Bill Text: NJ A4181 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires establishment of minimum staff-to-resident ratios in veterans' memorial homes.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-04-15 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [A4181 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A4181-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VICTORIA A. FLYNN
District 13 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Requires establishment of minimum staff-to-resident ratios in veterans' memorial homes.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning staffing requirements for veterans' memorial homes, and supplementing chapter 3 of Title 38A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Unless otherwise specified in State or federal law, the Division of Veterans' Healthcare Services in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs shall establish a minimum direct care staff-to-resident ratio, based on resident acuity and facility size, for each State veterans' memorial home. A State veterans' memorial home shall maintain the ratio established for that veterans' memorial home.
b. The division shall review and adjust, as necessary, the direct care staff-to-resident ratio at regular intervals but at least on a quarterly basis.
c. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any minimum staffing requirements for veterans' memorial homes as may be required by the Department of Health or by a federal agency for staff other than direct care staff or to restrict the ability of a veterans' memorial home to increase staffing levels, at any time, beyond the established minimum.
d. As used in this section, "direct care staff member" means any registered professional nurse, licensed practical nurse, or certified nurse aide who is acting in accordance with that individual's authorized scope of practice.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment, except that the Division of Veterans' Healthcare Services in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the establishment of minimum staff-to-resident ratios in each State veterans' memorial home.
This bill requires the Division of Veterans' Healthcare Services in the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs to establish ratios, unless otherwise specified in current State or federal law, based on resident acuity and facility size of that veterans' memorial home. Each veterans' memorial home will be required to maintain the ratio established for that veterans' memorial home.
The bill also requires the Division of Veterans' Healthcare Services to review and adjust, as necessary, the ratio at regular intervals but at least on a quarterly basis.
Nothing in the bill would affect any other minimum staffing requirements as may be mandated by the Department of Health or by a federal agency for staff other than direct care staff or to restrict the ability of a veterans' memorial home to increase staffing levels, at any time, beyond the established minimum.
