Bill Text: NJ S1965 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Regulates provision of pharmaceutical services in long-term care facilities.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Engrossed) 2024-05-20 - Received in the Assembly, Referred to Assembly Health Committee [S1965 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S1965-Amended.html
SENATE, No. 1965
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH F. VITALE
District 19 (Middlesex)
Senator ROBERT W. SINGER
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Burgess
SYNOPSIS
Regulates provision of pharmaceutical services in long-term care facilities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on March 14, 2024, with amendments.
An Act concerning long-term care facilities and pharmaceutical services 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 act:
"Long-term care facility" means a 1[nursing home, assisted living residence, comprehensive personal care home, residential health care facility, or dementia care home licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.)] facility or distinct part of a facility licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health as a long-term care facility1 .
"Pharmacist" means a pharmacist licensed pursuant to P.L.2003, c.280 (C.45:14-40 et seq.)
b. Each long-term care facility shall have a consultant pharmacist and either a provider pharmacist or, if the facility has an in-house pharmacy, a director of pharmaceutical services.
c. A New Jersey licensed pharmacist shall serve as director of pharmaceutical services or as consultant pharmacist. The pharmacist shall comply with federal and State statutes, rules, regulations, and currently accepted standards of practice.
d. Each long-term care facility shall have an interdisciplinary pharmacy and therapeutics committee, appointed by and reporting to the facility's administrator and consisting of at least the administrator, a representative of the nursing staff, and the facility's consultant pharmacist, with oversight as needed by the facility's medical director. The committee may include a licensed pharmacist representing the provider pharmacy. The committee shall hold meetings at least quarterly. Records, including the dates of meetings, attendance, activities, findings, and recommendations, shall be maintained by the committee.
e. Each long-term care facility shall appoint a consultant pharmacist who is not also the director of pharmaceutical services or pharmacist provider, and who attests that he or she does not have an affiliation with either the facility's director of pharmaceutical services or the facility's pharmacist provider. Following the appointment of the consultant pharmacist, the consultant pharmacist shall avoid all real or potential conflicts of interest with the facility's director of pharmaceutical services or the facility's pharmacist provider.
f. If a long-term care facility keeps emergency injectable or oral controlled substances, the facility shall ensure that a current Drug Enforcement Administration registration and controlled dangerous substance registration for that location is available.
2. The Commissioner of Health shall 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.
