Governor Christie Builds On Commitment To Saving Lives With Expansion of Overdose Protection Act
New Law Cements Immunity Provision For First Responders To Save Even More Lives
Building on a commitment to reclaim lives from the menace of drug addiction,
Governor Christie has signed legislation expanding the bipartisan Overdose
Prevention Act of 2013 by adding a provision that provides immunity to
first responders. The new law cements in statute the protections for first
responders taking part in the Christie Administration’s lifesaving
Narcan pilot program and EMS waiver in effect in communities throughout
New Jersey.
The bill, S-2378, clarifies immunity provisions for administering and
dispensing Narcan to individuals and programs involved in the treatment
of substance abuse and those that interact with substance abusers.
“Nearly two years ago, I signed the bipartisan Overdose Prevention
Act to protect those good Samaritans who attempt to help a drug overdose
victim by administering overdose antidotes in life-threatening situations,”
said Governor Christie. “Today, we are cementing in our laws those
same protections for our first responders who are doing this incredible,
lifesaving work every day under our statewide Narcan program. By doing
so, we will have an even greater ability to save lives, reverse the effects
of overdose and prevent tragedies with this life-saving treatment.”
The legislation advances the successful efforts of the Attorney General
and the Commissioner of the Department of Health over the past year in
implementing programs and removing regulatory barriers to enable the widespread
availability of Narcan treatment.
According to the most recent statistics provided by Department of Health,
186 EMS squads have registered with the department and 245 Narcan administrations
have occurred since the March 2014 waiver signed by Governor Christie.
In addition, 473 law enforcement agencies have been trained in Narcan
administration and are currently carrying Narcan on patrol. More than
585 overdoses have been reversed through successful naloxone deployment.
In addition to S-2378, Governor Christie today signed two other bills
that will help add to New Jersey’s drug treatment and prevention efforts:
SCS for S-2373/ACS for A-3716 (Vitale, Addiego/Vainieri Huttle, Sumter, Mukherji, Mosquera, Gusciora) - Requires Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services to annually prepare substance use treatment provider performance report, and make available to public
SCS for S-2380/ACS for A-3722 (Vitale, Lesniak/Vainieri Huttle, Sumter, Mukherji, Angelini, Mosquera, Gusciora) - Requires DHS and DOC to formulate joint arrangement and plan to ensure provision of mental health and substance use disorder services to inmates
# # #
BILL SIGNINGS:
S-979wGR/A-2236 (Sweeney, Cunningham/Wisniewski, Benson, Lampitt, Moriarty, Wimberly, Garcia) - Establishes “College Affordability Study Commission” to examine issues and develop recommendations to increase the affordability of higher education in New JerseyS-1050/A-3058 (Smith, Bateman/McKeon, McHose, Space, A.M. Bucco) - Extends for five years expiration date of special appraisal process for Green Acres program and farmland preservation program for lands in Highlands Region; makes change to special appraisal process for certain farmers
S-1856/A-3175 (Codey, Vitale/DeAngelo, A.M. Bucco, Angelini, Vainieri Huttle) - Requires DCA to post on its website information about inspection reports for residential health care facilities, boarding homes, and emergency shelters for the homeless, and requires notifications to DHS and counties
S-1870/A-3306 (Holzapfel, Singer/McGuckin, Wolfe, Giblin, S. Kean, Mukherji, Andrzejczak) - Establishes additional requirements, and penalties for failure to comply, concerning information to be provided to persons purchasing cats or dogs from pet shops
S-2235/A-3480 (Sarlo, Oroho/Diegnan, Mukherji, Moriarty) - Eliminates consumer data collection requirements for certain gift cards
S-2648/A-3988 (Sweeney, Lesniak/Prieto, Singleton) - Reduces membership of Rutgers board of trustees and eliminates dual membership on Rutgers board of trustees and Rutgers board of governors
A-304/S-801 (Russo, Rumana, Caride, Casagrande/O'Toole, Turner) - Requires schools to maintain supply of epinephrine and permit administration of epinephrine to any student having anaphylactic reaction
A-1784/S-2238 (McKeon, Schaer, Rible, Spencer/Lesniak) - Exempts certain persons from licensing requirements of the “New Jersey Residential Mortgage Lending Act"
A-1796/S-2000 (O'Donnell, Jasey, Pinkin/Turner, Vitale) - Prohibits school district from denying student school breakfast or school lunch because payment is in arrears without prior notice to parent
A-3357/S-2609 (Singleton, Lagana, Garcia/Van Drew) - Authorizes tax lien holders other than municipalities to institute in rem tax foreclosure actions against abandoned properties
A-3391/S-2469 (Johnson, Prieto, Mainor, Wilson, Wimberly/Sacco) - Establishes sheriff's officers reemployment lists
A-3628/S-2412 (Greenwald, S. Kean/Sarlo, Kyrillos) - "Water Infrastructure Protection Act"
A-3969/S-2647 (Prieto, Schaer, Caride, Eustace/Sarlo) – “Hackensack Meadowlands Agency Consolidation Act”; “Hackensack Meadowlands Transportation Planning District Act of 2014”; “New Jersey Meadowlands Tax Relief Act”
BILLS VETOED:
S-1770/A-3407(Turner/Sumter, Mukherji, Pintor Marin) – CONDITIONAL - Establishes a partial return to work TDI programSCS for S-1811/ACS for A-3059 (Sweeney, O'Toole/Egan, Diegnan) – ABSOLUTE - Requires use of goods made in the United States for public contracts; requires disclosures by businesses that receive public contracts or development assistance
S-2045/A-3280 (Sweeney, O'Toole/Mosquera, Lagana) – ABSOLUTE - Requires Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission to use certain products manufactured in U.S.
S-2048/A-3281 (Sweeney, O'Toole/Mosquera, Lagana) – ABSOLUTE - Requires Delaware River and Bay Authority to use certain products manufactured in U.S.
S-2061/A-3221 (Sweeney, O'Toole/Lagana, Mosquera, Eustace) – ABSOLUTE - Requires Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to use certain products manufactured in U.S.
S-2062/A3279 (Sweeney, O'Toole/Mosquera, Lagana) – ABSOLUTE - Requires Delaware River Port Authority to use certain products manufactured in U.S.
S-2284/A-3549 (Pou, Weinberg/Schaer, Vainieri Huttle, Webber, Singleton, Jimenez, Johnson, Bramnick) – CONDITIONAL - Requires Medicaid managed care organizations to meet certain conditions prior to reducing reimbursement rates for personal care assistant services and home-based supportive care services
A-965/S-1945 (Singleton, Sumter, Simon, Lagana, Schaer, Garcia/Whelan, Oroho) – CONDITIONAL - Makes construction work on public utilities subject to "The Public Works Contractor Registration Act"
A-3840/S-2485 (Giblin, Wimberly, Jimenez, Sumter, Rible, Mainor, Moriarty/Sweeney, O'Toole, Pou) – CONDITIONAL - Prohibits religious entities from engaging in certain practices involving cemeteries, funeral homes and mortuaries, memorials, mausoleums and burial vaults
A-3952/S-2642 (Prieto, Mazzeo, Pintor Marin, Quijano, Schaer, Andrzejczak/Sacco, Van Drew, Ruiz) – ABSOLUTE - Dedicates 30 percent of all UEZ sales tax revenues to respective UEZ account and 70 percent of UEZ sales tax revenues to General Fund