ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 6119
with committee amendments
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: DECEMBER 11, 2025
The Assembly Health Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 6119.
As amended, this bill expands New Jersey’s certificate of need exemption list.
Under New Jersey’s certificate of need requirement, an application for and receipt of a certificate of need from the Department of Health is required for the construction of a health care facility, the expansion of a health care facility, or the institution of a new health care service.
This bill provides exemptions from New Jersey’s certificate of need requirement for: 1) a 25 percent increase in the number of intermediate or intensive bassinets in a health care facility that provides inpatient, maternity services, irrespective of the changes that the Department of Health is to make to the certificate of need process for neonatal care unit expansions; however, a reduction of intermediate or intensive bassinets in a health care facility that provides inpatient, maternity services, is not to be exempt from the certificate of need requirement; and 2) an increase in the level of neonatal care designation of a health care facility that provides inpatient, maternity services, with the exception of a health care facility with a designation as a regional perinatal center, is to be exempt from the certificate of need requirement, however, a health care facility with a designation as a reginal perinatal center or a decrease in the level of neonatal care designation of a health care facility that provides inpatient, maternity services, is not to be exempt from the certificate of need requirement;
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:
The committee amendments revise the certificate of need exemption requirements for an addition or reduction of intermediate or intensive bassinets in a health care facility that provides inpatient, maternity services, and for an increase or decrease in the level of neonatal care designation of a health care facility that provides inpatient, maternity services.
The committee amendments provide that within 180 days following the bill’s effective date, the Department of Health is to revise the certificate of need process for neonatal care unit expansions in a manner that reflects the current needs and expectations of parents in this State, with special consideration for reducing the need to transfer neonatal care unit patients between hospitals.