SENATE, No. 2500

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 4, 2020

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  ROBERT W. SINGER

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

Senator  JOSEPH F. VITALE

District 19 (Middlesex)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators O'Scanlon and Pou

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes “Local and County Health Department Infectious Disease Preparedness Study Commission.” 

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning local and county health departments’ response to disease outbreaks.

 

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

 

     1.  a.  There is established in the Department of Health a study commission to be known as the “Local and County Health Department Infectious Disease Preparedness Study Commission.” 

     b.    The purpose of the Local and County Health Department Infectious Disease Preparedness Study Commission shall be to study the roles and responsibilities of local and county health departments and the response of local and county health departments to the coronavirus disease 2019.  The scope of study commission’s analysis shall include, but shall not be limited to:

     (1) the general roles and responsibilities of local and county health departments in this State and in other states;

     (2) the role of local and county health departments in the administration of immunizations; 

     (3) the response of local and county health departments during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in this State and other states;

     (4) the communication and coordination between local and county health departments and state health departments prior to and in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in this State and other states;

     (5) the communication and coordination between local and county health departments and hospitals and long-term care facilities prior to and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in this State and other states;

     (6) policies and procedures implemented by local and county health departments to respond to an infectious disease outbreak and to curb the spread of the disease; and

     (7) recommendations as to how local and county health departments may better respond to an infectious disease outbreak.

     c.     The Local and County Health Department Infectious Disease Preparedness Study Commission shall consist of 11 members as follows: the Commissioner of Health, or the commissioner’s designee, the chairs of the Assembly Health committee and the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens committee, who shall serve as co-chairs of the study commission, and eight representatives of local and county health departments from the southern, central, and northern regions of the State to be appointed as follows:

     (1) two members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly;

     (2) two members to be appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly;

     (3) two members to be appointed by the President of the Senate; and

     (4) two members to be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

     d.    The study commission shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members.  The study commission may meet and holding meetings at the times and places it may designate.  A majority of the authorized members shall constitute a quorum.  Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments were made.  The members shall serve without remuneration, but shall be eligible for reimbursement for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties on the commission, within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the study commission for its purposes.

     e.     The study commission is entitled to receive assistance and services from any State, county, or municipal department, board, commission, or agency, as may be available to it for its purposes. 

     f.     Not later than 12 months after the initial meeting of the study commission, it shall prepare and submit a written report to the Governor, and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), presenting its analysis of the roles and responsibilities of local and county health departments and the response of local and county health departments to the coronavirus disease 2019.  The study commission shall expire on the first day of the third month next following the submission of its written report to the Governor and the Legislature, as required by this subsection.

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill establishes the “Local and County Health Department Infectious Disease Preparedness Study Commission” (commission). 

     Under the bill, the purpose of the commission is to study the roles and responsibilities of local and county health departments and the response of local and county health departments to the coronavirus disease 2019.  The scope of commission’s analysis is to include:  (1) the general roles and responsibilities of local and county health departments in this State and in other states; (2) the role of local and county health departments in the administration of immunizations; (3) the response of local and county health departments during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in this State and other states; (4) the communication and coordination between local and county health departments and state health departments prior to and in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in this State and other states; (5) the communication and coordination between local and county health departments and hospitals and long-term care facilities prior to and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in this State and other states; (6) policies and procedures implemented by local and county health departments to respond to an infectious disease outbreak and to curb the spread of the disease; and (7) recommendations as to how local and county health departments may better respond to an infectious disease outbreak.

     The bill provides that the commission is to consist of 11 members as follows: the Commissioner of Health, or the commissioner’s designee, the chairs of the Assembly Health committee and the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens committee, who are to serve as co-chairs of the commission, and eight representatives of local and county health departments from the southern, central, and northern regions of the State to be appointed as follows:  (1) two members to be appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly; (2) two members to be appointed by the Minority Leader of the General Assembly; (3) two members to be appointed by the President of the Senate; and (4) two members to be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

     Under the bill, not later than 12 months after its initial meeting, the commission is to prepare and submit a written report to the Governor and to the Legislature presenting its analysis of the roles and responsibilities of local and county health departments and the response of local and county health departments to the coronavirus disease 2019.  The study commission is to expire on the first day of the third month next following the submission of its written report to the Governor and the Legislature.