http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2000/Bills/A3500/4060_I1.HTM

ASSEMBLY, No. 4060

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

209th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED DECEMBER 20, 2001

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman JACK COLLINS

District 3 (Salem, Cumberland and Gloucester)

SYNOPSIS

"Public Health Preparedness Act"; appropriates $3.8 million.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

An Act concerning public health preparedness, supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes and making an appropriation.

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

1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Public Health Preparedness Act."

2. As used in this act:

"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services.

"Lead local health agency" means a local health agency designated as the lead local health agency in a county by the commissionerpursuant to subsection a. of section 3 of this act.

"Local health agency" means a local health agency as defined in chapter 3 of P.L.1975, c.329 (C.26:3A2-3).

"Public health emergency" means an emergency as defined in section 3 of P.L.1953, c.438 (C.App.A:9-33.1) or other public health emergency as determined by the commissioner.

3. a. In order to provide comprehensive Statewide planning, coordination and supervision of all activities related to public health preparedness for, and response to, a public health emergency, the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services shall designate a local health agency in each county of the State as the lead local health agency for that county; and that agency shall serve as the planning and coordinating agency for all municipalities and local health agencies within the county with regard to public health protection related to a public health emergency.

b. The commissioner, through the lead local health agency, shall direct the activities of all local health agencies in the county with regard to public health protection related to a public health emergency. The lead local health agency and all other local health agencies within the county shall be subject to the direction and authority of the commissioner, and shall perform such activities as are directed by the commissioner, in accordance with the provisions of this act.

c. The lead local health agency shall be responsible for performing disease surveillance, bioterrorism response and public health emergency response-related activities in such a manner as the commissioner may direct, and for reporting to the commissioner on the conduct of these activities as performed by local health agencies in the county.

d. The commissioner may utilize the lead local health agency to disseminate such information to the other local health agencies in the county, and to collect such information from those agencies, as the commissioner deems necessary; and the lead local health agency shall transmit the information to the commissioner or the other local health agencies as directed by the commissioner.

4. The commissioner may adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to effectuate the purposes of this act; except that, notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1968, c.410 to the contrary, the commissioner may adopt, immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative Law, such regulations as the commissioner deems necessary to implement the provisions of this act, which shall be effective for a period not to exceed six months and may thereafter be amended, adopted or readopted by the commissioner in accordance with the requirements of P.L.1968, c.410.

5. There is appropriated $3,800,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Senior Services to fund grants to local health agencies for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this act, subject to the approval of, and allocation by, the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.

6. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill, which is designated the "Public Health Preparedness Act," empowers the Commissioner of Health and Senior Services to designate a lead local health agency in each of the 21 counties Statewide, in order to further ensure the protection of the public health, safety and welfare.

As a means to overcome the inherent difficulties associated with the current, fragmented local public health system in New Jersey, county lead agencies have been designated through a Local Information Network and Communications System (LINCS) to serve as county-based information portals and also to facilitate regional planning, coordination and disease surveillance. Unfortunately, the LINCS approach, which is voluntary and relies on grants as an incentive, cannot ensure that each county designates or maintains a lead local public health entity that would be responsible for county-wide public health preparedness for terrorist acts. This bill is designed to address this deficiency in the LINCS approach while building upon the relationship between existing structures and activities such as LINCS, through the designation in each county of a lead local health agency to provide county-wide coordination that may be critical in effectively responding to public health emergencies.

The bill appropriates $3.8 million to the Department of Health and Senior Services for grants to local health agencies in order to implement the provisions of the bill, subject to the approval of, and allocation by, the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.