVID-19 vaccine.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Department of Health shall establish and undertake a public information campaign to educate and inform the public on potential fraudulent activity involving the COVID-19 vaccine, including, but not limited to, false promises of providing access to the vaccine and the sale or administration of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines and other treatments, as well as using the COVID-19 vaccine as a means to engage in other forms of fraudulent activity, such as attempting to obtain secure, private, or personal information. The campaign shall include information about recognizing and reporting fraud involving the COVID-19 vaccine.
b. The public information campaign shall include, but not be limited to, the preparation, publication, and distribution of information through the Department of Health’s Internet website, and booklets, pamphlets, or other pertinent materials regarding fraud involving the COVID-19 vaccine.
c. The Department of Health shall provide a toll-free telephone number for individuals to obtain additional information or to make an inquiry regarding COVID-19 vaccines.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the end of the public health emergency declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Department of Health (department) to establish a public awareness campaign regarding fraud related to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Under the bill, the department is to establish and undertake a public information campaign to educate and inform the public on potential fraudulent activity involving the COVID-19 vaccine, such as false promises of providing access to the vaccine and the sale or administration of counterfeit COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. The campaign is to include information about recognizing and reporting COVID-19 vaccine fraud. The public information campaign is to include, but not be limited to, the preparation, publication, and distribution of information through the department’s Internet website, and booklets, pamphlets, or other pertinent materials regarding COVID-19 vaccine fraud. The department is to provide a toll-free telephone number for individuals to obtain additional information or to make an inquiry regarding COVID-19 vaccines.