S717

An Act concerning cardiomyopathy awareness and education, 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. Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this act, the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall develop public education materials and resources to be disseminated to school administrators, educators, school health professionals, coaches, families, guardians, caregivers, and other individuals, as appropriate. The materials shall include:

a. information on the signs, symptoms, and risk factors associated with high-risk cardiac conditions and genetic heart rhythm abnormalities that may cause sudden cardiac arrest in children, adolescents, and young adults, including: (1) cardiomyopathy; (2) long QT syndrome; (3) Brugada syndrome; (4) catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia; (5) short QT syndrome; (6) Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome; and (7) other high-risk cardiac conditions as determined by the Commissioner of Health;

b. guidelines regarding the placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in schools, early childhood education facilities, and child care centers;

c. information on AED and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training; and

d. recommendations for schools, early childhood education programs, and child care centers on how to develop and implement a cardiac emergency response plan.

2. a. Not later than 20 months after the date of enactment of this act, the Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Department of Education, shall disseminate the materials and resources developed pursuant to section 1 of this act as follows: (1) to State educational agencies, as appropriate; and (2) to State health agencies and health care professionals, as appropriate.

b. The Department of Health shall post materials and resources created pursuant to section 1 of this act on its Internet website.

c. The Department of Health shall disseminate materials and resources created pursuant to section 1 of this act to local school boards and encourage schools to post the materials on their Internet websites.

3. a. Not later than 10 months after the date of enactment of this act, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Health shall submit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature, a report on the findings generated from the existing activities conducted by the department that improve the understanding of the prevalence and epidemiology of cardiomyopathy across an individual’s lifespan, from birth to adulthood, with particular interest in the following:

(1) the natural history of an individual with cardiomyopathy, in both the pediatric and adult population; and

(2) the estimated number of cardiomyopathy-related emergency department visits and hospitalization, in both the pediatric and adult population.

b. Reports submitted pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall be made available to the public in a manner that complies with all applicable privacy laws under federal and State law.

4. Not later than 20 months after the effective date of this act, the Commissioner of Health shall develop and make publicly available a cardiomyopathy risk assessment that includes:

a. background information on the prevalence, incidence, and health impact of cardiomyopathy, including all forms of cardiomyopathy and its effects on pediatric, adolescent, and adult individuals;

b. a worksheet with variables and conditions that an individual or health care provider can use to assess whether an individual is at risk for cardiomyopathy;

c. a worksheet with variables and stages of progression that an individual or health care provider can use to assess whether, and to what extent, cardiomyopathy has progressed; and

d. guidelines on cardiomyopathy screenings for an individual who is at risk for, or has a family history of, cardiomyopathy.

5. a. The Department of Health shall apply to all available federal grants to expand and coordinate research and related activities associated with:

(1) the causation of cardiomyopathy, including genetic causes and molecular biomarkers;

(2) the long-term health outcomes of an individual with cardiomyopathy, including infants, children, teenagers, adults, and elderly individuals; and

(3) identifying effective treatments and outcomes for individuals with cardiomyopathy.

b. Not later than 22 months after the effective date of this act, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature, a report:

(1) outlining the ongoing cardiomyopathy focused research efforts of the Department of Health; and

(2) identifying a research agenda regarding adult forms of cardiomyopathy, plans for researching cardiomyopathy affecting the pediatric population, and the areas of greatest need for such research.

6. a. The Commissioner of Health shall award grants to eligible entities to develop and implement a comprehensive program to promote student access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools.

b. An eligible entity receiving a grant under subsection a. of this section shall use the funds received to carry out any of the following activities:

(1) developing and providing comprehensive materials to establish AED and CPR programs in public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools;

(2) providing support for CPR and AED training programs in such schools for students, staff, and related sports volunteers;

(3) providing support for developing a cardiac emergency response plan within public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools;

(4) purchasing AEDs, AED batteries, and performing necessary AED maintenance; or

(5) replacing old and outdated AED and CPR equipment, machinery, and educational materials.

c. To be eligible for a grant under subsection a. of this section, an entity shall:

(1) be a local educational agency, including a charter school operating as a local educational agency under State law, in consultation with a qualified health care entity; and

(2) submit to the Commissioner of Health an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the commissioner may reasonably require.

d. A local educational agency, including a charter school operating as a local educational agency under State law, that has received federal funds for the same or similar purposes as listed in subsection b. of this section shall first utilize the federal funds before applying for additional funds from the State under this act.

e. As used in this section, “qualified health care entity” means a public health care facility or an organization that is described in section 501(c) and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. s.501.

f. The Commissioner of Health, in accordance with the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.

7. For the purposes of this act, the Department of Health shall avail itself of any federal funds available to it before utilizing State funds appropriated under section 8 of this act.

8. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health the sum of $300,000 to implement the provisions of this act.

9. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the State Department of Health (DOH) to create and disseminate materials and resources related to cardiomyopathy, including a cardiomyopathy risk assessment. The DOH, in consultation with the Department of Education, would be required to develop public education materials and resources on the signs, symptoms, and risk-factors associated with high-risk cardiac conditions and genetic heart rhythm abnormalities. These materials and resources would then be disseminated to school administrators, educators, school health professionals, coaches, families, guardians, caregivers, and other appropriate individuals. The cardiomyopathy risk assessment would be disseminated to the public.

With this bill, the DOH would submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature detailing existing activities already conducted by the department on the prevalence and epidemiology of cardiomyopathy across the lifespan of an individual, from birth to adulthood, focusing on the natural history of an individual with cardiomyopathy and the estimated number of cardiomyopathy-related emergency department visits in the pediatric and adult population. The submitted reports would also be made available to the public.

This bill would require the DOH apply to any available federal grants to expand and coordinate research and research-related activities associated with cardiomyopathy. The DOH would be required to submit an annual report to the Governor and the Legislature on the department’s research efforts and future plans and needs for cardiomyopathy research.

Additionally, this bill sets up a grants program. Under the program, the commissioner would award grants to eligible public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools for the following purposes:

1. Developing and providing comprehensive materials to establish AED and CPR programs in public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools;

2. Providing support for CPR and AED training programs in public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools for students, staff, and related sports volunteers;

3. Providing support for developing a cardiac emergency response plan within public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools;

4. Purchasing AEDs, AED batteries, and performing necessary AED maintenance; or

5. Replacing old and outdated AED and CPR equipment, machinery, and educational materials.

To receive grant funds, a local educational agency, in consultation with a qualified health care entity, would submit an application to the Commissioner of Health. If a local educational agency has applied and been awarded federal funds for the same or similar purposes as listed above, the educational agency would need to first utilize the federal funds before applying to the State for any additional funds.

Lastly, this bill appropriates $300,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health to implement the provisions of this bill.