Bill Text: NJ A1966 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Addresses long-term effects of COVID-19.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [A1966 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A1966-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SHANIQUE SPEIGHT
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Assemblyman REGINALD W. ATKINS
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Addresses long-term effects of COVID-19.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning the long-term effects of COVID-19.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Department of Health, in consultation with county and local health departments, shall develop strategies to establish post-COVID-19 health clinics that provide physical and mental health evaluations, physical therapy, and other appropriate services at no cost to patients who were previously diagnosed with COVID-19. The Department of Health shall publish informational pamphlets on post-COVID-19 health clinics, which are to be made available in pertinent licensed health care facilities.
2. The Department of Health
shall establish a public awareness campaign to increase public awareness of the
long-term health effects of COVID-19 and methods to address such health
effects. The department shall: publish current information on the symptoms of
COVID-19 and the long-term health effects therefrom; publish informational
pamphlets on the long-term health effects of
COVID-19, which are to be made available in pertinent licensed health care
facilities; and educate individuals in medically underserved areas and areas
with statistically adverse health outcomes resulting from COVID-19 about the
long-term health effects of COVID-19.
3. a. There is established the "New Jersey COVID-19 Long-Term Health Effects Task Force." The purpose of the task force shall be to study the long-term health effects of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minorities in the State.
b. The task force shall consist of 15 members as follows:
(1) two members of the General Assembly, appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly;
(2) two members of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate;
(3) the Commissioner of Health;
(4) the Chief State Medical Examiner;
(5) one representative from the Office of Minority and Multicultural Health, appointed by the Governor;
(6) one representative from the Office of Public Health, appointed by the Governor;
(7) one representative with epidemiological experience from the Communicable Disease Service, appointed by the Governor; and
(8) six members of the public, appointed by the Governor, that represent communities and community-based advocacy groups that reflect the diverse geographic, economic, racial, cultural, gender, and occupational composition of the State.
c. The members of this task force shall be appointed within 30 days after the date of enactment of P.L. ,c. (C. ) (pending before this Legislature as this bill). The task force shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of a majority of the task force's members. The presence of eight members shall constitute a quorum. The Commissioner of Health shall serve as the chairperson of the task force.
d. The task force will meet regularly as the task force determines, or at the call of the chairperson or a majority of the task force's membership.
e. All meetings of the task force shall be open to the public. Agendas, minutes, documents, and testimony from all meetings shall be posted on the Department of Health's Internet website.
f. All members of this task force shall serve without compensation.
g. Any vacancies in the membership of this task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
h. The Department of Health shall provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistants, and professional staff as the task force requires to carry out the task force's work. The task force shall be entitled to call to the task force's assistance and avail of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as the task force may require and as may be available for the task force's purposes.
i. The task force shall prepare and submit to the Governor and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1) a final report and policy recommendations no later than one year after the organization of the task force. The task force shall expire 30 days after the submission of the task force's report.
4. The Department of Health shall: develop continuing education courses for health care professionals on the long-term health effects of COVID-19; develop methods for healthcare professionals to employ to make patients aware of the long-term health effects of COVID-19, including the long-term health effects of COVID-19 on asymptomatic persons; and develop methods for health care professionals to encourage patients to seek further medical care, mental health care, or both, for any condition that may arise as a result of a previous COVID-19 diagnosis.
5. This act shall take
effect immediately and shall expire one year following the end of the public
health emergency declared in response to COVID-19.
STATEMENT
This bill addresses the long-term effects of COVID-19.
Under the bill, the Department
of Health (department), in consultation with county and local health
departments shall develop strategies to establish post-COVID-19 health clinics
that provide physical and mental health evaluations, physical therapy, and other
appropriate services at no cost to patients who were previously diagnosed with
COVID-19. The department is to publish informational pamphlets on
post-COVID-19 health clinics, which are to be made available in pertinent
licensed health care facilities. The department is to establish a public
awareness campaign to increase public awareness of the long-term health effects
of COVID-19 and methods to address such health effects. The department is to:
publish current information on the symptoms of COVID-19 and the long-term
health effects therefrom; publish informational pamphlets on the long-term
health effects of
COVID-19, which are to be made available in pertinent licensed health care
facilities; and educate individuals in medically underserved areas and areas
with statistically adverse health outcomes resulting from COVID-19 about the
long-term health effects of COVID-19.
The bill provides for the establishment of the "New Jersey COVID-19 Long-Term Health Effects Task Force." The purpose of the 15-member task force is to study the long-term health effects of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minorities in the State. Further, the bill provides that the department is to: develop continuing education courses for health care professionals on the long-term health effects of COVID-19; develop methods for healthcare professionals to employ to make patients aware of the long-term health effects of COVID-19, including the long-term health effects of COVID-19 on asymptomatic persons; and develop methods for health care professionals to encourage patients to seek further medical care, mental health care, or both, for any condition that may arise as a result of a previous COVID-19 diagnosis.
