ASSEMBLY, No. 5256

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JANUARY 12, 2021

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblyman  RAJ MUKHERJI

District 33 (Hudson)

Assemblyman  ANTHONY S. VERRELLI

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Benson and Caputo

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Concerns manufacturing of clear masks and promotes public awareness of clear mask use during public health emergencies.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning clear masks and supplementing chapter 13 of Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    

     1.    As used in this act:

     “Clear mask” means a transparent mask that provides a full view of a person’s face, offers similar protective benefits as surgical or cloth masks by preventing the transmission of disease and filtering aerosols, and supports the communication needs of individuals that are deaf or hard of hearing.

     “Department” means Department of Health.

 

     2.    a.  The Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall develop design and manufacturing standards for clear masks that consider the following disease prevention and safety factors and other factors as determined by the department:  fluid resistance, flammability, particle filtration, air flow resistance, and biocompatibility.  The department shall establish separate standards that are appropriate for clear masks used in a medical setting and for clear masks used in an educational setting.

     b.  Following the development of design and manufacturing standards for clear masks, the department shall identify the models of clear masks that currently exist and meet the appropriate standards for medical and education settings and publish such guidance on its Internet website.

 

     3.  During a public health emergency declared by the Governor pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2005, c.222, in which the use of a face mask in public is required to reduce the transmission of disease, the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall engage in comprehensive outreach efforts and public awareness campaigns to promote the use of clear masks to support the communication needs of the deaf and hard of hearing community.  The department may use all available media, including print, radio, televisions, social media, and the Internet to provide information on the importance of using clear masks and to identify any models of clear masks currently available that are safe to use in a public health emergency and supportive of the communication needs of the deaf and hard of hearing community.

 

     4.    The Commissioner of Health, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate the provisions of this act.

     5.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill requires the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to develop design and manufacturing standards for clear masks and to promote the public awareness of clear mask use during public health emergencies that would require the use of a face mask in public to reduce disease transmission.

       A clear mask is a transparent mask that provides a full view of a person’s face, offers similar protective benefits as surgical or cloth masks by preventing the transmission of disease and filtering aerosols, and supports the communication needs of individuals that are deaf or hard of hearing.

     This bill requires the Department of Health to establish separate standards that are appropriate for clear masks used in a medical setting and for clear masks used in an educational setting.  Following the development of design and manufacturing standards for clear masks, the department will also identify the models of clear masks that currently exist and meet the appropriate standards for medical and education settings and will publish such guidance on its Internet website.

     During public health emergencies that require the use of a face mask in public to reduce disease transmission, this bill requires the Department of Health, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to engage in comprehensive outreach efforts and public awareness campaigns to promote the use of clear masks.  The department may use all available media, including print, radio, televisions, social media, and the Internet to provide information on the importance of using clear masks and to identify any models of clear masks currently available that are safe to use in a public health emergency and supportive of the communication needs of the deaf and hard of hearing community.