ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4596

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 23, 2024

      The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 4596.

      This bill requires the Department of Health to establish partnerships with certain entities to improve emergency response to public health crisis.

      Under the bill, the Commissioner of Health is to:

      (1)  identify goods and services that are critical to the Department of Health’s ability to provide a robust emergency response to a public health crisis;

      (2)  identify partnerships that are critical to the Department of Health’s ability to provide a robust emergency response to a public health crisis;

      (3)  establish mechanisms for the creation and maintenance of the partnerships described in the bill;

      (4)  identify groups that are most at-risk during a public health crisis;

      (5)  establish and maintain institutionalized partnerships with businesses, community groups, governments, health care facilities and professionals, industries, universities, and other stakeholders that will enable the Department of Health to expand and improve its ability to provide a robust emergency response to a public health crisis;

      (6)  formulate collaborative public health crisis response plans through the partnerships that were formed pursuant to the bill’s provisions;

      (7)  participate in joint training and exercises with partners for the execution of collaborative public health crisis response plans; 

      (8)  regularly engage partners on topics related to the delivery of services and emergency preparedness;

      (9)  coordinate with partners during nonemergency government operations; and

      (10)      coordinate with other local and State agencies and departments to develop a system to share and track contacts and partnership activity.