SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 3047

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 3, 2025

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 3047.

      As amended, the bill directs every birthing center licensed in the State, every federally qualified health center, and every health care practitioner providing prenatal care to a pregnant person or postpartum care to a person who seeks treatment within 12 weeks of giving birth to adopt and adhere to policies requiring the person to be evaluated, as necessary, for hypertensive disorders related to pregnancy, including, but not limited to, postpartum preeclampsia and hypertension, provided that the person shows symptoms of the condition and has not in the current or recent pregnancy previously been diagnosed with the condition, or after the onset of such symptoms.  Evaluation tools are to be based on best practices and guidance, as determined by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists or another nationally-recognized body.

      Under the bill, as amended, these same entities providing the same types of care are required to, in accordance with nationally recognized evidence-based treatment practices:

      (1)  provide the person with evidence-based information on hypertensive disorders related to pregnancy preeclampsia, including, but not limited to, postpartum preeclampsia and hypertension and potential warning signs and symptoms;

      (2)  inform the person of the benefits of being evaluated for hypertensive disorders related to pregnancy preeclampsia, including, but not limited to, postpartum preeclampsia and hypertension, if the person shows symptoms of any such disorders, and that the person should be evaluated for hypertensive disorders related to pregnancy under the circumstances set forth in the bill, unless the person declines to be evaluated; and

      (3)  upon receipt of the results of any evaluation conducted pursuant to the bill, discuss the results with the person and, if the person has a positive evaluation for preeclampsia, develop an evidence-based treatment plan to minimize the person’s risk from preeclampsia.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments:

      1)   remove hospitals from the scope of the bill;

      2)   clarify that the bill’s provisions apply to providers who provide prenatal or postpartum care within 12 weeks of birth;

      3) replace the term “preeclampsia” with the language “hypertensive disorders related to pregnancy preeclampsia, including, but not limited to, postpartum preeclampsia and hypertension;”

      4)   clarify that certain provisions of bill apply to healthcare practitioners, rather than physicians or healthcare practitioners;

      5)   replace the term “screening” with the term “evaluation”;

      6)   provide that the provision of information and any evaluation or post-evaluation obligation is in accordance with nationally recognized evidence-based treatment, rather than guidelines developed by the Commissioner of Health;

      7)   remove provisions in the bill regarding home blood pressure monitoring, written refusal, and the development of an preeclampsia education program;

      8)   provide that the rule and regulation adoption under the bill is  permissive for the Commissioner of Health and a requirement for the State Board of Medical Examiners and any other agency or board that regulates health care practitioners;

      9)   provide that evaluations are permissive under the bill and that a person can decline an evaluation without a written refusal;

      10)  provide that the bill is to be effective 180 days after adoption, rather than immediately; and

      11)  make various technical changes to style, grammar, and usage.