ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5043

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 16, 2024

      The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 5043.

      As amended, this bill requires the State Department of Health (DOH) to create and disseminate materials and resources related to cardiomyopathy, including a cardiomyopathy risk assessment.  The DOH, in consultation with the Department of Education, would be required to develop public education materials and resources on the signs, symptoms, and risk-factors associated with high-risk cardiac conditions and genetic heart rhythm abnormalities.  These materials and resources would then be disseminated to school administrators, educators, school health professionals, coaches, families, guardians, caregivers, and other appropriate individuals.  The cardiomyopathy risk assessment would be disseminated to the public.

      With this bill, the DOH would submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature every five years detailing: (1) the natural history of an individual with cardiomyopathy, in both the pediatric and adult population; (2) the estimated number of cardiomyopathy-related emergency department visits and hospitalization, in both the pediatric and adult population; (3) the ongoing cardiomyopathy focused research efforts of the Department of Health; and (4) a research agenda regarding adult forms of cardiomyopathy, plans for researching cardiomyopathy affecting the pediatric population, and the areas of greatest need for such research.  The submitted reports would also be made available to the public. 

     This bill would require the DOH apply to any available federal grants to expand and coordinate research and research-related activities associated with cardiomyopathy. 

     Additionally, this bill authorizes a grants program.  Under the program, the commissioner may award grants to eligible public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools for the following purposes:

1. Developing and providing comprehensive materials to establish AED and CPR programs in public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools;

2. Providing support for CPR and AED training programs in public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools for students, staff, and related sports volunteers;

3. Providing support for developing a cardiac emergency response plan within public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools;

4. Purchasing AEDs, AED batteries, and performing necessary AED maintenance; or

5. Replacing old and outdated AED and CPR equipment, machinery, and educational materials.

     To receive grant funds, a local educational agency, in consultation with a qualified health care entity, would submit an application to the Commissioner of Health.  If a local educational agency has applied and been awarded federal funds for the same or similar purposes as listed above, the educational agency would need to first utilize the federal funds before applying to the State for any additional funds.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments:

      1) consolidate reporting requirements, revise the timing for the initial report from 10 months to 18 months, and revise the subsequent reporting intervals from annually to every five years;

      2) remove subsections b. through d. of section 1;

      3) make the grant program permissive instead of mandatory;

      4) eliminate the appropriation; and

      5) make technical changes involving numbering and to the title and synopsis.