SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE, No. 1981
with committee amendments
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: OCTOBER 28, 2024
The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 1981.
As amended by the committee, this bill expands the authority of pharmacy technicians to administer drugs and vaccines and permits pharmacists and pharmacy interns, externs, and technicians to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
The bill amends section 24 of P.L.2003, c.280 (C.45:14-63) to:
1) provide that a pharmacist is required to receive appropriate training to administer a prescription medication directly to a patient, but is no longer required to be certified to administer a prescription medication directly to a patient;
2) permit a pharmacy technician to administer drugs to a patient 18 years of age or older under certain circumstances;
3) permit a pharmacist, pharmacy intern, pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician to administer a COVID-19 vaccine to a patient who is five years of age or older;
4) in the case of a patient who is under 18 years of age, prohibit a pharmacy technician from administering a vaccine without the permission of the patient's parent or legal guardian;
5) remove certain restrictions concerning the administration of a vaccine to a patient who is under 10 years of age;
6) permit a pharmacy technician to administer immunizations to patients by injection or by other delivery method, provided that the pharmacy technician is acting under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist;
7) provide that all doses of a vaccine administered to a patient by a pharmacist, pharmacy intern, pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician are to be reported to the New Jersey Immunization Information System; and
8) lower the age of the patient to whom a pharmacist, pharmacy intern, pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician may administer an influenza vaccine from seven years old to five years old.
This bill was prefiled 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.
As amended and reported by the committee, Senate Bill No. 1981 is identical to Assembly Bill No. 1899, which was also amended and reported by the committee on this date.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:
The committee amendments provide that pharmacy technicians will not be authorized to administer any medication pursuant to immunization programs and programs sponsored by governmental agencies, unless the medication is related to the immunization and necessary to respond to an emergency.
The committee amendments revise the reporting requirements provided under the bill to require that all doses of a vaccine administered by a pharmacist, pharmacy intern, pharmacy extern, or pharmacy technician are to be reported to the New Jersey Immunization Information System. The committee amendments remove the requirement that these reports are to be submitted by a supervising pharmacist.
The committee amendments provide the New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners special rulemaking authority to implement the provisions of the bill.