STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ELLEN J. PARK
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Requires DOC to conduct study on quality of health care services in correctional facilities.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning a study on health care services in correctional facilities.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Corrections, in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services, shall conduct a study on the current health care services offered at correctional facilities to evaluate any gaps in such services. The study shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) an evaluation of the response time, and resolution time, on average, for addressing any health-related concern or medical requests made by an incarcerated person;
(2) an evaluation of the per day visits made by medical staff for pain-management, management of acute discomfort, or overall patient care from an illness or serious injury in order to address patient care needs of an incarcerated person; and
(3) an evaluation of any identifiable gaps in the quality of medical services provided to incarcerated persons and the reasons for such gaps in each correctional facility.
b. The commissioner shall submit a written report, within one year of the effective date of this act, to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, setting forth the findings of the study and any recommendations for legislative action.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Commissioner of Corrections, in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services, to conduct a study on health care services in correctional facilities to evaluate any gaps in such services.
The study may include, but not be limited to: 1) on average, the response time, and resolution time for addressing any health-related concern or medical requests made by an incarcerated person; 2) an evaluation of the per day visits made by medical staff for pain-management, management of acute discomfort, or overall patient care from an illness or serious injury of an incarcerated person; and finally 3) any identifiable gaps in the quality of medical services provided and the reasons for these gaps.
The commissioner will submit a written report, within one year of the effective date of the bill, to the Governor and the Legislature, with the findings of the study and legislative recommendations.