SENATE, No. 3803

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MAY 20, 2021

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  JOSEPH F. VITALE

District 19 (Middlesex)

Senator  HOLLY T. SCHEPISI

District 39 (Bergen and Passaic)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Permits certain paramedics to administer buprenorphine.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act concerning mobile intensive care paramedics and buprenorphine 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.  As used in this section:

     “Mobile intensive care paramedic" and “mobile intensive care unit" shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.1984, c.146 (C.26:2K-7).

     “Opioid antidote” shall have the same meaning as provided in section 1 of P.L.2017, c.116 (C.26:2K-66).

     b.    Subject to the requirements of federal law, a mobile intensive care paramedic in this State who has responded to an emergency as a member of a dispatched mobile intensive care unit may administer buprenorphine to an individual if a member of the mobile intensive care unit administered an opioid antidote to that individual provided that the mobile intensive care paramedic administering the buprenorphine: 

     (1)   is providing emergency medical services through a program that is registered with the United States Attorney General pursuant to subsection (j) of 21 U.S.C. s.823;

     (2)   administers the buprenorphine consistent with all applicable requirements of federal law; and

     (3)   has completed supervised comprehensive training and competency assessments within a mobile intensive care unit regarding which specific medical conditions necessitate the administration of buprenorphine, buprenorphine dosage requirements, and required medical documentation following the administration of buprenorphine.

 

     2.    The Commissioner of Health may adopt rules and regulations, in accordance with the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), as are necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill permits certain paramedics to administer buprenorphine.

     Under the bill, the bill provides that a paramedic who has responded to an emergency as a member of a dispatched mobile intensive care unit may administer buprenorphine to an individual if a member of the mobile intensive care unit administered an opioid antidote to that individual provided that the paramedic administering the buprenorphine: (1) is providing emergency medical services through a program that is registered with the United States Attorney General pursuant to subsection (j) of 21 U.S.C. s.823; (2) administers the buprenorphine consistent with all applicable requirements of federal law; and (3) has completed supervised comprehensive training and competency assessments within a mobile intensive care unit regarding which specific medical conditions necessitate the administration of buprenorphine, buprenorphine dosage requirements, and required medical documentation following the administration of buprenorphine.