ASSEMBLY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND WOMEN'S AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 1973

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 17, 2024

      The Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 1973.

      As amended by the committee, this bill directs the Commissioner of Health to require every hospital in the State, every birthing center licensed in the State pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.), every federally qualified health center, and every licensed physician or health care practitioner in the State providing perinatal care to a pregnant person or a person who has given birth, to refer the person for an endometriosis screen, if the person has been diagnosed with preeclampsia and later shows symptoms of endometriosis. 

     The bill as amended requires the Board of Medical Examiners to require every obstetric care provider who is the primary caregiver for a pregnant person or a person who seeks perinatal care within six weeks of giving birth to: (1) in accordance with nationally recognized guidelines, provide the person with information developed by the New Jersey Department of Health on endometriosis; (2) inform the person of the benefits of being screened for endometriosis if the person has been diagnosed with preeclampsia and subsequently shows symptoms of endometriosis, and that the person is to be screened for endometriosis unless the person provides a written refusal to be screened; and (3) screen the person for endometriosis or refer the person to a qualified obstetric care provider for screening unless the person provides a written refusal to be screened. 

     The commissioner will be required to develop, in consultation with the Endometriosis Foundation of America and any other community-based organization as may be designated by the commissioner, an endometriosis educational program for pregnant individuals and individuals who have recently given birth, have been diagnosed with preeclampsia, and subsequently show symptoms of endometriosis.  The educational program will include information on endometriosis and the potential warning signs and symptoms of endometriosis.

     Upon receipt of a referral for an endometriosis screen pursuant to the bill, the obstetric care provider would discuss the results with the person and, if the person screens positive for endometriosis, develop a treatment plan to minimize the person’s risk from endometriosis.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

The committee amendments:

1.   Delete the provision on screening tools.

2.   Change the reference to “treatment” to “perinatal care.”

3.  Change “required to be screened for endometriosis” to “is to be screened.”

4.  Delete subsection c. of section 1 of the bill which requires the Commissioner of Health to develop a standardized form to provide acknowledgement or refusal to undergo screening for endometriosis.

5.  Change reference to Commissioner of Health to Board of Medical Examiners.

6.   Change effective date to 180 days after enactment.