Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Requires Director of Office of Emergency Management to establish counterfeit personal protective equipment detection guidelines and corresponding public awareness campaign.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning counterfeit personal protective equipment and supplementing chapter 9 of Appendix A.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Director of the State Office of Emergency Management, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, shall develop and publish guidelines concerning the detection of counterfeit personal protective equipment. The guidelines shall be published on the Internet websites of the State Office of Emergency Management and the State Department of Health, and shall be disseminated to local emergency management organizations and local health departments.
b. The director shall establish a public awareness campaign in order to promote awareness among the general public concerning the prevalence and detection of counterfeit personal protection equipment. The director, within the limits of funds available for this purpose, shall develop and distribute appropriate informational materials which may include, but need not be limited to, the use of social media, television, radio, or print media.
c. For the purposes of this section:
“Counterfeit” means an item labeled, sold or marketed as, marked, or otherwise held out to be personal protective equipment, but which is not made, manufactured, or otherwise constructed in a manner or using materials that provide a person with protection from bacterial or viral infections.
“Personal protective equipment” means any items commonly used to protect an individual from bacterial or viral infections, including, but not limited to, disinfecting wipes, disposable gloves, disposable gowns, face shields, N95 face masks, surgical masks, or parts thereof.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the second month next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Director of the State Office of Emergency Management, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, to develop and publish guidelines concerning the detection of counterfeit personal protective equipment. Under the bill, the guidelines would be published on the Internet websites of the State Office of Emergency Management and the State Department of Health, and disseminated to local emergency management organizations and local health departments.
Additionally, the bill requires the director to establish a public awareness campaign in order to promote awareness among the general public concerning the prevalence and detection of counterfeit personal protection equipment. The director, within the limits of funds available, would be required to develop and distribute appropriate informational materials which may include, but need not be limited to, the use of social media, television, radio, or print media.
The bill defines “counterfeit” as an item labeled, sold or marketed as, marked, or otherwise held out to be personal protective equipment, but which is not made, manufactured, or otherwise constructed in a manner or using materials that provide a person with protection from bacterial or viral infections. “Personal protective equipment” is defined as any items commonly used to protect an individual from bacterial or viral infections, including, but not limited to, disinfecting wipes, disposable gloves, disposable gowns, face shields, N95 face masks, surgical masks, or parts thereof.