ASSEMBLY, No. 400

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblywoman HECK

An Act concerning positive toxicology tests on newborn infants and supplementing Title 30 of the Revised Statutes.

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

    1. Whenever a toxicology test, as prescribed by the Commissioners of Human Services and Health, has been conducted on a newborn infant in the State and the test result is positive, the test result shall be reported by the attending physician to the Division of Youth and Family Services in the Department of Human Services.

    2. The Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, shall establish regulations to assure that the positive test results are promptly transmitted to the division.

    3. The Commissioner of Human Services shall establish procedures within the Division of Youth and Family Services to provide supportive services, not including drug rehabilitation, to a newborn infant and his family when the newborn infant has a positive toxicology test result.

    4. Pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), the Commissioner of Human Services shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this act.

    5. This act shall take effect on the 180th day following enactment.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires all positive toxicology test results on newborn infants to be reported to the Division of Youth and Family Services in the Department of Human Services.

    The Commissioner of Human Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, shall prescribe the specific toxicology tests to be performed and shall establish regulations to assure that the positive test results are promptly transmitted to the division. The Commissioner of Human Services shall establish procedures within the Division of Youth and Family Services to provide supportive services, not including drug rehabilitation, to a newborn infant and his family when the newborn infant has a positive toxicology test result.

Requires reporting of positive toxicology tests on newborn infants.