SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE, Nos. 2566 and 2677

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 14, 2020

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably a Senate Committee Substitute for Senate Bill No. 2566 and Senate Bill No. 2677.

      The committee substitute requires long-term care facilities to maintain an adequate emergency stockpile of personal protective equipment necessary to meet the facility’s need for personal protective equipment for:

      (1)  In the case of a facility that is part of a health care system that owns or operates eight or more facilities, 30 days; and

      (2)  In the case of a facility that is part of a health care system that owns or operates fewer than eight facilities, 60 days.

      In determining the quantity of personal protective equipment a facility will need to maintain in order to meet the requirements of the substitute, the facility is to: take into account prevailing conditions in the State that may affect the need for and availability of personal protective equipment; take into account anticipated surges, over the next 90 days, in the need for personal protective equipment at that facility and at other facilities that are part of the same system as the facility; and utilize any burn rate calculator or other tool as the Department of Health may designate for use in determining the anticipated need for personal protective equipment.

      Under the provisions of the substitute, facilities will be required to immediately reevaluate the adequacy of their stockpile of personal protective equipment upon any declaration of a public health emergency pursuant to P.L.2005, c.222 (C.26:13-1 et seq.) in response to an outbreak, epidemic, or pandemic involving an infectious disease, and acquire additional supplies of personal protective equipment as are necessary to meet increases in the need for and use of personal protective equipment during the public health emergency.

      The substitute defines "long-term care facility" as a 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.), and “personal protection equipment” 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.